PCT 50 Race Report

May 11^th 2014

50 miles of the PCT……what part of that doesn't sound awesome?  I love this trail.  I definitely want to backpack the entire thing from Mexico to Canada sometime in my life.  For now I will take every chance I can get to experience different parts of it.  And to trail run it…..icing on the cake.

This was my second time racing that distance.  Running for that long on trails is a challenge that I have grown to love.  The first time I ran the 50 mile distance I did it along side my wife and had an absolutely incredible experience.  (http://joshuadinen.blogspot.com/2013/12/the-north-face-gore-tex-50-mile-race.html)  We hung together and had an incredible day experiencing the highs and the lows trail running can bring.  This time, however, I wanted to see how I could do on my own.  And man did I exceed my own expectations.  Here is how the day went.

It is a local race so I got to sleep in my own bed after my normal pre-race meal – Mexican food.  This was the third weekend in a row racing for the Dinen household so hearing the alarm go off somewhere around 3 AM is getting a little more easy.  None the less, we were up well before the crack off dawn and off to the Mount Laguna area for the start of the race.  Around the Sunrise Highway the outside temperature was in the 40s………brrrrrr.  I was a little concerned since all I brought was a t-shirt but I knew the day would warm up and I would be ok.  Little did I know it would be windy.  The race takes place and starts right on the side of a road about two miles east off Buckman Springs exit (old highway 80).  This is where the PCT crosses Highway 8. 

Got to check in at 5:30 am, registered and got our numbers then headed back to the car to prepare for the race.  Everyone started to congregate near the PCT trail entrance as John, the race director, started shouting out a time countdown.   Gave Kasia a kiss and wished her luck.   At first it was five minutes, then two, then one……then we were off.  It took a couple minutes for everyone to funnel into the single track but before I knew it we were off and running.  The sun had risen but we were still in the shade of the mountains surrounding us.  It is uphill from the start and does not stop for a couple hours until Mount Laguna.  At first I was running with groups of people.  When they would stop to walk the hills it would cause a traffic jam and everyone behind would have to slow down.  It is however tough to pass on the single track and I wasn’t in that big of a hurry so it took a hour or so to  thin the crowds out to a point where I had open trail in front of me. 

 

I had a good pace and really felt good cruising the PCT. About an hour into the run I came across the first of many backpackers.  I wondered when I wished them good luck whether they were embarking on a journey of a lifetime to Canada.  Or were they just out for a couple days enjoying the San Diego mountains.  I love summer and backpacking.  I cannot wait to spend some days up in the Sierra this summer.  As I ran I could see different possible campsites that the hikers use.  I only encountered one creek crossing on the whole 50 miles of PCT we ran.  Water is scarce up there.  Good thing we had aid stations.  The hikers and the thoughts of backpacking gave me small distractions as I was charging up the mountain.  A little something to day dream of. ……

At the first aid station I was pleasantly welcomed by one of my training partners Ramon Chacon.  I haven’t seen him in a while since he moved up to LA.  Man do I miss him and his great energy.  Thanks a lot to all the volunteers.  They really make this possible for everyone.  Leaving that aid station really felt good.   I couldn't wait to see him on the return leg of my race.  This race is an out and back on the PCT.  Up 25 miles on the PCT then right back the way you came.  It would be pretty hard to get lost due to all the PCT and race markings on the trail.  The first part of the course is in desert chaparral with little trees….. The only trees you encounter are located in the bottoms of the small valleys where water sometimes runs.  But as you finish the climb up, you enter the forests of Mount Laguna.

We have spent a lot of time running and riding up in Mount Laguna so as we entered the trees it felt really good and familiar.  At this point the uphill’s kind of subside and it becomes rolling single track with shade J.     I settled into a really good pace with a couple of guys and just put in some good work mile after mile.  I don’t know if you call it a second wind or not but sometimes running can feel pretty easy and actually feel really good.  You go through highs and lows.  For now I was feeling good and making my way out to the turnaround.  As we crested the top of Mt. Laguna we started the descent down to Penny Pines.   Descending felt great.

Getting closer to Penny Pines the male leaders passed me heading back.  They were flying.   Penny Pines is a place I park a lot when I train.  So making it there everything became really familiar.  I was almost at the turn around.  6 or so miles and I would be right back here fueling up for the last big climb.  I was stoked and it was still early in the day (10ish).  I took off for the turnaround excited. 

Feeling good was about to take a turn for the worse and I had no idea it was coming.  The wind was bad all day.  It ripped my hat off my head a couple times but the section from Penny Pines to the turn around was the windiest for the day.  It was straight into your face and dry…….so any sweat you have is dried up really quickly.  My face felt salty so I started to take salt tabs and man was I glad I did.  I probably took 20 salt tabs all day but never cramped.  I learned a little something from Xterra a couple weeks ago.    In hot and dry races I need salt, and lots of it.  As I reached the turn around I started to feel a little nauseous.    Not good.  I was about to bonk and I knew it.  I hadn't been eating much (1 bonk breaker and a couple gels) but I was now at the 26 mile mark and started to feel like I needed fuel.  Electrolytes and fluids were good but I neglected my nutrition for just a bit and it almost got me.  As I rolled into Penny Pines again I was excited to see Kasia there.  She let me know she had fallen already and torn her new running pants.  She was pissed about her pants and falling but I was glad to see she was ok and was going to be able to continue on.  We said our good-byes and headed in opposite directions.  She was still headed out to the turn around and I was already headed back.  A part of me wished I could have gone with her and spent the rest of the day hanging.  But this was not to be today; I was on my own journey.

I knew this would be a hard climb coming back.  I had no idea how hard it would actually be however. Then a really nauseous feeling hit me hard…did I over salt?  Am I going to throw up?  I better sit down for a bit so I found a nice rock on the side of the trail and sat down.  The view into the desert was awesome.  The wind felt good but I felt like crap.  All time low point for the day.  Fun times!!!  A couple people passed me asking me if I was ok.  I responded yeah.  After a few minutes I got back up and started walking.  When you walk you can see more since you don’t have to stare at the ground.  So here I was walking, feeling like crap, but in a beautiful place, on the PCT.  I walked the whole way up from Penny Pines to the top of Mount Laguna.  It sucked because it took longer than running but I was able to digest the food I ate at Penny Pines and actually started to feel a little better.  I bet I will have this same experience in the 100 mile race I am doing in July.  Note to self – It is ok to walk.   As I crested the top I started to run again.  Any flats or down hills I would run.  Any uphill I would walk.  I paired up with a guy named Sal and we ran together for an hour or so.  

We even ran across a rattlesnake which gave us a bit of an adrenaline rush.  We got it off the trail by throwing sticks, rocks, and pine cones at it.  It rattled at us as it cruised off the trail.    Before I knew it we were at the last aid station in the trees.  It was all down hill from here.  They had brownies at this aid station.  I probably ate four of them.  They tasted so good.  Grabbed some more salt tabs and filled my camelback and was off.   I never saw Sal again.  It was time to shred.  It was time to let it run.  This is where the fun began.

Gravity is awesome.  As the downhill’s started, my pace increased.  I was flying down the mountain.  Downhill running is like a video game.  You have to constantly look ahead and figure out where your feet will be in a few moments.  I was careening through bushes rather than turning around them.  I wondered to myself, how long can I keep this up?  There has to be  15 or so miles left………..but it felt good to let it run…..so that’s what I did.  I leaned into the hill and let gravity do its thing and my legs hung.  At this point the race is spread out thin so I was running all by myself on the PCT.  It felt good.  I caught everyone that passed me during my low point.  And then I caught the guys I was running with before the turn around.  My pace was faster so I blew by them.  Person after person, I ran them down.  I couldn't believe I was running this fast after already running 40 miles.  Then I ran up on a woman in a sketchy single track section so I didn't pass but hung back and asked her how she was doing.  She replied something like this “Great…..Its hard to believe there is 6 miles left when you can see highway 8……..I am doing the SD100 in 4 weeks and my goal was sub 12, but I am going to crush that and go sub 10.” 

I was like what???????  First of all I had no idea how many miles I had left……..6 miles left…….awesome.  Next she was going to finish sub 10 and I am about to pass her………that means I am going to go sub 10……..awesome.  Big boost!!  At the first chance I had I blew by her and really picked up my pace.  That was the recharge I needed to finish strong.   Ultras have highs and lows…..something I like and I was going to ride this high all the way home.  The last six miles flew by.  Caught 4 or so more people during the last 6 miles and finished strong. 

9 hours 30 minutes

19^th overall

Kasia crushed it in 11 hours 30 minutes.  Over an hour better than last time.  I am so proud of her.  She ended up eating it a second time and rolled into the finish with dirt all over her face.  Love it.

Post race celebratory beer!!!