Capital Peak Race

Capital Peak Race
April 25, 2009

http://www.capitolpeakultras.com/CP50mile.htm

For me running this run comes to close to the end of ski season. We had late snows this year in March and April. With the late snow, I was not doing the hill work I should have been doing. (I do not enjoy running down hill on snowy trails) I had come down with a cold two weeks before the run. This is how I was going into my first 50 mile trail run for the season.

Drove down to the start on Friday night and hung out with the other people there. My car made a good place to sleep in for the night. Up at 5:00 and the start the race at 6:00. I started out running with Glen for awhile. He was holding a good pace I liked. There are two aid stations on the lower 19 mile loop that bring you back to the start/finish. There is some mud, clear cuts and nice forest you run through. I was feeling good so far, yo-yoing with different runner as the miles rolled along. Leaving the 19 mile start finish the trail starts its climb up to Capital peak. The running is again nice trail through clear cuts and forest. At the Capital peak aid station you do a 2.5 mile loop up to the peak. At the Capital peak aid station the 55k runners head back to the start/finish for the end of their day. The 50 mile runners work there way over to the wedekind aid station at mile 31. I picked up some soup as I headed that direction. This is a nice run through the forest with a lot of down hill running, I really enjoy it. Once at wedekind aid station I pick up another cup of soup as I headed out on the out and back. I found that soup that day really hit the spot. This was a six mile out and six mile back leg. I did not liking parts of this as I was running at times on an old road and too much down hill to get to the turn around. The turn around came none to soon and off I went on tired legs back up out of this valley. The good part was it was only 12.5 miles back to the finish. Stopped in at wedekind and picked up some more soup. It is down hill for the most part to the finish from wedekind. The trail is clear cuts and nice forest. As I was getting closer I thought I might be able to break the 10 hour mark. I ran a little faster to see if I was possible. It is so much fun to run down a good trail in the woods, I loved it. You forget about all else and enjoy the moment. The 10 hour mark came and went and I crossed the finish line in 10:04. The weather was cool and perfect for running. I wore shorts, long sleeve top and gloves. Once at the finish I hung out, ate and socialized with the other runner. I can not think of a better way to spend the day.