Saturday, August 21, 2010

Stormy Aug 2010

Stormy Trail Race
Aug 7,8 2010
http://stormytrailrace.ca/
Stormy is trail race run in the mountains of BC in the town of Squamish BC. I entered the 100 mile race event. I had an idea on what to expect as this was my second 100 mile running race. Stormy has 12,000 ft of elevation gain and loss over the course. Most of the course was on mt bike trails with small parts of paved roads and larger uphill sections on dirt roads.


We arrived on Friday evening camping out at the campgrounds by the start of the race. It was raining on Saturday morning when we woke up. Rain was forecasted all day. With a 10:00 start time all the runners had time to gather under the tents and work out the per race jitters. The temperature was warm enough with the rain that I could wear a tee shirt and shorts. I carried my jacket and stocking cap for the chance that I might get cold. There were 25 people running the 100 mile event.

A little before 10:00 we were all lined up at the start ready to go. No one wanted to be in front so I ended up in the first few. At 10:00 we all took of at a reasonable pace. I was running in second place. I have never run this course before and wondered if this was a good idea. I am running third place after a few miles. The first two people are out of site and treating this like a real race. I am running with Alex with the pack behind us. We miss a turn and everyone follows us for an extra one hundred yards. I hear a whistle as I stop realizing something is wrong. We all turn around and go back to the left turn I missed. I am passing people in the pack getting myself back toward the front. Aid station one comes up and I see familiar faces working this station. This would be one of my favorite stations (Good Food). I fill up and am off. As I approach Alice Lake I see a large party going on with lots of tents keeping everyone dry. They happen to be right on the race course. It took a bit of thinking to realize this. Your mind can play tricks on you during a 100 mile run. Not usually after 6 miles. Past Alice Lake, left down the road and into the woods. I come out the woods and almost go past the second aid station. The course goes right the aid station was on the left. I did not even look that way. Fill up and move on. Up hill walking, single track and some fun down hill running takes me to aid station three. I see two more people I know working this station. Fill up and move on for some more single track and one interesting down hill mt bike trail. I might be crazy for running 100 miles. These people who ride this trail and farther out there than I am. I come into the last little down hill a little to fast having a little too much fun. Luckily I stay on my feet as I approach the aid station four (this is the old aid station one). Grab some ravioli’s, soup, pb & j and other good food as I start walking down the road. Right turn after bridge, down trail, left up to aid station four. More good food and up the road I go. Down some fun single track back to aid station four that is now aid station five. Fuel up and off to Power House (aid station 7 and 9). At PH I fill up and start up the nine mile hill road. It is two climbs with down hill running after each section. There is a water stop in the middle of this section which I use. It takes me 1:45 to get to aid station 8. Load up and more up hill walking before a great down hill running section that leads to more interesting down hill mt bike trail. Once back at PH and loaded up I get some easier trail that takes me to the last aid station (10) before the start/finish 50 mile mark. My glasses are quite dirty and seeing is not as sharp as I would like. I get help from the guy running aid station 10 to clean my glasses. I have nothing clean or dry on me. I get to the S/F in 10:30. I saw Laurie, changed my shirt and filled back up on supplies. It has stopped raining now. It is still light as I leave there hoping to make as many miles as I can before it gets dark. It is dark when I get into aid station one with my head lamp going strong. They have the lights on and more good food for me. As I approach Alice Lake I see many lights. These are from a group playing around in the dark. I have to do a mind check here. I see the three people in front of me coming up the road as I am running down toward more fun in the woods at night. Each aid station I pass now I know is one more thing checked off toward the finish of this race. More soup, pb & j and I are walking up the road. The dark slows me down as I can not see as well. Coming into aid station three there is a tree across the trail. This is new scene the first time through. They conform that they heard the tree fall. At aid station three, they have extra Nuun for me. I am thankful as I did not bring enough for this event. This next section is a slow part for me in the dark. Finally I am at aid stations four. More good food and walking down the road. I do the loop between aid station five and six. I am out of it a little now. Keeping the mind sharp at three in the morning and having run 70 miles is tough. I get through PH and I can walk the road as I eat with out my head lamp. Last big hill to climb before the finish. It is light when I get to aid station eight. The people are sleeping there as I approach. One wakes and I tell her I am fine and just to relax. Back to PH and life is getting good. Seven more miles and I am done. There are yellow balloons leading into the last aid station. I have to do another mind check to realize that they are real. I run across the finish line 24:34 after starting. I sit down, have some food and cheer the other people coming in. In a little while it is time for a shower and a nap. After my nap I hang out at the finish and mingle with the crowd. Laurie goes and gets me some chi at the local Starbucks. Nothing ever tasted so good. There is some great chicken bbq for us to eat. I get a prize for coming in third in my age group and the awards ceremony. As you can tell from this, I do not need sleep just good food to keep going.

1 comment:

  1. Jeff, you are amazing. To do this, or any 100 mile run, is beyond my grasp. I was at my limit, when I finished my one and only marathon. To plan to do the Grand Slam next year, with four 100 milers, is the stuff of super-heroes.

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