Western States 2019: Suffer for Love
Race Preparation
How long can I keep on improving? Back in April I improved my Boston Marathon PR after 6 years. In May I ran a good Quicksilver 100K, and although not as fast as last year I got third in my age group. After that, I ran 60-to-90-mile weeks, more than my average of 50, and I tapered well the last two weeks. This year I also ran the entire three days of the WSER Training Runs, the last 70 miles of the course. I realized how good the course is for my running style, lots of downhill. I think I’m ready!
Pre-Race
For a race like WSER, Veronica and Alex are joining me. I usually go up to Tahoe for races the day before, but we want to enjoy the festivities, and make it up there on Thursday in time for the 2pm Crew Meeting. Useful to know what to expect on a day where friends and family all join in the event! We spend two leisurely days in the Village at Tahoe, catching glimpses of famous runners. Scott Jurek photobombs us under the start sign! I really loved his story, and his book Eat & Run. I drink his run-a-rita cocktail before each race.
The only downside of getting to Tahoe two days before is that I have trouble sleeping at altitude. I guess it works great during my 200-mile races but doesn’t work out at all this time. I spend a sleepless night before Thursday, probably having 3 short bouts of sleep, and take a sleeping pill the night before the race, still waking up after a couple of hours. Oh well, I just have to run for a day, and then I can sleep. Like they say at WSER, “no sleep til Auburn”!
Race Day!
It’s 5am, we should all be sleeping, but here we are, ready to embark on the race of a lifetime. The excitement is in the air! You don’t want to be carried away, but if it’s not the music or the countdown it’s all the runners around you pushing up at the start of this looong day. And I mean, up! From the start to the top, the Escarpment, it’s 2,700 ft in 3.5 miles! This year there is snow in many points, the snow is pretty compact. If too soft, it would be horrible. My shoes have pretty good traction also on the icy parts. The sun comes up. It’s just (without fear of sounding too excited) magic! Colors are on fire. We are on top of the world, using our bodies to push to new heights. Sean tells me it’s the best day to be alive. We reach the top and there is a crowd cheering us. I recognize Noé, then Mauricio, he takes a picture of me in the snow.
I look at my watch, it’s taken me 57 minutes to reach the top. We go down to the Lyons Ridge aid station, finally some downhill. Another runner estimates that the snow slowed us down by 15 minutes or so. We’ll likely make it up on the climbs in the middle of the day, which are forecasted to be cooler than usual. A volunteer at Lyons Ridge tells me “you’re 114th, keep it up!”. I ask him the time; I realize I’m 11 minutes late compared to the 24-hour pace. A series of ups and downs are now coming up, and although I’ve never run this section I push on the downhill without fear of crushing my quads. During Quicksilver 100K back in May I tested my quads by bombing down every possible hill, and at the end I crushed the final descent too. It was an intentional test for my quads. Not that I didn’t have my moments of suffering during that race, but it gave me confidence that I could push on downhills. I put that to work today, and by the time I get to Duncan Canyon, mile 24.4, it’s 10:00am, perfect 24-hour pace. I keep that perfect pace to Robinson Flat. That’s where I should meet my crew at 11:30am, but I don’t see them among the hundreds of people waiting for their runners. A volunteer, Jennifer, takes my drop bag and carries it, we walk almost to the end of the line of crews camped on both sides, and since we don’t see my crew she asks two gals if they want to crew me. They immediately sit me down and take off my wet socks, lather my feet with RunGoo. I keep the same shoes but change the soggy insoles. Meanwhile, Alex gets there. They were backed up at the parking from where the shuttle is, so while Veronica is trying to park, he jumped on the shuttle and carried the crew essentials. I also change my shirt to a lighter one, put my desert hat on, sincerely grateful for my newly found crew. I hug Jennifer, what an incredible volunteer, and I’m out of there!
What a great day! I now run thru the infamous Canyons, where temps can go up to 100F, but today temps are not that bad, likely in the low 80s. I enjoy these technical downhills leading to the river, and I don’t suffer the long uphill to Devil’s Thumb (mile 47.8). Rob Rhodes takes this wonderful picture of me, the best moment of this race.
What a great day! I now run thru the infamous Canyons, where temps can go up to 100F, but today temps are not that bad, likely in the low 80s. I enjoy these technical downhills leading to the river, and I don’t suffer the long uphill to Devil’s Thumb (mile 47.8). Rob Rhodes takes this wonderful picture of me, the best moment of this race.
After another canyon or two I reach Michigan Bluff (55.7) where I meet Veronica and Alex. I’ve racked up 20 minutes below the 24-hour pace. I’m happy to see my family too! I eat a lot of fruit, especially watermelon, strawberries, and grapes. However, Veronica will tell me later that I was not really my excited self as I usually am at races. I’ve been running for over 12 hours. I sit down (danger!) in the shade and eat more watermelon, then I leave the aid station encouraged by the crowd. It’s time to tell the rest of my WSER 2019 story with a video!
Foresthill, mile 62: I meet my fabulous pacer, Franz Dill, six-time WSER finisher! I have an excuse to hang around, but I need to move! It takes a few hundred feet to get my legs moving again. As we leave the road and hit the trails, I pick up speed downhill. Franz is giving me kudos, I think he was a little worried, he lifts my spirits. I’m moving well downhill, although I’m now suffering on the uphill.
As night comes, we approach Cal-2, mile 70, where I know JoAnne, Andy and Marisa are waiting for me with my favorite fruit and water! What an amazing welcome from them! I sit down in a comfy chair. I enjoy being pampered. Marisa cuts me a fresh avocado. JoAnn even feeds me with a spoon. Andy gets me fresh coffee. Franz tells me I can’t keep on slowing down like this. It’s 9:22pm and the 24-hour pace states 9:20. I’m officially off that pace. In my mind I realize the sub-24 target is gone. Franz pulls me out of the AS. I spent 6 ½ minutes there but enjoyed every second of it.
The rest is history, filmed in the video. Deepest suffering of my ultrarunner life. All worth it for a Western States buckle!
As night comes, we approach Cal-2, mile 70, where I know JoAnne, Andy and Marisa are waiting for me with my favorite fruit and water! What an amazing welcome from them! I sit down in a comfy chair. I enjoy being pampered. Marisa cuts me a fresh avocado. JoAnn even feeds me with a spoon. Andy gets me fresh coffee. Franz tells me I can’t keep on slowing down like this. It’s 9:22pm and the 24-hour pace states 9:20. I’m officially off that pace. In my mind I realize the sub-24 target is gone. Franz pulls me out of the AS. I spent 6 ½ minutes there but enjoyed every second of it.
The rest is history, filmed in the video. Deepest suffering of my ultrarunner life. All worth it for a Western States buckle!