Here's a pre-race Pigtails Run 50K shot of some of our group doing the hokey-pokey with their Dirty Girl Gaiters. Our day started by meeting at our local YMCA at 6:00 AM. Jenny, Melissa, Michelle, Michelle (Army Nurse), Amy, Patch, Steve, and I were the brave souls that showed up for the event.
This run allowed runners to choose one, two, or three 9.8 mile laps. To complete the full 50K they had an out and back 2.2 mile section at the end of the third lap. Jenny started with the intention to run her first 50K. Michelle and Melissa both chose to commit to two laps and decide at the end of those laps to run a 50K or stop. I'll let the cat out of the bag and tell you that they all completed their first 50K!
The course was in great shape and the weather cooperated with us for the most part. It was about 30 degrees at the start and remained cold until around noon. The trails were frozen and hard to run on. It started raining at the start of the third lap lightly at first and heavier toward the later part of the run.
Steve and I ran the entire race together. We complemented each other well with him pushing me on the uphills and me pushing him on the flats and downhill sections. The course has a well balanced mixture of long uphills, long downhills, and about 4 steep uphills on each lap. We both faded over the last 4 miles but pulled it together and finished fairly strong with a time of 5:14.
Van (Pigtails) had a large covered area set up with a propane heater and chairs. Hot chicken noodle soup was waiting for us and tons of chips and snacks. Steve and I got some warm clothing on and ate as much as we could. As we were resting and digesting Jenny came steaming in from her third lap and made the turn for the out and back. We waited for Jenny to finish and then Steve and I started walking the course backward to meet Michelle and Melissa. We met them about 3/4 of a mile from the aid station. We walked and ran back with them to the aid station and then Steve informed me that we would be running the out and back with them as well. I had made the mistake of telling him that I needed time on my feet. So off we went for the final 2.2 miles with Michelle and Melissa. At the turn I decided to run ahead so I could have the camera ready to catch their finish. Steve and I managed to get 34 mile in and Michelle and Melissa finished their first 50K's.
We all piled in the car and went directly to Starbucks for coffee. When we got home I jumped into an ice bath for 20 minutes. Michelle tried to get into an ice bath after mine but after two attempts she decided she just couldn't bear to get past her ankles. She's a tough 50K runner but an ice bath wimp.
Thank you for taking the time to read this post. I hope that you had a good weekend of running as well!
This run allowed runners to choose one, two, or three 9.8 mile laps. To complete the full 50K they had an out and back 2.2 mile section at the end of the third lap. Jenny started with the intention to run her first 50K. Michelle and Melissa both chose to commit to two laps and decide at the end of those laps to run a 50K or stop. I'll let the cat out of the bag and tell you that they all completed their first 50K!
The course was in great shape and the weather cooperated with us for the most part. It was about 30 degrees at the start and remained cold until around noon. The trails were frozen and hard to run on. It started raining at the start of the third lap lightly at first and heavier toward the later part of the run.
Steve and I ran the entire race together. We complemented each other well with him pushing me on the uphills and me pushing him on the flats and downhill sections. The course has a well balanced mixture of long uphills, long downhills, and about 4 steep uphills on each lap. We both faded over the last 4 miles but pulled it together and finished fairly strong with a time of 5:14.
Van (Pigtails) had a large covered area set up with a propane heater and chairs. Hot chicken noodle soup was waiting for us and tons of chips and snacks. Steve and I got some warm clothing on and ate as much as we could. As we were resting and digesting Jenny came steaming in from her third lap and made the turn for the out and back. We waited for Jenny to finish and then Steve and I started walking the course backward to meet Michelle and Melissa. We met them about 3/4 of a mile from the aid station. We walked and ran back with them to the aid station and then Steve informed me that we would be running the out and back with them as well. I had made the mistake of telling him that I needed time on my feet. So off we went for the final 2.2 miles with Michelle and Melissa. At the turn I decided to run ahead so I could have the camera ready to catch their finish. Steve and I managed to get 34 mile in and Michelle and Melissa finished their first 50K's.
We all piled in the car and went directly to Starbucks for coffee. When we got home I jumped into an ice bath for 20 minutes. Michelle tried to get into an ice bath after mine but after two attempts she decided she just couldn't bear to get past her ankles. She's a tough 50K runner but an ice bath wimp.
Thank you for taking the time to read this post. I hope that you had a good weekend of running as well!
Cheers!Eric
13 comments:
And you, you are an Ice Bath King. I'll fully admit to wimp status on that one. Thank you so much for running us in today - I love it when you do that!
You all are some tough trail runners, but I am not so sure about You and Steve and those gaiters. Luckily they are accepted within the ultra community and I guess since I wasn't out there running I can't really make fun of both of you as much as I would like to. See you in the morning.
That's a great 50K time!
That sunrise picture is great.
What fun! I love all the dirty girl's. : ) I just wish I lived a bit closer so I could more easily join in on the fun. Great job on the run...you're smokin'!
Hey! Where's my pictures of the ice bath you promised? :-) Nicely done! I can't believe Michelle is an Ultra now! Well, I can. In fact, I'm not surprised. You guys are awesome!
Great job, Eric! I like the pictures. Is that you in the last one? I've only seen the picture of you with a hat on. Nice gaiters; makes me want to run trails just so I can get a cool pair. I would pick the DFL pattern, since I can so relate to it!
You're getting a great base for the WS 100.
Way to Go ERIC, and bigger congrats on that cold ass bath-- lol...
Eric, I emailed the pic to Dirty Girl - think she is allowed to add it to her collection on the web?
Good deal on the run, and even better on the ice bath - I am with Michelle, I tried it a few times (5 min max) and gave up on trying:)
I love silly socks. And they were fast too :).
Wow, we could be famous and get our picture on the Dirty Girl Gator site (well, our feet at least). I did the cold bath that night and felt good ennough to do an hour indoor on the bike today. I may actually be getting into decent shape. I get to run with the buffalos on Catalina this weekend. Keep up the time on your feet (hehe, had to throw that in there).
What are you part polar bear? I agree ice baths are good, it's just those first few minutes of cold shock that are tuff the benefits are well worth it. Congratulations on another successful 50k and what a great pacer!
I was wondering where you went off to after I finished. Very cool to run with Michelle for her first 50k. :-)
And I'm so envious of those Dirty Girl Gaiters. My black Outdoor Research ones are so...plain.
woo hoo! and i LOVE the gaiters :)
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