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2019 Broken Arrow 50k

June 22, 2019 (Morning)

Exercise Type: Run

Weather: Beautiful Weather - high of 65

Comments:
Start to Easy Street Aid (6+)

100 people shot off the front at a sprint! Geez! Times have changed!

I settled into a comfortable 7-ish pace through the Village until we started climbing up the switchbacks. Mixed between hiking and running and had to chuckle given how many people started so fast and were already anaerobic!

Switches climbed 500' and then we were treated to a beautiful rolling single-track (Waldo-like) section. Again, I just focused on staying relaxed and stride-efficient. Had very little power on the ups (expected, I didn't do a ton of uphill running) but was killing the downs (Which I had been doing in training). Folks would hammer the ups, then baby the downs ... Which allowed me to yo-yo with quite a few people.

After about 3mi's of awesome singletrack - we started clmbing again, gently, with a few honest pitches here and there .... then.....

Came around a bend and man, straight up the mountain! Skyrunning is no joke! I would equate it to when we hiking up the "Gandola Route" during the Waldo Training weekend in 2012.

No way anyone could run this, so I pow-hiked up ... Wasn't too bad on the legs this early. Kept an honest hike .... Super steep scree-filled downhill, then back up! Wow.... What a trip

Went straight up another hill, leveled, then straight up a snow-covered hill. Legs were feelin it a little after these punches to the face, but again, I was able to comfortably run 6min pace on the downhills which was awesome.

After these big climbs, it was a nice 1k downhill into the first aid. Re-stocked, refuled, and then hiked up the snow-filled exit out of the aid. it was short ... turned right, then slowly shuffled up a partially-snow covered jeep road. It was in this section where the climbs took on a whole new level.

After a few switches of snow covered jeep road, we hit another steep snow-field with some pretty good footing from previous runners. I mean, as hard as this terrain was, it was actually super fun bc all you could really do was hike and just enjoy it.

Made it up this pitch, then, we hit the first and only rope section!

The snow-covered mountain was so steep that they had fixed lines to help people get up. It was super helpful, albeit it a little awkard as the rope was climbing rope so you had to pull hard initially to get it taught, and if other people were jerking on it it, it could jam into you repeatedly. Ah well.

Made it up, then hit another sweet downhill - ran across another snowfield (1/2mi), then we made our way up the most scenic part of the course - the climb up to Squaw Peak.

It was "K2-like" to the base of the climb - super steep (but snow free) tough and rocky terrain. I was working with a good group of guys at this point - keeping it light-hearted and just chatting quite a bit.

Made it to the top, then it was like scrambling up to the top of Squaw Peak (even up a ladder!) ... Super fun.

The top is super flat which is ironic given you are on top of a mountain, but then the descent is like "free falling". SUPER SKETCH and I had to "glissade" down the rocks and almost fell several times. Real mountain running! Much steeper than Leap of Faith! and with loose rock.

At the bottom was the next Aid, then it was sweet snow running - past Emigrant - and running past several skiers and snowboarders as they were flying by! (Felt like Frogger!)

Since it was early and pretty cool out (50), the snow was hard-packed and I was able to run 7's on this pretty flat/slightly downhill section (High Camp was on the right), but we were headed toward Shirley Canyon).

Shirley Canyon was the sketchiest part of the course. Icy Snow, and super steep descent. I glissaded on foot, but almost lost control and face planted several times. "Scary" but fun! The course took a hard right at a fixed point, and then it was - as is the theme of Skyrunning - STRAIGHT UP THE MOUNTAIN. All snow, no ropes, just get your ass up the mountain!

Summitted at High Camp, then started catching people on the "reverse WS Course" - I bombed the downhill (even hit an official sub-7min mile!) and was feeling great.

Loop 1: 2hrs 58min ~15mi's

Sara was my crew at the bottom and I didn't rush. Hung out for about 5min (C'mon, I'm in no shape to actually race yet). Snagged the Ipod and let the tunes (Expletives?) FLY!

This always reminds me of Lake Sonoma after No Name .... Its music time and the brain loved it. Blasted some Mumford and Sons, Of Monsters and Men, Lumineers, Adele, Pink .... And ran a pretty similar split for this 6+mi section to the first aid station. I ran a tad bit more on the 2nd loop, simply because a lot of people were fading and I was still feeling good.

Came to that punch-you-in-the-face first steep climb again, and boy, it was just as hard the 2nd time. Made good work, but could tell the power was a hair off on the next snow field climb. However, bombed the downhill again into the aid and kept the same 6min+ effort.

Just like the fist loop, walked across the snow field, but only ran part-way up the jeep road. Power was off again (like I had any to begin with? lol) .... I was fueling well - 300 cal's/hour and staying on top of fluids .... But fatigue was starting to creep in.

The rope section was just as hard again, but the section where I really noticed my legs were getting tired was the flattish snow field and climb up to Squaw Peak.

I should mention, at this point, temps were warmer and snow was SUPER mushy. On top of that, I ran in my Saucony Kinvara road shoes. I knew it wasn't "the best choice" but its what I had been training in and what's comfortable for me so the tradeoff was worth it.

Slower hike up to Squaw Peak and getting passed by a handful of people with poles! That's another thing I noticed - the dudes who had poles had such an advantage. If i ever do something steep like this again, I'm using poles - I could see the power advantage.

Anywho, Summitted Squaw Peak - blasted downhill (I could still hammer the downs!) - didn't almost fall as much since I had a better idea of how the scree would flow and was in/out of the aid quick.

The section across the snow again? Laughable with 1. How mushy the snow was and 2. No traction with my shoes. I wager I wasted a lot of energy on the 2nd loop just managing the snow.

Anywho - I was still able to manage 8min pace with the challenges and the Shirley Canyon descent was way more scarier the 2nd time.

With the steepness and (now) slush. It felt like I might tear an MCL with all the awkard landing and jarring. Made the best of it (and had to butt glissage a few times as I didn't want to hurt myself!). The lack of traction made it pretty interesting.

Finally rounded the corner and made a decent hike up to High Camp. I was ready to absolutely destroy this last downhill .... However, with how awkard my legs/knees kept landing, my right patella became Super pissed off!

It didn't hurt to the point of having to stop, but it was irritated. Ah well. What was a planned 6min pace descent, was relegated to 7-8min pace (bc anytime I would hit slushy snow patches on the descent - it would cause some irritation in the patella). So, on the bare dirt - I had to focus on quick turnover, landing underneath my hips and managing the irritation the best I could.

Seemed to work out well as my pace got back down into the 6's. Saw some folks creepin behind me, so I made a last final push down the last 1/2mi downhill/the start of WS and finished well!

2nd loop: 3hrs 30min! Not bad! Given I stopped for 5min after the first loop and had to battle the slush/traction on the 2nd loop.

Honestly, the whole race felt like I had more and more to give, but I was just limited given where my fitness was. That's encouraging. I was mentally tough the whole time, felt smooth, stride was on point, nutrtition was on point. I mean, "its still all there". The question will be can I get my fitness to a point where I can do what I know I can do.

We'll see!

https://www.strava.com/activities/2475688395

Fun fact: I was in 96th place after the first loop! lol and finished in 86th place so I did pass 10 people! The worst placing I've ever had previously was 15th! Quite humbling :)