General Discussion Race Reports! » Frozen 50 Rss Feed  
Moderators: k9car363, alicefoeller Reply

Frozen Ass 50 - RunUltra Marathon


View Member's Race Log View other race reports
Calgary, Alberta
Canada
Gords Running Store
-7C / 19F
Overcast
Total Time = 5h 20m 45s
Overall Rank = 43/61
Age Group =
Age Group Rank = 0/
Pre-race routine:

Week before, rode my bike to work twice and ran to work once. So not too restful. Dealing with a pain in my groin, so that sucks. Took Saturday and Sunday off. Still trying not to take things too seriously. Poor dietary choices the night before include spicy sausage, 2 beers, and a big ol plate of beans. Similar meal to last year.
Event warmup:

Up at 7. Many trips to the washroom. 1/4 cup of oatmeal. Banana. Green Tea. Slept okay, kids up a couple times.

Got to race start at 8ish. Met my buddy. Stood in line for toilet, no real luck there.

Listened to Gord explain the course, which was different. I was a little confused but I figured I wouldn't be in the lead so no biggie.
Run
  • 5h 21m
  • 49 kms
  • 06m 33s  min/km
Comments:

So the race starts. It is cold. Well about -5 or so, but the wind is howling. We start going south, which is confusing to me because I thought the course went north (I guess had I been listening I would have realized that the course dscribed on map my run actually starts south of the Start line, so on map my run it looks like it is an out and back, but really you start about 1km north of the start of the out and back so there is a little loop you do at the start. Anyways, I was confused. But it worked out well because after the little 20 min 3.5 k out and back I needed to hit the head.

Ran that first bit with buddy Darren. He wanted to do sub 5, so we were going about 5:40 pace. I felt good actually, but I really wanted to keep things around 6 min/km.

So a couple minutes in the washroom, then I am at the end. Nice little run here, north on a pathway, no snow, a touch of ice, but awesome compared to previous courses. Catch up to Scott, chat with him for a bit, he is sick, like hacking up a lung, he'll drop later, smart decision.

There is a string of people in front of me, and I am making time on them. Catch up with a girl from Grand Prairie, which is neat. Slow down to chat with her for a bit then take off again.

This course is a little rollier than before, which is nice, not as boring, varied terrain breaks things up. I think I pass a couple of people at the aid station and carry on. The aid station was about 1.5km from the turnaround so that worked well. Up to the aid station I had one gel qand a bit of a bar. Grabbed a gel and a stinger waffle and gobbled them up on the 3km loop. Also took some hydration.

So yeah, to the turn around, and there it is, the wind. Mother of all that is good, it was up to 30km/hr brutal. Windchill was serious. I had on tights shorts and a long sleeved tech shirt. Everyone else had on a jacket. I was fine actually. A little chilly but not cold, and I wasn't sweating. Anyways, I carry on, making time on people in front of me, but then I got to go to the can AGAIN. Jumped off course, went to the humpty's, graciously allowed me to use their can. Back on course, running by myself mostly. But feeling good.

Now, in my mind, I don't know why, I thought we only had to do that south bit once. Like the way he was describing it was that the course from the start to the turn around was 48km, so we will add on this south bit at the start. But I was wrong. As I neared the start and no one was coming out for lap 2 I realized this. Anyways, I was thinking about quiting, like not seriously, but it was there. But, I was also thinking about running, and racing, and ultra and living each step and just enjoying the ride and how each race and circumstance and me am its own thing. And here I was, and I was just going to have a good time.

I got to the turnaround at 2:35 on my watch, but I think I spent about 6 minutes in the can so it was 2:41 gun time. Saw Darren coming back, he had about 2k on me, so good on him. Looked good. Had something at the aidstation and grabbed a couple gels for the out and back. Started to make some time on some people. Good to reach the turnaround and head north. So much warmer and easier. Took a pee here and continued on. Felt good. My leg was bothering me a bit but not really. Strange pain.

Anyways, get to the aid station, another couple drinks and some gels and off I go again. I catch Rob around here, he is not looking great. Guy runs a 50k having run like 6 times since Christmas. Ha. Anyways, catch up to Lordes and Terressa. Run with Lourdes a bit. Killed the time. Actually, the run back from the turnaround, even though it was in the wind and I did it by myself wasn't horrible. Lots of variation made the time pass.

Eventually leave Lourdes and carry on. Past the aid station, had a couple peanut butter and bacon wraps. 2 gels for the turnaround. Then they up and moved the turnaround. Not sure what was going on with that. lol, funny. Rob said they moved it even closer for him. It was Margaret and Scott out there so not sure what they were up to, maybe just giving people a break.

So then, hit the turn around. Stopped to talk to a guy about shoes for a bit, he was hurting, told him to get the Hokas.

To the aid stations, a couple more wraps. Gels for the road. Then ran a bit then off to the can again. Went to Pizza Hut this time.

So then I had to pass the shoe guy again, and Michael again, and then there was this chick in red, and I chased her, but she was moving, like quick. I was feeling pretty good but it took mae a while to catch her, and she wouldn't let me go. So I had to keep going. Then I passed Lourdes and Therresa again and then I turned around and it was like everyone was trying to keep up. Then ahead there was this guy in yellow, running scared, he kept turning to see who was coming. I caught him just before the bridge over deerfoot. He was bonking, obviously. But the girl in red was with me, we walked up the overpass together, I mentioned how she was clearly not giving up.

Then it flattened out and I said, "lets go" and we went. Turns out this is about 1.68 km out, and I am not wanting to let her pass. But she sticks with me for about a km, until we hit this uphill and she didn't have it in her legs. Then it was a downhill to the underpass and an uphill to the finish.

I ran that, that 1.68 km took me like 9:40. That is wild, after running 48km I could pull that out. Awesome.
What would you do differently?:

it was fun. Nothing.
Post race
Warm down:

hung around eating pizza and drinking pop. Felt loose, felt good.

What limited your ability to perform faster:

Groin, Beans, Sausage, biking during the week, 25km run on Wednesday not well advised.

Things went sideways the week after. Groin got quite sore. Abs hurt. As I write this, 2 weeks later, I am on my 12th straight rest day. Getting better. Funny though, it hurt a bit at the beginning and a bit in the middle but at the end I was flying. Love them endorphins.




Last updated: 2012-12-10 12:00 AM
Running
05:21:00 | 49 kms | 06m 33s  min/km
Age Group: 0/
Overall: 0/61
Performance: Good
Course:
Keeping cool Drinking
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall:
Mental exertion [1-5] 4
Physical exertion [1-5] 4
Good race? Yes
Evaluation
Course challenge Just right
Organized? Yes
Events on-time? Yes
Lots of volunteers? Yes
Plenty of drinks? Yes
Post race activities: Good
Race evaluation [1-5] 5

{postbutton}
2013-03-04 2:45 PM

User image

Champion
5312
5000100100100
Calgary
Subject: Frozen 50


2013-03-05 10:27 AM
in reply to: #4645980

User image

Master
2770
20005001001002525
Central Kansas
Subject: RE: Frozen 50
Great job and wonderful report. That is crazy cold, but it is the "frozen" 50. Congratulations on finishing so strong. I hope your recovery continues to go well.
General Discussion-> Race Reports!
{postbutton}
General Discussion Race Reports! » Frozen 50 Rss Feed