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Ray Miller 50K
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Ray Miller 50K - RunUltra Marathon
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Comments: I was hoping for four things: Top 10 overall finish, 1st place over-50, sub-5 hours, and no walking (walked about 1/4 mile total in first 50K). I also planned to run my race and try not to focus on competition. Course starts with a 4-mile climb. I identified the likely female winner as running with me, so I stuck with her through the climb, then let her drop me. (I'm a VERY strong climber, but my back injury limits my pace on big descents) Started to catch BOP 50-mile racers (they started 30 mins ahead of us) at about 6 1/2 miles in...got lots of kudos from them as I passed. Went with my staples for hydration and nutrition: 1.25 oz of Powerade Zero per mile starting at mile 2 and Clif Shot gels, 1 Mocha every 4 miles (added one Vanilla at the halfway point as a change of pace). Stopped for a couple seconds at aid station 3 (16 miles) and grabbed 4 honey wheat pretzel twists and at station 4 (19.5 mi.) for 3 small trail mix cookies. Didn't take any fluids at any aid stations. Lots of climbs. Lots of descents. I committed to at least a shuffling run on all the climbs and pulled that off. Got passed by two guys between mile 21 and mile 23, but caught both of them on the final climb. Thought I was sitting in 8th place at that point, but it turned out I was 6th. Sub-five was on the table until the final climb. I started to have calf tightness after the big descent at 17 miles and by the final 3 mile descent, I knew I couldn't make the flat-out push it would have taken to get it done. Settled for getting a sub-10 min/mile pace done...only 7 of 146 finishers managed that. What would you do differently?: Test my new belt with fluid. Until I'd drunk down about a third of my hydration, the strap was slipping and I had to cinch it up repeatedly.  Post race
Warm down: Walked around. Ate a bit. What limited your ability to perform faster: Calf tightness after 17.5 miles. Can't complain, though: PR for 50K by 14 minutes. Event comments: Very challenging but well-supported 50 mile/50K/30K event in an amazing setting in the Santa Monica Mountains along the Malibu coast. Lots of breathtaking views! Last updated: 2016-11-04 12:00 AM
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 2016-11-20 4:45 PM |
Champion  5781     Northridge, California |  Subject: Ray Miller 50K |
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United States
Keira Henninger Races
68F / 20C
Sunny
Overall Rank = 5/144
Age Group = M 50-59
Age Group Rank = 2/17
Planned to race this as my second-ever ultra race a year ago, but broke my left 5th metatarsal 4 weeks before the race. So this was, in some ways, the culmination of a "comeback" (not only from the broken foot, but from a compression fracture in my thoracic spine that was diagnosed in June of 2015).
I trained pretty consistently for this all summer, after finally coming back from the broken foot (and a lumbar injury suffered training for Boston and Big Sur). Did a 25K in late August and a 30K at the beginning of October as part of my prep.
My first 50K in October 2014 was done on something of an impulse and with modest training. That actually went very well, but I knew I'd do better this time. Hoped for sub-5 hours and a top ten overall finish.
Started laying out my gear three days in advance. Decided to try a new Nathan 2-bottle belt that had a pouch big enough for my smartphone (unlike my existing 2- and 4-bottle belts). Plan was to add my two add-on Fitletic 8-oz bottles to the front to give me 38 oz total (just what I need for a 50K at 1.25 oz per mile). Tested it on a 7 mile run on Tuesday and it seemed fine...albeit with no fluids onboard.
Got up at 4 am for the 50 minute drive to the far end of Malibu and 5:30 check-in for 6:30 start. After I was underway I realized I'd forgotten to get a pack of tissues, so had to duck into a 7-Eleven at a freeway exit for that. Still made it in plenty of time and got parked on PCH right across from the park entrance.
There wasn't any indication on the race website of ability to leave a gear bag at the start (only a drop bag for the course), so I was really agonizing over layering: Temps were supposed to be in the mid-to-upper 50s at the start. Things worked out okay with my being parked so close--I was able to put my sweatshirt and gloves in the car before the start, rather than toss them.
Got positioned among the front dozen or so runners at the start...and at 6:32, we were underway.
None. Walked back to my car and hung out there until 15 minutes before the start to stay warm.