Catoctin
50k Trail Run 2007
On
Saturday, August 4, I ran the Catoctin 50k. This race comes for me just two
weeks after I ran the Vermont 100.
Vermont was my second 100-mile race this summer. I ran the Mohican Trail 100 in June. While I finished the Vermont 100, I did not
have a very good day. My legs hurt
early, and I was never able to get into a good groove. Today at this race, I am looking to have a
nice bounce back race. I won’t be
pushing it too hard for two reasons—first, the 100 miler two weeks ago and
secondly, the weather today will be the topic at hand. It is forecasted to reach into the low to
mid 90s. The only saving grace will be
that the dew point is supposed to remain in the mid-60s.
At
the Comfort Inn where I stayed last night, I enjoy a nice breakfast of a waffle
and an English muffin, washed down with a pint of chocolate milk. At the start, I begin the race with no
shirt, a buff on my head, and Keen Wasatch Crest shoes on my feet. I also have my Camelbak on, filled to the
brim.
Mile 6.0 1:16:52 (
The
start of this race starts off very well for me. I am right in the position where I want to be. This course is pretty technical with plenty
of rocks, and I am warming to the challenge.
I like the start of this race much better than my start two weeks ago at
Vermont. I am having fun today. I am drenched already in sweat, but the
weather is not too hot yet. The race
director, Kevin Sayers, said that the temperature was a mere 70 degrees at the
start. At this first aid station, I
grab a couple of cups of Gatorade and move along.
Mile 9.0 37:24 (
The
weather is warming up very quickly, but I would say that it is not too hot
yet. I am still running smoothly and
well under control. I like my position
so far. At this aid station, I get a
full refill of my Camelbak, complete with ice from Rebecca Moore. Other than that, I don’t get anything else
at this aid station. Now, let’s see if
I can make some good time going down the hill to the turn around point.
Mile 15.6
The
temperature continues to climb, and now it is just plain hot out here! I haven’t melted yet, but the heat
definitely slowed down my pace coming down to the turn around. I met the leaders heading back up. Serge Arbona is leading with Keith Knipling
right on his shoulder when I see them.
Michele Harmon is the leading woman with Bethany Patterson only about
four minutes behind her. On this
section, I drank my Camelbak dry about 10 minutes from this aid station. I refill it, and grab about four cups of
Gatorade while eating a sandwich quarter.
I think I am in about 40th place at this point.
Mile 22.2
Coming
back up the hill, I push the pace nicely.
I feel like I am still in control on this hot day, and I will see how
much I have left in the tank as I head towards the finish. I pass a few people on this section, but it
is still a long way to go. After the
main climb up there is a water re-supply on this terribly hot day. My Camelbak wasn’t empty, but it is another
four miles to the aid station. When I
get to this aid station, my Camelbak is again nearly empty. Rebecca Moore comes through again with ice
and water to refill my Camelbak. The
aid station volunteers are also putting cold wet towels on the runners’
shoulders as they stock up. Leaving the
aid station, I get a popsicle, which tastes great.
Mile 25.2
My
strategy on this section is always to save myself for the last section. It continues to get hotter as we are now in
mid-afternoon. I feel pretty good, and
I hope that I will have plenty left to push things after this aid station. At this aid station, they don’t have ice or
ice towels, but they do have plenty of cold water and other drinks. I down four cups of Coke to help me with my
kick into the finish.
Mile 31.2
Leaving
the last aid station, I feel pretty good.
It is hot out here, but I think I will be okay as there are only six
miles to go. For the first couple of
miles, I am really pushing the pace. I
pace a few people, but there is somebody close behind me the whole time. After quite a long downhill section, I think
I have lost the person tailing me, but soon after heading uphill, the person is
back behind me. I figure this is good
motivation to push me into the finish, so I try hard not to let the person pass
me. Going uphill we pass two more
people, but then I finally relent and let the lady behind me pass. Soon after that, the toll of the heat and
pushing the pace descends on me. I am toasted,
overheating, and feeling without any energy.
It has been about an hour since the last aid station, and the energy and
caffeine from the Cokes is spent. At
first, I think things are fine, but then I realize that I can’t really run
anymore even if I wanted to. So, I
walk, but then my legs are on the edge of really cramping. I am ready to just lie down, but I know that
would not be a good decision. The best
thing is for me to keep moving forward and get to the finish. The first four miles of this section took me
about an hour, I guess, and in the end the last two miles take me at least 40
minutes. Over the last two miles,
several people pass me, but I make it across the line, upright.
Official
Finishing Time
46th out of about
132 starters (101 finishers)
This was one hot race where I
had no right to be pushing the pace.
The volunteers were great even after we finished. Someone quickly put a cold towel over my
shoulders, and I sat down on a nearby chair.
I was offered a beverage, and since they didn’t have any Coke, I opted
for a beer. After that I managed to
walk down to my car, and dig a Coke out of the cooler.
My recovery wasn’t too bad
as I quickly cooled down and got something to eat. Within an hour I was in my car driving south back home. Talking to Martha, I found out that the
temperature in Frederick was 97 degrees!
Like I said, it was one hot race.
Never stop running,
Darin
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