My watch alarm set off at 6 am-- one hour before the 200 or so 50 mile and 50 K runners were set to take off. As is typical, I did not sleep well before a race, maybe getting three hours, but no matter. With a coffee equivalent surge of adrenaline I was quick to begin last minute preparations. First up was breakfast. I ate a 500 calorie pastry, eight ounces of whole milk and a banana. I got dressed, doubled checked my Nathan hydration backpack and drop bag, and headed to the bathroom. The campground bathroom had a long line and large spiders in the one urinal. Ten minutes to the race start, I returned to my tent, shed my jacket, geared up and walked over to the quickly growing mass of runners near the start gate. The temperature that morning was a bit chilly, low-40s, and I initially considered wearing a long sleeve top for the first six miles, but decided against this at the last moment--the right decision because I heated up immediately. Joe had advised me to make sure I got to the front of the pack at the starting gate. The first four miles were narrow, single track trail, with few places to pass slower runners. If you get caught in the pack, inevitably, runners jam up and end up walking a good portion of this first section. I maneuvered to the front with about ten other runners and waited. Dawn would not begin for about 45 minutes after the race began, and people's flashlights and head lamps made a spectacle of light beams, twitching and flashing all around us.
And go!
We moved en masse at once. I felt some pressure to move faster than I might with the other front runners not to be a hindrance, and noticed a fellow Tejas Trails runner just up ahead of me, Mike Ruhlin, whom I paced off for the first six miles. For the 50 K race, we had a six mile loop and two 12.5 miles loop to complete. The fist six mile loop took us back to the starting gate, while the 50 mile runners had four 12.5 miles loops to repeat. The first six miles were fast, and Mike and I and a 50 mile runner, who at some point passed me, kept close together. Dan Aja, another Austin runner, passed us after about 30 minutes of running and would finish the race in third place. At about four miles into the race, the 50 miler veered off to complete his first 12.5 loop, while Mike and I headed back to the start line. The course meandered through the bottom of the Palo Duro canyon, with sections of rolling hills, long flat dirt trails, and a few technical sections of rock, steep ledges and sharp turns. Without much elevation gain and easy going trails, Palo Duro is a fast course. We ran into the Juniper area passing through the finish line at 54 minutes-- after which Mike stopped for a break. I passed by the aid station that Joe and Julia were manning, they cheered me on and I started my first of two 12.5 mile loops.
The first 12.5 loop for me turned out to be one of the best runs in my life. I had energy and fast leg turn over. I ran all the hills (they weren't too onerous) and no one passed me. At 7:30 am, a half an hour after our start time, the 200 or so 20 K runners had started their race to finish one 12.5 mile loop. After several miles, I started passing the 20K walkers, groups of mostly women talking and enjoying their time. It was a boost to see up the trail yonder other runners, which continually reset a new goal for myself to pass them. And eventually I began catching up to the slower 20K runners. Carrying a hydration bag I had capacity to tank one liter of water, and consequently, I could run for over an hour before needing to refill. On this first 12.5 mile loop, I stopped twice for water, first at "Phil's Aid Station" and "Janda and Lyles's Aid Station," and began replenishing calories and electrolytes. I had recently started using Hammer's "Perpetuem" for longer runs, and I was carrying a 5 oz, flask with approximately 500 calories of Perpetuem, made into a pancake batter-like goop the night before. A mouthful of Perpetuem in this form has sufficient calories for 20-30 minutes of running with a goal of consuming 300 calories an hour. I also started an hourly dosage of Succeed Electrolyte capsules ("S-caps"). Keeping hydrated, my electrolytes well balanced and consistent energy flowing during this first 12.5 loop I was able to keep a steady pace that brought me back to the Juniper area and across the start line in one hour, 56 minutes, for a total of 2 hours 50 minutes to complete the first 18.5 miles.
And then a bad patch. After grabbing another 5 oz. flask of Perpetuem goop from my drop bag, I started my second and final 12.5 loop, but my lower legs had been aching for a while and I felt the weight of the miles adding up. I was determined not to slow down, but I started out on the second loop with much less bounce and flair. By the time I reached Phil's Aid Station, and another water refill, I had walked a few hills, which previously I had bounded up. My running form had gone to pot and I was not unhappy to have a moment to stop for water, allowing me to walk away from the station for a couple of minutes to load my hydration bag. It had taken me far longer to finish the first section of the second loop and my physical discomfort was causing doubts and anxiety over how to proceed. I did not feel well and my body was complaining: "please stop running!" Fortunately I took a moment to check my watch and consider my time and distance. I realized that I had 1.5 hours to cover about eight miles if I wanted to finish the race in five hours. This was surprising news to me. The possibility of running a 50 K in 5 hours was outside the realm of the possible. I had only run one other 50 K, at Jemez, New Mexico, and that took me eight hours, 20 minutes to complete. I had set a personal goal of six hours for Palo Duro, and thinking I could vastly surpass this goal was a profound motivation. I gassed up on some more Perpetuem, two Ibuprofen and a S-cap and started running, stretching my stride out to loosen up and focusing on the ground in front of me to run as quickly and efficiently as I could. I started checking my watch frequently, counting down the time to 5 hours, and self-coaching-- just make that next hill, pass that darned 50 miler ahead of you, drink water, time for Perpetuem. I put together a solid hour of running, walking only a few times when slowed by an unexperienced group of Mt. Bikers, who kept passing me and then stopping on hills to walk their bikes. I was passed once during this section, at about mile 23, when a shirtless and athletically trimmed guy came crunching up behind me and then past. I made a slight show of keeping up with him, but it was soon obvious to be not sustainable for me. I watered up one last time at Dos Loco Senoritas Aid station, with about four miles to go, getting a hug from one of the gals (later finding out the "loco" element stems from their steady drinking out there) and continued running. Judging my time and the distances I was on pace to make my new five hour goal.
And then another bad patch. By around mile 28-9 Tim Jacoda, who passed me an hour earlier, came into view up the trail. At about the same time, however, I noticed a rapid decline in my energy level. What the hell? I went from running to barely being able to walk in minutes. Later, after the race was over, I realized I had officially "bonked." But so had the Tim apparently. He was walking too. I was 40 feet behind him, both of us trying to keep going forward. This went on for about ten minutes; my time was dwindling, I realized that if didn't start running I would not make 5 hours, but I literally could not run. I wasn't sure exactly what my problem was, but I decided to try eating more. I was out of Perpetuem, but I did have one Hammer gel in my pocket. I sucked this down, took another S-cap and took several gulps of water. I kept walking and waiting to see if I would recover. Again, as sudden as the bonk occurred, I had it back. I started running. I passed Tim. I got back up to a good stride, and at the 4 hour, 50 minute mark, I started seeing parked cars and campers signally I was close to the end. And then I heard footsteps behind me. Tim was making a last minute attempt to catch and pass me. But I was in no mood to acquiesce. I ramped up my pace and stride length, and as I entered the large grassy clearing where the finish line was placed, I no longer heard anyone behind me. I ran the final circle around the park and across the finish line, 30 seconds in front of Tim, in five hours, four minutes, in sixth place.
