This blog post is a reformatted
version of my original race plan, which I have blocked out in grey and
italics. Enjoy!
This marathon will mark the culmination of a Spring and Summer
season's training for me, with no races to speak of. This is all
well and good, since it was a very busy year in general. We moved
from Saint Paul to Woodbury in March, ending a different type of
marathon: two years of house improvements, repairs, and cleaning.
July 28, 2014 marked the last
day I had to carry the on-call mantle at work, severing my
dedicated, laptop umbilical cord. My title and job responsibilities
changed at the beginning of the year as a DevOps Engineer, and the
transition was finally complete. For 80% of my technological career
starting in 1997, I had carried a pager. This moment was a long time
coming, which isn't to say I'll never carry a "pager" again. Let's
just hope it will be a long time coming - if ever.
Accommodations: Mountain Inn
This year, rather than drop a wad of cash on luxury accommodations
at Caribou Lodge, a few runners and I have chipped in for a room at
Mountain Inn, a
hop, skip, and jump away from finish line. Thankfully, it was a
very reasonable rate, and split 4-ways, economical.
- Address
- 360 Ski Hill Rd, Lutsen, MN 55612
- Phone
- (218) 663-7084
- Roommates
- Andy Littler, Christopher, Luke
Such a nice little hotel! I
obviously didn't spend much time here, most of it being on the
trail, but it was close to the finish line (walking distance) and
split four ways for two nights, it was quite affordable: $82 each
person. The staff was courteous and helpful, the sheets and towels
were clean, and the room tidy. Five stars!
My Gear:Although I've run with
Vibram Treks along Moose Mountain in the past, I'm not convinced my
feet would hold up for twice the distance without some sort of
cushion. In the very least, I'll put my Brooks Pure Grit 2's in the
drop-bag at Cramer.
I'll wear a lightweight doublet
or t-shirt, racing shorts, visor, pack, and headlamp. Doused with
bug spray and 50 SPF, I should be good to go.
- Bib Number
- 470
- Assignments
- http://fall.superiortrailrace.com/2014-number-assignments
Fuel: I plan on dealing with Gu
packets for most of the race, though I plan to eat "real food" as
much as possible along the way. I tend to get really hungry at
the 6 hour mark, and sugar products just won't cut it.
The Pack: This year, I've purchased a
Ultraspire Surge
pack, containing a 2 liter bladder and a few storage spaces perfect
for food, gels, salt, etc. I'm looking forward to not having a
bouncing waist belt or water bottles in hand. The only thing that
is not great about the setup is filling the bladder; it is
time-consuming. Given that I'm not planning on setting land-speed
records, I'll benefit in rest from an extra minute or two. The pack
will contain:
- S-Cap
Salt Tablets (4 per hour between aid stations - just in
case)
- Gu Bottle (filled from bulk) or packets
- Bandana/Buff
- Toilet paper in a ziplock bag
- Lightweight Rain poncho (if rain is predicted and I can find
something I like)
- Headlamp (to start out with)
- Empty water bottle for backpack, in case the bladder has issues
Drop Bags: For the most part, my
drop bags will consist of restocking my pack with my starting
supplies. Additionally, at each stop, I'll leave a clean and dry
pair of socks.
With
Clem George
and
Cristy De La
Cruz crewing for me, I didn't have as much need for
drop-bags. What you see in the plan below became much simpler,
since I could hand a bag to the intrepid duo and have them dig
for stuff when needed. I did not carry an extra bottle with me,
and in fact, felt the emergency blanket and trash bag (folded)
were a bit much. I stuck my phone in a waterproof container and
had it in my pack the whole race, but I never did anything with
it. It only added weight and inconvenience. I might like to run
with a small, waterproof, digital camera and a cheap mp3 player
next time. Also a small field notebook (weather-resistant) with a
Fisher Space Pen (pressurized ink) would be useful.
The Race Plan: Let's be honest:
the plan is simply to survive. In the last week, I've taken on a
left calf strain running to and from work - a nine or twelve mile
hilly stretch, depending on whether I take the bus in for part of
the commute. My house is 3 miles from the park-n-ride lot. The next
two weeks (From [2014-08-24]), I'm hoping to heal and maintain
fitness, nothing more.
My
Afton
State Park training runs have been around 11 to 12 minutes/mile
for 15 miles, which has similar elevation profiles to Superior. If
I can maintain a 14:00 minute/mile pace, it'll give me two minutes
per mile leeway for an understandably tougher course, and give me
time, to finish the later sections under cut-offs. Barring
tendinitis or other injury.
Start: Finland Rec Center Here
begins the pain for the 50 milers,
at
Finland
Rec Center. This section is described as longer and having a
relatively level hiking profile. I have never run this section
before, so my expectations are based on what I've found
in
"Guide
to the Superior Hiking Trail", 2001 edition and the elevation
charts from the race website. There appears to be a good 350'
ascent to Egge lake, a sharp valley, and then a gradual descent to
the next aid station.
The real challenge for me here
is to keep my pace on target rather than going out too fast.
- Next Aid Station
- Sonju Lake Rd
- Distance
- 7.5 miles
| Pace | Duration | ETA Next Station |
|---|
| 13:00 | 1 hr 37 min | |
| 14:00 | 1 hr 45 min | 07:15 |
| 15:00 | 1 hr 52 min | |
The bus ride in, I sat
with
Rachel
Wellman, whom I believe I know
from
Dailymile.com. It
didn't hit me at the time, but since reviewing her profile, I'm
now convinced. She was sweet and quiet, excited to start. There
was a lot of energy at the Finland Rec center, and plenty of
space for everyone to get ready for the upcoming race.
I ran
into
Jon
Matthiae and had a brief visit. There was also a man from the
Ely area with blue eyes and an outstanding moustache! I don't
recall his name, though. His face was memorable, similar to my
Uncle Greg.
J
ohn Storkamp recognized me and said, "Hi!" before going
about his race director business. As tired as he likely was, he
was all smiles and energy. I drank a 16 oz bottle of water over
the 40 minute wait, applied sun block and bug spray, and made my
way out to the start line.
John held a briefing on the
road, and if you've heard one from John before, you'll be
grinning already. His mixes a bit of humor with each speech, and
it never gets old. It didn't take long before we were off,
torches blazing ahead, cantering down the road to the trail.
- Time Departed
- 05:30
Sonju Lake Road (No Crew) This
is another section I have no experience with. There appear to be a
good drop of 350' overall to the Manitou River followed by a nice
400' ascent to Horseshoe Ridge. From there, it plunges down 500'
to the Crosby Manitou aid station.
- Total Distance
- 7.5 miles
- Next Aid Station
- Crosby Manitou
- Distance
- 4.2 miles
| Pace | Duration | ETA Next Station |
| 13:00 | 54 min | |
| 14:00 | 59 min | 08:14 |
| 15:00 | 1 hr 3 min | |
So early in the race, I was
still very excited to be on the trail. This section went without
a hitch, and Andy and I stuck together pretty well. Somewhere
along this stretch, we came upon a runner I had met last year
while soaking in the hot tub at Caribou
Lodge:
Matt
Mitchell. (He recalls an earlier meeting at my Moose Mountain
Marathon run in 2012.) His wife was seven months pregnant and
crewing for him with his parents. We talked about his life as a
teacher, his adventure to Germany with his students this last
year, the reason for his not having enough time to train for this
race. I was glad for the company, and I related to the note on
training.
We arrived at the aid station
and didn't spend much time there before heading on. I was pretty
happy with my pace prediction and was feeling pretty confident.
I had only taken one salt tablet during this section, since it
was early in the race. I don't recall drinking much, and I didn't
top off my water bladder. I doubt it took us five minutes to
leave the station.
- Time Arrived
- 07:15
- How I Felt
- Pretty good. Fresh.
- Time Departed
- 07:18
Crosby Manitou I should be
starting this section at
the
Crosby
Manitou State Park about three hours into the race, still
short of my approximate long distance training runs at Afton,
where I generally run 11-12 minute miles. At 14:00 minute miles, I
hope to hold off the inevitable stiffness and soreness later on.
There appears to be _only_ about
650' of elevation change on this section by estimating on the
graph: a little over 200' descent to the river, a climb of 150', a
drop of 100', and a final climb of 200'.
- Total Distance
- 11.7 miles
- Next Aid Station
- Sugar Loaf
- Distance
- 9.4 miles
| Pace | Duration | ETA Next Station |
|---|
| 13:00 | 2 hr | |
| 14:00 | 2 hr 12 min | 10:36 |
| 15:00 | 2 hr 21 min | |
Andy had been complaining about
hot-spots on his feet, having had to run with his work socks
instead of his preferred pair. We were supposed to meet up with
Clem and Cristy, but they were held up in traffic and
construction. I'm pretty sure we were still were running on pace,
but three hours in to the run, we were starting to feel it.
My estimates on elevation change
from the graphs were off, of course. I didn't count all the micro
hills, the little ups and downs of the course, and by this point,
I was cursing the mud. It was still pretty early in the race, and
I was still feeling pretty solid.
I talked a little bit
with
Matthew
Patten, asking
about
Adam
Schwartz-Lowe, learning that he had won the event earlier
that morning! Amazing! The girls in the aid station were dancing
and playing music, so I danced along with them while I waited for
Andy.
- Time Arrived
- 8:15
- How I Felt
- OK. Glad to be at the Aid Station.
- Time Departed
- 8:20
Sugar Loaf This is the last aid
station of the race before the Marathon runners join us on the
trail. This is another section I'm not familiar with, and it holds
at least 750' of elevation change; three ascents and two
descents. I'm not sure if I'll be holding on to a 14:00 minute
mile at this point or not.
My drop bag here will consist of:
- Brooks Pure Grit Shoes
- Gu
- S-Caps
- Injinji Socks
- Blister Kit
- Toilet paper
- Baby wipes
- Dry shirt
- Sunblock
- Bug spray
- Towel
- Hand-held Water Bottles (in case the bladder develops a fault)
- Clif Bars
- Total Distance
- 21.1 miles
- Next Aid Station
- Cramer Road
- Distance
- 5.6 miles
- Cut-off Time
- 11:45
| Pace | Duration | ETA Next Station |
|---|
| 13:00 | 1 hr 13 min | |
| 14:00 | 1 hr 19 min | 11:55 |
| 15:00 | 1 hr 24 min | |
This
section hurt us, the 14:00 minute/mile pace was most
certainly not held. I didn't write down the time I arrived at
this station, but if I recall correctly, I had lost a good 12
minutes or so, but that was acceptable to me. Some was to the
time in the aid station, certainly.
Andy hit a wall here, and I had
to leave him behind. My legs were still fresh enough to press on,
and when the opportunity to run came, I had to take it. I felt
bad leaving him behind, but we each come to Superior with the
knowledge that not all of us are going to make it.
Cristy and Clem took good care
of me here, bringing out the pickles! Oh, lovely dill pickles!
According to her Facebook post, Cristy estimated that we met up
at 10:48. I know I spent a good 5 minutes in the chair, so let's
estimate my departure at 10:55; still an hour ahead of cut-off.
Luke, our roommate, was also
waiting for Andy. We left a pair of socks with him for when Andy
came through. I was certain he'd make cut-off here, but not sure
how the rest of the race would do for him.
- Time Arrived
- 10:48
- How I Felt
- Ugly
- Time Departed
- 10:55
Cramer Road The halfway point!
Unfortunately for me, this will mark the furthest I've run in one
setting all year. The marathoners will have started a good four
hours prior to when I reach this point, so it is unlikely I'll see
many of them before I finish the race. If I can get out of this
aid station and avoid injury, I'll likely finish the race.
This section is the flattest of the entire race, with good
run-able stretches. If all is going to plan, I'll have a good 1:40
slush time, and this section should be a good recovery.
Total Distance26.7 miles
Next Aid StationTemperance River
Distance7.1 miles
Cut-off Time13:40
| Pace | Duration | ETA Next Station |
|---|
| 13:00 | 1 hr 32 min | |
| 14:00 | 1 hr 39 min | |
| 15:00 | 1 hr 46 min | 13:41 |
| 16:00 | 1 hr 57 min | |
The trail to Cramer was lonely
for a while. I enjoyed those times, as I was able to pace myself
rather than compare how I was doing to other runners. I sped up
when I felt good and slowed down when things were a little
rough. I did end up falling into a group of runners, as you
always do in these events. At times, that is exactly what you do
need to keep going. Without the deadline or the race atmosphere,
I would likely bow out a lot sooner.
I don't recall if this happened
along the way to Cramer or the way to Sugar Loaf... That being
said, somewhere along the way, I tucked in behind another group
of runners and
met
Cheri Dostal
Ryba. I don't recall exactly what we talked about, but I know
Nora's broken leg came up and recalling how lucky I was to have
such an understanding wife. I vowed then to buy flowers for her
and take her out on a date to say, "Thank You!"
When I finally arrived at
Cramer, Cristy was concerned that I hadn't taken all of my
S-Caps. Clem fed me potatos, bananas, and maybe pancakes. I
shared the pickles with Cheri. "Awesome, right?" I asked. She
took a moment before answering in the affirmative.
I was still up-beat when leaving
the aid station. Time to hit Temperance.
- Time Arrived
- 12:40
- How I Felt
- Pretty low. Tired.
- Time Departed
- 12:49
Temperance River (No Crew) This
section contains the largest amount of elevation change I'll see
at once. The dive to the river is almost complete here, but then
we go straight up Carlton Peak. It is a challenge to say the
least, but I know it'll be a hiking section - no running at all.
- Total Distance
- 33.8 miles
- Next Aid Station
- Sawbill - Britton
- Distance
- 5.7 miles
| Pace | Duration | ETA Next Station |
|---|
| 16:00 | 1 hr 31 min | |
| 17:00 | 1 hr 37 min | |
| 18:00 | 1 hr 43 min | 15:24 |
Although my run to Temperance
started out well enough, I quickly started to lose steam.
I happened upon Matt Mitchell in
this section again, and we quickly fell into conversation. His
ITB was acting up horribly, and our trail brotherhood solidified
in mutual pain as we slogged down the Cross River gorge, a part
of the trail I had very much forgotten about. "Flat" indeed! This
turned out to be the worst section for me. The mud was just as
bad as Sugar Loaf to Cramer, and now the downhill was tweaking my
iliotibial bands on both legs consistently.
We both talked of dropping, but
Matt made a pact with me, his idea. We would push through to
Temperance and see where we stood with time before the
cutoffs. If we were still good, we'd continue. Since there was no
crew allowed for us at Temperance, the most convenient place to
pull out of the race would be Sawbill. I agreed. I could suffer
through Sawbill, and by pushing forward I hadn't given up.
- Time Arrived
- 14:20-14:40
- How I Felt
- This was my lowest of lows
- Time Departed
- Unsure 14:50?
Sawbill - Britton This next
section has a number of "pointless up's and down's", and it's
draining to complete. My strategy here will be simply to jog the
flats and downhills and walk the uphills. Eventually, I'll pass
through this hell on to the biggest challenge of the day. I'm
choosing to have a drop bag here rather than at Oberg, since
sunset will happen at 19:20 or so; the woods will start to get
dark around 18:30. If things go really south and I barely meet the
cut-off, I'll nee that headlamp.
My drop bag here will consist of
- Gu
- S-Caps
- Injinji Socks
- Blister Kit
- Dry shirt
- Headlamp
- Total Distance
- 39.5 miles
- Next Aid Station
- Oberg Mountain
- Distance
- 5.5 miles
- Cut-off Time
- 17:30
| Pace | Duration | ETA Next Station |
|---|
| 14:00 | 1 hr 20 min | |
| 15:00 | 1 hr 24 min | |
| 16:00 | 1 hr 28 min | 16:52 |
Somehow, my pain plateaued along
this section. Had it been more like our descent in to the Cross
River valley, the trail would likely have defeated me
here. Somehow, we found reprieve in a beautiful section of trail
devoid of roots and rocks. Matt was still having issues with his
ITB, and although I was still sore, I needed to get moving.
I concentrated on picking up my
heels and letting gravity pull me forward, and with the more
fluid movement, my pain subsided to a bearable level. When I
could, I pushed the pace along the trail. After crossing the
river bridge, I was pleased to find much of the same on the
ascent back up the river. It was there I ran into a trio of 50
milers. They were college friends all running together as a
reunion of sorts. One runner, Mark introduced himself to me for
the second time -- apparently, I had talked with them earlier on
in the race. Eventually, one of the runners had horrible calf
issues and all three stopped for a break. I pressed on ahead,
taking advantage of the relatively flat and object free
trail.
I made great time to Carlton
Peak, and on my ascent, I was careful not stress my quads into
cramps; they were right on the edge of failing at times. I vowed
to take ever tree stump and log crossing sitting down, avoiding
the cramp issue that kept me from my six hour marathon in
2012.
There was a group of teen-aged
kids on one part of the peak, but I never really ran into them. I
did run into a hiker.
"Long day." I stated. He smiled
and replied, "And now you're mountain goating it!" Indeed! The
run to Britton was only a mile or so past Carlton, and I kept a
close eye on my watch. I was truckin!
I
felt pretty good getting into Britton. Yes, I was sore and
tired, but past my low-point. I felt ashamed for my talk of
dropping along Cross River and Temperance.
Cristy and Clem did a stellar job feeding me and prepping me for
the last stretch!
- Time Arrived
- 16:35
- How I Felt
- Awesome! Sore, but encouraged!
- Time Departed
- 16:53
Oberg Mountain This stretch has
always been rough for me. In the last two races, I doubt I've
completed this faster than a 16 minute mile. There are two very
sizable ascents and descents across Moose and Mystery Mountains.
- Total Distance
- 45 miles
- Next Aid Station
- Oberg Mountain
- Distance
- 7.1 miles
- Cut-off Time
- 19:00
| Pace | Duration | ETA Next Station |
|---|
| 16:00 | 1 hr 53 min | |
| 17:00 | 2 hr | |
| 18:00 | 2 hr 8 min | 19:00 |
So much mud! Not much runnable
here, but I did the best I could. I don't remember much about
this section, though I recall meeting up with one of the 100
miler female runners. Short hair, tired. She sat a bench, and I
sat with her. The world spun! Was it the wind blowing in the
trees, making the leaves move like the sea? I had to get going; I
couldn't sit any longer. I briefed her in that she had another
mile and a half or so, to which she was pretty distraught,
convinced she wouldn't make it. I encouraged her as I left and
don't know what ever happened to her afterwards.
The rest of the way in to Oberg
was pretty nice, consisting of boardwalks and some runnable
stretches. Of course there was mud; it was everywhere. Saw signs
for the Oberg parking log. Ran in with a bunch of runners, Deb
and Liz being part of it. There was another young man I kept
running into as well. Another Mark? We leapfrogged for much of
the race since Cross River.
Getting in to Oberg was
exciting! There was a lot of positive energy at the TCRC truck,
and Clem and Cristy were on point! I was happy about having
reached this point with almost an extra hour before the cut-off,
but I was not complacent to sit. I wanted to finish as quickly as
my body would allow me.
- Time Arrived
- 18:05
- How I Felt
- Better!
- Time Departed
- 18:10 to 18:20?
Caribou Lodge The finish line!
I've been here twice before, so I know where it is and what it
takes to get here (at least with Moose Mountain Marathon). If all
is going to plan, I'll arrive some time around 19:00.
- Total Distance
- 52.1 miles
- Cut-off Time
- 22:00
- Time Arrived
- 20:34:02
- How I Felt
- Great! I finished!
Once again, I managed to catch
up with Liz and
Deb
Vomhof within a mile or so of leaving Oberg, and I stuck with
them for the remainder of the race, leap frogging ahead at some
point and dropping behind at others. The ascent up Moose
Mountain wasn't as painful as I thought it might be, but going
down wasn't all that much fun. My legs remembered the pounding
they took at Cross River, and I hoped to hold off the inevitable
blow-out.
I also ran in
to
Joe
Weise! Doing a 100! A few years back, I met Joe at one of the
Spring races along this very trail. He was looking very fit and
as he ran with us using a pair of poles, he filled me in on his
children and life. I didn't spend much time there -- energy was
coursing through my legs at the time. I do want to catch up with
him more one of these days, though!
As we came off Moose Mountain we
met John, the 58 year old 100 miler who ran with a single pole
and slouched severly to one side. He had a unique shuffle run,
but he seemed completely unhurried in a confident "I'll get
there" attitude. He'd only been running for three years, but
decided one day he needed to do 100's. His redoubtable manner
gave me encouragement, and I forgot my pain for a while.
Liz was having a hard time on
the backside of Moose, and chose to take off into a run. She
faced the the same dilemma we all did: go down slowly and
painfully, or go down quickly, still in pain, but with less time
on you feet. It was a good decision. I eventually made the same
choice, and struck out away from the group.
With the switchbacks, it wasn't
long before Deb and Rollie Everson caught back up to me. We
tucked in behind a 100 miler, who was running strong in this last
section with his pacer. Deb's light failed on the backside of
Mystery, and mine was beginning to fail as well. Rather than push
out ahead, I stuck with the group to rely upon Rollie's light
should mine decide to give up the ghost; I had no spare
battieries.
Once we hit the road, the 100
miler broke out into a quick pace. I stuck with him, with Rollie
close behind. We all were reflecting the energy of the finish
line. Cowbells and cheering pulled us in quicker, and the
floodgates of emotion let loose: gratitude, happiness, relief. It
all culminated in a huge grin, tears, and hugs!
Cristy and Clem were there at
the finish-line, first to receive hugs, followed by Andy, who
informed me that he dropped somewhere around mile 40. He had a
stupendous effort and looked quite clean and refreshed. I was
exhausted, on the other hand, and needed food!
We hobbled into the dining area,
where a handful of runners gathered and exchanged stories. Clem
and Cristy continued to be a great crew, fetching me water and
chili and talking about the race. I talked to my dad and Meghan -
after fighting with my phone and the Caribou WiFi access point to
get T-Mobile WiFi calling working (such a pain).
I learned from Andy that Matt
had made it in, completing the race in 15:38, only 35 minutes
behind me! Awesome! I didn't see him come in to the dining area,
though I understand his family brought him pizza!
Cheri was there, having arrived
a half-hour before me
(awesome!).
Steve
Tollerud was there again, having completed the marathon
earlier! Really, I wish I could recall everyone I talked to, but
I was so tired and glad to be done. I lamented not being able to
watch more runners come in, but by the time I felt good enough to
walk back out on to the patio, it was well after 22:00, the race
cut-off.
Results
I finished! The
race results page has a slight calculation error in
that it lists this race as only 50 miles, computing my pace as 18:05
min/mile! It's a 52.1 mile race!
- Start
- 5:30:16AM
- Finish
- 8:34:02PM
- Time
- 15:03:47
- Pace
- 17:20 min/mile
I also found this interesting
link of my race results
on
Ultra
Sign-up.
Thanks to...
I I wanted to take a moment to
thank a number of people. First and foremost, my wife Meghan. For
with out her support, none of this would be possible. My daughter
had broken her leg on the trampoline the Tuesday before the race,
yet Meghan told me to run the race anyway. I love you, Sweetie!
I also want to thank Clem and
Cristy, who were complete rock stars at the race! I never had to
worry about whether or not I'd have what I needed when I left the
aid stations. They were encouraging, supportive, and caring. What
more could you want in a race crew! (And Clem makes an awesome
camp roasted, dutch oven chicken!)
Thanks to the 180 volunteers who
help make the race possible! Indeed there may be other 100 mile,
50 mile, and marathon trail races out there, but few stack up to
the dedication, professionalism, and sheer quality that the
Superior trail races achieve. Had Clem and Cristy not been there, I
know that success was still possible for me with the support of all
the awesome aid station volunteers.
Of course, thanks to John
Storekamp and his family, for dedicating so much of himself to the
success of this race. Rock Steady Racing puts on some outstanding
races, ones I will always recommend to friends looking for a
challenge!
By now, the cow bell was getting a bit annoying, so I silenced the clapper with a rubberband. While monkeying around with things, I dropped my phone and cracked the screen (1st time ever!). Again, Scott and I broke off and headed off to run the East side of Lake Calhoun and Lake of the Isles to find ourselves at "Isle Bun and Coffee" in Uptown.
