2014 Afton Trail Run 50k Race Report

Many people can point to annual events which indicate the beginning of summer; fireflies, the baseball all-star game, end of school, fireworks, mosquitoes, etc.  For me it is Afton, specifically the Afton 50k Trail Run put on by John Storkamp each July in Afton State Park along the Saint Croix River in Minnesota.

Each Afton is the same; same great organization, great people, low-key vibe, and hills (eight notable per loop).  And then each Afton is different; park closure reroutes, rain, varying heat, and humidity, trail conditions.  This year stood out for me because of the nice cool weather (I don’t think it broke 80°F) and the fantastic breezes in the open areas.

This actually turned out to be one of my favorite Aftons.

And it might be my last.  My family and I are moving to the Oshkosh, Wisconsin area in the next few months and I’m not sure I’ll have the opportunity to make it back to this great race.  I know there are a few races on the IAT and the Northern Unit in that area, so I won’t be wanting for good trail races.  I will be documenting my new running digs through this blog though, and will be continuing it as long as I have more than one reader, other than my mom.

Overview

This race has been held at Afton State Park in Minnesota for the past 20 years or so.  25k and 50k distances are offered, depending on whether you traverse 1 or 2 loops through the park.  The trails range from gravel road to singletrack, from wide open prairie to dense forest, from railroad bed flat to eroded washout hills.  Total elevation for the 50k is about 4,700 ft of climbing.  This year 340 or so folks opted for the 25k distance, while about 170 braved the 50k.

Pre-Race

The morning of the race was uneventful.  I did not get much sleep the night before (fireworks), but I felt fine, considering.  I also ignored the temptation for a nice scoop of cream cheese for breakfast (read here for that bit of stupidity).  After a nice drive into the park, and a smooth packet pickup, Beth (crew) and I (runner) were at the start with about 15 minutes to spare.

John, the race director, gave us some encouragement and guidance, and then asked who had done 5 Aftons?  10?  A few raised their hands.  This would be my fifth, with sub-5 hr finishes in the last 2.  I was hoping to improve on this trend.

As a prelude to this race, I ran (and finished, woo hoo!) the Kettle 100.  Following this race I had some interesting recovery issues with the ball of my left foot and the associated Achilles tendon.  That, along with the usual calf and hamstring decimation, I was hardly fully-recovered.  I was, however, in decent enough shape to run a 50k hard.  In truth though, I had no idea how my legs would respond.  We’d see.

Beth and I ran into the Kettle RD Tim Yanacheck, who was there to crew his wife.  In fact, I ran into him at various points along the course, and as usual, he had great encouragement for me.  He is truly one of the good people.

And then we were off

I usually start this race near the front, and this year I think I was too far so.  As we careened down the first descent to the base of the ski hill, runners were zipping past me.  The descent is kind of like a cattle chute, so I let others past as well as I could.  It was evident that my foot “injury” limited my speed on rocky descents.

But things cleared up quickly.  The fast people took off, and I took in with a like-minded group at about a 7:30-8:00 pace.  The temperature at the base of the ski hill was nice and cool.  Ahhh.  I love this race (before it gets hot).

The first hill hit quickly.  It is about 250 ft, not too steep, and with a few false tops thrown in.  I had planned on running all the hills if I could, and did just that.  So far so good; my legs felt fine.

Africa Loop

The top of the first climb takes us up to the Africa Loop; beautiful, grassy prairieland along with the associated micro-fauna.  Think Serengeti sans lions and wildebeests.  It was still cool in the early morning and a fantastic breeze was blowing, keeping everyone cool.  Time to pick up the pace!

Following a mile or so of smooth prairie running, we descended into another climate zone called the Back Forty.  This area is more rain forest than prairie, and it tends to be pretty hot and humid.  The descent was pretty painful for my foot, but not debilitating, and before I knew it I was zipping past the first aid station (AS) and onto some nice singletrack.  The Back Forty is a nice 2-mile section off the Africa Loop, with a section of stairs thrown in for fun.  Keeping with the plan, I ran those stairs and was back to the aid station in no time.

The climb out of this section is pretty gradual and affords the opportunity for a running ascent back up to the Africa Loop.  Once on top, the breezes cooled me off nicely.  This section of trail then leads to a wonderful descent to the third AS by the Saint Croix River.  I really like this descent, but today I had to take it easy due to the foot issues.  It was still fun.

Beth was waiting for me at AS 3 with a bottle of UCAN, and an S-cap.  I did not ask for a time update; I was running as fast as I could comfortable maintain, so it wouldn’t really matter.  After the quick turnaround at the aid station, I was off, up Stone Hill.

The Middle Part

Like the previous hills, I ran Stone Hill to the top, and was greeted again with the breeze.  I could feel it warming up a bit, but it was only in the 70’s I think.  Still cool for Afton.  From the hill top, the trails wrapped around the beautiful north end of the park, and then dropped back down to the river.  My favorite vista is on this section of trail.

Of course, once we dropped, it was time to climb back up.  Up the most gnarly of hills in the park, this thing was washed out with exposed rocks and roots.  I didn’t run this climb.  I trudged the steepest sections really.  And then I was on top, through the campground, and back down to the river.

Beth was again ready for me at AS 4.  She replaced my UCAN, and this time gave me a bandana full of ice, ice for under my hat, and some ice down my shirt.  I was sick of turning into a hyperthermic zombie in races past, so Beth and I came up with a plan: ice, early and often.  I will say this, I stayed cool throughout, though I think because of the benign conditions, this was a bit of overkill.  Oh well.

I think at this point I told Beth that my legs were hamburger, and wasn’t this fun?  That’s where I was at.

The Last Bits

Out of AS 4 is a nice flat section that makes you think it is time to put the hammer down.  I’ve long ago learned that this would be a mistake for me.  7:30 pace would have to do through here.  I swear, this flat section hurt more than the hills.

But before I knew it I was at the end of flat and heading up Meat Grinder, the 6^th of the 8 hills.  I continued to run the hills, so I was up in a jiffy and into AS 5.  I never know what to expect from this aid station when I round the bend; it was an inexperienced but enthusiastic girl’s cross-country team one year.  This year AS 5 was all business, and I was in and out with a fresh water bottle and gel.

From there it is down into the absolute best portion of trail in the park; the Snowshoe Loop.  From the initial descent, you are assaulted with wondrous singletrack winding up and down though a forested section, with a few open areas and a tough climb thrown in for good measure.  I approached this section with Newton’s first law in mind.  Run it hard, and the up-hills can be dealt without concern with inertia.  I did run hard, and was soon climbing back out to the straight-away to the start finish area.  One loop done, and I felt pretty good.  In fact, I felt I might have PR’ed that loop.

Not even close.  I saw 2:23 on the clock and my heart dropped with disappointment.  The perceived effort was there, but the speed was not.  Oh well.  I still felt fantastic, and it was time to gear up for the second loop.

At the start/finish area, I changed my shirt, re-UCAN’ed, and re-iced, and then I was back down the chute for my second loop.

Back Down the Chute

Well, the second loop was much like the first loop, only a bit slower.  I never bonked or even felt remotely overheated.  The temps never really became an issue for me in this race.  I really was enjoying myself!  I kept on running the hills like before, and counted them off as I climbed each.  8-7-6.

On the downhill coming out of the campground, I passed a 25k runner who was in obvious pain.  I thought I’d encourage her a bit: I said “These downhills sure do hurt, don’t they!”, as I scampered past.  All I got was a glare.  Hmmm, maybe a “Way to go” would have been more appropriate.

I did see Steve Quick on Meat Grinder and introduced myself.  At that point I was in a bit of a zone, so I completely blew off the photographer Steve was conversing with.  Sorry.

Throughout the second half of the race, I was swapping positions with another guy named “Steve”.  We would encourage each other as one passed, but it was evident we were in the same Age Group, so I think there was some competing going on.  I sure was feeling it.  Steve seemed a great guy, and he sure was running strong.  Coming out of AS 5 going into the Snowshoe Loop, he was right behind me.  Great.  I said something like “Let’s hammer this last section”.  He seemed game.  So much for reverse psychology.

He stayed right behind me as I picked up the pace on the initial drop.  I wasn’t really trying to lose him just yet, we had a couple of climbs yet to come, and I wanted to gauge his energy on them.  Plus, I was tired.  I hiked the second-to-last hill and he stuck to me like a booger.  So about 2/3 of the way to the top I started to run, and I opened a bit of a gap by the apex.  I then put the hammer down for the last time.  I knew there were trail twisties coming up and if I had a gap on him here, he might have a tough time keeping me in sight.

Sure enough, I saw no more of Steve after this section.  It always feels good to be in the last sections of a race and to still be racing.  I ran as hard as I could through the last bits of valley and hill until at last, the climb out and the half mile or so of flat to the end.

I ran this section as hard as my hamburger legs would allow, and I crossed the line in 5:08, in 31^st place.  Not a PR, but I was pretty happy.  I ran this race as hard as I could on un-recovered legs and had fun doing it.  Plus, I was lucid at the end, and not really feeling injured.  Weird.

In Closing

The winner, Wisconsin native Michael Borst, finished in 3:43, 3 minutes off last year’s course record.  Way to go Michael!

Thanks again to the legions of great volunteers who put on this great race.  Thanks to Afton State Park for allowing the event to take place in their beautiful park.  And thank you Beth for sharing these experiences with me and getting me through the aid stations quickly.

By the way, anyone want a kitten or two?  I have five that can't make the move to Oshkosh.

Ice Age Trail, Straight Lake Segment 40 mile Lard Ass

A "Fat Ass" is the name given to a low-key, by-invitation run without fees, awards, aid, course marking, guarantees or zombies.  It can be a race, or just a social event.  A course, a date and time, and some friends.  But, if I have no friends, is it still a "Fat Ass"?  Maybe then it's a "Lard Ass" or something.  I guess I'll use the time I have left to make some friends I think.

I guess I don’t care, I’m doing one anyway.

Due to sucky budget issues, I’ve pared down this year's race schedule to the bare minimum, which leaves 16 weeks between Afton and Surf theMurph.  I can’t train 16 weeks for a 50 mile race, I would die a training death of a thousand screams, or go bananas from being so bored.  Soooo, instead of taking the next 8 weeks off, I've planned a 40 mile run along a segment of the 1000-mile IceAge Trail in northern Wisconsin at about the end of August.  I’ll treat it like a race, with base build up, heat and speed training, an injury or two, and a taper.  Also, my wife Beth will provide the mobile munchy wagon, meeting me at key road crossings.

The route I've selected includes about 40 miles of very hilly singletrack on the trail.  This trail travels along the furthest extent of the last ice sheet to bother Wisconsin in the last 10,000 years, and as such, is full of many interesting terrain features, such as eskers, drumlins, kettles and kames.  Read here for more on my experience running the southern portion this trail.  The section I will be running will be Leach Lake Road (mmm, sounds inviting) to the StraightLake State Park parking area.

The Driftless Area

As a side note, just as interesting as the ice sheet boundary in Wisconsin is, the region the glacier missed is even more incredible.  The southeast corner of Wisconsin is known as the “Driftless Area”, or “Paleozoic Plateau”.  Take a look at a terrain map of Wisconsin, and you’ll see what I mean.  River valleys are deeply dissected (up to 650 feet), and are characterized by steep coulees.  The area is so rugged, a portion of it is known as the Ocooch Mountains, with exposed 1.6 billion year old monadnock (not the disease. it sounds like a disease. or a prescription medicine that can cause frequent urination).

The Driftless Area begs for a Superior Hiking Trail-like corridor, but alas, is pretty undeveloped.  In fact, maybe it’s better that way.  If you are interested in visiting this area, I would recommend the following points of interest from personal experience:

• Camp at a state park:
• Devil’s Lake – reserve your spot early, this is the largest and one of the most popular of the Wisconsin parks
• Wyalusing – get one of the bluff tent sites, incredible view, especially at night
• Wildcat Mountain – the wildcat did growlll
• Governor Dodge – big and beautiful in the fall, a family favorite
• Boat the Wisconsin River, east of Mazomanie – camp on a sand bar (no bugs), fish the river (always a huge variety)
• Bike the Elroy-Sparta – bring a flashlight, this is one of the best rails-to-trails in the country with awesome scenery and several loooong tunnels
• Canoe the Kickapoo – lazy, winding, beautiful, and a great swim too; lots of outfitter options
• Have dinner at Di Sciascio’s in Coon Valley – this place is the proverbial “hole in the wall”, the exterior looks like a bar, but the food is fantastic; you won’t believe me when you see it and will be tempted to move on; don’t!
• Spend the night at the Westby HouseB&B – this is probably the best B&B in the Driftless Area.

But, back to my Lard Ass (run)

I’m not sure what to expect, or how best to prepare, so I think I’ll take a cautious attitude:

• Since we do not know this area very well and I may miss an aid drop (or get really lost), I’m thinking a hydration pack would be smart, over my usual 20 oz bottles.  Maybe a few iodine pills and Kool-Aid too.
• Due to patchy logging and some private land crossings, the trail might be difficult to follow in some areas.  I am getting the latest Ice Age Trail Atlas and Companion Guide from our library.  I do NOT want to get (too) lost.
• I’ll bring my smartphone for sure.  Other than the talky thing, this will be good for pictures at least, and I can use a breadcrumb app to track my progress.
• Should I go fast or slow?  Slow makes for a more enjoyable journey, but fast equates the race for which I’m pretending to prepare.  Maybe a combination; fast when I feel like it, and then slow when I want to take a picture of a squirrel or enjoy some scenery or something.

Should be a fun adventure no matter what happens!

2013 Afton Trail Run 50k Race Report

Wow.  Another year passed, and another great Afton 50k in the books.  The years for each of these great races don’t really seem to blend together though.  Each seems to stand out for different reasons; usually due to the weather, or sometimes course changes.  I remember the unreal heat and brutal ski hill course in 2011 (cursed Republicans), the gentle rain which kept things cool in 2009, etc.  This year may not stand out for many though.  The weather was pretty standard and the course had only one minor change.

It will stand out for me.

This will be known as the year that I tried something new on race day when you’re NEVER supposed to try anything new on race day.  This will be the year I had to gut it out, because I made a simple, stupid mistake.

A quick overview of the Afton trail Run…  This race has been held at Afton State Park in Minnesota for the past 20 years or so.  25k and 50k distances are offered, depending on whether you traverse 1 or 2 loops through the park.  The trails range from gravel road to singletrack, from wide open prairie to dense forest, from railroad bed flat to eroded washout climbs.  This year 400 folks opted for the 25k distance, while 200 braved the 50k.

What I like about this race, and what keeps me coming back (aside from the organized crew that runs the event) is that it is challenging: hot, hilly and fast, but not too much of each.  The terrain and scenery changes throughout the course, keeping the day interesting.

Race morning started like most: the beeping alarm, zombie motions out of bed, getting into some snappy getup I laid out the night before, a quick drink of water, and a spoonful of cream cheese.  Actually, that last part was new for this year.  I read somewhere that a bit of fat before a workout stokes my fat-burning furnace and allows me to hit the trails harder minus the sluggishness.   Hmmm.  We’ll see.

Check-in was as smooth as ever.  The volunteers at this race are pros (except for the lady who tried to give me someone else’s timing chip).  No early morning food though.  With the diet I have been adhering to recently, I avoided taking on calories before the race; I wanted to get that fat-burning furnace going.  I did have a slight knot in my stomach though; must be pre-race jitters.  We then ambled towards the start area about 15 minutes before the gun.  I carried a single 20 oz. water bottle on a waist pack; simple and light.

Following a quick pep talk about Afton State Park (a portion of our race entry fee is donated to the park) and hydration (it might get pretty hot out there), I worked my way towards the front of the pack of runners waiting for the start.  I’ve found that things can get pretty crowded near the back as the trail narrows a bit.  I found Chris Lundstrom grinning and greeting other runners; I was unexpectedly next to trail running royalty!  And then we were off.

Three things were evident as we started down the initial chute:

• I was right where I needed to be in the pack, as runners started to spread out a bit in front of and behind me.
• The heat was noticeable from the start.  I think it was in the low 70’s F, which was a bit warmer for 6:30 in the morning than in the days leading up to the race.  I was hoping heat would not be an issue until the second loop.  Not so this year.
• That knot in my stomach exploded into full Alien mode as I was jostled on the quick descent.  Pre-race jitters generally go away when the gun goes off; this was something different.  This was that spoonful of cream cheese.  Crap!  Well, the pain wasn’t debilitating, so I kept the pace.  Maybe the Alien would hatch and go infect someone else.  Ha ha.

In past Aftons I tended to run a pretty strong first loop, while flagging the second loop by quite a bit.  This year I decided to hold back a bit initially saving for a stronger second loop, and hopefully a faster time overall.  It was 5 minutes into the race and I was sweating already.  Dang.

Following the initial drop, we climbed to the Africa loop, a forest-bordered prairie-like section of parkland complete with swaying grasses and flitting microfauna.  A slight breeze kept the runners from getting too hot as we circled the southern portion of this trail.  Warmup over, I got my pace up to about 7:30 miles as the runners spread out along the path.  Me and my cream cheese grenade felt good.

Unlike my previous Afton race reports, I’ll skip the course blow-by-blow.  Please read here for a description of each course section.

During the first loop, I kept a nice even pace, I felt good (though a bit warm), though my stomach was killing me.  Any time I pushed the pace, or bombed a downhill, I was reminded about how the crew aboard the spaceship felt in the movie Alien; the ones stupid enough to want to get a close look at that nasty thing with crab legs.  It was a weird feeling to have that much pain, while all other systems were functioning fine.  I successfully pushed Alien aside for the moment, but it did take some of the fun out the moment.

It was now that I noticed another mistake: It was evident I ran too hard 3 days prior to race day.  The Wednesday speed workout in the heat went too hard, and for too long.  Those specific muscles that ache after those types of runs were still hurting.  Oh well, not much I could do about that at the moment; something to add to the “don’t do this again before a race” list.

I took on no calories during the first 15 mile loop, running mainly on my onboard store of carbs and fat.  I did, however, keep the ice in the water bottles, and took several electrolyte tablets.  I came in to the start/finish for a quick turn-around, and then was down the chute for my second go-around.  First loop went at about 2:20.

On the second loop, heat became more of an issue.  To combat this, my wife/crew Beth handed me frozen bandanas to wrap around my neck, and frozen washcloths for placing under my hat.  Near the end of the race, I started pouring ice down the back of my shirt as well.  This strategy worked well for me as I suffered no heat-related issues or central fatigue during the race.  The temperature did get up to the mid-80’s I think.

It was on the second loop where I started to take on some calories.  Not much though.  I think I had 2 gel packs and a packet of UCAN in one of my 20 oz bottles.  I’m still experimenting with limiting my carb intake during races.  Fast-acting gels tend to provide a good hit during faster/shorter 50k’s, while the steady drip of energy provided by the UCAN seems to be more effective in the longer, 50 mile+ distances.

Another feature for this year was that, I was running alone for most of the second half of the race.  In previous Aftons, I almost always had someone nearby on the trails.  This year there were times I felt I was lost.  I saw very few 50k racers following Aid 2  There was a portion of the Africa Loop where I could see no one in the front or rear of me.  I did start to catch the back of the 25k pack after Aid 3 though, so I must have been on course.

After climbing out the Meat Grinder for the second (and last) time, and looking forward to another go at the Snowshoe Loop, I started to have some fun.  The Cream Cheese Alien was still snarling, but I had, by then, mentally pushed that issue aside.  My body was aching, I was hot, and I was ready to be done, but I was still running strong.  By now I could smell the roses, but part of me did not want the run to end.  Besides, the Snowshoe Loop is a blast to bomb.

Coming out of the Snowshoe Loop, there is about a half mile of straight and flat to the end.  I poured on the speed here and ran strong to the finish.  Unknown to me at the time, I was very close to breaking 5 hours.  I’ve never been cheered like that into a finish.  That was fun.  I came across the line at 4:59:22.  Not a PR, but I was still very happy with the result.  Thanks Mary and Mel for coming by to watch the finish!

Stillwater Runners Wayne M., Dave M., and Tom A. all completed the 25k race.  What can I say about Chris Lundstrom?  3:40 is a rockin’ time and a course record.  That’s a 3:05 marathon pace with 4,600 or so feet of climbing.  Simply awesome Chris!

Thanks again to the legions of great volunteers who put on this great race.  Thanks to Afton State Park for allowing the event to take place in their beautiful park.  And thank you Beth for sharing these experiences with me and getting me through the aid stations quickly.

2013 Kettle 100 Adventure, My Nutrition (3 of 3)

Following a disappointing Kettle 100 DNF on June 1, I was left wondering; what went wrong, and how I might apply my learnings to the next attempt? (See post)

One thing that did not go wrong was the nutritional aspect of my training leading up to, and during the race.  In order to put the raceday nutrition into context, I’ll need to start 5 months ago, during a typical frigid Wisconsin January.  With lots of snow.  And it was cold.  I'm just saying.

I started a new nutritional strategy based on a modified Atkins diet, adjusted for athletes, whose plan is laid out very succinctly in The Art and Science of Low Carbohydrate Performance, by Jeffery Volek and Stephen Phinney.  This plan shows how an athlete can transition from relying mainly on carbs for fuel, to running on fats.  Now, for an ultra-runner, as you might think, this plan can be advantageous.  Work with me here for a bit:

Our bodies can provide a reserve store of, at most, 2,000-3,000 calories in carbs.  Burning 800-1000 calories/hr, this can equate to about 3 hrs during a tough trail run.  We can take on, at most, 200-250 calories per hour of carbohydrates.  So adding the stored carbs with the calories taken on during that time, I get at most 4 hrs of running before my glycogen tank runs dry.  Kaput.  What happens then?  I bonk, that’s what happens.  My brain is now competing with my muscles for whatever fuel it can get.  I become a zombie, pure and simple.  The slow kind.

Now consider fat as a primary fuel source.  Even with a low body fat %, I have enough on-board energy to run 100’s of miles.

Starting out on this diet, my body was trained to burn carbohydrates.  I was stuck dealing with the bonk in EVERY long race; and running out of fuel really sucks.  But of course, my body is also burning fat, which allows me to continue, though in a less-effective, zomboid fashion.

Everyone knows there are two types of zombies, ...mainly (no, not girls and boys).  The slow ones and the fast ones of course.  Think of carb-fueled me late in a race.  Slow zombie, all the way.  Drooling and whimpering and stumbling along.  As a fat burner?  Think fast zombie (or at least faster).  Drooling and whimpering, but moving at a good clip.  Brains!

Enter a new way of eating, one in which I eat less than 50g of carbs per day.  This new nutritional strategy allowed me to train my body to burn primarily fats; to become keto-adapted.  The results have been amazing.

• My racing weight dropped from 160 lbs, to 135 lbs on Kettle 100 race day.
• Because of that weight loss, hills have come less of a challenge.
• I experienced no central fatigue (no bonking) at all during the 63 miles and 12+ hrs of running.

I did supplement during the race with a product called UCAN.  This is a super-starch carbohydrate powder that, when mixed with water, provided a steady drip of carbohydrates during the run; but not enough to trip the insulin response (important).  I took on these carbs because my brain runs on the fuel created from them.  I also think my body needs carbs to burn the fats.  I needed the carbs, even if I was keto-adapted.  The result?  My energy level was steady throughout.

But the best part about this diet was the recovery.  Oh my goodness.  I felt like I could run the following day.  In fact I did go on a 3-miler two days following the race, and my legs felt no more fatigued than during usual training.  After a week, I was training as hard as I did leading up to the race.  After running 63 miles, this was truly mind-blowing for me.

I attribute this fantastic recovery to the diet.  My theory goes something like this: because I was burning primarily fats, I did not run out of fuel, ergo, vis-a-vis my muscles were not called on to provide the alternate fuel source; i.e. protein; or the muscles themselves.  Ouch.

One interesting result of this diet, which relates to the lack of central fatigue (zombification), is that I can feel leg fatigue more acutely.  I am completely aware of the pain in my body now.  Believe me, I'm not complaining, having tired legs is preferable to central fatigue.  I can push through tired legs, so much so that cramping has become an issue.  I am pushing harder now later in races then I ever have.  Hopefully, good training will alleviate this, and I'll become one of the fast zombies.

I’ll be running the Afton Trail Run 50k in a few weeks, which is a much shorter race distance than the 63 miles I ran at Kettle.  During a recent 4.5 hr run at Afton State Park, I was able to hammer the hills at end of the run.  I am mildly optimistic to see what my new legs can accomplish!

In finishing this post, I want to tell a story that gives me a lot of inspiration.  Ultra god and two-time Western States winner, Hal Koerner, ran one of the greatest races I have ever known in France at the Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc.  In 2011, he took 38 hrs to round that mountain (the winner, Killian Jornet,  took 20 hrs).  He was passed by most everyone.  He got lost.  He was chafing in all the wrong places (the worst!).  But he did not quit.  After he finished, he was asked 'why he did not DNF.'  His answer was, that he 'dropped out of the race the last time he attempted it (in 2007).'  He waited 4 years for some retribution.  Read his blog post on the subject, it is amazing.

This is what I will be taking into the Kettle 100 next year.  No mountains, no crazy elevation, just some serious baggage to release.

End of the Old, Start of the New

Running the last race of the season is a bittersweet event for me.  I’ve been truly blessed with a great year.  I was injury-free and have had only one race I would consider “bad”; and that turned out to be a 50-mile PR, making “bad” a relative term.  My 2012 races:

• AftonTrail Run 50k, 4:57, 33/199
• NorthFace WI 50-mi, 8:27, 28/222
• Surfthe Murph 50-mi, 9:12, 11/51

I know.  Three lousy races.  I am hardly king of the trails.  It is kind of weird, but I take those races pretty seriously; fuel for my type-A personality.  Afterward the transition can be kind of abrupt:

Spring-Summer-Fall schedule

• 5:00 am: alarm goes off
• 6:30 am: get out of bed
• 7:30 am: endless miles, lots of hills and stairs
• Remainder of the day: eat like a horse, complain about my aches and pains, fight the dog for the best sun patches, take some vitamin-I and go to bed

And then it ends: The Winter schedule

• 10:00 am: no alarm necessary, I can set my internal clock to “sloth”
• 10:30 am: do a few squats and core exercises until I get bored
• Remainder of the day: eat like a horse, complain about my aches and pains, fight the dog for the best sun patches, take some vitamin-I and go to bed

And plan for next season.  I like to up the ante and then regret about it later, and am faced with the choices of trying to improve speed, distance, or course toughness.  I choose the first two for next year.  I’ll save Superior for the following season.  Chicken, I know.

A New Diet – To help me to take it to the next level, I am considering a change in my diet from non-existent, to low carb/high-fat.  The intent is to convert myself into a “butter burner” after about a two week transition.  I read a great book called The Art and Science of Low Carbohydrate Performance.  Zach Bitter introduced me to the concept on his blog; the science looks sound and the concept just makes good sense to me.  I may also start adding Vespa to my training and racing nutrition.  Maybe.  I’ll wait until AFTER the holidays though; fudge truffles will be impossible to resist.  My main purpose trying this diet:

• Steady flow of energy by tapping into an “endless” source of fat-based fuel, instead of the rollercoaster ride that is carb fueling.
• Better mental clarity by reducing central fatigue – I’ve read that bonking comes at a time of battle between your brain and muscles for your depleted glycogen reserves.  Since you need those muscles to outrun the lions, your brain attempts to perform at a reduced energy level.  Kind of like my laptop.  Bonking may have something to do with aromatic amino acid uptake as well (whatever that means).  I’ve always felt that if I could eliminate one challenge from running, it would be central fatigue.  I’ll take tired muscles and an upset stomach before I start feeling like I want to pass out.  Mental morass just sucks.
• Reduction of CO₂ in my bloodstream – Seems that when exerting yourself in strenuous exercise, C0₂ can accumulate in the bloodstream as a byproduct of lactic acid buildup due to carb metabolization, reducing your blood pH, and placing yourself in a state of hyperventilation.  This has happened to me a few times and has been incapacitating (blog post).  Fat burning causes less lactic acid to build up, and thus less CO₂ in my bloodstream.  This is my second choice for elimination.
• Quicker Recovery – Burning fat causes less metabolic stress than burning carbs.  As I get older I am finding that the tough runs are harder to bounce back from, causing me to reduce my training volume immediately following.  I’m lucky if I can do a 70 mile week.  To do well in a 100 mile race, I think I want to increase my training volume, which means I need to recover quicker and more thoroughly.
• Sour cream, butter, cashews, coconut oil, bacon, eggs, cheese, cream, lard, …

Which gets me to the races I want to do next year – For some reason I get great comfort from running the same races year after year.  I’ll try to force myself out of this rut a bit next season with a race longer than I’ve ever run, and one shorter (and hopefully faster) than usual.

• Kettle Moraine 100m – This will be my first 100 mile race, and I think I’m ready for it.  The race is run in the Southern Unit of the Kettle Moraine in WI; trails I’m very familiar with and love (blog post).  The biggest challenge, I think, will be getting in the long runs though the winter months.  Training starts in February.  Brrrr.
• Afton Trail Run 50k – I just love this race and cannot fathom a year without it.  I did pretty well last year (blog post) and hope to hit those hills even stronger next year.  The big challenge will be recovering from Kettle Moraine in time for this race.  Is 5 weeks enough time?  If not, this turn into a fun run.
• Hartman Creek 25k – This race has been on my radar for a few years now.  I took my kids camping here a few times; very nice.  The trails are nice and flat and well maintained.  This should be a fast and fun 25k, and I can take my family camping to boot.
• North Face Endurance Challenge 50m – This will be my fifth time running this race and I’m ready to be done with it.  Don’t get me wrong, this is a fun race, but it is getting expensive and I think I’m outgrowing it a bit.  It is flat and fast and beautiful; and I have some unfinished business (blog post): namely a sub-8 hr 50 miler.  This race is at the same time of year as Superior, with which I hope to replace the following year.
• Willow River 10k – Just a low-key, fun and hilly race on my home turf.  I train here every week and enjoy my unfair local advantage.  Plus it is pretty cheap and supports a good cause.
• Surf the Murph 50m – I really like this race, after I’ve (kind of) figured out the course.  If I can stay on the course I can do pretty well here (blog post).  Plus it is close by, relatively cheap and becoming an end-of-the-season tradition.

Should be fun!

Afton Trail Run 2012 50k Race Report - Mary

Dave had a fabulous run. His report is just great. Sounds like he really got inspired after last year's debacle, which wasn't entirely due to his inadequate training. I was at the finish last year and it was a very hard course and it was very hot. They had lots of DNFs and even more folks complaining. Ask Dave M. too.

Dave, you did a great job of describing the course and the condition of the trails and the perfect day for the race. Since I'm the "historian" for that race-it's true that when we first started it, the weather was almost always coolish. And there was one year where we had exactly the same conditions as last week. Perhaps it only made it to 95 degrees rather than closer to 100, but it was bloody hot all week. We were scrambling to buy ice in Woodbury, etc. Anyway the day of the race, it was like a miracle. And that's what happened last weekend. It was actually cool at the start this year. I was almost wishing for a long sleeved shirt as we waited for the start.

My story is that I went in to the race thinking that I would only run 25K, but since I was registered for the 50K, I'd take the early start and get it over with. I started out with Wally and saw a few folks I know from the trail running community, although there aren't many anymore. Everyone is way younger than I am. The trails were in great shape and by the time I got to the first aid station things felt good and I decided that if I could make the cut-off for the first loop I'd stick it out for the second. I'll admit there was a woman who I kept leap frogging with, who appeared to be in my age group (50+). She is tall and really tackles the uphills. As Dave said, the volunteers at the aid stations were absolutely amazing. This younger trail running community is quite an inspiration and John Storkamp deserves a lot of credit for his leadership. It was fun to see Dave's wife, Beth at the major aid station.

So I made it with over 30 minutes to spare, where I had to make the decision to continue or drop. To be truthful, by then I had made the decision that I did not want to be listed as a DNF. Mike Reneau from Hudson, who some of you may know, told me he'd wait for me, so I figured "go for it". The "tall girl" wasted no time at the aid stations and was long gone by the time Mike reassured me.

As is always the case for me in the longer trail runs, it is usually a pretty solitary experience. But the aid stations are closer together at Afton, so that keeps a person going. And early in the second loop, Jan O'Brien, who became a fabulous trail runner and has of late worked the first aid station, introduced me as "the pioneer of trail ultras for women in MN". I'm not sure she's right, but it was a very nice compliment and really kept me going. I guess it was the weather and the trail conditions, but the second loop went really well too. The time seemed to not be an issue at this point and I even was looking at my watch to consider if I could break 8 hours, which is about my average for this course. 

It wasn't until I had about 4 miles left to go that I saw tall girl again. Since we hadn't leap frogged in the second loop I was leery to pass her again, but she was running with someone else and busy in conversation so I passed, figuring she'd pass me on the last hill. After a potty stop at the nice new bathrooms, the folks at the last aid station cheered me in up the hill and gave the best encouragement of the day. Dave's favorite section (not mine) was in much drier condition by this point and the last few miles seemed to fly by. I passed Jim Baillargeion, from Sommerset, with two miles to go. He was very encouraging. The finish line was a very welcome sight and my time was 7:26. And I beat the tall girl by 2 minutes. BTW, she has a name-it's Linda Frank and she's from Hudson. She's a newbie at the 50K, in her 50s, and has lots of potential. 

Next year is the 20th anniversary of ATR and if any of you are even thinking about doing a trail run, I would recommend this one. It's not easy-the hills are steep and seem unending, but there are points in between the hills that are very runnable. It's a nice introduction to trail running and the trail running community. And the design of the shirts is very unique. Thanks Dave, for an explanation of the design. I had no idea.

This weekend is the Voyageurs trail run, which has been modified and not even a full marathon, but they say harder. That's my last training run before I leave for Mongolia.  Is anyone interested in meeting for a beer at Whiteys' before I leave on July 25th?

Afton Trail Run 2012 50k Race Report

First of all, I’d like to thank the families of the 200 or so virgins who were sacrificed before the race, providing us with a respite in the recent Minnesota heat wave.  Your personal sacrifices are greatly appreciated!  The relatively low temperatures at race time allowed many runners the chance to really push the pace and go for personal bests on a tough and hilly Afton State Park course; myself included.  After a week of hot and humid weather in the 90’s and 100’s, we were all thrilled to see the forecast for the weekend:  race morning was to be in the 60’s, with later highs in the 80’s.  The Mayan gods were appeased!

The Afton Trail Run is a 25k and 50k event in Minnesota’s Afton State Park along the Mississippi River.  The river cut through this terrain a kabillion years ago creating a landscape of hills and coulees; a wonderful playland for the adventurous.  John Storkamp directs this race and does a great job making this a premier Midwest trail race.  The 25k loops the park once, and the 50k, twice.

I’ve had this race in my sights since the previous debacle on the Afton Ski Hill course, when medical personnel pulled my chip (RD John Storkamp kicked my ass last year with his diabolical course layout).  I was disappointed with myself for accepting that fate a bit too readily; I felt I had some race left in me, but evidently little fight.  This year was to be different.  My training for the 2012 season started the previous November, with core work at a local health club.  To deal with the hills in a more dignified manner, I included weekly lunge sessions at the Willow River State Park falls stairs.  In all, I trained like never before, and boy did that pay off at Afton.

This year included a more spiritual preparation as well.  Like many folks, I hesitate pushing too hard for fear of the suffering to follow.  In short, I listen to my lying brain.  My plan this year was to ask for prayers, and then hammer my pace; lifting my suffering and effort (and results) to God, in the hope that my suffering would be pleasing to Him.  I sound like a flagellant, I know, but work with me here.  As a friend explained: “This brings glory to God, as the motive of our heart says: You are more important to me than food, you are worth suffering with, and for.”  Truly humbling; my mantra was to “don’t be a wimp”.

Saturday morning packet pickup was like most others at Afton: a reunion of friends amidst the low-key Minnesota trail running atmosphere.  Lots of smiles amidst some serious introspection.  RD John Storkamp’s race shirts are still awesome; this year’s with a decidedly Mayan theme.  After taking care of last minute victuals and expendables, we made our way to the start line, where 200 or so runners prepared to do battle with the trails.  After a quick pep talk we were off at 6:30 sharp, down the cattle chute to the base of our first climb.  Honestly, why do we go down just to go back up?  Couldn’t they have just built a bridge?

Unlike previous Aftons, this year I decided to start near the front, which meant a bit of jockeying for space as the trail narrowed.  No problems though as everyone was respectful, causing no one to go orienteering.   Our first climb to the Africa Loop was the usual mix of running and walking.  Once on top, it was time to set a pace.  I maintained about an 8:00 pace; hopefully the right balance in the beginning.  The morning was gorgeous, highlighting the forest-surrounded golden grassland beauty of the Africa loop.  I kept expecting to see a lion peek above the grass to pick out a straggler.  I tried to look strong.

The Back-40 is a drop down from the savanna to a more lush, tropical loop; one of my favorite trails in the park.  Following a rocky decent, I ran past aid station 2, knowing I would see it again in 1.5 miles.  It was nice and cool as runners started to group a bit on the singletrack; a good time to meet new people and catch up with friends.  After water, a gel and my first S-cap, we followed a very runnable climb back up to Africa to finish the loop.  Fast (for me) and efficient.

Leaving Africa happens via an awesome drop down a rocky coulee trail; one you’d love to bomb when you don’t have 25 miles of race ahead of you.  Injecting a little prudence, I slowed my descent, but took full advantage of the free speed, past Steve Quick directing traffic at the bottom, to where we get our first sight of the Mississippi river at aid station 3.  It is great to see my wife and crew, Beth, at this station, but this early in the race we are all business:  gel, water, ice, vamoose.  She is awesome.

The climb out of aid-3 is a smooth and runnable crushed-gravel road back to the top of the park.  I like running this road because I actually feel energized once at the top.  It is at this point where I was completely warmed up and ready to pick up the pace to about 7:30.  After a bit of flat on top, we again drop to the river, and past the most gorgeous view in the park.  Rounding a bend, if you are not expecting it, it takes your breath away: a view from above, looking south along the river.  Enough of that, it was time for an easy descent back to the river, and short jog on a former rail trail.

The next climb up to the camp area is my least favorite in the race.  Rocky, steep and sandy.  When on training runs in the park, I tend to eliminate this section due to imagined time limitations that suddenly seem important.  I don’t tend to be a journey person on this hill.  I know this climb has a name (Kevin’s or Dean’s hill, or something like that).  Once on top, we waved to the campers as we ran though.  Being backpack campers, they understood what was going on and kindly wished us well.  Of course my least favorite descent should follow that climb.  It seems to follow a wide washout, where, if you are running, it is hard to check your speed without quads of steel.  The workers at aid station 4 (backside of aid-3) get a great view of runners on the edge of control (and sometimes tumblers having lost all control) as they try to navigate this slide.

After some ice, water, a gel, and S-cap (and a kiss from the crew), we are provided with a few miles of absolute flat.  I have learned, in the past, to avoid the temptation of the 5k pace here, knowing the hills and miles to come; but I did try to keep an effortless 7:00 pace along the river.  Don’t be a wimp.  Now rehydrated and refueled, it was time to climb back up via the Meatgrinder.  Despite its ominous name, this hill is not too bad, with the rocks creating a natural system of steps in the steepest section.  Plus, it is the last tough climb in the loop, and leads into aid station 5, where the nice folks will dump water on your head and ice down your back.  Thanks!

The next section is called the Snowshoe Loop, and provides the best singletrack and most remote running in the park.  While bombing through these trails, one almost forgets fatigue.  The flats, hills and descents in this section are so short and numerous, that my muscle groups seemed to get frequent breaks.  Though a bit more difficult to find, if you have only a short time for a run at this park, I’d recommend this section over most others.  Except for one short steep climb and one rocky descent, it is all runnable and fun.

Following the climb out of the Snowshoe Loop, there is about a mile of flat and fast to the start and aid station 1.  While the 25k race starts an hour after the 50k, it has been my goal in the past to start my second loop before the first 25k racer arrives.  Those guys fly!  I think I saw a 1:37:10 time and 6:16 average pace for the eventual 25k winner, Joe Moore.  Way to go for the course record Joe!  I did my first loop in a more pedestrian 2:16, faster than any of my previous attempts by 15 minutes.  I was pretty lit.  So now it was time for some plotting: hmmm, I didn’t think I had a negative split in me, though a course PR was definitely in my grasp.  In the past I’ve lost 30 minutes to the second loop, which would put me in at about 5:15.  I was feeling good. I would try to reduce that loss.  Don’t be a wimp.

The second loop looked surprisingly like the first, only without the fresh legs, so I’ll keep it to the highlights.  I tried to keep the pace fast (for me) and the breathing and heart rate down.  My first bad spot came after climbing out of the Back-40.  My brain was telling me to slow down so I didn’t become a lump on the trail.  In the past I’ve always heeded this message thinking I was being smart and listening to my body.  Listening to my brain is quite another thing, so I tried to ignore it.  Keeping my pace was surprisingly easy once I convinced myself that my brain is a liar, and this spell will pass.  And it did.  I was myself again and feeling strong at the bottom of the Africa Loop, waving to Steve Quick for a second time.

I felt good, running the stone road hill for the second time.  It felt good to reach and find I had reserves available.  It also felt good to have the hill up to the campground done for the day.  My wife Beth, in planning for 90 degree heat and humidity, created a secret pouch for holding ice, made from an old towel.  This pouch fit nicely under my hat and provided a slow drip of cold water on my head (Ahhh) as I started the rail road flat at about a 7:30 pace.  My mind was telling me I would blow up at this pace, but I ignored it.  After a bit I settled in and it felt right.

Following Meatgrinder part 2, my only thought was not to fall in the Snowshoe loop, and to keep the pace.  I was dying my second death here and there are so many ways to stumble on that trail.  The seemingly easy portions that wind through fields seem to have once been plowed, with the furrows hidden by tall grass, providing a nice tiptoe through the tulips.  While the forested sections wind so much that it is sometimes difficult to see the trail more than 5 feet in front.

Now out of the Snowshoe Loop I was as good as done.  I ran the last flat and fast section to the finish as hard as my legs would allow.  To the 25k runner I passed near the finish chute: sorry, I hope you weren’t too upset with me.

I crossed the line in 4:57.  The clock said 3:57 (for the 25k race), and in my delirium I believed it.  Wasn’t that a course record or something?  Once I came to my senses, I was floored that I had run the course so fast, losing less than 15 minutes in the second loop.  What joy after last year’s Catastrophe at Afton Alps.  After catching my breath I enjoyed some cool lemonade and some great burgers at the finish party.  I never seem to want to leave these events, wanting the Pink Floyd “Comfortably Numb” trip to stay with me forever.  Or maybe more like the Ramones: “I'll have to tell 'em that I got no cerebellum!”

Note to self: trust in your training, trust in God, and don’t be a wimp.  I can’t wait until next year!

The volunteers are always great at this race, but especially this year.  What a great group of people along the trail and at the aid stations!  Thanks for volunteering and helping make this race so awesome.