Blog Posts From Active Toby's Adventure Blog Tagged With 50-mile

2008 Review 2009 Preview

Active Toby — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 17:08:25 GMT

Overview: Reaching my 2008 goal of completing both a 100-mile ultra marathon and an iron-distance triathlon has left me searching for an answer to the question everyone (including myself) keeps asking: “What’s next?”

2008 Review: Before sharing my intentions for 2009, let’s take a look back at the 2008 season. The year started with the Avalon 50 Mile Benefit Run in January where I learned important lessons about footwear and hyponatremia. During my recovery it was announced that the SD100 was bumped up from October to June, so I designed a periodized training plan to peak in both the spring and fall with a rest in the summer.

Just as I kicked off training in February, I was hit by car while riding my bike. As I recovered from the accident, I became more focused on my goal and after getting cleared to resume activity, I raced the Ironman 70.3 California in March. Then I went on to log serious mileage to prepare for the San Diego 100 Mile Endurance Run in June. Successfully completing the SD100 remains my proudest moment as an endurance athlete.

After a short break in the summer, I started in with triathlon training and used the Accenture Chicago Triathlon in August as a tune-up race, put in serious work on the bike and then finished off the season with the Silverman 140.6 in November.

2009 Preview: My intention is to continue to explore my potential and redefine my limits in 2009 as an individual and endurance athlete. I am registering for the 2009 Southern California Ultra Runners Grand Prix Series which features races of 50K, 50M, 100K and 100M in various state park and national forest systems in Southern California. There are typically 20 races throughout the year and the Gran Prix points are awarded for one’s top 6 performances. In addition to racing 6 of these events, there are a few other events that have caught my eye but you’ll have to stay tuned to learn more about these

Recap: It’s hard to believe I have been keeping the Active Toby's Adventure Blog for well over a year now. Looking back on previous entries is a helpful reminder of what progress looks like. I have learned so many valuable lessons from these experiences, met incredible people, visited amazing places and took in absolutely beautiful scenery. I cannot thank you enough for believing in me and joining me as I pursue my dreams.

Yours in adventure,

Toby Guillette

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Read my 2007 Review - 2008 Preview

Summertime

Active Toby — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 00:22:16 GMT

Preview

The summer if officially here, I successfully completed my “A” race and now its time for a little variety (see below) before ramping things back up for Silverman in the fall.

Recovery from SD100

It’s been two weeks since my "A" race and I’m happy to say that I experienced little to no soreness from the effort--testimony to proper training and conditioning. On the flip side of that, I’ve been totally drained of energy. It’s been tough waking up in the mornings and by mid-afternoon, my eyes feel heavy and it’s a struggle to stick-out the day.

I’m starting to do stuff again which is a good sign and this past weekend was the perfect summer weekend to be outside. Friday after work, I joined a group of friends and colleagues for a 1-mile swim out of La Jolla Cove sans wetsuit--68 degree water. The water was clear and it was the perfect way to start the weekend.

Marie’s training

Marie and I met Mindy at Mission Trails at 6am Saturday morning and I only made it 8 miles before my legs had enough. The girls went on, through the triple-digit heat, for 20 miles.

Marie and her girlfriends are registered for the Headlands 50 on August 9, so they have been dialing in their training. For Rebekah and Mindy, this is their first 50-mile ultra run with 50K being their longest effort to date. Marie’s debut 50 was in January at the Avalon 50 and she did great so she is excited for more technical terrain and to share the experience with her ultra running buddies.

New book

While I was waiting for Marie to pick me up after her run and head to the beach, I started reading Racing the Sunset: An Athlete's Quest for Life After Sport by Scott Tinley. I breezed through the first 100 pages and I’m really into Tinley’s writing style and the introspective nature of someone who was so passionate and dedicated to reaching their potential in the sport of triathlon when the sport itself was in its infancy. There’s a much deeper message that Tinley is offering as he recounts his struggle with the transition from athlete to the next stage in his life. I’m excited to dive back into this one again soon.

Summer training, travel and races

Sunday morning I joined Jesse and Emmy for a few hours on the bike. He rode north to Del Mar and climbed our way back south through Torrey Pines and over Mount Soledad. It was another hot day so length and effort of our Sunday scenic spin was perfect. Emmy is training for Vineman 70.3 and the three of us did an open-water swim tonight at La Jolla Shores.

Cross-training

Today was my first ActiveX Training workout since... last year? I’m really excited to be back out there and impressed with how many new folks have joined in the fun.

Today’s workout:

50/40/30/20/10 reps

• Double-jumps

• Push ups

• Sit ups

• 400 run

Travel

I’ve got a couple cool trips lined up in July starting with my birthday weekend getaway to Lone Pine, CA. Marie and I are going to camp at the base of the Sierra Nevada in the Alabama Hills, just two days before the start of the infamous, Badwater 135. The race travels from Death Valley, which marks the lowest elevation in North America at 280 feet below sea level, to the finish at Mt. Whitney Portal at 8360 feet. The Badwater course covers three mountain ranges for a total of 13,000 feet of cumulative vertical ascent and 4,700 feet of cumulative descent. The last 12 miles climb over 5700 feet and Marie and I are going to run this section while we’re in Lone Pine to pay tribute to these runners and also to preview this section of the course for the day I take on the challenge

[Badwater 135|http://www.mapmyrun.com/run/united-states/ca/lone-pine/690543972253]

Cruise

At the end of July, I’m joining my family for a week-long cruise from NYC to King's Wharf, Bermuda. I’ve never done anything like this so I’m stoked and I’m thrilled to have an entire week with my family in such a unique setting.

Race

My next race is the Accenture Chicago Triathlon (Olympic distance) on August 24. I’m excited for this event, the chance to travel to a new city and the opportunity to finally meet my teammate, Trish, whom I’ve been working with for a year and a half.

Recap

The summer is already off to a great start and I'm excited to shares these fun adventures with you all along the way.

All the best,

~Toby

Ironman-70.3 California

Active Toby — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 01:35:48 GMT

My ultimate fitness goal for 2008 is to complete the San Diego 100-mile endurance run (SD100) on the third weekend of October. With some guidance, I’ve outlined a series of incremental goals, races and periods of rest over the course of the year that will gradually prepare me for this main event.

After finishing 2007 with a 52-mile training run and beginning 2008 with a 50-mile race, I’ve decided to use the sport of triathlon to build my fitness while taking a small yet strategic break from ultra running. My first half-Ironman distance triathlon is on March 29 in beautiful Oceanside, California. To prepare for this particular 1.2-mile swim, 56-mile bike and 13.1-mile run, I’ve broken my training schedule into three phases and the first phase began Monday.

Bike course:

For the next 16 days, I’ll be training in all three triathlon disciplines, a variety of cross-training exercises, plus racing a Triathlon Club of San Diego (TCSD) Duathlon on February 2. My next break is President’s Day weekend, where I’ll use a long-weekend of backcountry skiing in the Sierra Nevada as active recovery before beginning the second training phase.

The focus of phase two is “brick” training or the combination of two triathlon workouts into one and less of a focus on cross-training. For instance, upon arriving home from cycle-commuting, I will immediately go for a run. The purpose of this is to train my legs to learn how to make this transition and get used to the switch so on race day, I can jump off the bike and break out into a fast half-marathon. During this phase, I will bump up the weekend mileage on the bike and race in another TCSD Duathlon on March 3.

Phase three includes brick training, a long training ride, plus a trail race in San Luis Obispo called the Mountain of Gold on March 16. I plan on running the 25km option and Marie will run the 50km race. This way, I can fit one last long run in before my event and I will be able to pace Marie for the first two loops of her four-loop course.

I’m nervous about the half-Ironman since it is an unknown but I like the pressure since it is rapidly approaching. I need to focus right away and get to work. Having confidence in my base fitness helps, but I’m honest with myself and admit that my swimming needs work, my cycling needs work and I must include plenty of brick workouts between now and March 29 to have a decent race.

Now that I have my sights set on the SD100 in October, I’m excited to get into triathlon shape and to roll over the fitness into the next event on the list: The Leona Divide 50 on April 19. This year is off to a great start and I plan on checking in with you all along the way. Let's make thisa fun and exciting year. All the best to you and your 2008 goals!

Yours in Adventure,

~Toby

2007 Review - 2008 Preview

Active Toby — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 22:48:06 GMT

Last night, I installed aero bars and a forward angled seat post to convert my road bike to a triathlon setup. I received some helpful tips from folks in the discussion boards so if you’re ever looking to make the switch, check out our dialogue: Road to Tri bike conversions.

Tomorrow morning, I’m meeting Airey and jesse@active for a 50-mile ride to test this new positioning. It’s going to be important to pay close-attention to my biomechanics because new muscles will be activated. There will be more stress on my neck, lower-back and hamstrings. I’m looking forward to the change in my training to prepare for the Ford Ironman 70.3 California.

I'm going to hit the lap pool on Sunday morning and enjoy another non-impact active recover/triathlon training session. Carrie Smith has kindly provided the following swim workout:

500 swim

8x50

300 swim

2x100

100 swim

The Avalon 50 took a lot out of me both physically and mentally. I’ve been resting all week, eating healthy and getting to sleep early each night. I’ve used the muscle stick for massage and a yoga class to salvage flexibility so my body has recovered from the soreness and my hips are no longer tight. Along with the physical repercussions, mentally, I’ve been in a slump all week and I’m finally beginning to come out of it. It’s hard to explain the way I’ve felt, but it’s actually been pretty depressing. It’s kind of scary for me because I am always so positive, no matter what, and this week has been a challenged to keep an upbeat attitude.

Despite the “runner’s low,” each day has been better than the last and I’ve used this time to reflect on my accomplishments in 2007 and also plan out 2008. This past year has been a dream--just look at this list of activities!

1/13/2007	Owens River Gorge rock climbing/Lake Sabrina snowshoe
1/21/2007	Mount San Jacinto tramway hike to summit
2/10/2007	New Jack City rock climbing
2/17/2007	Mount Whitney MR attempt
3/31/2007	Lake Hodges 50-km ultra run
4/7/2007	Joshua Tree NP rock climbing
6/23/2007	Sequoia NP backpacking/Sawtooth Peak hike to summit
7/14/2007	TCSD Beginner Race 3000M/11M/2M
7/29/2007	Solana Beach Triathlon Relay
8/11/2007	Mt. Disappointment 50K/50M Ultra Run
8/25/2007	San Bernardino Traverse aka 9-Peak Traverse
9/1/2207	Yosemite NP backpacking hike to Half Dome
9/9/2007	Mt. Russell via Fish Hook Arête
9/20/2007	SDTC Aquathon 1000M/3Mile
9/22/2007	Joe Decker World's Fittest Man Boot camp workout
9/23/2007	La Jolla Cove 10-Mile Relay Swim
9/29/2007	Noble Canyon 50-km ultra run
10/17/2007	Kings Canyon NP/Buttermilks rock climbing
10/26/2007	Joshua Tree NP rock climbing
11/9/2007	Joshua Tree NP rock climbing
11/17/2007	Malibu Creek SP rock climbing
11/25/2007	Grand Canyon NP backpacking trip
12/9/2007	Joshua Tree NP/Boyscout trail run
12/16/2007	52-mile Penasquitos trail run

2008 is going to be a big year and I’m looking forward to sharing my experiences with you all. Over the course of this year, I am going to train and compete in effort to build my endurance for the main event in October: The San Diego 100.

Please join me for another awesome year in adventure!!!

2008 race preview:

1/12/2008	Avalon 50 Mile Ultra Run
2/9/2008	B&L 20KM TT Series
3/12/2008	B&L 20KM TT Series
3/29/2008	Ironman-70.3 Oceanside, CA
4/19/2008	Leona Divide 50 Mile Ultra Run
5/10/2008	PCT 50 Mile Ultra Run
6/8/2008	Teva Mountain Games 10KM Spring Runoff
6/29/2008	San Diego International Triathlon
9/29/2008	Noble Canyon 50KM Ultra Run
10/20/2008	San Diego 100 Mile Ultra Run

Avalon 50: Race Report

Active Toby — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 18:51:27 GMT

The Avalon 50 was a tougher race than I expected, but it still went really well and I learned an important lesson. It was a hot day, mid-70s, and the race wasn’t on trails—it was on fire roads and paved roads. The hard-packed terrain punished my feet and joints since I primarily train on trails that offer more natural cushioning.

Special thanks to San Diego ultra-runner Jerry Armstrong, who ran the race last year. He advised me to wear my road shoes for the race, so I ended up packing them in my drop bag, which was accessible at mile 18.9. As beautiful as the sunrise was from the highest ridge on the island, all I could think about was changing out of my trail shoes and into my lightweight road shoes.

Once I made the switch, another issue surfaced--but not so obvious. I had slowly become hyponatremic because I was not taking in enough sodium to counter-balance my water intake. I was still thirsty as I took in more and more water. I developed a headache and I couldn’t think clearly so it became increasingly difficult for self-diagnosis. I finally figured out what was going on when I recalled Joe Decker’s story from his first Badwater 135 experience. He told me that he literally had to drink salt out of a Morton’s salt container to counter-balance his over-hydration symptoms, which were very similar to mine.

At the next three aid stations, I used potato wedges to scoop-up and ingest heaping piles of salt. I finally began to feel better around mile 38 which was over 7 hours into the race. As crazy as it sounds, I felt my best for the final 10 miles. My head was clear, I had positive self-talk, my run-walk intervals up hills were pain-free and I had solid momentum. I finished with a personal record of 10 hours, 21 minutes, which is almost five hours faster than my last 50-mile race. It sounds like a significant improvement but it’s relative to the terrain differences. Mt. Disappointment was all above 5,500 feet of elevation, through rugged mountainous terrain. The Avalon 50 never climbed above 1,400 feet on hard-packed fire roads.

It was a learning experience to say the least. I have a much better understanding of my hydration needs and I’m just thankful I was able to hold it together and finish on a positive note. Now I’m excited to start training for the Ironman-70.3 in Oceanside on March 29. I’ll be taking a break from long runs to concentrate on swimming and cycling, but I’ll get into those specifics in my next series of blog posts.

I want to be sure to mention the outstanding performance of my girlfriend in her debut 50-mile race this weekend. Marie made the giant leap from 50-km races to the 50-mile distance on Saturday and finished close on my heels with a time of 10 hours, 55 minutes. I’m so proud of her and thankful that we had such a great experience together on Catalina Island.

I couldn’t do this stuff without your support--thank you all so much for believing in me.

"The will to succeed means nothing without the will to prepare."

Active Toby — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 19:47:58 GMT

Before my first 50-mile ultra marathon in August, my spirit was resolute but I lacked proper physical conditioning for such high mileage and rugged terrain. It was irresponsible of me to have entered that race, but I would not trade that experience for anything. What ensued was a 15-hour odyssey through which I discovered my hidden potential. I ventured into the unknown, miles beyond my comfort zone. It broke me physically, but my spirit never faltered.

This weekend, I will attempt another 50-mile race and do so with confidence because of my commitment to conditioning my body and mind with greater care during the last four months. My training volume has increased significantly while continuing to diversify and intensify.

San Diego Track Club coach Paul Greer, who I trained under only briefly at the beginning of 2007, had a saying that has helped me focus on my goals. He would use a bullhorn to lead his practices and repeat this quote at the beginning and end of each workout, The will to succeed means nothing without the will to prepare.

Here is the elevation profile of the Avalon 50 on January 12:

Stay tuned for a post-race report. Thank you all for your continued support!

Cue the training montage

Active Toby — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 16:21:29 GMT

Before things get too crazy around here with holiday travel, I’ve decided now would be the best time to check in with you all and let you know what I’ve been up to and what the next few weeks have in store.

That said, I want to introduce the latest addition to the team: Active Expert, Joe Decker Joe is a fitness expert who lives and breathes endurance. He lives here in San Diego and I’ve been training with him and his Gut Check Workout Group on Tuesday and Thursday mornings. Joe holds class every day of the week, twice a day and his workouts are always challenging and offer a diverse combination of speed work, calisthenics, plyometrics and strength training—all outdoors from 6 a.m. until 7:15 a.m. I leave these group workouts feeling fulfilled because I pushed it to the max and started my day off as well as I possibly could. I feel that this style of workout has been missing until now. I encourage you to get in touch with Joe to learn more.

Then there is ActiveX Training which you may or may not have caught glimpse of here in the community. ActiveX is very similar to Joe Decker’s workouts but it’s even more concentrated, rarely lasting more than 40 minutes. These workouts are held Tuesday and Friday mornings at 11:30 a.m. I’ve been doing both Joe’s workouts and ActiveX Tuesday workouts all month.

I’ve also been quite consistent with my Friday morning yoga class which helps me recover from the high intensity, back-to-back workouts throughout the week. Yoga has been my sanctuary and has kept me balanced and injury free. I encourage you all to give yoga a try for your first time. I’m still usually one of the only guys in the class and often the least flexible out of everyone but that never discourages me because I can feel the benefits of each class and seem to learn more and take more away from each session.

This new level of training was put to the test on Sunday when I successfully ran four, 13-mile loops through Los Penasquitos Canyon. The double marathon distance run lasted just over 12 hours which breaks down to a 14-minute mile pace. This is right on par with where I need to be for the Avalon 50 on Catalina Island, January 12. The run was smooth and I felt strong from sunrise to sunset. My nutrition plan was spot-on and my recovery has been quick and with minimal soreness. I'm excited to end the year on such a positive note!

I’ll be training on the east coast for the remainder of the year. They have two feet of snow where I’ll be and I can’t stop picturing the Rocky IV training montage from the barn in Russia.

Joshua Tree NP trail run/group camping trip

Active Toby — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 00:45:53 GMT

I covered somewhere around 18-miles on Saturday in Joshua Tree National Park. It took me over five hours because I lost the trail and continued to scramble my way over a mountain pass in effort to make it a looping out-and-back route. I guess I lost the correct trail pretty early on. This might have been because of how absorbed I was in listening to Into the Wild on audiobook.

Despite the lack of water and calories, I still finished feeling good and now I'm confident that Sunday's 50-mile training run in Penasquitos Canyon will go well. I'm teaming up with Joe Decker's group for four, 13-mile loops. With the support of these awesome folks, Sunday should be a breeze. Stay tuned for how it all works out. Thanks for reading!

Introducing Avalon 50

Active Toby — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 01:44:00 GMT

This weekend was “domestic” in the sense that I actually slept in my bed in the house that I pay rent to live in and not in a tent or bivouacked on the side of a mountain or in the desert. I got caught up on chores around the house and managed to fit in 25 minutes of hill running on Saturday. I played some hoops on Sunday before an hour-long beach run--which reminded me of the training I must do to prepare for the Avalon 50 on January 12.

This 50-mile race on Catalina Island has a 12-hour time limit which translates to a 14-minute-per-mile pace, minimum, just to finish in time. This is a great deal faster than the 18-minute miles I averaged in the Mount Disappointment 50, but the course itself it much easier. This time I won’t be at elevation and the temperatures will be mild. This makes it easier to fathom improving my time by over 3 hours. It’s going to take plenty of work to get there and I plan to include you all on my recipe for success. Speaking of recipes, check out Melissa’s latest blog post. I was lucky enough to sample her tasty Sweet Potato, Corn, Kale and Squash Chowder today and I give it two thumbs up.

I started off the work week by cycle-commuting with Jesse@Active. We ended up riding the train with our bikes so it was only 18 miles round trip and not the full 42 miles that we usually ride. My Tuesday-morning workout was with JoeDecker, who happens to be the Guinness Book of World Records World Fittest Man title holder. The workout itself is a fantastic combination of cardio, calisthenics, plyometrics and flexibility that lasts just over an hour. There are an average of twelve people who meet every morning and some are training for the Avalon 50 as well. Working out with a great group of people and having an enthusiastic coach has left me feeling stronger and stronger after each workout. You’ll definitely be hearing more about these workouts as I attend both Tuesday and Thursday sessions leading up to race day in January. Plus, Joe has recently joined the Active Community--check out his blog, Get Fit with the World's Fittest Man.

I’m looking forward to a return trip to Joshua Tree National Park on Friday. I had initially planned to explore the small mountain town of Idyllwild, California, this weekend but I learned that their forests remain closed due to fire threat. Southern California has plenty of options for the weekend getaway and Joshua Tree remains my favorite. If my calculations are correct, this will be my eighth trip during the two years that I’ve lived in San Diego. It’s a holiday weekend for some so the park is expected to be busy. I’m very much looking forward to a long trail run through the desert.

Stay tuned for more details on my Thanksgiving Grand Canyon trip. I hope you all have a great active week.

Active Toby

Active Video:

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Photo by Gill Weiss

Training Update & 2008 Race Preview

Active Toby — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 22:03:00 GMT

Tuesday night my relay team did a training swim sans wetsuit to simulate Sunday morning’s La Jolla 10-mile Relay Swim. It was approximately 62 F in the water as the sun was setting. For all of you cold-weather freaks who consider me a wuss for thinking it was cold out there~~that doesn’t faze me~~it was freezing! I lost sensation in my fingertips during the swim and it took close to a half-hour afterwards to come back. The water temperature has gone up since, so last night was more bearable during the SportsQuest Direct Aquathon with the Triathlon Club of San Diego. The 1,000-meter swim took me 15 minutes and I felt unorganized and rushed. My form was off for the entire swim and I never settled into a groove. This will be different on Sunday, when the swimmers are more spread out. I’m looking forward to that.

Anyhow, my transition to the run went quickly and I was into my 5K run in a minute’s time. The run along the beach to Scripps Pier and back, twice, went well. There were piles of washed up kelp to hurdle along the way and confused-looking beach goers to dodge. I liked the out-and-back format of the run because I got to see how fast some of the other club members are. My 5K took me 21 minutes, which is a solid pace, and I felt good about it. But when I saw some of these guys and ladies blow by me in a sprint, during both laps, I was really impressed--and motivated.

Photo Courtesy of TCSD

I’ve been working on my race schedule for 2008 for the last week, and with the help of our Active Expert Gale Bernhardt, I’ve decided on the schedule below. My main events for the year will be the Vineman Ironman in July and the San Diego 100-mile Trail Run in October. The races in between are still open to debate, but this is my first draft for the time being. What do you think? A little too ambitious? I’m feeling good about it. 2008 will be a big year, but I feel like it all becomes relative along the way, right?

DATE	EVENT	LOCATION	WEBSITE
1/12/2008	Avalon Benefit 50 Mile Ultra Run	Avalon, Catalina	http://www.avalon50.com
3/29/2008	Ironman Oceanside 70.3	Oceanside	http://www.ironmancalifornia.com/
4/21/2008	Leona Divide 50 Mile Ultra Run	Lake Hughes	_[http://www.leonadivide.com	http://www.leonadivide.com/]_
5/2/2008	Wildflower Olympic	Lake San Antonio, Monterey County	http://www.tricalifornia.com/wildflower/2007/
5/10/2008	PCT 50-Mile Ultra Run	San Diego County	_[http://www.pct50.com	http://www.pct50.com/]_
8/2/2008	Ironman Vineman	Sonoma County	http://www.vineman.com/
9/29/2008	Noble Canyon 50K Ultra Run	San Diego County	http://noblecanyon50k.com/
10/20/2008	San Diego 100 Mile Ultra Run	San Diego County	http://members.cox.net/sandiego100/

Mt. Disappointment 50-Mile Ultra Marathon

Active Toby — Tue, 14 Aug 2007 22:46:00 GMT

For a detailed course description, read my 50-Mile Ultra Marathon Preview Blog

A half-marathon distance separated me from the finish line when the elevation, fatigue and high temperatures of the exposed terrain finally attacked the little energy I had left. It was 5 p.m. on Saturday and I was 37 miles into the Mt. Disappointment 50-Mile Ultra Marathon. It was then that every muscle in both legs contracted and remained locked-up as I literally collapsed to the ground.

As anyone who’s experienced a foot cramp can tell you, the involuntary nature of the contraction is quite uncomfortable. Now imagine this happening to all of your legs muscles; calves, quads, groin and hamstrings simultaneously causing both feet to turn inwards as you stumble and collapse on the hot, dry fire road over four-miles from the next aid station.

I had just completed a three-mile descent and was one, maybe two, miles into the six-mile ascent before the next aid station. I had to beat the 6:30 p.m. cut-off time and I knew I had to regain my strength if I wanted to continue. After collapsing, I crawled across the trail and took refuge from the sun under the shade of a yucca plant. Here, I desperately rummaged through my pack to find my endurance fuels. I ingested a pair of electrolyte capsules and an energy gel, then chased them down with a mouthful of warm water and sports-drink mixture.

As I lay there, the muscles spasms were firing at random and causing me to bellow in pain. I tried to remain calm and relax my muscles as I waited for the endurance fuels to work. Within minutes, two race officials stood over me and asked, “Are you OK?” Wondering if they were real or if I had begun to hallucinate, I asked the race official to take a picture of me using my camera. Attached is a photo of me taken by one of the officials, who laughed at my strange request. In the background, you can see the top of Mount Wilson where the finish line was located.

I got up under my own power and completed the five miles and 2,800 feet of elevation gain to the second-to-last aid station with only 15 minutes to spare. I was out of the aid station by the 6:30 p.m. cut-off and on my way to the last aid station, located 1,650 feet below on a four-mile descent. This section took me just over an hour and I was the last racer to make it in time to be allowed to continue on to the final stage. Everyone left on the course behind me would be transported to the finish line once they arrived at this final aid station.

So there I was, alone, the only runner left for the final six miles. 2,600 feet of climbing switchbacks up the east side of the mountain separated me from the goal I had been pursuing for the last 13 hours. Within a half-hour darkness closed in. I was switched on my headlamp to illuminate the single-track trail. My physical and mental condition was worsening by the minute as the elevation increased with each step. My vision was blurred, my eyes burned and I could only see one step ahead--for three hours. Step by step I continued, digging deeper into my heart than I have ever had to in my life.

This symbolized the true beginning of the race. I figured most runners, families and volunteers were already home. They had already showered, had dinner and some were probably sleeping.

Sleep. All I could think about was sleep. I wanted to sleep and to wake up in my own bed. I tried to sit down to rest but it was too painful. The muscles in my legs began to cramp again and I got up and pressed on. If only I could take a nap, I thought. Then this reasoning was challenged with the fact that even if I did sleep, I would still have to finish the race when I woke up and it would be harder to finish after stopping than if I just kept going.

So I kept going until I found a rock that stuck out about head level. I turned off my head lamp, folded my arms over the rock and rested my head upon my arms. Less than two minutes later, my eyes were open, my headlamp was on again and I was in forward pursuit of the finish line.

These mental and physical games of resting, stretching and battling from within my head and my heart continued for three hours until I could see the radio towers at the summit of Mount Wilson through the thick canopy of trees above. I set foot on the pavement with a sigh of relief as I emerged from the darkness and into the final 100 yards of my journey. My friends and remaining race volunteers all dropped what they were doing to congratulate me on my 15-hour, 15-minute finish. I was recipient of the “Get-to-the Finish” award, which is given to the runner who shows true determination. After a 45-minute rest in a chair, I had consumed a caffeinated soft-drink and my muscle spasms subsided. I was finally ready for the drive back to San Diego and to sleep in my own bed (not on a rock!).

50-Mile Ultra Marathon Preview

Active Toby — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 21:03:00 GMT

The Mount Disappointment 50 Mile ultra marathon begins at 6:30 a.m. Saturday morning. I’ll be camping at the start/finish line (5,650 feet above sea level) the night before the race. My primary objective for this race is to cross the finish line within the allotted time limit of 15 hours.

My race-day apparel consists of a technical running cap with an attachable neck-cape that protects the neck and face from the sun. I’ll be wearing sunglasses with polarized, photochromatic lenses that adjust tint level based on exposure to light levels. My shirt and shorts are a synthetic material, and the compression shorts underneath will keep my leg muscles supported and prevent chafing. A full application of anti-friction cream in various at-risk areas will also aid in this effort while subsequent applications throughout the day will be necessary. I’ll be wearing my Injinji toe socks inside of my trail runners and I will have a fresh pair of both shoes and socks in my drop-bag awaiting my arrival at the 41.40-mile aid station. I’ll also be wearing a pair of trail gaiters to prevent scree and other small objects from entering my shoes and slowing me down.

My hydration pack contains a 3-liter water reservoir and I will be mixing a concoction of sports drinks that have worked for me in the past. I will also have four additional pre-packaged servings in my pack to re-mix when necessary. My assortment of electrolyte capsules, energy gels, bars and natural fruit will keep me fueled between each of the nine, fully stocked aid stations along the course that will provide additional endurance foods and liquids.

My pack will also contain a blister kit, small amount of duct tape, a few anti-inflammatory meds, driver’s license, medical information and sunscreen that is not oil- or alcohol-based so as to not risk an increase of body temperature because Saturday is going to be hot: 80 degrees by 11 a.m. and near 90 degrees until 5 p.m. This race is 19 miles longer than the Lake Hodges 50K that I finished in 6 hours, 15 minutes, plus it has a total of 8,500 feet of elevation changes so it will obviously be a physically and mentally demanding day.

I’m thrilled for this opportunity to push my limits once again because I’ve learned valuable lessons in training and competition this year. I’m excited to put all of my cross training and sports psychology techniques to use because I am going into this race feeling more mentally and physically fit than I have ever felt before in my lifetime. I look forward to sharing my experience with you next week upon my return. Thank you all for your continued support.