Race Report! WTC50K

So I am officially an Ultra Runner! I did my first (and maybe only) 50K (also known as 31 miles) on a trail in Cool, CA on Saturday. What an adventure! I brought my phone and took photos and videos…what a RUSH! Its day 2 after the race and I am still in bed at 12:30 in the afternoon. I am so tired and sore. It even hurts to breath!  


The morning started off with a 530 alarm clock chime and 2 minutes after my husband jumping on the bed fully dressed in his race attire singing "Cocaine Blues" by Johnny Cash (there is a reason for mentioning this…keep reading).

We indulged in salt bagels with peanut butter and a nice cup of coffee. We got off to a little late of a start but nothing too bad. It was 38 degrees at our house and by the time we got to the race area it was 47! (thank God because I hate being cold!)

Parking was a bear but once we got settled in and made out way to the start almost all 650 participants were in line for the bathroom…ALERT…TMI COMING UP SKIP TO NEXT PARAGRAPH IF YOU DONT WANT TO READ….. for those of you who don't know I have GI issues when it comes to running. Well all the time but when I run its even worse. So a bathroom stop was needed. But I am not afraid to poo on trail…and apparently I am not the only one with this issues…


We made it through the port-a-potty line with less then 10 minutes to the start. Which actually was OK since it took our minds of the start. 

We lined up in the 11 minute mile pace group. Trail running is slower then road running, I would normally line up in the 9 minute mile range for a road race. When the gun went off we were off! The first 1.5 miles were on a narrow road, basically to get everyone spread out.  Hubby and I were behind a slow chatty-cathy group and we darted around them to get some space. When we hit the trail we separated. 

The first water crossing was at mile 2….So for 29 MORE miles I had wet feet. Not to mention I made a HUGE mistake the night before when I bought my race socks (we buy new socks for race day at each race) and I got the same socks I would normally run a road race in….BAD BAD idea. They were Cotton and they did NOT wick the water away…instead it made for a nice hibernation for the water to sit in my shoes all day. So after any puddle…i would squish at each step until it either dried up (2-3 miles later) or I hit another water crossing and it started all over again. 

The First 8 miles was a small loop that went into the first Aid Station which was actually at the start of the race. 

Something you always see at any race are guys pulled over on on the side of the race peeing. They always have their backs the racers but you know what they are doing…Well this being my first big trail race I was unaware that apparently female racers could care less who sees them. LITERALLY. I cant tell you how many times I would come around a corner or pass a tree and not 3 feet off the trail is a chick squatted PEEING! OMG…seriously at least go BEHIND the bush! Hubby said he saw a chick pull her shorts to the side…and pee STANDING UP!!! WHO DOES THAT?!?!? First of all, your not going to WIN the race, so take the extra 10 seconds to pull your shorts down! 

Here is a little break down of the Elevation of teh course:

Elevations:
Climb: 3,600' (by Avocet)
Descent: 3,600' (by Avocet)
High: 1,619' Pointed Rocks
Low: 639' Quarry Road
Start: 1,529' Cool Fire Station
Finish: 1,529' Cool Fire Station

Let me just say…..there was a LOT of climbing in the race!!!

This is goat hill! or 9 minute hill…that is how long it takes to struggle up to it. At the top was mile 26.2….a full marathon!

Before this hill I made this video: 

I had that stupid song Johnny Cash song in my head the whole race and not the whole song…a few mixed-matched lines. ANNOYING! for 7.5 hours…not fun!

I was in decent spirits for most of the race. I hit a low around mile 18. It was a straight up hill climb for at least a mile. My watch died. I was being passed by people WALKING. And I was getting hungry. We always carry food with us (GUs and Gels and such, but its just a filler).

The race…was hard. Lost of hills. It was a total struggle but amazing! The aid stations were packed with food and goodies! The other runners were in great spirits! 

I finished at 7hrs 34 minutes. Hubby finished in 6hrs 30 minutes!

 After wards we indulged in the food they had and then went home. Stopped and got a RedBox, a Papa Murphys cheese pizza and tried our damnedest to sleep. After that much activity you are swollen, tired and your body is in a high and doesnt want to settle down. Its like your insides are crawling and you cant sit still. so sleep sucks!

After all of that we finished with ZERO blisters!! 


CHEERS!