Scorched Sole 50k

So this was the race I was gearing up for since January since i recovered from my foot injury and bronchitis. It seems so distance ago that I was in the worst shape of my life and yet just a few days ago I complete something that most of my friends and family think is either impossible, crazy or a mix of the two. I have to say a few thanks my sponsors Peninsula runners (i work at the store so i get tons of encouragement from everybody there), Gray Taylor and the team at Brooks for the gear they supplied me with, and Synergy health management for taking the time to work on a beaten body.

The Race: I arrived in kelowna to pick my buddy chris up at a camp ground he was staying at. He was tired, the rain the night before and the partiers kept him awake all night. We arrive at the starting area well ahead of time to give us enough time to get changed, go to the bathroom, check in and do whatever else. Pretty easy at ultras checking in... "Hi i'm Michael LaBelle"... "Hi Michael, your number...... 88, here you go!"..." Thanks"... no chips, no swag, no t-shirts to fumble around with, just a number. So I put on my cascadia's and Injinji toe socks and the rest of my Brooks gear and headed to the start line for the pre race announcements. It had rained hard the night before so apparently it was wet towards the summit (I was in for a nice surprise... should i say surprises) So the race began, and the 50k journey over 12 000 feet was now underway. What I had been training for all year was now being put to the test and it was all in fate now.

0 to 10k: I felt pretty good to the first aid station at 5k no real issues just mostly uphill. The real drama began after the 5k aid station enroute to the summit at the 10k aid station. It was wet and i mean like knee deep pools of water and mud. My right foot had a really weird sensation where it felt numb but i stopped to feel it and it wasn't. It started to annoy me and i thought it might have to do with my tight achilles i was feeling. But i soaked both my feet and the sensation went away. There was a fair amount of hiking up to try and conserve energy but i felt i could do this since second place was no where to be seen behind me. Prefect, I thought, I can run my own race now) I got to the aid station at the summit feeling good and glad the what i thought was major climb was behind me.
10k to 17k: I turned around and headed back down into the backside of the course with most of the switchbacks. Lots of tight turns, mud, water (parts of the trail for sections up to 30 meters of creek running, there was no trail, and it was stupidly steep. I was starting to regret how much effort I put into the first climb since it was obviously much easier than this. but I knew i still had a while before i would be going the other way along this trail. i got to the 17k aid station and my nutrition plan was going smoothly. I had my watch set to go off every 35 minutes to remind me to eat and take salt.

17k to 25k: This section was fun! tons of rolling hills, tight turns and it was nice to be able to grab food at 25k. I spent way too much time at this aid station, 2 minute 45 seconds to be exact. I should have been there like 30 seconds, to empty out my pack, fill it, had someone else fill my water bottle, and grabbed my ipod.

25k to 34k: So the second loop basically does the route in reserve. so as i did part of the first section again, my legs were feeling some of the downhill, especially my hamstrings. I was walking a bit of it to try and regain my legs and they did come back. the ipod helped me keep my tempo up. By this point, i had over salted and food just didn't taste good, but i choked back a few gels enroute to 34k. I got to the aid station and realized I hadn't peed yet (this is important in ultra running as a good indicator how well hydrated you are). I figured that the salty good tasting gross and the fact I hadn't peed yet was because i had taken in too much salt (3 S! caps and i was putting in half a scoop of gatorade mix in my bottles at every refill) so i switched to water for the climb.

34k to 40k: This was a very trying 45 minutes of climbing up a mountain for me. This is what ultra running is all about: walking. I was probably able to run for maybe 3 minutes of the whole time it took me to scale up the backside. It honestly felt like it was never going to end. I saw a few people on my way up to help keep me motivated but I was the pits. I totally wanted to drop out but I knew i had to keep pushing on up the mountain. there were section i was almost on my hands and knees, others with calf deep pools and mud. I knew once i got to the top that it was 10k downhill to the finish. I could feel the cramping coming on, but for a weird reason I didn't take a salt cap. I just keep pushing. My gut went sour so i chewed on some ginger which tasted terrible at the time but i was thankful i did it. I saw a guy taking pictures on the way up and he told me i had about 10 minutes to the summit, which was the best news i had heard all day. I got to the summit and was relieve to know that the worst was behind me. I had a piece of watermelon, a cup of coke, and headed down to the finish.

40k to the finish: As i started down the hill the Marshalls informed me the guy i had pass taking photos up the hill about 10 minutes before still hadn't seen second place. So I put my ipod on, cranked the tunes, took a salt cap and cruised down the mountain to the 45k aid station, where again I spent way to much time at. After that I was heading down the hill and i got tired of listening to music so i started putting it in my pack and WHAM! i clipped my foot and landed hard on my left side, scarping up my left leg, knee, elbow and back. It took me about a minute to get going again and i felt sluggish and i could feel my quads were mashed. As the finish line became in sight, I was more than stoked on my accomplishment of not only completing this grueling event but I had won it! I cross the finish line in 4 hours 29 minutes and 43 seconds to set a new course record by 23 and half minutes! (even more stoked). It was over yet it didn't seem so long. The climb didn't really kill my legs, the 10k of downhill running was the reason my legs hurt so bad. I spoke with a lot really neat and cool people afterwards and congratulated other runnings as they finished.

So lessons I took away from scorched sole:
1- I need to try different nutrition things, gels seem to be a little to heavy, will try hammer perpetuem and carbo pro and carbo pro 1200
2- no amount of uphill running can prepare you for these climbs once you have 30k in your legs, but hill training definitely helps
3- be quick at the aid stations, as you get closer to one, think "what do i want/need", grab what you need for enroute, get someone else to fill your water bottles and eat while you wait for them.

Other than today, i went for a 45 minute run and my legs felt fine, my quads are sore and my left foot hurts like hell. I'm getting my upper wisdom teeth removed tomorrow and I'm seeing Dr. Grimes at Synergy on thursday. I have decided I wont be doing White River because of money and sponsorship reasons. I will run the Esquimalt 8k (since brooks sponsors it) I have given a lot of thought, and i'm going to do the Stormy 50 miler for sure now, and I also will make an attempt at the 100k distance in November at the Haney to Harrison 100k. As for now, just more recovery and essay writing before Kusam Klimb. Until next time!