Lake Sonoma Race Report - 11th place (woman)

Over a week out from the LS 50 and I can't stop thinking about the race. It was an incredibly tough, yet rewarding experience. I didn't die, bonk, crash, or fall. But, I did feel the hurt way earlier than expected and my legs stopped turning over approximately half way through the race. I felt a nasty blister forming on my left heel within 4 miles of starting and my right, plantar fasciitis-inflicted heel throbbed the entire second half of the race. I probably walked/slow-jogged 80% of the last 20 miles. But, I kept repeating my mantra, "forward progress," and I finally reached the finish line, fighting back tears of joy and pride, in 8 hours and 47 minutes.

One of twelve (?) river crossings and still smiling!

I walked away from this race: 1) fired up to run more ultras, and 2) feeling like I have a lot to improve upon. As a newbie to the world of ultra running, my key takeaways from the race are below.

Race Takeaways:

1) Downhill running is important. Moreso than I could have imagined. Some people are really freaking good at it and it makes a huge difference. Going uphill, I felt like my fitness was on par with the runners that finished ahead of me. But I got my butt whooped going downhill. The women that passed me were legit bombing down at speeds I've never seen and it caught me off guard every single time. [It should be noted that Travis warned me about practicing my downhill running. Much to my dismay on race day, I totally ignored all of his warnings].

2) A good ultra runner is strong. The top women are supplementing their running with strength training, weights, core, flexibility, etc. It was evident in how their bodies looked (most, anyway) and in how they ran. They just looked really super all-around fit when they ran past me.

3) I should have started a little bit slower. With a long day ahead, there is no reason to start out fast. Instead of working my way up through the field and passing people, I was the one getting passed. This was ridiculously mentally defeating. I certainly don't think I should have started a ton slower, but there was no reason to go out with the top 4 women.

4) A few more long runs/miles in my training would have been beneficial. I barely topped out at 60 miles/week and I just don't think that was enough for me. My body started getting tired and slowing down around mile 18, which is way too early for a 50-mile race. I needed more practice on my feet, pushing an achy/tired body through a few more long runs. Ideally, I would have done a 50k race in the weeks leading up to Lake Sonoma.

Still smiling, but about to get passed by the lady in red

On the nutrition side of things, I felt like I totally crushed it for my first race. I never once felt nauseous out there. I drank a water bottle with 1.5 scoops of Tailwind every hour and half or so, and I nibbled on Clif Shot Bloks. It's such an interesting and delicate balance that you need to find while running. And your body can only process ~240 calories per hour, so you have to make sure not to ingest too much. I wouldn't really do a whole lot different on this front for my next race. Some suggested I would have benefited by taking salt pills. 

One of my favorite parts of the race was at the finish, surrounded by friends and family. I sat down on a hay bale and didn't move for 20 mins or so. Travis tried to bring me a tamale and beer, but my stomach wasn't having it. The most amazing thing also happened at the finish....without being asked, Travis took off my nasty, disgusting shoes and socks and slipped my sandals on my feet. Byron documented this for me.

#amazeballs

Looking ahead, I'd like to jump into a 50k before heading over to Chamonix for the CCC. Maybe a few more shorter races. My recovery experience from this race has been amazing and I'm almost feeling back to normal. This is pretty hard to believe considering I'm usually out of commission for a month after a road marathon. 

Would LOVE to run Lake Sonoma again and I highly recommend it to others. It was a great, well-organized, competitive race. And I KNOW I can run it faster!!!

Pre-Race Gratitude

In approximately 65 (or so) hours, I'll be at the start line of the Lake Sonoma 50. I think it finally hit me on Monday...this is really happening!!!! And since Monday, I've been experiencing waves of panic, anxiety, fear, doubt, and, believe it or not, a mini, baby bit of excitement too. I've spent the better part of this week devouring last year's race reports and videos, reading blogs written by my competitors, staring at the course map/elevation profile, thinking about what I'll wear, mentally prepping for the pain, etc. At times, the on-and-off anxiety I'm experiencing over the 50-mile distance feels overwhelming. 

And to calm myself down, I circle back to the title of this post and remind myself how lucky and truly grateful I am to be running this race. I'm not injured. I have an amazing support system. I love trails. I love running. I love being around other people that love running. I'm just so darn happy when I'm outside and running!

Furthermore, I may never again find myself in such a lovely place in life with respect to running and racing. This sounds dramatic, and maybe it is. But you just don't know what tomorrow will bring. When I step up to the start line at 6:30am on Saturday, I will not be taking that for granted.

And finally, this is a race and I must compete! (Thanks to Travis for that reminder). I'm feeling the most anxiety over not knowing how I'll do. Not knowing where I'll fit in with the other runners. Not knowing roughly how fast I will cover the course. Not knowing at what point I'll start hurting. And what if I start hurting earlier than expected? The list of unknowns is endless. Really, all I need to do is finish this race and earn my 2 points for the CCC. But, I've put in the time and the training, and I owe it to myself to be in the mix and competitive with the other women.

Stay tuned for my post-race blog post. Here we go!!!!!!!!!