Baldwin Lee's blog

Having volunteered my services as a pacer for Jess for the last quarter of V100, it had occurred to me that we'd be doing this section in the dark.

Well, that was an interesting experience.

I learned a few things from the Host's perspective which I'll get into detail a little later.

So it's 5:32am and I'm huddling in the handicapped stall at Rodeo Beach for warmth because the normal race start of 5:40am is being delayed because there is a humungous lineup of cars still trying to find parking so Miwok runners can check in. This is a little weird for me cause I thought the race limit was only 250. Unbeknownst to me, the RD had let and additional 100 runners off the waiting list on the condition that they would all carpool. Judging by the overflowed parking lots, this was not the case.

This was supposed to be my last training run before Miwok 100k. At least that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Alarm clock woke me up at 5:00am, I get up and immediately regret it. Damn, this cold which is now turning into a flu is not going away. I had the runs the night before I was supposed to go for my big run. Showered, taped, lubed, dressed up in what is now my customary race attire: 2007 KK shirt, arm warmers, blue shorts with the big pockets, gloves and my brand mostly new, never been tested on technical trail, Montrail Streaks with my Dirty Girl Gaiters - codename: Burnout.

Carlos did steal my thunder but yeah, I ran Diez Vista 50K on Saturday after a 3 year absence. The last time I ran this I made numerous mental mistakes and gutted out a 7:53 in 2005. This time I only made one mistake (new shoes) but I finished with a 6:36:12 (race results are up by the way), so a 77 minute PR!

On Saturday, I toed the line at Chuckanut 50k in Bellingham with lowered expectations, because last Saturday, for reasons which I'm still unclear of, I participated in the Quad Qruncher with all the other Fools. 7 loops of a 10km course plus 1 km of purposeful misdirection equals really tired and sore legs.

 

I mean, who would willingly subject themselves to a 50km race in less than ideal conditions, and then have a brutal 100 miler race the next week? Well, I got my answer when I saw Gilles Barbeau huddled in the warming hut, apparently he didn't get the memo the other Fools got.

It was like a reunion of BC and CFA Ultrarunners, there were 72 registered Canadians, I think only 66 showed up. I joked with Neil Ambrose and Carolyn King that I only ran the QQ so I wouldn't start out too fast and blow up in the last 10k. (Who knew how prophetic that would be!)

Hard part is done, I got in to Miwok, now comes the fun part, training and running for a sub 14 hour finish.

For 2008, I want to (in no particular order):

PB a marathon. 

PB a 50K. - Diez Vista 50K April 5, 2008 - 6:36:12, Diez Vista 50K April 2004, 7:38. 1 hour PB!

PB a 50 miler - Mt Si 50 miler April 13, 2008, 8:39, previous best, Elk Beaver 10:16!

How did I get here? I glance at my watch, 33:45:12. It's 2:45pm. I have 1 hour and 15 minutes to cover 1.2 miles and I WILL finish this run. So tired, so thirsty, so....cooked. The helpful volunteers at Spooner Lake trailhead said I only needed one bottle of water, I should've insisted on two. So tired, I want to sleep, that log in the shade looks really comfortable right now. My shoes feel painted on, the blisters on the back of my feet screaming with every step. I look at my watch again: 2:48pm, and I've only gone 20 steps! I tear my eyes away from the shimmering oasis that is Spooner Lake and concentrate on the trail. I put one tender foot in front of the other and go in to "Relentless Forward Motion" mode. And then I see the hill. I need to rest, to close my eyes and even though every fibre of my being is telling me to keep going, I replay the last 33 hours in my head and ask again: How did I get here?