Race Report from the Back of the Pack

*dead frickin’ last

Originally published May 26, 2018

Dare To Dream

Perhaps it was the high from having just finished the inaugural Bay Ridge 100K in October 2017. Or the excitement from crewing and pacing my friend Ken at Rio Del Lago, his first 100-miler, in November 2017. Or a strong case of FOMO because all my trail running friends were entering lotteries for ultra marathons in 2018. Bottom line, I was primed to take on my next big challenge, and signing up for the 2018 Quicksilver 100K Endurance Run in San Jose fit the bill.

It’s a 62-mile race in the Santa Cruz mountains that boasts 13,000+ feet of elevation gain and loss, the best post-race BBQ in the ultra world, and the tagline “running with mountain lions since 1983”.

There is a race cutoff of 17 hours (the same amount of time it took me to finish Bay Ridge); if you finish in 16 hours, you earn a lottery ticket to Western States 100. But QS100K has 2,000 feet more vert than Bay Ridge, and San Jose in May is notorious for hot weather.

It was an ambitious goal, and I knew it would require a lot of work and dedication. But I wanted to challenge myself and continue to push my limits. Could I do this? There’s only one way to find out. As Wayne Gretzky once said, “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.”

Besides, it occurs on Mother’s Day weekend. What better way to celebrate my special day than to be out on the trails doing what I love?

Put In The Work

I used the Ultra Ladies 50M/100K plan as the basis for my training. It’s a 20-week program that started right after Christmas 2017. The plan is based on the following:

• run 5 times a week (short runs on Tue and Thu, medium runs on Wed, and back-to-back long runs on Sat and Sun);
• rest and/or cross-train on Mon and Fri;
• two weeks of high mileage that gradually increase over the course of the training cycle, followed by a recovery week; and,
• two weeks of taper before race week.

So here’s how my actual training stacked up against the plan:

Volume and consistency. I managed to run only 89% of the prescribed mileage (773/871 miles) and 71% of the prescribed number of runs (69/97 runs). I ran 50+ miles in my peak weeks vs. the prescribed 60 miles. While I got in some big miles on most weekends, overall, my training volume and consistency were suboptimal.

Back-to-back long runs. Their purpose is to train your body to run on tired legs. I used trail races for many of my long runs because they were convenient and supported. For the first time, I ran two 50K races one week apart TWICE during this training block. Most notably:

• Weeks 8 & 9: FOURmidable 50K and Mount Umunhum 52K
• Week 13: Mount Diablo 7 Peaks hike/run on Saturday and Oakland half marathon on Sunday
• Weeks 16 & 17: Diablo Trails 50K and Mokelumne Running Festival 50K
• Week 17: Mokelumne Running Festival 50K on Saturday and half marathon on Sunday

#Elevert. This is a term coined by my friend Andrea which combines the words “elevation” and “vertical”.

I had never climbed more than 11,000 feet previously, so I picked training races with huge elevation gains. And being fortunate to live at the base of Mount Diablo in Contra Costa County, I dragged my friends to do the 5 Peaks (5000 ft gain) and 7 Peaks (7700 ft gain) hike/runs.

Heading into the race, I had accumulated 100,000+ feet of elevation gain since Christmas Day. As a result, my lungs and climbing legs got stronger; and I was able to practice using my trekking poles and dealing with steep and technical terrain.

Training on the course. I ran the Quicksilver 50K last year, which shared the same trails as the second half of the QS100K course. I remember most of it being on fire roads; the ground was hard; and there wasn’t much shade. This year, Pacific Coast Trail Runs put on the inaugural Mount Umunhum 52K, which featured much of the first half of the QS100K course, with over 7,600 feet of gain and two passes on the infamous Dog Meat. Between these two races, I was able to train on about 85% of the QS100K course.

The Quicksilver Running Club hosted many course preview runs in the spring; unfortunately, I had already filled my calendar with other races, so I wasn’t able to take advantage of these free training runs. If I were to do it over, I would definitely join the course preview runs that include Lexington, Dog Meat, and Kennedy.

Taper. For goal races, I’ve found that a two-week taper works best. Three weeks prior to the race, my training peaked with a 55-mile week, followed by two low mileage weeks, and finally, some easy shakeout runs on race week. It was a challenge to stay calm during the taper, but my legs definitely felt fresh on race morning.

Heat training. As race day approached, my focus started turning towards the weather. The forecast for race day showed highs in the 80s. HOT! HOT! HOT! Unfortunately, by the time I thought about heat training, it was too late. My saving grace was a couple of training runs in 90-degree temps in the final weeks of training.

At the end of twenty weeks, the hay was in the barn. It was far from a perfectly executed training plan, but in some ways, it was more than I’ve ever done to prepare for races. The only thing left to do was show up at the starting line.

Have The Courage To Try

In the days leading up to the race, we received a strongly-worded email from the race directors asking us to do the right thing and drop from the race if we were injured or unavailable to run. Being a Western States qualifier, it was a highly sought-after sold-out race, and they were trying to accommodate runners who weren’t able to run Miwok 100K (another WS100 qualifier) the week prior due to a freak incident that physically prevented runners from getting to the start line. A look at the list of entrants on Ultrasignup showed my predicted finish time to be 18:25:44, well over the course cutoff. That planted seeds of doubt. I worried that I was taking away a precious spot from a more deserving runner.

The night before the race, I lay awake in bed for a long time feeling nervous. No sooner had I fallen asleep than I was woken up by the alarm at 2:30 am.

I got dressed and had a quick breakfast of hardboiled egg, bagel and cream cheese, and coffee (~500 calories). I arrived at the Hacienda entrance of the Quicksilver Almaden Park at 4:15 am and placed my drop bags for Hicks 1 & 2, Lexington, and McAbee on the designated tarps. There was no bib pick-up the night before, so we had to get our bibs on race morning. The line to check-in was long, so the race start was pushed back to 4:45 am. I took a bunch of selfies with my friends prior to the start because I planned to put the camera away during the race. RD Stuart Taylor gave the pre-race briefing, then we were off.

I prepared a detailed cheat sheet that showed the course elevation profile on one side and a chart on the other with paces for a sub-17 hour finish, and if the stars aligned, a sub-16 finish. There were 4 hard cutoffs —by my calculations, I needed to maintain an avg pace of 15:56 min/mile to safely clear all of them (avg 15:29 pace is needed to earn a WS qualifier). Seems easy enough, doesn’t it? That’s a walking pace!!! Until you realize the first 50K packs 8,000 feet of elevation gain.

Within the first 3 miles, we climbed over 1,200 feet. I settled into an easy hiking pace. It was still dark so we had on our headlamps. By the time we reached the Hidalgo Cemetery at Mile 4, it was daybreak. This was the first of several out-and-back sections on the course and I got to see my friends. Accepting that it will be a long day, I finally started to relax. I was happy and grateful to be there.

After a few miles of relatively flat terrain, we reached the first aid station, Hicks 1, at Mile 6.1. (We were 10K in. Just 90K to go! Yay!!!) I dropped off my headlamp and grabbed my trekking poles from my drop bag. To save time at the aid stations, I stashed extra Salomon soft flasks pre-filled with Tailwind in my drop bags.

Hella #Elevert!!!

After departing Hicks, we entered the Sierra Azul Open Space. We ran on Wood Road Trail and made our way up to the summit of El Sombroso. We were treated to plenty of shade and views of Mount Umunhum. I ran for a little while with Franco who told me about his Baldy Marathons experience. I also started leapfrogging with my friend My. We chatted and had a good time making our way to Wood Road AS (Mile 12.5).

The next 5.4 miles were a sweet downhill on Limekiln Trail. We emerged on Alma Bridge Road where I saw Amelia Boone welcoming and directing runners to the Lexington AS (Mile 17.9). I ate a fruit cup and drank coconut water from my drop bag. I watched with envy as a man ate chicken noodle soup straight out of the can. I grabbed my Cool Off bandana and filled it with ice. We were heading into some exposed sections of trail and I wanted to make sure I managed the heat.

From Lexington, we turned left on Priest Rock Trail, aka the infamous Dog Meat. It was a 4-mile section with big rollers totaling ~2,000 feet of climbing. These trails were exposed and it started getting warm. Typically, I carry two 500 ml soft flasks of Tailwind for hydration; but for this race, I decided to carry an additional Camelbak bladder with 1 liter of water. I took sips of Tailwind and water at regular intervals. Despite that, I could tell I was getting dehydrated. And my tummy started to feel weird. I had to take a Pepto Bismol and go potty in the bushes.

Thank goodness for My with whom I shared most of the Dog Meat miles! She’s such a positive human being doing incredible things like training for a 200-mile race so she could finish it for a friend who couldn’t. What an inspiration! We chatted a lot and that distracted me from the heat and relentless climbing. Once we got on Kennedy Trail, I took advantage of the 4-mile gradual descent to the Kennedy AS (Mile 25.8). This was the second out-and-back section. Everyone making their trip back uphill tried to smile bravely. Josam told me to keep it steady. I offered a ginger chew to a runner who was throwing up on the side of the trail. It was now 11:00 am and getting quite toasty. I loaded up on food, water, Tailwind, and ice; steeled myself; then started the long climb back to Wood Road.

The ascent to Kennedy was horrible. It was really long — 5.5 miles from aid station to aid station, and had ~2,200 feet of elevation gain. There was hardly any shade, and the sun was now high above us. I didn’t see too many people on the course — it got lonely — and there wasn’t much in terms of views to distract me. And I ran out of Tailwind. I tried to listen to a podcast but my AirPods kept falling out of my ears. I was not in a good place mentally. I told myself to pull it together and just get to the next aid station.

Incredibly, I arrived at Wood Road 2 AS (Mile 31.3) in just a little over 8 hours. I was halfway through the race with the big climbs behind me (to the tune of ~8,200 feet of gain), and I had close to 9 hours to get the rest of the race done. Yay!!! That lifted my spirits! Alas, the aid station was running very low on food, ice, and water at that point (one of the pitfalls of being in the back of the pack). I topped off one of my soft flasks, grabbed some ice for my buff, and ate a handful of the remaining food they had.

Just Get To Mike

The next 6.5 miles to Hicks 2 AS (Mile 37.8) were mostly downhill and runnable. I found my low gear and managed to shuffle at an 11:00–12:00 min/mile pace on the descent. Upon arriving at Hicks 2, I saw my friend John; sadly, he had to drop due to severe dehydration. He urged me to get out of there as I only had an hour and 15 minutes to make the 3:45 pm cutoff at the Hacienda AS 3.6 miles away (Mile 41.4). I didn’t realize I was cutting it so close — for the first time in the race, I moved with a sense of urgency as I ran the next two flattish miles. My mantra became “Just get to Mike!” I twisted my left ankle (thankfully, not the same one I injured a month ago) running down the steep descent — shook it off and kept running. Finally, I emerged from the single-track trail onto Hacienda where my pacer and long-time friend Mike was patiently waiting for me.

I was thrilled to see him! Before the race, I half-joked that I’d take care of the first 41.4 miles and Mike needs to take care of the rest. He was full of energy and urged me to go. In my excitement, I forgot to refuel at Hacienda (not a smart move). We had a 20-minute buffer to the next cutoff at Mockingbird AS (Mile 44.5) at 4:45 pm.

The next couple of miles were uphill, followed by a steep descent to Mockingbird. I was so grateful for Mike’s company. We chatted a bit and he gave me calves to follow. During this stretch, I could feel my quads tightening. As we neared the aid station, I heard a cowbell then saw Oscar!! So great to see friendly faces again!

Mockingbird is also the finish line for both the 50K and 100K distances — it was bustling with activity when we arrived. I saw the finish line arch and festival area (I could smell the BBQ!!!), and my husband Paul! He gave me a watermelon slushee and Spam musubi. A volunteer took my soft flasks and refilled them with Tailwind. Oscar took my pack and refilled the bladder with water, then he took my bandana and filled it with ice. Janeth, who had already finished her 50K race, asked how I was doing with the heat. Minel, who was volunteering, came over to help too. Race director Greg Lanctot gave me a hug. I ate and drank the entire time I was there. Then Mike and I took off again. It was surreal! I did not expect a NASCAR-pit-crew-like experience, yet that’s what I got. I am very grateful for an extremely supportive husband and caring and seasoned ultrarunner friends who all helped keep me moving forward!

Beat The Buzzer

We had 2 hours, 40 minutes to make the next cutoff at McAbee AS, 9.6 miles away (Mile 54.1). Having already climbed 10,000 feet, I felt fatigue setting in. The uphills were slow going. To make matters worse, I started peeing a lot, at almost every half mile. In an effort to fight dehydration, I ended up over-hydrating! Mike tried to lift my mood by playing some tunes on his iPhone; he even sang. But I wasn’t in the mood to talk or sing. Somewhere along the way to McAbee, I lost my sense of urgency and desire to push. I still hoped to make the cutoff. But all I could muster was a shuffle. Left-right, left-right. When we got to Bull Run 1 AS (Mile 48.4), I sat down for a couple of minutes while we ate popsicles.

From Bull Run, it was 4.9 miles to McAbee, and we had 1 hour, 15 minutes to get there. According to the elevation profile, it was supposed to be downhill, but I think they were wrong. There were so many little inclines! I forced myself to shuffle. I felt panic as the clock inched closer to the 7:15 pm cutoff. The last half mile to McAbee was the toughest 2% grade run ever! In my head, I heard a buzzer ringing as we arrived. I immediately asked if we made cutoff; the volunteer said we did. OMG! I started sobbing with relief. Seconds later, Greg showed up in his pick-up truck and I heard him tell the volunteers he was shutting down the aid station in 30 seconds. Janeth, who was in the truck, said to me “you need to move, Peach.” I started to panic again and yelled to Mike that I needed my drop bag, headlamp, and coconut water. Poor Mike — he got to experience the ultrazilla in me. (Yup, I made that up!) I’m so sorry!

We hurriedly left McAbee and started the 5-mile uphill climb back to Bull Run. An hour later, Greg came up behind us in his truck. He informed me I was the last runner and said, “you have 6 miles left and two hours to do it; that’s a 20-minute mile. I’m sorry the Western States qualifier is not going to happen today; but you will finish.” And with that, he left so he could drop blue glow sticks on the trail to guide us to the finish.

I willed myself to move forward and try to keep Mike in my sights. He would run ahead then wait for me; again and again. The sun set as we climbed up to Bull Run with the Guadalupe Reservoir behind us. It was beautiful. The sky was orange-y purple. Although I was deeply exhausted, I was at peace knowing it was almost over.

At Bull Run 2 AS (Mile 59), we took a few minutes to refuel. I sat on the chair again. Night had fallen. Despite a long day, the volunteers took care of us. I felt guilty keeping them there late. It was getting chilly. With a heartfelt thank you, we set off for the final 3 miles to the finish — we had 50 minutes. It was mostly downhill, which got steeper as we neared Mockingbird. My knees and quads were shot so I moved slowly but steadily. We caught glimpses of the San Jose lights as we descended.

It had been a long day, with so many highs and just as many lows. But thankfully, after traveling on foot for 62 miles, and climbing 13,412 feet, I crossed the finish line Dead Frickin’ Last in 16:53:32, a mere 6 minutes, 28 seconds ahead of the final cutoff.

I was pleasantly surprised to see a number of my friends waiting for me at the finish. Greg announced my name and took this picture. I was presented my buckle. Then finally, I got my BBQ.

This would not have been possible without a good dose of luck, tons of preparation, the encouragement and inspiration from fellow runners, a hefty serving of grit and determination, lots of prayers, invaluable help from my instant crew at Mockingbird, patience and tough love from my pacer, and the unflagging support of my husband and children.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you.

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Post Script

It’s been two weeks since the race. I took 10 days off running, enjoyed the recovery, and reflected on my experience. Here are my takeaways:

• Preparation is key: do the research, put in the training — including recovery and taper, be consistent, test your gear, work on mental strength. All of these give you confidence come race day.
• Have a well thought-out plan, but be flexible. Focus on things you can control and let go of the ones you can’t, like not having your trekking poles with you for those final climbs.
• Break it down into smaller bites. Don’t let the enormity of the task overwhelm you. Go from aid station to aid station. Or from one shady spot to the next. Celebrate every summit, even false ones.
• Surround yourself with the right people. Asking for help doesn’t make you weak. Accepting support from people who genuinely care and want you to succeed, helps you succeed.
• Nothing is impossible when you’re fully committed. Finishing what you start is always an option. Even if you are a back-of-the-packer.
• I regret not having intermediate goals between getting a WS qualifier and finishing the race. When I realized a sub-16 hour finish was out of reach, I stopped pushing for my best possible time. To be clear, finishing was my primary goal going in. But when you have the privilege of running such a race, you owe it to yourself and the sport to give it your best effort. Outcome is beside the point. Respect the race.
• Don’t be afraid to take on Big Hairy Audacious Goals. The worst that can happen is you fail to accomplish them. You’ll still stand to gain valuable lessons and be richer for the experience. But if you do make it, then be ready for what’s coming next. And always, always enjoy the ride.

#BeFierce #RunWithJoy

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