2018 Kettle Moraine 100k

After a great experience at last year’s Kettle Moraine 100k, I knew I wanted to come back again this year for another go.  While last year’s race went mostly well (weather excluded), there were some things that I knew I could improve on to have a better performance.

After a solid amount of running over the “off-season”, my training started in full in February.  I decided to use a combination of training plans this time.  While the old stand-by Relentless Forward Progress plan works well, I was looking for a plan that had more weekly miles while still running five days a week. I decided on a modified version that combined aspects from RFP and Hal Koerner’s Field Guide to Ultrarunning.

Winter trail running in Wisconsin

After many early mornings, and many miles in the cold and snow covered roads and trails of Wisconsin winter, I felt strong and prepared to have a great day. While I didn’t get as many trail miles as I’d hoped for, I ran 1004 miles for the year leading up the the race, which is the most that I’ve had in a 5 month stretch. I luckily didn’t have any major injuries or issues during training.

We drove down the day before, picked up my packet, and checked into the hotel.  Unfortunately we had a second floor room, without an elevator, with a daughter in a wheelchair.  Since they were booked solid we couldn’t switch, but luckily she is still small enough to carry up and down the stairs.  Consider it extra strength training for the impending hills of the Ice Age Trail. After a restless night (typical) I woke up at 4:15 to shower, eat, get dressed and make final checks of my drop bags. There are two drop bag locations on the 100k route, and we pass one of those twice so we have access to our drop bags three times. I packed my drop bags with the standard items; extra socks, gels, Clif-Bars, Squirrel’s Nut Butter, S-Caps, blister kit, bug spray, sunscreen, and an extra shirt. The forecast called for almost perfect conditions, overcast and 60’s-70’s.  Much better than the rain and heat of 2017!

Pre-race pic

I decided to use my new pack, the Salomon Adv Skin 5 Set.  That way I could carry enough hydration and nutrition with me and not have to worry about it. I elected to use a bladder full of Tailwind to start the race, and then use the two front bottles for water.

We arrived at the Nordic Trailhead about a half hour before the race started.  The kids decided to just hangout in the car for the start, apparently spectating at the start line isn’t exciting for a 13 and 10 year old.

And we’re off!

My goal for the race was to run under 12 hours.  With several solid months of training, and good weather, I thought that was a good realistic goal.  I’m often too conservative in my race strategy, choosing to take it easier to make sure I don’t blow up instead of pushing for a great performance. I looked at my splits from last year to try and find some places that I could improve.  I wanted to start out a little faster, and then hopefully be able to hold on at the finish. Last year I faded the last 10 miles because of the heat, humidity, and some foot issues due to all the mud.

On the first section on the Nordic Loop, I ran towards the front of the middle pack and settled into a nice pace.  Just before the Bluff aid station I caught up to Ryan, Annie, and Jason who were all running the 100m race, and are much faster runners than I am.  We started talking and settled into a similar pace.  Little did I know that I would spend the next 40+ miles with or around them.  We had a few others join us off and on, but we ran mostly as one group for the next several hours.

Hanging out waiting for me at Scuppernong

After a few hours up and down the rolling hills, through the open meadows, and down the beautiful single track, I reached the turnaround at Scuppernong in 5:04, 40 minutes faster than last year.  I texted Sarah a few updates along the way, and she and the kids met me at Scuppernong. I was feeling great so I quickly talked to Sarah, restocked my gel supply, put on some sunscreen, and headed back out.

Ryan, Annie and Jason took out of the aid station ahead of me so I figured they’d run off ahead and I wouldn’t see them again.  Planning on some alone time, I put in my headphones and started listening to some music.  Running felt harder than it had all day, and I was dreading running alone after spending the first half with a solid group.  Much to my delight, I caught up with them half way between Scuppernong and County ZZ. Wil had also joined the group around this time. I instantly got a boost of energy and settle into a steady pace again. My goal from here on out was to keep up with that group as long as I could because they are super talented, and great, friendly people to run with.

Coming into County ZZ

Thank you to all the friendly volunteers!

The race went so fast in my mind.  Miles just clicked off quickly and smoothly.  What a difference running in a group makes!  I ran with Ryan, Annie, Jason, and Wil until the Emma Carlin aid station.  Jason needed some extra time at the aid station so the rest of us took off without him.  We ran together until Horseriders, then Wil and I went up ahead.  Since I was “only” running the 100k and they were all running the 100m I wanted to push it a little until the end so I eventually went ahead of Wil before we reached the Bluff aid station.

Bluff Aid Station, 7ish miles from the finish

After refilling my bottles and getting some food, I headed out for the final 7 miles of the Nordic Loop on my own.  The only other runner I saw during this stretch was a guy on a relay team, otherwise it was solo running.  I made a quick stop at Tammarack, the final aid station, and made my way to the finish.  My hamstrings were starting to get tight which is a common issue for me.  I’d been focusing on stretching every few miles by doing some squats and toe touches at the aid stations.  This seemed to work well because they felt great most of the day.

Just about to finish

I crossed the finish line in 11:11:39 for an 8th place finish and a huge PR. I can’t thank Ryan, Annie, Jason and Wil for allowing me to tag along with them during the race. Their companionship and collective strength allowed me to have an amazing day.  Ultrarunning takes a lot of mental strength, and I definitely benefited from and fed of their energy.  I’m so grateful that I was able to run so many miles with them.

Strava Data

2017 Kettle Moraine 100k Race Report

After running two 50 milers and five 50ks, I felt ready to step up to the 100k distance. The Kettle Moraine Endurance Runs is a highly regarded Wisconsin ultra, so I figured it would be a good choice for my first 100k.  While the timing isn’t great (the last week of school, and the end of the golf season), I was excited about the course.  It’s run mostly on the Ice Age Trail, and has great mixture of technical single track, open meadows, and rolling hills.  The race starts at the Nordic Trailhead which is the same as the T Bunk Challenge I ran in November.

I once again used the Relentless Forward Progress training plan that I’ve used successfully for most of my earlier races.  Since the bulk of my training would be during the golf season I chose the lower weekly mileage version of the training plan, but focused on getting higher quality runs including more hill repeats.  During the winter and early spring I did most of my hill training on the Heritage hills. Once Baird Creek was in good condition, I did most of my long runs there.

Overall, my training went well.  I did have a few minor issues in March with my left calf which caused me to miss some runs (and freak out that I wouldn’t be able to race), but after that I hit most of my weekly mileage goals.  Sarah and I ran the Chippewa 50k in late April which I used as a long training run to test things out.

Gear is ready to go

The forecast for the weekend was for heat, humidity, and thunderstorms. The weather was the biggest cause of pre-race stress.  I felt good with my training, but wasn’t sure how the weather would affect me on race day.  After much deliberation, and driving Sarah crazy talking about it, I decided to wear a hydration pack (Ultimate Direction TO 2.0) instead of handhelds so I could carry more hydration and nutrition. While it would be warmer and increase the likelihood of chafing, the extra room for calories and electrolytes won out.  In retrospect, it was the right decision.

I went with my well used and comfortable Brooks Infiniti II shorts, a C9 tank top, Injinni socks, and Altra Superior 3.0.  With an out and back course we have access to our drop bags three times (miles 15.7, 31.6 & 47.4). In addition to standard drop box items (s-caps, gels, Clif bars, body glide, and Tailwind), I packed an extra pair of socks, shorts and a shirt in each drop bag so I could change out of wet clothing.

Race Day

After a decent night of sleep, we arrived at the trail head around 5:15am.  Breakfast was a Clif bar and bad hotel coffee.  The trailhead was busy since the 100m and 100k race both start at 6:00am.  There is also an accompanying 50k, and 38m night fun run, but those start later in the day. I love the energy that’s in the air before the start of the race. We had great running conditions to start the race, low 60’s and overcast.

Owen is not excited about the early race start.

Nordic – Bluff: Miles 0-7.6

This section is mostly wide cross country ski trails and has many roller coaster hills. The wide trail allows people to settle into a comfortable pace and not worry about the conga line that happens with single track. This section is mostly the same as I ran in the T Bunk. There’s one unmanned aid station a little less than 5 miles in, but I didn’t need anything so I didn’t stop. With the impending heat and humidity, my goal was to eat and drink early and often. I started with Tailwind in both bottles so I could drink some calories early.  In the past, I haven’t done a good job of eating early enough so I wanted to make sure I did a better job.  At Bluff, I ate a PB&J, drank some ginger ale, and refilled my bottles.

Bluff to Emma Carlin: Miles 7.6-15.7

This section was one of my favorites.  It was more technical with a lot of rocks and roots.  The temps were still comfortable, so it was tempting to run a little faster before the weather worsened. During this section the clouds were darkening and you could tell rain and thunderstorms were on the way.  There was another unmanned aid station in between Bluff and Emma Carlin, but I had enough water so I just breezed through.

Emma Carlin was the first time we had access to our drop bags. I restocked with gels and tailwind, grabbed some food at the aid station and quickly headed back out. I told Sarah to meet me at Emma Carlin, but I arrived ahead of pace so I missed her.  This was partly due to running faster than planned, but it was also not 15.7 miles from the start as stated. It was just over 14 miles.

Rocky horse trails

 

Emma Carlin – Hwy 67: Miles 15.7-24.8

Right as I left Emma, it started to rain.  At first it was just a nice refreshing light rain which felt good.  I was looking forward to some rain since I knew the rain would keep the heat away, but what I didn’t know was that it would rain for the next two and a half hours.  There is also a railroad crossing in this section. As I approached it I could here a train coming.  I just kept thinking “you have to beat this train!” I didn’t’ want to get stuck in the rain waiting for a train to pass.  Luckily I just made it before the train.

After the Antique Lane unmanned aid station, we entered the meadow section. The rain started to increase and was coming down pretty hard now.  There was also more lightening than I was comfortable with.  Most of it was cloud to cloud, but once in awhile one would strike down, but it never got really close to us. Since the rain had been coming down for awhile now the course started to get very muddy.

I ran this entire section with a few other runners.  I tucked in behind and just let them set the pace, which was nice to turn off the brain and just follow someone.  Other than the standard “where are you from” conversation we didn’t talk much.

Hwy 67 –  Hwy ZZ: Miles 24.8-26.6

More rain and more mud pretty much sums up this section. At the aid station I started to switched to Heed instead of water since I knew the heat was coming, and I wanted to stay on top of my electrolytes. I prefer Tailwind, but it was just easier to use what they had at the aid stations instead of bringing it with me.  I also continued to eat a gel between aid stations and then real food at the aid stations.

This wasn’t even close to the muddiest section

Hwy ZZ – Scuppernong: Miles 26.6-31.6

The rain started to diminish, but the hours of rain made this section really muddy so it was slow going up and down the hills.  We also started seeing some of the runners on their way back from the turnaround. I was looking forward to my drop bag at Scuppernong so I could clean my feet and change socks. I texted Sarah at the Hwy ZZ aid station to give her an update.  She and the kids were planning on meeting me at Scuppernong.  They had missed me at the other aid stations.  Heavy rain, two kids (one in a wheelchair) made it difficult for them to see me more often.

I got to the turnaround in just under 6 hours and in 30th place.  I wasn’t overly concerned with what place I was in.  I just wanted to make it to the turnaround feeling good, but it’s still a race after all and the competitor in my wanted to do well. I was feeling great, except for my feet. I have toe issues at times, and the hours of wet muddy stocks weren’t helping.  My energy level was good, and my legs felt strong.  At the aid station, I refilled my bottles with Heed, restocked my gel supply, and changed socks.  The new dry socks felt so great!

After talking to Sarah and the kids for a bit (Elsie was more focused on a pair of dogs), it was time for the return trip back to Nordic.

Elsie made friends with a couple dogs at Scuppernong

Scuppernong – Hwy ZZ: Miles 31.6-36.5

It was now just past noon, the rain stopped, the sun was coming out, and it started to warm up. My focus here was to be vigilant about my hydration, electrolytes, and nutrition.  I started taking s-caps every hour, continued to eat gels between aid stations, and eat real food at the aid stations.  I stuck with PB&J, potatoes dipped in salt, and pickles because I know those work for me.

The course was now extremely muddy with many areas of unavoidable standing water and mud. The kind of mud where you are afraid you’ll lose a shoe.  This section was slow going due to all of the mud and people coming towards the turnaround.

Hwy ZZ – Hwy 67: Miles 36.5-38.4

While this is a short section, it was the last one before the open meadows. Nothing too special here except more mud and it was starting to get hot!

Hwy 67 – Antique Lane: Miles 38.4-44.3

The dreaded open meadows in the middle of the day with the sun bearing down on us and high humidity.  I did well to stay on top of hydration and nutrition all morning knowing this was coming.  This section was about stubborn determination. Block out all the negativity and just run. I was happy that I was able to run this section well, and passed many runners who were struggling in the heat and humidity.  While hot and humid, it’s flat and was less muddy than other sections so it was very runnable.  At the unmanned aid stations I started to use a sponge to cool off my head and the back of my neck.  I also started to fill my hat with ice and put ice down my back between my pack and shirt.  This was a life saver.

Open meadows in the heat and humidity

Antique Lane – Emma Carlin: Miles 44.3-47.4

We finally got back to some shade in this short section.  I was counting down the miles to Emma Carlin since it’s our last chance to access our drop bag.  The plan was to meet Sarah and the kids here, and I was looking forward to seeing them again.  I cleaned my feet and changed my socks while Sarah restocked my supplies.  I eat some food, iced up, and headed back out.  Mark and Tommy were at the aid station and helped me with some much needed ice. Thanks!! I tried not to take too long at the aid stations.  I don’t like to stop if I’m feeling good because I’m afraid if I stop my body may not want to start up again.

Assessing the sad state of my feet while changing socks.

Emma Carlin – Bluff: Miles 47.4 – 55.6

This was my worst section of the day.  The heat and humidity started to sap my energy supplies.  My legs still felt strong, but I just couldn’t push myself to run fast, and my pace started to slow.  This section is also one of the more technical and rough parts of the course. I ran this section alone. I was hoping to have some other runners around to push me, but I only saw a few runners who were struggling and mostly walking.  At the unmanned aid station, I continued to sponge down and load up with ice.

Bluff – Nordic/Finish: Miles 55.6-63.1

At Bluff I met Tommy again, and he gave me more ice to fill my hat.  I followed the same aid station routine, ate some food, drank coke, and filled my bottles with Heed. Bluff was a mental check point where I told myself to suck it up and push to the finish.  After a rough patch entering Bluff, I needed to flip the switch and reset.  After I left Buff, I was lucky to run a little while with two 100m runners who were running well, and I tried to feed off of their energy.

Waiting at the finish line.

Finally back to the Nordic Loop.  I hiked all of the hills, but I was able to run the rest of this section strong.  After Bluff I started to do the mental math to figure out if I had a chance to finish under my goal of 13 hours.  That was my pre-race goal if everything went well.  I figured it would be tough to make it with the rain, mud, heat and humidity.  I tried not to think about my time/pace all day, but now that I was close it was too tempting.  Once I realized that as long as I could run most of this section I was going to beat my goal, it gave me another energy boost which helped me finish strong.

62+ miles in, and almost to the finish line. Photo by Focal Flame Photography

Finished! 12:45:05 – 15th place

My legs felt great all day, and my hydration and nutrition were spot on.   The only issues were my toes, and some fatigue between Emma and Bluff.  As with most races, I worried if I was trained enough, did I do enough hill repeats, and did I put in enough mileage.  Then we had to deal with rain (wet=chaffing), mud (wet+mud=blisters), heat and humidity.

I’m so happy with how the race played out.  I really enjoyed the course, and the extra challenges that the weather provided.  I can’t thank Sarah and the kids enough for the sacrifices they make to allow me to train and race.

Kettle Moraine is a well organized race with great race directors. There are many well stocked aid stations with amazing volunteers. I highly recommend running this race.  They had very detailed maps with aid station locations.  They even provided driving directions to each aid station, and GPS coordinates to make it easier for family and crew.

Post-Race Recover

It’s been a few days after the race, and my recovery is going well.  My toes were really beat up and sore for a few days.  There’s a good chance I’ll lose both big toenails, but that’s the price to pay.  I did a lot of walking the week after the race because I had a player qualify for the state golf meet.  Sunday was rough, but my legs and feet felt better each day.  I was able to go for a short run on Thursday, but won’t get back to training for another week or so.  Planning to do some cycling and a few short runs while I let my body recover.

Strava Data

2017 Chippewa 50k

2017 Chippewa 50k #rundate

A week before the Chippewa 50k, Sarah and I decided that we were going to run the race together.  We never get the opportunity to run together, or do much of anything just the two of us without the kids.  It was her 50k, and I was excited to share the experience with her.

We drove the four hours to my parents’ the night before the race.  One of the reasons we picked this race was because they live less than an hour from the start. This would be a great opportunity to have them watch the kids while we raced.

The race starts at 8:00am, and we arrived shortly after 7 to pick up our packets and get ready for the day.  The temps started in the upper 30s but climbed into the 50s by the end of the race.

Pre-race selfie

The race starts at the Chippewa Moraine Info Center.  The course is an out and back course ran mostly on the Ice Age Trail.

We settled into a nice grove averaging around 13 minute miles.  Our plan for the day was to run all the downs and flats, and to walk the hills.  We both decided to wear hydration packs so we could carry most of the gear and nutrition needed.  This allowed us to minimize time at the aid stations, and at the turnaround.

Beautiful WI single track

The course was almost entirely single track trails with constant ups and downs.  There weren’t too many long stretches of flat running.  During the first half, we ran with several different groups of people, and mostly just let them set the pace.

We hit the turnaround around 3 hours and 17 minutes.  The first half went really well, and we were both feeling great. We got a bite to eat, restocked the hydration packs, and headed back out at 3 hours and 21 minutes.  While Sarah didn’t have a time goal in mind, I figured if we executed our strategy well we could finish around 6:45.

Sarah cruising by one of the many ponds along the trail

We ran most of the second half of the race just the two of us, which was a great experience.  We chatted about this and that, ran in silence, and enjoyed the time together alone in the woods. The final 5 miles were a bit of struggle, including the large hill right before the finish line, but we were able to finish hand in hand with smiles on our faces.

Crossing the finish line hand in hand

We finished with official times of 6:45:05. The race was one of my favorite running experiences.  To be able to spend several hours together running in the woods was amazing.  I’m so proud of all of the hard work and hours Sarah put into training, and was so happy to share this experience.  We hope to run more races together each year.

Gear Used

Shoes: Merrell Trail Glove 3

Socks: Injinji

Shorts: Brooks

Shirt: C9

Calf Sleeves: Smartwool

Hydration Pack: Ultimate Direction TO 2.0

Nutrition: Tailwind, Clif Shot Gels, aid station fare.

Garmin Data

2016 Year in Review

Races

Stats

  • Distance: 1703.9 miles
    • Average of 142 miles a month / 32.8 miles a week
  • Time: 272h 5m
  • Elevation Gain: 55,062 ft
  • Number of Runs: 213
  • Average distance: 8 miles

Monthly Mileage

Jan 107.14
Feb 116.53
Mar 135.59
Apr 159.25
May 140.46
Jun 176.83
Jul 226.73
Aug 104.99
Sep 143.53
Oct 153.96
Nov 110.11
Dec 111.19

Shoes Used

Merrell Bare Access Trail

Merrell Bare Access 4

Topo MT-2

Plans for 2017

  • Chippewa 50k
  • Kettle Moraine 100k
  • High Cliff 50k
  • Glacier Trail 50

2016 T Bunk Endurance Challenge 50k

While looking for a late season race, I came across the T Bunk Endurance Challenge which takes place in Southern  Wisconsin in the Kettle Moraine State Forest.  They have several distances from 200 miles to 50k. The race is run on the Nordic trail system of the Kettle Moraine State Forest.  The 50k runs three blue loops (9.19 mi) and one green loop (3.66) for a total of 31.23 miles. I went to college at nearby UW-Whitewater, and was excited to go back and run a race in that area.  I hadn’t been back in over 10 years, so I was looking forward to reminiscing about my college days.

My training was a mix of the plans I used for the Cellcom Marathon and the Voyaguer 50 this year.  I incorporated the speed work of the marathon plan, with the distances of the Vogaguer.  Since this was a 50k, I did scale back some of my mid week and longs runs.  My weekly mileage was down considerably vs the last few races I’ve ran, but the quality was better.  I was hoping that all the miles I put in during the spring and summer would carry me through as long as I hit my key speed work days and long runs.

The race is small with 43 registered participants in the 50k.  I ran the first few miles with three other runners, but I separated and ran the rest of the race solo.  The only people I saw during the race were some of the 100 mile runners that were still on the course. No music, no podcasts, just solitude in the woods. Since it is a loop course, Sarah and the kids would go to the hotel and then come back to the start/finish area after each loop to check it.

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Refueling at the start/finish line aid station.

There is one one unmanned aid station around half way, and then a full aid station with drop bag access at the start/finish line.  This made my nutrition plan easy. I decided to carry one handheld bottle filled with tailwind and a few gels, and restock from my drop bag after each loop.  This worked out perfectly. I ate a few small PB&Js from the aid station, but mostly just used the tailwind and gels.

We’ve had unseasonable warm weather this fall, and race weekend was no exception.  On race day it was sunny with very little wind.  At the start of the race it was mid 40’s with temps climbing to upper 60’s in the afternoon, ideal conditions to have a good race.

The trail is mostly smooth Nordic ski trails with some rolling hills and a few short/steep climbs.  There are a few sections with some rocks and roots, but I was surprised how much of it was flat and runnable.  Much easier than the trail system in Baird Creek where do I most of my training.

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My race plan is always to try to negative split the race.  Since it is a loop course, I had goals for each loop.  My goal was to run the first two loops in about an hour and thirty minutes, which is right around 10 minutes per mile pace. Then if everything was feeling good, I wanted to run the third loop faster, and then run the final green loop as fast as possible.

I was very happy that I was able to execute that plan almost perfectly.  My first loop was 1:31, 2nd loop was 1:30, third loop 1:28, and the final smaller loop was 36 minutes. I felt good most of the race, with only slight stomach issues during the 2nd loop, but nothing too bad.  I finished with plenty of energy and still feeling good.

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I finished with a final time of 5:05:10 which was good enough for 4th place and a 50k PR.

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Garmin Data

2016 Minnesota Voyageur 50

logo

After focusing on improving my marathon and 50K times, I was excited to attempt another 50 miler this summer.  I researched several different races in the upper Midwest and finally decided on the Minnesota Voyageur 50 Mile Trail Ultramarathon. According to their website:

“Founded in 1982, the Minnesota Voyageur 50 Mile Trail Ultramarathon is one of the oldest trail ultras in the nation. The race follows a rugged, varied, out-and-back course that takes runners on a journey from Carlton, MN through Jay Cooke State Park and heads northeast over difficult, rough woodland trails to Duluth, MN and back. Enjoy scenic overlooks of Duluth, MN and Lake Superior, the iconic Swinging Bridge over the St. Louis River, and the infamous Power Lines.”

As with the Marquette 50, I used a training plan from “Relentless Forward Progress” but this time I chose one with more weekly mileage.  Since I trained specifically for the Cellcom Marathon in May, I only used the final 8 weeks of the plan to prepare for the Voyageur.  I recovered quickly from the marathon, and was able to hit most of the weekly mileage goals, except the week when we went on vacation. I did have some calf and knee issues towards the end of training, but overall my body felt strong and ready to race.

Weekly training mileage

Weekly training mileage

We decided to camp for the weekend instead of getting a hotel.  It had been a few years since we’ve gone camping, and the whole family was looking forward to it. Jay Cooke State Park was already sold out so we camped at the KOA which was only 1.5 miles from the start of the race.   The forecast for the weekend was low 70s, sunny and beautiful. Great camping and running weather!  We arrived at the campsite around 3:30, set up the tent, started a fire and enjoyed a nice pre-race meal of bean burritos, cantaloupe and s’mores.

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Home for the weekend

I was hoping to get a good night’s sleep, but unfortunately that didn’t happen.  There was a band playing at the nearby Carlton Daze festival, and we could hear them until well after midnight. While I enjoyed the 90’s rock songs, and sang along in my head, I would have preferred a few more hours of sleep.  Luckily I slept well in the days leading into the race so I knew one restless night wouldn’t hurt too much.  After laying awake most of the night I got up at 4:00am, showered, eat a Clif Bar, drank some caffeinated Tailwind Nutrition, dragged the kids out of their sleeping bags, and we headed to the start.

The race starts at 6:00am at Carlton High School.  We arrived to the start area around 5:15 to register and hand off my drop bag.  We hung out inside the school for while because it was about 50 degrees.  Just before 6:00 the race director gave his pre-race speech including a shout out to a couple of runners who ran the first one in 1982 and were running it again this year.

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Excited for the race to start.

The race starts on the streets of Carlton before heading to the paved Munger Trail, and then onto the Jay Cooke Carlton Trail.  The road and paved section allowed the faster runners to quickly move to the front, and everyone else settled into the pack. The first trail section was full of rocks and roots, and with the mass of people it was slow going until we reached the swinging bridge over the St. Louis River.  This was one of the most scenic parts of the course.  The views of the river were amazing.  The pictures don’t do it justice.  Next time I would love to camp in the park and explore the area.

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Photo courtesy of Endurance Kennels LLC

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Swinging Bridge over the St. Louis River

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Another view of the St. Louis River in Jay Cooke State Park.

After the Swinging Bridge we hit the first aid station. There are 8 aid stations along the course, and one at the turnaround. Since it’s an out and back course we would have 17 stops during the 50 miles with no more than 3.4 miles between stations.  Because of this, I decided I only needed to carry one handheld bottle and a small waist pack to carry my nutrition. My nutrition plan was to eat whatever looked good at the aid stations, and mix in some gels and Tailwind between the aid stations. I also planed to take an S-cap hourly since cramping has been an issue in the past.

I had three goals in mind. Finish and have fun, beat my time from Marquette (12:16), and if everything went well I really wanted to break 10 hours. I needed to average 12 minute miles for the entire race to hit 10 hours. I set one of the data fields on my watch to Average Pace, and tried to stay as close to that as possible.

At the first aid station I quickly grabbed a PB&J and headed back out.  The next several miles were mostly flat and pretty smooth so I picked up the pace.  I was running smoothly and enjoying the cool temps.  I kept telling myself “quick light steps, and run tall”. I also really focused on my breathing.

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Smooth wooded trails

A little under 11 miles in I came into the Grand Portage aid station feeling good.  I quickly filled my handheld with water and Tailwind, ate some fig bars, and left ready to tackle the hardest section of the course.  The next section includes the two big hills of Purgatory and the famous Power Lines.  Luckily the trail was dry this year which made climbing and descending much easier.  My goal was to power hike up the big climbs, and keeping moving as fast as possible. In past races I’ve hiked/walked the uphills too slowly.  This time I was able to catch or pass many runners on the uphill sections. While the most challenging part of the course, the Power Lines weren’t as difficult as I had feared.  I read many race reports to prepare, and most talked about how difficult this sections was. At the end of the Power Lines I caught up to a small group of runners, and ran with them to the Seven Bridges aid station.

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Power Lines Section

Between Seven Bridges and Fond du Lac aid stations, I ran along with two other guys for several miles.  I settled in behind them and let them set the pace. They were running the race for the second time, and gave me some info about the upcoming sections of the course.  It was nice to talk with someone since I had been mostly running solo. I do all of my training runs by myself so I’m used to it, but during a race it’s good to have the distraction of talking with people.

Around 20 miles in I was just over my pace goal of 12 minute miles and feeling good.  My left ankle was sore, but nothing that prevented me from running normally. This has happened in training, but it never progressed to anything more than annoying.  I started to pick up the pace going up Skyline Drive and had a surge of energy.  I didn’t know how long it would last but I wanted to ride it as long as possible.  At the Skyline aid station (mile 22) we had access to our drop bags.  I had some coke, PB&J, restocked my gels and Tailwind, and took an Ibuprofen.

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View from Spirit Mountain.

Right before the turnaround, we ran across the top of the Spirit Mountain ski slopes, and had great views of Superior, Duluth and the St. Louis River.  I reached the turnaround just under 5 hours, and feeling great.  Sarah and kids were planning on meeting me there but I arrived faster than expected so I texted her to tell her to meet me at the next aid station.

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Running back across Spirit Mountain Courtesy of Endurance Kennels LLC

When I reached the Skyline aid station for the second time, I was excited to see my family.  It always gives me a boost seeing them. I grabbed a few things from my drop bag and was off.  I really tried to minimize my time in aid stations which paid off.  The volunteers at all of the aid stations were great!! They would refill my water bottle while I grabbed something quick to eat.  I alternated between PB&J, fig bars, and potatoes dipped in salt.  I also drank Coke or Ginger Ale at most aid stations. Most of the time I walked out of the aid station while eating instead of stopping to eat.

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Waiting at Skyline aid station. Race spectating isn’t very exciting for the kids.

My goal for the second half of the race was to stay under 10 hour pace as long as I could.  I knew if I could get past the Power Lines section around my goal pace, I had some very runable sections left that I could make up some time. My legs felt great all day.  The only issues were my left ankle and my right hamstring .  A few times my hamstring felt like it was about to start cramping which had been a problem for me last summer at the Luna-Tics 50k.  Whenever I felt a cramp coming on I would stretch it out and take another S-Cap.  Luckily the cramps never developed.

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Courtesy of Endurance Kennels LLC

I ran most of the second half of the race alone.  I was able to pass several runners, and was only passed by one guy. The surge of energy I had at mile 20 pretty much stayed with me for the rest of the race.

When I hit the Power Lines for the second time I caught up to and ran with another runner.  He was running his 7th ultra of the year!  We talked about training, and he gave me some info about other races in the area.

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Power Lines take 2

Between the Grand Portage and Jay Cooke aid stations I kept gaining on my goal of averaging 12 minute miles. I came into the Jay Cooke aid station around 9 hours which meant I had an hour to run the final 3.4 miles to reach my goal.  When I saw Sarah at mile 28 I told her she should meet me at the Jay Cooke aid station which was the final aid station of the race.  I wanted her and the kids to check out the park.  My phone died so I wasn’t able to give her updates for the last few hours, and since I was well under my goal they hadn’t arrived yet!

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Waiting for me to come by, but I was already at the finish!

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I exited the last aid station feeling great.  As long as I stayed upright and didn’t trip and hurt myself I would hit my goal. I ran part of this section with a runner who also was a teacher.  He told me that a few years ago the runner in second place fell and hit his head and needed an ambulance ride.  That gave me extra focus to pick up my feet and take it easy over the rocks and roots.

I finished the race in 9:48:26. Well under my ultimate goal, and almost a two and half hour PR.  I was 60th out of the 271 finishers. I was so happy that I executed my race plan almost perfectly.  I didn’t have any stomach or nutrition issues, no blisters (thank you Injinji socks!!), and no real leg soreness.  My pacing was also spot on. I ran the second half almost 8 minutes faster than the first half. We were blessed with great weather and trail conditions which helped to run a fast time.

After crossing the finish line, I borrowed someone’s phone to text Sarah that I was done.  They were still at the last aid station, and were surprised that I was already finished. I hung out at the finish line to watch some of the runners that I had run with finish.  There was a nice meal in the school cafeteria, but my stomach didn’t feel like eating yet so I just grabbed a protein drink and water.

Now I see why the Minnesota Voyageur is one of the oldest and most revered 50 milers in the Midwest.  The course has a great mix of technical trails, smooth runable sections, and challenging climbs.  It was well marked with ribbons and signs so I never worried about being off course.  The aid stations are close together, well stocked, and have amazing volunteers.

My recovery in the days after the race has been good. Some light quad soreness, and my left ankle was a little swollen, but I was able to go for a six mile recovery run on Wednesday.  I’m also enjoying eating whatever and whenever all week looking to put back some of the weight lost during training.  I’m also starting to plan ahead for my next race.  I’m leaning towards the  T Bunk Endurance Challenge 50 miler in November which takes place in the Southern Kettle Moraine State Forest.

Splits

splits

Garmin Data

Gear

Shoes

Topo MT-2

Socks

Injinji Run 2.0 Original Weight

Shorts

Brooks Infiniti II Notch Shorts

Shirt

C9 Sleeveless T

Hydration

Nathan QuickDraw Plus

Waistpack

Ultimate Direction Jurek Essential

2015 Year in Review

2015 was another successful year of running.  I was able to run injury free all year, set PRs in the marathon and 50k distances, and ran more miles then ever before.

Races

Stats

  • Distance: 1637.6 miles
    • Average of 136.5 miles a month / 31.5 miles a week
  • Time: 264h 12m
  • Elevation Gain: 49,518 ft
  • Number of Runs: 216
  • Average distance: 7.58 miles

Monthly Mileage

2015 Monthly Mileage

Shoes Used

New Balance Minimus Zero v2

Merrell Bare Access Trail

Merrell Bare Access 3

Plans for 2016

I plan on running the Cellcom Green Bay Marathon in May, the Voyageur 50 Mile in July, and yet to be determined fall race.

Fall Back Blast 50k

After a poor performance in the heat and humidity at the Luna-Tics Trail Series 50k earlier this summer, I was looking forward to a fall race in cooler temperatures.  Since I felt my fitness wasn’t the main issue with my poor race, I followed the same training plan that I used this summer.  I like the way it’s structured, and it fit’s into my schedule well.

I was also very excited that my wife would be running that 25k event as her first trail race. With two young children, we don’t get to race or train together very often.  Unfortunately, there was a staggered start so we weren’t able to run with one another, but it was nice to enjoy the pre and post race with her.

The race takes place in Lowes Creek County Park in Eau Claire, and is organized by the Chippewa Off-Road Bike Association.  The course is a 7.75 mile loop consisting mostly of very runnable single-track.

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My plan for the race was to run the first three laps at a steady pace, and then hope to push it hard the final lap. I settled into a nice 10:00-10:30 pace for the first few miles. While I didn’t wear a heart rate strap, I knew that effort was in the 120-130 bpm range and very sustainable.  It was tempting to go out faster because I was feeling good, but I wanted to make sure I could have a strong finish.

The race has one aid station just past the half-way point, and then again at the start/finish area.  Since it was cool (32° at the start), I knew I didn’t need a lot of water so I used one handheld water bottle.  I also took some S-Caps with me to avoid cramping issues that did me in the summer.  My nutrition plan was to eat my trusty vanilla Clif-Shot gels every 3-4 miles, which worked out well.  The only thing I took at the aid stations was a mini cup of M&Ms on the third loop.

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I was happy that I was able to execute my plan well.  My lap splits were very consistent, and I felt very strong on the final lap.

Split 1 > 1:18:02.880
Split 2 > 1:21:57.394
Split 3 > 1:26:40.373
Split 4 > 1:22:17.807

Looking back, I think I was too conservative. Since my last few races had strong starts and poor finishes, I had some self-doubt that I could run an entire long race at a faster pace.  This race was a great confidence boost.  I set a 50k PR by over an hour, but I know I can run faster with continued training and more speed work.

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About to cross the finish line.

The race was very well organized with a great low-key atmosphere.  The course was well marked, the volunteers were friendly and it was inexpensive.  Instead of medals, we received a “bear bell” since there is a bear that has been seen in the park.

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Swag bag included a race shirt, bear bell and the spiciest mustard I’ve ever had.

Gear Used

Shoes

Merrell Bare Access Trail

Running Tights

Pearl Izumi

Socks

Injinji RUN 2.0

Watch

Garmin Fenix 2

Nutrition

7 Vanilla Clif Shot Gels

M&Ms at aid stations

Garmin Data

The Fenix 2 had a difficult time with the winding nature of the course.  From looking at other peoples’ data, the actual distance was 31 miles.