Sunday, May 11, 2008
North Face Endurance Challenge 50 mile
Reading the course description I was under the impression yesterday would be a nice little run through the woods with some gentle, rolling hills.....Not the case!!! This was probably the toughest race I have ever run. I am not sure if it really was an exceptionally hard course or my body was saying "Enough already, you just raced this distance two weeks ago!" I promise myself I will take it easy this week and recover. As I was climbing Blanchard Mountain trying to get my mind off of negative thoughts (this is so hard...I want to be done...) I was thinking about how important it is to save these precious spots for all to enjoy. The DNR wants to log this mountain which would be such a shame. There are too few spots left to wander through the woods. Even a bad day of running is a good day spent in nature. I ended up placing 4th behind some uber fast women (Nikki Kimbell, Susannah Beck, and Kendra Ralston). Great job Ladies! I also got some exciting news from Krissy (who was the overall winner of the 50k) at the finish line. She is going to pace me in my first 100 mile run this summer (Cascade Crest). How lucky am I to have the opportunity to run with such an amazing ultrarunner and human being?
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12 comments:
Monica, congrats on a great run, and yay for pacing Krissy at CC100! I guess this is where we finally meet - I'll be pacing there too:)
Thanks Olga! Can't wait to meet you. I have heard wonderful things about you. Krissy is actually pacing me...not me pacing her!
Great job, Monica.
It looks like a tough course. The TNF web site gives it 4 stars for elevation and difficulty, and 5 for scenery, so it sounds like you really had to work to enjoy the view!
Nice work! I did the first one last year in DC, and it was a fiasco. The course was poorly marked and very different from the brief description. It was a tough initiation into ultras.
Rest well,
tim
Great job, Monica, off so little rest from Capitol Peak. I thought it was tough, too, so many steep climbs and the part after the Mile 43 aid station was the longest 4 miles of my life! I agree about preserving the places we escape to. They are the exact opposite of the highway drives we often have to endure to get to them... quiet, cool, green, renewing.
Oops, my bad - yay for racing WS!!!
Great job, Monica! Capitol Forest is also DNR land and I'm currently working on a report of sorts to send to them. They are NOT doing a good job to keep their land healthy. You are going to love Cascade Crest and you'll do awesome! See you pacing next month...
Thanks Alison! I am really excited for CC100. Any advice for me??? Looking forward to meeting you next month at WS!
I'll think of some words of wisdom for when we're in Cali. All the things people say for your first 100 (I think it's your first?) are good. I'm going to try to work harder next time on not staying at aid stations. A minute at each one adds up! Also 100 miles is a long ways (duh!) and everyone has crappy times. Someone passed me at 75 and I figured there was no way I'd catch her. At mile 95 she was just about 5 min. ahead and then ended up finishing about 30 seconds in front of me. Oh well.
Monica, good effort and good result last Saturday! That indeed is a tough 50 miler, even with the dirt roads. I merely helped mark and clear, but those are my former training routes from back in the day. Keep up the interesting blog. Now I know where you got that dark tan....Hawaii a few weeks before! I knew it couldn't be in the cool dark PNW this season.
See you around and stay injury free. (you will love CCC, by the way).
Thanks Doug. Good seeing you at Northface. It is nice to put a face to a name. Look forward to seeing you on the trails! Thank you for helping with the course last weekend. It was one of the best marked courses I have ever raced!
Monica,
I agree that NF was a monster course! That thing hurt from start to finish and what the hell was that waterfall climb at 45 miles, huh?
Anyway, I'm going to be on Orcas Is. for the next few weeks and if you need any company for some long WS training runs, please contact me. I will be up and down Mt Constitution like a yoyo-- and would welcome any change in venue.
Happy Trails, Susannah Beck
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