Ultrarunning is in my blood now.
I fully planned to have a miserable times and be crawling on my hands and knees by the time I reached the 50-mile mark last week, but instead the experience was tremendous.
I was eager to get out on the road for some decompression running as early as Tuesday, April 13th, but I forced myself to rest for a week because I had been feeling such dramatic burnout prior to the actual race. But after running for two consecutive mornings, I feel the gnawing anticipation again...
Having accomplished something big, I'm compelled to be increasingly more ambitious in selecting new goals. I've meditated on it for a few days, and I want to get back to ultrarunning as soon as possible. I'm planning to enter the WS100 lottery this fall, but if I can I'd like to squeeze in a 100-mile race in September or October.
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Saturday, April 10, 2010
2010 American River 50-Mile Endurance Run
Finished!
The American River 50-Mile Endurance Run: 9:03:40.
The race was a tremendous adventure. Race day could not have gone more smoothly. Miraculously Justin, Janice and I found the start without any trouble. Immediately after we arrived, the feeling of togetherness and intimacy was palpable. Firstly, with only around 700 participants, we were able to park several hundred feet from the start line -- something that is unthinkable at most big-city marathons. Secondly, people were gathered talking over coffee -- after all there's little need to warm up. Thirdly, it's a small community. Very few people are interested in ultrarunning, and those who are seem to have a fair amount in common.
Throughout the race, my body held up exceptionally well, which I suppose is a testament to the brutal training that I endured in the months leading up to the race -- many early, early mornings spent running long, lonely routes. I fully expected to falter in the 35-45 mile range, but to the contrary I felt pure tranquility (the so-called runners' high) for nearly that whole period. The first half of the course was road and the second half was trail. Since I train exclusively on the road, I expected to find the trail running quite bothersome. Thus, I was quite shocked to find that I greatly preferred the trail -- particularly when I could find pockets of solitude. It felt both daring and peaceful.
Two of my friends from UC Berkeley, Justin and Janice, were there to support me at roughly 7-mile intervals. Their presence was a terrific psychological boost. After hours alone in the woods, a familiar face is like a sunrise. In addition to these publicly accessible check points there were a myriad of other aid stations (roughly one every three miles in total). The workers were phenomenal. At the last aid station at Mile 47, one worker actually ran up to me grabbed my water bottles, ran back to fill them, and then ran several hundred feet after me, all so that I wouldn't have to break my stride!
In the last three miles, the course gains roughly 800 feet of elevation, which makes for a challenging finish. I was quite shocked to find myself flying by people -- I truly discovered hidden reserves of resilience!
My split after marathon distance was something around 4:23:00, so I kept a fairly steady pace (particularly considering how much more difficult the terrain was in the latter half).
At the finish line, Justin and Janice were waiting for me with a Red Bull, which I promptly shotgunned.
The remainder of the day was pure radiance, devoid of all things commonplace. Transcendent, fast, and mad.
The American River 50-Mile Endurance Run: 9:03:40.
The race was a tremendous adventure. Race day could not have gone more smoothly. Miraculously Justin, Janice and I found the start without any trouble. Immediately after we arrived, the feeling of togetherness and intimacy was palpable. Firstly, with only around 700 participants, we were able to park several hundred feet from the start line -- something that is unthinkable at most big-city marathons. Secondly, people were gathered talking over coffee -- after all there's little need to warm up. Thirdly, it's a small community. Very few people are interested in ultrarunning, and those who are seem to have a fair amount in common.
Throughout the race, my body held up exceptionally well, which I suppose is a testament to the brutal training that I endured in the months leading up to the race -- many early, early mornings spent running long, lonely routes. I fully expected to falter in the 35-45 mile range, but to the contrary I felt pure tranquility (the so-called runners' high) for nearly that whole period. The first half of the course was road and the second half was trail. Since I train exclusively on the road, I expected to find the trail running quite bothersome. Thus, I was quite shocked to find that I greatly preferred the trail -- particularly when I could find pockets of solitude. It felt both daring and peaceful.
Two of my friends from UC Berkeley, Justin and Janice, were there to support me at roughly 7-mile intervals. Their presence was a terrific psychological boost. After hours alone in the woods, a familiar face is like a sunrise. In addition to these publicly accessible check points there were a myriad of other aid stations (roughly one every three miles in total). The workers were phenomenal. At the last aid station at Mile 47, one worker actually ran up to me grabbed my water bottles, ran back to fill them, and then ran several hundred feet after me, all so that I wouldn't have to break my stride!
In the last three miles, the course gains roughly 800 feet of elevation, which makes for a challenging finish. I was quite shocked to find myself flying by people -- I truly discovered hidden reserves of resilience!
My split after marathon distance was something around 4:23:00, so I kept a fairly steady pace (particularly considering how much more difficult the terrain was in the latter half).
At the finish line, Justin and Janice were waiting for me with a Red Bull, which I promptly shotgunned.
The remainder of the day was pure radiance, devoid of all things commonplace. Transcendent, fast, and mad.
Friday, April 9, 2010
En Route
And I'm off. I'm currently on my way to Sacramento, having woken early for the 8-9 hour drive. The runner check-in runs until 7 pm tonight, but beating LA traffic north on I5 is my main priority.
When I've successfully done that, then perhaps I can think about the race. Until now, I've been able to keep anxiety and nervousness at bay.
Wish me luck!
When I've successfully done that, then perhaps I can think about the race. Until now, I've been able to keep anxiety and nervousness at bay.
Wish me luck!
Saturday, April 3, 2010
The Beginning
I aim to become an ultrarunner. And soon.
On Saturday, April 10th, I'll be taking part in the American River 50-Mile (AR50) Endurance Run in Sacramento, CA. It will be my first ultradistance event, and I feel very much like I did as a freshman at UMich prior to my first organic chemistry exam: confident yet wary.
By no means am I a blogger, but I've decided to start this site to keep track of my running adventures as I prepare for a transcontinental run in May 2011. As there are a myriad of running blogs on the web, I don't anticipate that site will metamorphose into anything grand, but I do hope to be able to offer periodic updates for friends, family members, and the numerous people that I expect to meet through running. Beyond that motivation, I anticipate that the simple act of recording anecdotes and musings about my running life will help keep me honest in pursuing my goals and will lead to many fond and humorous memories for my future self.
At the moment, having adhered to a rigorous training program since early January, I am psychologically burnt out. Though my leg feel fresh every morning when I leave my apartment, it has been harder and harder to force myself out of bed and out the door before sunrise each morning. I look forward to a few weeks of respite following the AR50. (Though, if previous experience is any indicator, I will be a itching for activity after a few days.)
This week it's a light mileage diet. Next Saturday, my career as an ultrarunner begins.
On Saturday, April 10th, I'll be taking part in the American River 50-Mile (AR50) Endurance Run in Sacramento, CA. It will be my first ultradistance event, and I feel very much like I did as a freshman at UMich prior to my first organic chemistry exam: confident yet wary.
By no means am I a blogger, but I've decided to start this site to keep track of my running adventures as I prepare for a transcontinental run in May 2011. As there are a myriad of running blogs on the web, I don't anticipate that site will metamorphose into anything grand, but I do hope to be able to offer periodic updates for friends, family members, and the numerous people that I expect to meet through running. Beyond that motivation, I anticipate that the simple act of recording anecdotes and musings about my running life will help keep me honest in pursuing my goals and will lead to many fond and humorous memories for my future self.
At the moment, having adhered to a rigorous training program since early January, I am psychologically burnt out. Though my leg feel fresh every morning when I leave my apartment, it has been harder and harder to force myself out of bed and out the door before sunrise each morning. I look forward to a few weeks of respite following the AR50. (Though, if previous experience is any indicator, I will be a itching for activity after a few days.)
This week it's a light mileage diet. Next Saturday, my career as an ultrarunner begins.
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