2017  Powderface 21K

Another Foray Into the Hills

Canada is celebrating its 150th anniversary and Powderface is on July 1st, Canada Day. This seemed like a good idea when I signed up, but after another DNF at Laurel Highlands 50K due in large part to still not being prepared for the climbs, this is taking on a more ominous perspective. As I count there are 5 climbs of 100m or more with the additional factor of being at an altitude of 1500-1600m. I tried only one hill workout since Laurel Highlands and my legs were still so tired that I felt like I was still struggling up the last hill there. As a result all my training in the three weeks between have been on flat or gently rolling hills. The paces have been encouraging but the lack of any additional hill work is of concern. At this point there is nothing to be done but to be as well rested as possible given the traveling involved.

Taper week has not been exactly a taper. Monday's run was over two hours at the fastest pace I've run for that length of time since last August. My recovery run the next day was 5.2 miles, a little long for a recovery run, and at close to my normal easy run pace. With some trepidation I ran 4 x 400m intervals on Wednesday, then Thursday was both a rest day and travel day. Friday was my final prep day for Powderface. I purchased the recommended bear spray (two bears were sighted near the course on race day), then jogged over the first 3 km of the course with my friend Greg for a total of 3.6 miles out and back. I was relieved to find the trails a lot easier to run on than the Valley Forge trails.

Saturday I was up early, ate a good breakfast, and drove to the race start without out getting lost, courtesy of Greg having taken me down there the day before when checking out the course. I was actually there in time for the 7:30 am start of the marathon. After the entire field sang Oh Canada, they counted down to the start, then off to the races. I was able to talk with several people, including the race director, who assured me the course was well marked and there would be someone behind me even if it was only the sweep who would be also picking up the flags marking the course. Greg showed up shortly after that with his Go-Pro and we hung out until the start. We also sang Oh Canada and counted down to the start.

I waited for most of the field to cross the starting mat before I jumped in. The first kilometer is pretty flat so I was moving along well. A few more runners passed me, but as well headed into the woods and early rolling hills I knew there were only a few runners behind me. I was moving well, not straining at all up to where Greg and I had turned around. Shortly after that we met the first of the major climbs. Over the next 3/4 of a mile we climbed about 650 ft. I could see a single runner and a group of three ahead of me and at least a couple behind me chatting. Amazingly I was catching up the the runners ahead of me as I walked up the hill. We had a short respite and downhill which did help me recover, then our second climb, this one about 300 ft and we were only about 3.5 miles into the race. Now lost most of the gain and I kept leap frogging the single runner. Patty would play an important role later in the race. We had one more climb of about 300 ft before we descended to the mid-race aid station and the turn around just past it. During this segment the sun was often beating down and taking its toll on me. The one thing I had forgotten to pack was a hat, so the sun was becoming brutal. On the descent there was also one small section where the trail was essentially washed away. I slipped and almost slid downhill trying to get past it and was saved by grabbing onto a root sticking out of the hillside.

Passing back through the aid station and checking to be sure they had my number, one of the women gave me a buff soaked in cold water to help with the sun. The race doctor was there and said I looked stressed and he wanted to check on my at the aid station on the way back. That was a portent of things to come. Now I had that modest climb out of the aid station and had to inch my way past the washed out area again. At this point Patty must have spent more time at the aid station because we weren't leap frogging anymore. I was probably just a little behind pace for my sub-4:00 time when I left the aid station. Considering how I was feeling I let that goal slip and concentrated on keeping as cool as I could, not getting overheated on the climbs, and making steady forward progress. The next climb, only one more after that, was about 400 ft and they were getting harder. The marathon runners were passing me now as well. Even with moderating my effort I was maintaining a reasonable pace for running the trails with climbs, but my condition must have been deteriorating. Patty caught up to me and slowed to walk with me because she was concerned about how I looked. I didn't think I was that bad off but shortly after that I started getting light headed and sat down for a minute. That's when I left it all on the course. Everything I'd drank came up. I probably sat there for 5 minutes or more before feeling able to get up to continue. We knew the next aid station had to be pretty close. Once there she turned me over to their care, waited a few minutes to be sure I was okay, then left to finish her race. Radio and phone reception must have been really poor there. Despite repeated attempts it wasn't clear whether they ever did get through to the doctor. After waiting for 20 minutes of more during which I drank was I could, mainly Pepsi, and picked at food I thought would stay down, I decided I would continue on my own. After taking a DNF in my two previous trail race missing time cutoffs, I was not about to DNF again when I was only 5 km or so from the finish.

The last 5 km went slowly most of the time, besides it included the last 300 ft climb. I did have enough energy to run at a near normal pace but I was more concerned that running might make me nauseous again, so I didn't even attempt to stay with either of the two women who passed me in the last mile or so. I waited until I could hear and see the finish area through the trees before starting to run the final stretch to the finish. There were lots of cheers for each finisher, and people waiting for me to check me over and be sure I was okay. I thought I was fine then all of a sudden thought I might faint and sat down abruptly. After getting water to drink and resting briefly I moved to a chair in the shade. Getting some Pepsi, then food into me revived me considerably. I'm not sure how long I sat there but eventually felt well enough to walk around a little and was able to start grazing at the food table: apple pie, chips, more soda, etc. The race announcer also commented on my determination to finish despite being urged to get a ride back from the last aid station. I was given a mug in honor of the effort. I made sure he and the race director knew how much I appreciated all the help and how much I enjoyed the race despite the stomach issues. I also met Susanne at the finish, the lady who had given me the buff at the turn around. She insisted I keep it as a memento.

Wrapping things up I finished in 4:56:02 having lost over 30 minutes directly dealing with stomach issues, then proceeding much slower than planned to prevent a recurrence. I may not have run the sub-4:00 time I'd hoped for even without the stomach issues, but I handled the trails and hills as well as any race I've run. I barely avoided being DFL, but I wouldn't have been upset if I was. In a way I'm disappointed that I don't have any more scheduled for this year, but my remaining races are all fixed time events and the courses are tame in comparison.