2019 Loopy Bunny 6-Hour

A Run in the Heat

What could possibly go wrong after having great running weather for most of June with below average temperatures? A 90F day when you're running a 6 hour race with no significant heat acclimation. That describes the Loopy Bunny race well. I had decided this would be a good race as a supported long run in my training for North Coast 24. It was described as a 4.5ish mile loop with "bunny" hills totaling 415 feet of gain per lap. I'll agree with the 'ish' of the 4.5 miles, but I was caught off balance with the hills. While not steep, the first half mile of the course was a long gradual rise which only presaged the big hill 1.2 miles into the loop. My Garmin course elevation graph indicates this one hill had about a 200 ft gain, not exactly what I had in mind when I read bunny hills. After running, or rather walking, that the first time, coupled with the heat, I quickly revised my estimate of what I planned for the day. Originally I had expected to run 5 loops for 22.5 miles, an average of 1:12 per lap. With temperatures climbing and facing that hill every 4.5 miles or so, that now seemed out of reach and it wasn't worth the effort and a potential disaster to even attempt to stretch for that. Besides I promised my doctor I wouldn't push so hard and end up in the ER again.

After a short segment in the woods, the course turned up a power line swath before turning back into the woods. We stayed on undulating single track before turning up the big hill. The course seemed to alternate from there between a wide crushed stone path and more single track, some of it along a creek side. While mostly shaded we did have a few short segments open to the sun, enough that I stopped after the first lap to grab my hat for sun protection. The first lap passed in 1:07:00, another strong indication that I should limit my goal to four laps maximum.

Not being in any real hurry, I spent almost 4 minutes at the aid station. I wanted to be sure I got enough to eat and drink, and replenish my water bottles since it would be about 75 minutes before I had another opportunity - quite different from D3 where I passed the aid station every quarter mile. As it turned out the second lap took me until 2:23:15. Given when I started that lap the actual run time was about 1:12:30. I had another long break including a trip to the pit toilets (they aren't as bad as that sounds) that lasted about 6 minutes. By the time I finished climbing the big hill on the third lap I was definitely feeling the effects of both the mileage and the heat. I walked a great deal of the rest of the lap. It was 3:53:31 when I finished it, so about 1:24:15 running from the time I began the lap after the aid station break. While at the aid station I talked with a couple of my friends who were also running and they advised me that if I was having doubts about whether to run another lap, I probably shouldn't. I decided that was good advice, so I continued to eat and drink, and even found a place where I could sit for a while.

After relaxing for about 20 minutes or so I was feeling a lot better and was reconsidering running another lap. The main factor preventing me from starting was that I had run out of water well before the end of the last lap and finished the last mile plus with nothing to drink. So I had the bright idea to ask if the aid station had any empty small soda bottles I could use. They were able to find one for me which added an additional 16 ounces of water I could carry. I thought that was enough to get me through another lap and I had more than enough time, 1:46 left before the end of 6 hours, so I took off. I was really amazed at how much I had recovered and revived during my break. I was able to get in some good running downhill and on the flatter parts of the trail. I was assuming that my pace would get me to the finish at about 5:35, but as I neared landmarks indicating I was close to finishing I realized I had a chance to end the lap under 5:30. All it took was a quick run down the short wooded trail at the end. Official results had me completing my fourth lap at 5:29:58 or about 1:16 from the start of the lap.

The heat took its toll on a lot of the runners. I was surprised when official results were posted that my 18 miles earned me 44th of 71 runners in the 6 hour race. I was also the oldest in the race by 9 years. Overall it was a great success. I felt I managed the heat well and was sensible in my efforts. Given that North Coast 24 can be hot, I've scheduled two more 6 hour races and a 50K in the next two months to help with getting in the long runs and getting more experience coping with the heat under race conditions.