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Notices tagged with trailrunning
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finished the #InsideTrail Woodside Ramble 35k #trailRace in 7:42:58!
21+ miles for the 21st. Happy Winter Solstice!
One last dance for 2024. Drove down 101 and saw the orange sunrise between the East Bay mountains and stormy cloud cover. Made it to Huddart Park, parked, got my bib, pinned it to to my shorts, left my drop bag on a picnic table, and lined up to start just in time.
It was overcast and as we made our way up the hill, the drizzle then rain and wind began. The deep forest protected us from most of it.
The recent storms had downed a large tree which blocked part of the original course. The organizers had to re-route the 35k course (and the 55k) into a series of loops. This was my first 3 loops race!
It was harder than expected (the course changes added lots more vert) but I finished healthy, no pain, no soreness, so I'll take it, along with my second DLF trophy. I’m starting a collection.
Started the year with a rainy 30k race (Redtail Ridge¹), finished the year with a rainy 35k (with ~60% more vert! nearly 4400'). Seven races in 2024 ✅ Good notes to end on for this year’s trail racing season.
#35k #WoodsideRamble #Ramble24 #trailRun #trailRunner #runner #trailRunning #running
¹ https://tantek.com/2024/051/t1/finished-redtail-ridge-30k
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This past Saturday: finished the #InsideTrail Redtail Ridge 30k #trailRace in 6:00:59.
A few notes:
This was my first trail race of 2024, and first in over 6 months, since last year’s Marin Ultra Challenge 50k and Broken Arrow 23k races in June¹. Saw pal Henri after changing into my trail shoes in the Lake Chabot Regional Park parking lot. The storms had scared many away, less than 100 showed up to the combined 30k & 50k start.
The muddy rainy adventure began when we veered off the initial paved trail around the lake and onto a rocky uphill stretch. It was mostly an out-and-back course, with a bit of a loop in the middle. On the second half of that loop there was one fork in the trail without race markings. After spending minutes taking a peek down both options, I guessed right. About a half mile later a wooden trail post validated my choice.
I kept a sustainable run/hike pace, with some sliding in the mud, stepping around many ruts and puddles of unknown depths. Slower finish than 5 years ago², yet this time with a negative split, and earned my first DLF award!
#30k #RedtailRidge #trailRun #trailRunner #runner #trailRunning #running #2024_048
¹ https://tantek.com/2023/178/t1/june-trailrunner-ultrarunner
² https://tantek.com/2019/048/t1/finshed-chabot-redtailridge-30k-pr
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10w ago: 9:29:05 50k PR, hot #trailRace @ScenaPerform #Skyline50k
Thanks @bryanting @aeables @dtran320 @vivekgowri pics&support, @corrinemalcolm training me back to an ultra start+finish 3y after #ECSCA.
#run #trailRun #trailRunning #ultraRunning #trailRunner #ultraRunner #50k #50kTrailRace #50kFinish #50kFinisher #ultraMarathon #2022_219 #20220807 #WorkHardDreamBigDoCoolShit #latergram #nofilter
This was my second ultra race finish, and sixth ultra-distance run. Since last year’s Rodeo Valley 30k (https://tantek.com/t5E81), I signed-up for seven races, started six, and finished five (including this one). I’m behind on a year of race posting so for now here’s a mini-report and story of a 50k in 10 photos.
Mini race-report: decent fueling, very good hydration, hottest race I’ve ever run, first time using ice in a neck buff & under my cap, left knee-pain (IT band) struggle in the last 7-8mi, had to fast-walk the last 4mi. Thankful for Vivek Gowri crewing me at the Skyline Gate aid station (17.2mi) making sure I had/got what I needed (no sunburns!), Amanda’s so thoughtful mini cheer sign (📷5) she snuck into my dropbag, and the two of them plus David Tran for running me in the last mile-ish which helped push me to a sub-9h30m time. Thanks also to Bryan Ting for both recommending this race to me and being at so many spots on the course to take race photos. Seeing friends along the way turned a hot & hard race into a fun time.
Photos in time order:
📷2: There’s a certain calm in the ritual of arranging all your race gear & fuel the night before. This was my second race where I packed a drop bag, with extra water & gels I might need if temperatures rose higher, or I took longer than expected. Having trained with nearly everything in that pile at some point, and run the course trails over a couple of days a few weeks beforehand, I went to bed knowing I was prepared.
📷3 by Bryan: Knowing I’d be close to the course limit, I opted for the early start option, an hour before the normal start, just ineligible for any competitive medals. It was dark when we arrived, but you can see how much it lightened up (even with cloud cover) for the 6am early start.
📷1 by Bryan: I kept a steady pace up to the second aid station, stopping only briefly at mile 4 to use the bathroom at the golf course next to the first aid station which wasn’t set up yet. Right before the second aid station, Bryan Ting was camped out taking race photos, and captured me focused on my run.
📷5: From there on it was steady work making it up and down various trails as it warmed up in the first half of the race. Made it up to the Skyline Gate station where Vivek was waiting with my drop bag, and handed me a surprise race sign card that Amanda had made for me.
📷6 by Vivek: It was 85F+ at Skyline Gate, so I sat for a few minutes and took time to calmly hydrate some more. I grabbed a couple of spare gels from my drop bag, and after Vivek helped me re-apply sunscreen, I stood for a moment before jumping back on the trails.
📷7 by Bryan: The push up to the last aid station was a tough hike in the open sun. I saw Bryan again taking photos and focused on a steady run-shuffle up the trail.
📷8 by Vivek: Vivek, David Tran, and Amanda found me on the paved path around Lake Chabot with ~1.5mi to go and captured my determined struggle. Plenty of energy left, I was more annoyed by the pace-limiting knee-pain that started in mile 25 and became too painful to run at mile 28. They chatted with me to keep me distrated, and told me I looked good (amazing how much that helps). I kept a steady fast-walk, gently run-shuffling on the rolling downhills as pictured.
📷9 by David Tran: Running ahead, David took photos & video of me. With the finish area in sight, I swung my arms and pushed past the knee-pain into a run, first on the remaining asphalt then across the lawn through the orange cones toward the finish.
📷4 by Bryan: Stopping my watch as I lept over the finish line, eyes on the finisher’s medal offered by a volunteer. Happiness and relief as I completed my first ultramarathon race since 2019.
📷10 by Bryan: @ScenaPerform’s Skyline 50k brought friends & community together like no other race since @TheNorthFaceECS races. A bunch of us 50k finishers recalled our adventures during the race while rehydrating & snacking on Impossible burgers at the finish area picnic. Bryan saw us gathered and we lined up for a group photo which perfectly captured the moment.
I’ll be back to run this race again.
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⛰🏃🏻♂️ This is it. #50ktraining & waiting just under a year for tomorrow’s 2nd chance @thenorthfaceECS #ECSCA 50k #trailrace. Good luck to everyone #trailrunning #TNFECS 50mi 50k marathon & relay!
Canceled last year due to smoke, I ran the course a week later (https://tantek.com/t4xf1 after rains cleaned the air) unsupported and it was the hardest thing I’d ever done.
Fitter & a bit lighter this year, I feel trained, though not as much as I’d like to be (September & October travel made it tough). Yet I know these trails, and I know my body. The air is clean this year, and the weather is looking good.
I’m focusing on finishing healthy in the course time limit to make it official. Going for smoothness over speed. Looking forward to starting with so many friends from near & far and seeing even more at Crissy field.
#ultra #ultramarathon #runner #running #workharddreambigdocoolshit #instarunner #trailrunner #ultrarunner #grassrootsgear #novemberproject #NPSF #letsdothis #nofilter
Previoulsy: my most recent (22 mile) long run: https://tantek.com/2019/307/t1/sunbeams-glitter-fern-creek-footbridge
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Tam summit (#4) this morning. Chased @BryanTing once again to an uphill PR (sub-90min!), just made the 7:22 sunrise and sat on the rocks(1). Clear skies(2) from the start, faint streaks of orange before sunrise(3). Clear gradients 11 minutes before(4) sunrise, a leading orange glow 7 minutes before(5). Finally, sunrise from the door of the hut at the top(6), and a view from the rocks of the green hills below(7).
8.5 miles before 9 (2500+' climbed). Midweek #ECSCA #50ktraining session done.
#mounttamalpais #mounttam #mttam #summit #run #trailrun #runner #trailrunners #trailrunning #powerhike #searchforvert #teamextravert #runners #tamsummit #riseandrun #sendit #optoutside #getoutside #neverstopexploring #weatherproof #sunrise #wakeupthesun #npsf #fromwhereirun #runwild #marin #latergram #nofilter
Previously: tantek.com/2018/280/t1/tam-summit-3
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Beautiful day at #SFRC this past Saturday. Practiced a few #ECSCA 50k trails: Fox, Coastal Fire, Marincello, Bobcat.
1. Up Fox taking in a westward view
2. Down Coastal Fire Road looking south, a low hanging cloud with a surreal reflection on the ocean
3. Muir Beach
4. Touching the surf
5. A furry caterpillar seen going back up Coastal Fire Road
6. Top of Fox trail before sprinting down to Tennessee Valley
7. Up Marincello looking East
8. Down Bobcat toward Alta (saw a baby snake!) with glimpses of downtown San Francisco, the Golden Gate Bridge, and Sutro tower on the distant horizon.
~14.3 miles, 2900'+. Legs felt pretty good despite climbing 1000'+ at #NPSF Friday hills the day before. Finally broke 100+ miles in the past 30 days. Six weeks til my first 50k.
#run #trailrun #runner #trailrunners #trailrunning #powerhike #searchforvert #teamextravert #runners #optoutside #getoutside #neverstopexploring #tnfecs #npsf #fromwhereirun #runwild #marin #marinheadlands #latergram #nofilter #2018_279
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