Race Report: Run With Scissors Double Marathon

Here are my stats per my Garmin 310xt:
10:32:57 total time (4:44 = 1st marathon, 5:48 = 2nd marathon), 12:05 min/mile
Elevation: 9,962’ (Ascent 4,999’, Descent 4,963’)
Rank: OA - 10th

Video of the Wetmore section: Mud

Video compilation from the race: RWS

Mud.

We started from the Ledges Shelter in CVNP on a chilly but clear day (10/30/11) in the park at 5am. From Outrun Mike Nicholson, Crystal & Chris Basich, & I were running the Double and Brian Pulling, Pam Rickard (Fellow RunWell Ambassador), Scott & Brie McGrew, Jack & Betty Sharpe, John Telich, Blondie Hinton, and Carol Krus ran the single. I saw a lot of familiar faces and it was great to see so many people getting out for the race.

Mud.

Wetmore Trail Section

About mile 13 on the Bills Badass Loop

Another runner somewhere about mile 45 with some chickens

Mike & 3 others took off early in the run and I thought I was maybe top 10 assuming that there were people up front that I had not seen. Somewhere around mile 10 or so, I came out to cross the road and a lady in a car yells “you’re going the wrong way!” and points me in the right direction. A moment later, I see the race leaders coming down the path….I join up with them (after technically being in the lead for about 20 seconds) until they start to pull away. I ran in 5^th place for the remainder of the loop, coming into the first marathon at 4:44 and for about another 5 miles I ran and talked with a strong runner, Jamie until he started to pick up the pace.
Mud.

It was a blast to see all the single marathoners coming out from the 8:00 start as the double marathoners were heading back from the first loop. I passed Pam, Brian, Scott, Brie, Jack, & a number of others on their way out. Everyone was muddy; we all had a good mud cake layer from the shoes to the knees. It was the mud that made the already difficult task of running 52.4miles even harder. I saw Vince Rucci flying up one of the steeper switchbacks and shortly after I see the chasing lead guys for the single. They were flying! I think the winning time on the single was 3:13 whereas the double was 9:15 (Steven Zeidner). I would have a hard time running 3:13 on roads, let alone those crazy hills & mud, very impressed.

Mud.

From roughly mile 31 to about 42 I did not see another person running behind me, did the Bills Badass loop and caught a glimpse of a runner about ½ mile chasing but in these races, the passing is often slow. About 2 miles later she passed looking strong. At the last aid station, I finally stopped and got a small cup of Coke as Rick Henderson caught up to me. Rick won the Men’s Masters USATF at BR100 this year so I was happy just to be at mile 50 before he caught me. He urged me to finish with him and although I resisted, not wanting to slow him down, I found another gear and we ran in strong. Two more guys came past us and looked so darn strong, we just let them go. I was happy just to have run well for so long. The mud really was taking its toll since you had to use a lot more of the stabilization muscles to stay upright. The hills were brutal and overall, it was a tough course. The last miles were nice knowing that you were close to the finish; we picked it up through the ledges and into the field for a final quarter mile. I looked at Rick and said “are we going to kick, or are we finishing together?” I am happy to say that in a race like this Rick & I finished together with smiles on our faces, doing the hetero-hand holding victory finish.

Mud.

So, after all this…I am looking back and asking if I think I gave it all I had. I think I gave most of what I had. I walked the hills that needed walking and didn’t allow myself to get into a pattern of letting the walk linger once I topped the hill. I ran solo for so long that I didn’t have anyone to chase, hence increasing my effort. Even when I wanted to walk because the legs wanted to slow it down or the feet were tired, I urged myself to keep moving forward, but not just moving forward at a snail’s pace….I tried to pick it up to play with the energy expenditure and how much the legs felt when I ran quicker vs. just trotting along. Keep in mind at the second loop, everything I was doing was essentially an ultra-trot for me, not some elite runner’s version. Just like anything else, it was a learning experience.

Mud.

Nutrition was really good. I was totally self-sustained with my Nathan 020 pack, 5 tabs of tropical fruit NUUN in 70oz of water, then two Hammer Perpeteum multi hour bottles, and about every hour I did 1 S-cap and 1 E-cap for good measure. I felt even overall and with the significantly decreased level of sugar in my system, it was such a relief to not have the highs & lows on the run. I didn’t have any gastro issues, cramps were kept at bay and I with the nuun every 5 mins or so for a light fruit flavor, I was able to tolerate the café latte flavor for the 10+ hours.

Mud.
Overall, a great race. Roy Heger and all the volunteers were great. Food was just what we needed after from Chef Bill.

Oh, and by the way… I will be representing RunWell at the Leadville 100 trail race in August, 2012. It’s going to be epic, brutal, and inspirational! We will be looking for 3-4 additional runners to join me at the event and the journey leading up to it.

If you know of anyone that might be interested, please check out the RunWell Event Calendar (Leadville to be posted soon) and contact me at: zsj@outrunohio.com