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Squaw Peak 50 Trail Run

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Location:

Orem,UT,USA

Member Since:

Apr 03, 2006

Gender:

Male

Goal Type:

Age Division Winner

Running Accomplishments:

HS/COLLEGE:
mile: 4:56, 2 mile: 10:21 (1978)
marathon: 2:52 (St. George 1982)
OLD MAN (20+ years later):
5K: 19:53 (Nestle/Art City Days 5K 2007)
10K: 39:55 (Spectrum 10K 2008)
half marathon: 1:26 (Hobble Creek 2008)
marathon: 3:07 (St. George 2007)

Short-Term Running Goals:

Get back to a BQ marathon time (currently 3:40).

Long-Term Running Goals:

Have fun running, keep fit, and fight middle age spread. Run consistently and injury free. Maintain a healthy balance between running and other life priorities. Encourage my ever-aging running buddies to keep running so we can continue to share runs on the trail instead of rocking chairs.

Personal:

Blessed to be married to Karen for 30 years. We have six children (4 daughters/2 sons) ages 16 to 30, and one wonderful granddaughter.

Favorite Blogs:

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Miles:This week: 0.00 Month: 0.00 Year: 0.00
Altra Instinct 1.5 Lifetime Miles: 83.50
Altra Lone Peak 1.5 Lifetime Miles: 21.80
Saucony Guide 7 Blue 2 Lifetime Miles: 376.95
Saucony Fastwitch 6 Lifetime Miles: 200.05
Saucony Guide 7 Black 1 Lifetime Miles: 271.15
Race: Squaw Peak 50 Trail Run (50 Miles) 15:19:01, Place overall: 167
Easy MilesThreshold MilesMarathon Pace MilesTrack speed mileageHill mileageTotal
0.000.000.000.0050.0050.00

 

Overall 167th of 219 finishers (20 DNF)

Male 50-59: 22nd of 29 finishers

Race Results:

http://racecontrol.kd7bbc.org/event/lookup?evt=b18eef84-7072-11df-8a3b-001ec21c888f

Course Map & Profile

http://www.squawpeak50.com/sqpkcrse.htm

I don't have time for a full race report now, maybe later today. In short, this race pushed me beyond any mental and physical limits I've ever approached before. My previous longest distance run was 26.2 miles. It's now nearly twice that at 50 miles, with many very steep miles and treacherous footing (snow, mud, rocks). My previous longest duration run was 7 hours (just last week). It's now more than double that at 15 hours and 19 minutes. I fought through heat, humidity, knee pain, hip pain, PF pain, a rolled ankle, 4 falls, chafing, blisters, and calf and thigh cramping. Still, I was able to run the downhill miles clear to the end. I finished hours slower than I hoped, but I finished. A number of times when other runners asked how I was doing, my answer was "I'm enduring." There is much to be said for enduring, and I feel very good about my efforts and the results.

Below are more details than anyone but my future self might care about, but feel free to read on if you wish:

Several years ago the notion entered my mind to run a 50 miler when I turned 50. With the Squaw Peak 50 Trail Run in my own backyard, I never considered any other race, despite it being described as the 3rd toughest 50 miler in the country.

Last year, at 49 with 50 just around the corner, I seriously questioned whether I would be able to dedicate the time to training that would be necessary. A conversation with Rich Lamoreaux, who had completed the SP50 multiple times, convinced me I could complete it with just slightly more training than normal marathon training. I recommitted and submitted my registration in December. I made it on the waiting list, and eventually into the race.

Training history since the St. George Marathon last fall:
History: My left leg is 1+ inch shorter than right due to knee injury at age 14.
I have a "bad" left knee, that acts up occasionally.
Oct 2009: Bad right hip pain up to and during SGM.
Orthopedic surgeon recommended larger lift for short leg.
I started wearing 3/4" in-shoe lifts.
Nov 2009: 30+ miles/week
Dec 2009: 40+ miles/week (except holidays)
Jan 2010: 40+ miles/week (until PF injury on MLK day)
Feb 2010: 30-ish miles/week for a few weeks
Late Feb, early Mar: 3 weeks of 20 miles or less trying to heal PF
PF wasn't getting better so I decided to push the mileage again.
PF wasn't getting worse, so I increased the mileage.
mid Mar to mid May: Gradually increased from 30 to 50+ miles/week, with 7 straight weeks of 40+
Taper - three weeks: 35, 32, 15

I ran the Painter's half marathon in January and the Spectrum 10K in March to get into the SGM via the Runner Series. Other than that, I did very little to no speed running as I tried to get miles in without aggravating the PF. I finally went to a podiatrist for the first time in my life, and he prescribed orthotics. The PF had already improved quite a bit before I got them, so the jury is still out on whether the orthotics have helped much.

(For all you barefoot running proponents out there, I've read Born to Run and understand the potential benefits.)

On race day, I had a little knee pain, hip pain, and PF pain, but none were bad enough to cause me serious concern. I tried some KT tape on my bad knee as a precaution, but ended up pulling it off early in the race.

I drove my buddy Larry up for the early 4:00am start for those expecting to take 16 hours or longer. His training had been considerably less than mine. I was hoping for closer to a 12 hour finish so I started at 5:00am. I ended up catching Larry at about mile 12. He ended up missing the cutoff at AS #8 by about 5 minutes and wasn't allowed to finish. Mostly he was very disappointed, but he did admit that part of him was very glad to be done.

Some of the runners I knew who also ran were Joe Martel (12:17), Rich (11:41) & Marci (11:12) Lamoreaux, Paul Nielsen (14:11), and Steve Earl (14:11). I never saw Joe, Rich or Marci during the run, but ran the first part of the race with Paul and Steve.

Aid Station
Distance
Est.
Actual
Diff.
Time in Aid Stations
Comments
Start - Vivian Park


5:00



#2 Hope Campground
5.58 mi
6:28
6:14
-0:14
0:02 Tighten left shoe, water, pancakes
Dark, head lamp, ran with Paul Nielsen and Steve Earl up the trail. Warm, humid, began to drink to stay hydrated. At aid station, tightened my left shoe, drank water, grabbed couple of pancakes (Scouts cook breakfast here), and we headed out. I had a short double back to drop off my headlamp.
#3 Rock Canyon
10.85 mi
8:00
7:24
-0:36
0:01 Water, fruit
I ran with Paul and Steve until I caught up to Larry then I went with Larry for a while. I eventually left Larry and caught back up to Paul and Steve. There were stretches of snow and mud.
#4 Horse Mountain
14.62 mi
9:30
8:44
-0:46
0:05 Socks, water, filled water, chips
My feet were pretty wet so I changed my socks as planned to help prevent blisters. Paul and Steve went on ahead and I never saw them again. The climb ended at about 8000' and the descent back down to 5000' began. Going through an uneven meadow I rolled my right ankle. It scared me at first but it didn't take too long to walk it off then start running again. I decided to take some pain killers but couldn't find them. I still don't know what happened to them.
#5 Gate@Dirt Road
20.8 mi
10:24
10:04
-0:20
0:01 Water, snacks
The descent continued. As I recall, we had run in shadows and cloud cover most of the way thus far and on this section we started getting more sun and heat. The thermometer at the aid station read 72 degrees.
#6 Left Fork/HC Gate
26.5 mi
11:24
11:26
+0:02
0:10 Socks, water, filled water, snacks
I had heard runners didn't like the asphalt along this stretch. I concur. I seem to get blisters on the balls of my feet when running on hot asphalt. After a mile or so of asphalt I started getting that familiar feeling. By the time I reached the aid station I had a blister on the ball of my left foot, and another smaller one on the left side of my left heel. I would feel them the rest of the way, but they were manageable. I changed socks again at the aid station and reapplied Body Glide to my feet. I should have reapplied it between my legs, as I ended up with chafing there later in the run (especially painful in the post-run shower).
#7 Sheep Canyon
30 mi
12:20
12:31
+0:11
0:02 Water, snacks
It was good to be back on a dirt road, but the incline gradually got steeper. I continued to walk the uphill and run the flats and downhills. It was kind of fascinating to me how my body seemed to know when to run and when to walk. It wouldn't allow me to walk downhills, and as soon as an uphill began I instinctively began to walk. I credit this inner ballast with getting me to the finish line.
#8 Little Valley
33.5 mi
13:09
13:44
+0:25
0:07 Socks, water, filled water, snacks
I reached Little Valley roughly on schedule, except that I neglected to include time at aid stations in my schedule. A volunteer refilled my water while I once again changed socks and reapplied Body Glide to my feet. My PF, blister, ankle, knee, chafing, and hip pain were present, but under control. I picked up a package of Enlyten electrolyte strips before I headed out.
#9 Windy Pass
40.5 mi
15:19
17:38
+2:19
0:17 Socks, water, filled water, snacks, calf/thigh cramps, electrolyte tablet
I had been wondering ever since I ran from AS#8 to AS#10 with the race director John Bozung and others last week to help clear/mark the trail what it would feel like doing that same section of the course after having run 33 miles. Earlier, along the asphalt road, I had discussed this with another runner who had done the course before. He said it would feel about like I thought it was going to feel like. I knew he was right, but the steep climb to Windy Pass was far more difficult than I envisioned. I swear the mountain got longer and steeper during the week. Climbing the three steep ridges nearly straight up took all the mental and physical stamina I could muster. With the exertion and the thin air it seem like I was taking 2 or 3 breaths for each small step. I just tried to keep moving, stopping only a few times to take pictures. My relief at the summit was premature, as the steep, rocky descent down to the Windy Pass aid station seemed even more difficult than the climb. I underestimated the effort for this climb by about 2 hours. It reminded me of the Ragnar leg of the Ragnar Relay, except I was doing it after running about 40 miles. I found a chair at the aid station. The volunteers were awesome as they filled my water and brought me snacks. I had put the double layered socks they gave us in our race packets in my vest and decided to put them on for the 10 miles of descent remaining. As I bent each leg to put my shoe back on it would cramp severely. One of my thighs even joined the fun. I used most of the Enlyten strips along the way, and my eGels have electrolytes in them, but apparently I was running low. A volunteer dissolved an electrolyte tablet in some water, and I took another eGel. During the remainder of the run I had a couple of minor cramps when I stepped wrong, but they weren't a problem.
#10 Big Springs
46.5 mi
16:17
19:27
+2:50
0:01 Water, snacks
I had been looking forward to the downhill, but the first few miles weren't so much fun. There was mud, snow, and rocks with some scary slopes mixed in. I fell on my backside three times in the slushy snow. One of the times was especially hard as my feet flew up and I landed flat on my back. This must have been when my eGel packet exploded, but I didn't notice until later when I felt the stickiness drip down onto the back of my left knee. When I sat down at a picnic table after the race, I almost didn't get my shorts unstuck. As the snow transitioned to mud, I at first tried to avoid the mud but eventually just ran through it, only avoiding the deepest muck. I met and ran with Dave along the first part of this section, then transitioned to run with another runner for a while down the gentle descent nearer the end. Ever since falling behind Paul and Steve I had mostly run alone. It was nice having some company. He stopped for a nature call and I proceed alone to the aid station at Big Springs. I called Karen as I was approaching to tell her I was only a few miles from the end.
Finish - Vivian Park
50 mi
16:47
20:19
+3:32
Total: 0:46
The last 3.5 miles of downhill sure seemed to have a lot of uphill. I ran the downhills, but still ended up walking a lot. I've run this section of road many times. I never dreamed it would take me as long as it did. I saw a moose and a skunk along this stretch, to go along with the two sets of two deer and the squirrel I had seen earlier. South Fork park was full of people who all seemed to be having a great time. The canyon was cool and beautiful as the sun was beginning to go down. It was great to see Karen, Brittany and Emily cheering me to the finish, along with Larry and Jolene. I felt badly for making them wait for me so long, but it felt might good to be finished.

I started at 5:00am and finished at 8:19pm. My official finish time was 15:19:01 (18:23/mi), way slower than the entirely too optimistic estimate of 11:47 (14:08/mi). I had totally ignored the time in aid stations, which ended up being 46 min for me. I also severely underestimated the last three sections planning for 20:00/mi, 9:00/mi and 8:30/mi with the actual paces being 33:26/mi, 18:10/mi, and 14:51/mi. What was I thinking?! I'm not even sure I could hit those paces fresh with good trails, especially not 20:00/mi for those steep climbs.

My legs recovered pretty quickly. My feet feel beat up. When I got home I had the shakes and had a hard time not shivering. I couldn't bring myself to get into a cold tub, but did soak my feet for a few minutes. In the shower I felt nauseated if the water was warm and shivered uncontrollably if the water was cool. I eventually got clean enough to be able to rest on the bed and eat a little. I was still shivering. I finally just crawled into the blankets and hoped to feel better in the morning.

I'm writing this on Sunday evening, the day after the race. I got up early this morning as usual (before 6:00am) for my meetings and was at the church from 7:00am to about 2:00pm. A few people who knew I'd run the SP50 were surprised to see my at church, but I felt pretty good. I'm actually considering running the Utah Valley Marathon on Saturday, but I'll wait and see.

Many (including my good wife Karen, and my own mother I think) have questioned my sanity for wanting to do something like this, and wonder why I would do such a thing. For me, it's the thrill of adventure; the satisfaction of pushing my limits and discovering that I'm capable of far more than I first supposed. Running marathons as a young single adult taught me lessons of preparation, faith and endurance that have benefited me beyond measure during my life. I've now stepped that confidence up a notch as I've faced and overcome the greatest mental and physical test I've had to date. For me, it's spiritual. I've seen, felt and experienced things I could do in no other way.

If you think people are nuts for wanting to run a 50 miler, don't run one. If you've run a few marathons and are thinking you might like to give an ultramarathon a try, I strongly encourage it. I have no regrets.

Saucony Guide TR 2 Miles: 50.00
Comments
From Oreo on Sun, Jun 06, 2010 at 12:52:47 from 174.27.150.29

Great job. That is not an easy course! Sounds like you endured well. How'd you like those climbs..."pain is temporary glory is forever"... Way to stick it out...

From crockett on Sun, Jun 06, 2010 at 16:19:33 from 71.36.86.21

Congratulation on your first 50. As a fellow old dude, I can promise you if you stick with it you will get faster and faster at this distance. For my first 50, I finished in deal last. I still enjoy looking at those results.

From Bryce on Sun, Jun 06, 2010 at 17:33:01 from 174.52.190.220

Sounds like you finished strong! Nice job getting your first 50 done, and a very tough one at that. Impressive that it was double your previous long run! Well done

From Holt on Sun, Jun 06, 2010 at 20:55:42 from 75.169.90.161

Good job on your first 50 - such a tough mental and physical experience!

From Kerry on Mon, Jun 07, 2010 at 10:28:11 from 71.37.93.65

Wow, Paul! What an amazing experience. I was thinking all day Saturday what you must be going through, but it really sounds like one of those things you really can't appreciate unless you do it. Congratulations on enduring and finishing!

From Tom on Mon, Jun 07, 2010 at 13:21:09 from 67.199.180.90

Wow what a great adventure to add to the list of memorable races! Thanks for sharing the details, I think I'll read this a few more times in the coming years as I approach 50 and consider becoming less sane and doing the same thing.

BTW I personally think you should take the week off and maybe enjoy spectating at UVM.

From TBean on Mon, Jun 07, 2010 at 16:01:16 from 134.24.147.249

Awesome & Inspiring!!!! Thanks for sharing the details. I want to be like you when I turn 50.

From Tom on Mon, Jun 07, 2010 at 16:04:39 from 67.199.180.90

OK Terry let's do this when we're 50! Sound like a deal?

By then Paul will have done a dozen of these so he'll be able to give us expert training advice.

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