I cannot think of a better place to run my 10th ever 50k than in Tahoe. This race had it all and then some. Warning, I took a lot of photos. 🙂
I signed up to run the Big Chief 50k early on in the year with the intention of using it as a training run. I made plans with some friends in Tahoe to crash at their house the night before as I wanted to run this solo. I did not want the family hanging out at the finish line because I wanted to feel as if I had zero support and zero pressure. I wanted to just run it and let the day unfold and battle whatever demons came up … and some did indeed show up but I was ready.
The weekend started with a serious heat wave. Saturday before the race was spent at the kids swim meet. I did my best to hydrate all day and get out of the sun when I could.
After the swim meet I had to unpack from the meet, shuttle one of my kids to a party, continue to pack for the race and I also made some mashed potatoes to bring with me as fuel. It was a busy day.
This was the race for experimentation. As it turns out, mashed potatoes, while great in theory, did not taste so great at mile 22 on a million degree day. Live and learn.
I arrived at my friend’s house Saturday evening. We had dinner, caught up and relaxed. I also got some doggie loving in from their two sweet dogs. It was just what I needed the night before a race.
I slept incredibly well and was able to do my usual morning routine. I arrived at the race start as soon as packet pick up opened. It was a beautiful and cool morning.
In the parking lot on the way to packet pickup, I ran into an old friend, Captain Kirk! Captain Kirk manages the Fleet Feet Folsom store (my local store) and he also was one of my coaches who back in 2010 helped me run my first ever Way Too Cool 50K and American River 50 Miler! So he’s to blame for for all my crazy running. 🙂 Kidding.
This was the inaugural race so everything seemed very low key. There were not a ton of entrants. Really, it was the perfect amount. The race starting area was quiet but full of smiles as it was a beautiful morning.
After a quick race briefing, we were off! The race starts up hill to get you out of the ski lodge area. At first it seemed like everyone took off like they stole something but maybe that was my perception because my lungs felt like I had left them back home in EDH.
I had some flashbacks of my Broken Arrow start where I thought I might die but eventually the trail spreads out and some people started to power hike. I knew it was going to be a long day, so I joined them and tried to get my breathing to settle down.
The trail soon turns onto the most beautiful single track and it was like we stepped into the mecca of Tahoe trails.
Soon enough I caught up to Captain Kirk and we ran a few miles together just chatting away. At one point he turned to me and said, “Um, that was a 7:55 mile. We should probably slow down.” It honestly did not feel like we were going that fast at all, it was a slight down hill too but when I looked back at my splits, I had about 3 fast(ish) miles right about then. Oops!
It was around mile 8.5 or so that my stomach really started to bug me. Without too many details, I had to stop, lady-problems abound and that would set the tone for the start of my race.
Jumping off the trail to take care of business always bugs me. All the runners I had passed earlier, I saw running right by me while I was off in the distance dealing with myself. Still, it needed to be done and is a fact of ultra-running.
The trails seriously could not get any better. Every turn introduced you to an awesome trail or a great view. Despite the lady-cramping that had started to pummel my body and the still present stomach troubles, I was truly enjoying myself.
Finally at mile 12, I had to stop yet again. Completely frustrated at this point but I was hopeful this would be the last stop, and it was but once again, it plays a cruel mental game in your head when you have to stop and deal with things like this that come up.
But how could I be mad when I had views like this all around me? The view of Lake Tahoe from this trail was spectacular.
I figured if my day was going to go to hell in a hand basket, I might as well have some beautiful photos for the blog! 🙂
Basically, from miles 12 to 16, I hiked a lot. My body just did not want to run even though the trails were very run-able. Between the stomach, cramping and just feeling depleted, I was just putting one foot in front of the other the best that I could. The day was quickly warming up too.
Finally, I came to the third aid-station shortly after mile 16. I decided that I need to figure my $hit out and quick. Luckily this aid-station had some ice so I grabbed some and shoved it down my sports bra, and put the rest in a bandanna around my neck. I took my extra soft flask and filled it with water to hose myself down.
As part of our race packet, we received two Gu gels. I am not a gels kind of person but at this point, 16 miles into a 31 mile race, I was having a hard time getting in calories. I downed the gel and you know what, it wasn’t that bad and brought some pep into my step! I started kicking myself that I left the second gel back in the car.
My stomach woes finally subsided and my body overall was starting to feel better. I was happy that I had mitigated whatever problems I had previously. From that point on, I was able to run and hike. It was about 86 degrees out, which for the Tahoe area, is pretty freaking hot.
Some of the trails were like the above photo, fully exposed fire roads. Still beautiful but definitely brutal in the heat of the day. Here I was able to catch up to and pass a few runners but running on flats like this, is not my strong suit.
The next aid-station was around mile 22 or so and I could not wait to get there. Luckily they had ice as well so I continued my ice in the sports bra and bandanna around my neck and nibbled on whatever I could find in my pack method. Nibbling was key.
It was at this aid-station that I had finally caught up to a girl I’d been at first yo yo’ing with on the trails but who then passed me during one of my many bathroom pit stops. She looked up at me and said, “You look familiar.” She was wearing the 2019 Canyons hat and I said, “I think I was running near you at Canyons this year.” and she goes, “Yea! Your legs looked familiar!” 🙂
As we started down the trail she said, “Welcome to Saw Tooth!” I asked her if that was what the trail was called and she said, yes. She’d been out there the weekend prior running it in preparation for today’s race. It’s a gnarly section definitely designed for a mountain biker. The rocks are jagged and plentiful. It was gorgeous, but pretty technical to run on but also so incredibly fun!
Her pre race practice paid off as she took off down those trails! I lost sight of her as I was focusing on not falling on my face as well as letting mountain bikers pass. The trails were still open to them but they were super friendly and encouraging.
After Saw Tooth we were on a trail called, Two Beavers and a Bear. 🙂 Just the name made me smile but the trails themselves were pretty amazing.
I caught up to the Canyons girl here too along with a guy who was adamant that we were lost. He had turned himself around and was insistent that we had already run this section. Canyons girl assured him that we had not and I told him that I trusted her because she lives near here and was running out here just last weekend. I also really wanted to tell the guy to just take a gel or something. I think he might have been bonking a little from the heat. 🙂
I honestly do not know how that guy could truly think he was lost because this course was SO well marked. I never doubted where I was for a moment and we made tons of turns. I give major kudos to the Race Director and volunteers for Big Blue Adventure, they did a stellar job marking this crazy course.
Even though I was feeling better and running more, I couldn’t stop taking photos. We came across so many neat trails. From soft dirt, to technical rocks to cool little bridges like the above photo!
There was also some fun trail art! You could not help but smile if you were really looking around and taking this all in. These trails are incredible.
Even though I was feeling better and running more, my calorie intake was probably not where it should have been. I dug out an old gel that I had in my pack, not the same as the one prior (I always carry a safety) and I tried to get it down but the texture was pretty nasty. Just then I tripped over a rock and the gel packet went flying into a mud puddle. “Guess there goes that,” I said out loud … just as a mountain biker had approached, “Are you okay?” I had only partially fallen, not a true fall and I was fine but I am sure she must have thought I was a nutso talking to myself in the woods. 🙂
I was starting to smell the barn and I was also counting down the miles to the final aid-station as my bandanna was dry but luckily I still had my hosing water bottle.
Finally I reached mile 27 and the aid-station. He was out of ice but he had water so I refilled my hosing water bottle and continued on my way. He warned us that the next few miles were a slow up hill and then it would be down hill.
What he didn’t share was that the next 2.5 miles were on this fully exposed hot fire road. Ouch. Uphill in the sun is one gnarly way to head to the finish line but I just kept power hiking and moving. No stopping now! I was on a mission.
With that hot exposed fire road though, you’re still greeted with some really pretty views. This race just never stopped with its beauty.
Finally I reached the section where the downhill began. I could not hear the finish but I could smell it and I could see some of the mountain bikers riding the downhill course which was located near the finish line.
I just turned on the jets and motored down the hill as fast as my legs would go. I was still in the dead sun but eventually I started running on the uphill that we had started the race on … which meant the finish line was near. My Garmin said I was doing this last mile to 2 mile section at around an 8:36 pace or so. I believe it. I could not wait to finish.
I crossed the finish line and Captain Kirk was there to greet me and give me a high-five. I told him that I finished way later than I had wanted or even expected to, and he said, “Because that was f*&^king hard!” That made me feel better. 🙂 I still think this race is very run-able but the heat, the stomach troubles and everything else that I battled with for 31 miles, I did what I could do and got it done.
I managed to grab 3rd place age group (it was a small race). Captain Kirk also got 3rd in his age group as well and his friend placed first! The finish area was full of smiles, beer and just good times.
I just sat on the grass for a bit, cheered those still finishing and enjoyed a grape popsicle. 🙂 It totally his the spot. I could have probably eaten the whole box.
Even though I did not finish in the time frame I was expecting to finish in, I am still quite happy with my race. I went into this race with zero expectations other than get the miles in and use this as a training run to experiment with some new fueling, run in the heat and I also ran with the new Topo Athletic Mountain Racers.
I think I handled my lows pretty well and did a good job at problem solving when I needed to. It might have taken longer than it should have to come to certain solutions, but now I have ideas on what I can use to address certain things that pop up.
Overall, I am in absolutely in love with this race and the race course. Vans already has decided that next year the whole family will go up and he can do the mountain bike race on Saturday while I run this again the next day. I am all for it because this race was beautiful through and through. 🙂
Happy Trails!
~Trailmomma
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