Rambling in Woodside CA, Inside Trail 35K

Always an OUTSTANDING RUN!

My company is based in San Jose, which offers me the opportunity to visit the Bay area several times a year. One of my favorite places to run are the mountain trails in Woodside CA, starting from Huddard Park. Two years ago I ran my first 50K there, and since then, these trails have a special place in my running heart. The combination of mountain trails, big climbs, single track through 75' trees and playing hide and seek with the sun, makes for a transcending running experience.

The course is very popular with locals and several different racing organizations each hold multiple runs at Woodside each year, providing 6 or 7 chances to run a 35K or 50K. Having to spend a week in San Jose for work, I was able to arrange to stay through the weekend to run Inside Trail Racing's December race, which offered a 50K, 35K, 1/2 marathon and 10K. I registered for the 50K, knowing I wasn't trained for that distance. All week I could hardly wait for Sunday to come and get out on the trails.  A nagging, dull pain on the inside of my knee convinced me to drop down to the 35K and take it easy.

Waiting for the start in the morning sun

It had been cold (for the Bay area) all week, with temps swinging from the low 30s to 60s. Race morning brought sun and low 40s. Being used to the east coast temps, this felt perfect. RD Tim Stahler provided a few announcements, then kicked off the 35K & 50K races.

RD Tim gets us ready.

The start is in a field in Huddart Pk, with about 100 yrs to enter the trails.

We're off

Head for the trails

The first half mile is down hill, then starts a 1500 ft climb over the next 4 mi, all on trails within a beautiful forest. I previously found that pushing hard on this climb will come back to get you in the second half, so I ran easy, throwing in some brief walking breaks, enjoying the woods.

I decided to try taking some pics as I ran, not realizing my camera was in the wrong mode for capturing motion shots. This only exacerbated my poor photog skills. Some interesting shots did appear to highlight the wooded track.

. . .  and everything started spinning 

With the right 3D glasses, this one may come to life

Eat'n up the single track thru the woods

Sun lapping thru the trees

After the climb there is some up and downs for a bit, as the course turns along Skyline Drive and soon appears the first aid station (Dunlap AS) at mile 6.5











You never know who you will meet on the trail. Scott Dunlap (Inside Trail team runner) and his daughter were out taking some pics just before AS1. Check out their shots at Scott's blog http://www.atrailrunnersblog.com/2013/12/scenes-from-woodside-ramble-50k-photos.html

Scott and photog protege

The AS volunteers were fantastic, ready to help feed or load your bottle.

Thanks for the help and smiles . . .

. . . and the trail grub!!!

Then we head onto Skyline trail, with 5 mi of constant ups and downs towards the the 2nd AS, at Bear Gulch.

Sunny glow on Skyline trail

Miles of this 

with some of this

and a bit of that.

Skyline held some interesting natural items.

Glad I brought my light saber. 

A back scratch for bears?

Made it to the Bear Gulch AS, nice and easy.

Thank you. Thank You VERY MUCH!!!

After the aid station, the 50K takes a 9 mile loop, through Wunderlich Park. The 35K turns around at the AS and misses out on the huge downhill and climb back.  (During my first 50K, I hammered the downhill into Wunderlich only to have my quads give out at mile 17; nubee trail runner mistake.) Shortly after leaving the AS, I was fiddling with my camera as I ran. Starting to think "shouldn't be doing this", a momentary premonition, as I took a spill, catching a toe on a root. The left knee took a shot, and bled a bit the rest of the race. Getting up, I decided to retire the camera and kicked up the pace for several miles along Skyline, enjoying the the undulating single track and occasional views of the through the forest.

A brief peak out from Skyline Trail

On the decent from Dunlap AS, the switchbacks through the tall pines were just so enjoyable and my legs were not complaining. With a few miles to go, some of the 50K speedsters passed me on their hunt to the finish. Shouted encouragement as they blurred by. Inside Trail's version of the Woodside course includes one last climb in the last mile or so. I really enjoy this, and was looking forward to it, having run the WS Ramble last year. Then its down to the finish and it was done. I didn't want it to be over! It was an outstanding, memorable run.

As Schwarzenegger says, "I'LL BE BACK"

Want more trails! 

Thanks to Inside Trail Racing for hosting a great race on a beautiful course.

Tim and finish line helper. Thanks for a great run.

Tussey Moutainback 50, 1st 50 Miler

Big Smiles for Course, Perfect Weather, Gorgeous October Foliage. 

It's Still 50 Miles!!

I had been fantasizing about running a 50 miler for awhile. When my running budding Kevin asked if I would be interested in running a 50 in October, I was charged up. He mentioned Tussey Mountainback (nicknamed Tussey Out N Back) and I looked up the elevation profile. All hills, not flats on gravel mountain roads, with 5500 ft of gain/loss. I was sold. My kind of course!!

So many reasons to smile! :-)

Given my summer training was focused on running a Boston Qual in early September, I didn't really concentrate on the 50 miler until after the marathon. I did a 6 + 12 + 20 mi one weekend and a 12 + 20 the next, my extent of back-to-back runs.

Tussey is also the home of the USATF 50 Mile Road Championship, so it does attract some top talent.
Along with the 50 mi ultra, Tussey offers a relay race, drawing 150 relay teams. The teams start later than the ultra runners and their team vehicles drive the course, going between aid stations/transition zones. Later in the race, these extra runners helped populate some of the lonely miles.

Leading up to the race, I had created a nutrition plan, targeting 250 - 300 cal/hr, with gels and hand held bottles of Hammer Perpetuem. Since the ultra runners could do drop bags at various aid stations, I made up 3 bottles and 3 bags of refills to get me between drops. Arriving at the hotel on Saturday afternoon, I realized the bottles were still in the fridge at home. Oops! Kevin and I scrambled to buy one bottle and find energy drink mix. The nutrition plan would now alternate between Accelerade and Perpetuem.

Race morning brought with it some great weather, 40 degrees and clear. Though chilly, it would be perfect running weather. Kevin and I relinquished our drop bags to the proper aid station deliveries and tried to keep warm.

Kevin ready to rock n roll n climb.

The sun had not come over the mountain when the 7am start rolled around and we started into the receding darkness.

Waiting to start, before the sun.

Most of the course is on gravel packed access roads, offering easy running, with some road pitch challenges, especially when the relay team vehicles drove by.

The first major hill begins about a half mile in, a 3 mile climb with a 6 % grade. Not knowing if my legs would last much past 30 miles, I decided to run by heart rate, picking a less than red-line value for walking hills. The first hill I ran entirely, smiling all the way up.

First climb, waiting for the sun.

Climbing thru October's canvas.

Explosions of color and human kinetics.

First climb in the bag!

The course was in a wooded area and the October canvas was a spectacular burst of yellows, reds and fading greens. So exhilarating to run under. The early miles rolled away easily, enjoying views and lapping up the hills with none a flat spot to be found.

Lake at Whipple Dam Park, mile 11.

At mile 20, changed my shirt, reloaded bottles, refills, gels and consumed a PBJ sandwich. Then set out to concur the largest hill of the race, stage 6, a 3.5 mi climb, with 1300 ft of gain and 6.6 % grade. This time the HR threshold was breached several times and I walked until it dropped 25 ppm. I was able to run the last mile to the top.

John having a good time on stage 6, the big climb!

Relay runner Barb, drops me with fresh legs & big smile

View from the top, mile 24

The next 10 miles or so was mostly down hill and easy cruising took over, while trying not to trash the quads. Miles 32 - 35 brought on another climb and my legs started to grow tired. This was new territory for me, with my longest run until now being 50K.

What goes up must come down.

The gravel road became asphalt, for several miles, at mi 40. Though a flatter grade, the legs protested the loss of softer footing. Nutrition wise I was doing OK, was trying to hold together the mechanics and was still running OK.

Open road and beautiful tapestry at mi 40.

Cheerful Aid Station 10 family of volunteers.

Stage 11, mi 41 - 45, had the last big climb, with a very steep last mile to the top. My GPS watch had warned of low battery at mi 38 and I had to shut down the GPS tracking to save on power. This last hill didn't require a HR threshold to tell me to walk. Just needed to get over it so walked most of mi 45 and said hello to the hill.

The last climb! Almost there.

Coming into AS 11, at mi 46, with just over 4 miles to go, all downhill, I realized I could break 9 hrs (originally was hoping for under 10 hrs) and for the first time I started to worry about splits. 10 min miles on a nice 4 mi downhill, I could do that, right? At mi 48 I had to stop to stretch a cramping left quad, watching the clock, as the growing uncertainty started to creep in. Turned on the engines again and slowly rambled toward the finish, with my left quad and knee singing in soprano, yet still running and maintaining some form. (I probably looked worse than I allowed myself to think.) Surprisingly, I crossed the finish in 8:57, ecstatic to have completed 50 miles!!

More exciting to me than the time was that I was able to run the entire race, no death shuffle here. Really unexpected. Learning I took 3rd in my age group was a plus. I guess going out slow, walking on hills when HR triggered and not running for a time goal helped save the legs.
My buddy Kevin, who has competed at the Iron Man Championship in Hawaii, crushed his first 50 miler, turning in a 7:35 time, good for a top 20 finish. Outstanding!.

Still standing, legs working after 50 miles.

Matt Flaherty blistered the course, setting a new record in 5:28 and took the USATF 50 mi National Championship. Cassie Scallon also shattered the record in the women's race with a 6:24 and easily took the Championship.Joshua Finger captured the men's masters title with 6:33 and Connie Gardner took the women's Masters in 7:42.

A pleasant surprise after finishing, I met elite runner and ultra running blogger Scott Dunlap, who decided to run the race somewhat last minute. Check out Scott's professional race review at www.atrailrunnersblog.com/2013/10/new-50-mile-pr-at-2013-tussey.html.

Saying hi to elite runner and blog celeb Scott Dunlap

Scott turned in a PR with a 6:35, 6th overall and 2nd Masters. How does he take such good pics while running so fast? The apres race party included some beer on tap from Elk Creek, a local craft brewery. Their Brookie Brown Ale was delicious, and helped wash down some pizza and pulled pork sandwiches.

The Tussey Mountain Back 50 Miler held the perfect combination of challenging, yet runnable course, beautiful scenery, perfect weather and was staffed by experienced, helpful aid station volunteers. Being the USATF 50 Mile Road Championship is a plus. RD Mike Casper ran a well organized race that makes you want to come back again. The race is a great first 50 miler for those, like me, who get excited about running up and down mountain hills..

The sun sets on a gorgeous day and outstanding race.

See you next year.