Blues Cruise 50K CR






So this is the email I sent to my Coach, post-race...

Alright, just got home... here's my race report.



Goal was 3:38 CR by some Brit that runs well at Comrades. He ran the time a couple of years ago and the record has stood. Called up the RD and told him I'd like to take a crack at the CR, and so he comped me an entry. Obviously, storms moved in late in the week and on Wednesday I had a Yellow Fever vaccination. Wed-Sat I had an allergic reaction to the vaccination and ran around with a left tricep the size of a 300lbs woman.


Tricep subsided by race day, but I still felt awkward running due to the vaccination and reduced mileage (just felt weak). Weather ended up being quite nice race morning, 48 degrees, crisp. I freaking forgot my BodyGlide/Vaseline so that was my biggest worry... that and that I hadn't run over 2:20 in training all year. There was a good field, lots of Brooks ID guys and when the gun went off I got into the lead since 95% is single-track around a lake.


Uneventful through the first water stop and figured I had the race in hand and thought great, training run, take it easy don't worry about the CR because I wasn't feeling great. At the 6.5 mile stop I took my first gel and lo and behold 2nd place is running up on me. Woke me the f^ck up. Started pressing a little bit to get a gap and wanted to get to Ski Slope Hill as quickly as possible (10+ miles). I was falling apart on the flats. Just running like crap and didn't think I could finish. And then I hit the hill, which was a monstrous, did not walk and it woke my leg muscles up completely and I started feeling strong. Summitted, and then raced down and kept pressing to the turnaround at 15.5M one-minute up on CR at 1:44 (CR was 1:45) and so I kept running well, 2nd place 2 min back. Kept my pace best I could, was having some tightness in my right hip flexor, which had me worried, but otherwise I was feeling good. At the 10M to go aid station some guy said, "what does your watch say" and I said 2H24, and he's like "course record is doable, 1H14 for the last 10M" and I thought, you know what, it is doable, let me run.


Took water at all aid stations and basically a GU at 45', 1:30, 2H15, 3H. The final 2 miles was all uphill and by then I was trashed. The uphills just took everything out of me and it was nonstop. My watch wasn't showing total time and I was worried the CR was slipping away and all I was waiting for was for the last 600m on concrete to bring it home and see the clock. Thankfully, the RD showed up 600m to go and said I had 6 min to spare, and crossed the line in 3:34:07, CR.


Great feeling to accomplish a goal I set forth, however, I am trashed. My right hip flexor is damaged, am icing it right now, but otherwise, I'm in good shape. I think if I came into this with more consistent training and fitter I would have run this effortlessly, but it was an effort. Shoulders and neck are wrecked too, but that's it.


Thanks for giving me Monday off. I am going to find a local sports ART guys to work on my hip flexor because I am going to need some treatment to get going again... that and rest.

Hope you had a great weekend.

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