Oracle Rumble
The bus ride out to the start was long. Any time they have you loading the busses at 0530 for an 0730 start, you know it’s gonna be long! And it was - from Oracle State Park, all the way out Willow Springs road to Freeman Road. If you’ve done the 24 Hours of Old Pueblo mountain bike race, you know how long and bumpy Willow Springs can be! Now go even further and do it on a school bus. There was no napping at all on that drive. Instead I listened to the conversations around me, some of it nervous chatter and some old friends catching up. The long drive also allowed me time to eat my breakfast and drink my coffee.
When we finally reached the start area, there were a few other cars, a short line of portapotties and a dirt line scratched into the ground. The RD was making announcements on a megaphone, including that the race would start promptly at 0730 or whenever the potty line was cleared - which ever came later. Perfect. A realistic race director! None of us really wanted to strip down into just running clothes even though the sun was starting to peak over the horizon. As soon as the sun rose, we would all be wishing for the pre-dawn chill again as there was not a cloud in the sky! Grudgingly we all started gathering at the starting line to await pre-race instructions. The just past full moon was hanging in western horizon, glowing brilliantly as the sky faded from pink to blue. The perfect calm before the race started.
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| Starting line vibes under the full moon set |
My primary goal for the first section was to just run comfortably and stay inside myself. It was a fairly rolling downhill stretch that would be so easy to get caught out and go way to fast. I had positioned myself to hopefully be able to see the colors of the bib numbers around me - with the 50k and the 50 mile starting together, that was an added challenge of not going too fast. On the dirt road, two women with 50 mile bibs passed me and a whole passel of 50k runners. I made a choice and tucked in behind the second of the two 50 mile runners. It was super early but the pace felt comfortable. And I decided to take the chance on not letting the front of the race get away from me. Would it be a mistake? Maybe. But always worth a try! Shortly before the start of the single track of the AZT, I decided to slip around the other lady and run my own pace on the narrow, winding trail. Three 50k ladies were right ahead of me - super tempting to try to latch onto them, but they were running 20 fewer miles! Running with them would not be smart. And I had to be smart.
It was eight miles to the first aid station along some really cool trail. Just meandering up and down ridges, winding through cacti forests. Rocky and loose, but easy running. Too easy. I really had to focus on chilling and relaxing. The field was spreading out, lending to the “out there” feeling. Nothing for miles, endless folds in the lad and Mount Lemmon far in the distance. Eventually we’d find ourselves right at the base of Mount Lemmon, so seeing it off on the horizon lent gravity to the miles. It was a long way from where we were to where we were going. This was the first 50 where I was almost able to see the finish line from the start. And yikes! But that was miles down the road…
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| The windmill at the first aid station |
The tents and windmill for the BeeHive Well aid came into view - down in a wash. It was a steep down into the wash then a short section of sand before turning into the aid station. Due to the cool temps, I was doing great on fluids so I just got some water and ginger ale. Ginger ale is definitely my go-to during races. Some people like coke, but for me… give me all the flat ginger ale! A steep little climb out of the aid station gave me some time to eat my watermelon, then it was time to start running again. There was four more miles of trending downhill before the first major climb of the day. I did my body check and everything was good. Legs felt good, stomach happy, brain relaxed. The next two miles I ran with a local guy doing the 50k, but decided he was pushing a little faster then I wanted for that moment in time and gradually let him go. I needed to be smart and there was still 40 miles left! As we descended I could see the big wash we had to cross and then the “headwall” climbing high above the wash. The course info hadn’t been kidding talking about the climb up to the Mountain View Aid Station! Each step brought me closer to the wall and the climb.
It was everything the race manual warned the runners about. From the fun flowy running down into the wash, to an in your face slope towering above the wash. I shrugged my shoulders - time to work on the power hiking. I hadn't focused as much on any hiking as I should have, but wasn't super worried about it. It’s not like my legs would have forgotten how to hike in a few months. Since the climb was about three miles long in total, I knew there would be some running mixed in. As the climb started, I set my eyes on one of the 50k ladies in front of me and just focused on maintaining the effort. Too early in the day to start thinking about racing. It wasn't too early to make sure I was eating and drinking though! The sustained climb was perfect for getting some snacks in.
As I was taking in the scenery - endless miles of terrain, cactus covered hills in all directions - I glanced down the trail behind me. Solid white, steadily making her way up the climb behind me. It was the third place woman in the 50 miler, slowly making up ground behind me. I wasn't sure how much quicker she was climbing, but it was definitely faster then I was! The question was now how long would I be able to hold her off and once she did catch me would I be able to hang with here? Questions for another time as I turned my attention back to the trail. Too many cacti just waiting to attack to get distracted! It really did feel like running through a forest of cholla in places, with the cacti encroaching on the trail, waiting for an unsuspecting runner to brush up against them. I didn't want that to be me because I wasn't paying attention! We reached high point of the first half of the race, then started a winding downhill towards the Mountain View Aid station. Because of the desolate nature of the course, the tents for the aid station were visible for what felt like miles prior to us actually reaching it! It wasn't really miles, but....
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| Trail markers! |
I didn't rush through the aid station, making sure I was topped off with water and ginger ale. It was 12 miles to the next mini aid station and starting to warm up. I also grabbed some small salted potatoes and salted watermelon to munch on during the last bit of the climb. I could see the lady in the solid white behind me and knew she'd make the catch in the next mile or so. That would drop me into third, which meant I would need to keep focus if I wanted one of the really cool awards for top three. After she passed me, I let her go a little - then decided it was worth it to at least try to keep her close for a little. Who knows, maybe the elastic wouldn't snap this time? So I picked up the pace, keeping my focus on the trail and my breathing. She wasn't pulling away, but I wasn't really getting any closer except on the technical downhills. Then I would pull back a little bit, which she would promptly snatch back on the next hill. I maintained that for about 8 miles, then decided I'd had enough. I was not going to catch up and I was risking blowing up my legs at that point. There were plenty of miles left to think about and again, the manta was smart. Chasing her was not smart, not in that moment. So I backed off a little and watched her slowly pull away into the distance. Soon enough, she vanished into the folds and washes of the terrain, only visible when she was climbing on the other side of the wash. Even that wouldn't last as she was nearly out of sight up the next climb when I dropped into the mini aid station at Tucson Wash.
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| Rolling down on the AZT Photo - Damian Alexander |
Four miles to next big aid station and I knew two of those miles. Plenty of climbing. I settled into a steady effort, mixing the running and walking as able. I was still feeling strong, but I also had 25 miles left to go! A lot can happen in 25 miles... The wind was starting to pick up as well. The forecast had been for sunny skies with a chance of gusting winds - well, the chance was turning into 100%! As i was climbing the last long hill and the aid station came into view, the wind really picked up, trying to steal my hat from my head. It would stay windy for the rest of the day.
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| Heading into Tiger Mine Aid Station Photo - Kori Ukasick |
Only this time, I could see the runner behind me now. And see the ponytail bobbing in the wind. I had a tail and it was going to turn into a race in those last 20 miles. Hopefully, I hadn't blown my legs trying to hold onto the women in white all those miles ago! I ran the twisting descent into Kannally Wash, yipping as I approached. Nick was ready for me - I was changing to my other vest and getting fresh snacks. A quick face wash to clean my eyes from the dust. No shoe change - everything felt pretty good. We were efficient but methodical throughout. Even so, the chasing woman came into the aid station while we were working. She grabbed a few things and then headed out. I was down into fourth. Would I be able to track her down and make the pass? I didn't know - she'd been chasing pretty hard and appeared out of no where it felt like. I was able to hike the hill leaving the aid station a little faster and with a little effort, was right on her heels. Did I want to stay there or make a pass right away? I knew it was climbing almost all the way to the ranch house, then trending down before we turned back onto the AZT. We were going at the same pace climbing, but I felt like I was wanting to run the downhill a little faster. Time to make a move. On the next wide section of trail before a slight down hill, I slipped around her. As anticipated, she stuck right to my heels like glue. She wasn't going to let me go easily. So I started up a conversation, asking about how many ultras she had done, if this was her first 50 and all the normal stuff. We both agreed that the first half of the course was quite a bit harder then we'd anticipated and neither of us had done enough climbing in training! In a lull in the conversation, I heard a thud and yelp - she'd tripped on a rock and landed hard. A moment of indecision - do I stop and see if she's okay or just skedaddle? I paused, turned around and asked if she was okay. I didn't start running again until she was on her feet and moving. But in the back of my mind, I saw an opening, even if it was just a small one. Then next section of single track was rolling downhill and her confidence had been shaken when she'd hit the ground.
On the last little climb before the Ranch house, I took off. Well took off as best as my legs could at that point! It was enough. The fact that I'd ridden the trail the day before helped. I remembered all the little climbs, steep drops into the washes and where I would be able to really run. The gap gradually started expanding until I could no longer see her behind me. That didn't mean I could let up though. She'd caught me once before. With the climbing left in the race, she might have enough to make a second catch. Since we were on the out and back section of the course, I had to just keep running until I saw her again and I needed to try to get enough to last the 11 miles back from the turn around, which would be more climbing. I also didn't know what the section of the AZT to American Flag Ranch would be like.
The leading man passed me heading towards home before I got onto the AZT. I didn't know where I was in the field and expected to see a lot more runners coming back but it was miles. (Maybe not miles, but it felt like it! That guy had quite the lead.) Second place had his pacer with him and then empty trails. According to my watch, I should have been getting close to the turn around but I hadn't even crossed the first of the two roads yet! I pulled out my phone, took a quick look at Gaia and shrugged. It was going to be longer then I'd planned for this segment. The mileage had to be off. Just before the first road crossing, the trail got a little confusing with a jeep road crossing it. I quickly found the AZT marker across the parking area and kept going. I was starting to feel the heat now and was trying to balance not quite knowing how long it would take me to get to the turn around with how much water I had left. Some time after the first road crossing, the first two women came running towards me. There had been a shift in the leader and the woman in white who'd passed me about 25 miles prior was now in front. Both she and second placed looked super strong and comfortable. Much better then I felt! Finally, my little dot on Gaia was telling me I was just before the turn around and I could hear the second road crossing. I could see the flag fluttering in the wind gusts and then popped out of the cacti to the aid station. Just the usual - water, ginger ale and watermelon, then back on the trail. I needed to stay running strong until at least after I saw how much time I'd gained on fourth.
Not as much as I'd wanted, but enough to make me happy. It was about a mile total in distance, but a lot could happen over the next 11 miles to the finish. I had to keep running because that wasn't that much time. Run what I could, push the pace to the best of my ability and don't forget to eat and drink. It wouldn't take much to upset the delicate applecart I was pushing. At least with the out and back nature, I knew that it would be climbing for a few miles, then descending back to the Wash aid station where Nick was waiting. Plenty of runners were heading out towards the turn around at this point, so I made sure to at least give each one a thumbs up. They had a long way to go and most of them would be seeing the sunset while on course. I was struggling against the hills at this point. My legs starting to rebel a little with every grade. Shuffle pace became the goal to just keep moving. Finally the ranch house came into view, meaning the end of this sustained climb. I would hopefully be able to run again instead of power hike and shuffling. The closing miles have been an issue in for me in the last few long races I've done. 50k is good, but once we go much past 40/45 the running becomes much slower. Not this time so far. The trail tipped down and I was able to start running again. At least more of a run then a shuffle.
Back into the Kannally Wash aid station. Right through the aid station to where Nick was waiting for me. Another vest swap - we took some of the heavier gear I wouldn't need for the last five miles out of the pack. I took a few moments to sit and wash my face again but knew I didn't have that much time to spare. Snack for the road and the long climb out of the aid station, then time to go again. The fun descent from so many miles ago? Yeah, time to climb bakc up that. I settled into my power hiking and focused on getting some calories in. Even though there was only a few miles left, I needed to make sure I was fueling. I had a long climb in front of me, some down hill and then the mile long wash. I made decent time up the climb and was able to run some once I hit the flatter sections. Not fast and the rolling terrain was definitly slowing me down. I didn't remember the trail as well as I had hoped from the pre-ride yesterday, with forgetting the many ins and outs along the hillside. I could see the highway for what felt like forever, but knew that meant I was getting closer. Finally, I dropped the last little section and found myself on the wash. I'd been dreading the wash for miles - it was a mile in soft sand, on a gradual uphill grade. Between the sand and the grade, it was and energy and time suck for sure. Just keep going. Run and shuffle - don't give into the desire to walk. Everyone else would be running this, so just keep going.
I did better then I thought I would in the wash. I actually ran it faster then we'd ridden it the day before! The only benefit with getting out of the wash was leaving the sand. But we traded the sand for another steep, in your face climb. It also meant maybe two and a half miles left. I'd lost huge chunks of time in the last 10 miles, but was still under my B goal time. Which had morphed into my A goal time once I saw the course! Would I be able to keep going and hold onto third? There was no one behind me that I could see, but that didn't mean much. I shuffled and ran, really trying to keep the pace going. I was starting to fade through and was looking forward to what I knew was the last of the climbing. Once I hit the high point of the trail, it had to go down. I mean, the finish line was below me! Hah... Yes, it was trending down and quite runable, but.... With the finish line within earshot, the trail tipped back upward for one of the steepest climbs of the day. My legs were not thrilled to see it as I scrambled up to the top. Then finally, one turn and gradual down into the finish. I'd held onto 3rd and managed to finish in 9:49 - my first time under 10 hours for a 50 miler and that was including a bonus mile!
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| Finishers gear! I love the |
Nick was waiting for me with my gear. I wanted to stop moving but my legs were throbbing. After collecting my award for 3rd place, we started hobbling back to the van. It's amazing how you can keep running and moving forward for miles, then reach an artificial line in the sand and it's all done. About halfway to the van, I stopped and had Nick give my drop bag. I wanted my warm clothes and to have him just go get the van. I was done moving. My legs hated me.
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