Autumn Leaves UltraMarathon (2011)

This race report is almost 1 year old already! I have friends doing this race next week, so figured that I should finish it off & post it!

At the recommendation (goading?) from my running friends, I signed up for a 50K (31 miles) race at the end of October (just under 3 weeks after the Portland marathon).  I managed to fit my 6th half marathon in between the two races - just a nice 13.1 mile "training run" :)

AB and I went down to the Newberg area the evening before the race.  We had to head over to Wilsonville to pick up a space heater for our friends (AB's brother & s-i-l) who were manning an unofficial aid station for all the people that they knew doing the race.  While there, we got a recommendation for an Italian restaurant, and AB & I were delighted to see that they had paper tablecloths and crayons to draw with.  While waiting for our food, our nervous energy kicked in, and we covered the table with running themed hangman:

We headed back to our motel, got everything ready for the next day, and attempted to sleep (attempt being the key word).

Saturday dawned bright and early, and I was relieved to see that while it was foggy and cool, it wasn't raining. Score!  We had our breakfast and grabbed coffee (AB was shocked to watch me down a regular coffee and a latte) and headed to the start. Lots of friends were running this race or volunteering, and it was really nice to see friendly familiar faces from the very beginning.

The race started at 7, and the first lap was still dark enough that we were all using headlamps. The coolest thing was seeing and hearing an owl on this lap. Subsequent laps I saw great blue herons, caterpillars, and other wildlife.  Each lap was "only" a 10K. In that regard, 5 10ks doesn't sound like too big of a challenge :).  Because it was a lap course, I got to see everyone multiple times. The camaraderie is so cool in a race like this. I cheered for the people in front and behind me, and was cheered for by them, too. Most of the course was paved, with a small dirt/bark chip/grass section. Most of the course was flat, too, although by the end every little hill or step hurt!

(the best part about this photograph is that I never saw the photographer, even though it looks like I was looking right at him!)

I learned my lesson from the PDX Marathon 3 weeks prior - no matter how good I felt in the beginning, I was going to stick to my plan. For this race, I decided to do a 1:1 run/walk ratio. In the beginning its mentally VERY painful to walk while everyone around you is running! I watched a friend who I know is about the same pace as I am pull away from me here, but I stayed strong and stuck to my plan. In the end it worked - I finished feeling OK (really, after 31 miles I don't think that I could truly say that I felt good), and I did end up passing my friend!  After finishing, I enjoyed hanging out with my other running friends, waited for AB, and then headed back to the motel for an ice bath, foam rolling, and otherwise just chilling out.

Saying that I completed a 50K race is one of the coolest things that I've done! The lap system really made it seem doable (I kept telling myself "Just 1 more 10K"), and the support of the other runners was phenomenal!

I hope that Maureen has a fantastic time next week! I'm going to try and make it down there to cheer, but I can't guarantee anything.  Maureen - trust you ability - you've been working hard and can do it! Go out conservatively, and most of all, have fun!