- Click here for photos from SunMart.
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Packet Pickup
I drove to Houston, Texas on the Friday before the race for packet pickup. The packet pickup and pre-race dinner were held at the Intercontinental Hotel near Houston Intercontinental Airport. It was packed with ultrarunners, race officials, family and friends, etc. It was a little confusing because of all the people but I managed to find packet pickup for pre-registered racers. Next I picked up my ChampionChip and headed over to pick up my "premiums." I had heard about the great stuff you get at SunMart (some people told me jokingly they didn't need to do any Christmas shopping--they could pick up what they needed at SunMart) but I was still impressed. When I first entered the line they gave me a large black gym bag with the SunMart logo emblazoned on it. Then I walked down the line and filled the bag! I got:Sunglasses
It was great. I love getting hats from races because I'm more likely to wear a baseball cap than a white cotton race t-shirt, plus I was excited about carrying my SunMart portfolio to business meetings!
Plastic rain poncho
Vinyl business portfolio with SunMart logo (holds a pad of paper, business cards, credit cards, folders, etc.)
Pedicure kit in plastic case with SunMart logo
Baseball cap with SunMart logo (choose from three colors)
Polo shirt with SunMart logo (choose from three colors)
Disposable camera
Hammer Gel sample (choice of flavors)
Sample of Hammer Endurloyte Caplets
Bandana with SunMart logoAfter making sure I had everything I needed I left the hotel. I had dinner plans so I skipped the pre-race dinner. In retrospect it would have been interesting to stay and hear Arthur Lydiard speak. Sadly, he died the next day of a heart attack while still in Houston.
Pre-race Dinner
For the pre-race dinner, I met a wonderful group of women who met each other on the Yahoo! Marathon Walkers newsgroup. I had heard all their names before and read their posts and race reports, so it was really strange to meet them all in person. To be honest, there were so many of them (13!) that I couldn't remember their names. They were a GREAT group--very friendly and funny with lots of great stories about each other and their exploits. One of the stories ended with the punchline, "Suck it up, buttercup!" This will be important later. Some of them were doing the 50k at SunMart, others were planning to just walk for a while and stop when they felt like it; one of them was planning to run/walk the 50 mile race.We ate at a nice little Italian restaurant in Houston called Collina's. I had vegetable lasagna and lots of bread.
After dinner I headed to the store for essential supplies: water to mix with Clip2 for my pack and donuts for breakfast. I was staying with my stepbrother in North Houston which meant I would have to drive about 1 hour 15 minutes to get to the race so I wanted to get in bed early. I set the alarm on my watch and on my cell phone for 4:00 am and then went to bed. I slept pretty well, about 5 hours.
The Race
The SunMart Texas Trail 50 Mile Endurance Run is run in Huntsville State Park, right outside Huntsville, Texas. The race itself consists of a 50k and a 50 mile race. The 50 mile race started at 7:00 am; the 50k started at 7:30. The 50 mile race consists of four 12.5 mile loops through the park. All but the half mile is on dirt or sand trail; the first half mile was on an asphalt path covered with leaves and then there was one road crossing before getting on the trail proper. Below is a map of the course:
There are pros and cons to a loop course:
Pros:
Able to access your gear and supplies three times during the race without preparing drop bags
Able to see your friends and family three times without them having to drive all over the park according to your pace plan
You learn the loop so you can anticipate the hard parts and the easy parts and you know when you are approaching the aid stations or the end of the loopCons:
Three temptations to dropIt was cold when I arrived at the park so I had to wear my gloves and jacket for a while. I busied myself getting my gear ready. I filled my CamelBak bladder with Clip2 and water. I also filled a large, empty juice bottle with extra water and Clip2 for refills. I put two Hammer Gel flasks (mixture of 2/3 Espresso and 1/3 Vanilla) in my CamelBak and put two extras in my drop bag. I also put 24 Succeed electrolyte caplets, one Clif Bar, a tube of lip balm and a small Bodyglide in my bag. I made sure I had extra clothes, shoes, sweatbands, hats, food, Hammer Gel, and foot repair supplies in my drop bag. Then I headed over to the start area to look for my walking friends.
I couldn't find them at first so I enjoyed some of the breakfast available to racers: coffee, cider, tea, kolaches, eggs, biscuits and gravy, sausage (I didn't eat all of this! this was what was available). The whole race was very well supplied and took great pains to take care of the racers.
Next I found my friends, dropped off my supplies, headed to the port-o-potties one last time, then off to the start area for the National Anthem and the start. We're off! I crossed the chip mat and started my watch.
I quickly dropped toward the back of the pack. I was slightly ahead of Judy, the woman I met the night before who was going to run/walk the 50 miler. We stayed together for a while and talked, but eventually she pulled ahead of me and I walked alone. We hit the first aid station pretty quickly (maybe 2.5 miles) then started a long out-and-back that also had an aid station at the end of it (1.5 miles?) so in the first 7.5 miles there were three aid stations. At the start of the out and back there were actually two aid stations--one on the left for people entering the out and back, then one on the right for those leaving the out and back. The aid stations were large and well stocked so they were never crowded and I never felt rushed. Every aid station had the following supplies:
1/4 cut peanut butter and jelly sandwiches
Like I said above, this is a well run race and racers are well cared for. Based on my experience at Heartland and the Rockledge Rumble, I had a "fueling" strategy. First, eat moderate amounts at most of the aid stations and drink water. Second, take two Succeed caplets every hour on the hour. Third, take 1-2 servings of Hammer Gel every hour on the half hour. This strategy seemed to work very well for me and I seemed to feel stronger as the day went on.
Doritos
Potato chips
Pretzels
Boiled salted potatoes
Powerbar pieces
M&Ms
Jelly Beans
Candy Fruit Slices
Banana pieces
Orange segments
Water
Gatorade
Another energy drink
Coke
Vaseline
Not long after leaving the out-and-back I struck up a conversation with two women who were talking about Bandera. Their names were Marla and Francis and they were friends and colleagues from Waco, Texas. They were great company and I spent a lot of time with them that day. I think at one point or another during the race we all paced each other, but in the beginning Marla and Francis really paced me and helped me move quickly. I finished the first loop a little faster than I expected: 2:42:32 (13:00 per mile). I stopped for about 30 seconds to say hi to some of my walking friends at the start area and then headed out for the second loop. I was more sore than I thought I should be after 12.5 miles, and that concerned me.
Loop 2 was pretty uneventful. I walked part of the time with Francis (Marla had run on ahead) and again we paced each other, although she did more work than I did. Once she hit a root and fell face first in the dirt! She told me it was her third fall of the day. Luckily she wasn't hurt. She hopped up, shook it off and moved on. As we got farther into the second loop we started to talk about the cutoff. The race paperwork said there was a 12 hour cutoff for the 50 mile race (14:24 pace). However, there was a 3:30 pm cutoff for starting loop four. This was a 13:36 pace! I don't know why I never noticed this before. I never put together a detailed race strategy like I did for Heartland, so I never noticed this tight cutoff. That's why we became concerned in loop 2; we started to realize that we might not make the loop 4 cutoff.
This was really discouraging, until Francis remembered that at the pre-race dinner the Race Director had said the cutoff would be 4:00, not 3:30. We got conflicting answers from several racers but finally the consensus seemed to be that 4:00 was the cutoff. This gave us a little more breathing room, but not a lot. I finished the second loop quite a lot slower than the first: 2:59:48 (14:23 pace).
I stopped at my drop bag to get more Hammer Gel and refill my CamelBak with Clip2. I headed out and caught up with Francis and continued to walk with her for a while. She was running well but was still concerned about the cutoff. The two of us found Marla and the three of us hung together for a while until Marla pulled ahead again.
Something happened next that almost ended the race for me and taught me a very valuable lesson. I don't know exactly what caused it, but I developed a really bad pain in my right hip, right near the pelvis. It wasn't a sharp, excruciating pain, but it made it impossible to walk fast. I would try for a while but I just couldn't keep a good pace. I was so afraid that the race was over for me! And I was so depressed about all the race premiums! I didn't want to wear my SunMart hat or shirt, or carry my gym bag, if I hadn't finished the race. Luckily I was still with Francis and she had some Advil in her pack. She graciously gave me her two Advil (thank you, Francis! Thank you, thank you, thank you!) and after about 5 minutes the pain was diminished and after 10 it was all but gone. I could walk at a good pace again. But that really slowed me down on that loop and I had to walk pretty hard to make the cutoff. Francis became more concerned about the cutoffs (both the 4:00 cutoff and the 12 hour cutoff) and at that point decided that today was not to be her day, so she dropped her pace and dropped after the third loop.
As I finished the third loop I ran into Marla again. We were both feeling good and eager to make the 12:00 cutoff so we began pacing each other and planned to finish the fourth loop together if possible. Loop three turned out to be my slowest looop: 3:06:03 (14:53 pace).
I stopped again to get some more Clip2 and my flashlight (more on that later); I also took two more Advil and put two more in my pack; then I headed out. I was actually a little emotional at this point (if you can't tell, I can get kind of weepy emotional) because I felt really good about beating the 12 hour cutoff and finishing the race. I knew if I could hold my pace and walk strong I could do it.
Marla was ahead of me so I worked to catch up with her. We were both getting tired but I was feeling a little stronger than she was so I did more of the pacing work. I didn't mind because I felt like I owed her for all of her help throughout the day, plus I was BOUND AND DETERMINED to make the cutoff. Once we passed Roger Soler, the race director, and Marla says, "He doesn't look like the kind of guy who would deny you a blanket" (one of the finisher's prizes was an afghan). But I didn't want to ask for a blanket or a jacket! I wanted there to be no question about my right to claim my prize. So I walked hard. At the third aid station Marla and I shared my last packed of Advil to stave off any future pains--it was a solemn moment, like two people on a desert island eating their last piece of bread.
I haven't said much about the trail--it was a great trail. There were no hills to speak of, just small inclines here and there, enough to give you a nice walking break but not so steep that they were hard to walk up. Here and there were some pretty sloppy mud puddles; I walked around them when I could. Parts of the trail were smooth and easy, but other parts were rooty as hell and very rough on the feet and ankles. In my experience the worst part of an ultra is to be hours into a race, to be raw and tired and sore, and to hit your foot on a root or rock. Your whole body comes alive in the most unpleasant way and your muscles feel the pain much more intensely than normal. I had seen Francis fall face first and had seen one other woman do the same thing, so I was trying to make sure I wasn't next.
Which brings me to the flashlight. We knew we'd be finishing in the dark. Marla and I had hoped to make it past the worst of the trail before dark, but we didn't quite make it. We made it past the Mardi Gras aid station (decorated with beads, balloons and Mardi Gras colors, and staffed by cute young women with glitter and hats) while it was still daylight but still had the longest (and probably hardest) section of the course to go before the final aid station and a short final segment. I walked (she ran) as long as we could without lights but finally decided to turn them on. Marla was walking first but felt I could walk faster than her so she let me take the lead. And I discovered something interesting: I can walk FAST in the dark. I don't know if it was the adrenaline, the fear of the cutoff, or just because I felt good, but I flew down that trail in the dark. I could use my light to see roots and go over them, and although I did stumble a few times I never fell once. My light didn't pick up mud or puddles very well so I just sloshed through them. And in the final 6-8 miles I passed ten runners. As I was approaching one from behind he said, very bemusedly, "What's this, some sort of nocturnal running creature!" Later, when exchanging polite greetings with a woman I was passing, she said, "You've got one hell of a walking pace!"
My biggest fear when walking in the dark was not falling but losing the trail. I constantly moved my light around looking for the colored flags that marked the trail. There were glow sticks hanging to mark the course, but there were not very many so I had to be very careful. But fortunately I never got lost. And since this was the fourth time I'd walked this trail I knew where I was and that I was getting close. I blew past the last aid station and kept right on trucking and didn't stop for uphills or anything. I finally made it onto the asphalt path which meant I was really close (and that I could really turn on the racewalking form and pick up the speed). It was very dark at the starting area and people were lounging in lawn chairs and on blankets all along the final 100 feet of the course. I could hear people (who I couldn't really see in the dark) saying, "Here comes a flashlight," and then I heard my friends saying, "That looks like a walker...." As I came into the light they all started cheering and calling my name! It was a great feeling! I don't usually know anyone at races so it was so cool to hear people cheering for me who actually know me. I cruised across the finish line: 11:47:47.8 (14:09 pace). My last loop was 2:59:26 (14:21 pace) and was my second fastest, in spite of the fact that I walked for almost 1 1/2 hours in the dark. I finished 167 out of 180; 114 out of 124 males. My overall pace of 14:09 was faster than my recent Rockledge Rumble 50k pace (14:13) and my time was 47 minutes faster than my Heartland finish (12:34:37).
Not long after I crossed the finish line Marla came across and made it under the cutoff, as did Judy, the run/walker from the Yahoo! group (I had passed her in the dark). I picked up my medal and my jacket, and had a great time talking to the Yahoo! ladies and catching up on their day. They were all so encouraging and supportive--they offered to make me an honorary member of their "crew" (I would be the only male since significant others aren't allowed!). I also found Francis and thanked her for all her help. She and I had discussed racing the 50 miler at Rocky Raccoon together, then perhaps training for the 100 miler at Heartland (Francis has attempted one 100 miler but dropped at 70, and I've never done one). After saying goodbye to everyone I hobbled to the car and called my wife with the good news. Then I drove to the first Taco Bell I could find and ate!
What did I learn from this race:
Fueling is very important. Develop a fueling strategy and stick with it.
I really want to thank the Yahoo! crew (you guys need a name!) and Francis and Marla. Because of you guys I had a great race and a great experience. I can't wait for the 2005 SunMart.
Based on my experience at Rockledge Rumble and SunMart, I think Hammer Gel is AWESOME. I can feel the surges of strength and energy after I take some.
Carry Advil! Be prepared. Don't let something minor end your race.
Make friends. Ultras are about competition, but ultrarunners are also a great community of people. Having a friend in a race can help you through a situation you might not make it through alone.
Read the race information and make sure you understand ALL the rules!
Always prepare a race plan and make sure you can execute it.
Maybe going out fast isn't always bad. Going out really fast can burn you up quickly, but pushing hard in the beginning might give you the cushion you need at the end.
Have fun! If it's not fun, why do it?
