On Saturday, March 12, 2011 I did the Canyon Meadow Trail Run 50K distance located at Redwood Regional Park in Oakland CA. See map: http://www.coastaltrailruns.com/images/cm_course_map.gif
The first thought that comes to your mind is Oakland, really, isn’t that place industrial? Exactly the opposite, this regional park is home to a redwood grove that reflects what the California Coastline would have looked like before all the redwoods were cut down to build up our San Francisco bay area. Wow, could you imagine what California could look like if we replanted this native species? This whole www.coastaltrailruns.com series provides a rare earth experience of regional parks trails and experiencing nature in compitition is why I have fallen in love with these type of Ultra’s. I’m still a triathlete but I plan to adopt these locations as my training ground going forward. Doing a 50K ultramarathon through the redwoods is opportunity for the heart, mind, body, and soul to get fully endowed in a more primitive state of mind.
If you opened the map above, the 50 K consist of two half marathon loops around the perimeter plus a final third 5 mile loop cut through the center. 40% of the trail is wide enough for a fire trail vehicle and 57% percent is single track just wide enough for single file navigation between the trees. The total elevation gain is 3,812’ most of which feels like it hits you with that first hill right at the start line which you get to look forward to for a total of three climbs (the 1st time that hill hits you right after the start is a wake up call and 2nd and 3rd time up that same hill is brutal). The course is marked with pink ribbons for the half and yellow ribbons for the 5 mile so navigating the tree’s by way of course ribbon is also part of the challenge to stay alert so you don’t get lost.
I’ve had a great running base period to prepare my body for this triathlon season. Last year, a marathon would put me out of commission and given this year focus on running, after crossing the finish line I feel alive & ready to keep playing tag with the kids at the post race venue. Its now time to add more of a speed work focus into my training so that during my races I take more risk and dig deeper into my body’s reserves leaving nothing in the tank during my priority A race events.
Caynon Meadow is smaller venue so when we raise our hands at the start as the announcer distinguishes the group amongst their race distances I observe my 50 K peers. Sizing up my competition I notice key attributes that would indicate a fast runner and choose who’s shoulder to line up in the front of the line. Just as important, I notice a few individuals to let go as short distance sprinters who will join us for the first part but cut off for the 5 mile markers. My game plan is to pace with anyone doing the marathon or 50K after the groups sort out. As the race starts, hidden around the first turn was a massive uphill that sorted the racers out within the first mile. The uphill battle right off the start line was intense and I let 4 ultra runners go of which I never saw again. I was running within the top 10 across all distances so being in the lead group, I actually found myself alone for most of the day with the exception for the first loop which I paced a half marathon runner. Pacing with the half marathon runner helped me learn the course on the first loop so that I would not get lost on the second loop when running alone. There was actually a road crossing where I stopped and let the runner behind me catch up to locate the next ribbon together and I’m glad because knowing where your headed is more important than running fast in the wrong direction for this type of race.
That first hill put me in redline, hills are not my specialty right now as my ideal pace per training is achieved on the flats & rollers so my heart rate had started out higher that I would have liked at mile 1. After passing that first hill, my main thought was to relax the body and get the heart rate down and settled into a more realistic state I could sustain for this journey. During a 5 hour endurance journey, your body will dip into reserves. I have learned my body starts with about 2,000 calories as base from my prior 3 days worth of good nutrition prepares me with going into the race. On top of that base, I need to take in about 300 calories an hour. This nutritional equation is what I factor in to combat the calories I expect to burn during my 5 hour event. If I under estimate on the input side, I will bonk. If I over estimate on the input side, my stomach & body will cramp up. With that said, I nailed nutrition and felt great. But during the process and over the course of 5 hours I listen to my body for key signs like my mind wondering or my calf cramping or my stomach turning and manage nutrition accordingly.
I am learning to relax while holding a high pace while running. The monologue I ask myself many times during a race is: Am I relaxed? How do I feel? Can I relax more? Am I running as relaxed as I can? Are there muscle groups that are unnecessarily tensed? Can I think about relaxing to bring my pulse, my effort, my exertion just a bit lower while holding this pace. Hold it! Relaxation while running is tough, because it's a state of mind your mental game has to control while your body exerts a high pace. In running, one's mindset is not set on work and contraction, but upon relaxation. You're not thinking your muscles into working, you're thinking them into relaxing. The mind must control the body to relax the shoulders and keep the strides crisp because economy of running form is key for long distance events.
50K is just a state of mind. I spent 5 hours, mostly alone, leading the front of the race thinking to myself. Thinking about this pristine environment, thinking about competition, thinking about nutrition, thinking about relaxing while going fast and thinking about putting in some good training today for the season to come.
The first thought that comes to your mind is Oakland, really, isn’t that place industrial? Exactly the opposite, this regional park is home to a redwood grove that reflects what the California Coastline would have looked like before all the redwoods were cut down to build up our San Francisco bay area. Wow, could you imagine what California could look like if we replanted this native species? This whole www.coastaltrailruns.com series provides a rare earth experience of regional parks trails and experiencing nature in compitition is why I have fallen in love with these type of Ultra’s. I’m still a triathlete but I plan to adopt these locations as my training ground going forward. Doing a 50K ultramarathon through the redwoods is opportunity for the heart, mind, body, and soul to get fully endowed in a more primitive state of mind.
If you opened the map above, the 50 K consist of two half marathon loops around the perimeter plus a final third 5 mile loop cut through the center. 40% of the trail is wide enough for a fire trail vehicle and 57% percent is single track just wide enough for single file navigation between the trees. The total elevation gain is 3,812’ most of which feels like it hits you with that first hill right at the start line which you get to look forward to for a total of three climbs (the 1st time that hill hits you right after the start is a wake up call and 2nd and 3rd time up that same hill is brutal). The course is marked with pink ribbons for the half and yellow ribbons for the 5 mile so navigating the tree’s by way of course ribbon is also part of the challenge to stay alert so you don’t get lost.
I’ve had a great running base period to prepare my body for this triathlon season. Last year, a marathon would put me out of commission and given this year focus on running, after crossing the finish line I feel alive & ready to keep playing tag with the kids at the post race venue. Its now time to add more of a speed work focus into my training so that during my races I take more risk and dig deeper into my body’s reserves leaving nothing in the tank during my priority A race events.
Caynon Meadow is smaller venue so when we raise our hands at the start as the announcer distinguishes the group amongst their race distances I observe my 50 K peers. Sizing up my competition I notice key attributes that would indicate a fast runner and choose who’s shoulder to line up in the front of the line. Just as important, I notice a few individuals to let go as short distance sprinters who will join us for the first part but cut off for the 5 mile markers. My game plan is to pace with anyone doing the marathon or 50K after the groups sort out. As the race starts, hidden around the first turn was a massive uphill that sorted the racers out within the first mile. The uphill battle right off the start line was intense and I let 4 ultra runners go of which I never saw again. I was running within the top 10 across all distances so being in the lead group, I actually found myself alone for most of the day with the exception for the first loop which I paced a half marathon runner. Pacing with the half marathon runner helped me learn the course on the first loop so that I would not get lost on the second loop when running alone. There was actually a road crossing where I stopped and let the runner behind me catch up to locate the next ribbon together and I’m glad because knowing where your headed is more important than running fast in the wrong direction for this type of race.
That first hill put me in redline, hills are not my specialty right now as my ideal pace per training is achieved on the flats & rollers so my heart rate had started out higher that I would have liked at mile 1. After passing that first hill, my main thought was to relax the body and get the heart rate down and settled into a more realistic state I could sustain for this journey. During a 5 hour endurance journey, your body will dip into reserves. I have learned my body starts with about 2,000 calories as base from my prior 3 days worth of good nutrition prepares me with going into the race. On top of that base, I need to take in about 300 calories an hour. This nutritional equation is what I factor in to combat the calories I expect to burn during my 5 hour event. If I under estimate on the input side, I will bonk. If I over estimate on the input side, my stomach & body will cramp up. With that said, I nailed nutrition and felt great. But during the process and over the course of 5 hours I listen to my body for key signs like my mind wondering or my calf cramping or my stomach turning and manage nutrition accordingly.
I am learning to relax while holding a high pace while running. The monologue I ask myself many times during a race is: Am I relaxed? How do I feel? Can I relax more? Am I running as relaxed as I can? Are there muscle groups that are unnecessarily tensed? Can I think about relaxing to bring my pulse, my effort, my exertion just a bit lower while holding this pace. Hold it! Relaxation while running is tough, because it's a state of mind your mental game has to control while your body exerts a high pace. In running, one's mindset is not set on work and contraction, but upon relaxation. You're not thinking your muscles into working, you're thinking them into relaxing. The mind must control the body to relax the shoulders and keep the strides crisp because economy of running form is key for long distance events.
50K is just a state of mind. I spent 5 hours, mostly alone, leading the front of the race thinking to myself. Thinking about this pristine environment, thinking about competition, thinking about nutrition, thinking about relaxing while going fast and thinking about putting in some good training today for the season to come.
