Running Into a Running Legend,Hanging at Cool..and too much taper

When there is a race in my back yard..ie Way Too Cool, American River 50, Western States. The week leading up to the race brings a lot of excitement to me. Even if I am not in the race just having a chance to hang out, give a bit of my time at the finish, see friends cross the line is great. This weekend did not disappoint...

Running into Ann Trason.....
Friday, I stopped work for the day just after lunch so I could go on a run at the overlook then stop by Auburn Running to see who was at the packet pickup for Way Too Cool. Friday was a bright spring day..but just a bit cool. None the less I was pressing to get my last conference call for work completed and out the door. Things ran a bit behind and later in the afternoon as I pulled into the Overlook Parking lot...
Just as was getting out of my car another one pulled up near by...I took a look at the driver as I was pulling on my shoes and was thinking....is that her? Could it be? I was thinking I better stay around for a few and see if this was perhaps the best ever female ultra runner ever...
I fumbled around and as she got out of her car I knew who it was...At times it can be kind of awkward just talking to a stranger but I thought lets talk to a legend...
We started the typical small talk...ie great day, etc...when she asked me if I was running Cool this weekend. I said no since I did not enjoy the insane folks that try to jostle for position heading down quarry trail to quarry road so early in the race...She laughed and said that she hated that part of the race and only ran Cool twice..but that her husband had won a few times..at which point I said..."Your Ann", she replied back.."I used to be I am just too banged up to run fast anymore"...That is how it started a long conversation with Ann Trason, Multi Time winner of Western States, and so many others.
Ann and I chatted about a number of things including her place near the Western States Trail..I run by it often. She said feel free to stop in if we are not there and grab some water or food(in a shed that is stocked with aid station food for Dick Collins Fire Trails..)..We reviewed the issues of being a race director and the feeling that we are passing the tourch so to speak to new ultra runners..It was a fun conversation and I nearly thought I should run with her..but even in her described out of shape status..she would drop me like a bad habit..But it was nice to see and talk to a running legend.

WAY TOO COOL..The New Finish Line...

Sorry this was my only picture. It got busy out there. Way Too Cool was Cool..and that was the temperature all day...It felt a bit like a bay area morning at the start..a little fog moving in, chill in the air. I watched the start and then grabbed Rena and Kate from their volunteer duties for a run around the Olmstead Trail while we await the runners to come to the finish. Like last weekend Kate and Rena jumped out fast from the start..we where actually running in the opposite direction of the Cool runners as the complete the first few miles on the Olmstead course prior to heading down to HWY. 49 and off to the quarry trail. We saw the back end of the runners that where racing..a few even walking and only 5 miles or so in..(Oh btw..we all saw a runner arrive to the start/finish) about a half hour after the start...He looked pretty clean with a bib on and confused..He was looking to get his chip removed...Turned out he MISSED the start time and arrived late...DANG! I felt for the guy...We heard something like he had slept past his alarm..I don't know how he could sleep past his alarm on race day..). We continued our run along the Olmstead..taking the reverse route it was all about a long climb so we all had a good workout..It was short so I need to run long today. We got back to the finish area to take part in the finish line activities..Rena (she was nervous awaiting Mark Lantz to finish..kinda like a happy house is when both Mark and Rena finish well at a race. If not it can be a long week for either of them..issues of being a running couple I guess) and I helped out with handing out awards to the top finishers..Cheering on friends. Post race is always great as we all get to hear about the race stories of the elites that we hang out with...Eric Skaden was in rare form today and was drinking a beer out of his trophy cup that was handed to him for being ultra runner of the year(PAUSATF)--Scott Dunlaps blog will post a pic of Eric and his trophy...classic. Tons of good natured smack between Graham Cooper, Lantz, Skaden etc...it was fun. Other runners, coming in under 5 hours included John Nichols...So many runners so many stories..We finally had a chance to end our award duties and take off somewhere around 7hours after the race started..Mark and Rena along with Skaden and I went over and grabbed more beer and pizza next door and we started to talk about the Lantz and Skaden training and race strategy for Western States..those two are geared to finishing at or near the top..It will be fun to watch..

I am running long today..but these last two weeks have had me running only long on the weekends and minimal running during the weekedays...I think I have dropped a bit of fitness cause of this..well I have two weeks of running before the week taper for AR...

Tony