Day 1-Western States Training..a little snow, a few lows and some good company

Day One of 2010 Western States Training Weekend marks the end of the really serious long runs leading up to the big day.    I choose to run Day 1 and Day 2 combined into one long Training Run..and it was long.  My longest training run ever..

There is so much to cover on this event..if I get some pics and elevation profiles generated I will.  First the news of the day.  It only turned out to be about 44miles total.  Since their is so much snow up at Robinson Flat that folks could not drive too close.  There were several folks that did shuttle to about 4miles from Robinson then hike up and go from there.  I got a ride back to Foresthill last night from Rory Boscio...she was one of those runners and she said it took them 4hours to cover 10miles in the snow..it was deep and postholing was the norm for them.

For me  I caught an early ride and got dropped off at N43/N44 with Ken Crouse, Barb Ash, Allison Thomas and others where we started our shorter version of the long run.  My pacer Darin Loucks was in from Seattle and had to get up at 4am with me to get ready.  He would later join me at Michigan Bluff and run with me. We started off with about 4miles of snow which compared to the stuff at Robinson was kid stuff..but still snow..It was leaving my quads and hamstrings tired.  But we where ahead of the main buses with about 300 other runners so that was nice...I settled in with Barb Ash and another women and got out ahead of our main group.  Things were going very well as we broke free of the snow and things started to warm up...Lots of Sun it was gonna be a nice day.  My IT was fine and I was s-capping and hydrating well.  I kept thinking back to last years run on the same section. I was so much stronger and in better shape...but is it gonna be enough for race day? 

We hit Last Chance and a few of the fast runners caught us but no worries I managed to get to Swinging Bridge in 2:45 then start the climb up devils thumb about 43 minutes up so that was good for me that even had some stop time as some kayakers where heading down the trail..first time I saw that!   It was nice to be out in the lead pack of runners so when we got to Deadwood and the aid station the food was fresh and they still had plenty of ice...Barb Ash who had got behind me came up fast from the Thumb and we took off for the downhill to El Dorado Canyon...I got out in front and felt good for the first time in a long time running downhill and kept thinking of MB and the climb.  That was hard on me..Barb came by about a mile into the climb and that is the last I saw of her.  I got to the stream which signals 1 mile to the top and had Brian Hacker come up and say hi...we all where getting some cold water to push on.  My coach was at the aid station and my pacer was there as well..I thought I felt ok but when we took off out of MB I was having my low point of the day.  For nearly a mile I was walking and tired.  My pacer just kept telling me to keep moving..Things improved on the single track and downhill to Volcano Creek...Energy back.  Tim Twietmeyer comes by fast I point him out to Darin and he is impressed.  We catch him at the stream and I again stand in the cold water...It reminds me of a horse I met last year on the trail its owner said any stream the horse just loves to stand in the cold water..Well I am just like that horse..it feels so good!  We got to Foresthill and it was hard not to say lets bail here..I had been on my feet for about 7 and a half hours..slow but steady...but we pushed on after a long break there.  There where other runners going on to Drivers but they seemed in no hurry to leave. Me on the other hand wanted out.  Some good sections with my pacer down to Cal 1 as I pointed things out about race day on the trail.  I know these sections very well. 
It was now getting late afternoon and the canyons got a little dark but we would pop out into the sun every now and then .  It was very still and quite very nice.  We ran down Impail Trail only to be passed by two runners that know how to downhill! I suck...Oh well we caught the at Cal2. 

Legs actually came alive on the fun switchbacks down and this was the fastest and easiest section all day.  Darin was wondering what to say and do as a pacer for me..I usually don't run with a lot of folks so I stay quite and don't talk much but he was helping by keeping me moving and making sure the Scaps where being taken..I have adjusted my doseage to 2 caps an hour.  This seems to work wonders for me.  A very strong push up Cal3 and some average running to sandy bottoms and the river. It was a long day.  I was ready for it to end so I wanted a ride out from Rucky Chucky for the first time ever..it seemed popular as a lot of runners did that option..It was now about 8pm as we finished at Drivers Flat Staging...wow a great day...Still some energy left in the tank..but I wanted to get to my car.  Rory came up just then and we got a ride with her..she seems pretty neat...She says she just wants to finish WS..but she better beat me is all I can say....

Darin and I grabbed some pizza and got home about 10pm...stayed up till 11pm and the legs where now cooked it was hard sleeping..between my neighbors dogs barking all night..(really can we be more rude!) and the legs it was not quality sleep. 

Taking off today then off  to run the final 20 on Monday.  Legs should not like me for the first few miles. Then its tme to go into maintenance mode.  I am so happy my IT and knees seem healed. WS is gonna be so hard but such a reward getting to the line and running as good as I can.  The goal is to finish....

Tony