Limberlost DNF - Oops! Race Report

With 4 weeks off I figured 56K would be less of an ordeal than the pathetic 3 ultras I ran in late May and June.  If I ever make predictions about the stock market, make sure you invest heavily in the opposite direction...

Although wet, with a healthy sprinkling of mud, The Limberlost Challenge was a hoot, with perfect running weather and wonderful trails.  TLC requires considerable effort to maintain any semblance of a race pace.  Look at the results and you will note most runners seem to be taking their sweet time.  Knowing the course fairly well, I figured that 2 hours for the first 14K loop would be about right.  I was hoping to get 42K in at about the 6.5 hour mark, then slug it out with the mud for a circa 10 hour finish.

The first loop went well, with no apparent issues and completed in 2:01.  Loop 2 started well and I was confident I could keep somewhere near my schedule.  Yes, the course required a lot of effort, but I did not start too fast, was hydrating well and had no issues with nutrition.  A common theme during my training runs after Conquer the Canuck 50K, which I ran 4 week prior to TLC, was the gas tank would drop from half full to empty very quickly.  If the training runs were getting marginally better over the 4 weeks, it was never an obvious improvement.  At 20K, about halfway through loop 2, I changed from running well to barely being able to run.  Oh oh.  In most 50K's, my energy level drops progressively from about 30K to 45K, at which point I am struggling.  But struggling for 5K is normal and acceptable.  Struggling for 36K on a rugged trail is another matter.

The good news is that I experienced no cramping or knee problems.  My back fired a few shots across the prow, but all in all I was running without appreciable pain.  Or energy.  By the end of the second loop I had nothing left.  It took me 4.5 hours to run the first 28K.  Walking for another 28K and chasing the cut-off's seemed a bit too masochistic, even for me.  Although the trail was a treat, I was not prepared to endure another 6 hours and possibly face a DNF.

I plan to run in 3 more OUTRace ultras this year and if all goes well, I can still achieve the Norm Patenaude award.  But there is no more room for error.  I guess the concept of the NP award is that it is tough.  Most people cannot make it to all the races and many things can go wrong in an ultra.  Although it looks easy on paper, I am finding out it is not easy in any respect.

Lee Anne and I have the Ottawa 12 hour is in 3 weeks.  At the risk of sounding complacent, I expect this race to be one of the least difficult.  The original plan, back in April, was that I would be well rested for Ottawa, with a few 50K's and a 56K under my belt.  I would try for 80K during the 12 hours.  On paper (of course I never learn, haven't you read any of my posts?) it should be possible, even simple, as I ran 80K at Haliburton, a much tougher course, in 12:35.  80K is still my A goal, but with the way my running is going, I will be happy with 43K.


Cheers!