Going 30 for turning 40

For those who don’t know, I recently had the “privilege” of turning 40. Along with a little extra ‘attention’ at my annual physical and having to get glasses, I tried to ignore it. If you know me, I am not big into birthday celebrations anyways. When Melissa asked what I wanted to do, I replied, “same thing I do each year to celebrate my birthday, run a race.” I know it’s childish, but it’s my way of saying “I’m not getting older”. So on February 14^th (yes - I abandoned my wife and family on Valentine’s day) I took part in the 5^th Annual Psycho – Wyco Trail Run.

A Trail Run, in flatter than a pancake Kansas? Yep, and this is my 3rd year doing the race, but the first time I actually signed up for the full, 3 loop, 31 miles version. The course is a 10 mile loop, described as being “rocky, rooty, and hilly bridle trails & single-track trails.” Okay, but this is still Kansas, so how tough could it really be??? Highlights of the course see map) include:

• only 22% of the course is flat, the rest has average grade of 17%>
• Total of 10,000 feet in elevation change
• There is 1/3 mile section of paved road, but wait, it is at 20% grade
• “Fall down hill”, a negative 20% grade of mud and ice (and yes, I fell once)
• “The Triangle” as twisting, turning, game-trail section that makes you dizzy
• “Speed demon ridge” a fun, downhill section along top of ridge
• >“Misery Ridge” every see mountain goats on animal planet? Sort of like that with more mud

So how did it go? If you have to pick an ultra to do, this is the one. Fully staffed aid stations every 3 – 4 miles manned by super-friendly people, many are seasoned ultra runners and stocked with every kind of sugar you can think of.

First Loop
Start of race, I lined up with 250 other weirdos (or trail nerds and mudbabes as they like to call themselves). The first loop I was feeling great. A little icy, with temps around 29 degrees. The sun was just coming up, making for beautiful morning. I started a little fast, due to race high. Around mile 3, while somewhere in the ‘triangle’, a runner in front of me startled a deer, who charged out of her hiding place. I yell for someone to put a race bib on it. Rest of first loop went great, but I finished a little faster than I wanted to at 1 hour 50 minutes. Feeling great, having fun.

Second Loop
I added some body glide to my feet to help with hot spots, stocked up on jelly bellies and gu, and took off for second loop. Lots more mud, combined with some fatigue, made me a little slower, so I start walking up the hills. Coming out of the slippery triangle section at mile 14, I eat my 1^st package of caffeinated powerbar gel and felt good enough to pick up pace. I passed time over the next several miles by chatting with another runner. The interesting thing about these races vs. road races– everybody is so friendly! I made it through second loop at 2 hours, 17 minutes, including about 10 minutes at aid stations. My body is feeling the effects of first two loops, so I stop just long enough to get some food (pb&j, Gatorade and mountain dew) before taking off for final lap.

Third loop
I spent most of the final lap in daze, but I do remember lots more mud, lots more walking, lots of slipping / sliding down hills. I keep eating rest of my gels and jelly bellies, but I guess it wasn’t enough. Around mile 7, I started to feel a little dizzy / light headed and wonder if I will be able to finish. Fortunately, at mile 8 is an aid station. A staffer asks what I need / want, and I sort of blankly stare at him as I hand over my water bottle for refill. He suggests some sugar, and hands me a mountain dew. I think I owe him my life, because 2 glasses of dew and I feel the fog lift. Only 2 miles to go, and I know I can make it now. Only problem is, they save 3 bad @ss hills for last 2 miles of the loop. I think I was actually moving backwards between the mud and my lack of strength on the last hill. However once I cleared, it, I summoned my last reserve of energy and ran it home for last ½ mile.

Results

So how did it feel to finish? Perhaps this joke describes it best –

One friend sees another friend hitting himself on the head with a hammer.

Second friend asks “Why are your hitting yourself with a hammer?”

First friend responds “because it feels so good when I stop”.

Seriously, I finished with decent time of 6 hours and 40 minutes and it was a total rush. I finished 5th in my age group and 31st out of 100 overall. Not a bad way to celebrate my 40th birthday.

Why do it? It is hard to explain, but there is something spiritual about it when your whole world narrows down to one thing. There is no room for worries or pressure or anything else. Plus, my Garmin Watch estimates I burned through 3,500 calories, meaning I got to eat whatever I wanted the rest of the weekend, including the delicious turkey dinner Melissa made on Sunday to celebrate.

You can read more about the race at the KC Star or at the race site

Photos courtesy of SeeKCRun and Rich Stigall