Lost Lake 25k - Race Report

You can only do so much mental preparation for a race you will know to be challenging. I registered for the Lost Lake 25k back in December and right away knew it would not be easy....

While only half the distance this race starts out with a brutal climb up the Pine and Cedar Trail–1,400ft in just over 2 miles. The course follows the final 25k of the 50k course as it winds through ferns and mud, up to the rocky Raptor Ridge lookout and around Fragrance Lake, before plummeting down to the finish at Larabee State Park’s Lost Lake Day Use parking lot.

I kept this mind all throughout my training, having done what I thought was plenty of climbing. Race day came and I was feeling (mostly) ready. Having not done the longest runs I wanted to (the longest being around 10 miles), I figured going in under trained was better than the opposite. I'm sure if this helped or hurt me in the end.

My taper for the race began after the Chirico Tenpeat - an informal race where participants strive to go up and down the Chirico trail from 1-10 times over the course of 12 hours. The winner (10 repeats in the shortest time), wins the coveted Tiger hat. The winner finished this year in 8hrs57 minutes! I had to work so I went and did 2, feeling tired and accomplished. Maybe next year I'll strive for 3? Anyhow, I digress...

The last few weeks it had taken me longer to recover from hard efforts than I expected so I figured a relaxed taper would make sure I was ready come race day. With easy runs on Saturday & Wednesday before the race, the Wednesday run, albeit short and relaxed, my legs still felt sluggish. Left me very much looking forward to my appointment with Dr.David - chiropractor and ART/Graston specialist - even more. I'm thoroughly convinced the combination of the soft tissue work, chiropractic adjustments, and improvements to my form have kept me from anything more than soreness after hard efforts. 

Fast forward to race day...

I leave early Saturday morning from Issaquah around 7 am (with one stop for coffee and a snack since the race doesn't start until 10). I get there in plenty of time, check in, get my shirt and around 9:20 hop on to the shuttle (a volunteer and his Camry, haha) to the start. I had been warned that there was not much space to do any sort of significant warm-up - the trailhead parking lot was such that you could do about 10 laps and MAYBE log a mile. The other option was the hill you'd be spending the better part of 2 miles on. I opted for a few laps around the parking lot.

I learned that there were actually fewer people running the 25k than were running the 50k because the 50k had been around for so much longer (this was only the 2nd year a 25k option was available). My estimate was around 25. After a brief rundown of the course markings, we take off. I had no intentions of attempting to run this section so it would be the last I see of most of the runners as they speed off ahead. First mental note: Never enough hill training. Not even close. I start my music and settle in for a good 45 minute calf burn. The lady with the husky makes me wonder how the dog will fare in the heat, but I try to remind myself "she knows her dog best," etc and try not to worry too much.

At around mile 2, the course levels out for which I (and my lower legs) are quite grateful. The course is well shaded, with lots of rocks and roots to contend with. Started encountering some of the 50k runners coming the opposite direction and had to remind myself they had been running for the better part of 2-3 hours already. I stepped out of the way when need be, and wished most of them "good job" or "nice work" as did most of them to me. 

The course stayed this way for the better part of the race, which was great, with the exception of a few short climbs. I did stop to take pictures, being mindful to not stop my garmin, because the scenery was beautiful and I'm all for enjoying the experience. My least favorite part of this section was the nettle. Brushed up against it twice (once with the hand, and soon after with my shin). Ow!

Around mile 5, I took in the pocketfuel (Vanilla Haze - delicious, btw) because I knew if I waited until I needed it, it would be too late. I came upon the one and only photographer while walking so I picked up the pace a little and attempted to smile. 

Mile 8 brought you to the first pass of the Fragrance Lake aid station. It was nice to see some friendly faces since I had been on my own for most of the run thus far. It was well stocked - fruit, candy, energy chews, etc. I ate a few pieces of  watermelon and set on my way. Watermelon has to be one of my favorite foods both during and post run. Refreshing, light, and just the hint of sweetness. 

The next few miles were around Fragrance Lake itself. Lots of people out enjoying the warm day. I don't remember which happened first but this was about where I both tripped & fell (tripped several times already without falling - yay!) and had my right ankle roll to the point I almost became worried. Another note: remember to pick up your feet, especially when tired. The tree roots and rocks made it almost unavoidable but the ground was soft and rock-free so I considered myself lucky. Seeing all the benches along these next few miles felt like such a tease - "come on, just for a minute..." - but I did not stop at any of them, despite their calling. 

At around mile 10-11, you hit the interurban trail (flat, gravel) and start making your way back toward the aid station, including a downhill section of dirt road that I could've done without. I was feeling pretty good, a bit fatigued, but confident. It was fairly warm (probably 60-65?) and a bit muggy so I knew that had an effect on me as well. I snack on my "Need for Seed" Picky Bar, in small bites, knowing I hadn't eaten much and fueling had been an issue in races past.

Mile 12 starts the last big climb to the top and this is about where my legs cried "Uncle" and wouldn't let me get more than a shuffle on anything remotely flat. This about where I start asking myself "why do we do this?" "If this hurts this much, how the hell do you expect to get through a 50k (in October)?" I try to focus on my music and just keep trudging along, knowing the aid station (and that watermelon) was not far away. 

At mile 13.5, you reach the top and the aid station. Yay!! 2ish miles to go and its mostly downhill - albeit on gravel/dirt. I snag a few more pieces of watermelon and head on my way. My legs are fatigued but I'm still upright and in good spirits so all in all, not bad. I reach the finish in 4:02. Only 2 other 25k'ers come in after me and they were the ones I had passed on the big uphill. Time to start thinking of a goal for next year, now that I know the course - 3:45, maybe 3:30? We shall see.

The Stats:
Nutrition: 1 pocketfuel, Vanilla Haze flavor; 1 Picky Bar, "Need for Seed"; and several slices of watermelon at each pass of the aid station
Hydration: I had run out of nuun and didn't pick any up prior to the race so I had water in my pack with several shakes of the salt shaker because I know I am a "salty sweater." I think it served me well.
Temperature: Cool to start (55ish?) but warmed up quickly to about 65, if I had to guess. Not that hot when you're not running but every degree of warmth seems to be amplified when you are. And it was muggy - bring on the bugs. Glad I used a few sprays of Off! before I left my car.
Course: 15.54 miles, 3700 ft of climbing with 2 major climbs - the start, and again at mile 12. I definitely need to do hill work on tired legs to help avoid what happened. 

The Good: weather, nutrition/hydration, scenery, course, people, watermelon
The Bad: self-talk at the last climb, the bugs, the nettle, 1 fall, 1 ankle roll
What needs work: picking up feet when tired, hill work on tired legs (mid long run to simulate potential race conditions)

Elevation profile - Lost Lake 25K

Training Run/Hike - Pratt Lake - Lower Tuscohatchie Lake via the Melakwa Lake Trail

With two weeks left before the 20 mile race at Cougar Mountain, a long run was in order. I met up with my training partner, Terry, at the Pratt Lake TH at 7 am on Saturday with a goal of doing a 4-5 hour run/hike. The weather was cloudy but not too ominous. Hit the trail around 7:30am. Didn't anticipate seeing a lot of people on the trail today given the weather. There were only our 2 cars in the lot and one other. Took the first few miles easy since there was a fair amount of climbing right from the start (roughly 2200 feet in 4 miles). I had forgotten my garmin at home and Terry's was glitchy so I was basing my estimates on mileage from my previous trips here.


We had initially planned to do the out and back to Pratt Lake with an added climb up to Granite Mtn. for a total of 18. The plan changed early on as neither of us was up for the amount of climbing required and didn't necessarily need it in prep for the race. Kept on from Pratt toward Melakwa Lake, which is what I had done earlier this summer with the Seattle Mountain Running Group. Needless to say this time it was just as beautiful despite the lack of snow. The views did not disappoint, only highlighted by the changing colors of fall and the inclement weather.
Headed up the trail and got hit with our first downpour, lasting about 5-10 minutes. It wasn't cold so the rain actually felt good. My only concern was my cell phone, which had a protective cover just not necessarily waterproof. Thankfully there wasn't enough rain to do any damage. Allowed for lots of picture taking!

One of our conversations during our hike was about time. Given that I had forgotten my Garmin and had no access to the instant feedback that I was used to, it was quite an adjustment. One of my recent revelations was about prioritizing time and how not everything has to be done right now - what's urgent versus what's important. This has been a big revelation for me as I tend to be scatterbrained, starting different tasks as I think of them because I'm afraid I'll forget to do them. What makes this significant is how I'm spending my time with my son. Realizing that spending time with him is way more important, for the most part, than whatever task may be waiting. We spent most of the time hiking than running and taking longer than planned. Being ok with that is a big step for me because having done so much running on pavement, made me a slave to pace - how fast? How far? It was almost a relief not having that watch to remind me of what I didn't necessarily need to know.

We decided to turn around based on time, not knowing at that point exactly how far we'd gone. Encountered several different groups of hikers and didn't think anything of their late departures until we'd gotten back to our cars and it started pouring. I began to wonder how'd they fare since none looked prepared for rain.
As far as diet goes, I again started to feel hungry with a few miles left to go. I also came to the realization I need to incorporate more real food options as opposed to gels & blocks.

In my pack: 3 gels (1 honey stinger, 1 PowerBar Tangerine, and 1 ClifShot Mocha) and 1 PB Sandwich on white bread. I ended up eating all but the ClifShot and was feeling hungry the last 3ish miles. I had 2L of water in the bladder of my pack, with 2 tablets of Nuun. I think 3 would've been better, but it wasn't very warm so I wasn't sweating as heavily and not losing as much salt (I'm typically covered in a fine layer of salt if it's warm out).

Overall I felt pretty good. Hips ached ever so slightly but not nearly to the extent they did a month previous when I visited last. I definitely need to continue/resume the foam rolling and stretching that my chiropractor recommended. I had fallen off the bandwagon and definitely felt it.

My goal next year is to run the loop (Pratt Lake - Melakwa - Denny Creek) again, preferably without snow (likely next June/July). I would also like to get up that Granite Mtn trail since it is short and the climbing will be a nice challenge.

Race Report: Cle Elum 25k/50k - September 27, 2014

Makes sense that the first blog post is a race report. Easy way to get the ball rolling on inspiration and ideas. Actually it's more so that I have a written record of what I've learned and how I felt. The Cle Elum race is billed as a 25k, when in reality it's closer to 30k. The website even says so!

I had run a race the previous weekend, the Beat the Blerch Half Marathon. It was a flat race, but the packed dirt/gravel path gave my quads a beating. Thought it best with the race, stress, and a light cold coming on that little to no running before Cle Elum was the best plan. It ended up working to my advantage. Score! I had stayed up a little late the night before but wasn't terribly concerned. Some of my better runs had been on less than ideal sleep. That's what caffeine is for, right? After hitting the Starbucks around 7, I hit the road. First lesson learned: Don't just google map the city where your race is, use the address. Mapping "Cle Elum" versus the actual exit I needed left me about 8 miles short of time that I was already cutting close. I get to the exit I need, and start heading to the campground when GPS loses signal. I start to think I missed the turn and backtrack. Another mistake - I should've gone even further, costing me more precious time. Once I park at the start it's roughly 8:58AM and the race starts at 9. I get my bib and use the restroom while the RD is giving instructions about the course. Another crucial lesson learned: Don't miss the start for obvious reasons. I take off a minute or so after the rest of the runners and start to wonder where they are. No signs anywhere. What did she say about confidence markers...roughly every half mile? Yeah, none. Start off on the wrong direction. This can't bode well! I finally get to the trail I'm supposed to be on with a little 1 mile warmup in hand. Almost glad I had that warm up because the next 8 miles is where all of the elevation gain happens.

I've run most of my training by myself and I'm ok with it. It's a good time to focus and regroup mentally while running my own pace. I decided early on that I would not push hard early - walk/powerhike the hills when needed, keep the pace on flats and downhills controlled. One thing I am thankful for is bringing my phone with me for music as well as picture taking. I'm not going to win and the cutoff time is more than generous so I'm going to enjoy myself. Something I've come to realize in racing - having fun helps you relax and ultimately helps you race BETTER! It wasn't until about mile 5 or 6 that I finally catch up to someone. On a steep stretch of uphill I encounter a woman who doesn't appear to have any water or other source of nutrition. My first thought was that she wasn't in the event and just out for a hike. I was wrong. She was preparing for a big race in December and was coming off of injury, perhaps a little too soon. We chatted for a bit and she mentions that she will be dropping at the first aid station, mile 7.5. I wish her well and keep on. Looking forward to getting to that aid station for some food. All I had in my pack was 1 bag of Honey Stinger chews, having left the (Honey Stinger) bar in the car. Another lesson learned: Pack all of your food in your pack the night before. Being rushed in the morning led me to leave it behind, only to find it after the race - where it had fallen under the seat. The volunteers at the first aid station were amazing. A few runners had stuck around so we chatted a bit. One gentleman was dropping and another was taking an extended break due to some hip soreness.

I was feeling good, my hips were a little tight, but no major issues. I munch on a piece of PB sandwich, banana,a handful of chips, and a cup of sports drink. One of the volunteers, Susan or Suzanne, was kind enough to top off my pack with water. I had added a few tabs of nuun that morning so I was concerned about electrolytes. Took some salt tablets with me just to be safe along with another section of PB sandwich for the road. I am a very salty sweater and have had issues with cramping in the past.

The guy with the hip soreness was ready to take off at the same time I am so we bid farewell. We introduce ourselves -  his name is also named Jamie - !! - how awesome was that? He is from Portland, his family is waiting at the finish and this is his longest trail race ever! (Side note: How do I always find the trail race virgins?) We end up running for only a mile or 2 when he drops back, assuming he's not feeling too good. The rest of the race was downhill and this section was fairly steady, fire road (rocky, dirty) and an amazing view.

I hit the next aid station around mile 10. A smaller station, only 2 guys, but super friendly nonetheless. Grab another banana or PB sandwich and a small cup of coke. The caffeine really helped. This section of trail was beautiful and flat. The only downside were the dirtbikes. Having to jump to the side of the trail and let them pass, along with the gasoline smell they left behind, was not pleasant. I later learned that some of the guys on the bikes were patrolling the course so I felt a little sheepish at my hasty judgement. Glad to know they were lookin out. This also had to be some of the most scenic trail I've ever run on. I've quickly affirmed that I'm going to run this race next year, dare I say, maybe the 50k? We shall see.

  

On the home stretch, ie the last 3-4 miles, I encounter only 1 other person. I've been better than ok with the solitude which I really wasn't expecting. The only thing I would've done differently is had a little more food (that bar I have in the car would've been A-MAZ-ING right now!). I didn't feel bad but I did feel a little hungry and my blood sugar was getting low - I could tell because the negative talk would've been louder if not for the music.

The lady in the beanie told her husband to pour mine first. So grateful!

When I finally see cars parked on the side of the road near the trail I knew the finish line was close. I don't think I've ever been so happy to be finished! The finish line was well stocked and I enjoyed chatting with some fellow runners. Despite being hungry during the run, I really don't have an appetite once I finish. I eat the better part of a hamburger and a small cup of coke. As I approached the beer tent, a lady told her husband to pour my cup first since I had just finished running. Bless you, whomever you are! That was the best beer I've ever tasted.


I make my way to the restroom and then started to head to my car when I see Jamie coming in for his finish. I cheer him on and chat with him while he waits for his family to walk over and meet him. The volunteer, Susan/Suzanne, from the first aid station, is also here. We both thank her profusely and she offers to get Jamie his well deserved beer. I bid him farewell and get some info so I can track him down on Facebook and head to my car.

Arriving back at my car, a change of shirt and a quick rinse is definitely needed. Dried sweat and dirt will not do for an hour plus drive home. I make my way back to I-90 with the music cranked up, feeling an odd sense of euphoria given how far I just ran, akin to a buzz from a good glass of wine, but better! Physically I feel better after this race than I did after the half last weekend. I suppose that means I'm meant to race trails and not roads? I'll take that. I'm definitely running this race next year. 

Later that evening, I'm sharing my experience with a friend over the phone. At some point he said "I'm proud of you!" I was surprised at how good it was to hear that. I didn't need it but it felt wonderful! Those words truly meant a lot, so to that I say "Thank you." Sunday afternoon I finally get the details from my garmin. Including the extra mileage at the beginning with my missed turn, I ran just shy of 20 miles in roughly 5 hours (official times not available). I'm pretty impressed with myself, I must say.