Stone Cat Trail races -Nov. 8, 2008 -short report

When I entered the Stone Cat Trail 50 miler knowing that it was 6 days after the marathon, wasn't sure how much of it I'd complete...but did finish! Ran the full 50 miles in 10:23 (fairly even splits of 2:24;2:35;2:50, and 2:30 for 4 12.5 loops).
It was definately a team effort --I got by with help from Carrie, Barbara, Frank, Hiro, Nick, Christine, Kim and Wayne! Frank ran the marathon in 4:04 --an hour faster than last year!! He came in 24th overall. The race director told us at the start that the loops were really .5 or so long, so the marathon was 27-plus miles, and 50 miler 52-plus miles.
We drove up on Friday (Wayne could haver ridden with me but drove up the morning of -insane:))and discussed dropping down to the marathon as we were both tired from New York (in a manner of speaking) -- Frank said he'd be happy to run a faster trail marathon and my unofficial goal was to run at least 3 of the 4 12.5 -13 mile loops, for 37.5 miles. Last year, we quit after the marathon, and this year, if I had spent 4 hours in the car, paid for hotel room, and gotton up at 4:45, I wanted to make the most of the day. On the other hand, would be happy with 27 miles!! We had so many friends running the 50-Yuki, Christine, Kim, carrie, Scott and his friend Mark, Wayne, Barbara and Nick (as all mentioned above)!! We all chitchatted in the gym at 5:45 after getting our number. I planned to do the first loop as slow as possible!! Frank, Wayne and Yuki took off --I ran with Carrie and Kim..the first 4 miles are hilly single track,and the leaves were slick!! But the weather was mild and perfect -60 degrees (it was pouring here) and cloudy. The middle portion of the loop is beautiful double track trail but with huge puddles --we all got soaking wet:( I walked alot. I did feel tight in the quads and hamstrings...but the first loop was suddenly over (3 fun aid stations) and Hiro was waiting to cheer us on. I went out on the second and felt alittle better. Stayed with Barbara, Nick and Carrie and Christine --I probably walked alittle more.
Got back and Frank had finished!! Since we had driven together, I thought he might be mad if I continued, but I wanted to try, and he encouraged me, saying that he was perfectly happy with burgers and beer but for 5 hours??). So, out I went with Carrie ---we stayed together the whole loop, walking up the single track and on the flats alittle --we even ran right through the mud and water. I discussed with Barbara stopping, and she said it was a crime to do the third loop and not the fourth --you have to go try, she said...so with walking, I started to feel better and decided to go for that last 12.5 miles...Carrie was moving really well, so I told her to go ahead. I didn't walk at all, though, just tried to count down the miles. When I got to mile 9 (47), I had passed a bunch of people and it was about 4:15 p.m. and starting to get dark --at mile 10, I put on my headlamp since didn't want to kill myself in the last mile. I finished about 4:50 as darkness was closing in -it was the best feeling to be pushing along the grass field and to be seeing the finish line!! After I went through the finish line and got my jacket, talked to Wayne, Kim and carrie --they had all finished already!!! Frank really was OK and had had a great time! He saw Yuki finish her first 50 miler...we hopped in the car and our reward on way home was a stop to buy coffee and beer for me and my brothers and beer for Frank --Stone cat ale. See Frank's blog for race photos:
More race report tomm...