The Northface Endurance Challenge
WOW - what an adventure!
Having run quite a few ironman/marathons by now I was excited about the opportunity to try something new this year - a 50k (31miles my non-metric peeps). I figured this year was a great opportunity to take a whack at the NFEC as I was coming off a solid season of racing, good health, and had built a nice big base of quality running fitness. I also had a partner in crime join me in this adventure and it made all the training, blisters, and long days on the trails way more fun! I also had the support of my hubby Dave who seems to always under my various endurance urges and adventures. He's also a huge help when my legs are sore, its getting dark outside, or I'm just plain tired and need a hug :) Thanks honey!
So, as it turns out the NFEC was to be my first 50k. As I soon learned this event is not for the faint of heart as it has close to 6300' of vertical climbing and in the ultra running world is considered a pretty challenging event. Nice thing for me though is it was close to home turf and on many trails I've run off and on over the years....Coastal Trail, the Dipsea, Tennessee Valley, Muir Beach, Cardiac Hill, and Suicide Canyon to name a few...
Also as the 2011 Northface Endurance Challange is a Championship race it brought out some of the biggest names in ultra-running. So in many respects it was much like an Ironman. Age-group athletes get to start and compete on the same course as the elites (pro's). How fun is that??? VERY! It was truly remarkable to watch many of the 50milers compete for a $10,000 prize purse. Simply amazing individuals their depth of talent and running abilities is simply mind-boggling and something to be inspired by.
For those that like a visual here's some great footage from YouTube~
Spectacular Preview of Team Soloman and the course....
And more footage courtesy of the "Endurables"
The race...
Anyway, when you've been in the endurance world long enough it seems the urge to try something new and a bit scarry seems both daunting and exhilerating at the same time. While the distance alone is enough to make most nervous what I found most humbling about this course was not just the distance, I was pretty sure I could handle the couple extra miles, rather it was the difficulty of the course combined with the distance. You can check out the race course and elevation details here on their website in case your interested in the event yourself. http://www2.thenorthface.com/endurancechallenge/races/2011/ca/index.html
What this sort of event requires most is what I call the "3 pillars" or 3 p's of endurance racing (P to the 3rd power for you math geeks :) anyway - in a nutshell it includes this ---> "patience, pacing, and positive, relentless persistance".
Training...
If you've had a full year of racing and are at the end of your season than chances are you are pretty fit by the time training for this event rolls around. If you can make sure you give yourself time to recover from your summer racing exploits and maintain your fitness just enough, sprinkle in a few quality weeks of hills, hills, and more hills than you should be able to cover the distance of the NFC. The ticket is to be sure to do enough quality sessions of combined running and hiking in the latter weeks that strengthens the legs eccentrically (downhill loading folks) as their's lots of it - simply put the quads and calves take a beating. You also have to get used to carrying some sort of hydration system (ie. camelbak) as the aide stations are fairly far apart (4+miles). If you can do all this - than its quite do-able.
Out there in the real world though I couldn't help seeing some things with my coaches hat on....
To be blunt I did notice quite a few "not-so-happy-campers" who apparently didn't do their home work. Yes, simply put this course has hills and lots of them...oh...and did I mention big ones! Several of them left me hiking at L2 heartrate and demanded no running. Like the mountain itself wanted you on your knees! It indeed was a humbling experience and I saw many who simply were not prepared and suffered badly. There is a way to avoid this though....
#1-Add some hiking in your long runs
#2-Even go away on a big hiking trip (I went to Yosemite with some friends :)
#3-If you can't see the top of the hill than HIKE it!
#4-Wear your heart rate monitor, if you are well out of your L2-3 (ie. L4-5) for long-periods of time - hike!
#5-Think of it as a long day - like a 1/2 or full ironman
#6-Pace yourself - its along day
#7-Eat & hydrate early and often - dont get behind!
#8-Stop and smell the roses - it just might save your race :)
I realize many veteran ultra-runners have a steady debate going on the Garmin issue. I have to say while for some it might not be useful for me I found it essential. I loved knowing what mileage I was at - it was very motivating to see miles 26, 27, and 28 tick by. It also really helped me control my effort on the hills - both down and up. For me, being this was my first 50k, I found it particularly useful as sort of a "fact-finding mission". And though I am "intuitive" and skilled enough as an endurance athlete to know my own body by know I still found it fun and useful. So - bottomline....my suggestion to you is decide what's best for you and run with it. Personally I enjoyed having the info as it allowed me to relax and it really was fun downloading it to my training log and re-tracing my steps on the Garmin site...yes...my feet really did carry me that far...so cool! I got to relive the whole experience on the player in my workoutlog.
Now...though - one thing the little devil did do is it revealed the course was a teensy bit long - 1 1/2 miles to be exact! I was pretty cranky for awhile until I cross referenced this with a few other of my Garmin wearing buddies and found out that they expereinced the same headscratching feeling of "man this course seems really...long". So yes, I did indeed feel good about that and it also helped save my fueling strategy.
The "Coach"
Now sometimes just being a "participant" is tough when you are also a coach. I have to say that while I was completely absorped in my own event I couldn't help being the "thinking athlete" and coach that I am. Why? Because I couldn't help but notice a tremendous amount of completely avoidable, un-necessary suffering out there (not the performance kind we press ourselves for - the hanging on for dear life kind).
Some thoughts on this...
#1. Be prepared! Simply put, do your "homework people". Read up on the course, know the type of terrain and elveation you will be dealing with. Do some of it in practice as often as you can and is healthy. Pratice, practice, practice (that's why in school they call it - "practice"), and finally, know your belly & your brain.
#2. Stay positive. If you are a triathlete and have done a 1/2 ironman or two or are even a seasoned ironman or marathon runner its pretty simple stuff actually. Set yourself up for mental success, realize its a long-day, give yourself permission to relax and take your time, and if you get the devil on your shoulder - fuel your brain and body with positive images and some mountain dew.
#3. Be persistant. Bottomline here folks is relentless, positive forward motion. Find a way to keep putting one foot in front of the other. We all hit bad patches - ride the wave - envision your success and seize it. If it was easy everyone would do it....and isn't that exactly why you "chose this challenge". To challenge yourself and stretch those boundaries of what you perceive to be nearly impossible or just plain hard as hell. Stay positive, stay focused, and be the success you want to see.
Final thoughts...
Simply put - I LOVED IT!!! Yes, I would do it again. I was very fortunate to have great friends to do it with - athletes whom I've coached, respect, and admire to train and race with....and tons of positive energy. I have to admit - I felt good. Did I have a few low points - sure - there are always a few rough patches. But, I did choose this event for the challenge, I knew it would stretch me, I knew it would be hard, but I also knew it would be a great big adventure (thanks Loni and Steve!). I had such a great time I forgot where I was sometimes. I just enjoyed the "blurr" of beautiful ocean views, the amazing smell of the redwoods, and beautiful wavy golden hillls....The bonus? I got to geek myself out on all things ultra-running - something fun and new. I felt so good at the end I just really got to let it all go and "let the horse out of the barn" so to speak. It really was a blast (did I mention how cool it was too:).
In short my first ultra-running experience was a great one. Though very challenging, I also chose to let it rip the last five miles and run as hard as I could in to the finish line. Yes, I paid the price with very sore legs....but I also got myself a nice visit to In-and-Out burger where I just happened to bump into one of the legends of Ironman history - Wendy Ingram with her family. We chatted about the event, the quality of the field, and of course the jaw dropping scenery.
What truly makes this such a memorable and fun event is that so many of my friends and local running buddies from Santa Rosa participated. It didn't really seem to matter if you raced long or short on Saturday or Sunday....or were an elite (like Tyler Stewart) or amateur - everyone out there was pushing the line of their personal limits and enjoyed the same love/hate comraderie this course brings.
Realizations....
I also did learn and realize a lot of things about myself out there....largely that I am one of those "crazy endurance people". I also realize I don't care what anyone else thinks - it makes me happy and I like it...and that's all that really matters. I also realize mountain dew, ruffles, and salty potatos are like eating chocolate cake on your birthday when the going gets rough. I also realize I love vanilla bean Gu! I couldn't help but also come to the full realization that I wouldn't want to do this without the support and encouragement of my hubby Dave and my good friend and training partner Loni Behler. They both put up with all my hair-brained ideas and really 'jump on the bus' when its go time. Thank you both so much!
So yes,
now the books are finally closed on my 2011 season. It was a great year and there was just an immense sense of comraderie and accomplishment for tackling this beast of a Challenge among others I'd set for myself this year.. Will I do it again - yes - that's for sure. My final thoughts from the whole experience is do what ya' like, what makes you happy, and keeps you motivated - 'nuff said'!
And yes, another bit from YouTube - I couldn't resist....
Just in case you're curious...
I hope you all enjoy a happy, restful, and re-juvinating holiday.
Or as we say back home....Happy Holidays Ya'll!
jl
Fun read.. Looks like Trans Rockies Run is next for you!
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