Race 2 of October Race Trifecta: Wilson River 50k

Around mile 8 came a shrill voice not unlike that of kids screaming from the backseat on the family road trip, "Are we there YET?!"  My mind begged my legs and lungs for an explanation:  where were we and why was this taking so long?



Early on in the dark, crossing another creek.  Photo: Paul Nelson!

My legs/lungs replied, "Chillax mind, it's too early for you to be asking questions.  We're still driving.  Probably will be for a while at this rate."  The mind then reluctantly went back to looking out the window at the soaking wet Coast Range rainforest that was the setting.  While satisfied with the beauty of the views it had a different vision regarding the pace of this whole excursion.

Some hours and miles later (around mile 22? or 24? I don't know where, some damn place high upon a ridgeline) the mind and legs/lungs did a quick Chinese fire drill and the legs/lungs found themselves in the back seat while the mind was now driving. 

The legs and lungs were now furiously asking the mind, "Dude, have you lost your grip?  You said we'd be nearly done by now and we haven't even reached the turn-around yet meaning we still have to come back over all this crap.  You sick sonofabitch."  The mind had no response really just kind of shrugged it off and said "Enough back there.  We aren't going to turn around now.  Besides when we do get to the turn around they'll probably have some Coke there and we'll all be happy for a little bit.  High as a kite with wind on our sails."

When I did get to the AS I noticed that I never passed the guy who was out in front of me.  I asked the friendly volunteers, "Uh, where's the dude who was in front?" 

"What dude?"  They answered, "You're the dude in front."

I hadn't seen him since someplace around mile 16 and we ran past our cars at mile 18.  "Maybe he just got in his car and split..."  I wouldn't blame him.  This was torture and it had been raining pretty damn hard for awhile. 

"Well, at any rate that just made this a whole lot easier," I exclaimed as I drank my second cup of Coke and turned back to the giant climb I had just descended.

It wasn't a quarter mile later and I got a glimpse of a man in his element and hot on my tracks.  I was in running shorts and a soaking tee shirt and this guy had on sleek tights and carried poles.  He had the look of a well-crafted machine designed to kill joggers like me on late race climbs where hiking was certainly faster than running.  "Jesus, help me," I thought.  I put my head forward, leaned into the hill and... walked.  I ran wherever I could but the miles came slowly until I finally descended into mile 30's AS.  I should have just ran through it but I couldn't pass up the chance to have another couple cups of Coke.  "Weeee!"  The mind, legs and lungs were temporarily pleased/teased again.

The finish came at last and I felt surprisingly good.  Just really relieved and really hungry.

Awesome bridge finish.  Photo: Paul Nelson.

As I changed into dry clothes the guy BBQing (the RDs of Go Beyond put on an awesome post-race party as they always do) asks if I want a burger or hot dog.

I replied simply, "Yes, please."
"Chili on the dog?  Bacon on the burger?" he asked.
"YES!"  I replied.  Dearest angel of God, thank you.  Yum.

Just like that, race #2 and 32 more miles of racing (of 79.5 planned for October) had come to a very happy ending nearly 5 and a half hours and 7500'+ uphill movement later.

Sharing the NW Mtn. Trail Series podium with Christof and Jeff.  Couple cool dudes.  Christof (in the middle) is the "jogger killer" referenced in my crappy race recap.  Photo: Paul "this guy's everywhere all at once" Nelson