IAU Trail World Champs

IAU Trail World Champs

29 Oct, 2016

Leading up to the race…  I had a solid summer of training but it slowly derailed as the race approached.  I started September off with a sinus infection which entailed a 5 day dose of antibiotics.  I followed that up with a throat infection that entailed a 10 day dose of antibiotics.  All of the antibiotics killed the good bacteria in my stomach which lead to a progressive case of C. Diff (diagnosed the Monday of race week).  The C.Diff. lead to another 10 day round of yet another antibiotic.  One could say that I had a nice long taper for the race and that I went on a weight loss program that put me down 6 pounds (not recommended).

Having a diagnoses and cure for my “digestive issue” started to give me a little optimism.  I gained a little more optimism when Jess and I didn’t encounter and delays or turbulence during our flights from Green Bay to Portugal.  I gained even more optimism as the week progressed and my meds started to do their thing and as running felt great (and I didn’t have to visit any trees during said runs).  I was enjoying the trip, the team commodity, the wonderful scenery and all of the pre-race hype.

Race Day… The race started off great.  The first 800m of the race traversed over flat paved street.  I got out nice and controlled and settled into the top 50 some place.  Shortly after 800m we turned off of the paved road onto a logging road and started a 2,000ft climb over the next two miles.  This climb felt amazing (all the maxed incline treadmill workouts paid dividends) and I found myself gradually moving up through the pack into the top 20.

The climb was followed by a technical descent where I struggled to hold my own, playing it safe and not busting my sh!t (Europeans have no fear when it comes to running technical descents in the dark) . When the descent terrain was more runnable, per say logging roads, I ate up a ton of ground on the lead pack and actually took the lead.  There were a few more ups and downs along the way before we came to the first city along the course that had a nice downhill stretch into our first water stop.  I built a 20 second lead going through the stop that was short lived as the Spanish crew team lead me down the wrong road.  After backtracking and finding the proper route I lost about 30seconds and 20 places.  None the less it was a small mishap; I was back on course and was still feeling great.

I jockeyed back and forth over the next couple miles.  I had been taking fluids, had a couple of gels and was feeling great.  I hit the first aide station and I found myself in11^th place.  I restocked on supplies and made short time in getting back on the course.  Coming out of aide station 1 we had another nice long climb, it was up this climb that things slowly started to go south.  I tried taking a gel and my stomach was having nothing to do with it.  I tried taking some sugar candy and my stomach had nothing to do with that as well.  I forged on trying to stay optimistic. 

My optimism took another hit when I ran out of fluids shortly after starting the climb to the highest point on the course (this seemed to be a common issue with lots of folks at this point in the course).  Considering temps were 15-20 degrees hotter than usual things were not looking good.  Half way up the climb teammate Alex strolled on by.  Shortly before the top of the hill teammate Mario caught me pulled me along until the next water stop.  I filled up with water and was able to stomach a handful of potato chip.  Mario and I ran the next mile together on the gravel road until we dropped off onto the trail down into the valley, from here on out every step turned into a struggle.  I crawled my way into aide station 2 as the 3^rd US guy behind Alex and Mario and had no word on how Jared was fairing behind me.  Needed 3 to score a team I continued on through the hell that was my race aiming for the final aide station at mile 44.

The tortilla wrap I was able to stomach at the aid station helped make the next 5k or so to the next water stop a little less miserable.  The following 10k or so to the next aide station covering the last big climb of the race brought back the full misery.  My body was trashed and I didn’t have a drop of energy left in me.  Jared passed me half way up the big climb and it was my final dagger.  I crawled/stumbled my way to the final aide station and I called it a day.  The remaining 9 miles were “all downhill” but there was no way I was going to make it to the finish line.  I was done, physically and mentally.  Jared, Alex and Mario all struggled on to rich the finish line (Corrine on the women’s side as well) to bring team USA a disappointing 15^th place finish after last year’s runner up performance.

Post Race… Jess and I explored Portugal for a couple of days and then headed home to our much missed girls and pups.  I was planning on heading out to San Fran to run TNF 50 but have decided to scratch that off of the calendar and call it a season.  It’s time to get healthy and take some time off.

Next up, in terms of ultras, is most likely going to be Chuckanut 50K in March in hopes of making the Trail World Team to complete in Italy of June 2017.  The outcome of Chuckanut will determine the route the rest of the 2017 schedule will follow.