Quest For The Crest 50K- 23,000ft of Elevation Change; What I learned from this race

This past Sunday, I ran the Quest For The Crest 50K in Burnsville NC. Burnsville is right beside Mt. Mitchell. Mt Mitchell is the tallest mountain on the east coast at 6,683ft (2,037m). While my friends from the Western United States laugh at the elevation of Mt. Mitchell, the difficulty comes from how technical the trails are with boulders, rocks and roots from hell. The steepness of the ascents and descents make the course almost un-joggable. Notice I used the word joggable instead of running. Many of the ascents and descents rise and fall with 20% or more being the norm.

Martin at mile 28

Video Link of the Course- Check It Out


Before I start complaining about how technical and hard the race was, the biggest draw was the views from the top of the mountains.

Quest for the Crest 50K Website Link- Check It Out

The race is advertised as the hardest 50K in the US. Speed Goat 50K has slightly less elevation change and run-able trails according to 2 runners I spoke with during the race. When you are hiking up hill, you have to time to talk between breaths of air. In fairness, Speed Goat 50K is at a higher elevation which means less oxygen to work with than Quest for Crest 50K. Quest for the Crest 50K punishes the runner by making you scramble and climb up big rocks all day where you are not able to run. When going downhill, I called it rock jumping as you are falling down the decline hoping to catch the next rock.

This is what the easier downhills looked like

T-Shirt Logo

You Tube Video Link of the Course by Kelly Cooper

I entered this race based on its description as the hardest 50K. 3 years ago I started running longer distances in order to see how I matched up mentally against tough events. I am a runner first who likes trails. The most successful racers at this race where trail people first who liked running if the trail allowed it. They looked like they were hovering over the rocks swiftly going uphill and downhill and could have cared less about their race time.

Course Map- Click to Enlarge

My "A" race for the fall is the Uwharrie Mtn. 100 Mile Endurance Race. Uwharrie is considered a technical course. After running the Quest course and using it as a comparison, Uwharrie looks a lot easier. I knew this race was going to be a stretch for me and a great core strength test. My main consideration after 3 miles was to finish the race and not leave injured. Because the race is a part of the Sky Runner Series, you had to carry a whistle, poncho and emergency blanket. All 3 of the safety items easily fitted between both my bottles with my Orange Mud HydraQuiver Vest Pack 2. It is a great way to carry 2 big bottles on your shoulders without any bouncing instead of a hydration vest which has cooked my back in previous races.

Orange Mud Hydra Quiver 2 Vest

The course is extremely remote so it was necessary to carry at least 44 oz of water. The aid stations at the top of the race had only enough water to fill up 1 bottle. Some racers brought a filtering system to fill up from the creeks we crossed all day. The volunteers did a great job of keeping us going. Some of the aid stations took the volunteers over 2 hours hiking so we could have drinkable water during the race.

Trail Pic

The trails without rocks and boulders were overgrown so being able to lift your knees while jogging gave you an advantage. I fell 4 times through the race and consider myself lucky. I wore compression sleeves for the first time on my shins for protection from brush and rocks.

Trail Pic

As I normally do in races, I focused on my heart rate to help me not over exert myself and bonk. My normal aerobic zone is 135 to 145 bpm where I am comfortable talking and breathing. The first 3 miles had an approx a 23% grade of climbing with the aid of my hands. I used my hands the entire race to help me with the climbing. I looked at my heart rate and it was at 159 bpm and I was doing a 22 minute mile. For perspective, I ran Umstead 100 miles (16 hours and 37 minutes) at an average of 141 bpm. I felt like I was hardly moving and my heart rate was beating hard like I was running a 10K on the road. My average heart rate for the 32 miles was 158 and the Quest For the Crest 50K race took me 10 hours and 1 minute to finish. I regularly run 50K's on an easy course in under 4 hours and my heart rate stays around 145.

Trail Pic

Trail Pic

There were 4 aid stations over 32 miles and as usual I spent less than 30 seconds in each one as I filled my bottle and kept moving. I carried all the food / fuel I needed. I am proud of my effort on the up hill sections as I was able to move through other runners. When it came to down hill and rock jumping, I was passed by what seemed like the whole field. Young runners would just fly down the "trails" bouncing off rocks and jumping over roots with descents at least 15%. 2 foot step downs were the norm and I just was not able to gain much speed going downhill. The little voice in my head kept reminding me that I have a family to support and didn't need to run downhill with reckless abandon.

Trail Pic

Trail Pic

My training was not enough to be successful at this race by my standards. 

Here is my normal training schedule: Swimming at least 90 minutes on Monday & Friday to help my body recover, Running 7 miles or more on Tuesday through Thursday, 3 to 4 hour run on Saturday and 2 hours on Sunday. I also ride my bike 7 miles to the Y each day. At lunch Monday through Thursday, I go to the gym and spend at least 30 minutes on the stair master with my 20lb weight vest. I also do a 30 minute squats, lunges, dead-lifts, & plank routine 2 times a week. Based on the soreness I am feeling 2 days after this event, my training was not even close to being enough. 

Trail Pic

The winner was a young man (early 20's) who finished in 5:59 minutes to beat the professionals in the field. He told me this was his first Ultra race. He ran straight down hill (approx. 25% decline) for the last 4 miles in under 28 minutes to break 6 hours and get the extra $300 bonus. He lives with his parents and likes to run in the woods. I love his carefree attitude about running with friends when there is a local event.

Trail Pic

Overall I am happy with my effort and time. I got to see parts of the NC Mountains I have never seen and the race gave me a new enhanced perspective of what is considered hard. All my gear worked flawlessly. My nutrition and pacing allowed me to finish strong. The last 1/2 mile is flat and I ran that portion at a 7 minute pace because I was so happy to be finishing and finally able to run.

Gear I used

• Skechers Ultra Shoes 2 Link
• Orange Mud HQ Vest Pack 2- Click this link to save 10% of all Orange Mud products
• Xtend Endurance- fuel for my water bottle
• Injinji Performance Socks

My next race is Dust to Dawn 50 Miler Link- Check It Out. Night race around Ft Bragg (Pinehurst NC) on the roads. I am looking forward to seeing how much time I can take off my time from last year when I won the race in 8 hours and 1 minute while stopping to be sick 3 times during the race. 

As Mom always told me when I was young, "you will not set many records but you will keep em watching."

Grandfather Mountain Marathon

 

 

 

I came into the Grandfather Mtn Marathon (GFMM) with low expectations as I had not recovered fully from the 50 Mile Dust To Dawn 2 weeks before. I also was having an over-use niggle (injury pain) in my right shin. Whenever I over-train I develop niggles which is my body’s way of staying I need to stop and rest. I did not run the week before in hopes I could finish the marathon. I put on shin sleeves in hopes it would help keep down the pain during the race. I also wore my cushion shoe, which is the Ultra by Skechers.

Stu Stepp and I went to the race Saturday morning. Stu had never run the 4^th hardest marathon in the US so he was looking at it as a hard training run.

 

The GFMM is usually the second week of July and is the only marathon or longer race during the month of July. If offers a great way to see some of the prettiest part of the state and get a heck of a hill workout at the same time. My experience shows you should add 15 to 20 minutes of time to your normal marathon time to get an idea of where you will finish at GFMM on a perfect day. If it is over 80 degrees with humidity, it can be a long day. The finish is one of the best as you enter the stadium where the Highland Games are being held and run around the track. It is neat to hear 3000 Scotts cheering for you as you finish.

 

My strategy for GFMM is simple. On the flat to downhill portions of the race, you have to take advantage of opportunity. The 5 big hills are going to eat up time and you cannot walk them if you want to have a good race. The first 3 miles are net downhill so it is more important than in most races to start strong. I drank a cup of Scivation Psycho Supplement which gave me a mental and energy boost at the start of the race.

 

Scivation Psycho- Pre Run Drink

I wrote where the 5 bigs hills are on my arm so I knew throughout the race what was coming. I started off with my friend Jake and Alisha from Boone. Jake has already won 2 marathon or longer races this year and Alisha is a professional tri-athlete. I expected to run with them if I was able to have a good race. Jake at mile 1 disappears into the porta-potties and says he will catch up. They finish the race 3 minutes behind me together. Alisha ends up 2nd women overall. I toll her if she had not waited on Jake she would have won. The shin started hollering around mile 8 and I mentally focused on a song to focus on something else. Whatever I focus on will only grow stronger. I started passing runners at mile 13 as the hills were taking to take casualties. My goal was to keep my heart rate on 155bpm knowing that it would rise on the hills. I intentionally never look at my heart rate as I am running or finishing a hill as I use to use it as an excuse to ease up. I knew from my breathing that I gave it my best on the hills which my heart rate peaking at 177bpm. I had one runner past me during the race at mile 18 as if I was standing still. He finished in 6th place. I used Scivation Xtend EnduranceSupplement in my handheld for my fuel instead of using gels. I used a small 12oz handheld that I filled up twice. Xtend Endurance contains the electrolytes and carbohydrates for fuel during the race. I finished strong and was happy with my 9th place finish. 350 runners started the race. Last year I finished 13th place.This year,  I was lucky to win my age group. My time was 3:27 and last year my time was 3:14. I ran a much better race this year and surprised at the end with the total time. This year was much hotter and more humid. Last year 31 runners ran faster than 3:30 and this year only 13. It would good to connect with runners I see at GFMM each year including Bobby Aswell, Phyllis Tsang, Baki Oguz &  Caleb Masland with Bonk Proof Running who won the race. He is a professional runner from Boone. Great coach too.

 

Stu finished in 3:45 which is an excellent first attempt at GFMM.
Next year one of his goals will be to not walk any of the hills which has to do with pacing.



My Boston Marathon Weekend

 

My taper week in preparation for Boston was extremely busy at work due to my company (Camco Manufacturing) purchasing a new company and being part of the transition. The focus on business was a blessing, as I did not have time to think about the race. I did some short runs to stay fresh and for the first time I arrived at a marathon with a successful 2-week taper. In the past, I have worried about doing a little more during the 2 weeks before the race and have, in hindsight, took away from my race performance. I have always heard the saying but have not followed the advice:

“It is better to show up 90% trained than to be 1% over trained and tired”



I rode with my running buddy, Kathi Russo, from Salisbury to the airport and met my new running buddy, Diane Allen from Charlotte. This year’s race was be Kathi’s 7^th and Diane’s 4^th. Their job was to keep me focused and pointed in the right direction. I am so thankful they allowed me to hang out with them as the crowds were so large it was intimidating to navigate the weekend and race. In the baggage claim area at the Boston airport, I talked with one of my heroes- Caleb Masland. Caleb is a super nice guy, professional runner and coach from Boone, NC. He is one of the high profile runners with Skechers besides the winner of the Boston Marathon, Meb Keflezighi. The shoes I was wearing were Skechers Ultra to walk around in during the weekend; he helped designed, which is cool. You can follow Caleb and his training on DailyMile.Com or at his website: www.coachcaleb.com



Once we arrived and checked in, we went to the Runner’s Expo, which is humongous. Every company that has anything to do with exercise (clothing, shoes, nutrition, training, gifts, etc) is there to give out samples, advice and sell stuff. I went by the Skechers booth and said hello to the crew. I thanked them for the gear and shoes I would be wearing during the race. I received my race bib and got my race packet, which included a nifty long sleeve Boston Marathon Shirt. I purchased the orange official 2014 Jacket and noticed how many runners keep adding the other years they run the marathon to their jacket. One of the many things that got my attention was the atmosphere of being around 32,000 people who are excited about running, fitness, and life. I cannot imagine anyone coming away from this experience without being more excited about what is possible and hope I can continue to work smart with my fitness and have fun.  

 

We saw a bunch of people from the Charlotte area including Joe Schlereth and Kathy Lee. Joe is a hero of mine. This Boston marked his 300th marathon and 45 of his “marathons” are 100-mile ultras. Over the course of his running career, he's posted six top-10 finishes at the Western States 100-mile endurance run; 10 finishes at Western States in less than 24 hours. He won the Wasatch 100; and he completed Badwater, the approximately 135-mile run from Death Valley (the lowest point in the continental U.S.) to Mt. Whitney (the highest). In 2006, he ran over 9000 miles which is approx 170 miles a week. Kathy Lee just finished her second 100 mile race at the Umstead Race recently. An awesome achievement I hope one today to complete.







 

 

 

Sunday morning, I attended a race strategy with Dr. Mark Cucuzzella who consistently runs under 2:50 marathons and has won the Air Force Marathon. His comments were to be conservative in the first half and focus on maintaining energy during the work of the marathon (Miles 16 to 21) and give it all you’ve got from mile 22 to the finish. He reiterated how important is to run quietly on the down hills to save your quads for the end of the race. I know of Mark from listening to the Ultra Runner Podcast. His is a frequent contributor. Mark is also a big proponent of heart rate training to increase the speed of your aerobic base. Mark owns “2 River Treads” running store in Shepherdstown, WV. The store website is a great source of running information.

Two Rivers Treads

 

 

Sunday night, I was fortunate to be able to attend a dinner with Kathi that had Amby Burfoot (Editor of Runner’s World and Winner of the ’68 Boston Marathon) and Jeff Galloway (’72 Olympic Team with Prefontaine). It was a round table discussion with funny running stories.  

 

 



 

 

Once we left the Athlete Village, we lined up in our corrals based on our qualifying time. The race started once four helicopters flew over our heads heading to Boston. It only took them 4 minutes to get there where I would need 3 hours. The first 2 miles seemed like it was going straight downhill. It is hard to know how severe the decline is as all you can see are runners’ heads ahead. There were so many runners in the streets because the majority of the race is run on a 2 lane road through the small towns leading to Boston. I never had more than a foot of space on the sides or front of me for the first 9 miles. Passing others was just not possible. Every mile there is a Gatorade and water station, which takes more space from the runners on the road. Every step I had to watch and make sure I was not tripping anyone or being tripped. Usually I race with a small group because I am not with the elites and nor with the joggers so I am used to having plenty of room. I had a headache by mile 10 from concentrating every step. The race turned unseasonable warm and I noted by mile 12, I was no longer perspiring. I knew not perspiring is one of the early signs of dehydration and overheating. I removed my shirt and doused myself with water at most water stations. The crowds were so loud. It is hard to explain the intensity of volume. The fans are literally right beside the 2-lane road we were running on. They are screaming 3 feet from your head and trying to get “high fives” from all the runners. There were many great homemade signs along the course to keep my attention. I did not realize how small the little towns are we ran in and how important the race is to their community. Many of the volunteers mentioned the race was the biggest day of the year. Every business is closed for Patriots Day each year. At mile 12, I noticed the volume from the fans started getting even louder as we were coming to Wellesley College. Those girls holding signs asking for kisses can be heard from a mile away.



 

 

At the halfway point, I was at 1:29 which was a minute slower, as I had hoped for a sub 3 hour race. Between the crowded field and being concerned about going out too fast, I did not hit my goal time for the first half, which was 1:28.

When I reached mile 16, I knew the work was getting ready to start as I noticed the bobbing heads in front of me were rising up which meant the hills were coming. The first two of the four famed hills near Newton were not steep but once you passed over the crest, you went quickly downhill which caused my quads to scream for relief. The third hill and Heart Break are gradual inclines that last for almost a half mile and are then once again steep down hills. I passed many people on the hills and felt my quads starting to cramp on the down hills. At mile 21, I passed Boston College and they had a huge sign saying “the heart break is over.” I tried to get back to marathon pace of 6:47 for the rest of the way and was not able to get back to goal pace. It was not my cardio system that held me back; it was my muscles in my legs. I had worked so hard doing squats and lunges daily with hill repeats weekly and it still was not enough. I saw the famous CITGO sign at mile 24 and knew once I passed the sign I had a mile left so I really leaned forward and was able to get back to a 6:50 pace. At mile 24, the crowds grew even more in size and volume. It seemed like the fans were 10 deep along the race route. Once I made the left onto Boylston Street, I could see the end. My pace got much faster as I ran as hard as I could to the finish line and completed my first Boston Marathon in 3:00:44.

 

 

 



After the race, I hobbled to my hotel with my medal and fond memories. I was a little sad to have reached my goal which I had only dreamed of 3 years ago. I have run daily with the goal being able to run in the Boston Marathon. I am hopeful Keith, Stu, Caleb and Victor will qualify this year (Lehigh Valley Marathon in early September) so I can run with them in 2015.

Gear Used:

·         NUNN- electrolyte drink mix to hydrate before and after the race

·         UCAN (Super Starch) before the start

·         VESPA (Amino Acid to promote fat burning) before the start

·         3 Espresso Hammer Gels during the race

·         Skechers Go Run 3

·         Skechers Singlet- same one Meb wore

 

The cost for the trip came out to around $1,100 with entry fee, airfair, hotels, expo and transportation