A bit over one week before the race our friends who are related to the race director put out a call for more people, so we took a look and realized that it was a great deal, $30 for any of the races, 50k, 30k, and 20k. I knew it would be a good training run, and a reason to push it a bit, so I signed up for the 50k. Kakes was thinking about the 20k, then jumped right in and signed up for the 30k!
Yeah baby!
The race was the Dugway Isolation Trail Run 50k/30k/20k out at the Dugway Proving Ground, a very large Military installation in Utah's West Desert.
We woke up early and drove out to the Base gave them our drivers licenses and pulled off to the side where we waited and talked to some friends who were also waiting - for our background checks!
Once those were done, we headed down the road to the starting line, where we picked up our numbers and our schwag bags - which were great! Frisbees, squishy balls, 2 or 3 water bottles, a bunch of bars and snacks, and other stuff. No lame coupons or 'sign up' invites to be found!
All three races started at the same time. Because this is the first year for the race, there were probably only about 20 people for all the races!
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| Getting ready between the Howitzers! |
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| Altra Lone Peak 1.5's - REPRESENT! |
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| And they're off! |
I got off to a good start and stayed in the lead for 25 miles. I think being chased the whole time can be a bit tough.
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| Everybody is chasing me! |
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| See! They're all right here! |
There the 50k people have to do two extra loops on the mountain! I caught up to Matt and Kakes on my first extra loop.
After that bit - I kept moving and felt really good - but this race really did become an Isolation Run for sure!
As I headed up the road after the start for the second time - I kept looking back thinking I'd see somebody charging up to catch me - but it didn't happen.
At the next climb up Little Davis on a hill I hated, the competition gained some ground, but then kind of faded away. My competition at this time was a first time 50k'er who had probably started a bit too fast. I know there were plenty of people on the course who could beat me, but I was only worried about two of them.
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| I did not like this hill. |
And one of those was 'taking it easy' and running with his brother, so I thought I had a shot at winning the whole thing!
And for 25 miles of it, I did a pretty good job!
At about mile 20, again on the first climb up the first mountain, I looked back and saw an orange hat just like mine, and a lady runner.
DANG!!! The two people I was worried about were now chasing me up the hill - and they are both much stronger on the uphill than I am. I kept moving and was still feeling pretty good - and made great time down the other side of the mountain until a section called "Quicksand Hill" or something, when Craig finally caught up to me. (Here is his report)
"What happened to your brother?" "Oh he dropped to the 30k so I decided to try to catch up to you and we could run for a while then race to the finish."
HA! I was still feeling pretty good, and we stayed together for a couple of miles, but I knew as soon as we hit my nemesis the hill up Little Davis, I'd be done for as far as competing with him went!
As we ran ahead - right before the climb, a wild mustang came riding by - Wow!
Craig totally stole the spirit of that horse and took off up the hill... I didn't see him again after that until the finish!
I kept moving and kept looking behind me knowing that Jen would catch up to me at any time. It wasn't until my last time at that windy aid station, where they were out of Mt. Dew that I stayed ahead of her. I left first, and then she caught me again at 'the Burn,' the final climb of the loop. We ran together and talked and enjoyed the pain together, with me in front, until a geological bunker spot with a water cooler, and that's when she went on ahead and I just couldn't keep up with her. I was basically bonking pretty hard by then!
I kept on moving and finally came down to the last stretch along a dirt jeep-track where my brother was waiting for me.
Somehow I still had something left and I was able to pick up the pace and run at about a 7 minute pace to the finish!
That pace took it out of me though and I puked for the first time in over twenty years! No more "Vomit Free Since '93" for me!
I took some video throughout the event (but not enough) and put together a video.
Like usual I'm still working on getting the editing better so it's shorter.
31 miles in 6:26
I ended up taking 3rd place overall and first in my age group!
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| Top 3 - with the two I just knew would beat me - they are awesome! |
This race had very cool trophies. Dugway area is also known for it's geodes, so they put a geode and an UXO (Unexploded Ordinance - thankfully FORMERLY unexploded!):
Turned out pretty cool!
Kakes got first in her age group for the 30k as well! I have an amazing wife! I also have an amazing brother who ran with her the entire 30k! Thanks, Matt!
I hope this race keeps growing - it was great to see such beauty in a barren desert - and it was really well organized and fun!
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