- You sign up for a 50 miler 3 weeks before because you have nothing else in the diary that weekend, so why not? Might as well really, it'd be silly not to...
- You consider that this 50 miler will be good training for another 50 miler 2 weeks later which will be good training for a 100km race 3 weeks after that...
- You elect to camp the night before the race cause heck - it's 100 metres from the race start line so that will mean a sleep in and you won't have to get up til 5.30am - blissful lazy days!
- You figure this is only a 50 miler so hey - take it easy on Thursday (1hr run, 1hr yoga), don't run Friday, race Saturday - perfect taper plan.
- You now consider 6min per km a pretty good race pace. 3m45 per km downhill seems downright speedy.
- Lunch consists of gels, shot bloks and chips, all washed down with some thirst-quenching coke.
- At 42km into the 80km race you begin to feel better, like you've finally warmed up and stretched out the legs a little.
- At 70km into the race you begin to wonder whether 50 miles really is spot on 80km, maybe it's less, maybe it's more, oh well - what's a few kms here or there?
- It seems well worth running for 6+ hours just to get a good panoramic mountain view. I mean you could drive up the mountain to get the same view, but who would want to do that?
- Your idea of a perfect Saturday afternoon is hanging out in a forest parking lot, unshowered, in race gear, chatting to new and old friends, eating any food you can find and then popping into the river with new friends for a refreshing ice bath.
- You don't run Sunday and instead go for coffee, go for lunch, hang out with friends, and spend the whole day wondering if this is what 'normal' people do every Sunday.
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| A pretty special number - previously worn by Anton Krupicka and Uli Steidl |
Ice cold coke, shot bloks, energy gels and chips are my favorite part of races...glad to know I eat like a pro! :)
ReplyDeleteI dont think so, but what is' normal anyway?!
ReplyDeletedid exactly the same...in the toughest race ever.www.transdhavet.it. ...just a bit more yoga. .and won age group and the Ultra Challenge. Namaste'
ReplyDeleteAwesome race, and great write up! "Warming up at 42 kilo..." well said.
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ReplyDeleteGreat list! 6+ hours for the panoramic view, totally worth it.
ReplyDeletehttp://runrunnerrun.blogspot.com/
Great race. Love the list. I'm about to register for my first 50 miler. Can't wait!
ReplyDeleteFun Wright up, sounds like a great weekend!
ReplyDeleteMaybe one day I will....
ReplyDeleteWay to go, Ellie! It was an honor sharing the trails with you on Saturday. What a gorgeous day it was out there! Congrats on killing it :)
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure why, but i looked up the results online to see where in the field your 7hours and 40 minutes put you, and of course, it's the same place you always are. Whether you realize it or not, you have become something that legends are made of. Congrats on a great race, A great year, and being a great inspiration! My first ultra is this Saturday at the Canadian Death Race, Another race where you are familiar with the top of the podium!
ReplyDeleteI think one needs a great sense of humour to BE and ultra-runner; and you have mastered Both! Thanks for the laughs.
ReplyDeleteGreat post and thanks for making me laugh! Rock on!
ReplyDeletewas great to meet you, it was my 1st 50 mile after my 1st 50km in march, i was a tad slower than you!! but it was a brilliant day, lovely views, good atmosphere, great to see a fellow brit and north shorer (we're the other side of the water on port moody) ripping up the trails. happy running.
ReplyDeleteYikta - love those pics of you Glenn took - unbelievable!
ReplyDeleteJeremy - good luck at CDR, it's a great event.
Megan - sorry I didn't get a chance to chat but big congrats on your first 50 miler, way to go!
Great report Ellie! It was very nice to shake hands with you Saturday morning. You are trully an inspiration. Congratulation on yet another win and more to come!
ReplyDeleteVery Cool! Ellie-my 'ultra' career isn't long at all but I will say undoubtedly, the highlight was being chick'd by you at Ranger Creek! (even though I was eventually chick'd by just about every other lady as well).
ReplyDeleteYou might remember me. I was the dork who uncontrollable said out loud as you rolled in, "Holy Sh*t! That's Ellie Greenwood!"
<---What a dork....
Ellie, your report gave me a good chuckle. Seems as though driving to a stellar view would be cheating just a bit! Really great to share the trails with you at White River and many congrats on your successful season thus far.
ReplyDeleteThat DOES sound like a perfect weekend Ellie!
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