Going in to this past Saturday, October 24th, 2015 for the Surf the Murph 50k I was hoping to have a strong showing but I wasn't selling myself on the thought of any sort of PR. Since starting graduate school while still working and moving, my time had become limited to get in many of the short mid-week runs that are so incredibly important in balancing out the volume of miles and stress put on the body during a training regiment. I had scouted the trail a couple of times but hadn't been feeling especially prepared.
Most of my other runs had been early Friday mornings with Mill City Running which has been a fantastic in becoming introduced to the running community here in Minneapolis. That said, during my shorter to mid-range runs I had been pushing the pace, and I do believe the use of my Altra Instinct 2.0 training shoes played a huge role in this. That said, as stated in my previous post, I purchased and broke in a pair of Altra Lone Peak 2.5 shoes for the race. I must say, that these were the best, most supportive, and spacious shoes that I have used on a trail thus yet. I believe this too had an impact on my finish in the Surf the Murph 50k.
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| At the race finish of Surf the Murph 2015 with my wood cookie medal! Thanks to Nuun for hydrating me along the way. |
Race Day- Surf the Murph 2015 (10/24)Having gone out to Murphy-Hanrehan Park Reserve twice the month prior to the race gave me a relatively good idea what to expect. While I never completed a full 16.8 mile loop (about 2000 feet of elevation gain/loop) during my training as I took many alternate turns here and there, the race trail systems combination of horse-trails, single-track, wide-open prairies, and forested hills provided for a beautiful and challenging Saturday morning. Unlike the previous training runs when the trails were dry, we had a significant amount of rain the day before (and a pleasant mist during the start of the race) which made for a sloppy, slip-n-slide mess at some points along the trail. While challenging, this can be fun at times to just let gravity to the work. The clock hit 7am and over 100 participants were on their way for the 50k. I jumped out with the front 10 sans headlamp and was fortunate not to take any spill in the first 40 minutes when the sun finally rose. The first few miles had most of the steep climbs, and once we (the first 10 or so) made it through the aid station at 2.9 miles. The course had aid-stations stocked aplenty about every 3-4 miles.
By the time we were at the 5 mile point I took off from the pack, and to my knowledge was 3rd behind two frontrunners that had taken the lead. Coming through the Horse Camp Aid Station at mile 5.5 I discarded my long-sleeve shirt to Becky and Tonks, my amazing crew and cheerleaders, and kept going on my way...having made it to the 5.5 mile mark about 10-15 minutes earlier than anticipated.
The aid stations were well-stocked, but in races like this I do prefer to depend on my own hydration and nutrition regiment. I carried 2+ liters of Plus for Nuun, Nuun Energy Cherry Limeade, and Nuun Active Watermelon (and an extra sleeve of the above to add to my hydration pack for the 2nd lap). While I will take water at the aid stations, Nuun powers me through the hills and keeps my electrolyte levels where they need to be. I've also found increased benefits to Plus for Nuun in these longer endurance races. While I continued to consume Clif Shot Bloks, or Stinger Waffles, a handful of pretzels, or the Oreo Cookie peanut butter sandwich at the end make their way in to my belly.
After mile 5.5, some relatively flat terrain allowed for an increase in speed up until mile 13 when some larger hills finished up the loop. A challenge for many runners, especially between miles 11 and 12, as well as miles 15 and 16.8 were missing the course markers and making wrong turns. I had personally seen runners take the wrong route between mile 11 and 12 which would cut off somewhere around 3/4 mile, and again between 15 and 16.8 which would cut off nearly a mile.
Whether a runner was running 25k, 50k, or 50 miles, that distance, and time subsequently, is significant. I commented in my first lap back at the Horse Camp Aid Station that folks were missing the turn, and again, at the Start/Finish prior to taking my second lap that someone was needed there to mark the turn better. Fortunately this was taken care of the second time around by some of the wonderful volunteers and organizers Surf the Murph involved.
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| Part of the course taken a few weeks prior to the actual race. |
I had completed the first 16.8 mile loop in a time around 2:25...much closer than anticipated. By the time I was on my second loop I began to pass by more of the 50 milers that had started an hourly, and bless their hearts, were clearly chugging along a brutal and battered trail. I've been there on the 50 mile runs before. The second lap the hills took much more effort to power climb, and even the flats took more convincing to keep up an agreeable pace. I kept look back, expecting to see some other 50k runners on my heels, but they were nowhere to be seen. Was I really going to finish 3rd? Maybe 4th or 5th? That doesn't matter, this was clearly becoming a race for me to set a PR and finish much higher than I was used to.
With about a mile to go I approach an open area and see, from my left, a group of about a half-dozen runners coming from a trail that they must have taken a wrong turn on to. During a moment of confusion and one runner asked where I came from, I said from the race route, and kept going. I felt bad for not stopping and discussing more...but I was done. My body hurt, and I wanted to be done. I cruised in to the finish with a PR of 5:09:44, good enough for 4th place!
While training throughout this year has allowed me to retain the ability to come out and run these distances, I believe the road-running I have been doing with Mill City Running supported my increased speed. Nuun Hydration has been, hands down, the most supportive sponsor throughout this past year. Aside from the benefits of Nuun itself, the entire company and all of their athletes are so amazing in their support of our activities and achievements. Lastly, I thank Altra Running for continuing to make fantastic products, even one's that can be worn and broken in on a 50k, giving my feet plenty of room to achieve a PR. The Lone Peak 2.5 shoes provided the perfect amount of cushion for 50k, the broad toe-cup that allows my toes and feet to spread, and traction that allowed me to grip on even the muddy terrain that was experienced on the trail.
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| Part of the course taken a few weeks prior to the actual race. |
Post-Race
One thing I have appreciated immensely since joining the running, and ultrarunning community, has been just that. The community. The support that each and every runner, volunteer, and crew member provides is incredibly genuine, and makes the experience even more powerful. While I am new and slowly getting to know the Midwest trail running and ultrarunning groups, Surf the Murph was a fantastic introduction in to a scene that seems to be as holistically supportive as I experienced out in the Pacific Northwest. Thank you to the Upper Midwest Trail Runners group for all the support they provide regionally to the trail running scene.
Race Rating (1 low-5 high):
- Communication/organization: 5- Communication of race day info and any other pertinent information was provided well in advance. Race day activities seemed to be in order and nothing out of sorts. The website could use some improvement. Confusing to navigate.
- Course: 4-Overall a solid course. Beautiful terrain in the park. This is not a true 50k, or about 31.1 miles, instead the route was 33.4 miles. Many trail races are not 100% accurate with distance, but this one is known to not be accurate.
- Aid Stations: 4-Volunteers were fantastic at each and every aid station. The costumes were a plus. Some of the aid stations were out of salt (for potatoes), and also, I'd recommend real potatoes over preserved potato halves from a can. Other food stuffs was good. The quesadilla at the start/finish was a fantastic addition!
- Course Markings: 2- This is an area that needs improvement prior to the next year. While many runners took wrong turns unknowingly, and many expressed to the race organizers that they had done so, this can be frustrating for both those who took wrong turns and those who didn't.
- Scenery: 4- While I have not been on many trails around the Midwest, for being just 30 minutes out of the Cities, this park reserve and trail system offered up forested canopies, prairies, lakes, and various types of trails to be enjoyed on foot, bike, or horse.
- Post-Race Food: 4-While no designated post-race food existed, the start/finish aid station was well-stocked. Again, the quesadilla was fantastic, as well as the soup, and the Oreo Cookie-peanut butter sandwich!- Overall: 3.83
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| One of the coolest medals I've received! At the finish, you picked your preferred wood cookie and they branded it right there with your distance. |
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