Grinding It Out At Glacier Ridge

Last Saturday, I had the opportunity to run the inaugural Glacier Ridge 50K located up in west-central Pennsylvania.  The race was held in beautiful Moraine State Park on the north shore of Lake Arthur on a somewhat dreary day with temperatures in the the 60's.  There was a 50-mile race and a 30K race offered as well.  Given that Bull Run Run was the same weekend, I was surprised at the turnout; it was well attended.

Raceday morning at Lake Arthur.

As with the Chuckanut 50K three weeks before, this was not an A-list race for me.  All I wanted to do was bank the miles and get a good training run in before Grand Canyon in a few weeks (you ready, Mike Frazier?).  For my mindset this is always hard to do.  It always seems like I am hanging around the car before the start.  Next thing you know, I see all the runners, as I sit there sipping my black coffee.  Throw in Metallica blaring on my iPod and I am ready to tear the door off my car to "race".  That's what happened here ... unfortunately.

The course was really, really muddy due to driving rain the past few days before the race.  And here I was bitching about Chuckanut.  That was nothing compared to this course so I retract that prior statement.  Glacier is undulating up-and-down trail with lots of 200-to-300 foot hills with a total elevation gain of around approximately 4,200'.  The tops of the hills are relatively flat.  As the name "moraine" implies there are plenty of rocks to pique one's interest along with a healthy dose of roots.  Were it not for the mud, the trail would be pleasantly runnable.  Personally, I did not find any of the climbs to be particularly daunting.

My view for much of the morning.

In a nutshell, I ran the first 20 miles way too fast and consequently had to "hang on" for the last 11.  When will I ever learn.  Nevertheless, I was truly and humbly happy with how I finished.  I suppose all the training is paying off, specifically all the hours and tough miles I've logged on the challenging Laurel Highland Trail.  Luck, karma, training, whatever causative agent, I'll take the miles and feeling good at the finish every time.  

My new nutrition strategy is working fine and starting to get locked into place.  Perhaps I'll write more about this strategy later, but as part of it coach Beth recommended I look into Raw Revolution bars and I love 'em!  They are a very clean, organic unprocessed food bar that sits well in my stomach and gives me wholesome fuel.  (No, I am not sponsored by them!)  Alas, I cannot choke down another Hammer Perpetuem tablet.  After concluding at about mile 27 last Saturday that I was eating something akin to billiard cue chalk, I pitched the remaining tablets I had onto the forest floor for the field mice, and decided that I'd rather risk toughing out the last few "bonky" miles.  Does anyone want the remaining 75 or so tablets I have at home?!  Bill Gentry of Harrisonburg, Virginia?!  :-)

With the exception of what my feet looked like at the end of hiking the Appalachian Trail, I cannot recall my feet looking and feeling so pulverized ... ever.  I'm even going to lose the big toenail on my right foot!  Accordingly, Sarah and Conrad Quesen and I decided that we should paint over all the black-and-blue toenails with nail polish.  I chose the color Hunter Orange.  In those instances where there was no toenail, we simply slathered the nail polish on top of the "raw meat".

Feet of a certain distinguished university statistics professor.  Hmmm ...

I was in the locker room yesterday for a swim and I did not get the sense that some of the Neanderthal weight lifters present were impressed with my toenails.  Oh well, next time I will try the color Chartreuse.

Finally, I saw lots of familiar faces up on Glacier Ridge.  I saw Dannielle Ripper punching the clock on her 50-miler.  Eric Grol, looking fit and trim, and I were able to reconnect.  I caught sight of Steve Wendall at an aid station late in the race.  He was there to support his girlfriend Stacy Gelhaus, who completed her first 50-miler.  Congratulations, Stacy!  I'm so very happy for you!