Scenes from the Western States Training Weekend

I ran day #1 of the Western States Training Weekend on Saturday (32 miles from Robinson Flat to Foresthill), and was sure glad I did. Not only did I get to meet some really neat people, but I got some first hand experience in the canyons. It was eye-opening, to say the least. Let's just say I'm going to be pulling back a bit on that 20-hour finish goal. ;-)

(Over 250 runners...load 'em up!)

(Gretchen and Catherine at the start)

Greg Soderlund gave us a quick overview of the day, and we loaded onto the buses at 8am. I had the fortune to sit next to Gordy Ainsleigh (the original Western States pioneer), his co-pilot Michelle Barton (one of the fastest women on the ultra circuit), and Mark Matyazic (adventure racer extraordinaire). We shared stories of the Bay to Breakers, and I mentioned how I was contemplating going "near nude" next year. Gordy let me know a properly placed gym sock is both fashionable and functional, as he found out when posing nude at a local art school and needing "minimal coverage". I get the impression Gordy has endless stories like this!

(Gordy Ainsleigh and Michelle Barton)

The buses arrived, and we charged out into the snow. Just a few patches this year, and we quickly found our way to the Western States trail. There were a couple hundred of us, so we weren't hard to spot! I caught up with Brian and Sophia Robinson, Whit Rambach, and a whole host of characters from Vancouver, BC, to Houston, TX. For some this was a training run, but for many this was a trail running vacation!

(Michelle and Gordy gear up for the race while Mark stretches out)

(A little bit of snow to start us off)

(A great day for running!)

Paul Charteris was my guide for much of the first section, sharing his incredible knowledge of this trail and pointing out all the great views. It was really helpful to get the lay of the land and some history.

(Looking down into the canyons)

At the aptly named Dusty Corners, we fueled up for our first canyon descent. The large fire roads were quite runnable, but you had to pay attention to catch the turns to the single track. I was glad to see this now rather than on race day!

(Paul and I join the food rush at Dusty Corners)

(Descending into the first canyon)

The descents were deceivingly runnable, meaning you could keep a great pace but your quads would take a beating. The heat (probably in the 80's) became oppressive the more you descended, until the oasis of the river rushed up to greet us. I was more than happy to take a quick dip, imaging how 20 more degrees would make this really tough.

(Chilling at the river)

(Crossing the swinging bridge)

(Michelle and Mark cross the swinging bridge)

(Devil's Thumb eats hamstrings for breakfast, lunch, and dinner)

Devil's Thumb (or Middle Finger as many were suggesting) was STEEP, and I don't think the elevation map does it justice. I was beginning to see why the canyons are so well-revered. I got up it in about 33 minutes, counting the 41 switchbacks to the top. Gretchen and Luis were there to take care of us at the aid station, where iced water and watermelon hit the spot.

(Feel the burn...)

I caught up to Jon Kroll (he is my trail soulmate, I swear) and we descended down to El Dorado Canyon, where I went for the full plunge into the creek. Very refreshing! Just like Gordy said, "it's like living water".

(Aaaaahhh...)

(Grant Carboni leaves the creek refreshed and ready for the march to Michigan Bluff)

We ran a good chunk of the next climb, refueling at Michigan Bluff before heading into the final stretch. Jon pulled me up Bath Road, much like he had at Miwok, and we jogged into the party at the finish.

(Heading towards Volcano)

We had some Jamba Juice, some Zico coconut juice (more potassium than a banana...thanks, Paul!), and chilled in the shade. What a day!

This was a tough 32 miles all by itself, let alone as part of a 100-mile run. It took me over six hours to finish, and my quads are still burning. I'm so glad I had a chance to come out here and check it out a month before the big day. Time for more hills, some heat training, and some tapered finish time expectations. ;-)

Great to see everyone out there!

SD