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Hagg Lake 50K

February 18, 2017 (Morning)

Exercise Type: Run

Weather: 50, actually didn't rain!

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Hagg Lake 50K.

For some reason, I thought I should do this. Part of me felt like "something knocked loose" at SOB: like it felt good to grind. And since the recovery since then has gone so well, and that I had two coaching clients running, I figured I'd jump into this event. On top of that, I simply need to dispense of my "fear" of ultras: they can be done in moderation (of both number, but also effort), and the latter was the goal, today.

Drove up with Alexis and had some good chats about "Balance" (and the answers to the questions, "What am I running from? What am I running toward?"). Good conditions upon arrival and the prep was uneventful...until the start! Jogged off the line, behind Jeff Browning and some other reasonably fast guys...then felt something fall out of my pocket. Turns out my brand-new iPod had fallen out! So I had to go backwards through nearly the entire field to go pick it up! Needless to say this cemented a "get out easy" strategy.

Ran the uphill out and back gravel route, which was surprisingly tough, then got onto the trail. By the time I got back to the highway, I put in my iPod, where I listened to two LONG podcasts:

- Tim Ferriss, with "Mr Money Moustache" - about "lifestyle engineering", which was really cool
- TRN with Travis Macy and Dina Griffin (metabolic efficiency)

The first one took me nearly the entire first loop, and I started TRN just before the start-finish lap. I hit that around 2:25 or so, and my idea was to see if perhaps I could do that final sloppy 14 in 2 hours.

The course was...not terrible! The Speedcross were clutch in all but the deepest mud. But compared to years' past, the trailwork performed took out some major slop spots.

I felt good and easy the first loop, then pushed ever-so-slightly in the second lap. I caught an older master's guy at the start of the second loop. We chatted a bit (current MTB racer - so major hill grinder). He'd crush me on ups, but I'd crush the downs, and before long I pulled away from him.

Hit low #1 when I hit the road, running past Mike Taylor's family. I chilled out a bit and felt better after AS #1. Between AS 1 and 2, I passed two other guys, including one who looked like he was racing in Nike Frees (LOLZZS!) and one guy who was in major bonk-mode. I felt solid.

Around then, the podcasts ran out and I switched to tunes and had some fun. But I hit another little low and had a gel to get me out of it. Then...I just grinded it out. Didn't really pay attention to HR, but instead tried to have steady, deep breathing.

Finished in 4:32 or so, which meant my second lap (14-miler) was in about 2:07. Decent, but not amazing. Finished 4th overall, well behind Bronic Billy (3:59?), Zach Gingerich and, for the second race in a row, by a random-ass 50 year old!

Other highlights:
- Alexis won for women!
- Mike was right behind her

Post-race:
- drove to Newberg to eat, then shop for Transit Vans!
- drove to PDX I was pretty tired and fried the rest of the day!