1st Annual Eldrith Gosney's Pure Ultra... This Race Ain't For Wienies!

I decided to run this race about a week before it was happening, thinking it would be a fun way to get in a taper run just before Rio Del Lago 100.  It was kind of short notice for me, not a lot of time to think out my race strategy (as though I am some pro runner.. I'm a legend in my own mind!).  The race was put on by Pacific Coast Trail Runs and would be run in the Marin Headlands in the San Francisco Bay Area.  John and Maureen Brooks of PCTR put on awesome ultra races in the Bay Area and beyond.  Plus they are super cool and always very friendly.  The vibe at the start/finish line is always upbeat and fun with great volunteers and good music jamming in the background.  I have run a bunch of their events in the past couple years and it has always been a great experience.

There were several distances offered for Eldrith's Gosney's Pure Ultra: 11k, 13.1 mi., 36k, and 50k.  I chose the 36k distance, as it seemed the perfect distance that I would still be able to run hard but not overdo it on distance.  This course is actually unique in that it's a new route in the Marin Headlands different from any other race.  With so many runs in the Marin Headlands, it's pretty difficult to come up with a new route, but here it is!  Before I go any farther, let me explain about Eldrith Gosney.  At 74, Eldrith is a Bay Area legend in the running community.  She has completed hundreds of ultras in the last 27 years, including four 100 mile races including Western States 100, forty four 50 mile races, fifty nine 50k's, and twelve Quad Dipsea races (she is the current 70-79 age group record holder).  You can find Eldrith most weekends running these same trails that the race was created around.   In creating this race, Eldrith, Maureen and John were trying to capture what ultra-running events were like at its beginning- purposefully small and intimate events, challenging terrain and sense of community among its participants.  I had never met Eldrith before the race, but then again, I am just a relative newbie in the sport.

The race began at Santos Meadows off of Highway 1 towards Muir Beach.  Held on October 24th, it was a bit chilly waiting for the port-potty just before the sun came up, but it quickly warmed up as the sun rose and the fog lifted as we were treated to an awesome sunrise.  Santos Meadows, on Mt. Tamalpais, is large and there was plenty of parking which was nice.  Just before the race began, we all stood behind Eldrith for a group photo and you could see her eyes get a bit watery, it was a really cool moment for everyone.

Eldrith At The Starting Line 
Courtesy: Jesse Ellis Let's Wander Photography

The general course route originates at Santos Meadows and heads towards Muir Beach through Muir Woods National Monument.  You then travel down the Dipsea stairs towards Mill Valley.  Of course, Then you have to come back up the stairs (a lot of them!) and head out to Cardiac Hill and down to Stinson Beach.  Then it's back up Cardiac via the Steep Ravine Trail, then a fun downhill to Santos Meadows. The 36k course removes one tough climb and the Muir Beach Loop at the end.

The start times were staggered and the 50k runners took off first.  Since the race started in a meadow, it was flat so I took off kind of fast...  Maybe a bit too fast.  The adrenaline that always comes from a race start kicked in and I was off like a rocket.  After a mile or two, I settled into a comfortable pace and then just kept going.  Pretty quickly the first climb came in the form of Dias Ridge.  I had done this climb a couple months ago on a night run with my buddy Jason Wimmert.  He was training for Pine to Palm 100 (he came in 8th).  I had a super bright headlamp on that night and I kept practically stepping on the rabbits as they ran across the trail and under my feet, since my headlamp was blinding them.  It didn't seem as bad of a climb during the race as it did that night, and I actually enjoyed it.  We then hit a bit of the Miwok Trail to the Dipsea Trail.  We then headed out towards Mill Valley and descended the famed Dipsea Stairs.  On my home turf in San Bruno, I run on GGNRA managed Sweeney Ridge, and there are some stairs on one of my routes that I usually go up and down- but those stairs are nothing like the Dipsea Stairs.  I tried to fly down the Dipsea stairs but I was really skittish, having been just a couple weeks out from Rio Del Lago 100.  The Dipsea stairs are a bit narrower than I was used to.  I just couldn't get a rhythm and go fast- which was fine, I wasn't really in the mood to go go ass over teakettle down the stairs anyway.  At the bottom of the stairs was an aid station and the turnaround.

Coming Around The Bend
Courtesy: Jesse Ellis Let's Wander Photography

As I was descending the stairs, I saw the lead 50k runners heading back up and was feeling pretty confident about my 36k lead, when all of a sudden some dude came flying past me.  He turned around  quick at the aid station and was looking strong heading back up the stairs.  I didn't waste any time in the aid station and was right on this guy's heels.  I made small talk to find out what distance he was running and to determine how hard I was going to have to work to stay ahead of this guy.  I was working about as hard as I wanted to at that point.  He was running the half marathon distance- which was good because he was flying.  I let him go at that point and got into my routine of climbing the stairs.  I used the handrail to help offset some the strain on my legs which seemed to help.  I also saw a new running friend, William Dai who was volunteering at one of the road crossings, which was a nice confidence booster- it's always cool to see someone you know out there in a race.  I recently joined the Pamakids Running Club and William is part of that club.

Once I got back into the trails I was sailing down some trail stairs and I hooked my toe on a piece of rebar sticking out of a piece of wood.  For a split second I was expecting a crash landing, but with all of the grace of a baby mountain goat, I managed to recover and not wipe out.  At this point, another guy and I played hopscotch for the next few miles out to Panormaic Aid Station at Stinson Beach.  I knew he wasn't running my distance, but it was fun to feel like he was- it was a race after all!  There was another turnaround at this aid station, where again I was greeted by familiar faces Jenni Love and Jesse Jay.  I initially met Jenni and Jesse in 2014 at PCTR's Summer Solstice 6/12/24 Hour Run and they seem to be at all of the runs.  They were volunteering at the aid station and hooked me up with motivation and some goodies.  I wasn't sure about my lead so I got water, topped off my perpetuem and headed back towards the finish.  There was one more climb, one more aid station and then a fun downhill to the finish.

As I was headed back up to the Cardiac Aid Station I saw the familiar Pamakids running jersey on a guy and it caught my eye.  In true form to runners introductions as we passed each other, "Are you Matt?"  "Yeah, are you Bull?"  "Yeah, nice to meet you," as we passed each other.  Bull Dozier and I have been following each other on strava for awhile and it was nice to meet him, albeit brief (we got to hang out a bit at the finish line).  Once I got to the final aid station at the top of Cardiac Hill, I was feeling great and I knew the finish was on the horizon.  I probably had a little too much water at the last aid station as I started getting some cramps heading to the finish line.  There was another 50k runner just ahead of me and I stayed on his heels, not letting him get too far ahead of me, just to keep pace.  He eventually pulled away about a mile from the finish.  The Coast View Trail is the final trail down to the finish, and it has a lot switchbacks.  I always seem to slow down around the bends- as I told you, I'm not too graceful.

I dropped back in to Santos Meadow and ran hard to the finish for the 36k win!  I was grateful that I was finished, as another loop towards Muir Woods didn't really sound too appealing at that point.  My final time was 3:39:05, a new course record!  Don't be too impressed with my CR... remember, 1st Annual Eldrith Gosney's Pure Ultra.  My CR should hold until at least next year!  Kelly Haston, another Pamakids runner, took 1st for the women with a time of 4:27:59.

Copyright 2000-2015Pacific Coast Trail Runs.  Design by Ultra Signup and Mike Bohi

Overall, this was a great race and an opportunity for me to run some trail (and stairs) that I never have  never been on before.  The route really was unique and different from any other race in the area, which made it fun.  The trails were in beautifully perfect condition which made for some fast running.  The distance was perfect and finishing strong was a nice confidence booster as I look towards Rio Del Lago 100, my first 100 miler.  Stay tuned...

One more shot of Eldrith
Photo courtesy of Jesse Ellis Let's Wander Photography

Take On Me... Grand Canyon R2R2R 2015

When my friend Larry proposed a Grand Adventure, or a "rim job, if you please" I'll be honest, I was a bit skeptical-for a couple of obvious reasons.  I had read about running R2R2R, but it had always seemed a daunting run: 47+ miles with 10,700+ feet of elevation climb in one of the most unforgiving landscapes in the world...  OK, I'm in!  There were ten of us in our group from all across the continent who met up in Flagstaff, Arizona to do the run.  I had met almost everyone back in April at the Boston Marathon through my running buddy Larry.  Originally from Canada, Larry introduced me to the Canada contingent and they are all formidable runners-tough as nails.  I would travel with Jason, Al V., and Larry.  Jason is a local trail beast that I often run with on weekends.  Al V. is a running/hiking monster from Oregon who would make any sherpa jealous. We ran R2R2R in early October, when the weather wasn't too hot down in the Canyon.

Since this is supposed to be a run report I will leave out all of the stuff about the epic plane rides and our delicious lunch in Las Vegas.  I'll also leave out all the stuff about the blackjack table and how in the first twenty minutes of sitting down everyone won enough money to pay for their trips... Everyone except me.  Having said none of that, we then got back on the plane and headed to Flagstaff.

We flew into Flagstaff, AZ on a Thursday and stayed overnight there.  Our plan was to run on Saturday, so after we arrived in Flagstaff, we all went hit a local trail for a shakeout run.  Our run was at sunset and was just about perfect.  No aches or pains- it was all systems go for Saturday.  The next day we headed for the South Rim of Grand Canyon, about a 90 minute drive from Flagstaff.  When we all arrived in Grand Canyon Village, there was quite an anticipation among us.  I was unprepared of the immensity of Grand Canyon.  As we looked across the Canyon at where we were going to run the next day, trying to determine our exact route by sight, we just kept shaking our heads in partial excitement and disbelief.

Grand Canyon

We started at the South Rim at Bright Angel trailhead and would pick up the North Kaibab trail to make it to the North Rim-basically one long out and back.  We started at 5am, headlamps glowing. Really glowing.  We all have the same headlamps and between us we had about 10,000 lumens of light shining and bouncing down the trail! We were anticipating near freezing temperatures at the South Rim, but that never really materialized. About a half mile into our Canyon descent we stopped to shed some layers.  This was also the first of many water stations along our journey.  This is important to note- many of the water stations are shut off in mid-October, fortunately they were still on for our trip.  Without these water stops, the trip would be incredibly risky.

                                 Our Group

Getting to see the sunrise in Grand Canyon is an experience that cannot be missed.  The way the light constantly changes and plays against the Canyon walls is just beautiful.  We ran at a comfortable pace, being mindful to preserve our quads, after all, we had roughly 4 miles of steep descent followed by a few more miles of gradual descent to get to the Colorado River.  I found the trail very runnable and because I wasn't going too fast, my legs felt really good.  We stopped frequently and at every water station to regroup and chit chat about where we were and how awesome it was.  This wasn't a race and we all were trying to really enjoy the experience and the awesomeness of where we were.  It seemed at every turn there was another beautiful geologic feature to behold.  The weather for us was mild all day- even as the sun came up it never really got too hot.  Because of the Canyon's steep walls, we were never in the direct sun for too long.  The longest stretch of direct sun was our climb and descent towards and from the North Rim.

Sunrise From Inside Grand Canyon

Once we made it down to the bottom of the Canyon, there is a great stretch of really runnable trail along the Colorado River.  It is just a few miles of  fun running.  Phantom Ranch is a campground at the bottom of Grand Canyon and our last water stop before we made the 14 mile ascent up towards the North Rim along the North Kaibab trail.  The push up North Kaibab is a steep, long stretch with dramatic views of the Canyon and steep drops right off the trail.  The trail is so steep, basically etched into the cliff, that you can look up or down almost directly and see people on the trail directly above or below.

                      The Devil's Corkscrew

Upon reaching the North Rim there was a real sense of accomplishment at the fact that everyone in our group made it.  All of group made it to the North Rim within 10 or 20 minutes of each other.  After a nice water and snack break we headed back down the North Rim.  Now that the mental challenge of having made it to the North Rim and the worst was (technically) over, were giddy heading back down the Canyon.  It is really fun running back down North Kaibab trail.  This is where it got downright wacky.  There was a group of hikers dressed in 80's garb called the "We Go Both Ways" group who were hiking to each rim of the canyon over a couple days.  We decided that we should be singing A-Ha's "Take On Me" to show our approval of their efforts as we passed them on the trail.  Larry came upon a fellow gazing across the Canyon and decided it would be a good idea to serenade him to the likes of A-ha.  The guy looked at him like he was experiencing severe dehydration hallucinations (he was not one of the 80's guys). So we continued down the Canyon. The A-Ha video.   At Cottonwood, we finally caught up with the 80's group and had a nice chat with them.  They make this trek every year with different themed costumes.

                                Rattlesnake!
                                                             
One of my favorite memories from our run was stopping along the Colorado River as the last bit of sun was setting.  I was in the middle of the pack and I stopped to wait for Jason.  It was so peaceful and beautiful down there as the last bit of sunlight made its way across the canyon walls.  We continued on as night fell and out came the headlamps again.  The last climb back up the South Rim was pretty much a power hike for us.  My legs felt surprisingly good and I attribute this to proper training and fueling throughout the day.  I drank Perpetuem (roughly one serving, or two scoops per hour) and 10 or 15 gels throughout the day.  I also had a Clif Builders Bar up on the North Rim. We made it up and back onto the South Rim around 9pm. All in all we were in the Canyon for about 15 hours and according to my Strava data, my moving time was 11:23:07. Our goal in running the Grand Canyon wasn't a race at all, but rather a group run to experience it. The total distance was roughly 48 miles.  My Strava data is a bit wonky, and it overestimated my distance by a few miles due the gps signal bouncing around off the Canyon walls.

Here is the link to the Strava data:    https://www.strava.com/activities/406135435.

Overall, I was quite pleased with the adventure and the fact that I didn't have to suffer.  I attribute this to proper training and fueling throughout the day.  Also, the trip was well planned out and accounted for many of the curve balls that Grand Canyon is notorious for throwing at its guests.  Overall the trails were in very good condition and a lot of this had to do with the time of year.  it hadn't rain much recently and that made for some great trails.  It doesn't get much better than that!

GEAR

Hoka One One Stinson 3 ATR
Salomon Advanced Skin Lab Hydro 12 Vest
Injinji Trail Socks

Garmin 920 XT

Here are some more photos:

Bridge Across The Colorado River Leading Into Phantom Ranch

                    Jason Capturing The Moment
                                                       

  View from North Kaibab Trail Looking South

                        Hello Down There!!