I finished. It wasn't horrible, but it wasn't fun. Never doing a 50 miler again. It's way too far for me.
We stayed at a hotel about 30 minutes from the start line and the race started at 6 am so I planned to leave at 5:15 to be there 15 minutes early. I didn't want to stand around at 8800 feet and freeze. It worked out okay, but I should've gotten up earlier to give me more time to eat and use the hotel bathroom as my limited time was wholly unproductive. I didn't end up emptying my bowels until 34 miles and 8 hours into the race. Thankfully it was at a POP and it didn't impact the race. I also didn't eat or drink much before the race, just nibbled on a Cliff bar and sipped some Gatorade but not at all what I planned to do. Again, it didn't impact me thankfully. My wife and I left the hotel about 5:20 and I hauled butt down the road, slowing a few time for deer on the side of the road and blessed to see a couple bull elk with velvet antlers. It was a gorgeous drive. The race was 2.4 miles off the highway and thankfully good roads to get there, uneventful. I got my hydration pack filled with water as they had no Gu Brew at that station.
We started the race with 201 of us running the turnaround circle around the warmup tents and that thinned the herd a bit before going to single track. We were one long line of runners for the next who-knows-how-many-miles. Some super swampy areas up there and some small water crossings but nothing too bad. One lady right in front of me lost her shoe stepping across a small stream so I stopped and plucked it up for her. She later twisted her ankle really badly at 5.6 miles in and I strongly doubt she finished. The first 18 miles is all downhill, going from 8800 to 4500 feet with the last few miles high above a river. Gorgeous. I got to the Foot Bridge aid station and my first of two drop bags at about 3 hours 36 minutes. I could feel some hot spots, so I duct taped my feet and it was a fantastic decision. After washing my feet (bless you angels carrying water trays and towels to us) I wrapped one loop around the toe joint as I was working on a blister on the outside of my big toe joint (whatever that's called) then wrapped a loop around my heel and connected to the other tape and repeated on both sides. Then changed into my compression socks and my new Brooks Cascadias. I ended up wearing them the rest of the way. I changed into a sleeveless tech shirt, got sunscreened, ate some food, filled hydration pack with Gu Brew and I was off. Not sure how long the break was, but it was worth it.
The next 16 miles sucked. I knew it would, and it did. 16 miles of climbing from 4500 to 7500 feet. The first two miles I regained 2000 feet of elevation and it is just awful. I had to stop and lower my heart rate a number of times as I was just getting woozy. 3.5 miles in there's a backpacked-in aid station (there are some amazing volunteers on this race! 3 backpacked-in stations, 2 aid stations by horse and mule) and it was nice to rest for a bit, grab some jerky and gu, refill the water bottle, and go. I should've topped off the hydration pack as I ended up going dry before the next aid station but I was fine. I'd prefer a little extra weight and lots of water though. The next while there is quite a bit of sideways or minor up so I was able to run quite a bit of it and it's through trees and just beautiful. Little packs would form but I mostly ran on my own from here on but made a few friends along the way. At mile 28 we finally hit Cow Camp aid station which has bacon. I was really hungry so I ate 1/2 a PB&J, a couple strips of fat-packed bacon (too much fat) and some Fritos. Great salt. I burped up all this food the next 6 miles so maybe I ate too much, but I was glad to get rid of the pit. The next 6 to the last drop bag really suck. It's only 1000 foot gain, but it goes forever and ever and ever. You're climbing a canyon and can see the aid station 5 miles away and it's a horribly cruel mental game. During this stretch I realized I hate the 50 mile distance (actually, I think it was a few miles before, when I hit 26 miles and realized I was only 1/2 way there). I felt pretty good but I was just done with it. I considered dropping at the next aid station mainly because I just didn't want to run anymore and I figured getting a DNF for boredom was probably a bad idea. I also started doing the math and knew the race didn't end until 9 pm, and if I literally walked 20 minute miles the rest of the race I would finish. My kids needed me to finish. Knowing I could walk and finish removed any stress from me and I took my walking really serious from that point on. I ran when I wanted to but mostly I walked, and walked, and walked. I felt like a pioneer child (LDS primary song). When I came to streams (of which there are many) I walked right through them and it felt sooo good. I got to the aid station at 8 hours in and I changed into a tank top for the final stretch (and reapplied nipple bandaids as my first bandaids had fallen off) and switched from Gu Brew to water. I also used the POP and that helped mentally, knowing I didn't need to squat in the woods somewhere.
The weather had changed and it got cloudy and windy and it was cold but it was only 2 pm. I had kept my arm warmers that I started with and I put them on and wore them for the next 30 minutes which helped. I guy I'd met just earlier was freezing and I loaned him my windbreaker as he'd left his at the first aid station not thinking he'd need it. The sun came out about 30 minutes later and warmed quickly. I then kept walking and walking. I ran a little bit but mainly walked. A mile past that we hit a gravel road for the next few miles and I actually ran quite a bit of it. I was trailing a 100 miler who would run/walk so I knew I could do the same. After a few miles we finally hit the best trail of the run and I ran most of it. It's a fun single track that's mostly flat and it's just fun to run. I walked when I wanted to but ran when I could. I didn't want to sweat anymore so I only ran when it wasn't strenuous. I was tired of exerting myself. At the next aid station I didn't eat much and kept going. The nastiest walking section of the race was coming up and it is so hard. About 3/4 of a mile of nearly vertical. It's not actually a trail, but we all need to get to the final canyon and this is the only way they've figured out to get us there. I stopped 5-6 times just to catch my breath. Eventually I slowed my pace and just kept walking but breathing really hard. It is tough. At the top of the canyon I knew I'd get cell coverage so I texted my wife and told her I was about 90 minutes from the bottom of the canyon where I'd hit the last 5 miles of gravel road where the family would meet me on bikes. I then entered the canyon, thinking I'd run part of it but walk a lot. I ran it and I ran it fast (relatively). My legs felt great and I destroyed my quads. There are many stretches where you can't stop, just keep your feet moving in short little steps so you don't fall over. When I was coming up on walkers I'd yell "Runner! And I can't stop!" and they'd move out of my way. I was really cruising, and staring down at the trail so I didn't twist an ankle or worse. It's about 3.5 miles from the top of the canyon to the next aid station, and 3000 feet of drop. It always seems like that aid station will never come and the same was true this year. It was a blessed site. I refilled water, ate some grapes, and was off. 2.2 miles to the last aid station and the trail now had lots of up and downs. It felt great to up and I was surprised how much I like running the down parts. The trail levels off for a bit and the sun was out in full force. It was pretty warm at this point so as I'd done the whole race I doused my head, back, and chest with water from my hand held.
After the last aid station is the single worst part of the race: 5 miles of mostly flat gravel road. It sounds easy and it is horrible. Like seriously horrible. I don't know how anyone can run those entire 5 miles. I ran the first mile or so, then I walked nearly the rest of the way. Again, I did the math and I could walk 15 minute miles which would only take me 75 minutes. I was spot on. My cute wife walked out and met me with about 3 miles to go and that was fun. She'd left her bike a ways up the road. My 3 kids who were there then met me at intervals on their bikes and they walked and rode with me the rest of the way, which was the highlight of my day (my oldest was working in Billings so couldn't make the trip). A few 50 milers and even 100 milers passed me running, and good for them. I was content to walk it in. About 3/4 mile out we hit town and the road is paved and I ran it in from there. My family all ditched their bikes at the park and we ran across the finish line holding hands. I felt good.
Feelings immediately after the race: chocolate milk is awesome and 52 miles is a long freaking way to run. I will never run that far again, and I will definitely never run 100 miles. It is not a bucket list item. I was a bit under trained but I finished strong. I was really glad for my family support and happy they could be there with me.
GPS first 34 miles: https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/814056161 (thanks Pat for lending me your watch!)
GPS last 18 miles: https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/820956619
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