Green Lakes Endurance Runs 50k - First Ultra Completed

Yesterday I ran the Green Lakes Endurance Runs 50k race.  This is the first ultramarathon that I've participated in.  The race started at 6:45 am, with a 100k starting at 6:00 and the packet pickup beginning at 5:00 am.  Green Lakes State Park is about a two hour drive from my home so I got up at 2:00 am, showered and ate some left over rigatoni and hit the road.

The course was set up as a 12.5 km loop that we ran four times.  The first part of the trail was through the woods and featured two fairly steep climbs.  There were a few rocks and roots thrown in, but overall the trail was pretty smooth.  The hard part of the course is nicknamed "The Serengeti" which is an open field with no shade lasting about 5km.  After The Serengeti we came back into the woods for a nice long downhill and then some flats back to the starting line.

Starting early in the day was nice and we had some cool temperatures to run in.  The first lap went very uneventfully and I finished the first lap in 1:30.  I hit my drop bag and grabbed a PB&J sandwich and went off for the second lap which I finished in 1:32.  Some far, so good, but the temperature was starting to rise pretty quickly.

The third lap started getting a bit more difficult.  I was running with a friend and she has had some medical issues lately.  She started to not feel well and we walked a bit on this lap.  The heat on The Serengeti was brutal.  The average race day temperatures in this area is 78 degrees.  This race day climbed to 92.  With zero shade and clouds the heat was pretty oppressive.  This lap took 1:51.

The last lap was a bit tough on me.  I started getting some cramps in my quads.  I'm not quite sure if my lack of fitness was coming through or if my nutrition was lacking.  Most likely it was a little of each.  We kept moving forward, running when we could and walking when we needed to.  At this point I was very glad to have a friend along with me.  Having someone to talk to when you're not feeling well is very helpful.  I know I could have gotten through on my own but it would not have been nearly as enjoyable.

Out on The Serengeti we came across one of the 100k runners that was looking pretty rough.  He had been having stomach issues all day and couldn't keep any food or drink down.  We walked slowly with him for a while to make sure he'd be OK.  He ended up dropping out at the next aid station.  This final lap was completed in 2:04, giving me an overall time of 7:01.

Before the race I thought I could complete the course in about 6:30.  When I saw the weather forecast I revised my goal to seven hours.  I didn't break any speed records in this race but I was happy with the results considering the heat and that it was my first ultra.  It was a great experience and I will certainly be back for more.  Most likely the Mendon Ponds Trail Run in November.  I'll wait until next spring to go beyond the 50k mark.