The “Double Chubb” 50k is named as such because it’s a double out and back on an 8(ish)-mile long trail. On each end, there are some very big hills & a lot of technical terrain, particularly on the West Tyson County Park side of the course. The “far side” in Lone Elk County Park is much more mild. The section between the two ends is quite flat and smooth dirt paths – it’s a section on the course where the fast guys & gals can go REALLY fast. Since the race starts on the most difficult section of the course (West Tyson) that means the last few miles back up to the finish are pretty tough, in my humble opinion.
I never know what to expect in an ultra. Seems like it’s different every time I run one. It really is different every time, even if it’s a course I’ve run before. The weather, trail conditions and my fitness level can make trails I’ve run 20 times feel like a whole new experience on a new outing.
What this really means is, these things can go good or bad. Fortunately, for the runners lining up for yesterday’s Double Chubb, the weather & trail conditions could not have been better! Being only a 10-15 minute drive from my house, I’ve run Chubb Trail a number of times. It’s never been in such awesome shape as it was yesterday. Darn it, there went one excuse for not running well!
Weather was a cool 50 degrees at the start and there’s plenty of shade along the entire course. It never got warm and there was always a nice breeze. Barely any clouds in the sky. There goes ANOTHER excuse not to run well. The only excuse I hung on to in my “back pocket” was the fact that I had run a 100 miler about 4 weeks prior to this race and was unable to train to the level I would have preferred. As my friend, Gilles Barbeau, would say – SUCK IT UP MONKEY BOY.
I was out on the first “out” of out-and-back in my typical way too fast fashion, or so I thought. 56mins to the Lone Elk aid station and running in the top 10 runners. The field at Chubb is always pretty deep – there are some fast folks that come out for this one. For me to be hovering up near the top 10 seemed ludicrous! But hey, I’ve never been accused of being smart.
I knew I would be slower back to the start & turn-around because it’s a massive climb back up in to West Tyson. I made the first trip out-and-back in about 2:05 and headed back out for another go. I could feel myself slowing down a little, but not like I was terribly wrecked. My main concern was whether I’d blow up at 20-25 miles. For the time being, I was concentrating on running my best and keeping my form & calories up.
I made the turn around at Lone Elk for the second time and knew I was going to be “ok”. I was slacking on the pace a little, but I was holding it together better than I ever had in an ultra by the time I was at 25 miles. There would be no “blowing up” for me this day!
The last ½ mile of the race is a quarter mile up a HUGE hill, then a quarter mile back down the other side to the finish. As I reached the uphill, I knew by my watch that I had a 4hrs 30min finish time within reach, but this hill was KILLING me! 4:55, to this point, was my 50k PR, and that was on an easier course than this, by a long shot. I was really having a great day out there! As I quick hiked the hill as fast as I could muster (which wasn’t very fast), I bombed the downhill about as hard as I could without blowing a quad. Making the last little turn towards the finish line, I could see the clock, which read 4:30:10. Damn, I was barely missing breaking 4:30!
I finished in an official time of 4:30:18 – WAY better than I thought I would ever run at Chubb! While I have finished in a higher place in an ultra, this 9th place finish is definitely the best I’ve ever done to date for a couple of reasons:
1) Deep Field – there were a lot of really talented runners (as is usual at Double Chubb), so to have cracked the top 10 feels amazing
2) While I did slow down a fair amount on my 2nd out-and-back, I never came close to blowing up and felt fairly strong the whole way – a first for me in the back half of an ultra!
It didn’t dawn on me until after I finished that I really had run pretty well during the last ½ of my race because I never came close to being passed. I was alone pretty much the last 10 miles of my race and hung on very well.
Through all of this, Lauren was there at each and every aid station. ALWAYS a nice treat! Also along for the day was our friend, Rachel Kinser. We know Rachel from Sports Medicine & Training Center in Webster Groves, MO. She’s a real character, and does a good job of keeping me laughing and healthy (in that order?). It was nice for Lauren to have a friend along instead of being by herself, like she usually is, only seeing me on the few occasions I pass through an aid station.
The post race celebration was a blast. Lauren had to leave early, but Rachel hung out with the “crazies” at the finish line and we watched every single runner come in. SLUGs put on an amazing event and the volunteers were fantastic. SLUGs R.D.’s, David & Victoria White were celebrating their 25th SLUGs race (as directors) in 12 years! They always do a great job. A few other “my hat is off to you” shout outs:
· Stuart Johnson – new senior course record with 4:57ish – you’re a bad ass, Stuart – nice work!
· Travis Liles – 2nd 50k race in as many weeks and never quit smiling. Travis also went well under 5hrs after running a 4:28 a week ago and has 90 miles in the last 8 days – ANIMAL!
· Ben Creehan – 3:37 and a new course record by about 4 minutes, HOLY SMOKES, THAT’S KILLING IT!
· Norm Yarger (70 years young) – sub 8hrs and SPRINTED through the finish. You, sir, are an inspiration!
Great job by all participants & volunteers (thanks for the e-caps John!). It’s great to be a SLUG and I really enjoyed hanging out with everyone on a FINE day at Chubb Trail. A day so beautiful that I’m not sure we’ll see another one as nice on race day in a long, long time.
