2020 Fire Tower 50k Trail Race (Virtual; Self-supported) 26-Sep-20

 

1^st Fire Tower 50k, 26 Sept 2020

2 weeks after my Med City Marathon, I started watched the weather (=Temperatures), looking for a weekend low temp in the 50’s to run this event. 10 days out, I saw my weekend, the last weekend in September and the last weekend to run this event. I chose Saturday Sept 26^th to make my way up to St. Croix State Park.

I’ve been known to have ‘phantom’ pains the week before a race – a weak leg, a knee issue, minor things that never show up otherwise and usually disappear completely before the race. This week was different, and not in a good way. Not sure what I did (slept wrong?), but felt a little twinge in my next Tuesday morning as I did an easy run. It became very tight by the next day, and affected my sleep and how I moved throughout the next few days. Turning my head was difficult, looking up (or down) was unpleasant, with tightness down into my back. Thursday morning I did a 2 mile jog, and it actually felt better when I ran, but once home and back to normal life – it came right back. Friday night, the evening before my run, I resorted to taking ibuprofen. Got almost my normal sleep, and woke up around 5am to get ready for the drive/run. Took another dose for good measure – I expected I would be fine.

The 1hr 15 min drive to the park was fine even in a nice fog the whole way. Temp was 57° and humidity was at 99%. Gates were open as I arrived just before 7, and I made my way to my drop bag location, the Kettle River Overlook, which I would come through around mile 14.5 and 20. Tucked a small cooler bag, a jug of water, and a bag with shoes, snacks, and a roller, behind a tree and made the ~20 min drive back to the start area. Parked in the main lot and got ready (vest/bladder, snacks, phone, map, etc).

Having never been to the park before, I checked the map and found the trailhead. There was a large scout troop camping adjacent to the start, and wondered if I’d see them when I returned in 6+ hours…

Started off at 7:50am.

 

Entrance (as I left)

tad Humid! :-)

At the Start

Course Map

First couple of miles were horse trails and (packed gravel) roads.- not terribly even terrain, but flat. The whole course was pretty flat. Started out comfortably, had a printed course map and written directions with me, plus the State Park Map app (which was wonderful!) on my phone. Had the gate numbers and suspected mileage marked on my map for further reference. I was ready!

Horse Trails

Early road

Past first 'gate'

Gate 31 was a sharp right, at about 46min in, somewhere about mile 5. Mileage between landmarks/gates were iffy based solely on the course/trail map, so afterwards, I used the time, map mileage markers, phone app distance, and relative pace to guesstimate.  

I guess this part (the picture below) was the only time I felt unsure about my path. Sign obviously says Mathew Lourey State Trail, but part of me wondered if the trail was just parallel to the road. After going along a bit, I realized I was probably on the right track. Either the printed map or the App had me second guessing it - but I followed the sign and was fine.

Leaves were beautiful out. The morning fog was quite bad driving in, but the park became clear (below the tree tops anyway) with cloudy skies. Temps only warmed up a few degrees (to ~63°), but I was very happy with that. 

Got tot he Firetower just as a couple were making their way down it. I was happy to see it open - a big reason why I wanted to run this race. I made my way up - but didn't have much of a view as it was still foggy. 

Could see fine straight down.

It's really only a minute or 2 climb up or down.

Steps added for 'vertigo' option

It would have been good to have the tower later in the race, so maybe it would be a little more challenging. This was about 90 minutes in, so just about 9 miles in I think. Spent about 6 minutes there total, including eating a little snack, before heading back down the road. Still felt fine! Was about 7 miles away from my aid station, but this next section I was looking forward to as it was beside the river.

Hadn't seen too many people on the trails, but I did see a few hikers. No other runners.  

First view of the Kettle River (at Big Eddy)

Absolutely loved this section! Was pretty technical at first, until it got on the main trail, where it was just a little less straightforward. Good to finally be on some singletrack! I did kick a root pretty good with my right foot. Wasn't too bad (I would finally lose the blackened nail 2 months later).

These next few photos are at the Kettle River Overlook, where I had stashed my aid. It was Crowded! (and would be even more so later). Time was 2:52, and distance was about 16 miles. I refilled my bladder with some Gatorade/water, got out my PB&J sandwich and chips and cookies and snacked some - bringing some along with me. Used the roller a bit, and stashed it all back behind a tree. Left knee was slightly sore, but manageable. Same with some outer upper thigh soreness...it would soon disappear. 

and wonderful views of the river!

Back onto the trail

Next section was a loop down (~2mi) to the Two Rivers point, then back up ~2mi, before cutting down the road to the aid station at Mile 21. 

Happy to be in the woods!

pine straw

Two Rivers (Kettle And St. Croix)

Swans!

Soon after I passed the swans on the river, I made my way down the road back to the Aid Station. I had thoughts of taking my aid station with me, so I wouldn't have to spend 45 minutes after the run to pick it all up. Silly idea as I then recalled I also had a pair of shoes, just in case. No way to carry much of it at all. As I was turning to go into the parking lot, someone heading out on the trail asked if I was Brian. I said yeah, and they said "good luck". I had put a note with my stuff stating I was running a 31 mile race and to please leave it. That was very nice of them!! This was a very quick stop...and the lot was much more crowded. Distance of ~21 miles, time of 3:55. I was still moving pretty well, but slowing down. Saw a few people I had seen earlier in the day (tower couple, plus a few hikers). 

Joys of running in the Fall!

This next 4.4 mi section (Bear Creek Trail) was not my favorite...some nice views with the leaf coverage, some horses, very few hikers. The ground was an overgrown jeep road, and the following section, although it was only not even 2 miles as you headed back to Gate 31 from the south, was an uneven, slightly overgrown road/trail. You did feel like you were in the middle of nowhere, definitely off the beaten path. I walked/jogged as I could, and was feeling it in my legs. 

Dealt with heavy legs the last few miles, and tried to judge my time, wondering if breaking 6 hours was possible. Once I determined it was not, 6:10 was my next goal. It was good to pass Gate 31 (5:22) and reverse my path back to the finish. A very runnable section, and a few more people out on trails. 

I made my way to the finish and stopped my watch at 6:07:54! Mileage (per my phone app) showed 32.4 miles. (So 6hrs was doable if it was a 31 mi course!)

Tired, happy after 6+ hours!

The scout troop was still there, and avoided me as I laid down while they threw a football nearby. I was pretty happy with my event, and glad to have done it, even solo. I recommend this event and will run it again I think! 

Wasn't thrilled about retrieving my stuff, but it was fine. 

Had my typical 2mi recovery walk the next day, and after 2 easy runs that week (with some knee soreness), was back to normal the following weekend. Not bad (for me) for 3 races in 2.5 months! 

Next up - Icebox480 on Nov 7th!

2020 Med City Marathon (Virtual-Unsupported) 30-Aug-20

The 25^th Med City Marathon was to take place in Rochester, MN back on May 24^th. Due to Covid-19, it was postponed until Sept 5^th, but eventually replaced with a virtual option. I had planned on running in Rochester as I had never been there. Once it went remote, I made plans to run it in August, as soon as the temps got down below 60 for a weekend-overnight. Checking the forecasts, it looked like Sunday August 30^th, showing lows of around 55, would be the day.

The week before my race, I received my race packet. On Saturday, with the help of my daughter, I opened it and got my full-zip race jacket and bag. I wouldn’t get the medal until I finished! The jacket is nice – never had any kind of shirt/jacket with the thumb holes. This has the zipper on the left-hand side (which is backwards from all other zippered jackets I have), but the medium fits well.

Set my alarm for 4:09am race morning (It’s never set for a typical time! Don’t ask), and woke up after a normal 6hr sleep. I had prepped my UD vest with 4 (vanilla) Gu’s and a headlamp, filled my 2L bladder with water, and hit the bathroom. Nothing out of the ordinary – the same shorts/shirt I always wear for long runs. Broke in a new pair of Asics 2000-7’s two weeks back, and stepped out my front door at 4:35. Temp was 57°, humidity was not unusual at 89%, but the air quality was a surprise, with it being in the ‘Moderate’ category (at 72)

Early, Moderate air quality?

Ran down the block, turned and made my way around the rec center fields, then across Wheelock Parkway and down to the Lake Phalen running paths. Each loop is supposed to be 3.1 miles. 8 loops, plus the extra 1.4mi to get there/back and I’d have my full 26.2 marathon.

in the dark

My plan was to run ~9:00min/mi pace to start, just a nice comfortable pace. I did hold my headlamp for some of the first lap – I usually start out at 5am for my 2-loops before work during the week, and the darkness is manageable without it – but I wanted to be extra-safe and not trip over something or run into a tree branch as I did a few weeks back (caught it just above my right eye). Loop one was over in 27:41 (after a 7:34 run to the lake). Took a short ~15 sec walk break each loop there, and continued on.
Grass was wet with dew, but never ran in it enough to get my shoes wet/squishy like at Trail Mix in mid-July.

Didn’t see a soul on the 2^nd loop either, and had a split of 27:57. Keeping around a 28min/loop pace was my initial goal, with slowly increasing it to be near 30, before having to give up on time and just make it through. I had only done one longer run since my Trail Mix 50 six weeks before – that was the 25k loop at Afton 3 weeks ago, after which my left ankle stayed sore, and was just now feeling better (~90% anyway). So ~20 miles was my goal to stay somewhat on pace, then limp my way to a ~4:15 – 4:30 finish. Goals – you never know how the day is going to go!

Loops 3 and 4 were fine (28:09 & 28:29), so I was at 13.1 miles in 1:59:52. Still felt really good, felt I would have plenty of water (and not have to text my wife to meet me to refill). Sun came up just as I came upon the end of loop 4 (~6:32am).

Loop 5 was more interesting – aside from the typical walkers out, when my left knee, about halfway through the lap, became very sore and had me limping for a stretch down the little hill on the east-side of the lake. Still, I ran it in 28:08 (2:28:00 total).

Soon after starting Lap 6, I had company. Another school parent lives nearby and I see her running sometimes on Sunday mornings. I let her know I’d be out, and she came out and slowed her pace to run a lap with me. 😊 That helped a ton, as I was started to struggle…my left knee was so-so, but my legs were getting heavy and sluggish. We had to dodge a few people as more walkers were coming out, but we did see something quite amazing – a bald eagle flew by us, very low to the lake! Certainly don’t see that (there) often! I pushed to do it in 30:09 (2:58:07 for ~19.3 miles), and felt glad to have made miles 16-19 in that pace.

I immediately slowed to a walk and said goodbye, then it was, as I said – just plodding along, alternating some running with walking. I knew I could walk the whole lap in ~43 minutes, so I figured out my worst case times, and if I was doing 35 min laps. Both within my expected finish times.

After 4 hrs, on last lap

Had some abdominal soreness that came and went, but heavy legs and sore ankles really did me in. Lap 7 in 36:26, and still walking faster than most people when I couldn’t/wouldn’t run. Lap 8 – finally my last lap – was more of the same. Almost. I was in the last 1/4mi of the end of the loop, when a sudden buzzing sound right in my face and stinging on my right eyebrow, just under my hat brim and inside the edge of my glasses. Ouch!!! Bee sting. After maybe one sting while running ~5 years ago for the first time ever, I had one earlier this summer walking barefoot in my backyard. So this made #2 or 3 ever. Sure took the focus off my feet for the last mile.

Final Stretch!

I finally left the lake and went through the neighborhood around to where I’d finish. I had given my wife a heads-up, and she and our daughter set up a finish line tape for me to break through. Not being fast – I had never had that experience before - it was nice!. Then my daughter presented me with my medal and we walked the last block home. Finish time: 4:20:27.

Getting my medal from my daughter!

4:20:27

Other random notes: Had a plain bagel with butter/jelly before I started, ate 4 GU’s (every 45 mins or so) and had two S!Caps after the halfway point. Checked my water bladder when I got home and it was practically empty. It had only gotten up to 63°, so it didn’t become an issue with needing to drink more. This was my 141^st race/event. 14^th marathon and 43^rd marathon or ultra distance, and 13 straight years completing at least a marathon.

Still pleasant and 63° at the finish

Will have to see how my left knee/ankle heals up, but the plan is to run the Fire Tower 50k sometime in (late) September. Virtual, but on the true course at St. Croix State Park.

Phone 'health' data