WGRs CVC 50K

[West Grey Runner]

Did my 5th 50K Ultra of the season today , the Creemore Vertical Challenge.

The race plan was to go out at an easy to moderate pace keeping hydration and heart rate in check.


The first 25K loop was amazing , I felt like I was in total control. So often its the course that dictates what happens but I knew what to expect running 25K two years ago and the 50K last year, I was calling the shots on the first loop, 2hrs38min!


Second loop was a different story! A solid sleep the night before the race , the near 30C temps forcasted and receiving Bib #13 were all omens that I wasn't going to have a good day. I felt amazing passing the start finish , did two gels washed down with water and heed! Off I went along the river for about 2Ks ... one of the few flat sections BUT its like a switch went off. Air by the river was much warmer , the sun was beating down and the humidity was building and I over heated with 23K left in the race. At the next aide station they had Ice , I filled a small bag I brought with me and grabbed a glass to eat. Decided to walk the first big hill at around 32K , took advantage of the pace to balance the Ice on my head and continued to cool. When I over heated at Sulphur I couldn't even run down hill due to legs that felt like cement , I wasn't about to let that happen with a 2K downhill at the 37K mark! Core temp cooled I managed the 37th and 38th Ks in 6:22 and 7:10... a significant improvement! After the long downhill came a very tough uphill know as o2 ...this is where things really fell apart. It took 24mins49sec to do the 40th K. I sat twice ...first time for 3min30sec , the next time for 6min15sec. I just didn't have it in me to keep going, my heart was pounding , I was breathing heavy and I had a pain across the top of my shoulders. For a moment I thought about packing it in at the next aide station but then I thought 10K to go .... its going to be slow but I can just walk , the new objective was to just finish! The last 10K was walking on the flat and uphill sections and trying to run downhill! Prior to dropping into "Valley" there is a generous 1K down hill at the 47K mark ... best I could do was a 7:21 pace!


Finished up with the Garmin time of 6hrs43min32sec, an hour slower then last year!


It was hot, 28-30C and Sunny with a Breeze here and there! I was drinking lots, gelling as prescribed and took 4 Eload caps at the 20, 30 and 40K mark One of the greatest contributors to my demise was running without a shirt or something on my head. Shade on the course was the exception! I was more or less totally exposed to the sun for hours! I believe that a properly fitted tech T with a white cap would have helped. I am sure that I would have slowed down but I would have been done allot sooner!

[Robbie-T]

Wow man, I bet you had a tough time smiling going up O2. That would not be a course anyone should be struggling through. Way to tough it out Ron! And great seeing you again!

[Doonst]

So the first loop was easy huh? Man I can't imagine going around again, I was done. There were lots of jokes as we were sitting in the river drinking beer, about how nobody regretted running "just" the 25. Hope there was some beer left when you finished! Congrats on completing a tough one, here's to cooler times.

[ratherBrunning]

Amazing--good job getting it done in the heat!

[b_squared]

I am glad that you enjoyed the first loop 'cause that second one sounds a bit scary. Recover well!

[VeloCarrie]

WTG Ron!! And in the heat!

[Mouse]

Wow. That second loop sounds like a toughie. Glad to read that you kept going and finished. Proud of you, you live up to the name MANIAC..... Way to go. Thanks for sharing the good as well as the bad with us. Way to fight the fight and finish the beast....
Mouse

[Spirit Unleashed]

Nice report. I'm sure you'll appreciate the depth of the challenge as time goes on, especially as I know you signed up for a 24 hour race. Hey, since it took you an hour longer than you thought it would, did you run out of stuff like electrolytes or gels or did you have to skimp? Just wondered.

[blank]

Wow! Way to tough out! It's amazing how fast the heat can sap it out of you. Good job getting it done.

[Mid_Packer]

Hey Ron, sounds like a tought day. Definitely not a day that I would be able to or would want to try a 50k. Glad you had a good 25k !. Hey did the 2nd loop change the smile on your face or was it still there but as a grimace ?

Dave

[scottp]

Kudos for toughing it out WGR! Not much relief on those roads once the sun got high and the shade dissappeared. Well done.

[casual-runner]

Congratulations on completing this tough race I head my heat exposure also. I run out of fluids on my bike ride today at 86 km of the ride, few bottles of drinks (pepsi, water, orange juice and Gatorade) added to my misery - suffered to the end of this 160 + km ride. Once the heat takes you down there is no easy way to recover.

[ian]

Way to tough out the second lap; there will be a future race where you'll hammer a great second half precisely because you remember how deep you dug in this race.

[West Grey Runner]

Ultra Spirit

did you run out of stuff like electrolytes or gels or did you have to skimp? Just wondered

The only thing I ran out of was Ice and the water at the last Aide station was hot and so was what I had left in my water bottle ..YUK! The Aide stations had Gels so I used them, finished with the Gels that I started with and 2X500mg salt caps.

Doonst

I was 8 minutes slower then you on the first loop , add 20 seconds /K on to your pace and I suspect you would feel that the race was a bit easier!

Mid Packer

Well , there were tears! On my 2nd rest stop on “O2” or “ the never ending hill “ the sweat was pouring off me into my eyes , the Halo couldn’t keep up with it. On a good note I got to have a really good look at the scenery while I was walking , it made me smile

[UltraQueenga]

Wow, WGR, you're quite the 50k racing machine this year! Congrats on putting another one on your list of 50k finishes. It was a rough course and a tough second loop out there in the sun. Good job gettin' it done.

[AirForceRunner]

WGR....I don't know how you finished this race. The way you described that 2nd lap, especially O2 hill, you possess a dangerous amount of fortitude.
Great to have finally met you....hope to cross paths with you again perhaps at Limberlost, and very likely at Dirty Girls...we seem to have a number of similar races planned.