From owner-ius-l@AMERICAN.EDU  Mon Aug 26 10:48:44 1996
From: PeteP729@aol.com
Date: Mon, 26 Aug 1996 10:59:20 -0400
To: IUS-L@AMERICAN.EDU
cc: dead-runners-bay@saluki.eng.sun.com
Subject: Pt Reyes 50K (long)

Well guys, it's in the log book, and Pt Reyes is history...I did it! I don't
think that I can come close to relating the feelings I've had throughout the
day adequately in a race report, but I will give my best impressions. Sorry,
this was a big deal for me, so it's going to be a little long.

SOME QUICK BACKGROUND
The idea of running an ultra was planted in my head long ago, either through
seeing an ABC special on WS100, or reading an article. I was fascinated that
people actually did this. As my running got more serious a couple of years
ago, and I finally did my first marathon, the idea came back..maybe I could
do one. I started training for QS50K in San Jose in the spring 95, but
decided it was too much on too short of notice, so I reset my sights on Ave
of the Giants. Alas, that would not be either, as I severely damaged my ITB a
week before the race. This began a frustrating summer of almost no running,
but a lot of biking, and during that time I read the reports of several Dead
Runners who reported on the initial Pt Reyes. It sounded like fun, so I filed
it away. It was Sept before I started running again, and I have spent the
last 11 months slowly building, slowly strenghtening. I wanted to do another
big race,and during the winter I discovered trail running, so Pt Reyes it
would be..

PRE RACE
My wife, Carmen, and I drove up to the Hostel Friday night, and met several
other runners. We were all really excited, and 3 of the runners were real
stories. One was a man from Tokyo who is in the process of writing a book on
environmentally friendly racing. The other 2 were a young couple from Minn
who were on thier honeymoon..Scott would end up placing 7th. I went to bed
around 10:30, and began one of those nights...slept maybe all of 4 hours :-(
Lesson #241: don't stay at the hostel without earplugs. We got up at 5, and
all were excited. The lack of sleep didn't seem to affect me too much, as the
excitment had taken over. We got to Five Brooks around 6:20, and I began all
the milling around associated with pre-race prep...I had a strange feeling of
calm and confidence, more than I have ever felt before any race. Ran across
fellow now-BAUD runner Robert Finn, and we even exchanged a few pleasantries
on video. I was fully prepared for it all, with 2 water bottles of Cytomax,
and my fanny pack full of goodies. Finally, it was time, and just like that
we were off.

THE RACE
This is where my inability to effectively communicate through the written
word hurts the most. True, a lot of the race was a blur, but there was so
much, thinking about it afterwards, that stuck out in my mind. Everything was
so perfect, and by 10 miles I knew I had a new love. The course was stunning
and challenging. Some of the scenery, especially by the coast, was beautiful
enough to take the breath away. The weather was perfect..there is no way that
it could have been any better. Cool, foggy conditions, sometimes so heavy it
was lightly raining, lasted most of the race, and even the last hour in the
sun was quite manageable. The aid stations were spaced adequately and very
well stocked, and at the Sky Camp station I discovered the joy of boiled
potatos dipped in salt ;-) The Flamingo station was also a big boost..kudos
to the crew who put that one together, complete with several fake pink
flamingos and motivational signs. Crews at the aid stations were very
helpful, and it felt great to be pampered and lavished with attention. All of
this together with the fine and interesting people running the race made it a
truly memorable experience. There were a lot of runners who were using this
as thier first ultra, although after running it, I'm not sure I would
recommend it to any friends as a first. The hills were pretty tough, making
it a very challenging run.

As for my own performance, I was pleased to say the least. The first climb
was a nice warm up, and I probally ran about 60% of it. As things leveled
off, then started dropping, I started talking with other runners around me,
and that's when I found what would become my eventual partners for the day. I
met up with Bob, an area runner first, during the downhill. As we were
talking more and more, we were joined by a third, John from Utah. Turns out
this was the first ultra for all 3 of us. during the next couple of hours, we
would go back and forth, somtimes running with each other, sometimes
seperating. They both got ahead of me after the first big aid station, so I
spent the next mile, which seemed to have a lot of uphill, trying to catch
up. I guess by halfway through the race we had all decided that we were
running the same pace, so we might as well stick together, and we pretty much
did. About halfway up the second big climb, a few folks ran past us while we
were walking, and I got possesed, so I told the guys I'd see them in a little
while and took off running. I ran most of the rest of that uphill, then
started smoking the level after for a while. I was in a zone, and felt high
as a kite. I felt like I was floating along, and that I was finally becoming
an ultra runner, the most awesome of all running humans. A side sitch a few
minutes later brought me back to earth, and I rejoined my buddies at the next
aid station. I was doing good with hydrating and eating..I must have gone
through at least 10 bottles, and never felt hungry, so I'm not sure what the
side stitch was all about. Anyways, it wasn't until about 22 miles, just
before the last major climb started, that I started to feel tired. We tackled
the last climb pretty well, now walking about 60%, but surviving it fine.
John had started to develope some cramps in his calf, so he got one of the
aid volunteers at Sky Camp to give him a massage, then he pulled us flying
down to Bear Valley. By then the calves were feeling a little shot, but I
knew I would be finishing. Carmen was waiting for me at the aid station,
which was a great pick-up for me, and we got a few minutes of tape there. I
was suprised how good I looked on the tape, knowing how sore and tired I felt
at  that point. Anyways, we finally got out of the and began what we thought
was the final easy part of the course. I expected it to be pretty flat, so I
didn't object when John dragged us through the first flat bit, maybe 3/4
mile, at about 8:30 pace (seemed really fast). Suddenly, there was a hill.
Walk it. Then another...and another. No one ever mentioned this series of
brutal little hills the last 3 or so miles. On top of it, we were determined
to break 6 hrs, so we kept pushing each other along...but we were very quiet.
Finally though, we made it to the end, shaking hands and patting each other
on the back, and crossed the line, all three of us together, at 5:54 and a
few seconds. I think we placed around 72nd out of the field of 199 starters.
The finish was not a tearful, ooh I made it, I'm so grateful kind of
thing..it was more of a YES!!! I'VE CONQUERED THIS COURSE (today). It was a
very gatefying feeling, and I felt  lot of pride in what I had done

POST RACE
Almost done ;-) We headed over to the campground and I got my shirt (quite
nice), then we enjoyed what I thought was the best real food I ever tasted in
my life at the BBQ. I also pampered myself with a massage, which felt great.
My calves are a little sore after the day, and after driving home 3 hrs, they
were quite stiff..but they loosened up fine with a little walking. My quads
feel fine, and there is no other damage..no blisters, no falling off
toenails..nada. I feel great in comparison to running a road marathon. Will I
do this race again..you betcha. I'll be watching my recovery real close, as I
don't want to lose any of this conditioning, but I also don't want to hurry
it.

Thanks to the Tamalpa Runners for putting on a first class event, and thanks
to the various ultra members who helped with thier advise. It all made for
the best run I've ever had in my life.

Pete Petri
Brookale, CA
PeteP729@AOL.com