Smith Rock Ascent 50k 2015

-
not awesome
    Another Smith Rock Ascent in the books! I came out for the inaugural race three years ago for the 25k. I brought a friend who was new to running and while I did the race, my friend ran/ hiked some of the trails. The next year I ran the 50k and said friend ran the 25k. Same deal this year but we brought another friend who's new to running to run/ hike while we ran. Maybe next year we'll have another convert.
    Coming in from Portland, the trip didn't start off so smooth. A freeway blowout in the van shook us up a bit but soon we were back on the road headed to Bend to pick up our race bags and dinner. Then to the campground.
   The campground was full but we ran into some "bro's" who led us to a cool spot just a rock's throw away. And by "bro's," I don't mean douchy frat guys, I mean dirtbag climber guys. I don't follow frat bro's down dirt roads.
    We found a nice space for the van, set up the camp chairs and waited for the stars. Believe it or not, that was a big anticipation for us. There's nothing like watching the stars in the desert sky. We could identify the planets and constellations using the star app on my phone. Of course this only promoted all kinds of "stoner conversation." Seeing how the planets line up with each other and how our own planet fits in. How tens of thousands of years ago the ancients already knew as much about the solar system as we do today. How sheep herders watching their flock over night made observations in the sky and maybe the "wayward son" who's not so into raising sheep maybe takes these observations a little further and begins to understand an even bigger picture. Like I said, promoting lots of stoner talk.
    Smith Rock has always been a magic place for me. I can't explain it. When I camp there, my dreams are more vivid and lucid. My runs are so much more inspired (even though my finish times don't reflect that). Even when I'm falling apart and hallucinating and getting a little confused, I still feel so incredibly grateful that I get to run in such an amazing place and even use that time to connect with the people who are no longer in my life. I don't know, it's just something about the place. Like some sort of vortex of energy.
    While I can't speak for everyone's experience, I have to say this was probably the quietest ultra I've ever run. While it seemed the whole 31 miles I ran with the same group, although about a quarter mile apart from each other, there wasn't the usual leapfrogging that usually describes an ultra. We each seemed to find our own pace and place and keep it there, meeting up every few miles at each aid station.
    For some reason the canyon between the two ridges (between mile 22-27, I think) were my favorite spot this time around. I mean, I was falling apart and the act of running was getting more and more "liberal" at this point but for some reason it was just this overwhelming zen state of discomfort that made me almost wish this wasn't a race and I could just run and run until I became the desert itself. Then I made it to the last aid station for some pringles and coke and real tangible life once again made it's presence known in my legs and feet.
almost there
    Those last few miles were beautiful. There's nothing like knowing you gave it everything while running alongside of others who've gave their all as well, crossing that finish line and getting yet another Smith Rock pint glass! I'm working on a set. Even If I stopped running ultras, I believe I would still do this one. Trail Runner magazine got it right. Definitely a race to put on your calendar.
    I have to say as well, that as ultra running can be described a bit as a tribe, I must say that the "Go Beyond Racing" crew is creating an almost cult in Oregon. Great people, amazing and inspiring races and probably the first time I've seen so many stickers on cars around town sporting the logo.
    Anyway, it's been a few days, I can almost walk down stairs without wincing and gained back most of the weight I lost during the race and I'm already looking forward to next year




 

Popular posts from this blog

The Power of "No More"

-
    From the first time I picked up a guitar, paint brush or pen & paper, I've sought only to represent the ideas in my own head. Mixed in with whatever outside influences, of course. The idea and goal has also been to make at least a partial living doing this. This requires the "approval" of others. Now, decades after the first time picking up a guitar, paint brush or pen & paper, I've not only realized that the idea of "approval" has it's own influence on my "art" but I've also realized (I've always felt this, actually) that there's very few people (IF ANY) who's opinion I could even pretend to respect enough to make this "approval" make sense. Don't want to be a part of this process anymore. For the last few years I've sought the purest route to the "source" as possible. Just the idea of putting it "out there" compromises the work. Wether it be music, painting or writing, it was a...
Read more

Answers....

-
    A few years ago someone I knew was going through some incredible health issues. "health issues" being a couple months out from dying. They knew this was happening and I knew it. It really just gave us an opportunity to sit and talk a little more openly than usual. One morning during this time, we were just sitting on the back porch on a late spring morning. Sun was already warming up, dew still on the grass and we're sitting in a screened in porch drinking coffee when they say to me, 'I wish I could run. I wish I could just go run and run and run until I can't take another step. When I was little, I used to love to run and that's all I want to do right now. I think about it all the time.'     This person had never been particularly athletic or anything like that nor really "outdoorsy." no more than the average person anyway, but I understood what was meant with this.     Being a recovering addict who finds a lot of relief and spirituality f...
Read more

The "Volcanic 50k+" running around Mt. St. Helen

-
Image
First, let me get this out of the way. Calling this a race is being very open minded....and optimistic. This event is a DARE. Running this course will definitely challenge your perception of things. First of all, your perception of running. There's very little running involved. Of course the talented freak of nature elites at the front manage to somehow finish in the 6-7 hour realm but most of us mid-packers and back-of-the-packers who usually finish a 50k somewhere in 5-7 hours end up somewhere between 9-12 hours on this course. Don't get me wrong, there's lots of runnable sections, VERY runnable sections but the rock crawling, boulder hopping sections in between can leave you so drained physically AND mentally that you're just happy for the momentary break. That's actually one of the really cool things about this race too. A lot of times when you end up walking during an ultra, even though everyone does it and it's totally accepted and expected, you would st...
Read more