Chaos Mtn 50k - a Streak Celebration

 Unbeknownst to Justin Bower, he created an event to celebrate my running streak.  

- Did he know about my streak?  Not a chance

- Did he care?  Doubtful

On 1/17/20 I headed up to Fairfax Virginia and attended a www.therunningclinic.com seminar.  During that seminar one of the things that we learned about running and injury prevention was that, the more days you run the less likely you are to be injured.  That's not to say you should engage in a running streak, it just means that if you are going to run 30 miles in a week, you are better off running those miles over 5 or 6 days than 3, that a more regular load/stress on the body is better than periodic stress.  I took this as an opportunity to start a streak.  

My running buddy, James Decker, had run 32 days in a row, so I wondered how many I could do.  The most days I've run in a row, tend to be around a vacation, when we adventure and explore new areas.  This would maybe be 10 or so days in a row, at most 12.   By no means a steak. 

I remembered a Jeff Roes article on www.irunfar.com disscussing his running streak attempt.  Until I started mine, I just assumed it would end in a similar fashion as Jeff's.  But then there was Covid and more stress and uncertainty.  There was a drive to keep the streak going, something to focus on and something in my control.  Somehow, running, less races, and a streak put me at being able to get 3000 miles in 2020 (probably the only time I'll reach this level).  I did the math in early December and noted that by running an extra a bit over 300 miles for the month, or what would amount to, 10 miles a week, I could hit the 3000 mile mark (about 400 more than any other year).  So I put in the time and finished up with 3013.

My streak rules are;
- at least 2 miles
- have to be outdoors
- under 14 minute pace.  This is for the post ultra shuffle to count as a run.

In just under another month I should hit the 2 year mark.  I plan to run the Chaos Mtn 50k again as a "celebration" of the streak.  I have no predetermined mark I want to hit.  I'm mainly going until I feel like it's "time" to quit.  At this point I'm interested in what will be the thing that makes me stop.

This Fall had some hurdles that I thought might end things.  The schedule ended up having 7 races, plus covid, in 12 weeks;
7/24/21 - Catherine's 50k
8/14/21 - Jarmans 50k
8/14 - 8/24 Covid
9/3 & 9/4 - The Rut VK and 28k
10/1 & 10/2 - The Broken Arrow VK and 50k
10/11/21 - The Boston Marathon

Although some performance suffered in there, the races went well and made for an unforgettable end to the racing year.   I don't recommend running a mountainous VK and 28k 2 weeks after covid or the Boston Marathon 9 days after a mountainous 50k, but if you do, do it in the Fall!

What will end the streak?  

Catherine's Furnace 50k

Race #1 of the "West" and Wild, Fall preparation was this past weekend.  On 7/23/21 James and I left for Rocktown (Harrisonburg) in preparation of the 7/24/21 Catherine's Furnace Fat Ass 50k, between New Market and Luray.  

Fat Ass events have certain qualities;

- Zero or minimal entry fees
- No shirt
- No awards
- Minimal Aid
- A range of zero Course Markings to fully marked course

See all the race details here.  The Course is a lollipop loop with a common 10 mile section out and back and an 8 mile loop section in the middle, 3 big climbs with a total of 5700ft of climbing.    

The goal was to use this as a training race and to enjoy time on new to me trails.  It was going to be a hot and humid day so I wasn't sure what to expect in regards to performance.  

The race started out with a mile or so of rocky runnable terrain.

As we got in to the long 1600ft climb up to Bird Knob I fell in with a group of 6 and just followed. 

Bird Knob was a McAfee's Knob style rocky overlook looking over New Market. 

We ran the ridge for awhile before dropping down to the first aid station.  This ridge was similar to Tinker Cliffs.  It was runnable with large embedded rocks and a trail covered in pine needles.  

I opted to pass by the first aid station, thinking I would be fine until AS 2.  I felt fine now but I'm pretty sure I should have been drinking more.  

From there, it was some very rocky and technical trail up to the second ridge, on the infamous Purple Trail

and then a steep rocky descent leading to more runnable terrain to the second aid station at Catherine's Furnace.

I topped off with water and was on my way pretty quickly.  From here we had a 2.5 mile run, gradually climbing on a gravel road.  

Next was AS 3 where again I opted to not take any water and roll on through.  Probably another bad idea.  Side note, you ever see that SNL skit, "Bad Idea Jeans"? 

We were now on the Morgan Run Trail.  This was a rocky trail that went straight up the Hollow, meandering over rocks and trees, across streams, through muddy sections with logs in them to help provide footing, through a former controlled burn area that ultimately led to an overgrown Forest Service Road.  Along this road  I started to get the first cramps of the day, at about mile 16.  At AS 4 we came to another gravel road that descended back to Catherine's Furnace and AS 5.

I topped off my water and resupplied my food for the return trip to the finish.  From Catherine's we were going to retrace our steps back up the 3.2 miles and 1600ft to the top of the Purple Trail climb.  Anyone who's been here before will remember the Purple Trail.  Just ask them about it.  

This was a slow slow hike up to the top, in the heat of the day, while nursing some cramps.  Finally to the top and now one half mile loose rocky section back to AS 6.  Here I topped off my water and removed my left shoe to remove a few pebbles and then was on my way back to Bird Knob and the final 4.5 miles to the finish.  Trying to take a shoe off while dealing with cramps takes some patience.  It's not an easy or fun process.

Different than the beginning of the race, we skirted around the Bird Knob Trail, staying on the Orange Trail.  This looked to be an old Forest Service Road lined with mountain laurel and about 10 of these large anthills.  This whole section of trail was covered with ants doing their thing.  

From here it was a 4 mile rocky technical descent to the finish.  My toes had been pretty beat up and the soles of my feet were pretty bruised up, so I limped my way to the finish in around 6:20 and getting the coveted CFA-50k sticker.  

2021 the year of bad ideas with good intent

2020 had a few events that we were signed up for, get crammed into a small block of weekends.

The 2021 Summer and Fall race plan is as follows. 

Training races/runs to lead up to the big events;
7/24/21 - James Decker and I are running the Catherine's Furnace 50k put on by the VHTRC (Virginia Happy Trails Running Club)
8/14/21 - Gina and I are headed to Crozet to run the infamous JIM (Jarman's Invitational Marathon).
Update to this - we ended up getting Covid during or immediately after this race and had two weeks until the Rut.

The Big Events;
Back in 2017 we headed out to Montana to run the The Rut Mtn Runs VK & 50k.  In the 3 days of events, only the Saturday 28k got to the top of Lone Peak.  The Vertical Kilometer was shortened due to wind and the 50k was shortened due to ice and snow.  A good size group of us are doing one or more of the races.  When signing up this time, Jonathan Adcock and I did what sane trail runners do, we signed up for all three races so that we could almost guarantee getting to the top, in one or all of the races.  

9/3/21 - The Rut Mtn Runs Vertical Kilometer
9/4/21 - The Rut Mtn Runs 28k
9/5/21 - The Rut Mtn Runs 50k - I opted not to do this

Then we head to Lake Tahoe to try and tame the Broken Arrow Skyrace.  This was supposed to be a June race, but California was one of the most strict states with their Covid guidance, and it got postponed to October.  

10/1/21 - The Broken Arrow Vertical Kilometer
10/2/21 - The Broken Arrow 52k

And, finally, 9 days later I made it into the 125th Boston Marathon.  I'm not really excited to run another marathon to qualify for the 2022 event, so I'm headed there to experience the Covid postponed reduced field event.  If I could have my way I'm hoping for 3 things;
- that I survive the aforementioned races without injury
- that I enjoy the race this time. 2018 was a complete mess due to the weather.  It was more of a "let's get this thing done" rather than an enjoyable race.
- and I run another qualifying event of 3:15 or better (3:20 is my qualifying time and the 5 minutes is the extra time I'd probably need to get in).