I didn't get into Wasatch 100 this year and so I immediately began looking at other options back in January. Cascade Crest was top on my list and I was lucky to get a spot. My training however throughout the year was spotty. The last 8 weeks however I was able to squeeze 9 runs of 20 miles or more. Not many more miles throughout the week but I at least had some good long runs including the tune-up race of Corner Canyon 50k.
I headed up to Seattle a few days earlier to do some business and promote Altra. Friday night I still didn't have any pacers which I wasn't really worried about but as I was visiting my last shop I got a phone call from Kevin, a local runner, who said he would pace me the last 27 miles. I also teased the manager at the shop that he should come experience it as well. Luckily he showed up at mile 52 and ran 15 miles with me also.
I had 4 drop bags, no crew, and had the best pre-race sleep ever. A 10am start let me stay in Seattle then drive out to the start. At 10am sharp, after the national anthem, we were off. I started slow as I wanted to conserve for what I knew would be a long race. I was surprised after 4-5 miles at how steep and rugged the terrain was. I was told that this course was much easier then Wasatch (which it is, but not by as much as you would think). The technical terrain and constant up and down became a theme of the race for me. Regardless, we were going quite high. I was testing a new Altra road shoe and was beginning to slip a bit. Luckily the shoe did great although it probably wasn't the wisest to run in a prototype shoe for the 3rd time ever to begin a 100 miler. I guess thats how we roll at Altra but it worked out well.
After nearly 17 miles, nearly all of them up, with temp's rising near 80 we hit the PCT. It was as good as everyone said! Gorgeous singletrack that wove through the forest and tall pines. For some reason though my stomach began to be a bit sour. I backed off the pace a bit and sucked on some ginger. After the 1st big aid station of Tacoma Pass mile 23.5, I started feeling better. I also began passing a ton of people who started out too fast. It was really getting hot through this section and to my surprise, rather technical. I kept plugging away yet about a mile before Stampede Pass, mile 33, I was busy looking at the scenery and took a pretty nasty spill, but overall I enjoyed this section.
Stampede Pass is much like Big Mountain. Lots of people, crew, and fanfare. It was fun and I quickly got my dropbag and went to work. I'd been running in a new Altra shoe called the Torin for the first 33 miles and was swapping to The Superior, our new lightweight performance trail shoe which releases in a few weeks. They are very different shoes so it was interesting to feel and compare their performances on the trail. The Superior however might be my favorite Altra shoe to date though! Shortly after Stampede my stomach went sour again. I did my usual tums and ginger...soon I was back and running well again. However, this section was long and I ran out of water. Meadow Mountain aid mile 41 took longer to get to then I wanted but I drank a bunch while there and off I went. The next 10 miles were my favorite of the whole course. It was perfect! Ups and downs on a perfect combination of technical and smooth trails. I had a blast! I kept swapping places with a guy named Dale. I don't think Dale and I were more then 20 minutes apart for the entire 100 miles! We must have passed each other a dozen or more times. But this section in the evening was incredible and I was moving better then I had all day, 45+ miles into the race. It was amazing.
As the sun was now down I hit the bottom....this led me to the famous Snoqualmie Tunnel. My goal was to hit this without turning on my light and I was successful! But the tunnel had me worried as I'm severely claustrophobic. Snoqualmie Tunnel is an old railroad tunnel that they carved through the mountain. Its over 2 miles long! I put my head down, turned on my light, and began running. I played a trick by putting down my visor so I couldn't see much aside from the ground in front of me. It worked! It felt like I was running down a bike path...not underneath an entire mountain (there is a ski resort above you!). Soon I was out and heading down to the Hyak aid station. This is where you head under the highway and really the only part of the course where you see any form of civilization. I hit this aid station ay 9:08pm.
53 miles in 11 hrs and 8 minutes. I was feeling great!! I didn't take a watch and the only split I set before the race was 9-9:30 at Hyak. I was right on time! I was helped by Shawna Thomson, last year winner and course record holder. She had dropped at Stampede Pass this year and was helping out at Hyak. How cool is that? Ultra-runners are the best. They have a crappy day and DNF but still stick around and volunteer. I refueled quickly and was about to leave when Max showed up. He was the store manager that I dared to come run with me. I didn't think he would make it but was glad he did. We were off and I was running well on a 2 mile section of asphalt.
The next section is a long grueling dirt road climb. I was able to run quite a bit of it and hike strongly the rest. I passed a couple more runners feeling strong. However I discovered that I had no pills. I had left my pill bag at Hyak. I was pissed...no pepto, extra salt, exedrin, tums, ginger, pain rub, etc. Once at the top (10 miles from Hyak...) it was a long 6 miles down. My right knee was beginning to be a little painful as I had bumped it pretty good on my spill at mile 32 and it started bothering me on this section. I couldn't run the downs like I usually can and was having my first low in nearly 30 miles. I kept moving though and soon hit the Kachess Lake aid station mile 68. I changed socks and into the Lone Peaks. This last 32 miles was supposed to be the toughest and I needed to be prepared. I also had a patella strap for my knee which I donned. I said goodbye to Max and left what is the last major aid station of the course.
The next section is called "the trail from hell." On the map it looks like a nice flat 5.5 mile section next to the lake. In reality it is a horrible unkept trail with log falls and short steep embankments that you go up/down up/down up/down for miles. Despite what I was told I was unprepared. It took me 2:22 to go just 5.5 miles. I was in suffer mode and moving slow. My knee hurt, my legs were dead, and I just hurt. I lost 30 minutes over this section due to moving slowly and sitting down 3-4 times on the many log crossings. There were water crossings at the start and finish of the trail which the wet feet was just a little 'extra' nice touch! :( For the first time in 50 miles a couple runners past me and I just didn't have the legs to do with them. When Dale came by I had to go with him as we were nearing the aid station. I entered right behind him feeling horrible. I loaded up on gear including a fresh headlamp and trekking poles as well as my next pacer Kevin. Kevin is a young enthusiastic yet experienced ultra runner and I was glad to have him.
The next section is a 7.5 mile dirt road with nearly 3500 ft of elevation gain. I got into a solid hiking rhythm and was able to hammer it out in 2 hours flat. The trekking poles saved me. The best part was I was able to eat and recover on the way up. I was getting a 2nd wind! Miles 81-84 went quickly as we were on no name ridge and feeling great. Singletrack ridge running made me feel right at home. The first signs of light were coming over the Northern Cascades and soon the clouds were red and we could turn out lights off. It was incredible. Without warning I hit another low. My energy levels went from solid to another low. I was wondering where the Thorp Mtn aid station was.... it seemed to take forever. My legs literally left me. Finally we reached the aid station but had to do an out-n-back up to to the top of the mountain. I was angry. But half way up I realized that it was nearly all downhill for the next 14 miles. As we got to the top, so did the sun. My short and intense low point disipated as I sat down at the top of Thorp moutain and watched the sun come up. Words can't describe the high I was on. I started flying down the mountain! I filled up my bottle and gave a big thanks to the aid station volunteers who hauled everything 2 miles up the mountain to provide us with aid. I also saw 5-6 runners right on my tail on the out-n-back. I vowed nobody would catch me and was off.
And nobody did catch me! I was smelling the barn and with 14 miles left nearly all of which was downhill, I was cruising. The sun was up, the singletrack was pristine, and I was ready to be done. Ok well I probably wasn't going that fast but I felt like I was flying. I couldn't beleive how pretty the morning was as well as the trail. I hit one final low at mile 95 as the trail turned ridiculously steep and technical. My legs were shot but I pushed through it. It was also a relief knowing that a sub-24 was in the bag. At several aid stations they mentioned I was on pace and sure enough I finished in 23:40.06. I always have mixed emotions at the final of a 100 miler but this was was pretty mellow. I didn't get emotional like I usually do but it was more of a quite contentment knowing I'd run very well and pushed myself. I am very happy with my Cascade Crest experience.
The race itself was tougher terrain then I expected but extremely well organized. Aid stations were great, course markings were easy to follow, and the trail was beautiful. Thanks to the race directors and all the volunteers. I don't anticipate coming back any time soon but as a bucket list race, it was perfect. Wasatch is my baby so hopefully I get in in for next but I hope to check off a bucket list race every year. Other races on my to do list are: UTMB and Hardrock 1st and 2nd but many others including Leadville, Bighorn, Western, Tahoe Rim, Pine to Palm, Headlands, Angeles Crest, and IMUTF. I figure one a year plus Wasatch will be satisfying. But my experience at Cascade Crest was incredible!
