_goal
8 hours 6 minutes.
Alex’s 2021 9:40 pace seemed within reach. Alex wouldn’t be back to defend his podium due to conflict with Boston Marathon.
Reference paces and finish times
9:15 pace => 7:42
9:30 pace => 7:55
9:43 pace => 8:06 (Alex Barrientos 2021-05-01)
9:54: pace => 8:15 (Tuan Nguyen 2021-05-01)
Amy Clark 7:14:38 (2017-05-06) women course record
in 2008 I changed my distance from 50k to 50-mile 14 hours before race because they were the same price but different finishing jacket. The impulse decision led to DNF and shin split. I never raced 50-mile since.
_conflicting advice
Javier Vilchis (reigning Cowtown 50k champion): go by feel. Take your time sit down and eat between laps.
Amy Clark (female course record holder): Start at 9:30 pace. “Definitely a negative-split course.”
Logan Sherman (2015 Dallas Marathon winner): Start at 9:00 pace then see what happens. [Logan tended to forget not everyone could run 2.5-hour marathons]
Shaheen Satter (8th place at Western State): Go by feel. Just do it.
Alex Barrientos (4th place 2021): even split at 2 minute/mile slower than marathon PR pace => 9:40/mile pace for me.
Paul Box (race director and 7:05:38 finisher 2016): “hold the ‘forever speed’ for as long as you can…. Going slower would use different muscles.”
Me: “how long could u hold that pace?”
Paul: “about 35 miles” [shrug]
_lowlights
Furniture accident 1 week prior. Left knee and a stool collided in the dark. I was at fault.
Feet felt banged up after pacing a half marathon at the uncomfortable 9:55 pace in Irving.
Giving up final week diet due to family dinners.
Tight left glute Monday. Released after massage Wednesday.
_gear
Nike Alphafly to start. Hoka Clifton 5 as backup.
Singlet first lap. Shirtless 4 laps.
Oakley Flak Beta. It somehow bothered me during lap 2 & 3 under cloudy sky.
Garmin 630 right wrist: average pace, electronic pacer at 9:45 pace.
Garmin 245 left wrist: Stryd power, lap pace, total time, total distance.
_nutrition
Perfect Amino + Endurolyte + Red Bull () before lap 4, 5
8.4 fl oz Red Bull was difficult to consume without stopping. I was unable to follow Javier’s advice to take my time.
2~3 Hammer gels/hour from water stops.
[each 50-miler gets his own spot for his gear along the course]
_racers
Erika Silva and I chatted for our opening miles at 9:45 pace. She projected finish time of 11~12 hours and stressed the importance of patience.
“Then why are you running this fast?”
“….” She let me run ahead.
[easy early laps]
Before marathon started, Javier looked most relaxed and fastest, jogging at sub-8 pace. He encouraged me every time we crossed path; I felt starstruck. He led 50k race start to finish.
Jung also raced 50k and encouraged me each time. Her posture & pace dropped during 2nd half but held together for 2nd female.
Meghan showed her usual determination soloing 50k. I admire her.
Harsha was a burst of energy.
Voon was the last IRC runner I saw on the course. I tried but failed to catch her—I was unable to average sub-10 during final lap.
_decline
Legs stiffed expectedly by mile 27.
“Keep up. It’s only 23 miles to go—not even a marathon.”
I was able to convince them to hold 9:45 pace through lap 4.
Mile-32 cooler stop, I again forgot to drop sunglasses off. My focus shifted to the sugary drink the moment I saw the cooler. I was happy to see Timo getting ready at relay zone; I handed Oakleys to him, holding Red Bull in the other hand.
I learned Red Bull can’s tiny hole made it difficult to consume while in motion. I almost ran into a light tole. I reeled Maria in shortly after Red Bull. Lap 4 took effort to hold steady power. I became afraid of running the final 10 miles. Carl Jung warned me not to go down that rabbit hole.
_final lap
I had difficulty controlling the fancy tall Nikes at mile 42; too late to change to backup shoes. I lost 50 seconds/mile but was happy just to stay upright.
24-year-old shirtless leader way ahead but ran like someone just handed him a piano—I knew how that felt. Maria dropped to another zip code behind me. I tried to hold Alex’s 9:40 pace but was mentally exhausted.
“Just don’t walk. Don’t stop. Don’t trip yourself.”
Timo welcome me for the final stretch. I was happy and sad to find I had plenty fuel in the tank. I crossed the line at su- 8 pace.
[Cloudy humid morning favored skinny topless Asian]
[I was happy my splits were less positive than my competition]
_#
Garmin 245
Distance: 49.97 miles (from Stryd)
Time: 8:11:22
Pace: 9:50 min/mile
Stryd foot pod
Moving time: 8:10:18
Elevation gain: 4135 feet
Pace: 9:49 min/mile
Cadence: 178 spm
Power: 181w (Stryd)
Official
Distance: 50.00 miles
Time: 8:11:21.6
Pace: 9:50 min/mile
Place: 2th overall
24-year-old Tyler Thorne beat me by 40 minutes 16.6 seconds (9:01 pace). I wished I was twice his age.
_races other side of the world
ChihYang ran half at KinMen Marathon wearing a continuous glucose monitor.
[mom made ChihYang go to the barber before the race]
On the same day at Centurion Running Track in Bedford, United Kingdom, Lithuania’s Aleksandr Sorokin set a new 100K World Record in 6:05:41! (Pace: 5:53/mile / 3:39/km).
_after
I felt special hanging out w/ IRC after the race. COVID took much of socialization away since 2020.
[Jung is my knee body]
[Stefanie ran the last leg of the 5-lady relay]
I recovered unexpectedly well. I raced Plano Pacer 3k a week later at my 5k PB pace.
[photo by Steve P]
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