Tillamook Burn 50 Mile Trail Race

As mentioned in my last blog I had signed up for the Tillamook Burn 50 Mile race.

It was a long race, so its a fairly lengthy blog post, but there are plenty pictures to look through too.

Leading up to the race day I pushed myself through a fairly intense five week program, including some high mileage weeks and a reasonable amount of recovery between harder efforts culminating in five days of no running and some very light cycling effort just to keep the muscles active.  I included a 100 mile week somewhere in that lead up too.  My average weekly mileage ranges throughout the year between 50-70 ish.

The night before the race I got my things ready as it was a really early rise the next morning.  3 AM in fact, way before the birds even thought about waking!

Gear needed for the 50 mile race.

When I put my small waist pack together and all the clothes I needed for the race it reminded me how vastly different endurance running is from my mountaineering adventures.  I seem to pride myself in how little weight I need to carry while running, but still maintaining the safety essentials and other required items.  On the flip side of that with mountaineering and the training for that it seemed peers boasted about how much weight we could carry.

This was all the gear I needed for a short mountain climb for comparison.

So with the stuff all ready for the morning it was off to bed early ready for the 3 AM alarm clock wake-up call.

On the drive over from home to the start location it was slightly damp but not raining.  About 7 miles East of Cannon Beach the rain started and at points it was so heavy that the wipers on the car were struggling with the volume of water hitting them.  That lasted until about only 8 or 10 miles away from the start location where it was pretty much dry except for a very slight hint of misty rain.
I wasn't too concerned about running in a bit of rain though.  In fact it can be really nice.

After checking in and getting my race bib number, having some breakfast and hydrating it was time to stand by the very welcoming fire blazing by the start line.

Photo credit for all the pictures below here go to Steven Mortinson https://stevenmortinson.com/

Check-in location, ran by volunteers.

A very nice welcoming fire to warm up beside.

I'm just left of the middle area of this picture.

 The daylight arrives very quickly once it starts.  Here is Jeremy the Race Director (RD) getting us ready for the off.
I'm one row back at the left in the orange shirt.  I like to get quite far up the pack at the start and try to stay there for the duration of the race.

Almost time to go, you can see everyone getting ready to set the start time on the watches.

And we are off.  Its a long run ahead, but you're not thinking about that at this point.

My thoughts in this first stretch were:
1. Don't over cook the pace at the start
2. Keep relaxed
3. This is fun.

From the start there's a fairly flat section with a slight decline as it heads for the forest.  That "slight" decline I know on the way back was going to feel like a bloody mountain!
After the first mile and a bit, hardly enough time to realize you're running the first hill climb starts.  I was feeling far from warmed up at this point and some muscles were asking me why I was even running at 6 am and not sleeping.  I knew after the first climb and then the 6 mile descent that I'd be ready for the next set of climbs.  Well, I hoped that was going to be the case as I've experienced in the past.  There was nothing else to do but run at this point.
I got to the first aid station and there was someone I know working there, got my water bottle topped up and headed out really efficiently.  I like to have my water bottle ready and with the lid off as I'm entering the station so I don't waste valuable clock time messing about.

I found myself a nice speed to run at and passed a few others and got into a group of four going about the same pace as I felt comfortable with.  After a few miles this ended up with only myself and another runner for the next 8 or 10 miles.  As usual you get into a conversation and find common ground to pass the miles.  The next major land mark on the trail came and went in what seemed like good time, then the climb to the next aid station went well.  My complaining muscles realized I wasn't stopping and decided to cooperate on this climb so I didn't notice them any more.

This aid station was operated like a 5 star kitchen and the humor of the workers here in their chefs attire was very welcome.  Thanks Wy'East Wolf Pack!

Next was the run down a long section and across a bridge over the Wilson river.  I was very well aware while running down this section at a good clip that I had to climb back up there on the way back.

Getting my feet wet at a small crossing.

I had been intentionally drinking more water than I usually would since the aid stations were mostly only 5 miles or so apart.  Since I am pretty well fat adapted I opted to hold off eating until about 16 miles, so just before the University Falls aid station I had a date and nut butter bar followed by some cashew nut butter.

Once again, in and out of the aid station as fast as possible.  Again someone else I know was here so good to see another familiar face. (thanks Shane).
There was a short out and back section on a side trail to the waterfall.

Once out of the aid station it was off down the trail towards the first turn around point at Rodgers Camp trail head.  This was a varied terrain section some open clear areas and other parts through gorgeous forest which at this time of the year was really starting to turn green and lush.

I was analyzing my pace and unusually I was coasting down hills faster than usual and the up hill parts felt a bit more labored than normal.  I'm normally a really strong hill climber and this perceived slowing up hills was annoying me.  I suspect since I've just got much better after working on my down hill skills that the up parts "feel" slower.  I know my average pace has been getting much better this year.

Somewhere about the 30 mile mark and still going strong, but I was starting to feel the distance at this time.  Overall though I was making progress faster than I had predicted, I was also saving some energy for the final climb much later.

After running back though the last two aid stations for the second time it was off to the final 6 mile out and back section.  This lead up to the Summit Trail Head aid station.  I got my water topped off there ready for the longest leg between water points and the 6 mile hill climb which I hoped I had left enough energy in the bank for.

 Thanks folks for getting me in and out really quickly.

I was flagging a bit on this section but mentally knowing that it was all going in the direction back to the finish line really helped.  After 37 miles and only 13 to go it felt good to be heading back.
Quite some time before here I caught up with (or possibly he caught up with me, I really don't remember) another runner and we went back and forth for the final section.  Thanks Kevin for helping me pass the miles and allowing me to ignore my brain which was telling me to stop while I told it to shut up because there was no way I was even thinking of stopping.

On the final climb, the one I have mentioned I don't know how often now it was tough to keep running.  I had no doubt that I could finish the race but every step I walked on the steeper parts I was cursing the time I was letting slip past towards my goal time.  I really wanted to reach my goal.
Interestingly nothing was hurting, mentally I think I was also fine, but a couple of muscles were just not firing as fast as I was asking them to.  I was getting a little frustrated at this because nothing hurt but I just couldn't get the speed out of my legs that I wanted.  I had to keep pushing on as every step got me one step closer to the finish and some hot food and music.

I finally got back to the last aid station where the friendly familiar face (Nate) greeted me and I got my water re-filled, which since it was just over 9 miles since the last top-up was now empty.  I did have a small reserve bottle but I only ran out about 10 minutes before the aid station so I didn't feel like digging it out of my pack.
I ran the last part with another runner (Adrian) and finished the race feeling great.
Somehow I found the reserves to run at a reasonable pace down the last hills and the "mountain" of a slight "decline" at the start didn't feel as brutal as I expected going back up it.  I guess after 50 miles the sound of the finish line was a strong lure pulling me towards it.

 The final few meters to go.  Adrian and I ran the last 3.5 miles together and with his help I kept a good pace so I made sure he got into the finish just before me as I told him should happen.

As at every Daybreak Racing event and for every finisher, Jeremy the RD greeted me with my finishers pint glass and a friendly welcome back. Thanks Jeremy!

Now its eating time and I was really looking forward to some hot salty food!

After finishing the race the photographer Steven Mortinson somehow shot these less than complimentary pictures. Thanks very much!  I thought I would share them here for some laughs.

This I think has to be the worst picture of me I have ever seen.  I now know what I will look like in 20 years 😲 I had just crossed the finish line with eyes filled with dust and salt residue so I was squinting somewhere into the distance.

I really don't know what to say about this one, leave a comment below if you can think of a good caption.  I can only assume I was wiping of crusted layers of dried sweat and dust from my face.

Summary of the race.

50 Miles. 8,600 feet of climbing up and down.
Start time 6 am on April 27th 2019.
My finishing time was 9 hrs 16 mins 52 secs
17th place overall out of 101 finishers and 118 that started.
I had a goal of sub 10 hours, and a stretch goal of 9 hrs 30 mins.  I somehow managed to not just reach my stretch goal but smash it.  I am usually quite accurate with my time goals and I rarely meet my stretch goal let alone smash them!
The weather was interesting.  Out on the course through the rain forest we got some sun, a little bit of misty rain and even some hail stones.  The temperature was perfect, and not too hot or cold.  At the finish line sitting around in wet clothes you could feel the chill in the air.  The fire was very welcoming.

Where I placed and my finishing time.
Full results here: Results 50 mile race

Route map. Start and finish is just off the top.

Elevation profile.  As can be seen some fairly aggressive climbs.

Ready for the drive home after some enjoyable time by the fire chatting with new acquaintances and listening to the blue grass band.


Credits:
Race Director: Jeremy Long - https://www.daybreakracing.com/tillamook-burn
Photos: Steven Mortinson - https://stevenmortinson.com/