Back in the good ol' days, 10 to 15 years ago, I had run 12 to 14 ultras leading to Quicksilver, every year. Including Miwok 100K for the crazy back to back Miwok-Quicksilver-Ohlone. Granted, Quicksilver wasn't always a 100K, it was initially a 50-mile, until Western States required to extend it to 100K to remain a qualifier.
This year, I was at 3 ultras before this weekend. Feeling so behind albeit pleased to still be able to run at all after that meniscus injury last year. 2 were races (Jed Smith and MadCity) and a return to Black Mountain as a training run. At 29-31 miles, all barely qualifying as ultras per AJW (Andy Jones-Wilkins)...
I haven't run much hills this year; the 13,000 feet of elevation of Quicksilver 100K are going to hurt! It's kind of late to squeeze in hill training, and build the glutes back, but I went back to Black Mountain as a last resort. And it didn't disappoint, I walked a lot! As for the also much needed heat training, that was a complete miss, it was really chilly being in the cloud at the top, yikes!
I synched my start to get to the Stevens Creek Striders club meeting at the reservoir, my former club which I joined in 2003 and where I learned so much about ultra running. Time flies, there were only 3 people I knew, but it's great to see new blood in that club. And Tim and Adam set quite a strong pace at the front of the group!
I left the group at the end of Zinfandel, to continue straight on the steep Canyon Trail, that trail we'll run in September on the grueling Stevens Creek Reservoir Half. I stopped at the top to take a few GU Energy Chews and one S!Caps. On my way back toward the Stevens Creek Canyon Road, I crossed the group which was running that loop anti-clockwise.
Back to the road I turned left, toward Black Mountain. A few miles of asphalt, then back on Canyon Trail along the Stevens Creek. I climbed to the campground on the steeper Indian Creek Trail and down on Bella Vista Trail. I had never seen so many bikes on such a run, maybe 2 dozen total. And quite a few hikers despite the cool overcast weather. It reminded me of the beginning of the pandemic when crowds were flowing these trails!
As I mentioned above, quite some walking on the way up, but I kept pushing whenever I could albeit not too crazy to avoid any injury, one week before the race. I twisted my ankle only once, while jumping over the healthy-running creek at the transition between Palo Alto and Cupertino. I ended up with 33 miles at an average pace of 9:37, not counting numerous stops.
Speaking of creeks, they are all quite strong and, wonder, the reservoir is full! I read this week that the largest reservoir in California has also filled again, 3 years in a row. I hope they can divert back some of this water under ground where decades of intensive agriculture have depleted centuries of reserve.![]()
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Since I ran slower on Saturday, I didn't cramp and wasn't too sore on Sunday. The biggest hurdle was a lot of chaffing on Saturday, I'd better pay more attention on race day in a week!
As I mentioned above, quite some walking on the way up, but I kept pushing whenever I could albeit not too crazy to avoid any injury, one week before the race. I twisted my ankle only once, while jumping over the healthy-running creek at the transition between Palo Alto and Cupertino. I ended up with 33 miles at an average pace of 9:37, not counting numerous stops.
Speaking of creeks, they are all quite strong and, wonder, the reservoir is full! I read this week that the largest reservoir in California has also filled again, 3 years in a row. I hope they can divert back some of this water under ground where decades of intensive agriculture have depleted centuries of reserve.
Here is a Relive.cc flyover (click on image below or this link).
Since I ran slower on Saturday, I didn't cramp and wasn't too sore on Sunday. The biggest hurdle was a lot of chaffing on Saturday, I'd better pay more attention on race day in a week!
I've made a habit when I was healthy, to run the next race distance over 2 days, or 3 days for a 100-miler, a couple of weekends before the race, as ultimate preparation. My goal was then to run a 50K this Sunday, if I could manage. Yet, a flat one to preserve the knee. My classic route to the Palo Alto Baylands through Cupertino, Sunnyvale, Mountain View, Shoreline Park. This time it was sunny so at least I got to spend a few hours in the sun. But the breeze was still cooling the air. Since I left later though, I could get a bit of heat training between noon and 2, and my shirt got salty at least.![]()
I was able to hold a 8 min/mile pace until mile 23 then I faltered a bit. Not counting fewer stops than yesterday, I ended up with 4:12:25 for the 50K, an 8:07 pace. Coros' feedback was that this run was excessive. Interestingly enough, it said the same yesterday but not this Sunday morning so, maybe, it acknowledge I had recover much faster than the prescribed 90+ hours...![]()
We'll have to see on race day how hot it's going to be. At least we start early (4:30 am, duh!) so the morning should be fine.
I was able to hold a 8 min/mile pace until mile 23 then I faltered a bit. Not counting fewer stops than yesterday, I ended up with 4:12:25 for the 50K, an 8:07 pace. Coros' feedback was that this run was excessive. Interestingly enough, it said the same yesterday but not this Sunday morning so, maybe, it acknowledge I had recover much faster than the prescribed 90+ hours...
We'll have to see on race day how hot it's going to be. At least we start early (4:30 am, duh!) so the morning should be fine.
That was a good test overall. Not feeling very confident about the uphills, and not even the downhills with the knee; I'll have to take it easy and accept to be slower, on a course I loved to hammer otherwise, a few years ago. Going for number 8, after last year's DNS. And I have a red eye for Boston just after the race so better finish not too late in the afternoon... Meanwhile, a well-deserved tapering week. Then the excitement for this Bay Area ultra tradition and party!