Pirates Cove is a trail race I first ran last year with my good friend Rich Howarth. We ran the 20 K and he soundly trounced me. I was solo this year except for my friend Julie who showed up to cheer me on and get a bike ride in while I unraveled the trails. The course starts on the old site of Fort Cronkhite outside of the Golden Gate Harbor. It is well known as a facility that housed gun batteries pointed at the Pacific Ocean during WWII. The day’s course would take us to the top of the ridge, into Tennessee Valley, Then over to the shoreline of Pirates Cove, back up to Tennessee Valley then up a long fire road to a ridge that provided sweeping views of Sausalito, Waldo Grade and the Golden Gate Bridge.
I was feeling pretty good after posting a new personal best at the Ilsanjo Classic. After a nap and a good breakfast, I turned my attention to Saturday’s 30K. I ran 5 miles Tuesday faster than I’d ever run it before. Wednesday I toned it down for a 3 mile easy run. Thursday and Friday I rested. I felt great…
Sunday morning I repeated my breakfast of a bagel and coffee, and the night before ate Polenta and Stew at the Rotary dinner. Not your normal pre-race dinner, but it seemed to work. I stuck to Tonic Water and lime instead of taking advantage of the open bar.
As Dire Straits put it:
‘cos if you wanna run cool; if you wanna run cool; if you wanna run cool; you got to run on heavy, heavy fuel
When I arrived at the race start, I saw that we runners were not the only extreme athletes on site on the outer part of the Golden Gate. A number of surfers were decked out in wetsuits, hoods and mittens catching waves and dodging great white sharks. I was glad I was on dry land.
We started going up hill, Wolf Ridge trail, the same as last year. This time though I’d been on this portion before and I could budget my energy, knowing what lay ahead.
I distinctly remember feeling more confident along the first 4 miles. I would get passed, but I found a few folks I could keep pace with and gauge my effort. We hit the first aid station and I was at about 45 minutes. I topped off my waterat this point.
We hit the orange loop and I was in new country. I knew I had a big climb out of Pirates Cove but had forgotten I had to climb over a ridge to get there. I was slowed to a deliberate walk which irked the crap out of me. I began berating myself as quicker runners passed me. I was in a dark mood.
After hitting the low point of Pirates Cove and climbing up out of that hole, I was able to regain a running pace back to the aid station. On that 6 mile loop I drained my 22 oz water bottle and killed 2 gel packs. On my second stop I popped 3 salt tablets, drank 2 cups of sports drink, refilled my water bottle and grabbed a handful of pretzels for the long grind up Monticello.
Powerwalk was the name of the game as I gained 900 feet from Tennessee Valley to the top of the world it seemed. I did manage to catch a couple of 30 K runners and a few 50 k runners on this stretch. I did have one female athlete in front of me who kept my attention as she powered up the hill, and it distracted me from the burning in my legs. …Checking the race results she won her age group! (women 50-59) . She didn’t look that old!
Once we crested the ridge it was back onto a single track and my refueling kicked in as I looked down on Sausalito, Highway 101, the Waldo Tunnel and the Golden Gate Bridge. It was along here I ran into a runner from Roseville who it turns out one of Kirk’s running disciples from the past few weeks. We chatted at the last aid station 4 miles from the finish, as we refilled water bottles for my final push. I caught up to her on the down hill and passed her briefly. (That’s where this was picture was taken.)
Apparently she didn’t like the view from behind me and passed me about a mile from the finish. Once we hit the flat path along the shoreline, I had to really concentrate to keep my feet going. I missed the downhill and gravity’s impetus…I turned to the finish line as she stopped at the aid station for the 50K runners. She ended up 3rd in her age division in the 50 k.
Now with only a couple hundred yards to the finish I gave it my best kick, and crossed the line at 3:41:25
After the race, I felt really good. Better than after the 20 k here last year. A friend asked me what that means. I replied, “it means any elk within 18 miles ain’t safe now!”
After the hour drive home, I did my “Two Rock cooldown” of feeding heifers and scraping corrals, before the endorphins wore off. I grabbed a quick shower, and then went off to a BBQ with some running friends before I got up Sunday morning to ride horseback through the Sutter Buttes.
I managed to pull it off, without looking like a stove up old codger so I think my prep for this race was beyond adequate. Many thanks to Kirk for his guidance these last few weeks.
I realize I have a long time until California deer and Wyoming elk season gets here, but I am going to try to schedule a 50 k for June as another intermediate training goal. It will be a fine challenge to make that mesh with work, family, turkey and hog hunting in the months between now and then.
