Coastal 50k Training Run

September is a very busy month, with elementary school in full swing I am back to volunteering two days a week, as well as tending to my PTA duties as treasurer. Cub Scouts have hit the ground running with our first pack meeting and upcoming three day camping trip this weekend to the Santa Cruz mountains. I am also coaching U-10 soccer and participating with my son in karate. The plate, as they say is full! Yet I am still finding time to accomplish some running as October 10th is rapidly approaching and the start of the Dick Collins Firetrails 50.

While training for the 50 mile race should have started a few months earlier, it didn’t. I am pushing to get the miles in before the event. Much like the American River 50, mentally I am strong, physically I will be able to overcome the challenges on the course and am confident Brian N. and I will cross the finish line under the 13 hour time limit. This run appears to be more challenging than the AR50, based solely on the elevation change, which is 7,800 feet, more than 50% higher than what we experienced around Folsom Reservoir.

Training has started slowly, but will be quickly increasing as I am going to use the Coastal 50K Trail Run as a long run before toeing the line for my second 50 mile attempt. This run appears to be on par with the Diablo Trails Challenge I ran a few years back as my first 50K. The initial climb out of Stinton Beach will be the toughest hill to tackle. I have never run in the Marin Headlands, but looking very forward to the event, which has a 9 hour time limit. Previous 50K attempts had me finish in 8:53 and 8:16. Confidence is running high, I will cross the finish line between these times.

I received some unfortunate news yesterday when I found out my friend, Amer B. won’t be participating in the 50 mile race, as he broke a metatarsal bone in his foot. Thankfully his positive attitude and smiling face will be seen twice while running Firetrails, mile 26 and mile 37. Much like seeing him at mile 41 of AR, I suspect this will inspire Brian N. and I to continue on to our goal of crossing the finish line.

Depending on how this 50 mile race goes, I am lining up my first 100 mile attempt in February, 2016 at the Razorback Endurance Race. Race Director, Tracy Johnson offers up many different distance and timed events, everyone wins! While the date is still sometime off, training isn’t, it’s started on September 1.