Tuesday, October 22, 2019
Ultra 48: Elkhorn 52K
I have been lax in my race reporting. Let's rectify that!
The whole point to living is to enjoy it -- which means to make it an adventure and to experience the intense beauty, wonder, and excitement that is possible. That's what it is to fully thrive; sitting passively, in superficial comfort, is not enjoyment... except as recovery or after difficult activity. To be active, that's living. And what better activity than running farther than a marathon in Montana's Elkhorn Mountains?
This past August I ventured again to the HURL Elkhorn Ultramarathons to the run the Elkhorn 52K. This would be my 48th ultra and my 14th time at Elkhorn. I arrived at the Willard Creek trailhead the afternoon before, parked my trusty Element, and prepped for camping. Unlike previous years, there was no pre-race meeting and dinner, so I simply hung out and talked with other runners there for the 52K and the tough 53 miler.
The 53 mile race starts at 5:00 AM and the 52K at 7:00, so I don't bother to set an alarm; the 53 milers wake me. After they started (in the dark) I got up, dressed, drank coffee and ate, and checked in. At 7:00 sharp our race started (in daylight).
The first section is a long descent, over a mile, into McClellan Creek, and then down McClellan Creek a ways. I took it easy on this, warming up for the coming climbs. The next section consists of a couple of climbs that eventually drop into Casey Meadow, where the first big climb starts, up the trail below Casey Peak. I was surprised that I didn't feel that great - I felt dehydrated, which was surprising because I hydrated well the previous day and night. I trundled along regardless and descended to the aid station at Tepee Creek. My time was slow but still better than the previous year, and I felt strong.
The next leg consists of a section up McClellan Creek, followed by a long series of climbs up out of McClellan Creek to Elk Park. In McClellan Creek I caught up with a young lady and started talking with her, and suddenly realized it was Stacey D. from Polson MT, with whom I'd encountered the bear at last year's Le Grizz. We ran together and talked. When we started the climb out of McClellan we were together, but I wasn't feeling great and Stacey got well ahead of me and eventually out of sight. I kept putting on foot in front of the other, and eventually topped out and made the short run down to the Elk Park aid station. I refueled quickly, making sure to drink and to reload water in my pack, and took off. The next section goes through relatively flat pine and fir forest until it drops steeply through a long series of meadows into Wilson Creek, where it hits a primitive road. At this point the 53 mile and 52K courses split, with the 52K venturing east along the road. I felt as though I ran these sections slowly, but not too slowly. It's hard to make up for dehydration in a race, but I felt I was getting it under control.
This section eventually hits a trail that does a steep but not overly long climb up to the Tizer Creek aid station; there you turn around and run back down. I met a number of runners who were ahead of me, and assumed I'd see Stacey soon, but when I arrived at the aid station she wasn't there and they hadn't seen her. I told them I doubted she'd dropped and must somehow have stepped off the course and was behind me.
Indeed, after descending and hitting the road I encountered Stacey. She had taken a wrong turn and headed up our next leg, Moose Creek, and picked up an extra mile or two of climb before she realized her error and headed back. It's always good to get in a little extra exercise!
To me, the climb out of Moose Creek is the hardest part of the run. It's a long incessant climb (several miles at least), steep, the lower reaches are swampy and full of mosquitoes (most of the course seems bug-free) and you are tired when you hit it. It's a seemingly endless grind. It goes on, and on, and on... Finally I topped out, back at Elk Park. You're essentially home free then; there are maybe seven miles left and it's mostly downhill... and there's no other way out, so you might as well finish.
On the last steep downhill I encountered the most wild game I'd seen all day: two fool's hens (Franklin grouse) and a snowshoe rabbit who was just starting to change color. S/he hopped down the trail ahead of me a ways, finally turning and vanishing up the slope into the brush. I still felt dehydrated. At the Tepee Creek aid station I drank a little, but now nothing -- neither liquid nor food -- seemed appealing. After Tepee Creek it's a short gradual downhill followed by the climb back up to Willard Creek trailhead and the finish. I disliked this a lot this year, because I wasn't moving fast and this drainage was plagued with mosquitoes. Relentless forward motion -- just go. I climbed out and finished, 30 minutes faster than 2018.
After finishing, my stomach didn't feel like taking anything. I forced myself to tackle a beer -- there are few better stomach settlers -- it took a good six ounces before it seemed at all appealing. Once I had that first beer down, though, I was able to rehydrate and eat, and started feeling good; certainly not too tired. Stacey finished as well, and she and I and a number of other runners sat around talking and drinking and eating and watching the last runners come in. Eventually I faded and toddled off to the back of my rig and a night of sleep.
It was a successful race. I ran well, given the circumstances, and recovered quickly. I think even an extra half liter of water in the morning before the start might have helped a lot; I was never badly dehydrated but always felt behind. Every race is a learning experience...if we learn. (Just wait until the next race report.)
As always, race Director Steve Engebrecht, his wife Tammy and the HURL team put on an extremely well organized race. The aid station crews were first rate, and the support and runner tracking from the Helena amateur radio club and the search and rescue is greatly appreciated -- it's wild, remote country, and they help keep us safe. This was HURL's 15th year of organizing Elkhorn, and I think Steve is considering stepping down. I hope they are able to keep this great series of races going. Many thanks to all of them.
Steele on the course!
Road in Willard Creek
Trail out of Elk Park, heading back to finish
Single track
Stacey in creek crossing
Survived it!
Having fun is serious business!
The whole point to living is to enjoy it -- which means to make it an adventure and to experience the intense beauty, wonder, and excitement that is possible. That's what it is to fully thrive; sitting passively, in superficial comfort, is not enjoyment... except as recovery or after difficult activity. To be active, that's living. And what better activity than running farther than a marathon in Montana's Elkhorn Mountains?
This past August I ventured again to the HURL Elkhorn Ultramarathons to the run the Elkhorn 52K. This would be my 48th ultra and my 14th time at Elkhorn. I arrived at the Willard Creek trailhead the afternoon before, parked my trusty Element, and prepped for camping. Unlike previous years, there was no pre-race meeting and dinner, so I simply hung out and talked with other runners there for the 52K and the tough 53 miler.
The 53 mile race starts at 5:00 AM and the 52K at 7:00, so I don't bother to set an alarm; the 53 milers wake me. After they started (in the dark) I got up, dressed, drank coffee and ate, and checked in. At 7:00 sharp our race started (in daylight).
The first section is a long descent, over a mile, into McClellan Creek, and then down McClellan Creek a ways. I took it easy on this, warming up for the coming climbs. The next section consists of a couple of climbs that eventually drop into Casey Meadow, where the first big climb starts, up the trail below Casey Peak. I was surprised that I didn't feel that great - I felt dehydrated, which was surprising because I hydrated well the previous day and night. I trundled along regardless and descended to the aid station at Tepee Creek. My time was slow but still better than the previous year, and I felt strong.
The next leg consists of a section up McClellan Creek, followed by a long series of climbs up out of McClellan Creek to Elk Park. In McClellan Creek I caught up with a young lady and started talking with her, and suddenly realized it was Stacey D. from Polson MT, with whom I'd encountered the bear at last year's Le Grizz. We ran together and talked. When we started the climb out of McClellan we were together, but I wasn't feeling great and Stacey got well ahead of me and eventually out of sight. I kept putting on foot in front of the other, and eventually topped out and made the short run down to the Elk Park aid station. I refueled quickly, making sure to drink and to reload water in my pack, and took off. The next section goes through relatively flat pine and fir forest until it drops steeply through a long series of meadows into Wilson Creek, where it hits a primitive road. At this point the 53 mile and 52K courses split, with the 52K venturing east along the road. I felt as though I ran these sections slowly, but not too slowly. It's hard to make up for dehydration in a race, but I felt I was getting it under control.
This section eventually hits a trail that does a steep but not overly long climb up to the Tizer Creek aid station; there you turn around and run back down. I met a number of runners who were ahead of me, and assumed I'd see Stacey soon, but when I arrived at the aid station she wasn't there and they hadn't seen her. I told them I doubted she'd dropped and must somehow have stepped off the course and was behind me.
Indeed, after descending and hitting the road I encountered Stacey. She had taken a wrong turn and headed up our next leg, Moose Creek, and picked up an extra mile or two of climb before she realized her error and headed back. It's always good to get in a little extra exercise!
To me, the climb out of Moose Creek is the hardest part of the run. It's a long incessant climb (several miles at least), steep, the lower reaches are swampy and full of mosquitoes (most of the course seems bug-free) and you are tired when you hit it. It's a seemingly endless grind. It goes on, and on, and on... Finally I topped out, back at Elk Park. You're essentially home free then; there are maybe seven miles left and it's mostly downhill... and there's no other way out, so you might as well finish.
On the last steep downhill I encountered the most wild game I'd seen all day: two fool's hens (Franklin grouse) and a snowshoe rabbit who was just starting to change color. S/he hopped down the trail ahead of me a ways, finally turning and vanishing up the slope into the brush. I still felt dehydrated. At the Tepee Creek aid station I drank a little, but now nothing -- neither liquid nor food -- seemed appealing. After Tepee Creek it's a short gradual downhill followed by the climb back up to Willard Creek trailhead and the finish. I disliked this a lot this year, because I wasn't moving fast and this drainage was plagued with mosquitoes. Relentless forward motion -- just go. I climbed out and finished, 30 minutes faster than 2018.
After finishing, my stomach didn't feel like taking anything. I forced myself to tackle a beer -- there are few better stomach settlers -- it took a good six ounces before it seemed at all appealing. Once I had that first beer down, though, I was able to rehydrate and eat, and started feeling good; certainly not too tired. Stacey finished as well, and she and I and a number of other runners sat around talking and drinking and eating and watching the last runners come in. Eventually I faded and toddled off to the back of my rig and a night of sleep.
It was a successful race. I ran well, given the circumstances, and recovered quickly. I think even an extra half liter of water in the morning before the start might have helped a lot; I was never badly dehydrated but always felt behind. Every race is a learning experience...if we learn. (Just wait until the next race report.)
As always, race Director Steve Engebrecht, his wife Tammy and the HURL team put on an extremely well organized race. The aid station crews were first rate, and the support and runner tracking from the Helena amateur radio club and the search and rescue is greatly appreciated -- it's wild, remote country, and they help keep us safe. This was HURL's 15th year of organizing Elkhorn, and I think Steve is considering stepping down. I hope they are able to keep this great series of races going. Many thanks to all of them.
Steele on the course!
Road in Willard Creek
Trail out of Elk Park, heading back to finish
Single track
Stacey in creek crossing
Survived it!
Having fun is serious business!
