The pain in my stomach started at mile 7. Oh no, was this going to be a repeat of last fall’s 50k that turned into a 30k because of GI issues? Regardless of what my body started telling me, I was going to power on and get this done. Race Day I got up extra …
The pandemic has turned all our lives upside down so it’s good that there is at least one upside – the ability to run the Boston Marathon, virtually. They had a virtual edition last year and we don’t know if the 2021 will be the last of its kind for another few years or maybe …
When I find myself in times of trouble, Courtney Dauwalter comes to mind. I was 11 miles into the Sean O’Brien 30K race when my quads started to revolt. The climb out of Corral Canyon always does something to me. It’s as if the moon rocks take control of my body and do with it …
With dizziness and super bright vision I knew it was time to call the race.
This was my fourth time running the Bulldog 25K at Malibu Creek State Park and I know what it takes to get it done. This time a finish was not in the cards. Had I made it out of the Corral Canyon aid station there is a possibility that I could have stumbled about along the trail, as I have done in other races that I got done, but this time I felt the chances of getting hurt or causing an extraordinary burden on rescue workers was too high.
When race director Keira Henninger sent out the 30K race email and said that the expected high for the day would be 70 degrees F I knew that I had a chance to get it done at the Ray Miller 30K race. After last year’s crash and burn, a finish would be huge. Leading …
Adventure Vacations for Marathoners
by
Walter Rhein
When you’re compelled to run marathons, few days go by when you don’t think about your upcoming race. Whether the event is twelve months or twelve days away, your schedule is influenced by the upcoming test. Every waking moment is dominated by thoughts of the food you eat, the hours you sleep, and the arduous training that never seems to be enough. In the midst of all that intensity, it can be difficult to find a way to spend quality time with the people you care about.
The Bulldog race at Malibu Creek State Park is not easy, whether you attempt the 25k or the two-loop 50k ultra. If you do things right you reach a certain level of pain as you negotiate the seemingly interminable Bulldog Rd. that goes on for 3.2 miles and nets you over 1,7oo ft of elevation gain for an average grade of 10%. Basically, Bulldog Rd. haunts my dreams and it’s because of that that I always look forward to the challenge of taking it on during a race.
