Captain Karl's Canoe 60km (37.3miles) - Race Report

(A little long, but hey, it was 6hours20mins long so there’s a lot to cover!)

The road to my 100km race in Bandera contains 2, maybe 3 checkpoints. One of these was last night’s Captain Karl’s Canoe 60km(37.3m) Twilight Trail Race. (I have no idea why it has such

a silly name.) The next is in 2 months at Cactus Rose 80km(50miles) and then I’ll have 2 more months to build to a full 100km(62miles). I may squeeze in a second 50 miler in late Nov early Dec, but still undecided if I need another race, or just more long run training. We shall see.

I’m not the fastest road runner, and I know this. Unlike those kick butt runners and triathletes I call my friends, that have dozens if not 30+ overall and/or age group awards, the few awards I have from races can be counted on 1 hand(with even more than one spare finger), which makes everyone I have very special to me. On Saturday night, I experienced a dream I didn’t think I would get to experience any time soon.

Here’s how the race unfolded…

The race was to start at 7pm, and I figured that if the course and weather was favorable, and I was feeling it, a sub 6 hour finish time was possible. This would mean I’d be running six sub 1 hour 10Km loops(6miles), or average 10min/mile. A challenge indeed in the trail running world, but one I figured I’d try.

Muz, David and I showed up earlier than anticipated (one hours forty instead of one hour) due to shorter travel time. The good thing about this was that there was VERY limited parking, and we got a great spot close in. Slowly I saw familiar faces trickling in, many runners that usually all contend for the top overall places in trail races. I still figured a Top 5 was doable if I ran a perfect race. Muz was there to do the whole race, but is returning from an injury and was unsure how long he could keep up, and I recruited David by chance at a happy hour on Thursday night as pacers were allowed after 30km for the last 3 loops. He needed a long run this weekend so it was a perfect timing.

The course was kind of a snowman with a long neck and a tail. It started at the Red dot, ran over to an out-and-back where a self-serve aid station (blue dot) was set up, then kept going and return back to Start/Finish. On the way out to the self serve station, there’s a 12-15minute wide, flat trail where you can easily run 4 or 5 across. You then climb a ton of hard rock domes (not too steep, but it’s very hard ground, and many loose rocks on either side), run the out and back on a jeep trail to the aid station, then continue on much more technical grounds than the first half including a steep ass climb with about a mile to go. Just before the finish, another section that was used both ways.

The GUN went off (race director un-emotionally saying “3,2,1 Go ahead”) and we departed. We lined up pretty far up, and after about 150 meters on an asphalt road we were onto trails. I counted 7, maybe 8 people ahead of us, so Muz and I were 9^th and 10^th(at worst) at the start. It’s a 6 hour race so the pace was pretty slow. At the long jeep trail, Muz and I passed and took the lead on a clump of 5 runners as we’ve got the road running legs so our 8’ish pace felt fine this early on. Better to lead a clump once you reach a single track, than be stuck behind everyone. We ran a NON-sustainable long term pace, but it’s loop one and adrenalin was flowing. Those guys kept up through the aid station which we hit at 25 mins in. (I decided to find a couple of good time markers on the course for the following laps so we can gauge how we’re fairing.) At about ¾ into this first loop, Muz and I pulled away, as their pace slowed and we elected to separate. At this point we’re 4^th and 5^th place, and I’m figuring this isn’t going to last, but hey! it’s fun for now! We navigate through rocky trails, dome climbs, and weaving soft dirt trails and realize this is not a simple course as we originally thought. Especially once nightfall comes. Eventually, we reached a road crossing and that’s my 2^nd marker. We hit it at 45 mins. (20mins after water stop) The trail continues to be nasty technical, and/or hard lava rock ground (think Enchanted Rock) and a steep hill greets you a mile or so from the end. We can still hear the chatter of the experienced clump of runners behind us , but we’re well out of their sight as we reach the finish. We quickly refill our water bottles, I grab some nutrition for the first time, take some salt tabs, and grab my headlamp (as the sun will be setting during this loop). Muz does his thing too, and within 20-30 seconds we’re back out for loop 2. My third marker would be when we depart our aid station set up. For loop 1, 55mins. WOW! That is way fast for this course, and my initial reaction is that this fast start may come back and bite me in 4 or 5 hours.

Markers: 25 (20 min travel) 45 (10 min travel) 55. Easy enough to remember!

Loop 2: Muz and I decide to keep the heat on to stay away from the army behind us as we figure at some point the strong ones will undoubtedly turn it on and come get us. We agree to back off a little on hills to maintain a level heart rate, but other than that, it’s full steam ahead. At the top of the first climb, and man greets us with his very large Rottweiler. The Rottweiler freaks, shakes out of his collar and I figure this is where my ninja skills will come in handy. The beast takes off running, but away and ahead of us down the trail! I guess we could have stopped to stop spooking or exciting his dog, but we have a race to run, so I yell out:

“Sorry, but we’re not stopping! We’ve got a race to run!

” as his dog continues sprinting down the winding trail. We eventually reach a T on the road, the dog goes left and up, but arrows point right for us, so I yell again:

“YOUR DOG WENT LEFT!!!! WE’RE GOING RIGHT”

. (this is important later)

The sky is now gorgeous as we’re treated to a great 30 minute array of sunset color in the sky, on Inks lake in the distance, and also in the meadows, smoky red rocks and mustard trail dirt and great vistas of Inks lake. That was simply awesome.

Muz and I continue taking turns leading, and reach the aid station at 26mins. 1 min slower, but that’s due to the decided upon walking up any rock step ups and more severe inclines. A runner without his headlamp on runs right by us, which means we’re now in 4^th and 5^th. (It was Larry K) We truck on after a quick water refill and spot the traverse clump 1 min from the station (out and back here), meaning we have a 2 min cushion. Not nearly a comfortable lead but it is what it is and we don’t relent. Eventually we pass a runner ahead of us, and We then hit marker #2 in 49, which showcases how much rockier, hillier and plain tougher the second half really is, and also how fast we went in loop 1. We eventually reach the finish line and yet again, reload lightning fast and tell David to get ready.

Markers: 26 (23 min travel) 49 (9 min travel) 58. Much better for long term sustained efforts.

Loop 3: Muz and I are feeling great. We’re 2 hours in and not much sign of fatigue to start loop 3. It’s completely dark now, so the trail seems new for us. We run down a hill and turn a natural left, and then I stop. “No wait, this is the way that dog went. We go the other way”. At night, you come down that hills so fast, you don’t have time to pick out the arrow as you negotiate the descent, so thank god for Mr dog, as it turns out THAT road is the way back to the finish (see map), so we would have done a little loop and ended up at the start. NOT GOOD!

We yet again hit the long ass jeep trail and this time we’re out of things to talk about, and the monotony of this stretch makes me try a new thing. I start singing a song in my head right as we proceed to lap our first runner 15 mins in to loop3. The only saong I can think of that will go on forever, of which I know all the lyrics:

“99 bottles of beer on the wall, 99 bottles of beer, you take one down, pass it around, 98 bottles of beer on the wall. 98 bottles of beer on the wall, 98 bottles of beer. You take one down, pass it around…”

I get interrupted by Muz who spots an Armadillo to his left (I missed him) but resume and get to 61 bottles of beer in this jeep stretch. I told you it was a long stretch! HAHAHA (and as boring as it was to sing the song, at least I wasn't thinking about the boring jeep trail)

We reach the midpoint station in 26 again, and this time we spot Steven M, and Larry K on the out and back. Larry K leads (I think) and Steve is leaving as we enter to refill waters. After a brief moment where I showed him that there’s ice in a cooler he darts off. HOLY SHIT! We’re only 30 seconds back of him after the water refill!! This is a runner I generally don’t stand a chance against.

Muz and I are excited but I tell him I think it would be suicide to try and catch and pass either one this early in the race. They’re much more experienced runners and we’re not even half way done. He agrees. Our pace remains constant but we both agree that a little fatigue has set in. Maybe 5% or so. We hit the road marker in 49, and power up the steep climb, deal with the hip breaker rocks, the other two jagged giants waiting to cut open your rib cage, hop over the tree, zig zag our way around the trails, fly down the loose rock, run across the little bridge, duck once, twice and around low tree limbs, and step down some rough’n’ rocky descents running to the finish. David’s now ready to go, and has nicely prepped more salt pills baggies for me and brought my chap stick from my car (chap stick, just a feel good thing, really. For some strange reason, lately, I’m all about chapstick on long hard runs). We depart after yet another super fast aid station reload as WE’RE IN THE THICK OF THINGS HERE! This time, we are not the middle of the pack runners we usually are!

Loop 3 markers: 26 (23 min travel) 49 (10 min travel) 59

Loop 4: We quickly tell David our plan to have him run in between us until he gets a hang of our preferred paces in different terrains , and welcome a fresh body and mind for entertainment. Did I mention we almost went left like the dog again?! YUP!!! Dog saved us again!!!!! We do a quick 180, and are back on track. Within 8 minutes of Loop 4, we come up on a runner right at the start of the jeep trail, it’s Larry and he does not look too fresh here. We’re now in 2^nd and 3^rd! All three of us pick up the pace a little to not give him the slightest chance to lock on, and pretty much run a tempo paced trail run in the 7:40’s or so for about 5 minutes until we ease off a wee bit.

Sidenote: It’s here that I came up with a brilliant move. I wanted to see how much distance we were putting on Larry, but I didn’t want him to see my headlamp turning back to look at him, so I just grabbed a hold of the lamp on my forehead, as I turned my head to see if I could see his lightcast, while keeping my light forward! Ha! Cracked myself up with that one!

(I was singing again, picking up at 61 bottles and would get to 43 where I kept getting confused on what number I was on and quit.) Now 7:40 might not sound fast for a roadie, but remember that we’re now over 3 hours into the race and our legs are feeling every step. We eventually reach the out towards the aid station hoping to get a gauge on first place. Our prayers are answered and here comes Steve coming still on the return trip. I calculate about a 2min 20 second lead on us. Sheesh! this guy is strong, but hey!, we’re only 2minutes and change back from the LEADER of the race!!! Hit marker 1 at the selfserve at 27, not a bad slip at all, as I think Muz and I both figured that eventually, we’d start to fade some. I pop a gel, and on the back out from the station, Larry is spotted and we have about 5 min lead on him! David picks up the pacing duties and we’re off toward marker two that we hit in 51 as we consciously decided we need to conserve a little energy for long term success. With about ½ a mile to go, Muz slowly starts falling off on the hills, but David and I keep yelling back at him.

MUZ! COME ON! - MUZ!, COME ON MAN!

, but as was unfortunately feared, due to his absence and inability to do all the long training runs with us in the last 2 months, he fades away and I’d never see him again. David and I reach Marker 3 in 1hr02 which is fine by me, as I’m in 2^nd place and need to play it smart. I can’t figure out if the bystanders at the start finish are surprised or shocked to see me coming in at #2 again, but hey, I’m lovin’ it! Refill of water with ice, salt tabs in mouth, grab a secret magical nutrition serving, and put a gel in my pocket, and we’re off.

Loop 4 Markers: 27 (24) 51 (11) 1:02 A little slippage, but I really can’t complain after 4 hours of running.

Loop 5:

I’m pretty sore here and there, and fatigue has definitely set in, and would you believe me if I tell you we almost took the left like the dog again? Not a full wrong turn, but a hesitation was there for sure. At this point I’m really having issues getting my nutrition down, as it feels really chewy and sticky, and it takes me a good 20 mins before I give up on the last sugar cube sized bite I have left. The nutrition I do get in still helps with energy, and constant reminders by David to keep drinking are welcome as I chug away the sweet sweet tasting elixir that commoners call water. My mouth has now been dry for a good 30 minutes and any amount of water I drink doesn’t fix the cottony dryness. I don’t want to overdrink because during the prior loop my stomach was acting up a little during the rocky climbs, but oh, how good does it feel to fill your mouth with ice cold water and slush it around!

At some point on this loop I tell David I need to power walk a little more than usual if I’m going to survive 2 more loops at a good clip, just a wee bit more walking, nothing more. (I’d been power walking all climbs and rocky step ups to not mess with my heart rate since Lap 3) However, I tell him to NOT let me walk too much regardless how much I may plead later on. On the jeep trail I have no energy to sing my bottles song, but catching up with these two guys that had talked some big smack well before the race started as they were sitting next to us re-invigorates me. The main guy turns his head and gives David and I the “look-over” two long times. I bet he just can’t believe he’s getting lapped by 2 of the 3 guys that quietly sat in their chairs pre-race as he bolstered his plan to run between a 10 and 10:30/mile average pace. Ok buddy, you’re gonna have turn it on now! Hah hah (By the way, I‘d go on to finish over 2 hours and 20 minutes faster than he did! LOL) But that jeep trail took it’s toll and my legs are screaming at me. I’m quietly wondering how on earth I’m going to run another hour and a half at least, but quickly am able to stop thinking about the then, and just live in the now. The windy trails are a welcome site and the brain is re-engaged again from the boring zombie like jeep trail running. David and I keep running, and he proceeds to tell me this really uplifting and positive story about how some student from the school he teaches in(or is it at?) fell off a boat on a lake at night and got hit by another cruising boat and died. Yay! Such a positive image in my head! I’m joking obviously, however, I do proceed to quickly ask him for some positive thoughts from now on as I am quietly just hanging on to him by an invisible rope (thanks for the visualization idea, Mer), and the sight of the out and back to the aid station is eventually very much welcome. This time we reach the self serve marker at 28 which is fine, reload water a tad slower than usual, skip the gel as I’m not risking stomach upheaval,l then truck along to Marker number 2 which we hit at 53. I’m walking a little more on the hills than usual. I just want to conserve as much energy as possible as I’m thinking I have no earthly idea how I’m going to keep this pace up for another 7 miles. Especially since I’ve never run farther in my life than the equivalent of 5 loops, and this is a race pace! As you see on the map I drew, there’s a little overlap at the front of the course too, and here’s where we spot the front runner flying at us. I guesstimated 6 minutes or so to the finish line from where he saw us, so I figure he has a 10-12 minute lead on us. I take a little bit more time than normal at the start/finish as I really need a breather. I’d say this was a 1min stop instead of 30secs. Skip the secret magic nutrition, pop a gel, and have another in the pocket for later if necessary.

Loop 5 Markers: 28 (25) 53 (14) 1:07. (A full 5 minutes longer than Loop 4, but it’s all I’ve got as I’m just hanging on for dear life here, running the race of my life in second place!)

Loop 6 starts in a painful way. Five plus hours of hard rocky terrain will beat down anyone body. All the beating I’ve taken on the very hard rocky domes, the climbing, countless missteps on rocks due to fatigue and inability to process information from a headlamp shining down, and the fast paces has my left groin, my right hip, my lower left calf area in pain. But those are nothing compared to my feet. My foot soles are so pissed off at me right now, it’s like Plantars all over. It’s no injury, it’s just wear and tear, and I’ve been worn and torn real good now, but there’s yet another loop of this madness. One more thing I’d been feeling since the end of loop 3 is a blister sensation on my left foot. I’m not sure if it’s a blister of just a hot spot, but most descents make the foot move in the shoe, meaning the supposed blister is getting abused. About 6 minutes in, here comes Mr Second place on his return to the start/finish station, which means I have a 10-15 minutes lead on him? But he was seriously attacking the rocks where we passed him, so I’m nervous as hell.

I’m so tired as we reach Marker one at the self serve in 29. I realize we’re now 3 minutes slower than the 26min standard set on loop 2 and 3, but I’m not too concerned. I keep telling myself that everyone else MUST be slowing down as well. However, by this time, I’m suffering from extreme anxiety thinking that if someone’s passed Muz,i.e. the runner I just saw earlier, then I DO NOT want them to see me on the out and back to the self serve so we book it off that trail ASAP, and PHEW!, no front runner spotted us!

We hit Marker 2 in 54, which is the same amount of time as Loop 4, which I’m ecstatic about, but neither David or I could figure out the time difference (or lack thereof) between loop 5 and 6. Math just doesn’t work at this time of night. Once we painfully reach the top of the steep climb, I asked David to let me lead all the way in and run the top paces I had in me. But we depart, I have to look back and off to the distance, just to make sure the evil monster known as runer #3 is not within eye-sight. All is dark, and that’s the best feeling I’ve had all night. No way can someone catch me now. Not with that climb to handle! I zigzag my way in the little cool rain forest area, hit the bridge, the low limbs etc, and then we reach one last rocky climb which I power walk as I figure I’ll make up that time on the flats for sure with everything I’ve got. We finally reach the teaser parking lot that means there’s still maybe 150 yards to the finish line parking lot, and by now I’m SPRINTING on the trail. David approves of the pace, and cheers me in, as I cross the road, and down to hill to the finishline! Man! What a feeling in those last 4 or 5 minutes. I still can’t fully grasp that I finished 2^nd, but I’m smiling ear to ear!

WOO HOO!!!

The experience of feeling that I was top 3 for so many hours was just amazing. The extra energy that it brings to be in contention is beyond words. It was just so awesome, I loved every minute. (well, except for the knee, and foot pains dealing with the step downs in the late laps!)

Muz would come in shortly after me, and splits show that after his little energy lapse on lap 4, he cranked it again, and pretty much ran my paces as well.

We were told 60 runners started the 60km race, 51 show up on the splits page, but only 31 finished. Guess that kind of tells you that it wasn’t a walk in the park. Here’s the link to the splits if it’s of interest.

** Muz, glad you came out! We'll be back to avenge your lapse!

**David, thanks again. It was great fun to have company out there, and your help was much appreciated!

**Mer, thanks for the nutrition strategy! (We do heve got some work to do, to eliminate the “queezies” I got in laps 4 and 5., if I’m gonna go 80km in 60days and 100 in January!)

**Everyone else, thanks for the good lukc wishes and congratulations on email, and online after the race!

Who’s in for the Cactus Rose 50 miler on Halloween night with me?!?!?!

Cactus Rose – "A nasty rugged trail run: No Whiners, Wimps, or Wusses. We give Bonus Points for Blood, Cuts, Scrapes, & Puke"