Date: August 10, 2018
Miles: 31 miles (originally 37 miles)
Purpose: See what these runnable Millcreek trails look like
at daylight
Fresh off the night-time 50K up Millcreek, I wanted to get
back up there to explore the canyon further with daytime trail running. The
course would be a bit different than the night version.
I would start on the west side of Grandeur, up and over,
down to Pipeline Trail, do the Church Fork to Rattlesnake Gulch loop to add 4
extra miles, then take the Pipeline all the way up to Elbow Fork, then head up
toward hidden Mount Aire, then back to Elbow Fork for nutrition, then up Bare
Bottom Pass which overlooks Lambs Canyon, then back to Elbow Fork for more
nutrition, then across the street and up the Terraces Loop, then down back on
the Pipeline again, all the way down to Church Fork, then the Rattlesnake Gulch
loop again, and then hypothetically back up Mount Grandeur and down the west
side to the car. Elbow Fork is a key junction of 3 trails and 2 roads. It would
be a key nutrition hub for this extended training run since I would pass by it
3 different times. It's also the confluence of Mt Aire Creek with Mill Creek. There is a perfect spot to dip your head into the cool stream at this point. This loop was estimated to take 6 hours and be 37 miles.
Unfortunately, I only made it 31 miles in 6 hours, then had
to head back home for some obligations with the kids. At mile 28, I realized
that I was badly dehydrated and under-salted. Taking salt pills at this point
was not helping at all. My stomach then became nauseated and queasy. It was
sloshingly annoying. It was as if there was a giant plug in my GI track and
nothing was getting properly absorbed into the system; rather it was just sitting
undigested at what felt like the top of my stomach. Fortunately I didn’t vomit,
but this was the closest I had ever come to doing so in all my training runs. I still had to walk 3 straight miles on the very
runnable Pipeline Trail, adding hours of delay to my trip. Finally, at the
bottom of Church Fork, I relented and stuck out the thumb for a ride down
Millcreek and back to my car. I was picked up by a sympathetic and curious
driver within 3 minutes.
It was the first long training run I had to bail on. Dejection set
in.
I believe that a failed training run doesn’t have to be a
final failure if I learn from the mistakes that resulted in the failure. I’ve
now had a few weeks to process this failed run. I fully recognize the
importance of learning from this so it doesn’t happen on race day. So… what did
I learn from this experience? Two simple words: Nutrition and Hydration. I had
been eating every 50-60 minutes on my long trainers prior to this experience. I
learned now that I really needed to be putting something in my mouth every 30
minutes. Preferably, it should alternate between sugar (carbohydrates) and salt
(electrolyte), and should be a good mix of large meals and runner’s energy
snacks. I also learned that I need to drink every mile. There is no glory in
waiting to drink and eat until you are really in need. The runner’s body is
like a diesel truck. It needs fuel, it needs lubrication, it needs maintenance,
and then it will go forever. For my body in particular, I’ve learned that new fuel
must come in before getting below the quarter tank level. I must eat and drink
early in the race to have what I need later on. I cannot afford to forget,
delay, or procrastinate taking in hydration and nutrition.
I had learned the hard way: when running, I absolutely must
not get behind on my eating and drinking - no matter what.
No comments:
Post a Comment