From owner-ius-l@AMERICAN.EDU  Mon Aug 26 23:53:23 1996
Date: Mon, 26 Aug 1996 23:36:52 -0500
To: IUS-L@AMERICAN.EDU
From: porclain@nccn.net (Robert Finn)
Subject: Ultra Sluts

Dear Ultra Sluts,

I've been lurking around this hood for a couple of months and am totally
intimidated by your deeds. So many of you seem to do it so often,for so
long and get zestful pleasure being so raw and dirty that a new thing like
me gets all flustered. Just the type of people my mama said to stay away
from.
Well this Stan Jensen guy is standing next to his cool red sports car with
a  skinny chick with I mean next to nothing on. Well the only thing I
really know about this Stan dude is that he has his very own ultra web home
page. I acknowledge this and the next thing he tells me is that now I have
to post a race report on the Pt. Reyes 50k or else maybe find my fat hind
end on some 50 miler with no help or inspiration. Well ok,but maybe
sometime when you all are feeling  nostalgic or beat up, you of the worlds
oldest profession might think back to your "first time" and bring it out
for discussion and humor.


An Ultra  Virgin Gets Boffed,

As the Pt. Reyes run approached a silent resignation added itself  but did
not dominate the usual set of emotions. The old ITB syndrome,the ban of all
decency and fairness had shown itself alive on all but one of the few long
practice runs in the last month.

I mistakenly blamed the two triathlons done this month,the training and
recovery from then as the cause for my low mileage and lack of confidence.
But now feel they were the cause for whatever success I experienced. Not
over pounding the knees ,losing a little weight,gaining strength and
experience in running at 5k and 10k distances. Also just feeling the heart
beat at different levels was good experience for this  beginner.

I drove through Sacramento on Friday stopping at Fleet Feet on the way.
Tell those bozo AM talk radio heads protesting Smock Check ll that large
smog particles must be clogging their brains. The air was filthy and not
just from the fire smoke.  "The Idiot wind,a wonder they still know how to
breathe." Stopped in Novato for unloading stock and put finishing touches
on our Renaissance faire booth. Out South Novato Blvd. through the
beautiful rolling hills of West Marin to the cool coast.

At a taqueria in Pt Reyes Station ran into runners from my town. Kurt and
Lorette Fox, an experienced ultra couple for sure. Heard about Lorettes'
passing out at mile 96 at Western States, she ran 70 miles in pain before
blacking out.Tremendous character,not only for the toughness but for having
a fine perspective on family, friends and recreation.

We also had camping places next to each other at Olema Ranch Campground. A
camp fire was started, met other runners from Nevada Country and other
friends of the Foxes'. I was tired and ready for bed .Guess what? Ultra
runners don't stay up to drink and party the night before a run,was sound
asleep at 9:30.

With a full good nights sleep arrived at the Five Brooks start at 6:30.
Meet up with Pete Petri. With time compressed into a Gu wrapper 200 were
off and running at 7:00 AM. Ran with Pete for 10 min. then  bid him well as
I knew he had faster plans than mine. It was foggy and cool but quite
comfortable in a singlet. . A well stocked double ultimate water pack, a
head full of countless hopes and fears and 34 miles to do something with.

The trails were beautiful. Carpeted and smooth, going mostly through
extravagant coastal forest.The fog is a well employed gardener and a heaven
sent to those who like cool running conditions. Runners more than a 100
yds. ahead disappeared. The course is broken up into three assents and
following descents.  In my opinion it is a very balanced course as far as
trail running goes,with a few long and rolling flats between the ascents
which were not real radical.

Recognized a stocky Japanese man from the Drakes Bay Run done last year
which had the same Five Brooks starting point. Remembered him clearly as he
was training for the 100 mile stage run in the Himalayas.  Always ready to
hear of great adventures so settled in next to Hajime Nishi for the next 2
hrs. The Himimalya race was fantastic and he is planning on going back in
October to do it again!!  Hajime is a journalist and writes for a Japanese
running magazine,and has the goal of doing 100 long runs all out of Japan
by the year 2000. Tough work, guess someone has to do it. Hajime didn't
have much of a stride,looking a bit like a weight lifter, but anyone who
can carry a 40lb video pack across the self contained La Salle Sahara stage
run has a good chance of making  this jaunt,he was going to be my ticket to
ride. But just as I though it time to put on the cruise controlthe right
ITB starts talking,which is of some curiosity as it has  always been on the
left side of late.

Caution,dread and outright pissed off. At least four hrs to go and limping
in with this shit isn't what I wanted to do. I took 2 Ibuprofen before the
start,took 2 more and very cautiously came down the slopes and power walked
the hills.Saw Hajime ahead of me,  that I could catch up to him on the
hills was of some encouragement. It wasn't getting worse and I knew enough
to keep my concentration on eating and drinking and would make a decision
about pulling out at Glen Camp at  mile 16. What I've always heard about
ultras is that hanging on through the downs is imperative as the ups are
often not far away. Felt ok at Glen Camp.  A white paper plate with little
red pills,other people must be loading up on this stuff also. I take
three.Try to eat and drink as much as possible. I really don't like taking
that much ibu and stay pretty much away from it,what can I say it was
working.

Running with two others along the long rolling Coast Trail was a real help.
Not only fun and informative ( Running the canyons in the Death Valley
Marathon was in the shade and spectacular ) but a real boost for me to run
at a faster pace  than i would if on my own. It was at the heart of the run
and i was running well. At mile 22 the Woodward trail headed up for the
steepest  and final ascent. I was amped, power walked pass several and
would run whenever the grade decreased. Left the couple who i worked hard
to keep up with along the flat. The gal later passed me on the down
side,the only person to do so for the rest of the race. Going up the ridge
and looking down and to the right to see the ocean,the headlands, and the
distance just covered had me howling like a drunk at a bad C&W concert.
Knew  i was coming in. The endorphins and ibuprofen were doing there part.
The final down was perhaps the only part of the race to be considered
treacherous. The sun was finally out and playing havoc with the shadows on
the many thick roots crossing the trail. Now the left ITB was hurting
coming down hill.

The folks at the aid stations were just fantastic. Many thanks to Tampala
running club and volunteers,quality from start to finish. At the final aid
stopped to take out a pebble,they refilled the bottles and put them in the
pack, sponged ,fed, and put me on my feet. All the people I  saw in the
last part of the race looked strong and determined,I was going to join
them.  4.3 miles to go  at 1:00 PM .  Came in at 1:35,for me that type of
pace at the end is totally new. I love it ! Felt thankful for the hurting
quads and caves.  Rolling and flats through  meadows,a few gates to open.
Emptied the water bottles in half and wanted to see what i could do. Passed
10 runners,walked a few of the hills but tried to run faster than I did in
the 10k at the last tri. Caught a final person in the last 100 yards,
decided to turn down the animal act and came in behind her  with a smile
and breathing easy.Not to get over impressed,6:35 was my finishing time.
But those last four miles......

Kurt and Lorete where there and made contact with the folks who helped me
out  along the Coast Trail. Felt a bit of the fool for losing just about
all discernment. To quote a Lyle Lovett  song, "I love everybody".

Back at the  campground ate with Pete Petri who came in under 6hrs. and was
looking real good. Was hoping to meet more dead, I was proudly wearing my
DRS singlet.(The only affront of the whole experience was the slightly
derisive laugh when i wanted to put DRS down as my club on the race number
)   Introduced myself to Stan Jensen with thanks for his helpful ultra home
page.Looked  for Lady G,saw her name but the not the bod. Hajimaji  and i
exchanged addresses and expressed the need to run some of the trekking
trails in Northern Thailand,but sure he'll  have done it and off to
Patagonia before i even get a stamped passport. But never mind, my dreams
for this summer have already come true.

Back to the Renaissance faire, and just to give my daughter another
reminder that I'm a few fries short of a happy  meal, dance with her and
her friends to a drummer beating on an empty beer keg. Proof of how mellow
i was still feeling is that i enjoyed the 3hr. ride home with 3 fourteen
year old girls in a small  car.

The ITB has never hurt the day after a run,this time it did. Knowledge
that it is the main obstacle to my becoming a long distance runner  will be
my motivation to find a solution other than ibuprofen.  I know its been
discussed before but i will be calling upon the collective intelligence for
advice. Thanks so much,better post before I start singing that Lyle Lovet
chorus.

Robert Finn
Grass Valley, Ca.