From owner-ius-l@AMERICAN.EDU Mon May 12 22:42:05 1997 Date: Mon, 12 May 1997 19:55:38 -0800 From: ceis To: ius-l@AMERICAN.EDU CC: runkenrun@aol.com, poninv@sl.geis.com, trailpatty@aol.com, jordan@uthscsa.edu Subject: Quicksilver 50 km - end packer report Hiya my running buddies: Pat Wellington picked me up at 3:45 am. I had arisen at 2:30 in order to l) eat breakfast, 2) feed the pets and 3) pack the food and drink for after the race. A high carbo breakfast of multigrain (Ceis's special recipe) cereal with raisins, soy milk and a bowl of fresh fruit and 1/2 and 1/2 coffee got me ready. The dog needed to be called from his pillow x 2 because he just didn't want to wake up so early. The cat was ready anytime for food!. Pat arrived 5 minutes early. No matter, I was ready. She thought I had packed enough for a group of people but 'I want to make sure I had enough"! We arrived just after 5:00 am and Pat greeted many 'listers' as well as those folks she knows from prior races. I met Stan Jensen and Leslie. We tried to decide what to wear as we felt the weather in the early predawn air. Most decided they didn't need a jacket but I was dubious and took a windbreaker along. Leslie, Pat, and Dina Kovash and I put on sunblock as when the sun came out, they said it would be hot. I saw Richard Pon at the start and we wished each other well. I saw Ruth Anderson, too, and Jane Colman and her husband Don Watson and we exchanged greetings. Off we went without even a gunshot or whistle. It was uphill all the way on the fireroad as we 'jockeyed' for position, as they say. I briefly met the first woman who placed at Cool but she and her partner left my scene soon afterwards. Pat and I raw close to one another for a very short while but that didn't last long as I needed to make a pit stop. However, it was difficult to find a convenient spot because of the tons of poison oak everywhere! There were many aid stations stocked with defizzed coke, cytomax, water, chips, crackers, corn chips, power bar pieces, bresh bananas and fresh cantaloups. One aid station had a gooey chocolate layer cake, another aid station PowerGel packets and most were out of salt. I had carried coarse celtic salt with me but soon found out that I sweated so much and my efforts warranted more salt than what I carried with me. Several men offered me salt at the aid stations (thank you Dempsey and that other man. . .I didn't ask your name. I appreciated it!) Next time, I will take salt tabs again. I hadn't ordered Kalr King's electrolyte pills but they are next on my list. After the 2nd aid station (the one with porta potties - how thoughtful) I was running uphill on the fireroad when a woman said 'look at the cat'. I looked and it wasn't your normal domestic cat! It was slowly walking in the grass at the edge of the fireroad, 10 feet from me. At first, I thought it was a bobcat, but then bobcat's don't have long tails! It had a blotched coat and weighted about 40 lbs. As I was too intent on keeping my water bag replenished and my salt content consistent, it was many aid stations later that I mentioned it to folks. They said it was a mountain lion, probably an immature one because of the spots! Wow! Nice kitty! What a site! When I returned to the aid station where it was first seen, I mentioned it again to the volunteers. They said that they often see them (or at least their tails) as they disappear into the hills above them. lMy siting was up close and personal! I want to thank the woman for pointint it out to me; it's not everyday that you see a mountain lion! I wore my new O'Brian gaiters but had to remove them at the 3rd hour as my ankles and feet were beginning to swell and the elastic hurt my lower legs. I plan to get the large size next time around. I briefly ran near Margie Lopez who I met at the end of the race. She is the RD for Run on the Sly, held over the Labor Day weekend at Pollock Pines, Ca. I ran also next to a couple, the fellow having on an American River T shirt. They soon were ahead of me and I was left to my own wandering thoughts as I put one foot in front of the other mile after mile. In the beginning, I noticed the wild flowers: white ones included cow parsnip, poison hemlock, yarrow, and white mariposa lily. I thought I saw bushes of chamise with their tiny white flowers. California buckeye was in full regalia with it's 6" plus blooms. Only on one slope during the race did I notice yellow mariposa lilies as well as Indian paintbrush. Other yellow flowers were poison oak although it was mostly past the flowering stage, scotch broom and another tiny broom with warm colored flowers which ranged from cream to orange. Purple ones included California brodiaea and thistles. Soon after mile 20 I was only looking forward to the aid stations and not the terrain. My, this race is hilly! I swear there is only 50 yards of flat in the entire race. MY legs were beginning to feel the pain as I power walked the uphills and ran the downhills. I met Richard Pon going down hill with a great view of the reservoir as he was coming up, cheering me on! Thanks, Richard; you're the greatest. Little did I realize that I would be traversing that uphill in the not-to-distant future! I finally finished in 7:17:37. I think several in my age category passed me during the last mile. By then, I didn't care. All competitiveness had gone out of me. I just wanted these hills to end, thank you very much! At the finish line, I received a finisher's buckle and Pat took a picture. Pat had come in under 7 hours which she was pleased with. I then headed for the horse trough to sponge off and then change clothes. Then to the veggie burgers; boy, did that taste good. . .and a cold nonalcoholic beer which I had brought along. Munching the burger, I talked with Lee Remick and friends. Lee and a friend both placed in the 20 to 29 age category! Great job! Lee had done the Hood to Coast relay with our DSE running club several years ago. I introduced myself to Helen Klein saying that friends of mine, Wally and Liese Rapozo were so enamored with their Sunmart Race that they have me talked into it this year. . .you mean I'm gonna do another one? I dunno. . .they way my legs feel, it may be a few days before I think about anymore Ultra's for awhile. . .but as the saying goes. . .so soon the mind forgets! See ya running, Ceis