Back from vacation with a 25 Mile trail run

I was on vacation in the Philippines visiting my elderly parents. I stayed for 33 days, to augment my running training I enrolled in a gym, a block away from my parents’ house. I would be using the treadmill working on my pace.

When I got back from vacation on March 7, I was raring to run outdoors again. I had a full week before joining the Wednesday night Cavitt short run. We were lucky to have finished the 4.00 mile run before the rain, thunder and lightning came. Rain is fine, but thunder and lightning is another story.

I was going on a hike last Saturday – March 17, but a volunteer to sweep the 5K in the Folsom Lake South Side trail run was still needed. I volunteered because I wanted to give back to my running group organizer and friend – Carina. I changed my RSVP to the North Table Mountain Hike with the Chico Oroville Outdoor Adventurers to “No”. I figured I can still catch the wild spring flowers at some point. But as it happened, I was done with my volunteer work at 11 AM. I grabbed a quick lunch and headed for Oroville.

Carina, Hassan and others in my running group Trail Running Adventures are preparing for the American River 50-mile Endurance Run or AR50. The Folsom Lake South Side Trail Run is their 21-Mile practice run last Saturday. Then Carina planned a back to back training run for March 18 – Sunday with the route being the 2^nd half of the AR50. The route was Beale’s Point, Folsom Lake to Auburn Dam Outlook which approximately 25 miles.

I decided to join the 25-mile training run just for the heck of it and I really like the company. It would be fun as always and I get my miles on albeit admittedly my latest long run of 17 miles was more than a month ago. An additional 8 miles is a big challenge. I prepared my hydration pack, fuel/food, wipes, and clothing will be in layers. It will be a cool start and getting warmer as the day goes on. The estimated time is 6-hours and could easily be 8-hours for me a first timer for this distance. I went to bed early and tossed and turned. It wasn’t a good sleep probably just a good 3 hours.

We met at the Auburn Dam Overlook (ADO) at 6:15 am, leaving three cars. We all rode on Lavina’s van to go to Beale’s Point. After the run, we will drive Lavina from ADO to Beale’s Point. At 7 am we were all at Beale’s Point with a total of 11 runners. I like seeing the sunrise reflecting its yellow rays on the waters of Lake Folsom. It was going to be a good day with the rain holding off.

The trail is single track, through forest and open areas. It is a very beautiful hike because the foliage is just very lush and green. As a guide, keep Folsom Lake on your right. It had been raining days before so the trail was muddy and slippery in some areas. We ran into another big group of runners. I recognized some of them from my previous Fleet Feet half-marathon training group.

Since Carina and Hassan ran a 21-mile race Saturday, we were going to take today’s run slow. However, I was running fast and having a hard time keeping up with them. Not wanting to risk injury Carina just started walking it, and she felt some pain in her left knee. I walked with Carina because I needed the rest, too!

We caught up with the rest of the group up at Rattlesnake Bar and at that point both my thighs felt as hard as rock. I could no longer run downhill. Hassan said it was better to keep moving and my thoughts were the same. I am also an avid backpacker, so covering distance is not new to me. However, running the distance is new to me. At the start of my running training, I found it hard to switch from walking to running and the impact of running is hard on the muscles and the knees and every part of your anatomy used for running. I would hear Cordelia or Hassan or one of our other friends checking on my progress. I was keeping up although more slowly, my mind was getting a little foggy, I was more quiet than usual. I said hello to a lady, and she said that my friends were just at the fork waiting on me. I thanked her and moved on and saw Hassan. They were worried that I might lose my way. We took a few more photos by the raging American River happy that we were just 8 miles away, approximately 2 hours to go maybe.

I was eating my protein bars and Milky Way mini-bars but I was still feeling hunger pangs. I ran out of water and was about to run out of Gatorade. It was getting warmer, too that we had peeled off our jackets and long sleeve shirts. It was now past noon time and everyone was just eager for a meal and be home. Hassan said that I should not worry because everyone is tired. Although, I am the only one trying to complete my first 25 mile run.

 

Then finally we hit the gravel road, the last three miles to the Auburn Dam overlook. I would like to find out the elevation gain going up that road because it looked very daunting. I kept wishing they would pick me up in a car whenever they reach the parking lot. Even as I was tired, I would wave to hikers and runners who were just starting their work-out while I’m sure I was looking horrible and not happy. I started marching, in cadence muttering left-left-left-right-left.

On the last section of the road, I was already disoriented. I had gone to the street and into what I thought was the overlook, but it was a baseball or soccer field. I do not know, everything was hazy. I kept asking for directions and kept getting the wrong direction or I was just too tired to follow directions. I sent an SMS to Carina – I’m lost. She replied with Hassan’s cellphone number and Hassan was already calling and asked where I was and was told to stay put.

The car pulled in and I was so glad to see Cordelia, Hassan and Grace. Hassan was congratulating me and I did not feel celebratory at that moment. All I wanted was to go home, wait no, I wanted to eat a big meal and go home. They made sure I was okay to drive.

As I drove home, I thought – Wow, 25 miles of trail was no joke – hills, downhills, mud, water, gravel, plus the scenery it was worth it! I just pre-empted my marathon training, Coach Brian will not be happy. But I survived, my muscles are on their way to recovery. It was a great day!!!