The hits just keep on coming. I had the time of my life
again for the second time in less than a month.
I signed up for this race mainly to just get a chance to see the course and use it as
a long training run in preparation for my first 100 miler in the fall.
I wanted to see the course because I also signed up for the Voyageur 50
two weeks later also as preparation for that fall race.
Anyway as many of you know I've been dealing with a pretty bad knee issue.
I was also using these two races to help decide if I should forgo the 100
miler and get the knee fixed by having my second knee surgery. Well I have to
say the knee held up so well that I am very much looking forward to the 50.
I had a unique opportunity for this race. I had a couple friends running the race as well.
I kind of talked both of these guys into running there first trail race.
Bob Coolidge, was one of them. He happens to be turning 62 this week.
So he was saying that this was going to be kind of a birthday present to himself.
While he is no rooky to running by any means, having run 35 road marathons,
I don't think he knew just what he was getting himself into.
His Son was also running this race using it as prep for the Leadville 100.
Come to find out Bob's Son told him he didn't think it was a good idea
for him to start out with such a tough course. As we got closer to race day
it seemed as though Bob was having doubts and may not even do the race at all.
It only cost $35 to run so it really wouldn't be a huge loss if he did back out.
As he began waffling I turned on the pressure a bit and told him how much fun it would be.
He did get a taste of the trail running atmosphere having paced his Son down at Zumbro
for a loop of the Zumbro 100. He got to hang out with some very cool people down there
while he crewed and paced for J.D. I think that also helped him decide to go thru with it.
Still however in the final days he seemed pretty nervous. He knew I was having my knee issue
so he made the suggestion that maybe I should just take it easy and run with him.
I thought that was a great idea so I agreed to do that thinking it would ease his mind
and help save my knee for the 50 miler two weeks later. I also knew it would be fun to
get to hang out with him. He always seems to have an awesome time in his races.
Just
look at some of his race photos and you'll see just what I mean.
Bob lives about a hour and a half away so I invited him to stay at our place the night
before the race. I told him I make a mean spaghetti and we would carb up the night before.
My wife and I also invited Stu and his family to join us as well. He is the other
friend that I talked into running the race.
Then a couple days before the race I was
looking thru a post online about the race and saw that a runner(Cheri) was looking
for a cheep place to camp. Someone had suggested that she stay in her car at a truck stop.
I thought that wouldn't be very comfortable so I messaged her and told her I have a big
yard and she was welcome to pitch a tent here and that we are very close to where the buses
pick up. Then I of coarse also invited her to join us for our little get together for a pasta
dinner.(Because that's what trail runners do) It's as much about racing as it is about
hanging out with other like minded people who enjoy getting dirty and pushing the limits of what
they can do. Dinner was a success and we all visited until about 9:30pm and headed off
to try and get a little sleep. Cheri ended up sleeping in her car at the finish line
with a bunch of others that were doing the same thing. Her thinking was that
she really didn't want to deal with a tent at 3 in the morning.
As with most races I didn't get much sleep. I finally fell asleep around 1a.m.. The alarm was
set for 3a.m.. With 2 hours of sleep Bob and I got up and had breakfast. In the weeks before the race Christina messaged Bob to see if he had any special food or drink he liked for the morning of the race. He told her he drank tea instead of coffee. When My Daughter Rowan
Heard Bob liked tea she set up her tea set for him with a little note telling him to have
a good race.
We headed off to the finish line to catch a bus to take us to the start.
We met up with
Stu, Eric(Stu's nephew), and J.D.(Bob's Son) and all road the same bus. We
got to the starting area 45 minutes before the start and took some photos
and visited with some of the other runners.
Then the race director instructed us on the course markings and gave us a little history about the man who the race is named for. She also introduced some of his family members that were running the race with us. With that we were sent on our way.
The race starts on an old gravel path around the zoo and heads up into the Spirit moutain ski area. As we climb it the sun was rising over the St. Louis bay harbor. The view was breathtaking.
The gravel quickly turned to grass and with some intermitten mud holes. It's funny because at this stage of the race everyone is doing their best to steer clear of the mud and water. Thankfully the climb wasn't straight up the hill. It was more or less at an angle so it wasn't too bad. At the top we came out of the woods onto skyline parkway. We had to run on the road for a little ways. At first I was a little disappointed until we came to the coolest bridge I have ever seen in my life.
Then we soon came to the 1st aid station. Too my surprise the Sorenson clan had waited to see me come thru. They took some photos as we paced and asked how the knee was feeling. I lied and said it was great only to quickly tell them the actual truth that is was hurting.
We filled our water bottles and quickly headed into the woods and toward the infamous Jarrow's beach. To my surprise it was not anywhere near where I thought it would be. I had seen pics of it and for some reason I just figured it was down on the St. Louis river. However it was nowhere near the river. It was in the woods at the top near ELy's Peak. It is a very technical section of mostly rocks, some mud, and roots. It is probably about a half mile long.
At this point Bob was questioning our sanity. I loved it. The harder the more memorable to me. If I wanted easy I'd stick to road races. Soon we had some cool single track and made our way down the hill. The trail comes out on an old railroad grade. I just happened to look to my left as we were turning right onto the railroad grade and I see this.
An old railroad tunnel. I tried to get Bob to pose with me for a pic but he was flying along at 13 minute pace trying to make up ground we lost coming thru Jarrow's beach.
We had about a mile or so down to the second aid station and it was all double track gravel with yet another cool bridge to cross.
We filled our water and moved on. The next section was a still double track gravel but now it was
more of a 4 wheeler trail. If I remember right we had multiple water crossings in this section. The water was never more than ankle deep. Just enough to wash the mud off. We also had some Superior Hiking trail in this section with some good single track and some serious hills. Once we made the creek bottom we had to climb out to the top on the other side. Then the trail was new and it followed what I'm guessing was HWY 210. At the time I thought it was HWY 23. Anyway, we had some cool new trail that lead us out on a ridgeline that had sheer drop offs on both sides. One trip or misstep here and you had a 100 foot fall in either direction. At the end of the ridge the trail dropped straight down to the creek bed again. It was so steep they had ropes to descend from and a back up of racer waiting to use them.
When we did get to the bottom it was yet another water crossing to the next aid station.
By this time I was consuming a hammer gel at each of the aid stations. I was also just hydrating with water. Bob was using his trailwind and mixing it with water. I also would take a cookie or two to chow at the aid stations. Our next section was a long climb back up to the Munger Trail. This was some more gorgeous single track thru some thick woods. Once we made the next aid station we encountered an aid worker that stopped us and warned us of what we faced ahead. He told us we were about to head into a section of the trail that was going to be so difficult that we would need to crawl on all fours using branches and weeds to pull ourselves up.(the infamous powerlines) I got the feeling this dude was also checking us over to see if we were still fit to continue. Of coarse Bob and I were raring to go and almost ran the poor dude over as we headed back into the bush.
It was about a mile of single track ups and downs to get the power lines. However we began to see what that dude was talkin about. The hills began to get so slippery. We were having a hard time moving forward. The trail was worn down to wet red clay caking our shoes. Finally we came out from under the canopy to the open power line. To me this was not easy by any means, but it sure was hard not to find the humor in a bunch of people slippin and sliding up and down this section. I think everyone must have fallen in this section. Bob was starting to show signs of fatigue thru what I would say is easily the hardest section of the course. As we neared the end we came upon a lady that had a bag full of frozen grapes. She told us the Grand Portage aid station was a short descent to the road.
It was so steep she told us others were actually sliding down on their butts. Bob decided to give it a try. He made it about 5 feet before he let out a howl from hitting a sharp rock. He quickly stood up and started hoofing it. As I followed closely I noticed he had just tore the entire ass out of his compression short. Trying not to laugh too hard I told him his cheeks were hanging out. As we descend to the aid station bob turns his bib number to the back to cover the hole. He told the aid workers what had happened and we were trying to come up with a solution. Soon one of the aid workers (Andy) volunteered up an extra pair of shorts from his truck. Thank You Andy and all the outstanding people working at the aid stations. You all flippin rock.
We quickly fueled up and headed back in the woods for some more single track climbing. I was no longer helping Bob. It seemed I was more or less just getting on his nerves. As we climbed up and finally reached some good runnable ski trails Bob started feeling like he was holding me back. Having been in his position in training with Stu on these very trails I finally decided it was time to part ways. He needed some alone time to get thru what I can only imagine was a difficult final 9+ miles. We shook hands and wish each other luck and I was off.
I knew Stu was way ahead of me so I texted him to tell him to shoot me a text when he finished. He quickly responded saying his knee was shot and he wasn't to the swinging bridge yet. I didn't think I could catch him but I was going to give it a go just for fun. My first mile was just over 8 minutes as it was flat and I came out onto the paved trail. I was reeling people in left and right. I chatted with a lot of them as I passed. I did a couple more miles at 9 minute pace as it was still flat or a little down hill. On an up slop I texted Stu again saying that we better be having a beer after this was all said and done. He answered back saying only if you catch me.... Then the game was on!!! I continued running with all I had. I finally caught him a little ways before the swinging bridge. We walked it in to the aid station together. His whole Sorenson crew was there waiting. We stopped and talked to them. I talked his nephew Eric into finishing the last 3 miles with us even tho he had just finished the race himself.
Photo credit Lindsey Peterson
It didn't take much arm turning and he agreed to do the last section again. He didn't even bother to get his running shoes back on.(he did it in crocs) As we crossed the swinging bridge I still felt good.
Photo Credit Lindsey Peterson
Since Stu had Eric with him I continued running to the finish. I think that was the fastest I have ever done that 3 mile section of the trail. By the time I climbed out of the woods onto the bike trail for the last 1/2 mile I was beat. I passed a couple more people but was unable to catch the one lady I was looking for. I could see her but just couldn't close the gap. She was a former Marine from VA and also a Marathon Maniac. Finally I made it to the finish line.
Photo credit Lindsey Peterson
Finish time 7:12:48
shooting for 12 hours at Voyageur in 2 weeks.
If you have a few minutes watch the video below of my time with Bob. We had a blast
gear: Hoka One One Stinson trail
20 oz of Gatoraide
2 S!Caps at mile 20 or so
a few Hammer gels
a few cookies from the aid stations
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