Zion 100 Done. Thank Baby Jesus.
I'm scraped raw like an avocado shell. Sadistically hard course. Time (splits 4:10 marathon, 5:10 50k, 8:43 50 mile, 11:18 100k, 11:07 for last 38mi - you can see the difficult parts... yikes.) 22:25, don't know place but not in competition with the front runners at any time in the race.
Congratulations! Huge accomplishment!
ReplyDeleteAwesome man!
ReplyDeleteCongrats. Be interested to know why the course runs so hard. Looks like pretty moderate course for a 100.
ReplyDeleteWow...crazy last 38. I'd like to hear about that. Congrats on the finish! I didn't realize the race started Friday until I went to their site that morning to check how to track you. Didn't matter anyway. I don't think anyone was able to follow along.
ReplyDeleteNo lightening? No murderous water crossings? No repeat ascents to 13K+? Only 20 some hours? Sounds like a walk in the park.
ReplyDeleteMy kind of splits. Good work getting another one done. Looking forward to the report!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Kate and Andy.
ReplyDeleteTan and Anon. I'll write up the usual race report but the main reasons for me that this is a difficult run are that there is very little rhythm to the course (even the beast that is Hardrock has a rhythm and fluidity to it). Zion has a nice flow for the first 50k, then you're subjected to exposed, undulating dirt and paved roads with out n back sections, then you're on top of a mesa with the most ridiculous maze of trail, then back on a weird dirt road retracing your steps. It'a all exposed and even in the mild upper 70s feels hot (it's the second time in my life I've had sunburn!). The last 17 or so miles are particularly sadistic. At one point I was thinking, "why not just burn people with lit cigarettes while they run if you want to simply inflict pain." The climb up Flying Monkey with 85 miles on the legs in the dark is just plain dangerous. I've been up high on precarious terrain but never have I feared falling to my death or serious injury like I did while trying to scamper up that insane mountain. Then after that is a series of disjointed punches in the face that just feels mean. I love difficult courses but not just suffering for sufferings sake. I think I could run sub 20 on this course but it would take every ounce of focus and strength on a perfect day. It's substantially harder than last year's course, as stated to me by the RD and several people who were out there trying to run it a second year.
Payback can be a bitch when you laugh at someone's incredible backing up skills into a 2' wide spot to get gas at a gas station.
DeleteCongrats on another 100!! 22:25.. Awesome job!!
ReplyDeleteWay to tough it out. Cool distinctive buckle.
ReplyDeleteCOngrats on the finish. Zion was a brutal course, esp Guacamole at night - "then you're on top of a mesa with the most ridiculous maze of trail" - too true! Your buckle is well deserved.
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