2001 Reports

Have you ever had an awakening about something you were absolutely sure of until that very moment?? How many of you RDs get a chance to race your own run?? Well, I highly recommend it. I had an experienced crew of volunteers, so over the protests of the Soup Lady (my Wife), I decided to race and direct for the first time in three years. I hate whiners as much as the next guy but the course was harder then I remember with maybe not so many flat fast sections as I had been advertising all this time.

It was a lot warmer at the start(45 to 55 degrees) than the previous years. Nice to stand around in at the start line but we all knew what it meant. Those occasional open breaks in the trees could boil your water bottles. Dawn Hatch from Flagstaff was the only one requesting the heat be turned up. The rest of us just suffered.

Despite the heat Stan Holman broke the 50 mile course record by 2 minutes. He definitely had his race face on and suffered but win he did. Linda Samet shattered the women’s 50 mile open record by 33 minutes with a 8:57:46 finish and looked comfortable doing it. Kyly McMurray always looks good but race day she was also Fast and Strong, breaking the master women’s 50 mile by over an hour. Bill Gaines won the 50K open in 4:29:23 and Carolyn Vecchi took top honors in the women’s open 50K with a time of 5:56:37. Bob (The Beast) Lynes continues to dominate the over 60 crowd with a 10:06:14 finish. Bob, you are lucky Pierce Cornelius turned 70 but he finished in 10:09:03 so you had better keep training.

We can never thank the many volunteers (mostly family and coworkers) too much. Special thanks to Pat Larkin,,who took over for me so I could run and get a new perspective as an RD. Congratulations to Marcus Mayfield for painfully winning the Red Bash Award. He gave the most Blood to the trail that day. He still claims those stains on the shirt were pork and beans. That’s a new one on me. Thanks to Scott Diamond for all his work on the run’s website (www.scottdiamond.com). He also won the “Not Quite First But Not Totally Last” Award which resembled a turtle shell.

Many thanks to all and see ya next year.

Mike Burke (RD)

RD Mike starting with the rest of the 50k runners.

Another beautiful day at the mountain this year for the Mt Hood PCT Ultramarathon. Well, beautiful, provided your definition of beautiful includes temperatures in the high 80s. But, aid station crews were ready for the heat. Sponge baths were provided at each aid station and many runners took advantage of this service. Still the heat did take its toll. In the 50K seven runners dropped, in the 50 mile six runners dropped - and a number of 50 mile runners decided out on the course that maybe it was a better day to run 50k. 97 runners finished the two ultra events not including the race director, who finally got the chance to run his own race. He was the only Bandit on the course.

Much was the same for this year's run. There were spectacular views of Mt. Hood. Running on the PCT was once again a treat. The trail provides a nice variety of technical running, hill climbing and a few sections to let it rip. The trail is pretty rocky and rooty though and there were the usual contests out on the course to see who could trip the most number of times. 50 mile runners once again got to experience the sand zone just above timberline. I don't think there were any actual sightings of bigfoot. I saw quite a few footprints and a few other markings which indicated bigfoot had been through.

A very qualified field showed up for this year's running. So qualified that in spite of the heat a number of course records were broken. In the 50 mile Stan Holman from Carson WA took a little over 2 minutes off the prior 1999 course record. He suffered for 13 miles with cramps but stayed focused on the win. On the 50M women's side, Linda Samet from Corvallis Oregon continued her winning tradition this season and set a PR by 40 minutes. Linda's time was so good that she took 30 minutes off the 1999 course record. Wow! Linda ran strong from the start and was never challenged. For the 50K, course records were not set but Bill Gaines from Leavenworth WA was the first across the line. Carolyn Vecchi from Klamath Falls picked up a first place trophy for the 50K women's open division. Kyly McMurray always looks good but on race day she was also fast and strong. She broke the 50 Mile Master's women's record by over an hour.

In addition to the standard bigfoot trophies handed out to 1st place winners, RD Mike Burke makes up a few 'special' ones himself. Marcus Mayfield apparently did manage to trip more than any other runner and he picked up the "Red Bash" award for giving the most Blood to the trail. I picked up the highly coveted tortoise award for being the first finisher after the start of the awards ceremony (hey at least I walk away with hardware). Barbara Dahl of Minnesota held out for the good stuff. She won a TV set. Many runners headed home with prizes from our sponsors at Montrail and Hammer Gel and two of those new LED flashlights.

This year we saw a growing number of out of state runners. August is one of the nicest times in the Pacific Northwest and this is shown in the entries. In addition to the NW runners we had a slew of runners from California as well as contingents from AZ, BC, TX, KY ... Camp at Timothy Lake, run up to Mt Hood, hang around Portland - what more could you ask for in a vacation?

I'd like to extend a big thanks Mike and to the army of volunteers, which Mike assembles for this run. Between Mike's extended family, friends from work and running buddies there must have been over 30 volunteers at the race. After the race, I heard a few stories about requests and demands runners made out on the course. Yes, I know runners can be a difficult group to put up with. Thanks for your efforts they really are appreciated. Maybe it's not mentioned out on the course but we do appreciate you.

We hope everyone enjoyed the day at Mt Hood. See you next year.

Scott Diamond
(Year 2001 Tortoise Shell Winner!)

Mt Hood PCT 50 Miler - Mike Bouscaren

The 3rd annual Mt Hood PCT 50 miler ( also a 50k ) was held on Saturday, August 11th, 2001. This was my 4th such event, after the Bull Run 50, Garden State 50, and the Catalina 100k. I scoured the ultra calendars to find a fitting combination of novelties - heat, mild altitude ( I'm a flatlander from Boston ) and great scenery. This is a super run for anyone looking for a low key, very well managed trail 50 miler. Credit Mike Burke, RD, and Scott Diamond, webmaster ( great pictures and maps ) for a thoroughly professional set up.

Training in the summer was a first for me, as I wanted to experience heat acclimatization. Also for the first time, I used marathons as a training device for the long run, participating in the Sherwood R.I. marathon in May ( flat and fast, but high entry fee and poor aid stations ) and the Nipmuck Conn. trail marathon in June ( every bit as challenging as advertised ). At the end of June I also ran 32 miles in Craftsbury Vt. in 80 degree heat for my final long run. In all of these I felt progressively increasing degrees of nausea towards the end, probably a result of less hydration than needed. I used Succeed caps, replacing the simpler salt tabs I'd used previously, and switched from UltraFuel and Endurox to Accelerade, which I highly recommend . This combination served me well at Mt Hood, and while then I drank still more ( 24 to 40 oz every 10 miles ), I'd attribute the nausea at least in Vermont to the heady fumes of insect repellent and cow shit from the farms nearby; no such problem in the pristine surroundings of Mt Hood !!

My notable discoveries from the Mt Hood PCT 50 miler are that imagination and focus create their own reality, and that rocks do jump. More to follow.

I flew Boston/Portland Thursday to check out the course and the conditions, in order to develop a game plan. Like many East coast provincials, I hadn't realized the famous Pacific Coast Trail ( the Western counterpart to our Appalachian Trail ) stretches 2,650 miles from California to Washington's Cascade mountains, and is described as one of the premier hiking destinations in the world. I stayed in the town of Government Camp, which caters to the summer skiers on Mount Hood - I imagined the skiers and boarders murmuring, "Hey, What's up with that dude in the short pants and running shoes?" as I went about my planning for the run.

It was 49 degrees Friday morning and over 90 by mid-afternoon, with the forecast being the same for Saturday. I went to the start near Timothy Lake early, to see if I'd need a flashlight for the optional 5:30 start ( 6:30 was the regular start but sure to be hotter ). Yep, need a flashlight ( deep, dark woods ) for the first half hour anyway. I drove up to the half way point at Timberline Lodge, altitude 6,000 feet, and sniffed the thinner air. No problem, maybe. Next a huge huckleberry pancake breakfast, then back to the room to develop the final game plan. I'd use one drop bag at mile 25 with a change of socks, shirt, 3 packs of gu, and 3 bottles with Accelerade powder in measures for 10 miles, 5 miles, and 10 miles, to match the aid station locations where I could use their water and put the mix into my camelback as needed. For the first 25 miles, I had similar gu and 2 bottles ( camelback had a 24 oz. mix at the start ) carried in the rear webbing. People say you should get 50% of your nutrition from liquid and 50% from solids. As the temperature rose into the 90's, I made a final, realistic estimate of my expected elapsed time: 11 hours would be my goal. Bull Run, my first ultra was 10:42, Garden State, the other 50 miler, was 9:42, but I figured with the heat and possible altitude issues, I'd better scale back expectations in the interest of avoiding the dreaded bonk DNF. As it turned out, I finished in 10:55. with nearly even 25 mile splits.

With the result being so close to my expectations, it was confirmed to me that detailed picturing of the event beforehand goes a long way to ensure a successful outcome. In past runs I'd done all the legwork and proper tapering, only to find during the run that my logistics were not nearly so well thought out, leading to a sub-optimal result ( not enough food or liquid, or worse, foot problems ). It's well worth the effort to plan for what lies ahead, allow for a little slack time, and never underestimate the challenge.

Six of us made the early start ( 43 would start an hour later ), and with little fanfare, Mike Burke sent us off at 5:30. The first 19 miles were straightforward - hold yourself back a little, drink and pee a lot, conserve. Beyond the Barlow Pass aid station at mile 19, the trail climbs 2,000 feet to the turnaround on Mt Hood at Timberline. Having seen pictures of the sand field on the event website, I looked forward to getting above the tree line and into the open - a perfect day for the beach ! Walking up through the sand field and savoring the sweet smell and purple beauty of the wildflowers ( lupine ), I was passed by Pierce Cornelius, call it mile 24, or nearly half way. Later, I found that Pierce had bettered my finish time by 45 minutes, and that he's only 70 years old ( I'm 54 ). Way to go, Pierce!

Another goal I'd set was I'd try really hard not to hit the deck during the run. At Bull Run, I 'd bitten the dirt 6-8 times, and in the Nipmuck the rocks sent me down 10-12 times ( in the Nipmuck you'll see people wearing hand/wrist protectors, which I'd not seen before in a trail run ). Unlike hockey players who must look UP to avoid getting decked, trail runners have to look DOWN to avoid getting decked. This presents a conflict to one inspired by the magnificent beauty of Mt Hood in its snow-covered, 11,239 foot majesty, when, in hour two of the run, as you finally see it from out of the woods, pow! one of those rocks underfoot trips you by the toe and you stumble. But I did not fall! So now I took this as a warning, like the boxer who catches an unseen jab from his opponent: stay focused and look down! I stayed vertical until mile 30, where at a road crossing ( one of the very few ) I became distracted by some day hikers and went down. But I had to call on my imaginary rules judge, because I did managa a fingertip save as I approached horizontal, not even making palm contact on the ground and thus not actually falling: " No knockdown, only a slip," said he, " Knockdowns are full palm contact, minimum." ( diving shoulder separations, wrenched knee rolls, and face plants need no ruling from the referee - you're down, no question ! ).

At the turnaround, I spent a few extra minutes washing the dust off my feet and toes, and found going down through the sand field was quite a bit of fun. The day was perfectly clear, with Mt Hood's unmatched beauty over my left shoulder and the sound of gushing water from the snow melt making the entire scene come alive. Then back into the woods which were hotter and dustier than when I came up. When I reached the Wapinitia Pass/ Hwy 26 aid station at mile 35.5, it was still hotter and I sensed the dread bonk creeping into me, but I was still vertical ! I spent a couple extra minutes on watermelon, bananas, cantaloupe, pretzels and ice water ( great aid stations and terriffic volunteers - thanks again ! ) and pumped more S! and ibupropen before resolving to perservere more deliberately. 14 miles to go. Just walk a little more and drink, drink, drink to chase that bonk away. Then back to the jog/shuffle to pick up speed and pow! those rocks had singled out my middle toe on the right foot for their target. Like the fighter whose eye has been closed by repeated blows, unable to see the jabs thrown at his weakness, I, too, knew the rocks resolved to knock me down with shots to that same toe. For it hurts there and as you try to protect it from your adversary, you become even more vulnerable to his punishment. Another people distraction behind me and POW !! the rocks launched me forward where to avoid a mouthful of trail dirt I made the full contact hand save - it's an OFFICIAL KNOCKDOWN. No doubt about it. Bummer, man, but go on.

So rocks DO jump. This is in the context of Lord Byron's pronouncement, "Truth is stranger than fiction," he who swam the Hellespont with his club foot. Byron knew. In the 9th or 10th hour of this ultra run with the temperature in the 90's, I too, became aware of the fine line between truth and fiction. Conclusively, I determined that truth comes out of a strong imagination, while fiction mostly is what we think we perceive when we're not really trying to think. Consider the OREGON GAZE. This is a phenomenon observed by exhausted ultra runners who pass day hikers on the PCT. The hiker, appearing fresh and hearty, makes eye contact with the ultra runner - DEEP eye contact - as if to confirm an already decided upon fiction. So in the question posed, " Are you all right ?" the hiker betrays his fictional perception that the ultra runner is NOT all right. The truth ? "Of course I'm all right can't you see I came all the way across the country after training in the heat all summer just to run in this and there's no bonk and I can smell the barn already and I should be the one asking YOU are YOU all right since you're asking me such a lame question!"

Sometimes truth and fiction get switched around: consider the town near Mt Hood called Zigzag, or the tag line I saw there under a motel's No Vacancy sign saying "Sorry, dude."

The fictional aspect around Mt Hood is palpable: possibly the wild beauty of the place creates an overlay of idealism. So a fictional view is often more typical than a truthful one; after all, people fear pain, and truth is often painful. So, too, there was truthful pain in my right middle toe: those rocks for sure jump, else why would I go down for an eight count on the PCT to begin with ?

With 3 miles to go, the trail was more rocky and dusty than ever. Since I'd put more cold water into my hat than into my stomach, I was also dry mouthed and out of water. This is the GOOD PART, that moment all ultra runners of all abilities look forward to: how are you going to dig a little deeper to keep yourself going ? I screamed silently: "You didn't come ALL THE WAY OUT HERE TO WALK, did you? Get yourself in gear or forever regret it !" So my shuffle resumed, and soon someone says it's only 20 minutes to the road, and I keep pushing forward. Then I'm out of the woods and 1/4 mile from that wonderful "Finish" banner. The beautiful people who have run to completion cheer and clap my approach, and then there's no more running. End. I'm so happy and so grateful.

Every ultra run has its special gift for the participant. In the final quarter of the event you get a close up and personal view of what's real and what matters, and that's the point of doing it.

You should try this, the Mt Hood PCT 50 Miler. When you've finished, you'll get the best tasting hot soup ever. Only keep an eye out for that biggest rock of all, the mountain - 'cause you never know what rocks might do....

For those who are hiking the entire length of the PCT (known as thru hikers), they work their way by Mt Hood at just about the time we are doing our race. Every year I see four to six thru hikers as we run the race.

This year we passed by the PCT Girls and they have a website with updates of their journey. Check out the entry for 12th of August to find out what they thought of sharing the trail with us.

The PCT girls.