I'm looking at the 50k for my first >26.2 race, any tips or suggestions? Does anyone have experience with this particular race course? It's kind of funny, I've never really liked running, I only started running because I couldn't do tri's without it, and now although I'm slow on a good day I'm intrigued and looking forward to trying longer races.
I'm looking at the 50k for my first >26.2 race, any tips or suggestions? Does anyone have experience with this particular race course? It's kind of funny, I've never really liked running, I only started running because I couldn't do tri's without it, and now although I'm slow on a good day I'm intrigued and looking forward to trying longer races.
Thanks!
I did it last year during a back to back weekend...had this one on saturday and one in Ill on sunday....was gonna do the 50K due to it starting before the marathon but it was my first back to back weekend so opted for the marathon....had 2 miles left to go and was with another runner who was finishing the 50 miler and the folks at the last aid station (which we later found out was the aid station for the relay) sent us both the wrong way and we did a 6 mile loop....thank God it brought us in a loop and back there as we had no idea where we were when we would be back or anything...was sending FB messages to the RD on their site and they finally figured out what had happened.....so I ended up doing a little more then a 50K that day hahaha. I knew something was wrong as I didnt see my color flags and the 50 mile guys and some others were there so it was the start part of the 50 miler and 50k that looped in somehow, I wanted to turn back but we knew he was almost done due to his mileage and he said no this is my colors and I would say well I only have a little more then 2 miles also and my color isnt here cant imagine the finish being different for out races with the same distance to cover? It was pretty, there were some nice trails and also open prairie type fields....hot but was expected.
I haven't done this specific race, but have ran the Kettle Moraine 100k which uses a lot of the same course. I think it would be a good choice. A lot of the course is runnable and wide. I thought the forest was pretty awesome. I've done a different North Face 50k and the course support and organization was top-notch. The 9 hour cut-off should also let you run at your own pace without rushing the experience too much.
Cool, thanks for the replies. I'm nursing a shoulder injury and can't swim right now, which is simply a good excuse to finally concentrate on my running!
I ran the Madison 50k last year and it was my first >26.2. I loved it. I thought it was very hilly but it is manageable. Took me a while to figure out that I should walk the steep hills and not run them. The trails are nice and wide, rocky, and there is a good long section of sand around the twenty mile mark to about 25. It was hot last year and my water bottle that i carried didn't cut it. Was running out of water between aid stations. Again, I enjoyed it and I signed up for the 50 miler this year. Where do you live?
I'm about 2 hours northwest of Mpls/St. Paul, so a good ways away. Luckily I have a great state park with perfect, hilly trails about 6 miles from my door. Makes the trails either great for midway through a long run, or I'll drive over there and can run endless variations throughout the trail system to easily get 15 miles in within the park. I'll be down in the Madison-Chicago area in June running Ragnar this year, looking forward to it!
Just wanted to update this: I'll have a race report up soon I hope, but wanted to let everyone know this was an excellent race. Very nice, scenic and easy course, perfect for your first or for a PR. My wife did Voyager 50 mile a couple months ago in 11:30ish, she finished the 50 mile here in 9:42.