Part of the course is my home training area and I did do some training runs up in the Chuckanut mountain trails to be familarized. Did it in sections over weekends. But now it was going to be put all together in one day. I was shooting for about 7 hours (guesstemate)knowing that I would have some walking.

Started off in the back of the pack and ran easy and controlled, by the time we hit Arroyo Park after 2 miles it had become single file and spread out. Running on the flat Interurban trail, I started to notice the tops of my thighs were becoming sore (like I had done hard sprints?). Never had this happen this early in a run. Kinda went away later on and wasn't a problem. Was wearing my yellow rail slicker and wished I would have left it behind. So I took it off and tied it around waist, (had to constantly fidgit with it since it would stay tied. Planned to drop it off at the 7 mile aid station.

I had a Fuelbelt two bottle holder (Accelerad drink)and my vest had packets of Clif Blocks, Accel Gels, and I bought a disposable camera from Rite Aide to catch interesting moments (maybe).
At the first Aid station (63 minutes for 6 miles or so) thought about peeing in restroom, but saw a line, decided to find a spot later in the woods. Next section of run was the Fragrance Lake Trail.

I've been on this trail a couple of times and knew what to expect. Expected to do some walking on the steep parts and shuffle the flats portions. HR hung around the high 160s, low 170s. Glasses started to Fog up since this was deep forest and no breeze, and felt like I didn't have much energy to even shuffle. Had bunches of runners pass me. Kept telling myself to run my race, not worry about them. As we continued on going up the steep sections and switchbacks, really started having self doubts and anxiety of "WHAT THE HECK AM I DOING?" "how do you quit at the aid stations for a ride back?"
Since we haven't gone through any mud, someguy went by me (did I tell you I got passed alot) asked me if I was a marathon maniac, since He saw my Ironman Tattoo. OBSERVATION: Runners don't have as many tattoos visiable as compared to Triathletes.
Finally got to Fragrance Lake and got up on the downhill logger trail. I couldn't see anyone in front and nobody was behind me. (I had seen some guy that was more pooped than me on the switchbacks-that was some comfort). Glasses cleared, i was able to pee on the trail side and felt better going downhill. BUT, the trail was a precurser to the trail condition....narrow track, chewed up mud, slippery, some sections you could skate 2 feet in the mud. Finally got to the next aid station, passed a bunch of runners who were chowing down on the snacks.

Next was the 2.9 mile climb up Cleator Road. Basically a power walk, chatted with a couple other runners about having done Ironmans. Most of the time I'm by myself.

Got to the next aid station, Volunteers (AWESOME PEOPLE) grabbed the water bottles to fill, found the special need bags for you and were really supportive.

RidgeLine Trail. Flat, twisty turny, severe up and down climbs around roots and smooth rocks (that were muddy and wet), parts of the trail had 150 ft dropoffs right next to the trail. Went down on 5 ft drop trying to step on the roots like a step and slipped onto my ass. Basically gave myself a wedgie with my wet shorts.
Felt alot better during this section, passed a few, but also got passe by more, always had a down hill feeling....finally made it to Dans Traverse (after 3 miles) and moved on to the Lost Lake Trail Section (about 3-4 miles of flat muddy trail). I ran this back in the winter with the dog and knew this had mud holes and huge water puddles. I was still observing mud holes and the trail to find the best line to get around without getting to muddy and wet. After awhile, I gave on it and just plowed through. Realized where you see running water is a hard surface, and the edges were mossy, shoe sucking mud. Paced off some young girls for the next 3 or so miles. We made the turn to go back up into the mountains. Trail became solid mud (think running through ankle deep chocolate pudding with milk added). Did another downhill section of switchbacks that was back into the thick plowed field mud. (remember over 200 pairs of feet had already gone through).

Next section was the Little Chinscrapper (final uphill before hitting aid station with needs bags) I had explored the lower portion last weekend, but the not the upper hard sections... Just became steeper and steeper. Switchbacks of roots and rocks, like you were climbing up steps plus add mud. They had put on signs along side the trail to motivate which was nifty. Couple of times you just have to pull off the side of the trail to catch breath and let the legs recover. My HR was fine, but just the act of lifting mud soaked feet to go up was excruciating (gotta figure this is after already going over 22 miles).
Finally got up to the top and back into the parking lots and down into the aid station. Raining constant and going down the Cleator Road the wind was blowing and I started to think I might get Hypothermic, Ate a whole bag of Cola Clif Bloks. The next three plus miles were all downhill to The last aid station. Ran with a Vancouver Lady and chatted, but I finally let her go and fidgited with my FuelBelt. Little things always distract me and I hate a slipping belt. Downhill was such a pounding to the thighs, you want to go faster but each landing is painful, plus my feet were soaked.
Got to the aid station and saw the offical time was 6:08. (First place finish in 4:10, record is 3:52 by Uli Steidl -Seattle marathon stud, Scott Jurek did it in 4:something)
Knew that something over 7 hours would be the finish time, and this is now my familiar training run section. At different times during the run, I had the snakes in the calves feeling, now getting off the downhill and transitioning to hard flat surface, I felt those snakes crawling in my calves. Started to do the walk for ten steps and run for a couple of minutes. The miles went by slowly, I had dumped my one water bottle of water and had half a bottle of ZippFizz drink for the finishing miles. I had no interest in any gels (at what point would you take a final gel and would it make a difference?). I wasn't feeling bonky, just worn down in the muscles, bones, tendons.
Was able to run the final mile and half straight with no walk. Got to the finish line, apolgized to the officals as they took off the timing chip from shoe that it had mud on it. they laughed. Got my bag, hobbled a quarter mile to my truck and went home.

Loose weight. I weighed 216 on wake up that morning, plus carried too much extra gels and Clif Bloks.
Run alot more on the trails for training, especially uphill.

I'm not sure how I would grade the Overall run. Average, I did what I expected, knew that I would walk and would suffer. And it was first time.

Nothing.


Weight, training had been done on hill trails at Lake Padden. But not the same kind....Need to run 7 miles and than go hit the trails to get the same kind of feeling.


Hard run. Not sure If I would do it again. Don't have to worry about that decision till November.
Lots of mental challenges. Had three songs run around in my head during the race. First was the Seasme Street song, in the middle section, I had the Stone Temple Pilot song, "Bing Bam Boom" and at the finishing miles, the old song about Wolverton Mountain....Weird stuff.

Took pictures during the first two hours, but afterthat, I gave up diggin the camera out of pocket, plus the camera was getting soaked and the cardboard box was crumbling.