Crunch Time

This past week was crunch time.  Less than 3 weeks until the race on October 15.  This was the “I did my homework” week, and the “if I haven’t put in the miles and time by now, it’s too late”, week.   My plan was for two back to back runs, one of at least 20 miles.  Ron, my training buddy, and I decided to do the easy 22 miles from Tahoe Meadows at the top of Mt. Rose at 8500 feet to Spooner Summit last Wednesday.  The gain in elevation would be 2600 feet with 4000 feet of descent.  Two major climbs contributed to the challenge - one up to Marlette peak and the other to Snow Valley Peak.  Tuesday night, I was excited about the run.  The discovery of how my body would perform over the next few days was the unknown and I had some trepidation, self doubt and the usual morning jitters before the attempt of a big goal.

I woke up early Wednesday morning, had my coffee, did e-mails, had a regular breakfast and packed my stuff.  I would bring an 80 oz. Camelback filled with water, crackers, Nature Valley Bars and a peanut butter and honey sandwich.  I would also bring my camera, my ipod and my waist pack with a 22 oz bottle filled with half strength NUNN.  When I hefted my pack it was heavy – I’m guessing maybe 15 pounds.  I decided to bring my 50 oz Camelback just in case I decided at the last minute that the big Camel would be too much.  Ha – it turns out I was lucky I did!

Ron and I met at Spooner Summit at 8 a.m. which is on the east side of Lake Tahoe at the top of Highway 50.  We both arrived within minutes of each other and on time.  Ah, I thought, this is a good start!  Ron and I greeted each other with hugs and howdies.  We were both excited to be doing this point to point run on such a gorgeous fall day on one of the most beautiful trails in the world – the Tahoe Rim Trail.  Ron pulled out his Camelback, an almost identical version of the one I had and exclaimed at how heavy it was.  I said, yes, mine was heavy, too as I reached behind the front seat of my car to retrieve it.  Alas, it was not there!

I had forgotten it at home.  I immediately visualized it sitting there next to the door so I wouldn’t forget it!  Well, thank the running gods that I had brought my other Camelback.  Ron reassured me that he had 100 ounces and could share if we needed to.  Although temps were projected to be in the 90’s in Reno, we were at 9000 feet and hopefully, wouldn’t feel much more than 80 degrees.  Water shouldn’t be an issue.

Leaving my truck at Spooner, we hopped in Ron's Subaru and headed for a quick stop at 7-11 in Incline Village where we bought breakfast sausage muffins for both of us, some cookies and another Nature Valley bar.  Ron’s positive, no worries attitude, cured my annoyance at having forgotten my pack and we were soon on our way up to the Tahoe Meadows near the Mt. Rose summit.

We arrived at the TRT/Tahoe Meadows trailhead before 9 am, locked up Ron’s Subaru and were about ready to start trotting away when Ron asked me if I brought my car keys.  Glad he asked, because I had left them in his car.  Gees, almost blew it again!  Back to the car, grabbed the keys and my drivers license, and put them in my waist pack. The usual jokes about being blond made us both chuckle.

Unfortunately, I had left my camera in my pack at home so I don’t have pictures to share here.  The run was spectacularly beautiful.  The views of Marlette Lake with Lake Tahoe below it are breathtaking from the Tahoe Rim Trail which travels the top of the ridge bisecting views east from west.  Washoe Valley on the eastern side of the Sierras with Washoe Lake, Carson City and to the north the casinos of Reno are clearly visible.  And to the west, the Tahoe Sierras frame Lake Tahoe, snow still gracing the high mountains in the Desolation Wilderness on the west side of Lake Tahoe.

Purple wild flowers carpeted the shoulders of Snow Valley Peak.  The forest, green and lush, appeared as it would in mid-August, not late September!

We did this run in a VERY leisurely fashion.  We finished the 22 miles in less than 6 hours so nothing speedy.  The last miles were downhill and I finished them at a good strong pace.  My average heart rate for the run was only 107 bpm and I didn't exceed 131 bpm.

Thursday, the next day, I began to get ready to go run and realized that I couldn’t find my drivers license.  I searched everywhere and thought that I must have dropped it near my car the day before.  Late that afternoon, I drove up to Mt. Rose and did 12 miles alone on the TRT, the same trail we had started on yesterday, but at a faster pace.  My legs weren’t sore, just a bit tired.  Maintaining a constant 180 cadence eliminated the feeling of going slow.  I was amazed at how easily the miles went by.  ChiRunning at its finest.

Trail in first miles from Tahoe Meadows trailhead

Trail thru green forest at 8500 feet

Diamond Peak Ski Area lift bullwheel seen from trail - aid station site during TRT races

Trail just below Diamont Peak Ski Lift

Overlooking Washoe Valley to the east

Washoe Lake below

I think my brain was pretty fuzzy at the end of that run because I decided to do the lower meadow loop not knowing how far it would be.  Not a good choice to explore trail I'd never been on right at dusk! I guessed maybe a mile and a half and judged that I would have enough daylight left to complete it.  Well, I misjudged the distance and ended up still in the forest in the fading light hoping that the trail would turn back to my car before it really got dark.  Eventually it did, and thankfully I didn’t stumble over anything, no evening critters came out to scare me and I got the miles I wanted that day.  The moon was out when I arrived at my truck.

The next day, I went to the DMV to get a duplicate license and was lucky to spend only 30 minutes there!  Lucky me, they used my old picture and my U.S. Passport hadn’t expired yet. 

Saturday was spent teaching a ChiRunning Workshop to five enthusiastic students who loved the class and were thrilled to see progress in their running form that day.

Sunday, Dave and I drove to the Five Lakes Trailhead off of Alpine Meadows Road and ran an 11 mile out and back with 2300 feet of climb.  Right before I left, I found my old drivers license safely tucked inside my pack where I had put it. It was the one place I hadn’t looked!  I had spent a lot of time trying to find that stupid thing on Thursday morning!!!  ARRGH!  Oh well, now I'll have two

The relentless climb up the Five Lakes trail

View of Alpine Meadows Ski Area from trail (Trail is far left)

Dave

One of the Five Lakes

The week is over and I ran 50 miles with two major back to backs.  It had taken me three days to recover from the 34 miles I had run over two days, but I had experienced the ability to run comfortably when fatigued both in mind and body.  The 12 miles I completed the day after the 22 was relaxed and fluid.  A great accomplishment for the week.  My homework is done.  Now it's time to maintain and taper, then take the test in 19 days.