This last weekend I ran my 4th Voyageur 50 Mile Trail
Race. In 2012, this was my first
50 miler. Every year I keep going back because it has become one of my
favorite events. It is a no-frills
event, one of the oldest ultra marathons in Minnesota, and it has maintained a
down to earth, small town feel.
The race starts at 6am on Saturday, so Matt & I made the
2+ hour drive up on Friday evening, got my packet, and set up camp at Jay Cooke
State Park, which is only about 10 minutes from the start/finish area at the
Carlton High School.
We camped right next to my friend, Stephanie, and her
family. We swapped stories and
hung out while my amazing hubby cooked a yummy dinner over a single burner
stove. We had prepped a few things
at home to make cooking faster, and before long, I had chicken, roasted sweet
potatoes & asparagus ready for dinner.
About 9:15pm we decided it was time to make preparations for
bed, and set the alarm for 4:30am.
The campground was a little noisy, but I didn’t stress about it, and
actually slept ok for the night before a race.
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| My #1 fan, crew chief, head cook, best friend, and true love :) |
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| DINNER! |
At 4:30am the campground was very quiet, and we got up and
got organized for the day. I had
my liquid breakfast of Vegan Strawberry Shakeology & a cup of coffee. At 5:15am we head to the race start.
After checking in, using the bathrooms, taking a traditional pre-race selfie, and visiting with
other runners it was time get this race started.
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| Pre-race selfie! M. Leis photo |
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| Excited to get going! M. Leis photo |
Stephanie and I ran together for the first ¾ of mile on a
paved bike trail before the course made a right turn on to some technical
single track. We had both agreed
that we would run our own races this year. Within a few minutes, Stephanie had
pulled ahead, and I told myself to be patient & run intuitively. At 3.4 miles I came to the first aid
station at Jay Cooke State Park, and the course opens up into some wide,
grassy, cross country ski trails.
I arrived there in 42 minutes, feeling good, and sweating a lot already. I passed through this first
aid station without stopping, I was carrying enough water to get me
to the next one which was only a couple miles up the trail.
As I left the first aid station, I fell in line with a guy
named, Terry. We would
end up running much of the first half together. We chatted and enjoyed having the company to pass the miles. The
second & third aid stations arrived quickly. I was definitely sweating, and trying to make sure that I
was eating and drinking enough. I
popped salt tablets every hour or so along with eating potato chips and peanut
butter and jelly sandwiches at the aid stations. I was still feeling pretty good.
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| Hanging out with my new friend! M. Leis photo |
The powerlines are really what Voyageur is known for – you
run through this section of power lines that are exposed and incredibly hilly –
probably 200-300 feet straight up & then straight back down. If they are dry, it’s tough but
doable. When they are wet, it is
like a giant slip and slide. On
the outbound direction, they were wet this year. On the first one going up you would step
and then slide back, and grab onto whatever vegetation you could find – some of
those bushes were thorn bushes, so I brought home some scrapes and scratches,
too. But I finally made it through
the section without any falls and still feeling ok.
The rest of the outbound course is pretty runnable – some
technical down hill switch backs, a creek crossing or two (enough to soak your
shoes enough that they never really dry) and a nice downhill gravel section to
the turn around at the zoo.
As I was approaching the turn around at the Duluth Zoo, I
would count the women in front of me.
I like to know about where I stand in the pack, and I was looking for
Steph to see how far ahead she was.
She is so strong on courses like this, I was confident she’d be in
the top 10. When I saw Steph
coming up the trail, she was 7th or 8th woman and maybe
20 minutes in front of me, looking good.
I was sitting in 10th or 11th place.
I refilled my pack at the turnaround and quickly headed back
up the trail. It is a long up hill
grind. I ran-walked up the gravel
trail & passed a couple women along the way. This felt good, and I knew I had cracked the top 10. I was feeling confident.
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| Leaving the turn around aid station at the Zoo. M. Leis photo |
Confidence in an ultra event can be short lived. A short while later I was starting to crack – and needing to
find that special place inside my head where I can grind out the miles and
continue to move forward. I had
started to experience some chaffing on the inside of my left thigh. At one of the aid stations I asked for
vasaline, but it didn’t help. I
noticed a hot spot on the bottom of each foot. I worked on keeping my feet dry through the creek crossings
on the way back, but all I really wanted was a fresh pair of socks.
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| Coming into the Beck's Road Aid Station 31 miles. M. Leis photo |
I saw Matt at an aid station at 31 miles, along with
his friend, Jason. That definitely
made me feel better. I got a 5
hour energy drink from him that I put in my pocket for later. I knew I’d need a caffeine kick before
the power lines a second time.
More uphill hiking. My
thighs were on fire. My feet were hurting. And soon enough I was back in the power lines. This time they were dry, but it was so
hot. When you’d crest the top, I’d feel a breeze and that would offer a slight
reprieve. Onward.
As I came into the next aid station, I got some ice for my
hat, potato chips & filled my pack with ice and water. Keep moving forward. Then I saw another woman just ahead of
me, I passed her and offered a word or two of encouragement. I knew I was in the top 10 now. I had to keep moving and not get passed
back. Shortly after that I saw
another woman ahead of me. She was
pretty far up the trail and moving well.
I told myself to be patient, and stay strong, and not worry too much
about it. My competitiveness got
the better of me, and I was pushing hard.
Too hard for having 10 miles left to go.
I ended up catching and passing her and she told me I was
now in 9th place. I
thanked her for the information & told her she was moving well. I was thrilled. I knew I wouldn’t run a personal best
time, but to finish in the top 10, that would be awesome.
A lot can happen in the last 10 miles of a race…. Remember
that chaffing I mentioned, I kept pulling my shorts down to cover it, but it
wasn’t helping. My feet felt like
the bottoms of were disintegrating. I was having a much harder time keeping my body from over
heating.
I came into the 2nd to last aid station, 5+ miles
from the finish needing water and ice.
As I arrived, and as the aid station volunteer was filling my pack, the
woman I had recently passed, blew through aid station and was out in
front of me. I didn’t have my pack on to
even try to chase her down. I
sighed and told myself that 10th was ok, too. I knew I couldn’t catch her.
I left the aid station not feeling great. I knew the next section was pretty
runnable, and to try to run what I could without over heating. I passed a few guys along the way, and
offered words of encouragement. I
had been running alone since 20 miles or so. I was getting tired of the conversations in my head. I was really wanting to be done.
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| Leaving the 2nd to last aid station. M. Leis photo |
At the last aid station, Matt & Jason were there, and a
volunteer asked me what I wanted – “Ice & chips,” I responded. Ice in my hat, and a handful of chips
to go, I was on my way. I wanted
to be done and the only way that was going to happen was if I kept moving.
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| On the Swinging Bridge headed towards the finish line. M. Leis photo |
I crossed the swinging bridge and onto the technical
trail. I was struggling. I was walking, and not power walking, just
walking. A few guys passed me, and
then 2 women passed me… So much for that top 10 finish again this year. I was starting to see things – rocks that
didn’t look like rocks, trees that didn't look like trees, and feeling very much like I did at Superior 2013. I just kept telling myself to keep
moving, and the faster I move the sooner I'd be done. I was no longer having any fun.
My thoughts moved to my friend, Toni, who is fighting
cancer. I hadn’t had the
opportunity to visit with her before I left for the weekend, and I wanted to
dedicate this race to her. I knew
that her battle is so much harder than any chaffing, blisters or heat rash I
was going to experience. I thought
about her a lot those last 3 miles.
I prayed for her and for her family. I knew the last .7 mile was on a hot paved trail leading
back to Carlton and the finish line at the high school. I prayed for a breeze.
I finally got to the paved trail. I told myself that I had to run. Just get this over and done with. I was running and all of a sudden I felt it – a cool
breeze. I looked up to the sky and
said “thank you!” It was a magical moment.
Soon, I turned the corner and had the school in sight. I didn’t have a finish line kick, but I
jogged it in and received my finisher’s mug. I finished in 11 hours and 25 minutes.
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| Almost there! |
Matt, Jason & Stephanie were all waiting for me at the finish. I am so blessed to have such a supportive husband & amazing friends that support these crazy adventures. And I can't wait to go back next year for #5!!
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| 4 years of Voyageur :) |
Until next time!!
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