2012 Miwok 100K

http://connect.garmin.com/splits/175664545
http://ultraresults.net/miwok/pages/overall_results.php?ek=SLhB9C

UNOFFICIAL TIME (STARTED LATE 14 MINS; TIME BY GARMIN) : 15:48:46
OFFICIAL TIME : 16:02:34
STARTERS: 354
FINISHERS: 264
DNFs : 90
DNF RATE : 25.4 %

THE START
One of my worst race fears happened the day of the race. My Iphone malfunctioned and the alarm failed to work. Something software related caused it, I know because, I checked it again and again prior and after it malfunctioned that the alarm settings were set correctly. I went to bed at 1:40am hoping to get an hour of sleep with the iphone alarm set at 2:40am knowing that the race starts at exactly 5am sharp in the morning, expecting to leave home at 3:10am and because I am about 80 mins away from the start. So imagine my horror when I woke up to see the time at 3:34am!!! If it wasn't for my anxiety, I would have waken up in the morning. The good thing was that I finished preparing all my things (race clothes,drop bag,etc.) beforehand before heading to bed that it only took about 10 minutes to get dressed up, wake the little kids (they're only 6 and 8), and get all ready to leave for the Miwok race. I thanked my amazing and very supportive wife for making this possible. Thank you Jet!!   Since there was no more time, I intentionally skipped breakfast and ate just 2 powerbar gels for breakfast. As expected, we got there late, also missed the correct turn to the parking area that I had to just alight from the van and seek direction from what looked to us like a friendly volunteer. She helped me and even ran with me to the race start location. As soon as I got there, I got my Bib and pinned it, left my drop bag to the correct pile, and then asked for directions where to run. Luckily, the volunteers were still there and when I was done and ready to go, I realized I was a 14 FULL minutes behind when I started my GPS watch and that I had a lot of catching up to do in terms of running (sigh). The event was such a big deal to me so despite the gravity of the situation, I was still really thankful because I still managed to avoid a DNS. So I started running...one block at a time just to encounter a volunteer at a corner or on the road who are coming back to the start along with their directional signs/paraphernalia because they were done with the volunteer work (sigh). They were all pleasantly surprised that I was a runner but they were very helpful in steering me into the right direction. Finally, after running some strech in the road, I encountered one final volunteer who said to me that I was close to the trails. He said to me, "see those 2 (tiny) lights, those are the sweepers. Be sure to stay in front of them because they have started taking down the ribbons." I breathe a sigh of relief after hearing those words. Finally, I knew that I was in the race. Soon enough, I was able to catch up with them and again they have that surprised look that I was a runner. When all things settled with them, they said to me  "Don't worry, we'll try to stay right behind you.".

THE CHASE
Right there and then started the "chase". The first 2 miles climbs 1800 ft . I started running, seeing the ribbons, I knew where to go but there were no sign of runners. After 5 minutes on the trails came a view of a parade of lights high up in the mountains. Now, I knew where the 2nd to the last runner was... :-) However, it took me a full 28 minutes to catch up with the last runner which was previously me. Before the race, I had this plan of trying to break my last year's time (14:25) and even sub-14 but with the 14 minutes lost, I wasn't sure anymore though I remained optimistic since I basically just started the race and knew that a lot can happened (or go wrong for that matter).

PASSING OTHER RUNNERS
For the first time in my races, I experienced what it felt to start from behind and then pass a lot of runners. It was a very nice feeling! I knew I passed a lot of people but didn't realized how many until I met my pacer at M50 who told me that I was in 238th position by M12.6 out 354 runners who started.

FIRST MILES
The first few miles were kind of slow as I was slowed by slower runners running on single track trails. Nothing I can do here but wait. I didn't mind it but I was very anxious for the single track trails to end so I can run my pace.  By M7, I was running my own pace. By M9, a scary ankle twisting incident happened. I kind of slowed down from that point on for a mile or 2 just to make sure and to feel whether or not I injured my ankle.

TOE NAIL PUSHING
M10 to M12 featured a killer downhill - a descent of close to -1000 ft in 2 miles. I was running the downhills very loosely and it always felt great bombing it. However, during the run down,  I began to feel some toe nail pushings against the front of my shoe. At this point, I tried to control my downhill speed/approach hoping to prevent any pain later on.

SLOWING DOWN
I was running pretty good until I was coming back up that killer downhill. I noticed that my pace kind of slowed down a little bit when I began to notice a few runners passing me again after having passed them before.  I reached M26.2 on practically the same strength/pace from M12.6 onwards.

STEEP CLIMB/STEPS
After refueling at M26.2, came the climb from the Stinson Beach Fire Department station for about 3 miles. After this climb probably is the point where I began to weaken and my energy began to declined and get sapped. I think it was the heat; there was practically no breeze to cool you off at this point. The climb down to Muir Beach was slower due to some toe nail pushing pains but at least I was still maintaining a decent pace (in other words "moving").

LOW POINTS / TURNAROUND
 M33 to M42 were my low points. It was very difficult at this point. It feels so hot and with no breeze, it's really difficult to move on. It changed a little bit when I started heading down to Rodeo Beach because there was finally a breeze coming from the pacific ocean. It cooled me off and probably helped me with my misery. I feel that I was a bit faster with the breeze than earlier on. When I reached Rodeo Beach, I was at M46. At this juncture, I was only 4+ miles until I can see my pacer at M50.5.

WITH PACER MON
I finally reached Tennessee Valley and apologized to my pacer, Mon Santana who have been waiting for 1.5 hrs. I earlier told him that I can probably reach M50 in 11 hrs. However, this was based from the course last year. I thought they just reconfigured the trails a little bit but I was wrong.  This year's version was totally different from last year's. I knew by the time I reached Tennessee valley that beating my last year's time was long out of the question. At this point, I also came to the realization that it is now possible for me to DNF if I were not make 16.5 hrs cut-off time. If I remember it correctly, at this point, I had 4 hrs to finish the remaining 12+ miles. It is possible but not if I average more than 20 min-miles. Despite that, I got comfort upon hearing from my pacer that Dave Mackey finished  1 hr 11 mins slower than last year validating my assumption the course this year was a monster and was way more difficult.  Thank you Mon for the excellent pacing!

NEW GOAL:  15.5 hrs
By M54.5, pace improved slightly that 15.5 hrs was my new adjusted goal. I was banking on my ability to run downhills faster . However, that did not work. There's too much pain for me (from toe nails) to ignore if I were to run any faster than I was able to do.   So the next 13 miles with my pacer was a difficult 17 min mile average (approx) - it was the best I can do especially with with 2 more big climbs. I got to wear my headlamps again somewhere between M59 and M60.  At the top of the first of two hills, I saw the super Moon arising from the horizon. It was a nice view though I couldn't really tell the difference from the regular moon. From M60 onwards, I still managed to pass 3 more runners. The 2nd one, unfortunately was a runner who had no headlamps as she thought she would make it to the finish before night fall and so she intentionally left her light at M38. We were kind of running in the same pace in the beginning for a close to couple of miles but as soon as the Stinson town lights came into view, I started to feel a surge of adrenaline and began to run faster.

NEW GOAL SUB-16 and THE FINISH
Since I was running faster now, my pacer decided to stay back with the other runner since she had no lights and for me to continue running on alone. Again, I now have readjusted goal of running sub-16 hours and was on track hoping for exactly 62.6 mile distance per my Garmin. But No, 62.6 became 62.7 then 62.8 then 62.9 then at M63.0 , that Sub-16 goal was gone again. However, It was at this point that I was finally able to hear screams emanating from somewhere close to the finish. In the last quarter mile, I ran as hard as I can, was able to pass the last of the 3 runners, and finally, I finished the race! It was one difficult monster race. It had close to 13000 ft of climb and it had 63.25 miles.

Despite starting the race late by 14 minutes, missing my 14 hr time goal, missing my last year's course PR goal (14:25), and in the last mad dash to the finish, missing sub-16 hours - all these became irrelevant because I finished. I finished officially in 16:02:34 and unofficially in 15:48:46.  I totally had no regrets. I admit there were a lot of things I can improved upon but I'd do this again next year without thinking twice.