Ultra Adventures

CIMG0077, originally uploaded by ncultra.

After experiencing frost-bitten toes this past December at the Hellgate 100K I was apprehensive about running in the snow at the 2010 Holliday Lake 50k.

Fortunately, Jonathan Savage reminded me of something I knew and practised but had forgotten: coating Vaseline on your feet to keep them warmer in Winter conditions. In fact, Jonathan has an entire page of cold-weather running tips.

In my early ultrarunning career I used to put Vaseline all over my toes and heels to prevent blisters. As my feet toughened I stopped this practice. Now I’m doing it again, not to prevent blisters, but to prevent frostbite.

Yes, I slathered Bag Balm all over my feet before Holiday Lake. It worked well enough to keep my feet warm. I did have some pain in my frostbitten toe early in the race and after the race, but otherwise OK.

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CIMG0086, originally uploaded by ncultra.

I really enjoy the Holiday Lake 50K every year, although sometimes I wonder why I like it. The course is unremarkable (although the current course is much better than the pre-2009 version). I never do very well at HL, either. Usually I am getting over some type of flu or sinus infection every February. In 2007 I won “Best Blood” by splitting my head open on an overhanging branch a couple of miles from the finish. My 14-year-old Son Samuel took advantage of my mishap to run away from me and finish around 1 minute before I did. I always finish lower than my seeded number.

But I always enjoy the HL 50k. I think it has something to do with cabin fever. It’s great to be outside running with a bunch of other folks in the woods. The race is always organized perfectly, there is always a hot shower and a hot lunch after you finish.

In all the years I’ve run HL there has never been this much snow on the course. This was a lot of hard work, the most I’ve ever worked for a 50K finish. In fact, my finishing time this year is identical to my finishing time at Promise Land in 2009. Promise land is at least a couple of miles longer and has around 7000 feet of climbing that HL does not have.

When I crossed the finish line, I said to Dr. Horton “I sure am glad to see you.” I told Melinda after I finished the only good things about the run were that the woods are pretty in the snow and that the sun came out.

Because I registered for the Beast series this year (crazy and irrational for sure), I had to finish HL this year. I did. Time to move on. I have two marathons and a 50k coming up in the next six weeks.

I’m anticipating Spring!

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