Night Run at Pemberton

I was a little apprehensive going into this run. I can't really refer to it as a race, because it wasn't. 12 hours was the time limit. 15.4 miles was the loop. The challenge? Run as far as you want. In the dark.

I have run in the dark before, but not on a trail. Running on pavement is quite different than a rocky, unstable trail when your field of vision is limited to the small beam created by your headlamp. The other problem is that I'm a morning runner. I run within 30 minutes of climbing out of bed. I don't eat breakfast unless I'm going for a long run or hard interval workout, and then it's limited to liquid nutrition. I was worried about how I'd fare after being awake for 12 hours prior to the start of the race. I was very careful all day about eating easily digestible carbs and limited fat. Lots of toast with honey, fresh fruit. About 2 hours prior to the race I mixed up a slushie with ice and EFS Energy Drink from First Endurance. I sipped it slowly thinking the combination of ice and electrolytes might help me out in the 106 degree temps at the starting line.

I arrived at the Pemberton trail head about an hour before the race start. There were dozens of people milling about, very relaxed and low key. I picked up my bib number, timing chip and got all my gear together. For months I'd been hearing from a good friend of mine about the atmosphere at ultra races. This one definitely lived up to most of the stereotype. But I did feel like a little bit of an outsider. Everyone seemed to know each other and they were gathered in small groups chatting. Within a few minutes we were gathered at the start line and with little fanfare we were off and running.

The sun had just dipped behind the mountains in the west when we started which provided a huge relief from the intense beating the sun had been handing out. Yes, at 106 it was hot, but it was bearable. I got into a good rhythm and cruised through the first 5 miles before I had to stop and dig out my headlamp. I was very excited about trying out my new Petzl Tikka. My previous headlamp was not LED so it was not bright enough for the trails. I love the Petzl. It has a little shutter that pulls up over the beam to spread out the focus and give a wider field of vision. And, it has a little whistle attached to the head strap! So if I were to get lost, hurt, bit by a rattlesnake... I could call for help! I am such a tech junkie it's ridiculous. In all seriousness, I loved my new headlamp and it was well worth the money I spent on it.

After mile 6, I got separated from the friend I had been running with when he stopped to walk. I began to really enjoy the experience as it was dark, and the runners had spread out enough that I was truly alone and it was so peacefully quiet. I kept looking around for the full moon that was rumored to be making an appearance. As my watch beeped signaling 8 miles, I glanced up and had the most amazing view it literally took my breath away. It was as if someone had attached a marionette string and slowly pulled the moon up over the mountains in the East. It was indeed a full moon, and it was huge. I've never seen the moon like this before. It was stunning. It was bright with an almost orange hue, and it filled the night sky. Absolutely gorgeous. I wished my husband were there with me to share in the moment.

I continued on my run enjoying the solitude. Every once in a while I could see the lights of other runners bobbing on the trail ahead of me. I tried to keep my eyes on the trail because, as I reminded my friends, my middle name is not "Grace". I have been known to trip and fall on flat ground. I did a good job of staying upright and I actually think I'm a pretty good trail runner. (I'm not biased at all, of course.) With 2 miles to go, the first of the lead runners began to pass me heading in the opposite direction. The course was set to run in washing machine loops which means that you run the first loop counter-clockwise, then the second loop clockwise and continue to alternate until time runs out.

I finished my first loop and grabbed a cup of electrolyte drink and a cup of coke. I had planned on running approximately 3 hours 20 minutes or 20 miles as this was my last long run before the marathon coming up in a couple of weeks. I refilled my water and headed back out on the trail to find my running partner. I ran about a mile when I saw her coming down the trail. She had been sick (as had a lot of other folks it turned out) and was feeling pretty bad. I turned around and ran it in with her and as we sat in the transition area we debated whether or not to keep running. I rationalized that I had already ran 3:10 which was the equivalent of 19 miles on the road... good enough for me. I was worried about her since she had been vomiting and it was still really hot. We decided to call it a night, did a little stretching and then headed home.

Swapping stories with friends after the finish, I realized that I had a pretty decent run. Most everyone else I talked to had been vomiting... either from the heat, poor hydration, or dizziness from running with a headlamp. UltraGlass, who is attempting his first hundred miles in 3 weeks, had hoped for 62 miles. He finished with 47 miles before the cutoff and learned a lot about what it's going to take to complete the hundred miles. I have no doubt that he will finish, but I think it's good that he has had to take a step back and learn something from this experience. It will definitely help him come race day. You can look for his race report in a few weeks.

What I find most amazing about the Night Run, is that when I least expect it, I learn something about myself. I learned that I'm a pretty good trail runner and a pretty good night runner. (I'm not the least bit biased, of course!) I also learned that despite my dislike for the hot temperatures, I can handle them when I am prepared. I didn't expect to have this much fun, or to be amazed by the scenery. Now, I am really excited about signing up for the Pemberton 50k which, for the first time in 10 years, is going to be held as a night run. The Javelina 12 hour Night Run was another epic journey.