50 miles! yup! I ran 50 mother truckin’ miles! How? Why? you ask... Well its allot harder than just putting one foot in front of the other I can tell ya...
The thought of running the Squamish 50 miler hit me in 2015, after having a horrible Squamish 50k run in 2014, I thought it best to volunteer and run SQ 23k in 2015 and had a fantastic time.Volunteering on the Saturday watching all the 50 mile runners come through my check point. (Angry Midget and Climb trail Mile 32) seeing the range of emotions on every runners face was entertaining and massively encouraging. Some were in allot of pain and you can see it on their face, others were so happy to be out in the trails going through the highs and lows that come with ultra distance running. Standing there cheering I said to myself... “im gonna do this next year!”.
2016 Rolled around and I was filled with vim and vigor. Ran Chuckanut 50k in March, ran some smaller 5 peaks races (Golden ears is my favourite) had a great training year...
up until my last long training run before the race... where I fell and carved up my legs, hip and most importantly my lower back. I soldiered on as they say, but when it came to race day, my back was sooo saw, I was gutted. I said “Just get to the start and see how far you get!” alas I got to aid station 2 and called it quits. Took allot out of me to do all that training and not complete the goal I so badly wanted. all because I over did it or took it too seriously.
2017, refreshed, renewed. after finally having physio on my back. I felt like a new man! I signed up for Squamish 50 Miler again. But I was going to take it easy, train for the enjoyment, no looking at times and splits. I also signed up for two 50ks only a few weeks apart, “just for shits n giggles” Chuckanut 50k and Diez vista 50k. Ran both and totally surprised myself. Shaving 40 minutes off my Chuckanut PR and then a whole hour off my personal best for Diez vista (see my Chuckadiez post)
After the success of those two races I thought im on a roll, maybe this could be my year... 2017 seemed be more of group effort and I had a group to train with that also wanted to run the 50 miler at Squamish. So we all encouraged ourselves to do more as we all felt like we needed to put that extra effort in for such a monumental task. so we all picked up the stupid stick and bashed each other over the head and signed up for Buckin’ hell 50k, a very daunting race (hence the name) climbing Mt Seymour from sea level. But most if not all previous 50 mile finishers in previous years had completed this race. Well... let just say... lots of fun was had... Shhh dont tell Gary!
With only a few weeks to go till attempt numero dos for the Squamish 50 Mile. I was surprisingly calm and excited as I felt oddly way more confident in my abilities as a trail runner.
Race day was here!! Bags packed, hotel checked in, best shoes and race nutrition prepared. (Love my Salomon S-Lab Sense Ultra’s and Tailwind Nutrition)
Without going into too much detail... as ive clearly done already... and as the initial photo suggests I did indeed have a great day completing my very first 50 mile race. In 13hrs and 20mins and still enough life left in me to laugh with the big man Sir Gary Robbins (not yet knighted but should be!)
So question is... would I do it again... Yes with gusto! as I have already signed up for the tippy top option for Squamish50 which is the 50/50 (50 miles Saturday, 50 kilometers Sunday total 130k in two days)
Gary Robbins (Race director and all around badass!)
Team Squamish and all the volunteers
Brian McCurdy for Race photos
Lynn Long (pictured above in red) Thanks Coach!
Lee Lovely and Kelly Laurillard for their supporting me (and the rest of us baboons) during the race (pictured below)
Tailwind Nutrition and Clif bar for feeding this hungry hungry hippo!
