Western States thoughts from Ida

My Western States thoughts

100 miles races are strange. First it’s a long preparation and commitment in order to be able to get through the distance. Especially a race like Western States that goes first at altitude, 2000 m and above and then descends into canyons and extreme heat. Altitude, heat and fast running trails are nothing I can train at home in Norway, so I decided to do a five weeks training camp in Flagstaff, Arizona before the race. That’s a location where I can get all those three key points while training. The training went well and I was stucking longruns and good weeks on eachother. Unfortunately three weeks out from the race I had a bad fall and hit my hip and shoulder hard. So stupid when things had gone well and then you can destroy everything in a second. But three weeks felt like a long time to get things better and I could run, it was just painful and I was limping afterwards.

The days before the race it’s a lot of planning. The race up front have become so intense and close and there are no sitting down in sun chairs at aidstations anylonger, but more formula one pitstops. I prepared to have three different running packs, so I could just switch bagpack on the go with new flasks and ice in the pack instead of having to stop to repack. I was planning fluid, salt and carbohydrate consumption. I was aiming at around 90 g of carbs per hour and 1000 mg of salt per L of water. I was mainly having carbs in my sportsdrink since I feel like it’s easier to drink than to eat too many gels when it’s warm outside. Still it’s a hard puzzle to keep the stomach happy for such a long race and every year I have started to puke at one point, so I haven’t really figured out the 100 miles races yet.

Now I’m moving on to the actual race. I felt a little better in the hip the last few days leading into the race which felt promising. The race starts at 5 am, right when it's getting light. The start is straight up a long hill in a ski resort and when the runners reach the top we are cheered on by lines lot of people who have made it up very early to send the runners off in the sunrise. I was feeling good and was in second place up the first climb. After that I was first or second the whole way in the high country and before the 50 K we were also joined by a polish woman, Martyna. Then comes the middle part where we cross three canyons. Here I got my first dip and felt I needed more fluid and salts, so I made a very salty drink at an aidstation and tried to reset. Unfortunately the hip injury flared open again at this point as well and the bad stretch continued on before I adapted and find my way back to better running again. While in race mood the body is much more numb to pain and discomfort.

A unique tradition for the american 100 miles races are that you are allowed a pacer after 100 K to acompany you, so at 100 K I picked up my team mate.

Here I had a good downhill stretch and when we reached the american river and the river crossing I was just 4 min behind the lead, Abby. But that was the closest I become before my race turned to shit with throwing up, dizziness and not being able to run the uphills. A was loosing time mile by mile and unfortunately second and tird woman passed my as well and I had to settle to a disappointing fourth place. It’s still the best Western States I have done and the two previous years I was not close to be racing for the win. Maybe that is the reason why this result hurts so much more and feels like a failure to not be able to finish the race in a good way.

The first few days after the race I was in such a bad state that I couldn’t really feel any emotions. I just felt dizzy and was happy if I could just lay down and didn’t have to move. As the tiredness is wearing off I can’t help to not feel disappointment and emptiness.

Fortunately life goes on and after a few more days I start to feel like doing things again and move forward. I will never get this chance again, but hopefully I can put myself in the position for other chances once again.