Squamish 50/50 - 2018 Race Report

Day 1 – Squamish 50 Miler



Pre-race

Ran 2 50k races in the 5 weeks leading up to the race. Peak week including Buckin’ Hell race was 110km. Had some down weeks after my Diez Vistas 100k attempt, got injured trying to come back too soon. All injuries were cleared up before the race.



Start to AS#1 – km 0-10 - 1:08:14

Race started 10 minutes late at 5:40am. Headlamp is mandatory, but didn’t seem necessary. Was a little dark in some of the forest spaces. Seemed way darker the first year when the race started on time. Ran to relieve myself after pre-race announcements so started right at the back, which was my plan anyways. Lots of stopping and going the first couple kms. Talked to a few out of town people at the start. Someone in front of me took a bad spill in one of the dark sections. I think this is the slowest I’ve run this section, which was part of the plan. This section is mostly flat, lots of gravel path, a few road crossings. A good warm up. AS#1 is at the back of a strip mall. Refill my bottles, and eat some aid station food.



AS#1 to Alice Lake – km 10-20 - 2:54

A couple blocks through a residential neighbourhood, and then in to the single track. Starts out with lots of up and down. A couple steep short descents. Then on to Debeck’s. The climb is steep in sections. Seems like I started in a better place, less people passing me. I pass a few people, and some people seem to be working way too hard for this early in the race. I can feel it in my legs but my breathing isn’t really deep. Trying to go easier early on, so I’ll have more energy for the later climbs. Climbing goes on for a long time, but has a few flatter sections to catch your breath. Power hiking with a few short runnable sections. Eventually I come out at the radio antennae which is the top of the climb. Usually there’s an amazing view but there’s quite a bit of smoke this year. Thankfully the air still feels mostly clean. The downhill starts as a fire road, lots of loose rock, so I take it easy, don’t want to roll an ankle. Trail turns off on to some steeper single track. There’s a flatter section after this that’s mostly runnable. Pass a few people here. Come out at the Alice Lake picnic area. Take my headlamp off here, and pull my visor and sunglasses out of my bag. Pretty big aid station here. Not really hungry yet, fill up my bottles, have some watermelon. Temperature is still good. Took off my arm warmers somewhere on the climb.

Alice Lake to Corners – km 20-28 - 4:12:43

This section starts out pretty flat, follows Alice Lake, cuts through the campground on the road, then back in to single track around some more lakes. There are some shorter climbs here, and we do a small loop. There’s a longer climb, and you can feel it a bit. There’s an exercise bike at the top, someone’s idea of a joke. Didn’t see anyone riding it this year. Some single track, some fire roads, then you come out at the power lines. The trail is fast here, and has banked corners for bikes. We pass through Corners aid station for the first time here. There’s a drop bag here, I didn’t bother with it. Don’t spend too much time here. Fill bottles, more watermelon, and grab a handful of chips and I’m on my way.



Corners to Corners – km 28-37 - 5:54

This is a loop back to the same aid station. It starts with more banked corners under the power lines. You can see people finishing the loops here. We cut off onto a boardwalk, then back into more single track. A bit of climbing and some steep technical downhill. Some of this is really rooty, so I’m pretty careful. The trail called Entrails has a few short cliff sections. I come out at the bottom, then it’s a long fire road back to the aid station. I’m pretty slow here, and a few people pass me. Normally I would be able to run at least parts of this. I know what’s coming, so take it easier. I’m back at the aid station, more food and water, and I’m on my way.

Corners to AS#5 – km 37-48 - 8:35

Out of the aid station, there’s more gravel road. It’s not very steep, I run a bit here and there to keep up with the people walking in front of me, I’m a bit of a slow walker. We cross a nice looking river, then turn onto Galactic. This is a long climb, about 5km. Some of it is steep, a few runnable sections, especially closer to the top. Usually there’s a good view halfway up, but today it’s smoky. Quite a few people pass me on the hill, I’m trying to keep my breathing under control. A few people keep stopping and going, so I keep catching up to them. You can hear a stream, and think you’re near the top, but keep climbing. There’s a bit of a descent, you cross a bridge and more up. This is where a long downhill starts. I sprained my ankle in this section the first year, so keep it easy. I still pass quite a few people here, especially on the steeper sections. Some nice single track here, takes a while to come out at the next aid station. Almost ran out of water in this section, and it wasn’t a hot day. Not a long distance, but with all the climbing, took a while to get through this section.

AS#5 to Quest University – km 48-53 - 9:24:19

Probably spent too much time at the aid station but need to fuel and hydrate properly in a 2 day race. More single track, you run across section with a bunch of cliffs. A few uphills, but mostly down. Before I know it, I’m running up the lawn at the university. Spent a lot of time here. I knew a few people running the aid station, there words of encouragement helped a lot. My wife met me here, and brought me an iced latte. It wasn’t super hot, but felt good to have a cold coffee.

Quest University to Garibaldi – km 53-62 - 11:47

Slow jogging out of the aid station, then walking up a bit of a steep road that turns into a logging road. I’m behind the same people I was behind last year, near the end of the race. They’re faster at hiking than me, and leave me behind. There’s a really long mountain bike climbing trail here. It has lots of switchbacks, and flatter sections you can run. I run where I can to try to make up some time. I catch up to the people in front of me, and pass them at a freezee station. The freezees taste great, even though it’s not that warm. I run as much as I can, this section always feels long. Eventually I come out at the top, and give my number the marshal, same one that’s always there. Next is a steep downhill, called Angry Midget. Really dusty and slippery in sections, there are a few small switchback sections. There are a couple bridges that we ran under on the way up, with some really steep ramps. There’s a downhill on a logging road, then you cross to the aid station. I see some more people I know here marshaling, they say they’ll be at the Garibaldi Aid station for the 50k tomorrow.

Garibaldi to Far Side – km 62-70 - 13:00 approx.

Didn’t spend too much time at the aid station. Watermelon, boiled potatoes, pickles and Coke. It’s downhill out of the aid station, and runnable. You run down to a bridge, cross a river, then of course, back up the other side. I try to hike as best I can here. It’s not too long, and you can run again, it’s rough and rocky though. My watch has been showing low battery for a while now, and finally dies at 66km. There are some good runnable trails in this section, it’s a bit dusty, and notice it more when some bike go by me. A few steeper climbs, some people pass me here. Then a fairly long downhill that comes out at a logging road. Run a bit here. There’s a climb into the aid station, I manage to run for the photographer, then walk again. There’s a memorial for a kid that died on the bridge (the next day some people were jumping off the bridge, I saw on the news). There’s a yellow gate with an easy button, so I push it. Aid station is Barkley themed, with license plates hanging, and Bugles are part of the aid station food.

Far Side to Finish – km 70-Finish - 15:38:56

Feel a lot better here than the last 2 years doing the 50 miler. I know there are still hills in this section though. I run as much as I can here, knowing that I’ll be finishing in the dark again. The race started 10 minutes late, instead of 30, so shouldn’t be as bad. I run with a few people here, and finish the race with someone that is doing their first 50 miler, that was me 2 years ago. Mosquitos are the most annoying part here, they love me. I didn’t bring bug spray, bugs usually aren’t a problem this time of year. There are quite a few short steep climbs here, and people keep asking me if it’s the last one (Mountain of Phlegm), I keep telling them no, there’s a few more climbs. Last year I slipped and fell going up the last climb, and bashed my knee. I’m pretty slow up the last climb. I decide to stay with the first timer I’m running with, I’m feeling pretty tired. We slowly make out way down Mountain of Phlegm, and hit the steep stairs that lead to the bottom of the smoke bluffs. I don’t feel as out of it as last year, and this section goes a bit faster. There are still some cliff faces to walk down before the steps, and some of the steps are just stacked boulders. Lots of walking here, we know we have a lot of time to cutoff, and we’re just talking and taking it slow. We walk most of the easy road into town. It wasn’t really planned, but I think taking it easy helped me the next day. We run the last 200m, and finish together. The last 2km is just road and bike path, but you really feel the impact of the pavement after being on mostly singletrack for 80km. My wife is waiting for me at the finish. I feel pretty horrible, but not on the scale I did last year. I walk around a bit, use the washroom. Get the free burger and an ice tea. This ends up being my dinner.



Between races

Being at the back of the pack, there’s not a lot of time between races. I finished about 20 min faster than last year, but felt a lot better. I feel like I didn‘t push as hard at the start, and kept a bit in the tank. I rehydrate at the hotel, and have a couple Ensure with extra protein. These are quite filling. I knew from last year that I probably wouldn’t be able to eat much. I try to sleep around 11pm, with my alarm set for 4am. My wife has to get up earlier as well, since the bus leaves around 5am. I try to sleep without Tylenol, but my legs are sore, so take a couple to take the edge off. This is the only medication I take all weekend. I manage to sleep off and on, and the pain is a lot more manageable than last year. I couldn’t sleep even with painkillers last year. I guess I’m hyped for the race, I end up walking up at 3am. I just wait in bed until the alarm goes off. We’re at the Squamish Hotel again, and it‘s not the best, the portable A/C is right beside me, and it’s super noisy. We brought our own pillows this year, the last time they had these super thick pillows that gave me a sore neck. I’m up at 4am. Feel a bit sore, but the biggest issue is chaffing. Between the cheeks. I did lube up, but I guess I missed some spots. Same breakfast as the day before, 4 portions of overnight oatmeal. I mess up the coffee, I guess the bag is folded, so it’s just water, so no coffee right when I need it! I feel really full, but know I’m going to be starting slow. My wife gets me to the bus nice and early, I’m on the first bus! Nobody looks too inviting, and I don’t know anyone, so just sit beside someone. Ends up the guy I sit beside lives in my neighbourhood, and I talked to him about his Knee Knacker hat at the bus stop! Small world!



Squamish 50k

The course is same as the end of Squamish 50 miler, without an extra loop, and has a different loop at the start. I’ll just summarize the race, since this is already so long.



Start to Quest

I can’t believe I’m running again, but surprised to not feel too sore. Feels like I did a long run yesterday, but not 50 miles. I start near the back, and follow the conga line. I trip on small rocks a couple times, and just about do a header into a boulder. That wakes me up. I take an Espresso Love gel to get some caffeine in. We go up a climb, feels fairly hard, I ask if it’s the exercise bike climb, and it is, feels easier than yesterday. I hear the same music I heard earlier, and realize this part was a loop. 4th time doing that part, and never knew it was a loop, probably why they have a course marshal. Felt really quick to get to corners, try to eat a bit more than I would normally in a 50k. I’m still full from breakfast but have some potatoes and watermelon. I run a lot of the road to Galactic. I’m a slow walker, so every time I switch to walking, people start to leave me behind. I let people pass that are obviously faster on Galactic. The views are worse today, just heavy smoke. Air quality isn’t terrible though. Get to the skis and the detour around the wasp’s nest pretty quickly. A guy passes me running on one of the less steep sections. I start running when I can, and it just doesn’t feel as steep as yesterday. Hitting the hill at 10km instead of 38km makes a huge difference. People asking me if we’re at the top again, it goes on for a long time. I tell them I think the top is just passed 14km, it was 42km yesterday. Pretty soon we’re going down again, feels the same as yesterday, less people around. I notice some of the faster 50/50 runners are hobbling, and I catch some on the downhill. I don’t run out of water, but close by the time I hit the next aid station. Only 5km to quest, and a lot of it is runnable. I see Mikey and Randi at Quest, and they give me a warm welcome. Fill bottles, eat a bit, more potatoes. Mikey walks out of the aid station with me and gives me a good send off.



Quest to the Finish



I jog out of the aid station. But mostly walking here until the trails. Back to the mountain bike climbing trail. Weather is a bit cooler, no freezees this time. They seemed like a good energy gel, maybe they can make healthy energy freezees for hot races. This part was mostly uneventful. The couple I passed on the downhill before Quest catch me near the top. Also, one of the marshals warns me there’s a bear in the area. This is near where I saw the bear charging last year. She says to make noise, great I’m by myself, and quiet on my feet, I’ve even stuck up and scared my cat. No bears, so it’s all good. See Alaya again at the top, and down Angry Midget to the aid station. A little slower on the steep downhill today. Pass a guy that says he had no energy, tell him he’s probably bonking, he doesn’t seem to know what that means.

I see Nick and Serene at the Garibaldi Aid, they’re happy to see me, and excited that I’m finishing the 50/50. Spent quite a bit of time at the aid station, lots of Coke and potatoes. I ate quite a bit yesterday, and helped me at the end of the race, so try to keep it the same. Chaffing and a crick in my shoulder are my only real complaints. I just keep cracking the shoulder, and walk with hands on hips, and it seems to help. Chaffing feels better than it did, just a dull pain. Down the hill to the river. A few bikes here, and they’re hard to hear above the sound of the river. One guy calls ‘bike’, and I hardly have time to move, and his handlebar is 6” from my shoulder as he sails off a jump. I’m a little pissed, but don’t want to ruin my race. A few more come by, they don’t seem very experienced, probably tourists on rental bikes. Over the bridge, and up again, the same couple passes me again. I caught them at the last aid station. Amazing how much faster they are a climbing. I’m not really breathing hard, but don’t feel like I have another gear. Nothing too eventful here, lots of climbing, then a long descent. I catch the same couple at the fire road. We run together and talk a bit, until the climb to the aid station, where they walk away from me. Back to Far Side aid station, or Barkley North. I didn’t see the easy button, maybe they forgot it today. There are a bunch of people just before the aid station, where I ran by the memorial yesterday. I find out later that they were jumping off. Looks like about a 20 metre drop, news article said they were trained divers.

Saw some more people I knew here, and got some congrats on doing the 50/50. Filled bottles, had more potatoes. Friend pushed me out of the aid station, telling to eat while walking. I was being a bit too social, feeling good for so late in the race. Still 10km to go from here, with some steep climbs. I caught quite a few people here again. Mosquitos were bad again, even though it was earlier in the day. Penance for walking was mosquito bites. Mountain of Phlegm didn’t feel as bad today, and I PR’d on the segment. Much easier at the end of a 50k than a 50 miler. Much easier on the way down in daylight, was using my headlamp as a flashlight the day before. Caught the same couple again at the stairs down. Talked a bit. We got to some runnable trail, and I took off. I ran all the way to the finish the last 3km. It felt like I was going fast, but was slower than a recovery jog. Felt good to run the finish, after walking it yesterday. Could feel the impact of the pavement, felt worse than any other part of the course for impact. Before I knew it I was downtown Squamish, and running across the finish. Passed at least 4 people in the last 3km. Gary gave me a good hug, then I got the coveted 50/50 hat.

Felt pretty terrible and weak at the finish. After sitting it was difficult even to walk to the washroom. It felt great to finish, that’s the longest I’ve run in a week, only in 2 days. Lots of congratulations at the finish. My wife met me at the finish, and I was glad to have someone to drive me home. Spend a while at the finish watching people finish, lots of 50/50 people came in just after me. A great weekend overall. The experience was so different than last year. I seemed to figure out how to deal with the time between races better, and it was a great experience. No injuries, and only one fall in 130k. Next race is Whistler Alpine Meadows 55k on Sept. 22, hopefully recovered by then!