Monday, May 7, 2018

AR 50 for Shavi - Folsom - Apr 7, 2018 - 11:22 hours

Just like couple of years ago, I ran the last 9 miles of AR50 with Shavi. He said he was not really going to race this year. It would be a slow run for him which means a perfect run for me..haha. I joined him at Rattlesnake bar where A & C dropped me while W and R slept in the car. They dropped me around 3pm where I waited for Shavi to appear. We were not sure couple of hours before if I was going to run with him or not. So had told him not to wait for me. He did greet me with a smile after running those hard 41 miles. lol.

It was getting pretty warm at that time. Running in hot is beyond me! The beautiful mountains and the sound of water all throughout the course was so melodious. The last three miles were mostly uphill and someone who has already run 47 miles, that uphill can be hard! Shavi would have run it, I am sure, if I wasnt with him, huffing and puffing. lol. I love crossing the finish line with him. W and everyone was waiting at the finish too and he was excited to cross the finish line with daddy and mommy.

Earlier during the day, W and I had met daddy at Big Lots, around mile 14. This is close to our home and easy to get to. The only problem here is that poor W has to get up early on a Saturday but he loves to go cheer the runners and see daddy. So, it works great! Then we quickly went home, had breakfast and drove to Beals Point (mile 26). This is almost the place where road running ends and trail running starts. W was excited to see daddy and cheered the runners. Then he played with rocks and water around the river access and loved it there. It was a cloudy day so far and that is when I decided that I may actually run with Shavi (pace him, in other words). Then we went to A & C's home directly and W played there and they dropped me to Rattlesnake bar.

Friday, April 27, 2018

Canyons 100 K for Shavi - Foresthill - Apr 28, 2018 - 17:13 hours

Canyons 100K was a slower race for Shavi this year. He just wanted to complete it in under 18 hours to qualify for Western States 100 lottery which he did. Plus with no sleep last 2-3 days due to chores and my surgery the day before, he hardly got rest. Waking up at 3am for this race is no joke. The race starts in Foresthill at 5:30am and packet pick up is at the start. Organizers of the race did a great job, just like all past years. This is a hard course and it has to be since it is a WS100 qualifier. It seems like they would be starting a lottery next year to get into this qualifying race. Until this year, it has been on first come first serve which of course fills up in few hours of opening for registration. This race has over 15000 feet of climbing. This race has 25K distance as well.

Shavi thinks that the first part of the course is harder than the second part. Foresthill is where the race starts and it is the mid-point of the race as well. Foresthill - swinging bridge - Foresthill - Rucky Chucky - Foresthill. The race doesn't allow pacers if you are running it as a qualifier for WS100.

He got home pretty late, after midnight and got me a finisher's pendant with a necklace instead of getting a belt for himself! A great ending to this year's long distance running unless he finds another one;-) Now it will be all about CIM (26.2 miles) in December.

Saturday, March 24, 2018

KnickerBocker Canyon Trail Run 35K for Shavi - Auburn - Mar 24, 2018 - 4:47 hours

KnickerBocker Canyons - An easy run for Shavi - got it done nice and easy. It was again a muddy and wet trail. All races this year until now have been a mud fest. Glad he escaped all safe.

Saturday, March 17, 2018

Ruck-a-Chuck 50K for Shavi - Foresthill - March 17, 2018 - 7:28 hours

An hour slower this year for Shavi because he was not motivated for speed this year. Only 100 mile races motivate him ;-) The course was very muddy and wet yet again because of lot of rains in the region. It was a mud fest. He had to wear his rain jacket most of the course which makes it harder to run fast.

Saturday, March 3, 2018

Way Too Cool 50K for Shavi - Cool - Mar 3, 2018 - 6:43 hours

Way Too Cool is one of the races where you have to sign up by December and you are entered into lottery. An expensive race than the others but quite common with runners. It was a muddy mess this year with lot of rain the day before and all week before. He got it done in that mess somehow! A great course for new ultra runners - perfect way to get into ultra running after doing the most famous road race in this region in December - CIM.

Saturday, February 17, 2018

FOURmidable 50K for Shavi - Auburn - Feb 17, 2018 - 7:33 hours

Next in the series 50 km. A race that he has done before also - a very tough course as compared to Way Too Cool. He did not beat his time from last year but he wasnt planning on beating it either. This is a race by Single Track Running and has various distances. Single Track Running does a good job of organizing trail races.

Saturday, February 3, 2018

Foresthill Divide Loop 30K race for Shavi - 4:10 hours - Feb 3, 2018

A casual run for Shavi to get his training started this year for his 100 km race in April end. He is going to be taking it easy this year since he is not running the 100 miles race this year as he did not get into the lottery and did not get any ticket either. Probably good for me and W:)

This is a new race by the same organizers as Canyons 100K. Shavi knew that it would be one of the best organized races yet again and probably it was.