Loop de Loop

My pastor once told us, "everyone has a kingdom where you are the ruler". He explained that it's a sphere or space, no matter how small, where everything you say goes. As a single guy, my kingdom is at least the size of my apartment and as Grand Puba of this humble abode I declare Steak and Movie night because I am celebrating a great race. Oh and some carbs to go with that protein too.

ANGEL ISLAND 50k • 4200 ft. (+) • 4200 ft. (-) • 4:46 Unofficial Time

The course consisted of 3 loops. The first was a perimeter loop which was mostly asphalt road, the second got you in hills but not to the top and the third followed parts of the second loop but this one took you all they way to the summit. 50k runners had to do it twice. The sun never really broke through the fog, in fact for most of the race the temps were nice and cool. After the difficult, technical trail at BH100 this race was a welcome experience.

I thought it would be boring but I actually loved it. First of all the trail is very runnable. I didn't like the asphalt so much but the trails were nice, except for some stairs, everything was runnable. The total elevation gain, compared to the many races I've survived, was a measely 4200 ft. and it comes in small doses. In fact it was so tempting to just run all the hills but at my level that would have only slowed me down overall. The temperatures were cool. I didn't sweat much and drank less than I usually did.

I started in the back as usual. 25 and 50k folks got their own start. As we passed the bathrooms I even had to make a stop so I was really the last of the last as we started the first climb. This happens more often than you think with me. My heart rate was higher than normal for the effort which I took as a sign that I was still shy of being 100%. Met up with old friends, made new ones. Chased friends as usual. After the first loop I went hard and on the downhill of the first summit I turned it on and left it on. From that point on my heart rate was pegged at the threshold for pretty much the rest of the run. My legs felt fine so I just kept going. I came with the goal of giving 110% and see how my body felt. I wanted to know that the speed and fitness that served me well before BH100 was still there. Into the 4th loop, back on the asphalt, I caught up to Vladimir but started to feel a little light headed and fell back, a little worn and fuzzy. We ran together for a bit. I popped a caffeinated gel, was revived and I was off but not before promising Vladimir that I would introduce him to the other crazy Russian runner that I knew. Halfway through the 5th loop my right hamstring felt like it was going to cramp which got me running scared. I knew I was doing well and I didn't want a cramp to ruin it for me as it did in last year's Stinson Beach 50k. I shifted most of the work on my left and continued on. I had to consciously relax the right leg as well as putting in more walk breaks. I was taking precautions to avoid a full blown cramp. My hydration was good and so was my salt, the hamstring was just worn from the distance and fast pace. I also started to feel weak on the uphills. I was definitely reaching my limits but I reassured myself that whatever happened I could most likely suffer through it and finish anyway. I did my best Rocky Balboa impression and sucked it up. Fight! Fight! Fight! I thought to myself. Once I summitted for the last time I just let it all go. The leg stopped bothering me and I finished with a great time. I can say that I gave it 110% out there today. Could I have gone harder? Maybe, I always think I could have after the fact. I was in super serious mode. No picture taking and I even tanked up based on need and not just filling a water bottle cause it's there, got the idea from Nascar - only put in what you need. I didn't want the extra weight. I ate my gels before I hit the stations and only stopped long enough to put some energy drink into the bottle - Olga you would have been proud. I didn't even bring my carbo pro powder, takes too long. I hustled, hustled and hustled, like waiting tables on a Friday lunch shift at the financial district - a lifetime ago.

I even picked up a pacer for the last 3 miles. A freshman college student who got accepted to an Iowa school on a running scholarship. Matt and family were visiting from Chicago. He decided to do his own exploring and ended up following part of the race. When I first ran past him he was taking pictures. As I was making my way down the last downhill I saw and heard him up on a switchback coming fast. Initially I thought I was caught by a faster runner but a second glance revealed the jeans tucked under his arm. He had running shorts on the ready just in case, of course he did. He stayed right behind me and the sound of his feet got me going even faster to stay ahead. We talked and as the last mile of the trail widened into a fire road he pulled alongside and I kicked it another notch to stay with him. That young runner probably helped me shave a couple of minutes. Thank you Matt.

A bunch of us boys hung out afterwards and introduced ourselves. Great guys some with big plans for the future. One in particular, Jonathan, is headed back to Badwater for his second time. Another was Blake who was a little over a minute in front of me. He smiled as he greeted me and told me he gunned it down the hill knowing I wasn't far behind. Good folk. Chikara Omine was there as well but he ran the 16k and stayed the entire day to hangout and cheer people on. His friend Jason took the top finishing time of 4:16. None of us bothered to go up to Wendell and inquire about our standings, well Jason didn't need to. Unfortunately my friend Lem who was attempting his first 50k settled for 34k instead. He just started running in August, he's got time.

Rollin Once Again

All of a sudden there has been one event after another, wine and beer all around, not to mention food. Tough on the training regimen, even for the recreational athlete. BH100 really did a number on me but I'm finally over, took long enough! In the past I've recovered faster from 100s. Speed is mostly back. For some reason I thought I had 2 months till the Headlands Hundred. Wrong! It's only 5 weeks away, got it switched with the Big Kahuna Triathlon. I signed up for the Angel Island 50k being run today. Just giving myself a nice swift kick in the butt to get the long distance training back into play. It's such a small island it will take 6 loops to cover the distance. I don't mind though, it's shaping up to be a sunny weekend and the views of the bay are going to be spectacular. There's 112 runners for the 8k, 99 for the 16k, 84 for the 25k and 51 for the 50k. It will end up being more than that because of race day registrations. It's a small island so it will be quite crowded. It's kind of cool how I'm so excited even if it's just a 50k. Had a hard time sleeping last night. My last dream before I woke up was Wendell telling us to be ready because there was snow and mud on the course. Hahaha. Haven't decided if I'm going to bring my camera. Haven't you guys seen enough of the Bay Area already? Speaking of which here's pics of all the fun things I've been doing outside of training. Been spoiled this past week.

Janet's birthday party at the Wine Snob. Same block as our spin studio. So this is what it looks like on the inside. One of the bartenders is an ultra runner. Pretty too.

Silver Horse Winery in the central valley. Beautiful place for a wedding.

Nothing healthier than cotton candy with your veggies, at a July 4th BBQ.

My friend Jason Arth is an architect for Sephora. Thursday night we went to Emeryville for the opening of one of his stores. Photo courtesy of Jason Arth. This was of course followed by a little celebrating.

Uh-Oh

Who let the dogs out?

This might be a wild one kids. Once the dogs get a hold of the beer who knows what will happen. You know them dogs, they'll serve anyone. Hope everyone is having a good time. Taking a little time off from work myself to go to a bbq, folks from the tri-group. I just read my latest issue of Triathlete magazine, I'm good to go:)

Happy 4th of July!

Officer, those are left over from a 100-mile running race I just did in Sheridan. I needed the dope to keep going, I mean the energy drink powder and pills, salt pills.

I hope ya'll are having a good time. Here's a story you guys might enjoy.

2 Officers: Excuse, Mr. Gaston? Could you come with us please we'd like to ask you a few questions.
Me: Uh-oh, is this what I think it is, crappola I bet it is.
2 Officers: We found something in your luggage that we'd like to talk to you about, you have any idea what we're talking about?
Me: You guys are talking about white powder in plastic bag aren't you?
2 Officers: Now why would you say that?
Me: It occured to me that it does look like drugs but then I thought further that surely you guys would know how to spot the real thing, besides who would openly transport real dope like that.
2 Officers: So what is it?
Me: Sports Drink / Energy Drink
2 Officers: Is that what that is?
Me: Yup.
2 Officers: Why are you transporting it like that?
Me: I was at a race and we package it that way so we can just open and mix the powder with H20 on the go.
2 Officers: What race was this?
Me: Bighorn 100-miler in Sheridan.
2 Officers: Yeah what is that race? A bike race? (Officers had already rifled through my bag and found the water bottle with the splits on the them, the shirt, the race number, blister repair kit and other race related gear, not to mention three pairs of stinking, muddy shoes in individual shoe bags and the dirty smelly clothes)
Me: It's a run.
2 Officers: A run?
Me: Yup.
2 Officers: Brief silence. one scribbles more notes on small notepad.
2 Officers: So look what you've created here is a suspicious situation. You're transporting powder, white powder at that in small plastic bags. Under x-ray it all looked very suspicious. Now we actually did take out your bag and tested it. Because this is a small airport we were able to handle it quickly but had this been a larger airport, say San Francisco, you could have missed your flight.
Me: I understand officers.
2 Officers: Next time transport it in a container with the package intact or buy it here if possible.
Me: Got it.
2 Officers: Also you had suspicious looking pills. You had pills in a bottle but you also had pills in small plastic baggies. That was also suspicious.
Me: Oh those are salt tablets (smiling at this point because I'm getting off with a warning)
2 Officers: More brief silence (definitely not amused)
2 Officers: Well ok, we have your name and address on record, next time be careful about that kind of stuff.
Me: Thank you officers. ( I shuffle painfully away)

So that was my encounter with the police before leaving Sheridan, Wyoming. I did create a situation where they had no choice but to investigate. Placing myself in their shoes I would have done the same. I also felt bad that they had to go through my stuff, there were some pretty "ripe" stuff in there. There was no time to hit the laundry before leaving Sheridan. I placed everything in separate bags, the shoes, the used clothes, the used socks...oh damn the socks! They were stern but nice, speaking of which, I did not meet one rude person while I was in Wyoming. They let me go without giving me too much of a hard time. Maybe they felt sorry for me when they saw me walk. Damn blisters!