The Foxtail Hundred 50k - Saturday, August 27th, 2022

I have a bit of history with this race..

..most of it not particularly bueno.

It was not an auspicious sign that my back just suddenly went on me the Sunday beforehand, while I was bent over taking a photo of our adorable little kitten. Fortunately, it didn't actually hurt to run, and some gentle strength workouts had me feeling quite a bit better by Thursday...when the damn thing went on me again as I was bent over giving Trixie a tickle. 

My kitten may be low-key trying to kill me.

In any case, I took my usual approach of "slap a bit of kinesiology tape on it and go see how it works out"

Do you have any idea how hard it is to tape your own back evenly?

I knew I'd have good company, as my friend Dree was testing out her hip after having it surgically repaired last winter - I just hoped I'd be able to keep up with her, and maybe not cripple myself completely. 

I'd only done about 3/4 of the job in 2019 

It was set to be an absolutely beautiful day: a little cool on bare legs showing up to Dundas Valley Conservation Area at 8am after my usual pre-race oatmeal and T.Ho's stop to pick up breakfast for Tank, but with a high of 24c, sunshine, and lower humidity, it seemed like wonderful conditions to wander around in the woods eating candy and cookies for a few hours. It wasn't the hot, soupy weather we've had so much of this summer, but nor was it so cool that I'd need to make clothing decisions based on whether I'd be walking or running.

I could do as I pleased, which was likely to be a whole lot of strolling

I got my race kit - a nice duffel bag, a tubular gaiter with the race logo, a logo sticker, and samples of Squirrel's Nut Butter anti-chafe balm (not to be mistaken for the sort of nut butter one puts on toast - 0/10 would not recommend) and Naak Ultra Energy bars. Not a bad haul! I sprayed on some sunblock, pulled on a pair of cooling sleeves (which would actually help keep me warmer for the start, until they got wet), and managed to get my water bottles filled - carrying one in a light vest and one in my hand, because there's a 7.5km stretch with no water refill and I didn't want to run out. 

Tank would be ensuring everyone at the start/finish - through which I'd pass 4 times for the 50k - had all they needed to help them along

A kiss from my sweetheart, a bit of chapstick, and some half-hearted ankle circles, then I shuffled into a spot near the back to await the 9am start.

Leaving room for 100mi and 100km runners to pass through - they'd started at 7am and 8am respectively
(The 25k would start at 9am Sunday, with the 10k an hour later)

I didn't see Dree until just a moment before Race Director Jeff sent us all on our way, but as we all began to move she, myself, and Andrew H. all teamed up and trotted along as we headed east on the Hamilton to Brantford Rail Trail.

Hey look we're ahead of some people!
(In the first 100 metres of the race)

This was the easy bit - a downhill while we were all nice and fresh!

The cool morning air and shade were lovely, and the sunshine peeking through the treetops was delightful. I had wonderful company and easy conversation, and surprised myself by running along fairly comfortably until Dree called a walk break just before 4km.

I'm seldom up and on trails this early (which isn't even particularly early), but I do enjoy the views when I am

This was by far our longest stretch of running for the day, which suited me just fine. 

Andrew had been doing the Couch to 50k program lately...with emphasis on the "couch" portion

The new course - as of 2021 - takes you 5km downhill to the Hammer View aid station, where you turn around and go right back uphill to the start/finish...and then beyond, while the trail keeps climbing! It doesn't flatten out for almost 12km from its lowest point; just before, in fact, you come to the Opossum's Landing aid station 7.5km past the start/finish. 

"But rail trail is flat.."

To review: that's a 10km out-and-back plus a 15km out-and-back, so by the time you've done both and arrived at the start/finish for the 2nd time, you've completed 25k. Lather, rinse, repeat for the 50k.

The 100k does the whole business 4 times, while the 100mi adds an extra out-and-back to Hammer View off the start to make up 160km

I was grateful I wouldn't have quite so many opportunities to visit the aid stations.

Though all the volunteers were wonderful!
(Hammer View shown)

I was also grateful for my awesome companions, with whom the time just seemed to fly along.

..if not the actual miles

We were walking more than we were running by the time we got back in view of the start/finish.

We saw the wonderful Sue Sitki, so had to run a little

It seems that Andrew decided he didn't want to be seen with the likes of Dree and I and ran the other way? Of course, I couldn't blame him when I saw the photos afterward..

That awkward moment when the course photographer apparently catches you in mid-fart, and again once it hits you..

Fortunately any jet propulsion I was deploying was apparently non-lethal (never a sure thing after scarfing back fuzzy peaches whilst running), so we all survived the first leg of the journey.

About 1h17m for the initial 10k out-and-back

A quick stop to fill my hand bottle - I was only just starting to run low on water in it, and hadn't touched the other bottle in my vest - and I needed to have a wee, so I hit the portajohns set up by the trail centre about 100m of the course. I scarfed back a chunk of banana as well - Dree and Andrew were back out before me, so I ran a bit to catch up.

The shade was starting to give way to sunny patches

Once we were past 12.5km, I mentioned I was now past my longest run since Sunburn Solstice two months prior, and we all just dropped to a walk. Soon we saw a tent up ahead, though, and decided we'd run to that: it was an un-official aid station on course around 3km from the start/finish that would make the day even more fun - some of Jeff's family who live near the trail had decided to set up a table with all sorts of candy and a cooler full of freezies!  

This year's race was dedicated to their son (Jeff's cousin) Paul Turkstra, who passed away from melanoma in October 2021.
Get your moles checked, folks!

It wasn't even particularly hot yet, but who says no to a freezie on a trail on a warm summer day?

From there, we walked along, eating our freezies.

..and for about the next 45mins

I saw we were getting close to the Opossum's Landing aid station, hitting 17.25km around 2h27m, so I suggested we run the last quarter-kilometer to get there, and off we trotted. Either my watch was screwy (though it matched up with Andrew's almost exactly), or the course had a bit of "added value", since it read 18.1km by the time we dropped to a walk at the AS!

It was delightful to see Marjolein, Maria, Dee, and Nat here!

Map of the full trail at the kiosk at Opossum's Landing

We ran back out of the aid station after I got my bottle filled, and this ~1.3km stretch would be the last time I actually ran for more than 3 or 4 minutes. 

Running sections in blue, walking in green, stopped time in orange
(Shown by time, not distance)

It was getting warmer, and I was well past anything I could consider myself trained for - I was perfectly happy to just walk along with Andrew and Andrea, shooting the breeze.

Honestly even walking was beating me up a bit

We picked up more freezies (I got purple!) at the unofficial aid station on our way back, because of course we did. I'd still occasionally suggest we run a bit, but I made the suggestions less and less frequently.

Especially as things were dry and dusty - this cloud was thrown up by cars passing the Sulphur Springs Road crossing

We went about 3h44m for the first 25k, and we weren't sure that Andrew would hang with Dree and I for the whole thing.

Though he deigned to grace our photo after finishing our first 25km

We'd passed his darling wife Heather out on course, and she planned to drop at 25k as she was dealing with a sore knee she didn't want to aggravate. She was still on her way out to Opossum's Landing, though, so Andrew stayed with us girls while we headed back to Hammer View.

The sun was blinding, though there was still some shade to be found

We got a lovely surprise on our way down the hill - Tim had turned up and set up his own unofficial aid station, and had brought even more freezies!

A scholar and a gentleman
(I got a blue one this time)

Down to Hammer View in no hurry at all, I sipped a Dixie cup of ginger ale, and Dree got herself nearly turned inside out by grabbing some potato chips - she'd thought they were plain, but they turned out to be dill pickle, which is not a thing with which to ambush an unsuspecting runner!

The volunteers then started cracking jokes about everything being dill pickle flavoured, from the electrolyte drink right down to the candy bars and Skittles

We thanked them for being out there for us, and started the uphill slog back toward the trail centre.

It's steeper than you'd expect

I was still sometimes suggesting we run for a bit, but only through the shady patches - Andrew and Dree seemed to think that was strange, saying most people run through the sunny bits. 

So we tried it their way, and it was hot and unpleasant.

We ran the last couple of minutes into the start/finish, mostly because I really needed to pee - it had come on before we even got to Hammer View, and it was definitely a burning need by this point. It was about 5h30m by the time we got back, and I immediately veered off course to the portajohns.

HANG ONTO IT

When I got back out (after taking off my left shoe to evict some gravel I'd picked up along the way that was causing some unpleasant blistering), I saw Dree heading out, and thought I'd seen Andrew's hi-viz yellow shirt bouncing off in the distance at a run. I guess his feet were in rough shape and he didn't want to make Heather wait around too long for him, so he'd bopped off without us. 

No worries - I still had amazing company!

Poor Andrea was stuck with me alone, though - poor lass!

Dree's hip was holding up well, but it was getting tired - my back was doing more or less ok, but I was just getting sore and beat up. So, we just walked. 

I guess I was wrong when I said the course map is just a straight line, though you'd never know it when you're out there

I had a bit of heartburn from running out of the start/finish to catch Dree up (after throwing a chocolate-dipped macaroon and a gluten-free Oreo cookie in me), and it took quite a while to settle down - almost until Opossum's Landing. We ran a little here and there - for a minute or two only - before reaching the final aid station. 

Waltzing in like rockstars 
(Photo credit Marjolein)

Dree needed to stretch, so we spent a few minutes getting her more comfortable when we reached the turn-around, and I took my left shoe off again to dump out some more stinkin' gravel - I really should have put some hook-and-loop on the road shoes I knew I'd be wearing so I could hook up some gaiters, because I know this trail is brutal for gravel in shoes.  Then we were off again for the final 7.5km leg.

I will never not laugh a little at Binkley Road

..but I was very much ready to be done by this point

We walked most of the way back home, breaking into a run for a couple of minutes with about 3km to go, then again with a mile left

8h5m deep and still managing to crank out a little spice

Then a final 90sec trot across the line, coming in at 8h18m with Andrew there to greet us at the finish.

Wheeee!

Official time: 8h18m15s (8h17m59s chip) @ 9:58/km

31/42 O/A (39 finishers) - 8/14 Women

(Official results are here - Garmin data is here)

I was so grateful to have such wonderful friends with whom to share a beautiful summer day - the African proverb "if you want to go fast, go alone: if you want to go far, go together" had never rung so true. I had blisters in unfamiliar spots - all around the outside of my heels where they meet the soles of my feet - presumably from a combination of gravel and walking much more than I'm used to, but I was otherwise unscathed.

Good thing, too - I got changed quickly after some snacks and saying goodbye, then Tanker took us home for a 90min nap before we headed back down to Hammer View to volunteer from midnight til 8am..

Because why not help others reach their goals?

So - as I said on insta afterward - just because it's a bad idea doesn't mean it won't be a good time, and I have so much gratitude for all the wonderful people who contributed to a fun (if somewhat exhausting) day out!