Tetonicus

Race Information

• Name: World End Ultramarathon
• Date: June 3, 2023
• Distance: 50 kilometers & 5700 feet of elevation gain
• Location: Worlds End State Park, PA
• Website: https://worldsendultra.com/
• Strava: https://www.strava.com/activities/9197153065#
• Time: 7:09:07

Goals

Splits

Training

I followed a training plan provided by my local running group’s trail subsection (Prospect Park Track Club). But adherence was admittedly a bit all over the place. I replaced long runs with ski tours, ignored it to backpack with friends, fastpacked, got sick and took a full week off, didn’t do prescribed strength training, and the plan peaked a month early (didn’t realize this until April.) The plan used a time/RPE based system that I was initially skeptical of but in the end found it easier to convert running workouts to ski workouts and transition between road and trail. My weekly mileage during peak weeks was between 50 and 70 miles (7 to 9 hours) per week. Generally, I did two speed sessions per week and I focused on getting my long runs in on rocky, technical, mountainous trails (or skied).

Pre-race

I had initially wanted to lay out a firmer race plan and pack single serving baggies of my chosen fuel, but life managed to get quite crazy in the days prior to the race and it all fell by the wayside. This culminated in arriving at the bib pickup with only 7 minutes to closing (thanks NYC traffic). Alas, estimated aid station arrival times and offloading the work to my loving crew (read girlfriend) and dog would have to be enough.

My longest race prior to this ultra was a road half marathon. I simply had no idea what to expect from pushing my limits in a trail race environment. I knew the key to have a good race was to not go out too hot and to eat 100+ calories every 20 minutes. I suspected that I would be quick on the climbs and I was unsure of how prepared I was for technical trail.

Race

Section 1 & 2 (4.3m | +1386 ’ | -623’) & (5.75m | +671’ | -728’): The race kicks off at 7am and everyone trots off down the state park road. The climbing begins quickly and everyone around me continues on their trot. Initially it is pretty low grade but it gradually steepens and yet, everyone is still jogging. I’m surprised as I expected power hiking on almost all hills. I continue at a higher effort than in training so I don’t lose my place in the congo line .The first big descent comes and I bomb past a big chunk of people. The race continues on and I begin to accept that I’m not quite the uphill beast that I thought, but I am substantially less risk averse on the descents. Throughout these sections I know that my heart rate is too high, but I’m justifying it with the heat and race day nerves. Still, behind the mental gymnastics I’m well aware that this pace ain’t going to hold.

Section 3 & 4 (5.38 | +963 | -991’) & (3.56m | +420’ | -1066’): In my race planning on Caltopo I noticed that this was one of the large sections of climbing and it was coupled with an aid station with no food or crew access at the end. I loaded my vest up with snacks and headed out. I can now feel a slight burn in my legs as I continue to push on. A bit early for that. At one particularly steep climb I remember getting passed by a guy powering uphill and thinking he was basically a fucking goat. Around mile 13 I finally accepted that I needed to pull it back on the effort or I was in for a really bad time later. I walked the uphills, and let folks disappear into the distance. Towards the end of these sections my stomach was souring on the sour patch kids ultrarunner diet.

Section 5 (2.78m | +1151’ | -537’): I left the aid station and spectators informed me that it’s a 5k and all uphill to the next aid station. I responded in the form of “that’s great, I get to walk”. In this section I lost the two groups that I had been running near for the bulk of the race and was on my own from there on out. At this point my hubris at the beginning of the race had started to catch up with me. I was power hiking slower on the uphills and continuing walking on level terrain for recovery. I was well aware that this would likely be the most mentally difficult part of the race. At the top of the hill I ate my sour patch kids with absolute disgust and then turned the corner to the aid station. Damnit!

Section 6 (5.17m | +929’ | -795’): At this point I was certain I would finish the race. I decided not to rush at the aid station in the interest of calories and general exhaustion. A volunteer convinced me to try tailwind due to my stomach issues (risky but it worked out in retrospect). I exchanged I love yous with my GF as I left the aid station, kicking off the wildest runners high I have ever experienced in my life. I ran down the trail for an hour smiling and almost crying with joy. I felt immense pride at achieving a major goal and incredible love for my partner for being her and being there to support me. I kept thinking about a Ray Wylie Hubbard lyric: “And the days that I keep my gratitude higher than my expectations. Ah! Well, I have really good days…”. Just writing about it now, a week later, fills me with emotion. All the while my legs are hitting a wall, at one point my right leg cramps in the hamstring and quad at the same time and I can’t move my leg without causing one muscle to cramp worse. I yelled out in pain and a 100k runner stopped to ask if I was ok and gave me a salt pill. I ended up effectively edging my cramps (lol) with a run walk system to the next aid station.

Section 7 (3.79m | +158’ | -939’): Once I realized my relative strength on the downhill I had been looking forward to this section all race. I rolled out of the aid station and I asked the race tracker dude if there’s anyone I can catch. I remember him telling me there was a guy 5 minutes ahead. I left the aid station at a solid jog. I quickly had to accept that the leg cramps were going to return if I continued jogging. I get passed once, then twice and I tell myself that I can catch them on the steep descent ahead. I got to the steep descent, all gas no brakes I told myself. Hamstring cramp, again, and I nearly fell down the steep descent instead. Brakes it was. I made it to the flats and jogged into the finish line. Gave my GF a hug, gave my dog some scritches and went straight for a dip in the river while the enormity of the moment sunk in.

Post-race & Reflections

We chilled at a picnic table and ate some of the fantastic food provided by the volunteers. We cheered awhile but had to leave early to make it back to the city at a moderately reasonable hour. This was the first year that the PA DNR did not allow alcohol at the race which was quite unfortunate as I would’ve really enjoyed a beer.

While I consumed enough food to not bonk during the race, in the future I will likely use tailwind throughout the race rather than just at the end. Sour patch kids are amazing, but they are more like puke pills after hour 4.

I should have listened to my heart rate throughout the beginning of the race. Had I done that I think I would’ve come in overall faster and I would not have had to suffer through the last sections.

The cramps really surprised me. I have never experienced anything like that. From what I can tell, avoiding them is somewhat nebulous. With solutions ranging from chilling the fuck out in the beginning of a race, consuming electrolytes/hydration, and strength training.

I was pretty surprised by my relative weakness to my peers on the climbs and my apparent strength on technical terrain and descents. I suspect that strength training and additional hill work are in my future.

Experiencing such immense and pure joy while simultaneously suffering will stick with me for years to come. I feel that there is a life lesson in it for me but I don’t quite have the words to describe it.

I checked the results on the drive home, 19th male finisher, 2nd in the 20-29 male age group! While not meeting my wild stretch goal, I’m pretty stoked about that.

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