The UltraRunning link for the U.S.

American River 50 2000 Report: Chris Smallridge

     My first fifty is now in the books and it was all the challenge I
thought it would be and more!  My respect for people in this sport has grown
immensely as a result of yesterday's race, what a tough bunch.
     I knew it would be a tough day standing at the Auburn dam overlook at
4am waiting for the bus and needing nothing over a t-shirt and shorts to stay
warm!  After the bus ride, it was just a short wait for the 6am race start
and then we were off for a small loop at Sac. State College followed by 19
miles of bike trail to the Nimbus dam overlook.  It was a very easy section
to run and included plenty of dirt shoulder for those that don't like the
pavement.  The presence of other recreational users (bikers, runners,
walkers) also helped prevent me from going into "race" mode to early which I
am prone to do occasionally ;-)  It was also during this section that I first
got to talk with Stan Jensen for a bit, whom I saw throughout the race and
whose experience would help me out later.
     After Nimbus dam we were treated to our first taste of trail (mostly
gravel road) for a couple of miles before Negro Bar aid station.  I pulled in
the Negro Bar station (mile 23.5) at about 9:30 and that is when the
temperature began heating up noticeably.  The rest of the way to Beals Point
aid station (mile 27.4) was back on the bike path again, only this time with
a bit of climbing involved.  With the temperature still climbing I could feel
the fatigue beginning to creep up, making Beals Point a welcome sight.  After
some ice in the cap, two bottles refilled, food in the belly and a trip to
the boy's room, I felt ready and rarin' to go.  Out of this station we ran
along a windblown section of gravel road looking out over Folsom Lake.  From
this point on the race is run mostly on singletrack trails with frequent
views of the lake and it's American River tributary.  And I have to say that
the longer the day wore on and the hotter & dustier it would get, the nicer
that water looked!!
     I arrived at the Granite Bay aid station (mile 31.5) just after 11am,
about five hours after starting.  The next 6.5 miles to Horeshoe Bar would
exact the greatest physical toll of the race.  Somewhere during this stretch
I would forget to fuel properly and it almost cost me the finish.  Halfway
between G.B and H.B. stations was Buzzard's Cove aid station, perched
precariously on a slopey singletrack section of trail.  The volunteers there
were wonderfully efficient, and because it was on singletrack they had to
keep the runners shuffling through, no stopping!  Maybe all stations should
be that way. ;-)
     The next station was at Rattlesnake Bar (mile 39.9) and this is where
the wheels really started to fall off.  Dehydration and fatigue were taking
hold and I seemed to be sort of losing focus when in rolled Stan Jensen with
some advice and encouragement.  Aside from the nutritional advice, it boiled
down to "get moving!"  I listened and started moving again but by Manhattan
Bar (mile 43.2) I was so nautious that it was only possible to run for short
periods of time, followed by longer and longer periods of walking.  It was a
bit disheartening after 40 fairly strong miles of running, but it got me to
the finish and will be a lesson learned.
     The last ten miles of the course was also *very* beautiful.  The
singletrack was rolling and shaded for the most part.  The colors were
awesome, especially the American River itself which had a nice translucence
to it and was visible for most of the section from Manhattan Bar to Last
Gasp.  The poison oak(=0) was growing in abundance here, but no reaction to
it yet (thank you Tecnu), and I was able to stop a couple of hungry ticks
before their afternoon meal!
     Last Gasp, a 2.5 mile 1300 foot climb to the finish, certainly cooked my
goose and I would especially like to thank the volunteer there who took lots
of time helping me out with getting my bearings straight before the last
climb.  I'm sorry I didn't get his name, but *thanks*!  My finishing time was
around around 10.5 hours and was a far cry from the 9 I was hoping for, but I
am ecstatic just to have finished.
     My first fifty humbled me and strengthened me and made me feel good to
be a part of it, so thanks to everybody who was there and made it possible.

Chris Smallridge
resting comfortably ;-) in Napa, Ca.