Mt. Baker Weekend Fun

It's a bit of a summer tradition in my family to rent cabins at Baker and do some hiking.  This summer I was pretty excited to head out early in the morning and get in a few long mountain runs.  As it turned out, the Baker weekend was very rainy and I went over to Bellingham's Chuckanut mountain and ran the Chuckanut trail systems instead of the Hannegan Pass run I had all mapped out.  A bit disappointing considering how close I was to Baker, but a good choice due to the questionable weather.  It rained almost the entire 4.5 hour run, and it was nice to be under some tree cover for the majority of my run. 

Fairhaven Park, start of the Chuckanut 50k in March

Here's a look at the weather for my Sunday run at Chuckanut, this was 7 AM

A brief section of Chuckanut with a light drizzle, the rain really started to come down after this shot and I had to stow my camera/phone away for the rest of the run

I did some hiking as well on Saturday, which turned out to be the only mostly rain-free time on the entire trip. 

Hiking trails at Baker, rocky section

Lucy and Rose take the mountain goat route

Natural rock wall

Hiking in the snow, avec Stella

Skiing down the snow was my personal favorite

Icing my legs after chuckanut trail run

Cle Elum 50K, last race in the WA Ultra Series!

Cle Elum Course Elevation Profile, 50K

This is what I'm up to this weekend!  The course is a 50K, measuring just short of 31 miles, with about 7,000 feet elevation gain.  Looks like quite a nice climb all the way to mile 18.  This race is particularly exciting as it marks the end of the 2010 Washington Ultra Series.  I've managed to do all the races in the series, and I'm set to finish the last one on Saturday.  Despite keeping up some good training these past few weeks--Dodger Peak 50K and part of Chuckanut 50K as training/fun runs-- my body is feeling great!  No nagging pain.  For the last few races I've had a few minor aches even before the race, so it's a nice break. 

Race is located just south of Cle Elum in the Wenatchee National Forest and starts at the Taneum Junction Campground.  The course follows the South Cle Elum Ridge (#1326) and the North Fork Taneum Creek (#1377) trails. If it's not raining too hard I'll bring my camera and take some shots along the way...maybe...

map of the course, 50K in red, 25K in yellow

Race report coming next week...

Dodger Peak 50K....Solo

There is a great need in me to be in the mountains running.  I am considering doing a 50K distance at least once a week for as long as I feel the need. It's in the works.  I may not be doing it in the mountains every week, but I'd like to make it to the real mountain trails at least 1-2 times a month.   Meaning I am putting  it out there and letting everything fall into place.  It will mean getting a little less sleep once a week to get up before the crack of dawn and run.  I'm at the point where this is a very exciting idea.

Last weekend I made it to the Olympic Peninsula to do a solo 30 +/- mile roundtrip run up to Dodger Point, 5,700 feet elevation.  The run began at Whiskey Bend near the Elwa River.  The Elwa River access is a little west of Port Angeles on Route 101.   I wondered how a solo run 15 miles out on a remote single track trail woud go...anything could happen out there. 

I wore my nathan Hydration pack filled with gatorade (I usually use Nuun but didn't plan ahead).  The pack carries 70 oz of water.  I also carried two hand bottles with regular water.  I had to carry enough water for the entire run, as I did not know whether there would be any out on the trail. Then I packed some energy gels, two bananas, and a peanut butter Clif bar.

As it turned out there were a few little streams, but I did not need to refill my water bottles.  I only needed 1 gel, 1 Clif Blocks energy chews, 2 bananas, and the Clif bar. I am trying to use as few gels as possible.  I really prefer real food like bananas, although they are bulkier. 

The run took me 6 hours, which included stopping to take photos all along the way, and a few stretching stops.  Couldn't resist photographing the trail and this happened to be the first time I brought my Blackberry on a run with me.  I am guessing that the overall elevation gain would be between 5,000 and 6,000 feet.  The trail begins rather innocently for the first 3 miles, rolling up and down with views of the Elwa River and treed hills.  It is beautiful! 

After you cross the bridge over the Elwa the trail begins to climb and doesn't stop until you reach the top of Dodger Peak.  There are a number of flat-ish parts, but the trail just keeps gradually going up~ up~ up.  There are no downhill parts, none, after the bridge.  Let me explain: the grade is mellow enough that you don't feel like you can use it as an excuse to walk, but if you look behind you the trail slants down considerably.  Do this for 12 miles and you will want to--Ahhhh! It's a playful scream.  I do enjoy running uphill, but I really looked forward to the run back!

The run back turned out to be a blast!  I cruised quickly down the mountain jumping trees, dodging branches, dancing through rocky stretches, and spinning through the corners.  There is a long section of switchbacks that is a lot of fun. 

Here are some pictures from the trail:

driving form Port Townsend to the Trail, about 1.5 to 2 hours from PT, picture taken in Port Angeles during sun rise.

Almost there....

the 'before', about to head out on the trail

About 1 mile down the trail, getting too warm already, time to ditch the long sleeves

first view of the Elwa River

Bridge marks the spot: the trail starts going up from here

I've been running uphill for a while now, looks like I'm getting higher baby!

trees are looking a little gnarly

And higher, baby!

Rockier...

definitely looking more alpine

okay I arrived in heaven

At this point I was about 1 mile from Dodger Point

Cabin marks the spot, the top!

Some snow at the top

View from the top

Another view from the top

Me at the top

Post Run Chicken Tortilla Soup, Thanks Jake!!! Yum! And beer of course. 

Cascade Crest, from the sidelines

Eric Sach (of The Balanced Athlete) and me, comparing our choice of running shoes. We all went on a run before the racers got to our aid station.

I had a blast volunteering for the Cascade Crest 100 mile trail run.  What an amazing group of athletes competing!  I helped out at Eric Sach's aid station at mile 23, Tacoma Pass.  Eric owns The Balanced Athlete, a running store in Renton.  We had a great group of volunteers.

the Volunteers

Here are some pictures from the day:

The start line at 8 AM. Race started at 10 AM

Eric and some of the other volunteers, filling the car with supplies for the aid station, mostly food and water.

The ultra food: potatoes, salt, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, turkey sandwiches with mustard, fruit, Gatorade, Vaseline and what looks like antibacterial hand sanitizer... for those who had to take a #2 in the woods I suppose :)

Spectators and crew for runners gather around the trail

Here's a couple that were hiking the Cascade Crest trail since April! They were pretty excited to get some food at the aid station

First place man, Jeff Browning, flies into our aid station.  Jeff held the lead and won the race in record time, 18:31:09. Check out his blog for more information: http://www.gobroncobilly.com/?p=420; he has a excellent race report.

Jeff Browning leaving the aid station

Second man to come through the aid station

First woman to come through aid station

The finish line, you can see some of the finishers gathered around, only a handful of runners were done at this point.

You can tell who just ran the race, they are resting!  Jeff Browning the winner is standing (how?!?) in the grey jacket.

Here he is icing his severely bruised shin.

The second day of the race I ran from the finish line to the second aid station (French Cabins) from the finish, about 12 miles out and then back.  It was exciting to see all the runners coming in and to cheer them on! For the most part they were looking really good for having run all night long.  

Run hard, Rest hard

Resting in my vibram fivefingers

I'm really into wearing my fivefingers for most of my runs lately.  They are excellent for trail runs and road runs.  I don't recommend them for rocky trail runs unless you are okay with keeping a slow pace and stubbing your feet.  They are also tough to use in cold weather.  My toes go numb in cold weather with the fivefingers on, especially in cold and wet weather (like much of the year in the PNW).  

During a trail run this past weekend at Tacoma Pass in 50 degree weather with some moisture on the trail my toes, all the way to my arch, went numb before I broke out into the sun and unthawed my feet.  Despite that, I loved every minute of the trail run: feeling the ground and the child-like experience of connection with my surroundings and my body.  I also find that I feel more animalistic, combine that with mountain trails and... wow

Giving Back at Cascade Crest 100 Mile Trail Race

Putting on a trail race takes a lot of time, resources, and volunteers!  I am going to be helping out at Cascade Crest Endurance Run this weekend August 28-29.  It is a 100 mile race.  I am excited to experience the race from the sidelines as I have yet to do a 100 miler.  I am considering making Cascade Crest my first...  I will post pictures of the runners as well as a race report from the, um, sidelines. 

I plan to get a few good runs in while I'm in the mountains.  Maybe a few 20's in my vibram fivefingers.  I have just one race left in the Washington Ultra Series and the more time I spend in the fivefingers the better.  I am still getting sore, tight calves from running in them despite buying them in March.  Cle Elum 50K will be my first race in the fivefingers.  They are the only shoes that don't aggravate my foot pain that developed at White River 50 mile. 

Maybe I'll see you on the mountain?