Choose Strong
For Tim.
The run started around 7:45 am when I joined L & S at the Priest Rock trailhead.
They had already done one loop (10 miles in the shape of the figure 8). L had one
and S four more to go. The Marin Ultra Challenge today was cancelled and S was
going to run the same distance with more elevation here.
It was chilly, windy, cloudy, and supposed to rain. I ran into small dark red
lizards often. They appeared frozen in the middle of the road as I approached
and almost stepped on them. But as I stopped and watched, they started moving.
S told me they were salamanders and I learnt later that they were called newt,
reminding me of the little girl in the movie Aliens.
The first loop was pure fun. We traded stories, talked about politics and
Sino-American relationships, and laughed often. My hydration and engergy were
both good. If there was a mistake, it was that I kept running ahead uphill with
my micro-step technique. Over the entire course and given my training level,
this was not a great strategy to start with.
S told me he was working on an article on healthcare. About two years ago, he
was bitten during a race by a dog owned by a homeless couple. They didn't keep
its health record and S had to get vaccine for rabies. Two shots costed $44k.
With insurance, the family paid a few hundred bucks but think about those
with no insurance. Diabetics crossed the border to buy insulin in Canada for
less than the out-of-pocket cost here with insurance. One of the ugliest sides
of the US system that allows such greed, I thought.
On the second loop, fatigue kicked in and I began to hate the rocky path. This
trail was much less worked on than those leading to Mission Peak in Fremont. Outcrops
and small rocks covered over 80 per cent. Uphill I could still maintain the lead
(not that I tried to) over S, but once we got to the top together, I knew he was
going to lose me soon. This was also the point where I ran out of water. But
it was cold and rainy and I shouldn't need much for the five-mile downhill.
The wind was howling and the rain pouring. I was alone except for one or two
mountain bikers. At one point, I felt alarmed as the wind blew fiercely behind me
and it felt as if something were chasing me. I knew mountain lions lived in this region.
It was a flash across my mind as I recalled the story of WuSong killing a tiger with his
bare hands. Nothing happened but that thought kept me alert until the last stretch.
Since 25 kms in, what I felt increasingly happy about was that I could still run and
enjoy it. Remember, after 25 kms, I could only walk in my first 50km race last year,
in the same pair of Z-Trail. My feet hurt but my core was strong and joints fine.
Only around the last two miles, my left knee hurt a bit on the outside. But regardless,
I could run with joy all the way to the end, thinking about the improvement over the
past nine months and the possibilities of the future.
Recovery seemed to start instantly as I sat into the car. I stopped by an H mart
and picked up some grocery, went home and took a shower, made and ate a quick
meal, and took a nap. The feet were tired but my glutes were not and going up and
down the stairs was fine. It took me five hours to feel like reading the dictionary.
The run had taken a lot out of me.
In the end, I learnt that the elevation was only 400 ft less than that of the
Quick Silver 50K race which I signed up on. The next goal would be 3xMP which
has 6600 ft elevation over 22 miles.
