Miwok 100k



I ran the Miwok 100k for the first time this past Saturday. I've run something like 10 ultras in the same set of parks before, but never this course, especially since the course seems to have changed in recent years. I swear I went and spectated at it a few years ago, and the course ended at Rodeo Beach. Our course started and ended at Stinson Beach. We started with an out-and-nearly-back to the north along Bolinas Ridge that I had never seen before, and loved. The redwoods were gigantic. I don't mind admitting I cried a little.

I did hate that the course started and literally immediately went onto narrow single track and stayed there for seven miles, meaning that you couldn't run, and couldn't even walk any pace other than what the people in front of and behind you were walking. I finally passed my first person after 30 minutes, but after an hour I was still stuck behind 30 people. How oblivious did that guy in the yellow shirt with the mohawk have to be to not realize/care that he was the figurative senior citizen driving an RV up a mountain? Granted, he totally beat me in the race, but still, he could've stepped aside for a minute.

After halfway I started getting blisters for the first time in five years and really hating life. I hadn't bothered to use any drop bags, so I had no spare shoes or socks to switch into--that would have made a world of difference. I ran R2R2R in this exact same sock and shoe combo (and probably even the exact same shorts and shirt too) and was fine, but after some recent Altra-wearing, my feet were not liking the narrower Brooks Cascadias. I think it's just time for a new pair. Draining and wrapping the blister didn't help, but then the wrapping came off and I was fine (and I only had 2.8 left to go at this point that was all downhill, so it didn't matter anyway).

The post-race food had no substantive vegan options, and they were out of size small finisher shirts, so "F--- you, Garret."

Did I mention how beautiful the first half of the course was? The second half is just as beautiful, but I've seen that many more times, and was hurting by that point, so I didn't enjoy it as much. I did finish listening to Sex on the Moon, about a Utah kid who stole moon rocks from NASA, that was pretty enjoyable. I had a great weekend in the Bay (more on that later) and the race was great training for the DRTE 100 miler at the end of the month.

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