Rockin K

Me and Adrian on the course Friday before the race

The start

one of the many water crossings, this is about 1.5 mi from the finish

parts of this course resemble Utah

Beautiful course

2008 Rockin K 50 mile finish 9:21

2005 Rockin K 50 mile finish 12:46:55

At the start with a few members of team Salomon/G.P.R.C.
Deanna Stoppler, Willie Lambert, Stuart Johnson, me

KC Trail Nerd Kyle Amos at 13.2 mi Gate #6 A.S.

Nerd Gary Henry at 13.2 mi

Starting Big Bluff Loop 13.2

Adrian 13.2 mi

Me and Paul Schoenlaub at the finish

Had blast at this year's Rockin K 50. The weather was near perfect, upper 30s at the start and about 70 degrees in the afternoon with wind gusts up to 30 mph (that was fun). I am using this race, along with Free State and Berryman 50 to sharpen up for Western States 100 in June. I tried a simple calorie intake plan that worked really well: basically an s-cap and gu 30 min before the start, 1 gu and 1 serving of clif bloks at each half-hour interval, and an s-cap every 90 minutes, plus accelerade drink mix. All that added up to roughly 450 cal/hr. I didn't have any stomach issues and never bonked.

The first loop is a full marathon distance. My goal was to finish it in about 4 hours. About mile twenty I was feeling really good—so good, in fact, I completely missed an obvious right-hand turn at one of the gates. Fifteen minutes later I figured out that something was amiss: "Damn, I'm going the wrong way." Turned back around, picked up the right trail, and screamed and cursed all the way to the start/finish area with 2 extra miles in. Got to the start/finish mile 26.4 (28.6 for me)4:33 fired up and pissed off. Filled up my hydration pack, slammed a red bull, strapped on my ipod, and took off for the final loop.

I ran the next six miles in under an hour. I was trying to make up time. It was getting warm and the wind was picking up. Ran the Big Bluff Loop (42.63/44.62) while out of paranoia kept looking back over my shoulder to the last course marker to make sure I stayed on course. After Big Bluff Loop its only 8 miles to the finish with a few water crossings mixed in. I checked my garmin it read 8:59 , 51.2 mi but still, I had 2 miles to go to the finish line. Two stream crossings and a lot of sand, finally uphill finish 9:20 53.19 miles.

Things I learned:
1. SLOW THE FUNK DOWN AT TRAIL INTERSECTIONS.
2. I don't stay mad for very long.
3. Salomon makes excellent trail shoes . The XA COMP 3 was perfect for this course lots of mesh in the upper for water drainage.
4. I have the ability to push myself even after a major screw up. It was kind of enjoyable in a sick way.
5. Rockin' K is a tough course in 2005 it was my very first 50 mile it broke me at about mile 39
and I walked most of the last 10 miles in the dark with coyotes yipping at me. This year I ran a bit faster but it's never easy, wouldn't be worth it.