With my first ever 50 mile trail race looming, I wanted to do a really long training run so I thought why not do it with friends! So I came up with the Mr. Toads 12 Hour Challenge in the tradition of my New Year's Day Killa Hilla Classic. At the Leona Divide 50 Miler, I have to finish in under 13 hours so I wanted to simulate race conditions as best I could.
Originally I planned to do laps of the MR. Toads 20k but realized I did not want to run such a long loop (lonely and van / aid station 12.4 miles away) so on Thursday I decided to come up with a shorter loop. The loop I made ended up being a tad over three miles and was mostly on trails instead of the fire roads above Hart Park.
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| Before the start. |
- Mile 1 - 14:52 up 251 down 26
- Mile 2 - 14:01 up 190 down 0
- Mile 3 - 12:01 up 0 down 344
The first lap, we all went up the Pistol Range Hill and it was nice to have some company. The weather was great and the fields were green. Stephen took off with a group in tow and I settled down for a long day.
- Mile 4 - 16:32 up 225 down 59
- Mile 5 - 16:09 up 184 down 0
- Mile 6 - 13:21 up 0 down 322
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| Michael with two Sarahs chasing him! |
As you can tell, I slowed down a bit on the second lap which I did going up Pistol. as the day went on, people came and went.
- Mile 7 - 16:34 up 198 down 93
- Mile 8 - 15:28 up 197 down 0
- Mile 9 - 15:02 up 22 down 310
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| Stephen heading to Toads. |
After I completed my second lap, Stephen finished his third lap and was done for the day. On my third lap I was joined by a runner who lapped me and he went on and walked three more laps with me before he called it a day.
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| My mystery pacer. |
- Mile 10 - 16:32 up 249 down 110
- Mile 11 - 12:25 up 168 down 78
- Mile 12 - 11:42 up 16 down 244
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| Chris Felix was the Rebl |
- Mile 13 - 15:45 up 277 down 141
- Mile 14 - 16:00 up 173 down 83
- Mile 15 - 14:18 up 0 down 210
Chris Felix and his running buddy Aaron did five laps and were rebels by going up Toads instead of down, I did not specify the direction one had to do the loop and had considered making it one way only or switching every lap but in the end, I did not make a pre-race ruling. After I saw them do a loop that way, I tried it and found it to be a lot easier and faster.
So far the rest of the race I did it by going up Toads. I believe I did four or five laps going down Toads.The reason I think the up Toads way is easier and faster is that you get the climbing over in one mile. It is a 300 foot climb up Toads and then basically downhill back to Hart Park.
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| Heading up Toads. |
Doing the loop down Toads is harder because you seem to climb for two miles and then run down Toads which is hard to do when you are tired and the the trail is dry and slippery.
- Mile 16 - 17:28 up 229 down 126
- Mile 17 - 16:24 up 189 down 81
- Mile 18 - 16:16 up 0 down 196
Later in the morning the Bumgarners joined me and put in quite a few laps. Ryan (dad) did 7 laps in preparation for an Ironman and Mindy (mom) did 6 laps to take the woman's title.
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| The Bumgarners! |
- Mile 19 - 1659 up 211 down 162
- Mile 20 - 1607 up 226 down 28
- Mile 21 - 17:14 up 0 down 239
As the day went on, I started questioning why I made it a 12 hour challenge. It got warm and the hills started taking their toll and I had only done half the time. I started thinking another 8 hour challenge would have been better or maybe a 10 hour one. But then I got another wind and knew I could get ten laps in.
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| Mid day |
- Mile 22 - 19:14 up 174 down 191
- Mile 23 - 20:24 up 212 down 0
- Mile 24 - 18:04 up 77 down 181
- Mile 25 - 18:09 up 198 down 273
- Mile 26 - 16:41 up 251 down 17
- Mile 27 - 12:16 up 7 down 177
- Mile 28 - 14:15 up 108 down 219
- Mile 29 - 18:58 up 308 down 29
- Mile 30 - 1808 up 2 down 167
After I got ten laps in, I took some time at my van and changed my shirt and decided to get in twelve laps.
- Mile 31 - 2237 up 107 down 219
- Mile 32 - 2202 up 324 down 16
- Mile 33 - 1701 up 25 down 213
- Mile 34 - 1837 up 102 down 223
- Mile 35 - 2333 up 308 down 0
- Mile 36 - 2001 up 0 down 194
On the 12th lap, I picked up my trail ribbons and enjoyed the evening and looked forward to a nice meal but when I got to the van I realized I felt good and had time for another lap.
- Mile 37 - 1841 up 62 down 223
- Mile 38 - 2217 up 341 down 0
- Mile 39 - 1751 up 15 down 202
- Mile 40 - 1504 up 44 down 269
My 13th lap was a victory lap and I felt great, I had my ipod on and was listening to Above and Beyond's Trance Around The World podcast. The music, the wind and the setting sun made my last lap a memorable one.
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| 40 miles in 11 hours and 16 minutes. |
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Next year I may make a longer and harder loop.
Race Preview:
If you liked my
Killa Hilla Classic, here is another event just like it! The rules are simple:
The race begins at 7am and ends at 7pm. The winner is the person who does the most laps of the Mr. Toad's 3 mile course. Only complete laps count btw.
There is no entry fee, t-shirt or awards. No official aid stations either. So this is a BYOB & BYOF event.
Of course, if someone wanted to bring food and drink to share that would be great.
Like the Killa Hilla Classic, you can come out and do as many laps as you want as long as they are between 7am and 7pm.
So come out and do at least one!
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