Bishop High Sierra Ultra Marathons - 05.21.11

The Bishop High Sierra Ultra Marathons are breathtaking in many ways. The views are amazing, the air is thin and the hills are steep!

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Finishers Medal

• 2011 Complete Results HERE.
• 2011 Photos HERE. HERE. HERE.HERE.
• 2011 Video HERE.
• Race Website HERE.
• My Garmin Stats HERE.

Well I went from never running a 50 miler to doing two only three weeks apart. As I found out from a number of runners that I caught and ran with for awhile, I am not as crazy as many in Bakersfield think I am. I meet several who either ran a 50k, 50 miler or a 100k the week before the Bishop Ultra Marathon!

Ric

Yen

Ric (53) is a sub 3:30 marathoner who ran the Born to Run 100k and then the Bishop 100k the following week! Yen (54) ran the PCT 50 Miler last weekend and the 100k at Bishop! More on them and others later on.

How I got to the starting line was via my friend Shawna (3:15 marathoner) who read Dean Karnazes's Ultra book and decide to take up the challenge. In 2009, she DNFed at the North Face 50 miler in Sanfrancisco and then in 2010 she went back and finished in around 12:30.

Shawna

Though she was happy to finish, both her and I knew she could go a lot faster. So we started talking this year about going to another 50 miler. we almost went to Born to Run but ended up deciding on going to Bishop the week before the race. As soon as I entered though, I knew I was in trouble because I got up and might leg was really hurting from a muscle pull from boot camp the night before.

So the week before the race I did not run a step and baby my leg the best I could. By Friday, I only had a slight twinge and figured if I could survive the car ride without aggravating my leg, I might be okay.We also decided to camp the night before the event as well. So around 5:30 pm, Shawna and Nate picked me up with all my bags and we headed off to Bishop. Nate was a real trooper and drove us to the race and home!

Shawna & Nate before the race. It was not cold!

Speaking of troopers, after a long 3 hour plus drive through the desert, we got to Bishop and ran into a DUI checkpoint. The Bishop officer who came up to our car looked to be in a foul mood and got even grumpier.From the get go he had a scowl on his face and was not pleasant at all. He asked us where we were going and we said the ultra and for some reason that seemed to annoy him too.

When he asked who was running, Shawna and I said were running the 50 miler. By his reaction, that made him even more suspicious because he was thinking that big old guy must be high if he thinks he is running 50 miles. But he got distracted when he checked out Nate's ID. He asks Nate if he works for the CHP and Nate says no.

Well Nate's CHP friend gave him a CHP sticker and he had it on his ID. No big deal, well this guy gets all pissed off. He accuses Nate of trying to pretend he is an officer and how his CHP buddies would be offended by the sticker. We just sat there and listened to him bitch and threaten to hand the ID over to one of the CHP officers. He even said that CHP officers he knows would find an excuse to write someone up with a sticker like that.

But finally the blowhard got tired of listening to himself talk and said Nate needed to take the sticker off and he let us go. I sure wish I had recorded the whole stupidity with my cell phone but I did not think of that at the moment. The guy was such a tool!

Now it was after 9pm and it was super dark and we headed north of town to try and find the campsite. If you have never been in the high desert before, you do not know what dark is. Finally we made it to where we thought the campsite was. Mainly we figured there were lights so that had to be the place. It ended up we just found the race headquarters that was at a park similar to Hart Park.

We were informed the campground was a mile away but since it was late, they told us we could stay with them at the park. Since we were starving, we headed back to Bishop and had dinner at Denny's and them went back to the park to set up the tents and try to sleep. Nate and Shawna got their tent up pretty quick and I decided to just sleep in the car. By around 11pm, we finally got around to sleeping.

Dawn

Or so we thought because in just a few minutes, the sprinklers came on. But the tent held up and then it was finally quiet. as I was lying there trying to sleep, the moon rose and I finally got to see where we were and the view was amazing. The mountains where huge and covered in snow. A moonlight snowy mountain is a beautiful thing to fall to sleep too.

In the middle of the night (3am), I awoke as I usually do and decided to hit the head. Then I saw why I woke up because there was a car driving around and it was heading to me.Just my luck it was the sheriff. Him and his partner got out of the car and walked over to me as I put my hands in my pockets and they did not like that.

They asked me to take my hands out of my pockets despite the chill in the air and then asked whta was going on. I told them and I guess no one had told them hence the third degree. In the end they turned out to be friendly and at least they did not wake those that were sleeping. Of course now I was wide awake so I sat in the car and tried to get a little rest before the 6am start.

By 5am the place was filling up and I went and got my number, the swag and had a bite to eat as well. By the time I got everything ready it was time for the start. Shawna and I walked over to the start and thought about the day ahead of us.

RD Marie

At a little after 6am the race started (4425') and everyone seemed to take off pretty fast as we left the park and headed to the campground where we hit the first of many hills.

Cool packs!

Hill One!

After we went through the campground, we headed into the sand and it was uphill to the first aid station at Tungsten City at 1.51 miles and elevation 4738' and then we turned right to run along some rolling hills for awhile.

Yeah sand!

• Mile 1 at 1435 pace - 130 up / 0 down
• Mile 2 at 1450 pace - 153 up / 134 down
• Mile 3 at 1326 pace - 34 up / 69 down
• Mile 4 at 1400 pace - 29 up / 23 down
• Mile 5 at 1511 pace - 48 up / 53 down
• 0 to 5.75 (CDF) - 4425 to 4850 (plus 425)

I ran these easy miles pretty slow and I knew that I was in for a long day because my Leona pace was 15:30 and I was around that and the course was mainly flat. I think the sand and the altitude slowed me down. at the CDF camp (5.75 / 4850) I grabbed some salty snacks and a banana and marveled at the valley we were about to run up. The mountains were stunning.

Time to head uphill.

• Mile 6 at 1828 up 308 down 0
• Mile 7 at 1806 up 327 down 0
• Mile 8 at 1823 up 387 down 0
• Mile 9 at 1821 up 381 down 0
• Mile 10 at 1548 up 171 down 51
• 5.75 to 9.77 (Junction) - 4850 to 6150 (plus 1300). A 6% average climb for four miles to the Junction AS.

20 miler.

While going up this valley, I got to see many of the 20 milers and thought it must be nice to be going back already. I also went by the 100k turn around and thought there is no way I would want to go up and down this climb again in the dark. The Junction AS (9.37 / 6150) was a big one with lots of goodies including fresh of the grill blueberry pancakes! I took one and head off for more climbing.

Pancakes!

The next aid station was McGee Creek and the creek was flowing. This is where Yen caught me and then stayed with me for 30 plus miles. it seemed like everyone knew her out on the trail and it was nice to have someone near for most of the run. As we headed to the Edison Loop AS we saw quite a few 50kers and for awhile, I really thought about doing the 50k.

Almost a forest near McGee Creek.

Heading into the ice cream aid station.

• Mile 11 at 1741 up 261 down 0
• Mile 12 at 1912 up 327 down 0
• Mile 13 at 2118 up 500 down 0
• Mile 14 at 2305 up 443 down 0
• Mile 15 at 1852 up 235 down 0
• 9.77 to 14.94 (McGee Creek) - 6150 to 7900 (plus 1750). A 7% average climb for five miles to the McGee AS. Two miles was almost a 10% climb.

Sadly this was the part of the course that was so bare because of the fire. Luckly we had a nice day because I bet it could get hot here. When we got to the Edison Loop AS, they were making ice cream! Wish I could have had some but I do not eat sweets in races and I never have stomach issues. so i will stick to my routine of coke, chips, bananas and pretzels.

50 miler running through the fire zone.

Despite being at 8000 feet already, we had even more climbing to do. You know when you are heading to something called Overlook that you won't be descending much. Overlook topped out at 9385 feet so in three miles we went from 8000 feet to 9385 feet. That is an average climb of  9% and there were snow fields.

A welcome sight after all that climbing.

I think there were at least four or five snow fields that were from 50 yards to 200 yards in length. Though there was a trail, it was still slippery and sometimes you sunk down up to your calves in the stuff. it was definitely different and a challenge. Nothing like making the 20 mile make, climbing a mile of elevation and having to run through snow! Plus you have 30 more miles to go.

First snow field.

Slanted snow.

Me in the snow.

 Because of the snow, there was not an aid station at Overlook and we had to hole punch our bibs. many had problems doing this but I did not. It was really beautiful up there and it looked like the dead of winter but was not cold.

Yen punching in.

• Mile 16 at 2141 up 345 down 14
• Mile 17 at 1609 up 82 down 201
• Mile 18 at 1816 up 131 down 110
• Mile 19 at 2238 up 497 down 0
• Mile 20 at 2359 up 531 down 0
• 14.94 to 20.39 (Overlook) - 7900 to 9385 (plus 485 feet) 

 After we checked in at Overlook, it was time to go back through the snow fields and the last one was the hardest. The aid station was right after it but we had to go down a pretty steep bank and I was told some slide down the slope.

Last snow field.

• Mile 21 at 2219 up 269 down 46
• Mile 22 at 1823 up 0 down 348
• Mile 23 at 2019 up 0 down 460
• Mile 24 at 2009 up 69 down 537
• Mile 20.39 to 23.40 (Edison Loop) - 9385 to 8000 (negative 1385 feet)

When we got back to the Edison AS, I was glad the big climb was over but I new we would do some more in the future. The aid workers described the next ten plus miles and it sounded ugly. We had to go up a single track that was not really a trail but just followed a water pipe to the top of a ridge. This thing was long and steep (Like Bastard hill in Bakersfield but twice as long.) .This the only time that Yen during the 30 plus miles we ran together.

• Mile 25 at 1801 up 145 down 74
• Mile 26 at 2011 up 269 down 111
• 23.40 to 26.5 (Intake 2) - 8000 to 8100

during this section of the run we were going uphill and got to see some of the faster runners. I also saw Shawna and later realized I was at 24 miles and she was at 34 miles! About this time, my camera died but I did get a shot of her before we got to the Intake 2 AS.

Shawna

When we got to this AS, they informed us that we had 2 hours to go six miles and in the back of my mind, I was kind of hoping to get pulled when we returned. The day had been long and mentally I had not recovered from the fifty miler three weeks earlier. But as we went down the hill to a camp ground we passed quite a few runners going the other way and this lifted my spirits.

• Mile 27 at 1703 up 0 down 264
• Mile 28 at 1934 up 280 down 165
• Mile 29 at 1729 up 205 down 58
• 26.5 to 29 (Bishop Creek Lodge) - 8100 to 8374

Of course when we got to the campground we had to go up to the Bishop Creek Lodge. Going up to it and then back down from it, we caught a number of runners and finally got below 18 minute pace (the cut off pace). Surprisingly, someone did catch us going uphill to Intake 2. he was concerned about making the cutoff as well. But we got there before four and the cutoff was 4:15pm.

• Mile 30 at 1542 up 103 down 183
• Mile 31 at 1459 up 63 down 145
• 29 to 31.93 (Intake 2) - 8374 to 8100

He ran with us for awhile but then I realized he had killed himself to catch us. So Yen and I pulled away and headed back to the Edison Loop AS.

• Mile 32 at 1931 up 237 down 265
• Mile 33 at 1821 up 201 down 42
• Mile 34 at 1543 up 127 down 256
• Mile 35 at 1349 up 0 down 169
• 31.93 to 35.03 (Edison Loop) - 8100 to 8000

When we got near the Edison Loop AS, I saw three young guys there and as I neared I got concerned. The AS workers were congratulating them on finish a loop and I thought there is another loop? I thought we just headed back to the finish and these guys looked to fit and young for us to have caught them. So I got to the AS and filled my bottles and ate some chips and asked "There is not another loop?" and we get to go straight right?

The AS workers set me straight and I was relived and glad that I was so close to the other runners and I took off after them. In less than a mile I caught them and even though they tried to stay with me, they could not. Of course Yen caught up with me as we climbed to McGee Creek.

• Mile 36 at 1625 up 127 down 81
• Mile 37 at 1744 up 253 down 0
• Mile 38 at 1637 up 9 down 363
• 35.03 to 37.49 (McGee Creek) - 8000 to 7900

At McGee, we caught another 100ker and we were feeling pretty good about catching so many younger and fitter runners.

• Mile 39 at 1558 up 9 down 229
• Mile 40 at 1354 up 0 down 332
• Mile 41 at 1344 up 0 down 521
• 37.49 to 41.16 (Buttermilk) - 7900 to 6508

Of course the next miles were downhill and my legs were getting beat up. but our pace did pickup a bit as we caught a couple more runners.

• Mile 42 at 1457 up 0 down 361
• Mile 43 at 1257 up 0 down 301
• 41.16 to 42.66 (Junction) - 6508 to 6150

Unfortunately, when we got to Buttermilk, they had put Yen's drop bag in the truck and she had to wait for them to get it. So I took off with Ric and we just tried to keep moving forward. Later Ric and Yen hooked up together and ran the last 12 miles together in the dark while I was driving home.

• Mile 44 at 1607 up 35 down 168
• Mile 45 at 1443 up 0 down 180
• Mile 46 at 1455 up 0 down 104
• 42.66 to 46.39 (HWY 168) - 6150 to 5560

 After running with Ric for awhile, I realized I needed to pick up the pace because it was getting dark. The next miles were on a lonely straight run and it was fugly and seemed to take forever. When I got to the HWY 168 AS, I knew I would finish under the cutoff and felt sorry for the guy who dropped out there. He was so close but I guess he was done

• Mile 47 at 956 up 0 down 104
• Garmin died
• 46.39 to 48.39 (Tungsten City) to 50.11 (Finish) - 5560 to 4425

Sadly so was my Garmin and I had to run blind the rest of the way. The two miles to Tungsten City were all downhill and I was frustrated that I could not go any faster. By now it was getting darker and I could hear howling of in the distance.

Just before I got there, someone caught me but he was in pretty bad shape. I grabbed some snacks and got back on the trail to the finish. I could see where I needed to go and it looked further than 2 miles. Plus the trail was sandy and the wind had picked up a lot.

When I got back to the campground, it was nice to see people and they started cheering too. A group of about six kids made a line and I high fived them all and felt pumped. Then I had to leave the camp ground and head to the park. it was quite dark now and I had to watch my footing but at long last, I made it to the finish.

 In the end, I covered the 50 miles in 14:45:26 and came in 44th place out of 56 starters.I covered the last 20 miles faster than anyone behind me. My running partner Yen was the last 100k finisher in a time of 19:14:28 and Ric was 12 seconds ahead of her.