Green Lake Dizzy Daze 50k

Today is March 29, 2008. I woke up at 4:55 A.M., and drove down to Green Lake to run a new 50k/100k put on by Jon Bernard and Road Runner Sports. I only note the date because there was a BLIZZARD on the way down--a veritable whiteout on I-5 from Skagit to Stanwood to Smokey Point. I drove like an idiot, completely unsafe, but didn't wreck. I really didn't feel like slowing down for SNOW at the end of March. I was taking the weather personally. Hello, Mother Nature? Hello? Spring?!!

The race is called Dizzy Daze, because it amounts to 10 laps around the outer rim of Green Lake for the 50k, 20 for the 100k. It is actually 52k, which was fully disclosed, with a "What's an extra 2k for ultrafolks?" They wanted the finish to be where the start was, which only works by adding 2k. Details. There were probably 40 or 50 runners, most of them the usuals. Only a handful were pursuing the 100k, and I passed on that. I chose to run this one on Thursday or Friday, mainly because I didn't have anything else going Saturday morning. This is sort of absurd, but whatever---I needed the miles. I have other big things looming, and I wasn't going to run this sort of distance on my own. I do recall thinking on the drive down that other guys my age are into fishing and bowling.

Ten laps of 3.2 miles. An aid station every lap. Flat. Really flat. Mostly dirt. I got to know certain puddles really well. I also got to know certain houses along the lake (lose the monkey tree!), a detour for trail renovation, Super Jock and Jill--various landmarks. It rained early, but then it cleared up. I ran well enough. 5:23. No serious troubles, and I had plenty left. It's about time--I spewed at my last two 50ks. Each lap was a bit of a different story--sometimes tired, sometimes strong. I picked up the pace on the last four laps, focusing on posture and stride, and this was sort of refreshing--getting into the moment, that is. You would think a ten lap run would get boring, and it wasn't must see TV, but Green Lake is a happening place, and I ran with lots of ultra people during the day. It was fun. Afterwards, I visited with friends, and then finished my day with an afternoon breakfast at Truck City in Skagit. The coffee is righteously black at The Long Haul Cafe.