From owner-ius-l@AMERICAN.EDU  Mon May 12 22:42:05 1997
Date: Mon, 12 May 1997 19:55:38 -0800
From: ceis <cwildin@pacbell.net>
To: ius-l@AMERICAN.EDU
CC: runkenrun@aol.com, poninv@sl.geis.com, trailpatty@aol.com,
        jordan@uthscsa.edu
Subject: Quicksilver 50 km - end packer report

Hiya my running buddies:

Pat Wellington picked me up at 3:45 am.  I had arisen at 2:30 in order
to l) eat breakfast, 2) feed the pets and 3) pack the food and drink
for after the race.  A high carbo breakfast of multigrain (Ceis's
special recipe) cereal with raisins, soy milk and a bowl of fresh
fruit and 1/2 and 1/2 coffee got me ready.  The dog needed to be
called from his pillow x 2 because he just didn't want to wake up so
early.  The cat was ready anytime for food!.

Pat arrived 5 minutes early.  No matter, I was ready.  She thought I
had packed enough for a group of people but 'I want to make sure I had
enough"!

We arrived just after 5:00 am and Pat greeted many 'listers' as well
as those folks she knows from prior races.  I met Stan Jensen and
Leslie.  We tried to decide what to wear as we felt the weather in the
early predawn air.  Most decided they didn't need a jacket but I was
dubious and took a windbreaker along.  Leslie, Pat, and Dina Kovash
and I put on sunblock as when the sun came out, they said it would be
hot.  I saw Richard Pon at the start and we wished each other well.  I
saw Ruth Anderson, too, and Jane Colman and her husband Don Watson and
we exchanged greetings.

Off we went without even a gunshot or whistle.  It was uphill all the
way on the fireroad as we 'jockeyed' for position, as they say.  I
briefly met the first woman who placed at Cool but she and her partner
left my scene soon afterwards.

Pat and I raw close to one another for a very short while but that
didn't last long as I needed to make a pit stop.  However, it was
difficult to find a convenient spot because of the tons of poison oak
everywhere!

There were many aid stations stocked with defizzed coke, cytomax,
water, chips, crackers, corn chips, power bar pieces, bresh bananas
and fresh cantaloups.  One aid station had a gooey chocolate layer
cake, another aid station PowerGel packets and most were out of salt.
I had carried coarse celtic salt with me but soon found out that I
sweated so much and my efforts warranted more salt than what I carried
with me.  Several men offered me salt at the aid stations (thank you
Dempsey and that other man. . .I didn't ask your name.  I appreciated
it!)  Next time, I will take salt tabs again.  I hadn't ordered Kalr
King's electrolyte pills but they are next on my list.

 After the 2nd aid station (the one with porta potties - how
thoughtful) I was running uphill on the fireroad when a woman said
'look at the cat'.  I looked and it wasn't your normal domestic cat!
It was slowly walking in the grass at the edge of the fireroad, 10
feet from me.  At first, I thought it was a bobcat, but then bobcat's
don't have long tails!  It had a blotched coat and weighted about 40
lbs.  As I was too intent on keeping my water bag replenished and my
salt content consistent, it was many aid stations later that I
mentioned it to folks.  They said it was a mountain lion, probably an
immature one because of the spots!  Wow!  Nice kitty!  What a site!
When I returned to the aid station where it was first seen, I
mentioned it again to the volunteers.  They said that they often see
them (or at least their tails) as they disappear into the hills above
them.  lMy siting was up close and personal!  I want to thank the
woman for pointint it out to me;  it's not everyday that you see a
mountain lion!

I wore my new O'Brian gaiters but had to remove them at the 3rd hour
as my ankles and feet were beginning to swell and the elastic hurt my
lower legs.  I plan to get the large size next time around.

I briefly ran near Margie Lopez who I met at the end of the race.  She
is the RD for Run on the Sly, held over the Labor Day weekend at
Pollock Pines, Ca.  I ran also next to a couple, the fellow having on
an American River T shirt.  They soon were ahead of me and I was left
to my own wandering thoughts as I put one foot in front of the other
mile after mile.

In the beginning, I noticed the wild flowers:  white ones included cow
parsnip, poison hemlock, yarrow, and white mariposa lily.  I thought I
saw bushes of chamise with their tiny white flowers.  California
buckeye was in full regalia with it's 6" plus blooms.  Only on one
slope during the race did I notice yellow mariposa lilies as well as
Indian paintbrush.  Other yellow flowers were poison oak although it
was mostly past the flowering stage, scotch broom and another tiny
broom with warm colored flowers which ranged from cream to orange.
Purple ones included California brodiaea and thistles.

Soon after mile 20 I was only looking forward to the aid stations and
not the terrain. My, this race is hilly!  I swear there is only 50
yards of flat in the entire race.  MY legs were beginning to feel the
pain as I power walked the uphills and ran the downhills.  I met
Richard Pon going down hill with a great view of the reservoir as he
was coming up, cheering me on!  Thanks, Richard;  you're the greatest.
Little did I realize that I would be traversing that uphill in the
not-to-distant future!

I finally finished in 7:17:37.  I think several in my age category
passed me during the last mile.  By then, I didn't care.  All
competitiveness had gone out of me.  I just wanted these hills to end,
thank you very much!

At the finish line, I received a finisher's buckle and Pat took a
picture.  Pat had come in under 7 hours which she was pleased with.  I
then headed for the horse trough to sponge off and then change
clothes.  Then to the veggie burgers;  boy, did that taste good. .
.and a cold nonalcoholic beer which I had brought along.

Munching the burger, I talked with Lee Remick and friends.  Lee and a
friend both placed in the 20 to 29 age category!  Great job!  Lee had
done the Hood to Coast relay with our DSE running club several years
ago.

I introduced myself to Helen Klein saying that friends of mine, Wally
and Liese Rapozo were so enamored with their Sunmart Race that they
have me talked into it this year. . .you mean I'm gonna do another
one?  I dunno. . .they way my legs feel, it may be a few days before I
think about anymore Ultra's for awhile. . .but as the saying goes. .
.so soon the mind forgets!

See ya running,

Ceis