This race report is way past belated but the experience is still quite fresh in my mind. I think that's what it's like for anything you do for the first time being the LD50 was my first 50-mile run. I signed up for it only a couple days after doing my last 50k of the winter running season here in Arizona. Having not completed a 50-mile yet it was something of importance to do. Here's a breakdown:
Goals & Breakdown
So my original goals were to: finish, finish in top 10 and complete it in 7-8 hours.
I accomplished all of these. I finished 10th place in 7:34. I did have some issues during the run and with those aside I feel I realistically could have finished in 5th in the lower 7's at optimum performance given some circumstance aside. I can't complain being the race was my first 50-mile experience. There were some parts that were challenging but I was going into it not feeling that great, too.
Course
Lake Huges, CA is a beautiful area... it's very serene and peaceful... it almost has a Vermont like feeling. The course was primarily an out and back (should have studied it better) and had some good climbs. It was much sandier (is that a word?) than I expected... really wore the wrong shoes for these conditions and think that was a downfall for me. The morning started out a bit chilly and it got quite windy on the tops of the mountains during the day.
Volunteers and aid stations were top notch. I saw some dude in a rabbit suit with a talking parrot at half point... wtf? lol. They had an 80's and Alice in Wonderland themed ones, as well.
Company
I went with David James and James Bonnett. Seriously, can you have anyone better to go with? Top notch athletes... I felt honored to tag along.
Conclusion
Awesome experience... definitely a race you'll want to check out and makes for a friendly first 50!
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