Race 08-09 PCTR Sequoia 30k

February 16, 2008
30k - 2nd/100 - 2:32:35
Complete results - not available

For the 3rd year in a row I ran the PCTR Sequoia Race. The first 2 times I did the 20k, last year intentionally and the first year on accident by missing a turn in the 10k. this year I decided to run the 30k. The course is the same with an out and back stretch about half way through the 20k loop.

I got there plenty early (maybe a new trend?). Before the race I met the guy who won my age group in the PAUSATF ultra series. He said he did it by running a lot of the races.

The weather was cool - ideal for running but not so good for standing around beforehand. I was happy when we got started. I started quickly as I like to do on this course. There is a small hill near the beginning that I don't like to climb in a crowd. Soon a couple of 50k runners passed me. The first one of them was going quite fast. I eventually settled into a pace by the first age station. After the first age station there are quite a few rolling hills. I ran down them very fast and up them not so fast. Jason W was the first 30k runner to catch up me. I stayed in front of him for a while because I was running fast on the downhills but eventually he went by.

When I got to the left hand turn for the out and back section I was eager to see what it was like. The left took us down a wide trail but shortly after there was a right turn. The course wound down to a road but I was unable to run a fast pace because the footing was not helpful and there were a lot of curves. We ran along a trail for a while and then I saw some runners some down the hill on my left. They must have missed the turn. Shortly after that we hit the turnaround and there was an aid station.

After the aid station I ran back and ran by everyone else in the race who were on their way to the aid station. Going back up the hill wasn't as difficult as I thought although it was beginning to get a bit warm and sunny. I was happy to get to the end of the out and back section. It took about as long as it took me to run to it, so I figured I was 2/3 done the course.

The rest of the way back was relatively uneventful