I was training through the hot days of summer for pacing and crewing duties at Badwater 135.  I was going to help Barb Elia, an ultra runner friend from Modesto, California.  Jo and Eric Kajiwara had told me in early summer that they were thinking of running the Tahoe Rim Trail 50K/50M in July.  As it was getting closer to the Badwater race, July 23, I felt way under-trained.  I just wasn’t getting in enough training miles to pace at Badwater.  I overheard Rick and Barb Miller talking about going to the Tahoe Rim Trail race to get in a good training run.  Barb is getting ready for her first 100-miler in late September.  So I thought I should run the 50K nice and easy, which would help a lot in my training for the Badwater pacing I was to undertake the next Tuesday.  I asked Barb and Rick if I could tag along in their car and share the hotel room as well.  They said yes, and I sent in my entry form.

So off we went to Carson City, Nevada on July 19.  We enjoyed a nice drive as we moved along Highway  395.  We arrived, checked in, and looked for Jo, Eric, and Elaina McMahon.  We didn’t find them, so off we went to get some dinner.  We needed to carbo load, you know.  We found a nice place, had a couple of beers with dinner, and were set for the next day’s outing in the mountains.
We arrived about a half-hour before the start of the race.  I found the porta-potties, did my business, and also found some coffee.  Great, now I’m set to go off and check this course above South Lake Tahoe.
The race starts and ends at Spooner Lake.  The entry form for this race reads, “A glimpse of Heaven, A taste of Hell.”  It was going to be an interesting day.  The race starts at 7,000 feet and goes up to the highest point at 9,214 feet.  A great view is provided from this point, as we would find out at mile 25.1.

Jo and I were going to run the 50K, and Barb, Rick, Eric, and Elaina, the 50M.

The first 4 miles are on dirt roads and gain about 1,500 feet, then the course goes downhill to Lake Marlette.  Leaving Lake Marlette, 7,823 feet, we climb on dirt roads to the Hobart Road aid station at 8,120 feet.  Leaving this aid station, we climb past the Marlette Peak aid station and Harlan Peak before descending to Tunnel Creek Road at the junction with the Tahoe Rim Trail at Twin Lakes.  From the aid station, the course makes about a 6.3-mile loop to Red House and back up to the Tunnel Creek Road aid station.  This, folks, was one hell of a loop.  Steep downhill, a runable section to Red House, and then up, up to the aid station.  It was tough.  Also, it was getting on the hot side.  From this aid station, the 50M folks turned right, and we wimpy 50Kers turned left and retraced our steps.  On our way back to the finish, going south on the Tahoe Rim Trail to Spooner Lake, we again go back to the Marlette Peak aid station and then turn towards Snow Valley Peak at 9,214 feet.  This is a new trail that would take us to the highest point on the course.  We stop at the aid station here and then start about a 5.4-mile stretch of downhill before reaching the Highway 50 aid station.  Then we had a mere 1.7 miles to the finish.

I took it pretty easy for the most part as I was going to be pacing and crewing on Tuesday at Badwater.  I was surprised that the race went pretty well for me.  The course was tough, I thought, and it did get hot.  It was very runable for many miles with a few rocky stretches here and there.  I enjoyed this race very much and am looking forward to running it next year but running it harder and in better shape.

Join us next year for a wonderful ultra adventure.

A big CONGRATS to Randy Klassen for his fine finish at the Badwater Race.  From Badwater to Whitney Portal—135 miles.  Way to go, Randy!