Ultrasignup Results 26 DNS, 22 DNF. I fell to 57th of 81 finishers this year.
The course was in ideal condition and the weather was great. I, however, didn't do much endurance training or even run much the last 4 months. And in the year since I was last on the Clinton trails, I forgot how hilly the course is. So yeah, underestimating the place doesn't help anything. The Strava track shows the story.
I really had it in my head that I wanted to finish around 6h or less, which would be a major PR for me by at least half an hour. I started out on track, finished the first loop in under 2 hours. The second loop was harder and I wasn't feeling so well because I'm not accustomed to that pace on that terrain. So it was about 2h 15min for the second loop, still not bad. I actually had a severe calf cramp at mile 15... not something I usually experience until mile 45 or so when not managing salt intake well enough.
But heading out for the final loop, I could tell my legs had very little power left. Uphills were at times a slow shuffle with lots of burning muscle, downhills aren't much of a reprieve because you're still spending effort to control descent.
The last five miles, I finally got enough sugars and salt in me, things picked up. I just wanted to be done. And I really wanted to finish under 7 hours. And according to my Garmin, I did finish in 6:59:18... just barely! Somehow, the chip timing in the race had been having some issues all day, and it registered the finish as 7:00:29. But I have GPS proof otherwise :P
So... despite ideal course conditions, this year was far slower than last year. Of course, I had been heavily training last year for the Potawatomi 100 miler, so I was in far better shape.
I'm only running 50 at Pot this year... and its currently 9days out. I've been last min training up and I'm fairly confident I can pull off a decent run, if the weather is favorable!
