To be honest I’m writing this a year after I ran it. I sort of forgot to write a review and wasn’t too motivated. Anyway, I would still like to comment on how the race went not only for myself but because I know other like to read race review sometimes.

This wasn’t my first TRT race. Ive run the 100 once and got 5th, Won the 55k twice already and the 50mi twice as well. So to say I know the course well is an understatement. However, this course is still a bit new to me, at least the climb out of Carson City. There are many reasons I keep coming back to the TRT races. The course is beautiful, the trails are buffed out and fast (but steep in spots), the aid stations are well stocked and the race is just run really well by friend George Ruiz and passionate volunteers. It is also close to my home in Reno so it is only about a 1/2 hour drive to the start line.

The race starts out with the 50 milers at 6 am. The first climb is the steepest and longest by alot. It is very easy to get into the red and push too hard on this section. It early and it can really affect the rest of your race. I tried to keep my heart rate down by looking at my watch every so often to make sure I wasnt getting excited and hammering. This would really be the only time I look heart rate. After that I would go off of feel. As the race started a couple people jumped ahead and early on. I never lost site of them and we all ran pretty close together. As we started hitting the steeper sections I noticed myself starting to pull away. This is where I really watched my HR. The climb is pretty daunting this early in a race but just understand everyone is feeling the amount and steepness of the climb and it would eventually ease up.

Once passed the steepest section the trail starts to feel a little more open and you can tell you are at a higher elevation. The sun begins to light up the forest more and we started passing 100 milers who are all super supportive. Once I hit the summit I couldnt see anyone back behind me. Apparently I got the CR on Strava but it didn’t feel like I pushed too hard. At the top the 100 milers go left to Spooner lake and the rest drop straight down to Marlette. Don’t make the mistake I did last year of following the 100s when I was in the 50 Luckily I realized it fairly quickly and corrected. This year I knew right where to go. I bombed the descent to the lake. I hadn’t run a 55k in a while and my plan was to hammer the first half in hopes of putting a big gap on 2nd place because we would turn around half way. Strategically this would give me confidence and hopefully make them feel like I was way too far ahead to chase me down.

My plan worked. I came into the Tunnel Creek aid station ripping faster than I expected. I got nothing but water flipped a U-turn and put in a timed effort on the climb out. I wanted to keep pushing hard until I saw 2nd place and also this was the last real climb so I wanted make good time here as well. I saw my friend Joseph Bouchey on the climb and he was about a half hour back from me. I had planned to slow down if I had a solid lead but I was still feeling pretty good so I kept running the whole climb to the next aid station.

At the Hobart Aid station I knew it was either flat or downhill to the finish, but it is still 12 miles which is alot after running hard for 20. I could feel the warmth of the day creeping up and having run this descent before I knew it was pretty exposed so I filled up my ice bandana and took my shirt off. I kept drinking alot of water and continued to take a gel every 30-40min. As I ran I could feel I was having some stomach cramps, but nothing severe that would slow me down enough to make any difference. I hit the flat 3 mile exposed section and tried to hold a pace in the 7s. This section always feels super long and I kept looking at my milage. It is also really hot. Once that ended and I started running downhill my goal was to just keep my pace up. I didnt need to crush it but just keep moving, event though I was started to stiffen up, get hot and my stomach wasnt super well. But hey, thats an ultra I guess.

As I dropped down into hot Carson City I was running on a dusty singletrack. I tripped and did a somersault off the side of the trail. I immediately was worried I could be injured and have blown my race but I quickly jumped up and realized I was fine just covered in a lot of dirt that stuck to my sweat. So now I really looked like a hot mess, just the way I felt.

I wasn’t really worried about 2nd place as I had been moving quite well with little to no issues slowing my pace other than normal fatigue.

I came through the finish in 5:07 for 1st place and a new record on the new course. I was happy to see Joseph come in 2nd and we all hung out and drank too many beers at the comfortable finish line venue. All in all it was a great day!