Race Report: Logan Peak Trail Run

The next morning after the WS cancellation fiascal, I was online trying to figure out a new game plan.  I needed to pull up my boot straps and keep up the training.  I basically needed a long run around either June 28th or July 5th, or both.  I can do ~6-7 hour run on my own, but it is really nice to have aid stations that have drinkable water.  I found the Logan Peak Trail Run.  Logan, UT is located 1.5 hours north of our home, and is on the back side of the Wasatch range.  The run would be 28 miles (not an official ultra distance) however, the peak elevation would be 9,700 ft., not a sissy run to have total elevation gain/loss of 7,200 in 28 miles.

My pre-race prep. consisted of painting my living room ceiling and drinking margaritas on the front porch.  I started priming Thurs. afternoon after arriving home from Elko.  By Friday afternoon I was 3/4 the way into the 2nd coat of paint “blair gold” and I ran out of paint.  I zipped over to Wallpaper Warehouse (I use them because they sell Benjamin Moore paint and they are just down the street from home) and got the second can, finished the job, and removed the tape.  That evening Peter and I realized the second can had a glossier finish and was streaking.  I looked at the paint cans again and realized they were slightly different.  I started foaming at the mouth and left 2 messages on the WW answering machine - I wanted them to deliver a correct can because we would be gone on Sat. and I wanted to paint on Sun.  I was so upset because I knew I had to retape but I was worried that I would have to reprime and do 2 more coats at least on part of the ceiling.  I slept very little that night.  No prerace jitters, just intolerant of incompetance.  The last time I looked at the clock was 12:30 and we had to get up @ 3 to drive to Logan.

I was up before the alarm, threw my stuff in the van and Peter curled up in the back.  I was still upset but I thought a nice run out of the SL area would do me good.  Then the lights of the trooper were flooding the back window.  Busted..... 73 mph in a 55 mph construction zone.  Fortunately, this trooper was equiped with sattelite internet and was able to see my impeccable driving record (well in the past 10 years).  I got off with a warning, and not the $282 construction zone fee.  Phew.

We made it to the race on time.  A relaxed atmosphere.  There were ~40 runners.  My race number was 86, Peter thought it was appropriate because I had gotten 86'd from WS.

The race started 6am at a park on the east bench of Logan.  The first .5 miles was through a neighborhood and then we got on the Bonneville Shoreline trail for ~.5 miles.  I was blown away that Lake Bonneville went up and over the the Logan area.  We then headed up Dry Canyon, going up the drainage for ~5 miles.  The terrain was lush and cool.  At the first aid station I saw a fellow runner Greg.  We have done trail work together the past couple of years, he was taking photos today.  He saw me and realized there was something wrong.....no Western States no Slam.  The two other AS guys were sympathetic and then invited me to run the Bear 100, part of this Logan peak trail is used for the Bear.  The course turned right, and the trail went up to the ridge that still had the remainder of a north facing cornice.  Then we started a long up and down traverse all the way around the mountain (looking into Providence canyon) to the east side of Logan peak.  The trek up to Logan peak was an out and back from AS mile 11/15.  Not a super steep climb and some snow fields to cross.  I stopped on to to look around and snap a photo of my foot on the summit, beautiful view of the Bear River Range to the east. 

On the way down I had fun glissading down the snow field.

I could slide a lot longer without the camera

  I noticed a runner wearing a Western States shirt.  I stopped to ask if he had run WS, he hadn’t, and then he asked me if I had run Wasatch.  He then asked if I had used the donated toothbrushes at Brighton.  I immediately blurted out “yes, they are the best, I look forward to brushing my teeth.”  Turns out he is the dentist who donates the toothbrushes.  I thanked him. 

I was stiff on downhill but was able to catch up to a couple of runners.  We passed a lake, and I suffered a few mosquito bite.  This time I stopped at the AS 11/15, these guys got up there with their jeeps, they were so gnarly and muddy that I had to snap a shot. 

The next 6 miles was  rolling jeep trails and then we got back onto single track.  This was getting into the heat of the day but a lot of the trail was nicely shaded.  At some point I could look back at the north face of Logan peak and saw two very ski-able shots....that would almost take you back to the trail I was standing on.  That would have been a really fun shortcut. 

 

As we came up over the shoulder and looked down into dry creek I saw my favorite photographer.  Peter had hiked up and was enjoying the view.  He would then run down to the finish with me.  I stopped at the last aid station, which was also the first, and downed a RedBull. 

 

Peter and I had a nice mellow downhill chatting the entire way.  At the pre-race meeting we had been warned that there may be cattle near the end of the race, sure

 enough we were jumping over fresh pies on the trail but thankfully didn't slip.  As we neared the mouth of the canyon the temperatures were rising.   I was so happy that the finish line was only a mile from the canyon because the sun was intense. 

I chatted with the RD (race directory) Kelly after the race.  First of all, compliments to the race as it was well marked and nice trails.  We talked about how mental and emotional these races can be.  I was physically trained but the 3 days prior took quite the toll on my body.  I was stiff and I spent most of the time just thinking.  3/4 of the way thru the race I thought, was is the theme song.  I chose “refugee” by Tom Petty.  When Sophie was little she loved my Tom Petty CD and would repeatedly ask “mommy, what is a refugee”.  I was really missing her (Sophie is in Oklahoma until July 7th) and so a Sophie song sure cheered me up.

On the way home, once I got my ice packs situated, I called the paint store WW to check on the status of my delivered paint.  They didn’t listen to their voice mail.  I proceeded to get into quite an arguement and basically I wouldn’t settle for anything less than having them come over and repaint my ceiling.  So when we got home, Peter volunteered to go to WW.  Turns out the first can was actually a discontinued finish and the second was the new style flat.  But I liked the first can better.

I believe there is a mug shot of me hanging in WW that says”Do not serve this bitch”.  Yeah, I probably took my Grand Slam frustrations out on the paint ladies....but painting a ceiling is tough and who wants to do extra coats?

So what is going to happen with the Grand Slam?  No official ruling yet.  I have received several emails, the committee is meeting Sunday, today, and I will report their decision when I hear.