I don’t know if I’ve mentioned this before, but some of
the best races I’ve ever participated in have been those that Aravaipa Running
puts on. This local company in Phoenix, Arizona really focuses on providing a
good experience to the runner and it’s obvious that the races are put on for
runners, by runners.
That being said, I have absolutely nothing but good
things to say about their Crown King Scramble 50K and I was extremely excited
to be able to participate in this race after years of hearing about it. Between
the challenging course, the breathtaking views, and the incredible volunteers
and race staff, this year’s Crown King Scramble will definitely go down as one
of my favorite races of 2015.
I ran this race as a training run for the 7 Dirty
Thirties, so I went into it with almost no expectations of time, and without
really looking into the course. I watched the video run-through of the course a
couple times, but I inevitably always got distracted and didn’t really register
what this race would entail. I knew it was almost all uphill and I knew that
there would be over 5000 feet of climbing, but something kept me from reading
into it and I figured I would just take it easy and enjoy it. I was not
expecting the wonderful experience that I would have that sunny March day.
The logistics of the race were a little tricky and were
the only thing I really took the time to plan. With a point-to-point course, I
couldn’t just drive myself, park, finish, get in my car and go home, and with
the finish line being a couple hours from Phoenix, I had to get creative with
my transportation situation. Adding to that an early morning start which itself
is about an hour from my house, it was going to be a long day. My mom, who is
also my coach and coaching mentor, volunteered to drive me to the start line,
and my roommate and great friend, Max, and his girlfriend Courtney, agreed to
make the drive up to Crown King, Arizona to see me finish and then drive me
home.
On March 28th, I arrived at the start line at
Lake Pleasant at about 5:15am. After checking in, dropping off my drop-bags and
the traditional pre-race pee break, I hung around and got to talking to some of
the other runners. Some were doing their first ultra, while others were
seasoned veterans. The vibe was laid back and easy-going, as is usual at the
start line of an ultra-marathon. Finally, we lined up on the boat ramp, got a
quick briefing, and then we were off. The first couple miles were on the road
but soon we were trotting along on the dirt road that would take us up from the
desert to the pinewoods of Northern Arizona.
The course immediately started climbing. Overall, the
first 15 miles weren’t too bad and had a lot of runnable sections so those
miles seemed to melt by. I chatted with the runners around me and quickly
learned that the last 15 miles of this race would be the tough part. I made
sure to take it easy, hiking the steep hills and mainly just shuffling along.
Before I knew it, I looked around and realized that the landscape was already
changing. Bushes were getting bigger, cacti were getting smaller, and little by
little, the low desert was left behind. Looking back, the Valley of the Sun
spread out further and further below us.
The aid stations were fantastic. Each one was competing
with the others for the prize of best aid station so they each had something
that set them apart. One had popsicles, another had beer (my favorite, mile
22), and they all helped break the long day into smaller parts. Overall, I felt
great throughout the whole day. Although there were some really challenging
climbs (between mile 24 and 29, for instance), I never hit a wall and was
actually able to churn through the last 2 miles pretty quickly.
At about mile 29, the first pine trees loomed up ahead as
we turned a corner. Suddenly, the relatively exposed hillside course was
replaced with a shaded, wooded, forest run. That’s also when the course crested
and began a pleasant descent, all the way to the finish line.
Crown King is a tiny little town in the middle of the
woods, but on March 28th, it came to life with crowds of runners and
their supporters. The finish line was right in front of the Crown King Saloon
and we were able to immediately enjoy food, beer and live music. Max, Courtney,
and I hung out for a while, ate, drank and finally headed back.
This race proved something to me at exactly the time when
I needed it. It proved that my training was working beautifully and that my
body was adapting well to the higher mileage and it brought my one big mental
step closer to where I need to be for my 210 mile adventure in May. I was
floored by the fact that when I got back to Phoenix and got out of Max’s car, I
did not feel sore, tight, or even that I had ran that day at all. I felt
fantastic and was able to run again the next day without issue. This was the
clearest sign that the training was working and it eased any doubt I may have
had that I would be successful. It just goes to show that if you do things
right, and you keep going even when things are difficult, you will come out on
top and I was extremely happy to find this out at the 2015 Crown King Scramble
50K.
I want to give a huge thank you to Jamil Coury and the
Aravaipa Running crew for putting on the best trail races and for showing me
support on my journey. If any of you have ever thought about getting into trail
running and/or ultras, I would highly recommend any of the Aravaipa races and
their group trail runs as well. I also want to thank my good friends Max and
Courtney for taking the day to drive all the way to Crown King to support me
and give me a ride home. It means a lot that you were there. I need to give
another thank you to my coach and wonderful mother, Bettina Warnholtz. Her
training plan, her guidance, and her patience with me when I am doubting,
questioning or complaining is the only way I could reach the outrageous goals I
set for myself. And finally, I want to thank my biggest supporter and my rock,
Katlyn, who, even though she is busy with nursing school, still manages to help
me get through my training and is there for me no matter what. Without a crew
like this, I’d be fat, injured or both. Thank you!
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