Strava Link: https://www.strava.com/activities/8584907717
Black Canyon Ultras 100K is definitely up there as one of my favorite races and runs I’ve ever done. I had a good race, the course is amazing, and I got to spend lots of time with my Michigan and Arizona friends over the long weekend trip in Arizona. I flew from Detroit to Phoenix early on Wednesday, February 15, and picked up a rental car (Dodge Challenger), stopped at the closest REI for some Leki Trekking poles and trail snacks, and grabbed lunch before hitting I-10 south for about a two-hour drive through the desert to Tucson. Strangely, it was colder in Arizona (48F) than the weather I had left behind in Michigan (51F), but I was happy to finally soak in some sunshine!
My Michigan friends Matt, Jon, Amie, and Kara were all traveling down for the 100K, too. I was sharing the rental car and VRBO with Matt and Jon but they wouldn’t be arriving until the following morning and Amie and Kara were doing their own thing to kick off their trip. So, I visited my friend Stephanie (@desertrunnergurl) and her husband Andy in Tucson, which I had never been to before!
Stephanie and I spent the afternoon hiking some interesting trails not far from her place. She showed me some cool waterfalls and river pools and of course we saw plenty of the spiky vegetation characteristic of the Sonoran landscape.
After the hike I met Andy back at their house and we went out for dinner at El Charro in Tucson. I had a hemp vegan burrito and it was very tasty. But I saved just enough room to nibble on some of the delicious Crumbl cookies Stephanie picked up for me (which all got eaten before I flew back on Sunday, with some help from Matt and Jon). Thanks Stephanie!
I went to sleep soon after dinner as I was feeling the time zone change and I had to get up early to drive back to Phoenix to pick Matt and Jon up at Sky Harbor.
I picked up the guys and we stopped for lunch before heading east into the Superstitions, where we spent the day hiking and driving around taking in the sights. It was a beautiful area and I enjoyed being able to explore Arizona with these guys, who I’ve shared so many miles with together in Michigan.
After the first hike we drove the Apache Trail past Canyon Lake and to Tortilla Flat, which was as far as we could get in the low-clearance sportscar since the road was somewhat flooded beyond that point.
Our next hike was an adventure along a wash that connected to some horse trails near Lost Dutchman State Park. After explaining to Matt and Jon that you have to be cautious around cholla I accidentally demonstrated the point when I stepped off trail to better frame a photograph. I felt a sharp stab on both sides of my right foot, quickly realizing I had stepped into some fallen clusters of cholla cactus. They stuck through the sides of my Hoka Speedgoat 5s and Matt and Jon assisted with carefully pulling them out. It stung for a while but nothing broken off in my foot and after ten minutes the pain was gone for good.
That ended up also being a three-mile hike, and we caught some magic hour lighting on the hike back to the car. Unfortunately, we also hit traffic traversing Phoenix en route to the neighborhood of our VRBO. Once there, we picked up some groceries, enjoyed some cheesy slices at an old-style pizza restaurant, and chilled out at the rental place, which had a pool and was conveniently located on the north side of the Phoenix metro area, not too far from packet pick-up and the race morning shuttle bus station.
On Friday morning Hoka was leading a shakeout run at 10am so we joined in on that (Amie and Kara included). It was an out-and-back (4 miles total) and a course preview of miles 36-38ish on the 100K course. As I later realized, it also happens to be the very first couple miles of the Cocodona 250 course, which I will see again in May!
We ran/hiked at the back of the pack to preserve our legs for the race, which allowed us to stop and take photos without getting in anyone’s way.
The five Michiganders went out for lunch and then Matt, Jon, and I went back to the VRBO for a chill afternoon to rest and prep our vests and stuff ready for the race.
Saturday was race day! Matt, Jon, Amie, and Kara were assigned a Wave 2 (7:30) start so they got on a shuttle bus first and I waved them good luck. I was in Wave 3 so caught the next round of shuttles, which dropped me off in Mayer, AZ just in time to start the race. Stephanie was also in Wave 3, and Andy and Jamie (who helped crew me at Javelina Jundred last October) were there to cheer her on. I also got to say hi to Kylie and Sabrina, both of whom I also met briefly at Javelina, and then we were off running!
It was cold and windy at the start and I began the race in two layers of Patagonia fleeces and a rain jacket but soon after running I had to start shedding layers. It warmed up quickly as the sun rose. I “ran my own race” so worked my way towards the front of the Wave 3 pack. The BC100K course has a significant net elevation loss, and much of the downhill running is in the first half of the race. Aravaipa, the race company, advises taking this easy because the end of the race has a lot more climbing and the descents are a lot more technical (steeper and littered with loose ankle-roller rocks). I used my new trekking poles almost the entire race. They help preserve the legs but mostly I wanted to test how it feels to wear them for 15 hours because I’m going to be using them a lot at Cocodona 250 and now is the time to identify potential issues.
I kept a pace in the 10-12 min/mile range for most of the first twenty miles. Much of the trail was single-track with limited opportunities to pass, but over time the separation between runners increased and it was easier to move at whatever pace I wanted chose. I didn’t use drop bags and didn’t have crew, so I spent very little time at aid stations throughout the event. I topped off my hydration bladder when I needed to and grabbed food to eat on the go. The bean wraps and watermelon slices were particularly awesome in supplementing the granola bars I carried in my vest.
The terrain changed a little in miles 8-13. This section was a sustained descent at an easy gradient and I cruised through the windy single track and really enjoyed being in the event.
At the half marathon mark was the Hidden Treasure aid station, complete with some fun, pirate-costumed volunteers. I refilled my hydration and continued south on the next section. The first couple miles after the HT aid station were flat or uphill, but then the course mostly dropped for the next five or so miles until Bumble Bee aid station. I’d have to say miles 13-20 were probably my least favorite of the course, because it felt warm in the exposed sun and the landscape was scenic but perhaps slightly monotonous through that reach. Not bad, but the rest of the course was just so awesome.
The Bumble Bee Ranch aid station was a substantial aid station. I took my only porta jon stop of the day there, used the faucets to drench my sleeves and hat in cold water, and ate several pieces of watermelon and banana. Then it was out onto the next trail segment, which began with a hill climb that I powered up pretty quickly, feeling strong and invigorated. I was passing a lot of people and suspected I had caught up to the back half of the Wave 2 group. Sure enough, a mile or two later I caught sight of Amie, Kara, and Jon.
They told me Matt had gone off ahead of them as he was really wanting to make sure to put himself in position for the sub-17 WSER-qualification time. I wished them good luck and continued off ahead. I passed Matt at the Gloriana Mine aid station at around mile 24. I was still moving well and felt good and that it was a sustainable effort, despite the tougher second half of the course, so I kept going. I reached a steep descent over uneven bedrock on smaller loose rocks but took it fast and passed several people on the way down to, eventually, the first river crossing.
The river water was refreshingly cold and I splashed it all over myself to cool off. The other runners around me did the same. After the river we abruptly faced a climb but it rewarded us with views.
A couple miles later was the Soap Creek aid station, which was perched on a small but annoyingly steep hill. That marked the approximate halfway point of the race and my feet had mostly dried out. Another water fill-up and I was out again, this time with a pocket full of bean wraps that I slowly ate on the go since it was about lunch time (fuel your muscles or they will fuel you!). The next five miles were up-and-down over a mix of single track and gravel roads, before descending back down for another river crossing.
After crossing the river again the trail climbed but it was gradual enough, with switchbacks to the top of a big hill. Then we came down the other side of it and connected with an intersection I remembered from the Hoka shakeout-run we did on Friday. A little out-and-back with lots of two-way traffic and two-way motivational greetings. The Black Canyon City aid station was the finish line for the 60K (that event was held on Sunday), but we were in for another 40K of fun! Aravaipa did a good job emphasizing that participants should save themselves for that last stretch from Black Canyon City to the end of the 100K, so I was curious to see how painful it was going to be. I had a couple hours of daylight still, but I knew I’d be running for a few hours in the dark. Fortunately, I was still feeling good. I went through the aid station without delay. At Cocodona I’ll pay more attention to keeping my feet dry and taped up as necessary, but with twenty-some miles to go in BC100K I knew I’d be alright saving time and pushing through to the end without taking my shoes off (and that worked out just fine).
On my climb back out of Black Canyon City I passed Matt, Amie, and Kara. I hoped Jon wasn’t too far behind them, but I didn’t see him before I left the two-way out-and-back stretch and was off to finish the race. I ran the winding descent to the river relatively quickly, knowing that the terrain would get more technical later and I figured the more course I could cover in the daylight the better. My goal was to finish under 17 hours, for the WSER qualifier, but I was started to feel that a sub-16 was in reach. But I still had some tough terrain to cross, and quite a bit of climbing.
I crossed the river authoritatively and enjoyed the fact that the next big climb was on the shaded side of the hill. I said hello to some cattle before hiking the long ascent.
After gaining a quick 600′ in elevation, I would lose it all in the next ten miles over a bunch of up-and-downs. I really enjoyed this part of the course, especially hitting it with the soft light of the setting sun.
Although I had a good playlist with me, I never used music during BC100K. I kept my phone on airplane mode and used it only as a camera until the end of the race. I find that I run faster with music, especially later on in a race when I’m tired, but the trail was narrow and I wanted to hear if someone was coming up beyond me and wanting to pass. At dusk, the crickets were chirping and the temperature was perfect, and the scenery was amazing and I was 45 miles into the race and feeling awesome and loving life. I’d say the high point of the race was about there, when I snapped this photo:
This is why I run long, and sign up for ultras. At least, this is one of the reasons. Stumbling upon these perfect moments in beautiful, remote places, in a state of exhaustion but simultaneously feeling like anything is possible.
I dropped into the Cottonwood Gulch aid station and fished out my headlamp. I also indulged in my first “cupless” cup of Coca Cola of the race, and ate some pickles and salted potatoes. I made it about a mile, running in partial-dark, before I started to kick enough rocks to turn the headlight on. The final fifteen miles would have to be completed in the night. I only took two photos after the sun set, focusing instead on continuing to move over the increasingly rocky trail. There were some areas that were completed covered with loose rocks of various sizes that warranted extra attention and even then I often found myself cursing when I kicked a rock. It seemed like I also hit them only with my left foot (based on what my feet look like post-race that seems true).
I was getting to the point where I wanted to hike and not run, even when the trail was runnable, so I had to push myself a bit to override that urge and keep moving. I fell in behind a guy and girl from California for a while and we hung together for a mile or two, which probably helped me more than them, but I appreciated the trail company. We had an almost-knee-deep river crossing in the dark which was a little tricky over a soft sandy bottom, and then a slick muddy bank to scramble up onto coming out of the water. Another mile or two, listening to the incessant gun fire from a nearby range (I’m glad the race staff tipped us off to expect that!), I was at the Table Mesa aid station. I popped another bean wrap in my mouth and was out of there ASAP.
The trail wound back and forth over a flat runnable area for a little while before dipping down, but I could see scattered headlamps on the size of a tall hill and knew I was about to tackle the last major climb of this race. That actually didn’t bother me. I still felt strong hiking uphill (the trekking poles do make a big difference). It was the rocky downhills that I was starting to struggle with more than the ascents.
The next several miles seemed tough, mostly because of all the rocks. There were a few runnable stretches, but much of it was so rocky that it was difficult to get any momentum before nearly rolling an ankle or kicking yet another rock. It felt easier/safer to just walk that even on the flat sections and descents when I wanted to move faster. The highlight of that section between Table Mesa aid station and the Doe Springs aid station was a stand of mighty saguaro that just looked so cool against the starry sky that I had to dig out my phone and snap a photo. This doesn’t do it justice, but it’s leaps and bounds better on my new iPhone 13 mini than what I was able to take with my old iPhone SE.
The last descent before Doe Springs felt like another treacherous rock field by headlamp but I knew I was within single-digit mileage of that fancy finish arch and I could see the glow of Phoenix light pollution on the horizon in front of me.
My recreational rock-kicking continued and I was getting curious how my big toenail, left foot, looked. Black, uplifted, and possibly a bloody mess, by the feel of it. Yay, ultrarunning! [Update: Yeah, I’m going to lose that toenail].
I hit Doe Springs aid station feeling pretty spent. I was struggling to kick it into run mode. But I partook of the magic that is a cup of salty broth and did some quick late race runner math. Finishing sub-17 hours was all but in the bag at this point, and that was my race goal. With Cocodona looming, pushing too hard at this event just wouldn’t have been a smart idea. But with only three miles and change left and the time displayed on my Coros, I realized I had a very real shot at finishing under 15 hours but that would require a serious push. Fortunately, the last 5K of the race was fairly flat. I pushed through mile 59 at a decent clip. Then mile 60. When I started seeing the glowing Hoka pillars I knew I was close and I pushed the pace even faster and it actually felt, like, really really good (i.e., unexpectedly easy) to let loose and run it in. I crossed the finish line in an official time of 14:54:25.
I found an out-of-the way spot to sit and wait for my friends to come through. Matt finished sub-16 hour, and we hung out for a bit until Amie and then Kara came through, both qualifying for the Western States 2024 race with sub-17 finishes. Unfortunately, Jon had decided to drop at Black Canyon City and we found he had messaged us letting us know he took an Uber back to the VRBO. Stephanie also finished, which also happened to be a distance PR for her. Congratulations!!!
I think the 100K might be my new favorite race distance. It’s long enough to be a good challenge, but there’s something to be said about finishing in time to go home and sleep at least some of the night!
But don’t worry.
I’m all in for my next race.
Cocodona 250.