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| | | Cascade Crest endurance run, WA | | | |
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Cascade Crest endurance run, WA
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| Run/Jog | 79.90 Miles |
17,500 AEG |
| | Run/Jog | 79.90 Miles | 1 Day 2 Hrs 30 Mns | | |
| 17,500 ft AEG | 1 Hour Break | | | |
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| no partners | | The big event for the year, Cascade Crest Endurance Run, 102 miles - unfortunately an out-and-back this year because of an area closure. Didn't actually get into the event until June, and ran a 50 miler four weeks out, which I knew was a risk. Didn't get much activity in in the interim, with an ankle sprain in between putting the damper on what I was hoping would be an opportunity to increase my aerobic fitness. So, didn't feel great going in, but figured it'd be a fun weekend nonetheless.
8am start on Friday, first mile and a half was on dirt road, then a somewhat ridiculous climb up to Goat Peak. Very steep in places. After that, a couple steep ups and downs, with a bigger drop to a saddle before going back up to Little Bear where it joins the PCT. I think there was around 8,000 feet of climbing at this point, just 16 miles in.
Once on the PCT, things were much smoother, and I really felt pretty decent until just past Mirror Lake, after which I struggled for about a mile at 43. Getting dark at this point. By 44 started feeling a little better, and the rest of the way down to the Palouse-To-Cascades trail (old rail grade probably) was relaxed. Fun rope section down to the rail grade, then a two mile tunnel, which I hated more than I expected.
Quick break at Hyak (turnaround), and then it was right back through the tunnel, followed by a big climb back up to PCT and Mirror Lake. The stretch getting up to Mirror Lake was rough. Not too bad getting down to Yakima Pass, but going back up was tough. Felt pretty rough when I got to the aid station at 63. By this time, it was almost light again, which I was looking forward to.
No issues though the next aid, then on a pretty steep climb up to Snowshoe Butte a muscle in my hip tensed up, making each uphill step painful. Still probably 6500 feet of climbing left at this point. Was hoping the downhill to Tacoma Pass would be smooth sailing, but I was just beat, and started getting winded with minimal effort. With the newfound struggle to move, I decided to call it at Tacoma Pass. I was really missing that aerobic fitness, but I would still call almost 80 miles a pretty stout run.
Pretty area, some nice views of the surrounding mountains here and there, and the mirror lake area is nice, but a lot of the PCT stretch is just green tunnel. I'll definitely come back and give this another shot (when it's back to the loop course). |
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