The capital peak mega fat ass is an annual event near Olympia, Wa.  I ran part of this course last year in April as part of a 50 mile race for my first ultra. The fat ass name refers to the format of the race which means no frills no aid no medals etc.  Basically you carry your own food with you but they do provide a couple of water stops. I filled the bladder on my hydration pack anyway.

After a good night sleep I got up at about 4 in the morning and left at 4:30 with my friend Mike who would be running his first trail race that morning. Mike has been doing a lot of trail running with me on some of the tougher local trails.

My plan was to run very conservative because I figured the half marathon pr effort last weekend would keep me from running too hard. I figured this could be a long slow training run.

It took us about 2.5 hours to get to the small remote campground that was to be home base for the race. The forest roads leading up to the campground were iced and snowed over pretty bad and we almost had to chain up to get there.

There was also a potluck style food setting for after the race. I brought a Tupperware box full of PB&J sandwiches cut in quarters. The night before I thought of this neat trick where my wife and I melted chocolate chips and mixed them with creamy peanut butter to use as pb&j spread. Tasted just like nutella.

The CP course consisted of 2 loops of 17 miles for about 3 more miles then a true 50k. Total climb for both loops was about 5000’. The course was about 90% multi use single track, meaning a lot of the trail was rutted out by multi use, which made normal running difficult. The course condition were very bad with nasty combination of snow, slush, ice and mud. The slush was the worst because you wasted a lot of energy because your shoes wouldn’t bite and would slide back during the push.

The first 6.3 miles of the course is the approach and climb from 600’ to 2700’ Capital peak. About half way up the climb we were moving good but we got stuck behind a slow group of about 7 with 2 dogs and nobody was passing. My buddy wasn’t doing so well so I looked back and he said go for it I’ll see you at the end. So I commenced passing all these guys on narrow trail using such niceties like excuse me, on your left, thank you etc. The switch backs on this climb were plentiful and it was getting colder and windier as I climbed. Below the peak was a search and rescue post and a water supply stop. It has got to be one cold duty to stand around for 9 hours on the top of a mountain in the middle of January. I made sure to give these guys many sincere thanks for watching over us. I also used them to dig through my back pack to pull out food supplies for me. Speaking of fuel I pretty much ate my food on the move. I packed plenty of pb&j’s and odwalla’s in my pack. Found that I needed to walk while eating this food to keep from choking.

Onward up to the top of the peak and around the giant transmitter cage and it was pretty much down hill or flat with a few ups from here to the end of the first loop at the campground. I was feeling great at this point but a little cold up there. The running down this first descent was a bit dicey with the steep grade, ice and slush. I got to see my friend Mike climbing up. I slowed to speak to him and found that his shoe lace had broken but he was able to Mcgiver it back together somehow. I offered him an electrolyte which he declined and didn’t see him until my finish.

At various points during the race I saw this local Seattle runner that I was familiar with from running ccc100. This cat and mouse game went on for most of the race. One of us would come out of nowhere, pass the other guy, run together for a while then the guy in front would disappear off in the distance. Strange how this happens in ultra’s. I guess it is just a demonstration of how the highs and lows you feel during the day affect your pace.

I ran very strong from the peak to the campground passed a lot of runners. I think most of the field was 17 milers so I’m guessing that it was these people that I was passing. More then once I considered slowing to save some leg strength for loop 2 but I was having too much fun. The amazing part was that I didn’t fall down and with those conditions on this nasty ass trail and that was a miracle.

One more S&R with water and a 6.8 mile section (most of which was very runable) then I was out of the woods and back to the start/middle/finish area.

Loop 1 3:19:00

I spent 8 minutes at the campground race center and I wasn’t taking my time. I changed my shirt and gloves. Forget the feet, they were wet and a little cold but couldn’t do anything for that. I was wearing 2 pairs of wool or synthetic wool socks and my feet felt pretty good so I didn’t want to mess with them. Restocked food in my backpack and filled my bladder about 2/3’s. It was difficult filling that bladder under the iglo water cooler spot but I got it done. I was a bit concerned about water because I was really going through it that day.

As picked up to leave I started having some negative thoughts. It went through my mind that my legs were really tired and this next loop was going to be a bear so why don’t I just go over there by the big fire, eat some soup and chill. What went through my mind next was the dnf I had during a 50 miler back in October. That race I had an excuse because my knees wouldn’t let me go on. This time my only excuse was that my legs were tired.  "Time to suck it up and see what I’m made of."  This is what racing is all about, this moment of self realization when you pull up your boot straps and reach inside for more then you thought you had to give. I walked out of camp with a runner that was giving up. He had just placed high in a 50k event a week earlier and had nothing left to finish this race. He offered me supplies but I declined. I considered for a moment trying to talk him into running this loop with me because he seemed like a real nice guy but he looked like his mind was made up.

I moved on and up. This first part of the 2nd loop was a mental low for me. I really was questioning the ability of my legs to carry me the whole 17 miles. Dnf went through my mind a few times but not with any serious intent.  I would walk the loop if I had to. I have done a few ultra’s now and the one thing that I learned is that mental and physical fatigue can be overcome. Once you find your new low your mind accepts it after a while and then it becomes normal. If you remember this when things are bad it makes the lows easier to swallow.

Topped the peak, this time with a bit less pep in my step but starting to feel much better. This second loop went much like the first but just a bit slower. There were very few runners left on the course. I reached the last water stop after running out of my own water a few miles back. I was drinking a lot of water but not peeing which I thought was weird. Last year when I ran my first 50 miler on this course I got to this aid station, 6 miles from the finish and declined water or food and took off because I thought 6 miles would be a breeze. I bonked bad in about 3 miles and had no water. This time I new better so I stopped, grabbed a couple water bottles, ate a electrolyte and a odwalla as I walked on and then ran. I think this strategy was much better because I ran the whole way to the finish and felt great the whole time. Wish I could have run faster but my tired legs couldn’t give me everything that I asked of them but that was ok.

Loop 2 3:47:00 + 8 minutes at my drop bag.

Finish time 7 hours 15 minutes.

My friend Mike finished his first trail race with a broken shoelace and a smile on his face. Mike is already addicted to trails. I think now he might be addicted to trail races too. We scarfed on Chinese food on the way home.

I was really happy with my finish time considering the difficulty level of this course especially with the snow. Not sure if my ½ marathon pr work from last weekend had my legs feeling a bit extra tired but it kind of felt like it. I also can see potential improvements by running some long runs. I think my longest run since October has been about 16 miles. All in all I think this is something I can build on. Next month I have another 50k planned on a course that, if it is wet enough, has the potential to be harder then this one.

If your ever running an ultra up in Washington, odds are your going to run into John Pearch, James Varner and their helpers. These guys put on some very good events and do one hell of a lot for the sport.

Joe Lee