Affordable 50k

With the current economy I'm trying to train on a budget. This involved doing less races as training runs, and finding local races vs traveling whenever possible. My target races that will involve travel costs are Tor Des Geants in Italy and Hardrock if I get picked in the lottery next week.

Earlier this week I felt I needed a 50k for my Saturday long, there were no local 50k races and I really didn't want to do it alone, at least for the entire distance. I didn't think I could find someone to run with me. Luckily the socal coyotes were doing a 16 mile point to point run from Temascal to Westridge in the Santa Monica Mountains. I had the perfect solution, I would just start a few hours earlier from their finish point, then have a group to run back with. I worked out I needed to start at 4am. I told some friends about my plan and posted my idea on facebook. Another coyote, Erin decided to join me at 4am, for what I believe was her second 50k. We had a great few hours lit by a bright full moon, then treated to an amazing sunrise. We arrived at Temascal just as the 16 mile group were ready to start and had a nice group to help pull us back for the next 16 miles Westridge to Temescal. The total distance was a little over 31 miles and took us about 6h:45m.

So if you can't find a race or a group to run with, sometimes you can just double the distance of a group run and if you are lucky maybe someone will join you for the whole way.

In a few weeks I'm heading to Corona CA for the Twin Peaks 50 mile ultra, its an affordable local ultra.