The Inaugural Dirty Dare 50k

Inside Trail Dirty Dare 50k, Sunday 20 October 2013

June 2005

Since Cuyamaca 100k, the previous weekend, the only running I had done was between Disneyland and our hotel twice a day, and to get Fast Pass tickets for the rides to avoid the long waits. GPS link to one day's running.  I got pretty good at getting the tickets, which requires communication with the family, detailed planning and nimbleness on the feet.  However, this running didn't quite cut it as a workout-- maybe just as well since I had to recover from the 62 mile race, but by Sunday the 20th, I really needed a good long and hard run-- the 1st ever Dirty Dare 50k by Inside Trail came to the rescue!

Ohlone Wilderness 50k, which I've run 8 times, goes through Sunol Regional Wilderness on the way from Mission Peak to Del Valle.  But I knew from a few training runs, family hikes, and one day of trail work in Sunol that Ohlone 50k runners don't get to see most of the beauty the park offers.

May 2006

hike May 2010

hike March 2011

trail work, June 2011

hike New Years Day 2012
each 25k loop begins with an ascent of Flag Hill

This race is the only one taking place exclusively in this beautiful wilderness.   Catra Corbett does know the trails there really well, and designed a very very challenging course through the gorgeous scenery of the park.

course designer and her badass wiener

It was chilly at the start, but we all knew it would warm up fast and then get too hot.

atop Flag Hill, by Sam Hsu

Maguire Peak, by Sam Hsu

more pictures of the course by Sam Hsu

For the first two splits I chatted with Chris Eide, who had just run Firetrails 50 mile the previous weekend.  We both wanted to be careful not to thrash ourselves too much.  After the 2nd aid station, Chris fell back.

I couldn't wait for Chris to finish, so shot his family patiently waiting for daddy.

gnarly single track Eagle View Trail, by Sam Hsu

An Asian guy I'd seen or met before but never met passed me shortly before the end of the first loop.  I tried to chat, but he didn't talk much.

Although the 50k consisted of two loops, the course did NOT take us through the start finish area, which is a plus psychologically.

The second loop, predictably brutal, I caught him and two others-- one runner was having what I diagnosed as possible mild intermittent cough variant asthma, extreme exercise induced (not an official billable diagnosis).  The other guy was just hurting, but kept going.

Rich Conder of Suisun City, finished 8 minutes behind me and 6th overall 

The Asian guy almost caught up with me at the end.  I wanted to meet him and get a photo, but he appeared to have taken off.   He, like a lot of us running this race, was training for Rio del Lago 100 mile the next month.  Fortunately, Chris Jones shot his photo there.

Daigo Echizenya pre-race at Rio, photo by Chris Jones

I myself had to bolt after 30 minutes-- I was intent on taking care of the kids the rest of the day, including most importantly getting their and my long long overdue hair cut.

results
website (there were also 10k and 25k distances)

rest of my photos on facebook
course photos by Sam Hsu on facebook

schwag with my left La Sportiva Ultra Raptor (I ran with my right shoe also though)

Thanks to all the volunteers, including Rita and Kelly at the 1st aid station, sorry, didn't get the names of the guys at the 2nd, and Sam Hsu and Trevor Nederlof at the 3rd aid station (and everyone at the start/finish).

Like September's Berkeley Trail Adventure, which I ran the previous month, the Dirty Dare is an awesome and unique trail race course that I highly recommend.

Occasional disclosure notice of gratitude:  I get comped for these great races by Tim Stahler of Inside Trail since I am on the La Sportiva Mountain Running Team, one of Inside Trail's main sponsors, so continued thanks to my benefactors.