Maryann Pynchon's Staging Area

Race expo was easy to get in and out and well organized. Morning of race went smoothly and on time. Porter potties at start and aid stations are always a huge plus. Amazing aid station workers and food options. Aid stations about every 5 miles was just perfect. It was awesome my husband was able to see me at 3 different aid stations because some races you don’t get that kind of opportunity. The weather was cool with some sun. There was more sand then expected but the views were worth it. The slick rock made it a little hard to get in a good rhythm/pace but there were some trails that were nice and I was able to get in a good pace without worrying about tripping. The slot canyons were super cool. The view of lake Powell was amazing. Overall it was an incredible experience especially for my first 50 miler. I would definitely recommend it to every ultra runner.

This “30 k” ended up coming out to about 21.5 miles so it was more of a 35k which is fine with me. It ended up being around 4,000 feet of climbing, the most climbing I’ve ever done on one run. The climbs were challenging but the views were worth it. The longest climb was about mile 13-16 so I paced myself by walking 1 min then jogging 1 min. If you don’t do that you’ll end up walking for to long since it’s a long hill. Then the hills were more rolling which was a nice break but then you hit your last longish climb (about a mile) around mile 18 which was rough because your legs have already taken quite a beating. The nice thing is that the last mile is pretty much a mile downhill of single track which is fun but a little steep at times so I had to slow down a bit. The aid stations were well placed. The volunteers were amazing, one even ran with me up a hill for a little bit for encouragement. Race director was great and very helpful. Course was marked extremely well which is always good because I tend to get lost easily. It was a little warmer/sunnier than I prefer (high 70s) with no cloud cover but there was shade from trees at times which was nice. Overall I really enjoyed it and would definitely recommend this race to those who have some long distance/trail running experience. They did offer shorter and longer distances so that is a big plus for everyone. Thank you to everyone who made it happen!!!

Nicely spread out aid stations with great volunteers to help out.
I took it easy at the beginning not knowing what to expect for my first Ultra. Overall the ascent for the 50k was around 3,000. It may sound like a lot but when researching other 50ks it’s on the easier side. The course was not too difficult as long as you trained sufficiently. I trained 3 to 4 days a week. My longest training run was around 21 miles. (3.5 hours.) I was nervous that wouldn’t be enough but I was surprised that I was able to complete the race relatively comfortably. The people I met were great. The trails were some single track and some wider dirt trails. Some rocks along the way. There was one big hill at about mile 13 and then you run it again when you come back but it was actually in a great spot to wake you up a little and just add in a little challenge when things start to get a little too comfortable… I power walked the uphill. I would definitely recommend it for any level of runner. Luckily the weather was nice and cloudy with maybe a high of 70ish so the weather was perfect! Just an overall amazing experience and I do really like the Lake Hodges shirt they give out. I also got a complimentary massage at a physical therapy booth at the finish. Don’t wait!!! Sign up now!!!

Plenty of aid stations and volunteers. Running through some neighborhoods with people coming out to cheer was memorable. I remember some yards had a bunch of pictures of veterans posted up with their achievements and that was kind of fun to see. We ran by Sea World which was cool. There was quite a bit of hills which one may not expect for San Diego. But that made it a fun challenge. I was able to catch my “crew” at a couple spots I told them to be at so that was awesome. The race medal was cool. It did get a little warm but not unbearable. We stayed at an air bnb about half mile from the start so that was very fun and convenient. The expo was huge and I bought a mug and tank top that I still wear to this day. The start was at a park but didn’t have a ton of porter potties so you just had to get in line early. The beginning was crowded but still not too hard to get into your corral. Overall I loved it because it is my marathon PR. I would run it again. But now I prefer to race on trails. Easier on my joints. Haha.