Logan Peak 2024 Race Recap

Date Modified: 2024-06-24

My plan going into the race was to push it up Dry Canyon and climbing to Logan Peak and just do the rest of the run a little higher than my normal long run intensity. No one super speedy or aggressive showed up for the race this year, so I found myself setting the pace up Dry Canyon. This made me feel some pressure to maybe go a bit faster than I was intending, and my legs were starting to feel it toward the end of the climb.

Reached the top of Dry in first place with Paul Bradford on my feet. I walked for a bit to get down a granola bar and let my legs recover and Paul took off like a mountain goat. I didn't think it likely that I would catch back up to him as he was looking quite strong and controlled. I made sure to keep my effort lighter as I headed along the South Syncline trail towards Providence Canyon. I was pretty quickly passed by two more runners, and later, Mike McKnight passed me around mile 9 or so near the spring.

(Aside: this race was just 8 days after Mike finished 2nd at the Tahoe 200. Mike is a great athlete, but I was really hoping I would be in good enough shape to outrun him so soon after such a big race.)

I never enjoy getting passed in a race and began to question my strategy a little bit. I convinced myself to stick with my plan to keep things easy until the climb to Logan Peak. I decided I would just see what place I was in at the top of the peak and try not to let anyone pass me from the peak to the finish.

As I got to the aid station at the bottom of the 2.3 mile climb to Logan Peak, I got eyes on the runners in places 2-4 as they were making their way up the road. It looked like there was a good chance that I could pass them all during the climb. About halfway to the peak, I made my way past Mike McKnight. I told myself that pushing on this climb is exactly what I've been training for, and I caught the other two about a 3/4 mile out from the peak. Shortly after that, Paul came running past on his way back down the mountain. It seemed like he was probably around 10-15 minutes ahead of me, and he looked great and was moving smooth. Still not likely I'd be able to catch him by the end.

I was the second runner to the peak, and then turned my focus to holding off any challenges from behind, and maybe trying to make up a bit of time on first place. I was moving well on the descent from Logan Peak, and it seemed like I was creating a pretty good gap on 3rd and 4th. When I got down to the aid station, Cody Draper, the Bear 100 RD, gave me some encouragement to try and catch Paul. He said Paul was only 10 minutes ahead. I wasn't super convinced that I would have a chance, but decided to keep pushing as best as I could. It is a race after all.

I was moving okay along the forest road and dropping onto the single track toward the North Syncline, but then started to really feel fatigue setting in and struggled to keep pushing on the rolling climbs. I also was feeling a bit nauseous and didn't get down as much fluid or calories as I wanted. If it were a longer race, I would have forced myself to slow down and get the nutrition in, but since I only had a bit over an hour to go, I decided to just keep running.

When I reached the aid station at the top of Dry Canyon, they told me Paul was 12 minutes ahead of me. After struggling on the climbs for the last few miles, I wasn't surprised that he had put some more time into me. I decided I should take it a bit easy on the steep rocky descent down the top of Dry to make sure I didn't trip and fall. Then I would try to open it up and push hard on the lower section of Dry to the finish.

My legs were really getting tired by now and anytime I had to make a quick reaction to avoid tripping over a rock, I felt like my muscles were about 90% of the way to totally cramping up. I talked myself through the descent, repeating over and over "every step in its place," "perfect step," "watch the shadows and overgrowth," and other similar phrases. As I reached the final turns at the bottom of Dry Canyon, I felt relieved that I had made it down without tripping or cramping.

I made my way through the Dry Canyon parking lot and across the cattle guard onto the road. I checked my watch and realized getting under 4:30 was possible if I could finish fast. My mind latched onto the idea that my time needed to be 4:29:xx. I used that as motivation to let it rip down the hill toward the finish. As I rounded the corner onto Gibson Parkway, I put it in a surge and then briefly gave up for about 30 seconds or so thinking there was no way I was going to make it. But then the finish line came into view, and I realized it was closer than I thought. I turned it back up for the final 100 yards or so and stopped my watch as I crossed the finish line at 4:29:53.

They keep track of the results by hand so I was nervous I maybe was cutting it too close and wasn't sure what time they would actually write down. My official time was 4:29:58, so my final push was just enough. Because for some reason that makes a difference.

Further reading: Shawn Harrison's article in the Herald Journal