The Way Too Cool 50K Lottery Rollercoaster, Nightmares and The Lone Star State

The first Ultra race I would have liked to have done this spring, after the US Cross Country Championships (12K) in San Diego February 5^th, was the Way Too Cool 50K in CA this March. 

The WTC 50K race looks awesome.  A lot of single track, uses some of the same trails as Western States, no two way traffic and has awesome competition (Geoff Roes, Leor Pantilat, Jacob Rydman, Mike Wolfe, and more).  WTC 50K basically was ideal, aside from the fact that I would rather it be 50 miles vs. 50K.  Now comes the Lottery…

So last weekend I entered my first “lottery” for the WTC 50K.   Yesterday I “lost” my first lottery.  Pretty disappointing.  I made the mistake of checking last right before I went to bed.  The lottery was advertised as happening today and I was just being anxious, I thought and found the results were already posted! 

So of course I processed this disappointment and subsequent emotions in the form of a ridiculous dream.  In the dream, I wasn’t signed up or couldn’t get into a race as well and I was scrambling around to try and get in anyways (sounds good).  Instead of running 30 miles on trails, I for some reason was to do a swim meet, of course, 400 or 200 meters I believe.  I’ve never swam in a swim meet in my life, whatever.  I finally got registered just before the race and subsequently had to sprint to the pool and get ready.  Everyone was wearing diving goggles, snorkels, fins and some strange loose fitting wet suit sort of deal.  I ran around the pool freaking out trying to find my set of “swimming equipment”, let’s call it. I found the gear, threw it all on and toed the line, or rather my box.  All the participants had massive shoulders, arms and pecks, you know, just like mine.  I thought to myself while waiting for the gun, maybe raw flailing effort will somehow manage to at least result in a swim where I stay with these guys.  Doubt and anxiety flooded my brain.  That was it. 

Both the dream and the lottery experience sucked.

I am apparently number 72 on the waitlist for WTC 50K and with 675 entrants I would probably need at least a 10% drop rate, so I’m not holding my breath.   I have a Plan B. 

For whatever reason, the USATF 50 Mile Championships are no longer held in California at the White River 50 Mile in July.  Instead, there has been a 180 degree change with the championships now the same weekend as the WTC 50K in March and held in the Lone Star State of Texas. 

  

   The Nuece Endurance Trail Run 50 Mile (west of San Antonio I belive) might be where I go for a March race, unless someone knows of something better, or I find something better.  The course has 3 loops (16.7 miles) which sort of sucks and I don’t know who will be there… yet.  Last year 23 raced, but I’m sure more will be there this year.   There is some money for the first 3 finishers, it IS the 50 mile championships, and the few pics I saw looked like it might have nice trails.  It certainly doesn’t have a lottery, so I have some time to decide and commit.