You'd think after a running career spanning 48 years, including maybe forty or fifty ultras (not that I’m counting), I would have learnt a few things about running. Maybe even enough to avoid some of those “running 101” novice errors we all know about. Apparently not, as I discovered in last weekend’s Scorched Sole 50k trail race in the Okanagan.

Scorched Sole is a very low-key race. All the basics a runner needs with none of the frills; my kind of race. All I knew was that the course was 50km of trails in the area of the 2004 Okanagan Mountain fire. I was told it was somewhat hilly, but consisted of very runnable trails with a start elevation of around 1700 feet and high point of 4000 feet above sea level.  

Race day weather was unpleasant for camping but near perfect for a run, with a temperature below 10C but mostly dry after heavy rain the previous day. There was a minor panic when I discovered the provincial park where we were camped didn’t unlock their gates until 7am, the same time as the race started, but we managed to escape just in time to make the start. The race started a few kilometers south of Kelowna on the lower slopes of the Myra - Bellevue provincial park. 

It was a two lap course with a short out and back section at the start of each lap. The second lap was run in reverse to provide some variety, always a good thing on a multi-lap course. About 25 runners lined up for the 50k event and 50 for the 25k. I knew some of the other 50k runners both in person and by reputation and I knew on a good day I should be reasonably near the front. So when a young gun headed out fast on the initial out and back I settled in to a steady pace and tried to keep him in sight. The trail headed up a moderate climb and I was enjoying the slight effort, running at a moderate pace but under control. Rookie mistake number 1 – starting out too fast. 

Then the young leader, who I later discovered was Myke LaBelle an up-and-coming 21 year old from Victoria, was cruising away from me and I probably pushed a bit too hard in my futile attempt to keep him in sight. Rookie mistake number 2 – not running your own race. 

Of course it is difficult to slow down once you are in a groove – so I didn’t, despite the gradual realisation that the first hill continued without a break for 11km to the high point of the course. Rookie mistake number 3 – not knowing the course.  

I was running with a new Ultimate Directions hand-held water bottle with “kicker valve” which dispenses a wicked stream of water and seemed much better than a conventional bottle when I tried it at home. But as I now discovered, only when the bottle is more than half full (although I have since found that a two-handed squeeze is much more effective at draining the bottle). Rookie mistake number 4 – using untested equipment in a race.   

At the 11km aid station on the Kettle Valley railroad trail I still felt fine as I took on water and dropped in one of the new Nuun tablets I was using for electrolyte replacement for the first time, but I could certainly feel that hill in my legs! The downhill trail was steep in places and slightly technical with some rocks, roots and mud. But it was a lot of fun – until I caught my toe on a rock and took a nose dive. Oh well, no real harm done apart from a wrenched thumb, so I was quickly up and on my way again. But my new Brooks Adrenaline trail shoes, which I had worn for just one previous training run, seemed to have lower ground clearance than my normal shoes and several times I caught a toe with my low foot lift. Rookie mistake number 5 – wearing new shoes in a race.  

I slowed after this as the trail dropped to the 17km aid station then started climbing again. Ellie Greenwood and Bruce Grant caught me somewhere around here and the three of us stayed fairly close for the rest of the first lap.  

The second lap started back up the same hill. Still feeling ok and I opened up a small lead on Bruce and Ellie. This felt good, so I pushed a bit harder. I knew they would catch me on the downhill sections, and indeed they did. First Ellie came past, then as we hit the last few kilometers of steeper climb to the high point my legs pretty much stopped working and Bruce cruised by apparently effortlessly. My legs lost all strength and started to cramp a bit, as the rain and wind picked up to complete my misery. I was walking – slow walking at that – taking on gels in case I needed calories. But I think my real problem was dehydration. Was this due to my difficulties with the water bottle, or perhaps the Nuun not working so well for me? I’ll go with the water bottle as it really limited my fluid intake, and even though the day was cool I had lost a lot of fluid on the climbs. 

No need to detail the rest of this sad story. Four more runners passed me as I settled into a survivor shuffle to the finish. My final time of 5h 16m was certainly not what I had hoped for, but thanks to the final 10km being all downhill I did finish fairly comfortably. 

Some of my woes were probably due to simply overestimating my level of fitness and perhaps having a bad day. But my rookie errors were surely major contributors. I just hope I have learnt some lessons for the Knee Knacker in July. 

Note: My problems with the water bottle, electrolyte drink and shoes do not reflect on the quality of the products. I was either not practiced enough in using them or perhaps they are not the best choices for me. 


Finally here is my review of the Scorched Sole 50km, using the Ray Barrett criteria (understand this is highly subjective, and this race is possibly penalized by its low-key nature): 

Organization: 9
Informative web site (although a course profile would be a welcome addition). The events ran as planned on time and under control.

Style: 10
50km and 25km races, low key, low hype events. Excellent finish line commentary. Good plain old fashioned events centred on runners needs. 

Course Marking/Volunteers: 10
Clearly marked with critical intersections manned. Excellent and ample volunteer support. 

Aid Stations: 8
10 aid stations over 50km. Excellent staffing, gels, fruit and sweet energy foods. I would have like something salty as well. I’m also not sure whether I like the idea of non-pre-mixed electrolyte drinks to give fussy ultra-runners the opportunity to mix to their own specs.

Post Race Food: 8
Post race barbeque and other food was good but maybe a bit sparse. 

Timing: 9
As good as needed for an event of this size and distance. 

Participation: 6
About 75 runners. This event deserves more. 

Crowd Spirit: 10
Great. Small but enthusiastic crowd of knowledgeable supporters and volunteers 

Prizes/Freebies: 9
Nice plaques for age group winners. Plenty of small draw prizes pre-selected based on number (good system). Four or five major draw prizes (shoes etc). Good odds! 

Award Ceremony: 10 (if you don’t like award ceremonies!)
It was non existent, which given the wide span of finishing times was sensible. Age group winner plaques were presented individually and informally. 

Total: 89%