Calico 30K Trail Run

On January 18th, 2009 I participated in the 5th annual Calico Trail Run held a the historic Calico Ghost town in Yermo, California. It is about 10 miles east of Barstow. This was was my 3rd time competing in the 30k. The race has special meaning to me because it was my second race running race ever, back in 2007 I went from a 5k to 30k. For this years race the weather was beautiful with temperatures in the 50's. The race has two options, the 30k and they have a 50k, in all there seems to be about 250 people, but I am not sure. More people do the 50k about 2:1. We drove up the morning of the race and checked in. Did not camp this year. However, the camp ground is very nice and well worth it.

Here is how my race went. The start was at 7:00 am. The course starts on a road for about the 1st mile. Then it cuts on to a very sandy trail. Not quite as sandy as running at the beach but enough to slow you down substantially. There is also a slight up hill with some rollers thrown in. All the way to aid station #1 is about 7 miles. I reached aid station #1 feeling quite well. From that point it course keeps going up hill until you reach about mile 12 where there is aid station #2. At this point in the race the scenery becomes beautiful as you start getting in to some narrow canyons. The trail also becomes more rocky, inclines become steep, and you have to really pay attention or you will fall down. Ouch! A this point in the race I was running with a group and having a really good time. I stopped at aid station #2 to fill a water bottle but I was the only runner to do so. So, in about a minute I lost the group. At mile 13.1 (half marathon) my split was 2:18, for me that was good on this course. However, having lost that group, I also found that I had lost my way. As I was running down a creek bed I failed to make a left and found my self off course. This was brought to my attention by the 15 foot drop off. I think that I ran off course for about 5-10 minutes. At that point I was overwhelmed. I did not want to be lost out there. Luckily I was able to tap into my Native American intuition and genetic disposition to follow tracks. I caught a glimpse of a runner's head as I began to backtrack. I estimate that my miscalculation cost me at least 15 minutes. Finally, got back on course and found the 50/30k split where the most treacherous section begins. After the split there is an amazing uphill portion that is nothing but rocks. I don't know how any one can run that section. After that hill you drop down into aid station #3 for the 30k at mile 14.6. I felt good and knew that this race would be a PR at that point even though I got off course. For the next 3 miles you go thought some amazing canyons. Some are only 10 feet wide. You have to be very careful running as there is a lot of loose rock. When you exit the canyon the send you though these funny little tunnels and up another steep hill. At the final mile you can see the ghost town in the distance. You run through the parking lot and then up what must be the cruelest hill you can imagine. I don't think any one runs it. Finally it is back down in to the town.

It was a good race for me. I finished in 3:46 which looked to be a PR by 19 minutes! I finished 35/66 overall for the 30k a substantial improvement. My garmine gps watch said I went 19.5 miles. So my off course adventure was about a mile. This is a fantastic venue, friendly runners, and well run event. Calico is not just a race, it is an adventure!