Re-Racing the Elkhorn Ultra: What My First 50KM Taught Me 10 Years Later
Ten years ago, I lined up for my first 50 km run - Elkhorn Endurance Runs, Montana's oldest trail ultra. This summer, I went back to that same race in Helena, Montana, to see what a decade of coaching, training, and living would change.
Like a lot of people, I used to think your best fitness lived in your twenties. But after another 10 years of applying sports science to real days outside, I am not so sure.
The biggest difference was not talent or even being more or less fit. It was preparation. Although I wasn't elite in my twenties, I was more of a ski racer than a runner. I still pulled some not-bad times, running about a 20-minute 5 km and in my first marathon, I ran in three and a half hours. I had also just finished a degree in kinesiology, so in theory, I knew everything I needed to do well at the ultra (here's what I actually wish I knew).
I knew more about the course, more about heat training, more about proper recovery, and a lot more about how to manage my body and my brain when things got hard. Even in much hotter conditions, I finished 39 minutes faster than I did the first time.
These are the 10 lessons that made that possible. If you are training for a trail race, a long hike, or any big outdoor challenge or goal, they may help you as well!
Before the Race
1. Train for the course, not just the distance
The first time I raced this 50 km, I treated the distance as the main challenge. I did not look at the trail map or the elevation profile before that day. The first time I ever did this course, my watch said 50 km when I was still four kilometres from the end.
I remember not knowing where the finish line was going to be and just, every step of the way, hoping that it was around the next corner. That last 4 kilometres on my first time doing this course was so slow.
I now know that distance only tells part of the story. Vertical gain and trail surface matter just as much, if not more, than the total distance.
If the course has a long climb early, train for that specific effort. If the trail is rocky and technical, spend time moving over that kind of terrain. The better your training matches the real demands of your specific race, the fewer surprises you will face when the race starts.
2. Respect the weather and prepare for it
Weather changes performance fast. In fact, running pace can be decreased by 2 to 3% if you're running at 60 degrees Fahrenheit, which is not that hot. At 80 degrees Fahrenheit, the effect can be between 12 and 15%. So an eight-minute mile would jump to 8:12 if you are at 60 degrees, but then would jump to 9:06 if you are at that 80-degree mark. This may not be a lot per mile, but when you think about 50 km, about 30 miles, those compound and make a difference.
Your body will always choose safety first, which means your pace, efficiency, and focus can drop when conditions get tough.
That does not mean you are powerless. It means you need a plan.
This year, only about 4 km in, before the first hill, we crossed a stream. Ten years ago, I would have just jumped over the stream and kept going. This year, I dipped my hat, dunked myself in the water, and then kept going, and no one else around me did that at that point. In fact, I think some people thought I was crazy for doing it that early into the run, but the weather this year hit a high of 102 degrees by the time I finished the race.
I also did some heat adaptation leading up to this event. After I finished short training runs, I would crank the heat in my car on the way home to get a 20-minute sauna session.
Cooling strategies, heat adaptation, hydration, and honest decision-making all matter. If the day is hot, act early. If the air quality is poor, be willing to slow down or call it. Smart athletes are not the ones who ignore the conditions. They are the ones who respond to them well.
3. Tapering is part of training, and you should do it
A good taper can feel uncomfortable because it asks you to trust work you have already done. I still get nervous before I do a taper. There is always a temptation to squeeze in one more hard session, one more long run, one more "proof" that you are ready.
I was really busy this year, and my training wasn't perfect. I didn't do every workout perfectly. My brain told me to just go out for one more run, get those adaptations that you can use during your race. But the thing I've learned in the last 10 years is that going in rested beats getting that one last training run.
And it feels weird to reduce your volume two weeks before your event. But it really pays off because if you're not fully rested and recovered, then you haven't actually realized all the gains from your training.
4. Fuel before you feel behind
One of the simplest performance upgrades is also one of the most ignored. You have to eat.
I have this distinct memory from the first time I did this race. I was, I think, 15 km from the end, and I came upon an aid station, and they had Fig Newtons there. Now, I don't usually eat Fig Newtons, but I put one in my mouth, and it felt like all of a sudden I could run again.
I was so out of carbohydrates that that Fig Newton saved my life. This year, I aimed to take in 60 grammes of carbs per hour when I was out on the trail, even at the beginning of the run. You don't feel like you need to eat, but the truth is you are burning so much energy when you are out there, not just from physical activity, but also from being exposed to the weather and from your mind working overtime, that eating is so important.
I ran that first race with an apple in the pocket of my leggings, and I didn't eat it for the whole race. And that apple probably would have helped me have a much better race day, but instead it stayed in my pocket.
During the Race
5. Look up and let the day be bigger than your discomfort
When I did the course this year, I was looking around me, taking it in, in a way that I wasn't the first time.
Now, part of that is a learning effect. If I've done the race before, I can kind of look around and open up my view, but it also goes the other way. By noticing things around you, you're taking your focus away from what you might be going through.
Make sure you're still checking in with your body, but by taking that view outside, you're gonna enjoy the day more, which, even if you don't get a faster time, is a better outcome.
You're gonna be able to connect with others around you. I met more people this year at the Elkhorn Ultra than the first year I did this. I didn't really meet or talk to many people on the trail then. These are things that are gonna make your day more exciting and better and go faster. And it might just lead to you having a better time as well.
6. Prepare for hazards before they become emergencies
Something I ran into this year that I didn't run into 10 years ago was allergies. Ten years ago, it wasn't a very good growing year, so the grasses and everything were really low. I have an allergy to Timothy grass, and the Timothy grass was this high this year. I actually ended up getting an allergic reaction on the last climb and had to take some antihistamines.
It never reached the point where I felt it in my throat or anything, but there are other hazards out on the trail, and I know to look and be ready for them. I had those antihistamines with me just in case that happened because I knew it was a risk factor.
I also knew and was aware of the smoke levels in the area. Now we were really lucky; the day of the race, we had less smoke in the air than even the day before. But I knew that if it was smoky, I should reduce my pace and, at a certain point, decide not to race that day. And 35-year-old Alecia is much more prepared to pull the pin if it's not safe than 25-year-old Alecia was.
7. Pace with patience, not ego
One of the biggest mistakes in long events is starting hard at the start line.
25-year-old Alecia went out of that start line hard. My thought was, "It's a run, so I'm going to run as much as I can. I'm gonna push myself." 25-Year-old Alecia went hard up that first hill.
Now, 35-year-old Alecia let people pass her on the first hill. And I think that would have hurt my ego a little bit when I was younger. But at the age I'm at now, I knew the finish time I wanted, and I had done the work to calculate how quickly I probably needed to do each hill and what paces I had to maintain on uphills and downhills to hit my goal.
Because of that, I was calm and confident in going slow up my first hill and then being able to maintain my pace throughout the race versus going hard, hitting a wall and then crashing for the second half of the race.
8. Mindset matters most when something goes wrong
Ten years ago, everything I did was judged against some standard I couldn't even name, but beating it felt important. I needed to perform. I needed to do well. Now, while I still hold myself to a high standard and enjoy testing myself on the trails, I have tricks and wisdom I've picked up over the years about how to exist in the world that I think genuinely helps me in these long races.
The first thing I tell all my clients before a big event or adventure is this: the event itself is a celebration of all the work you've already done. When you enter a race with that lightness, that focus on enjoying it because it's a celebration, even a hard one, you get access to a positive mindset. And you can use that mindset when things get tough.
During that allergy climb, 10 years ago I might have said, "It's over. I'm screwed. This is awful." But this time, I said, "Okay, I have an issue. I've got an allergic reaction happening, hives coming up. What do I need to do?" I could keep moving but slow my pace. I could take in a lot of water. I could take my antihistamines and then monitor every 10 minutes. So that's what I did. The allergy actually cleared up while I was running, something that has never happened to me before during a race. My body was able to handle the allergic reaction once I gave it some help and keep me moving down the course.
I also had the ability to say, "This race isn't over till it's over." When hard things happen, it's my reaction to them that makes the difference. And it's never over until I cross that finish line.
9. The right gear can quietly change everything
This is hard for me to admit, but equipment makes a difference. When I did the Elkhorn Ultra the first time, I wore a promotional backpack from the company my dad worked for. Single webbing waist strap, slightly padded shoulders, no sternum strap. I'd used it for hiking and decided to take it on the trail run. I got chafing everywhere the backpack touched, but mostly on my back. It would just slap with every step. I was also in a pair of leggings, which is a weird choice for me now since I prefer to run in shorts.
Over the past 10 years, because I enjoyed that trail race so much despite making some mistakes along the way, I bought myself a proper running pack. That pack is at the point where it's kind of falling apart. In fact, I lost my keys out of it the other day. But it has served me very well through the years. So I must say, begrudgingly, that equipment can make a difference. Having the right gear can help you have fun and find success on the trails.
Now, having the right gear doesn't mean you have to splurge for the most expensive thing. I always say, if you can find a secondhand option, if you can find just what you need, don't buy the super expensive thing if you're just dipping your toe. Try it out first. But I will admit that equipment can make a difference.
This time around, I wore merino wool. I wore a pair of running shorts that I knew and trusted. I had a hat on to keep some of the heat out. I had a shirt with a hood so I could dunk it in water and keep the sun off my neck. Those things made a difference on the day. Now, I still had some chafing because I was dunking myself in water all day, but I came out way better than I did 10 years ago. So, invest in some gear that's going to help you appreciate the day.
10. The people around you are part of the result
I had the luxury of using this race as a bit of a time capsule, a chance to reflect on the last 10 years, the highs and lows, and everything I have learned along the way. The one constant was that my husband was there at both finish lines. Friends were there at both finish lines.
I think I took that for granted a little more 10 years ago than I did this time around. Nothing made me happier than seeing them as I approached the finish, just knowing they showed up for me and that we got to enjoy that weekend together. It meant so much to me this year. The ability to enjoy, to lean in and notice, is something I have developed over the last decade by spending time outside and by losing people I have shared outdoor adventures with. It has taught me to cherish how important those relationships are above all else.
This year there was a group of three incredible women from Missoula, one of whom had won Western States (I was fangirling hard).
So, Was I Faster?
Yes. I finished this race 39 minutes faster than I did 10 years ago, even though the day was hotter and the air was a little smoky.
Overall, I improved from 22nd place the first time I did the race to 16th this year. Hilariously, I still came in fifth for women both years.
If you are heading into your own race, hike, or adventure, take this as a reminder that your best days outside are not necessarily behind you. Train specifically. Respect the conditions. Fuel yourself. Pace with patience. And let the day be a celebration of the work you have already done.
If you want help building the strength, endurance, and confidence for your next adventure, send me a message or explore our app for training that fits your season.
Comments