The SOB Trail Run has been one of my favorite runs and I think I have five T-shirts from the past ten years.

Pre Race

Today was my first time running it in persistent atrial fibrillation.

I’ve always been impressed with how well organized the race is, the quality of the course, and the low price. The 15K is still only $25 (that includes a finisher medal but no T-shirt – a T-shirt is extra). There are three events – a 15K, a 50K, and 50 mile race. I’ve only ever done the 15K but several of my local running friends did either the 50K or 50 mile today. The 50 mile has 7000 feet (2133 meters) of elevation change – that’s crazy!

Along the course on the PCT

I think all the races start with the same nice 1/2 mile or so on a road that allows everybody to get sorted out as far as pace is concerned before getting on the narrow singletrack of the fabled Pacific Crest Trail. This is a good idea – races that start right off the bat on singletrack, like Haulin’ Aspen Marathon and 1/2 Marathon in Bend, Oregon – tend to develop bottlenecks because passing is so difficult. The truth is that passing is a problem on the SOB – I tend to be faster going uphill (as compared to the slow people I run with) and end up passing people who walk up the hills – but I’m relatively slower going downhill, especially on technical terrain like the PCT, and most of the people I passed going up want to pass me going down; and the 15K course is up / down / up / down.

After several miles of this the race transitions to a fire road and then re-enters the PCT for the last few miles.

Amber and Nathan after the 50K

The race is fairly high elevation – starting at 6500 feet and climbing to about 7000 feet (??). I don’t notice it much because I live at 4200 feet and regularly run at similar elevations, but people coming from coastal cities will definitely notice the rarefied air.

As far as running it in atrial fibrillation was concerned I had the typical slow start – it takes me a mile or two to warm up now, and then I felt my normal self again. I didn’t even look at my time and I didn’t wear my Garmin 305 – why? I walked only a few particularly steep sections and other wise (slow) ran the entire race.

Along the Course

As usual the start/finish line was great – nice people, good music, lots of post race food. I forgot to pick up my post-race swag bag so I don’t know what I missed there. I wish I would have checked the start time for today’s race because I ended up arriving about an hour and a half early – but I can’t think of a better place to hang out that Mount Ashland on race day.

Race Hang Out Headquarters