From the Trail: RIDC Athletes Arthur Blue & Mayra Garcia Share Their Chuckanut 50K Experience
The RIDC Athletes is our new initiative connecting RIDC community members with race organizers and brands to support their participation in running events. Up first, thanks to support from Patagonia, Mayra Garcia and Arthur Blue, recently took on the Chuckanut 50K! The two of them shared their experiences with us, and here’s what they had to say.
Running Industry Diversity Coalition (RIDC): How was your training leading up to the race?
Mayra Garcia (MG): My training wasn’t as structured as I would’ve liked it to be, but I focused on completing at least five long runs (10+ miles) and incorporating hill sprints to prepare for the elevation gain. This training cycle was not like others because I had my 4-year-old daughter with me every weekend and didn’t always have childcare available. I ran a couple of 10 milers with her in the stroller, and those were tough! I focused on a lot of 5-6 mile days during the week to maintain a solid base and I think it worked out pretty well. If I could go back and change anything, it would be to do more hill workouts.
Arthur Blue (AB): My training leading up to the race was very abbreviated. I was rehabbing a few injuries and decided to train very conservatively for this race. I did not want to start the race with any old injuries already irritated.
RIDC: How was the race?
MG: The race was hard! It rained for the first 3 hours, so the trails were extremely muddy. It was cold and windy at times. I was thankful for my Patagonia Storm Racer jacket because it kept me warm and dry!! The scenery was so enchanting! Despite the tough weather conditions and dealing with cramping at around mile 23, I had so much fun!! I don’t think I’ve enjoyed a race as much as I enjoyed this one, and I would love to do it again!
“I don’t think I’ve enjoyed a race as much as I enjoyed this one, and would love to do it again!”
-Mayra Garcia, RIDC Athlete
AB: The race was incredible! This was my first Ultra in the Pacific Northwest, and it did not disappoint. The weather was a big factor for all the athletes, given the temperatures stayed around 33-40 degrees Fahrenheit with 99% humidity. A few racers experienced hypothermia, but it was a great time to test your ability to endure. I enjoyed the race and helped motivate a few runners along the way.
RIDC: What were the 1-3 biggest physical and mental challenges you faced during the race, and how did you push through them?
MG: I think the biggest challenge was not hydrating enough. I realized that because it was cold, I wasn’t drinking as much water as I needed to. I also couldn’t find my sodium supplements (turns out they were in my hydration vest the whole time) so that caused me to start cramping pretty bad towards the end. I chugged pickle juice at the last 2 aid stations but that didn’t help. Thankfully, another runner saw me struggling and offered me salt tabs and an LMNT packet and that’s how I was able to finish without severe cramps. The second barrier was mental. Also towards the end, at mile 27. I had been going so hard. Pushing on the climbs, sending it on the downs that by then I was feeling very spent and was probably under-fueled as well. But by that point, I knew the race was almost over so I just kept moving.
AB: My biggest challenge to overcome was the weather. The race started at 7 am and rained the entire time and I wore the wrong rain jacket for a race in northern Washington state. Halfway through the race, I lost all feeling in my hands and face. Drop bags were not authorized during this race and thankfully, I had one “dry’ shirt packed in my running vest. Once my hands and face went numb, I pushed through by breaking the race down by aid stations. The beauty of ultramarathons is that often you have to problem-solve and make adjustments on the fly and when you're out of options you have to hold on and endure!
“The race was incredible! This was my first Ultra in the Pacific Northwest, and it did not disappoint.”
-Arthur Blue, RIDC Athlete
RIDC: Did this race change your perspective on trail running or the running community in any way? If so, how?
MG: This race solidified my desire to run more mountain/technical ultras. I found the people around me to be inspiring. So many of us didn’t give up despite the weather conditions and even having someone stop to give me some of their supplements when I was struggling showed me that when we’re out there, we look out for each other.
AB: This was a competitive race with a lot of elite runners from the mountain states. I love to compete and this further solidified my love for the trail running community.
RIDC: Did the race feel welcoming? In what ways?
MG: The race directly made time to talk to us at packet pick up and checked in to see that we had everything we needed. I mentioned I don’t like the pins to secure the bib to my clothes and she gave me snap-ons for it. Every time we came through an aid station there was always someone ready with a pitcher of water to refill quickly! I love how towards the end as we got closer to the finish line, there was a line of spectators cheering us on!
AB: The race was very welcoming from the hotel accommodation, where they provided breakfast on race day and transportation to and from the race. Additionally, during packet pickup, we were able to meet Krissy, the Race Director. She made time to speak with us and address any questions or concerns we had.
RIDC: What advice would you give to other BIPOC runners considering their first trail race OR traveling to a big race like this?
MG: I would encourage them to talk to the other runners at the start line and even along the way during the race. I would recommend having your nutrition strategy dialed in and if you can, travel to the race location 2 days before the race if you’re traveling to a different time zone to allow yourself time to settle in and get at least 1 night of good sleep before the race. I would also recommend to not be afraid to take a few minutes to stop and refill your water bottles and take food from the aid stations. I was so focused on moving fast that I hardly ate anything from the aid stations and I think that was a huge mistake. Eating gels/gummies for 6+ hrs is exhausting and also not nutritious enough. I think the industry could make it more inclusive by having more opportunities for BIPOC runners to participate in these races.
AB: I would recommend understanding the terrain and climate of the location you are doing the race. If it’s during the rainy season or a place like the Pacific Northwest that experiences high amounts of rain throughout the year, make sure you have the gear that supports this. Ensure you do a couple of full dress rehearsals in the gear you plan to race in that way you will not be surprised or unprepared on race day.
RIDC: Bonus question… Do you recommend that the RIDC send more RIDC athletes to Chuckanut 50K?
MG: 1000%!!! We were looking around and only saw a handful of BIPOC runners and that was so disappointing. I’d love to see more of us being represented.
AB: I absolutely recommend sending more RIDC athletes. The town and race were both beautiful and the race could use more BIPOC representation.