The North Face Endurance Challenge Half Marathon
Oh the joy at the end of a grueling run.
Here's another one of those runs that you "pick up" because you desperately need the miles and the training that comes with it.
But The North Face Endurance Challenge (TNFEC) 13.1 isn't one of those "pick up" races you take lightly (like I did previously because I didn't do any homework and kinda just showed up and had my arse handed to me almost four hours later).
See they call these "Endurance Challenges" for a reason.
See this elevation chart?
Yeah, that one above. See those two large humps leading up to mile 6 before they trail off?
Yup, that's the Endurance part.
So after nearly 2000' of gain in the first six miles, you have the challenge to finish the run with a few more "small" climbs before you call this "half marathon" done.
On a different course than last time, I had learned from the prior experience to go into this a little conservatively and fuel early and often.
So that's what we did.
Arriving at the start in Marin by bus from the Larkspur Ferry Terminal an hour before the start, the air was frigid. Exposing my need for heavier cold weather gear that I could collapse into my pack. But we ain't got time to byotch about things like a lil dude shaking like a chiwawa whose bone marrow has gotten a little too cold. We here to run.
Starting in the beautiful city of Marin, runners are given the liberty of running on the flats of the school field and the first 100 yards before instantly given grade up side of freaking Mt Tam at an absurd incline!
In short, before your body is warmed up, the race takes your cold quads and shreds them through a meat grinder and pumps your heart full of adrenaline. And you just started 180 seconds or so ago. TNFEC don't fuck around.
Up a single city block until we're met with the trail entrance where traffic and congestion sits in.
Again, I've seen waaaaaaaay too many folks go out too fast to quickly fade later in the race and this would be no different. Hell, I did it the last time I had the opportunity to run TNFEC. So a combination of aggressive hiking and occasional quick feet jogging made quick work of navigating the rush hour traffic.
Right at mile 2 a clearing gives runners a view of Richardson Bay which boarders Harbor Point, Tiburon, and Mill Valley below.
The climb continues up through mile 2.2, where you're met with fast wide moderately technical decline on the west side of the mountain to the first well stocked aid station at mile 4.
Word to the wise, better stock up because you got two more miles of climb that makes the first climb just a prerequisite course to the bullshit coming near the peak. Y'all see the map right??!?!?!? Yeah like that!
So up to this point I had consumed roughly 400 calories of Tailwind goodness and I was not stopping. Legs felt great at the bottom and heart rate was still low. So I started a series of intervals for the next two miles that help me reel in all those folks who climbed the first climb waaaaaay too fast and didn't save anything for ROUND 2. So I was ready for the fight!
Felt good to tick folks off one by one as they looked wondering how I was still quick feet jogging up the back side of this monstrosity.
The climb provided a beautiful view back west of the Pacific!
But we ain't here on no vacation, we here to run and get it done. As mile six ticked off, I had stuffed over 900 calories down and my time couldn't be right. Because from here we're on the down side and at this pace, I would be able to finish under 3 hours (I had planned on finishing around 3:15 / 3:20 or so).
Passing the aid station and filling up on water, I dumped some more fuel Henry Ward style (dry Tailwind with water chaser) and turned on the jets.
At this point, you're faced with a semi technical single track until you're down to the Golden Gate Bridge. Again you'll run into some traffic as there are few places to pass and there's quite the drop to your right. So you have to play nice.
Once you have a clearing and the Golden Gate Bridge comes into view, you have choices. 1) Enjoy the view and take some photos or 2) Do what we came to do and get that training in and put in work.
Since we ain't here to become an Instagram star, let's put in work. Okay maybe just ONE picture
The pace picks up and you have to be careful not to face plant the ground as you quickly navigate down to the bridge.
Once you're off Mt. Tam, you cross the road at the base where volunteers gracefully holds traffic for you to get through. There's a slight climb back up to the bridge and now you're within striking distance.
The final 5K!
As you cross the bridge, you realize how tore up your quads, calves, hamstrings, buttocks, and all your lower body supporting muscles. And why da hell is the back side of my ear hurting!?!?
Made quick work of the bridge. Fortunately I have run the bridge several times before, so there were no distractions for me. The race had closed down the west side of the bridge so it was runners only, which was a nice surprise and a welcomed one at that.
But once on the ground in San Francisco, you are now on public trails. Since there are a lot of runners, people seem to be aware something is going on and are generous enough to make way for us runners. Thanks folks! Much appreciated!
Quick jaunt through the Fort at the base before getting to Crissy Field which is the final stretch!
Once at Crissy, you see the finish camp. By now I had joined a group of crazy zanny runners that were just as beat as I was but had great attitudes and enjoying themselves despite the pain. We made nice with each other and pushed each other harder, faster, and faster.
The closer the finish, the faster we pushed.
As we entered the shoot, one of the guys yell "Let's finish together holding hands!" Sure enough we lock up and cross the finish hand in hand!
Here's another one of those runs that you "pick up" because you desperately need the miles and the training that comes with it.
But The North Face Endurance Challenge (TNFEC) 13.1 isn't one of those "pick up" races you take lightly (like I did previously because I didn't do any homework and kinda just showed up and had my arse handed to me almost four hours later).
See they call these "Endurance Challenges" for a reason.
See this elevation chart?
Yeah, that one above. See those two large humps leading up to mile 6 before they trail off?
Yup, that's the Endurance part.
So after nearly 2000' of gain in the first six miles, you have the challenge to finish the run with a few more "small" climbs before you call this "half marathon" done.
On a different course than last time, I had learned from the prior experience to go into this a little conservatively and fuel early and often.
So that's what we did.
Arriving at the start in Marin by bus from the Larkspur Ferry Terminal an hour before the start, the air was frigid. Exposing my need for heavier cold weather gear that I could collapse into my pack. But we ain't got time to byotch about things like a lil dude shaking like a chiwawa whose bone marrow has gotten a little too cold. We here to run.
Starting in the beautiful city of Marin, runners are given the liberty of running on the flats of the school field and the first 100 yards before instantly given grade up side of freaking Mt Tam at an absurd incline!
In short, before your body is warmed up, the race takes your cold quads and shreds them through a meat grinder and pumps your heart full of adrenaline. And you just started 180 seconds or so ago. TNFEC don't fuck around.
Up a single city block until we're met with the trail entrance where traffic and congestion sits in.
Again, I've seen waaaaaaaay too many folks go out too fast to quickly fade later in the race and this would be no different. Hell, I did it the last time I had the opportunity to run TNFEC. So a combination of aggressive hiking and occasional quick feet jogging made quick work of navigating the rush hour traffic.
Right at mile 2 a clearing gives runners a view of Richardson Bay which boarders Harbor Point, Tiburon, and Mill Valley below.
The climb continues up through mile 2.2, where you're met with fast wide moderately technical decline on the west side of the mountain to the first well stocked aid station at mile 4.
Word to the wise, better stock up because you got two more miles of climb that makes the first climb just a prerequisite course to the bullshit coming near the peak. Y'all see the map right??!?!?!? Yeah like that!
So up to this point I had consumed roughly 400 calories of Tailwind goodness and I was not stopping. Legs felt great at the bottom and heart rate was still low. So I started a series of intervals for the next two miles that help me reel in all those folks who climbed the first climb waaaaaay too fast and didn't save anything for ROUND 2. So I was ready for the fight!
Felt good to tick folks off one by one as they looked wondering how I was still quick feet jogging up the back side of this monstrosity.
The climb provided a beautiful view back west of the Pacific!
But we ain't here on no vacation, we here to run and get it done. As mile six ticked off, I had stuffed over 900 calories down and my time couldn't be right. Because from here we're on the down side and at this pace, I would be able to finish under 3 hours (I had planned on finishing around 3:15 / 3:20 or so).
Passing the aid station and filling up on water, I dumped some more fuel Henry Ward style (dry Tailwind with water chaser) and turned on the jets.
At this point, you're faced with a semi technical single track until you're down to the Golden Gate Bridge. Again you'll run into some traffic as there are few places to pass and there's quite the drop to your right. So you have to play nice.
Once you have a clearing and the Golden Gate Bridge comes into view, you have choices. 1) Enjoy the view and take some photos or 2) Do what we came to do and get that training in and put in work.
Since we ain't here to become an Instagram star, let's put in work. Okay maybe just ONE picture
The pace picks up and you have to be careful not to face plant the ground as you quickly navigate down to the bridge.
Once you're off Mt. Tam, you cross the road at the base where volunteers gracefully holds traffic for you to get through. There's a slight climb back up to the bridge and now you're within striking distance.
The final 5K!
As you cross the bridge, you realize how tore up your quads, calves, hamstrings, buttocks, and all your lower body supporting muscles. And why da hell is the back side of my ear hurting!?!?
Made quick work of the bridge. Fortunately I have run the bridge several times before, so there were no distractions for me. The race had closed down the west side of the bridge so it was runners only, which was a nice surprise and a welcomed one at that.
But once on the ground in San Francisco, you are now on public trails. Since there are a lot of runners, people seem to be aware something is going on and are generous enough to make way for us runners. Thanks folks! Much appreciated!
Quick jaunt through the Fort at the base before getting to Crissy Field which is the final stretch!
Once at Crissy, you see the finish camp. By now I had joined a group of crazy zanny runners that were just as beat as I was but had great attitudes and enjoying themselves despite the pain. We made nice with each other and pushed each other harder, faster, and faster.
The closer the finish, the faster we pushed.
As we entered the shoot, one of the guys yell "Let's finish together holding hands!" Sure enough we lock up and cross the finish hand in hand!
"Selfie!"
What a run!
Unofficial Time 2:28:23 (45 min ahead of schedule)
Pass out on bus ride back!
Unofficial Time 2:28:23 (45 min ahead of schedule)
Pass out on bus ride back!
Few days later after work, still recovering, decide to write about it and compile the FrontRow video we tested during the run.
Nite folks.
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