The Wonderland

2020 has been a year like no other. My running had a clear focus at the beginning of the year: Western States 100. By mid-March that plan was busted.

I still trained hard through April and May. I knew that if I didn’t train for something, my running would quickly deteriorate to nil. Part of me was trying to convince the rest that Western might still happen. ‘I have to be ready.’

As May turned to June I couldn’t fool myself anymore: I needed a new goal to fuel my training. I thought of:

• Going down to Tahoe and starting the Western States trail; running a long out and back.
• Burning River 100 in a Ohio (my old home town)
• The Wonderland

In the end, The Wonderland won out. It’s right here!

I was still daunted by the challenge. I had been training hard, but not long. I hadn’t done any night running. I didn’t know much about the trail. In June, the date to start was uncertain.

As August approached, I could feel my training was wearing me down. I knew I had to taper for something and do it soon! Customers had been coming in talking about their own Wonderland dreams. Arya and I talked about the trail at the shop. I pulled out our large laminated Green Trails Map #269S for the WT.

I could feel my confidence waning. My longest run of the year had only been 5 1/2 hours. I was feeling tired. I was doubting my ability to complete the Wonderland. Why did I even want to try?

It all came back to Western States. I need to be ready for 2021. I feel like the only way to make a 20hr plus push feel “normal” is to do at least one per year. I needed to try. Also, Western ‘21 might resemble a long unsupported training run, not a word famous trail race. I better see what that’s like.

It came together fast; one week I was doubtful, the next week I was preparing for my start.

Arya helped me pick a starting point: Frying Pan trailhead. He agreed to run the first climb with me. It was a date: no backing out!

We started just before noon on Wednesday 8/12. I wanted to have only a reasonable 8-9 hours of running before sunset.

Up to Pan Handle with Arya was a breeze; descending into wide open meadows with epic views and wildflowers was a blast.

I hit my first low point about an hour after Arya and I parted ways. Running down to Box Canyon was easy, but during my first solo climb up to Reflection Lakes I began to seriously doubt myself.

That’s the good thing about being on your own: no backing out! I made it to the Reflection Lakes and was immediate uplifted by the views.

After that inspiration I was in Longmire before I knew it, wondering where to go next. I was cruising! I was excited to be approximately 1/3 done. It was a little after 6:30pm. I felt great…but then was immediately deflated as I realized I missed a turn and wasn’t sure how far back it was. Someone mentioned seeing a Wonderland sign across the street to the left. So I went that way; found the sign for the Rampart Ridge Trail that led back to the WT. I took it and didn’t look back.

My last views that evening we’re crossing Kautz and Pyramid Creeks.

The night was a blur. I would climb up and get cold. Go down and get warmer. A pattern that seemed to be never ending, made worse by the fact that I just felt so sleepy on each ascent. I sat down on different rocks and logs too many times to count! Four or five times per climb. I was getting picky about which spots were suitable for a proper sit. It became a little game which actually helped me keep going: that rocks not flat enough, let’s look for another one. Once I sat on a frost covered long stair. Starting at noon didn’t help me feel less tired at midnight!

Dawn broke as I crossed South Mowich River. It was a little after 5:15. I had survived the night! I was so happy but immediately destroyed by the climb up to Mowich Lake.

As I descended Isput pass and moved away from Mowich I felt excited to be in the final third of the loop! Little did I know that all the best views were yet to come!

The climb up to Mystic Lake had possibly my favorite views. It was long, so the views kept going and going and going 😁

I really felt like I was never going to finish by the time I made it to Mystic Lake. As I struggled over to Sunrise, more hikers were on the trail. Seeing others really helped! One slight error nearing Sunrise: I mistakenly thought I had to go to Sunrise no matter what. There was a turn. Wonderland went right and it said 2.5 miles to Sunrise. And to the left it said Sunrise 1.7miles. I thought, let’s shave off a little bit and get done sooner so I went left.

It turns out the Wonderland bypasses Sunrise, so I actually ran a bit further than I needed: backfire!

The run from Sunrise down to White River camp and back to my car was quick and painless—I just wish I knew to immediately go for the road at WR camp. I spent a few minutes wondering where the trail was—it was across the parking lot—and once found, wondering if I should go on it or not. There was a sign about a bridge being flooded down the trail and it pointed you to the road. One mile later down the road, there was another trail sign for the Wonderland—.2miles! I gladly took it because the road felt awful. I get to the Wonderland and again there was a notice of the bridge being out the direction I was going. I thought about going for it, but decided to turn back to the road. Nothing like adding a half mile onto your last mile of a 27hour run 😁 Truth was that I was in the zone and could have ran (flat or downhill) even longer.

I finished just before 3pm. Feeling elated. I completed what I thought I wasn’t going to be able to do this year: the equivalent of a mountain hundred miler. The Wonderland felt harder to me than Big Horn 100, IMTUF 100, Pine 2 Palm 100 and even Western States 100.

Now I can feel ready for next year. Whether it’s Western States 2021 with all its usual fanfare and hoopla; or a grassroots States with no pacers; no crew; and limited aid. Or heaven forbid, if Western is cancelled again, I’ll be ready to really try and tackle the Wonderland!

Gear:
👟Hoka Speedgoat 4, Altra Trail Gaiter, Steigen Socks
💡Ultraspire Lumen 600 3.0 waistlight, with spare battery (needed!) and lumen 180 as back up.
🧳 Salomon S Lab 5 set
⛽️ Untapped Maple syrup: 8 packs (800 calories) in a 8oz flask. 2 caffeinated Endurance Tap. 1 pack Honey Stinger chews. 3 Nuun Kona Cola Tabs. 8-10 S Caps. Lots of water refills from creeks thanks to Salomon’s Filter and flask.
🧥 Salomon Bonatti Pro during the night; Altra Trail shorts they don’t make anymore; 2 different 7 hills Ts as I changed into a dry shirt at night before putting on jacket.
🧴 Squirrel’s Nut Butter
Watch, none
Poles, none