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It’s bitter sweat but the final leg of the 2007 WTRS is over and it’s back to cutting the lawn and washing the car for weekend exercise. Let’s review what was and what might be.

Saturday morning, peeking out the bedroom window, it appeared Mother Nature was going to have sweat revenge and give it to the Baz Man for the WTRS 21K; women! Grey, cold, foggy & wet there was no way “magical” would be today’s weather word. Scrambling for a few extra layers, I was out the door and off for the snake like drive to Blue Jay. Traveling on Ortega Highway is daunting but ad fog and you have ample excuse for a pre-event DNF. I was considering turning the car around and then it happened. As if entering the peaceful eye of a category five hurricane, the fog lifted the sun beamed through and I was in the dog house for questioning Baz’s innate ability to control the weather. How a man with a stolen cotton sweat top, analog cell phone and a 386 laptop can conjure up these “magical” days is one of the world’s ten great mysteries. How he manipulates Doppler results and struggles with a no assembly required pop-up canopy is beyond me. Don’t get me started on the infamous All World e-Gel Pop-Up Canopy Team but, I did note that Saturday’s assembly crew was reduced from four project engineers to three…Cal Trans at its finest.

Sit down before reading the next line. At check in, I was handed a brand new bib which appeared to be in proper numerical order. At the time of this misguided editorial, the forensic results aren’t in but it’s my guess the extra crispy labels were stolen from the rained out 1989 Rosarito-Ensenada Bike Race. If you happen to be running on May 12th in the SJT50K, keep it and consider your bib pre-issued. And, if you would be kind enough to accept the grey 2007 WTRS shirt for both races that would be fantastic. As for a 21K course map, they were still being laminated at Kinko’s color lab and won’t be available until well after the race; like August. I turned the 18K map upside down, closed one eye and held it directly into the sun. That worked fine.

At 8:25 a.m. with runners milling about the starting line, Baz took the pulpit atop the rock retaining wall to address the competitors. How many times do I have to advise people not to speak while Baz is addressing the crowd? It’s pure suicide and sure enough, it happened again. At this point, the race transitions from “viewer discretion advised” to “adults only, graphic language & potential nudity”. The look on some of the first time runners is priceless; their faces quickly transition from initial shock to all out grins.

This particular 21K course is also the last third of Baz’s SJT50K. From the starting line, I assumed we would exit via the bottom of lower Blue Jay and then head up towards the North Main Divide. That would have made for a nice, easy warm up. Instead, Baz makes everyone climb out the paved parking lot and head back up to the main entrance just like every race before and certainly like every race to follow. Like a school of mindless salmon we migrate upstream and spill into the downhill road atop the park entrance. If there were hungry bears in Blue Jay they’d wait atop the lot and eat us. Fortunately, the local bears didn’t pay their association dues and were removed according to CC&R policies and procedures. Wildlife can be so inconvenient (that’s sarcasm) and continually looses to encroaching stucco structures.

The initial stage of the North Main Divide is a Jamaican coffee grind. Less than two miles into the run and you’re already implementing the dreaded run-walk strategy. As you attack the steep grade, the valley and ocean views (to the South) are stunning but irrelevant as your singular focus of reaching the top engulfs every thought. My heart rate was so over my lactic threshold I wondered how long it would take an EVAC team to reach me. Nearing the top, I temporarily forgot my name but was fortunately wearing a RoadID: Elliot White (borrowed it from a buddy). Man that thing comes in handy.

Reaching the top of the North Main Divide the runners were rewarded by “Tony’s Place.” A five star establishment, this was the neatest most organized aid station I’d ever witnessed. Pre-poured water, Gatorade and juice all perfectly segregated into twelve cup by twelve cup corals. Just looking at the arrangement energized me but not wanting to disturb Inventory Control personnel, I placed a to-go order for the famous Cobb salad and headed down the majestic Trabuco Trail. I’d pick up the chopped greens on the return. I wondered if Tony Cherbak would organize my garage or closest for a few beers. The word meticulous doesn’t do the man justice.

I don’t get around much but, the Trabuco Trail is one of my favorite spots in the entire Cleveland National Forest. After trudging the exposed vastness of the North Main Divide, the Trabuco Trail is a welcomed slice of shaded heaven. Roughly 2.5 miles long from the top down to West Horse Thief, the trail has three distinct zones which provide every look & feel this particular mountain has to offer. The drop-in leads you into a lush pine tree forest with a nice gradual decline. The initial singletrack is relatively straight and a great opportunity to make up lost time from the previous climb. About the time you start to aerobically recover, the track gets a bit technical but the emerging tree canopy seems to mitigate the intensity of the situation. This second section reminds me of the Blair Witch Project. There is literally no sun on this portion of the trail. The trees are thick and tangled. You twist and turn over rocks and roots. It’s serene yet deadly. Take a fall here and half the time you’re done for the day. Good luck getting out. For a split second I drift off and start freaking out about how to pay for my kid’s college tuition; all the schools, the costs and future logistics. With my kid’s future, it’s hard for me to see the forest through the trees. I quickly regain running composure and try scanning the trail for the next turn. I think to myself it’s hard to see the forest through the trees. I must be getting tired. I’m repeating myself with lame clichés.

I spent the first half of the Trabuco Trail chasing down eventual second place women’s finisher and San Diego native Sharon L’Heureux. I’m a pretty fast downhill runner due to my irresponsible and reckless nature; currently possess three cracked ribs to confirm that idiotic statement. When I first spotted Sharon, I figured five minutes maximum and I’d be asking her, like a CHP officer, to please pull over. WRONG! One mile later and I had closed the gap by a whopping six inches. Only until an extremely rocky section where I was flying around like some crazed maniac did I manage to catch up with her. She politely asked if I wanted to pass and I declined. There was no way I was going to hang with her pace going up West Horse Thief.

The trail transitions and crosses over to the opposite side of the narrow canyon. Now, the sun is directly on you and the terrain has a more Baja, cactus type look and feel. This last third of the trail is covered with broken slate. In spots, it actually looks like Baz tiled the place but blew off the grout. The canyon floor is now on your left and the decline gets extremely steep in various sections. If your quads are feeling it here, you’re in deep trouble; West Horse Thief is just around the corner. Before stepping off the trail, I looked backed and wondered if this land would some day become a strip mall. God knows we don’t have enough of those. Trabuco Cleaners, Trail Nails and thoughts of that obnoxious Jared the Subway sandwich guy flood my mind. I have to stop watching LOST with my kids. It’s making me paranoid.

What nasty comment can you make about West Horse Thief that hasn’t already been said? It’s sheer lunacy to run up this steep, rocky, single track. Two thousand feet of slippery vertical climb in just over one mile is Sherpa assistance material. It feels like your traversing your way to seat ZZZ 4145 at Angels Stadium. Why horse rustlers used this trail to haul stolen livestock and not the 260 toll road is confusing to me. I had planned on doing a run-walk up this course portion but immediately altered that plan to a shuffle-lift-drag. A twenty minute mile was going to be impressive and might just qualify me for a nice 2008 senior’s event. Again, the views back down the canyon are spectacular. But who cares! You can’t think of anything aside from moving one foot in front of the other. Tired and sweaty and about two thirds up the trail a ground squirrel zipped in front of me. Instead of diving fearfully into the bush, it stopped just shy of safety and confidently stared me down. I could read its evil little parasite infested mind; “I can take this guy”. I turned and shouted back as if talking to a nearby mate. It fell for the bluff and boogied. I thought to myself, if I see a mountain lion I’m going to just stick my head in its mouth and call it day.

The top of West Horse Thief is bizarre. The landscape shifts to sandy trails and beach like foliage. I know of twenty entry trails to various California surf spots that double for this region. It’s refreshing and energizing to hit this relatively flat section. I remember a historical topography map which shows this exact spot under sea water approximately two million years ago. It’s surreal but factual that the top of West Horse Thief use to boast 6 to 8 foot ocean swells. I heard from some Neanderthal that it was best hit on a medium low-tide.

Exiting West Horse Thief, you’re finally rewarded by one of the more friendly sections of the North Main Divide. This particular stretch looks directly out on the Inland Empire and more specifically Lake Elsinore. Apparently Baz also controls the smog & haze because it was one of the clearest Inland Empire days I’d seen in a very long time. It was so clear that one could actually see the dead fish lapping up on the foam riddled shores. Not to get too far off topic but, what happened to Lake Elsinore? As a child, I recall the crystal blue water and pristine beaches as making a nice weekend destination for many OC families. I’m convinced by the time my kids are old enough to fish we’ll have to drive to Canada to find one.

Anyway, heading back to Tony’s Place, the North Main Divide offers up some of the fairest running sections on the mountain; 60% slightly down and 40% slightly up. In the distance, I could see Sharon L’Heureux, Andy Kumeda and Steve Merilees pounding away at a solid pace. There was no chance I would reach any of them. They all handled West Horse Thief much better than I and in doing so created an un-closeable gap. With nobody behind me for a half mile or more, I slowed to a relaxed pace to soak in the sights and think about how muscular my quads are becoming. At the top of West Horse Thief, Eric Kosters (more on him later) had told me I was in overall 13th place. With six miles to go and baring any unforeseen event, my finishing spot was etched in stone.

Returning to the North Main Divide and Trabuco Trail intersection, Tony’s Place was a welcomed sight. I freaked when I saw the spotless table and perfectly aligned cups. Literally, there had been no change since I was their almost one hour before. Certainly some forty-four runners had utilized the aid station but it still looked like a Domino stacking contest before tip off. Out of water and (shame on me) dehydrated, Tony quickly filled one of my Nathan water bottles in less than a second. It was like a NASCAR pit stop. I handed him the bottle and he immediately handed it back. I have no idea how the water actually got in there but wasn’t complaining. The Cobb salad went to the wrong table so I was quickly off for the final three miles.

What goes up must come down. Nothing could be more true when it comes to running in these trail events. The return down The North Main Divide made the previous ten miles of pain and suffering well worth the effort. Flying down this stretch can be evangelical and you can quite often bask in the glow of your efforts; you’re going to finish. The view boasts the Pacific Ocean, San Clemente Island, Hawaii, unending forests, multiple valleys and a million neat things you can’t experience on the Internet. Its funny how as the heart rate drops and the brain receives adequate oxygen you suddenly think more effectively. During these infrequent times, I actually stop analyzing my crooked smile and reflect on how fortunate the trail community is to have individuals like Baz who are willing to organize these events. These races help everyone mentally and physically escape the hustle and bustle of mainstream life. It may only be for a few hours but its a few hours where the world’s unlimited tracking devices have no concrete idea of your location. There is nothing and nobody holding you back. It’s you and the spinning Earth below and no random cell phone call can reach in and steel the moment. Get lost Mr. IRS, come out and find me you desk warrior. You’ll last twenty minutes.

By the time I hit the finish line, the beautiful stone plaques and polished medals were pretty much assigned. The crowd offers the obligatory applause and then dead silence. The running chatter amongst the earlier finishers cranks back up and it’s time for a cola and some donuts. I find myself appreciating the shade of the pop-up tent but don’t dare mention it.

The Orange County Trail Runners (OCTR) were in full force; Eric Lumba, Skip Molina, Marisa Willment, Kyle Hoang, Leon Gray, Linda Kessman, James Howorth, Jon Resnick, Beiye Zheng, Nattie Norman, Ryan Privratsky, Eric Kosters and myself.

This was James Howorth’s first trail race and being from Coto de Caza I had good reason for concern. He seemed to recover quickly from having to park his own car and took the news of no fencing around the single track quite well. All kidding aside, James has only been running since October and for him to even tackle this event speaks volumes. I got the sense when he realized the 21K was only the backend of the SJT50K (which he plans on running) the magnitude of a full ultra began to sink in. He’ll be there.

Marisa Willment did her normal medal deal coming in overall third female but paid the price. An uphill fall on West Horse Thief had her in the ER getting eight stitches only a few hours later. While Kyle Hoang advised her to get stitches, I told her to use a few butterfly bandages; no bid deal. Like I’ve said before, “I’m not a doctor but I play one on TV.” Marisa is the nicest tough person I’ve ever met. She’ll buy you lunch and then kick your pansy booty up the next trail. It’s demoralizing but I love it.

Leon Grey won his division as usual. That makes first place for all four events so I think Baz owes him a thousand bucks. He also deposited some skin at the Trabuco Trail ATM but true to form could have cared less that his left knee resembled cherry pie.

Kyle Hoang twisted his ankle twice on the Trabuco Trail and both times figured he was out for the race. He came in second just one minute behind Brian McDermott. What’s wrong with that whole scenario? I saw Kyle after the race and his ankle was definitely swollen. How do you come in second with an injury like that? Is Kyle human or some X Files alien observing how deranged earthlings attempt to stay fit? I’ve run in three or more races with Kyle and aside from pre-race and post race festivities never see the guy. His starting pace is most folk’s 100 yard dash so it’s pretty much “later guys”. He’s getting married soon so that could slow him down to mortal speeds but I doubt it.

Both 2007 Boston marathon qualifiers Linda Kessman and Jon Resnick managed to survive without loosing any blood. Linda had a protective bandage on her arm the size of most hydration packs and had she fallen not sure any skin would have actually touched the ground. Jon smartly cruised around the course working on his base. Jon is a very calculated runner as financial people tend to be. His speed is well documented and I can’t wait to see him really let loose in a competitive 50K. Most likely I won’t see much of him.

First time Feet First participants, Beiye Zheng and Nattie Norman completed the 20K in the relaxed style I aspire to one day attain. Nattie was mad a me for making Baz out to be some type of tyrant. She described him to me later as a sweet older gentleman. Did we run in the same race? Nattie also had a small problem on the trail with her headset cord which apparently lodged itself in a body cavity to private too mention. As a freelance reporter, I can’t divulge my sources but they’re legit.

Eric Lumba cruised in and I can just see his aerobic base improve with every run. Mark my words, Eric has the light frame to place well in these events. When his hill legs and heart rate click in, look out! I can already hear it, “on your left.”

I wasn’t around to see Skip Molina finish. I think a few people thought he was sweeping the course. Skip’s a great guy and a good friend so that’s why I roust him. If Leon Grey misses an event, the Skipster is taking home the gold. When I eventually run in Skip’s division, I only hope I can handle it with as much energy and comradery he exhibits. My life will then be measured as a success.

How strong a runner is Ryan Privratsky? I’ve never run with him before and now understand why. Fifth overall!!! What the _ell? Ryan was humble and told me he doesn’t see how we (OCTR) can run a 50K in that type of terrain. I think what he meant to say was, “if I run in a 50K, I don’t think I’ll be seeing much of you as I don’t have eyes in the back of my head.” The guy is fit, fast and friendly. He’ll now be properly addressed inside the OCTR as F3.

The previous winners of the first three races, Eric Frome and the iMichelle (Michelle Barton) weren’t running in Blue Jay on this particular day. Both had previous race engagements and for once, the WTRS 21K would crown new first place winners. And again, not to get off topic but Michelle Barton really is Saddleback Mountain’s Ultra Queen. An elite athlete, in a growing yet non-mainstream sport, she receives one tenth of the local sports press she rightly deserves. A gracious and humble person, it’s not her nature to boast so I’ll do it for her. Wake up Orange County, there’s an Olympic quality athlete running around your neighborhood. Come out and show your kids what type of person/athlete they can aspire to be.

When all was said and done, Brian McDermott and Ann Hall would take top honors for the fourth and final WTRS event. Brian is consistently in the top three and continually wins his age division. He is such a gifted runners it’s disgusting and I mean that in the most positive sense. I don’t know Ann Hall that well because I’m a lousy reporter and had to leave before the awards ceremony to coach a Little League game. I’m sure she would’ve told me something cool to write about but it’s not like me to make stuff up so I can’t elaborate.

Now for the day’s unsung hero. For those of us who run, it’s a drag but we all get injured. There’s nothing worse than sitting around when you your training partners are out racing. Well, come to think of it, there is one thing worse; being injured and actually going to the race and watching your friends participate. It’s like putting a Hershey bar in a glass lock box in front of a Chocoholic. And, coming to the race and cheering everyone on is exactly what injured Eric Kosters did. Waking up early, he loaded the motorcycle and drove to Blue Jay to cheer his fellow OCTR on. It was reassuring seeing him at Tony’s Place and he was an uplifting, motivational sight after emerging from the West Horse Thief abyss. While he looked more like Evil Knievel, Erics one of the strongest runners in the OCTR and a true competitor. I know all the OCTR took comfort knowing we had a motorized single track vehicle on the mountain incase of an emergency. Thanks for the support!

I’m beginning to see what it takes to win races and it’s quite obvious one of the major components is big, beautiful hair. Lots of free flowing, in your face, clog the shower type locks. I thought baldness was more aerodynamic but between Brian McDermott and Michelle Barton they have enough scalp coverage for twelve families. Apparently they receive Sampson like power from the added strands. Unfortunately, if I grow my hair I get this mullet deal and look like a bad Don Johnson impersonator. I’m thinking maybe a wig for the SJT50K.

The Winter Trail Race Series is an absolute kick. For roughly six weeks you have an upcoming race just about every weekend. You can get out, compete and not feel totally wasted for the rest of the day. I look forward to the WTRS like no other weekends and I know others feel the same. If you ran in all four events you collectively completed a nice 66K and that added experience pays big come 50K race day. Too bad we have to wait an entire year to tee it up again. Come to think of it, what the heck is Baz doing for the rest of the year anyway? The last story I heard was some frozen pipe and fence maintenance issue on his high Sierra property. Do trailers even have pipes and fences? I see no reasons why Baz can’t organize the Spring TRS, Summer TRS and Fall TRS to fulfill the entire season. Someone call Baz on that one. I’m not going there.

The next Orange County Feet First extravaganza is on April 12th for the infamous SJT50K. I can legitimately say this is one of the more difficult 50K ultras around. When I discovered it took elite endurance athlete Mark Matyazic over six hours to complete the 2006 event that certified the high degree of difficultly. Don’t get me wrong, the course is fair but it’s a test and you better bring your rested “A game” and a compass. And incase you were wondering, the race will start from lower Blue Jay and climb out the darn parking lot to the main entrance. Is there no end to the madness?

While Baz would prefer the WTRS to attract more runners, I’m certain next year will be packed. This is one runner who doesn’t see or measure events by sheer number of entrants. In November 2006, participating in my first ultra (Baz’s SJT50K), I met Eric Kosters and Marisa Willment while descended nine miles in route to the infamous Candy Store. A mere five months later, I consider both individuals to be good friends and we’re now part of a tight group that brought twelve participants to the WTRS 21K. I don’t really know how people reading this re-cap gauge an event. Considering I have twelve new running friends who I’ll likely know the rest of my life makes Baz’s 2006 SJT50K one of the more impactual events for me in the last ten years. Sometimes the smaller things in life can carry the greatest implications and for that, these races are HUGE.

Your health is your wealth,

Chaz me boy

Official WTRS result page plus bonus pictures of Baz in his boxer shorts below. He does have cute legs.

http://www.sshs57.com/WTRS/INDEX-2007WTRSPromoPage.htm