It took 5:18:xx to run 31 miles, but I managed to run the entire way despite my left calf cramping on and off in the last laps. Somehow my time was good enough for 2nd place in my age group, so I won... a mug!

Jedediah Smith Ultra 50k

Felix Wong's avatar
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I ran the Jedediah Smith Ultra 50km in Folsom, California. It was the first ultra-marathon race I have ever run.

I didn’t push hard, merely using it as a training run for upcoming events like the Napa Valley Marathon and Wildflower Long Course Triathlon. Still, I finished second in my division.

Race Data

Overall time: 5:18:06 (10:14/mile)
Division place: 2
Men’s place: 39
Overall place: 49/82

The Jedediah Smith Ultra was at Grant Ranch in Folsom, with part of its 3.38-mile loop encircling this lake. For the 50km Ultra, we had to run >9 laps.
The Jedediah Smith Ultra was at Grant Ranch in Folsom, with part of its 3.38-mile loop encircling this lake. For the 50km Ultra, we had to run >9 laps.
The thick fog of the morning burned off quickly, and by the 2nd lap I was already making a 10-second shirt-for-singlet-swap at my little Alfa, which I'd run by every lap.
The thick fog of the morning burned off quickly, and by the 2nd lap I was already making a 10-second shirt-for-singlet-swap at my little Alfa, which I'd run by every lap.
It took 5:18:xx to run 31 miles, but I managed to run the entire way despite my left calf cramping on and off in the last laps. Somehow my time was good enough for 2nd place in my age group, so I won... a mug!
It took 5:18:xx to run 31 miles, but I managed to run the entire way despite my left calf cramping on and off in the last laps. Somehow my time was good enough for 2nd place in my age group, so I won... a mug!
One reason it was such slow going was much of the course was slogging through or jumping around thick mud and deep puddles. These were my shoes afterwards... actually was kind of cool, like an adventure race!
One reason it was such slow going was much of the course was slogging through or jumping around thick mud and deep puddles. These were my shoes afterwards... actually was kind of cool, like an adventure race!
I finished second in the 20-29 age group at the 50-kilometer Jed Smith Ultra Classic.
I finished second in the 20-29 age group at the 50-kilometer Jed Smith Ultra Classic.