Ancient Lakes 50K - 2024

[@matteoberra2599]

Hi Wes! Good video as usual!! 💪🏻🥂 Nice work and It seems so simple to take the wrong way! 3 different loops, so strange! But the race got some spectacular points!! The nature Is Always so generous! 👍🏻🌟 Thank you to share with us! Next stop, Cocodona! Yep! 💪🏻🥂 Stay strong! 🇮🇹💪🏻

[@wplate]

Thank you! 🙌🏼

[@D.Fredell]

Hi Wes! Talked to you a few times on the course, your 2023 Ancient Lakes video inspired me to sign up for 2024! All the best, cheers!

[@wplate]

Right on Dennis! I'm so happy that video got you to sign up. Love it!

[@Duckling08]

Awesome! Thanks for sharing!

[@wplate]

Thank you for watching!

[@brandob1238]

Loved the video and the views! Thank you for showing your low moments and always being so authentic with your content. You the man

[@wplate]

Thank you, and thank you!! 🙌🏼 Thank you for your support of the channel!

[@PatrickMartin-lw7tu]

Great video Wes! Saw this race in your training vlog series and was glad to see a dedicated video. A colleague's brother in law ran this race, and I directed him to your video. Good look at Cocodona, will be cheering you on! I'm seriously considering Sedona Canyons 125 in 2025 for my first 100. A 125 at age 55 in 2025 has a nice ring to it!

[@wplate]

Thank you! Sedona Canyons looks like a great first 100. You get awesome terrain and a really generous cutoff. I hope to hear about your experience!

[@ohaiitsarielle]

Awesome video! I’ve heard about Ancient Lakes, but I haven’t watched any videos about it. Gonna have to put this on my list of races to have a go at!

[@wplate]

It is a wonderful spring event, I recommend it! 🙌🏼

[@kennydunn2649]

I had to choose between Badger Mt. and Ancient lakes this year and you went and did both! Holy cow! Way to go, Wes. Next time I pass you ill make sure to stop and introduce myself. Love your channel. Keep up the good work. And way to kick a$$ at Cocodona.

[@wplate]

Badger Mountain and Ancient Lakes are a good pairing if you can swing both. See you out there!

[@SeeChadRun]

There are some amazing views and trails on this race route! So cool! Made my heart ache when you weren't feeling so well after that dust storm. Glad to see you finish strong.

[@wplate]

I want to visit this area and explore some time, it is really beautiful and so different from where I live.

[@HotubHobos]

Love watching your trail running videos Wes, you have the most amazing parks and trail areas in the USA, perfect for outdoor exploring, we've subscribed :) and we're hoping to get out to the states sometime in the future to shoot some videos ourselves, thanks for sharing 🤟

[@wplate]

I hope you get to visit some of our amazing trails!

[@GrimJokes]

Thanks for sharing these amazing view Wes. Best of luck in Cocodona!

[@wplate]

Thank you!

[@philipcoomber1548]

Fantastic...well done Wes...looks like you had quite the adventure...thank you for sharing...keep on keeping on...

[@wplate]

This is a beautiful place to run! Thank Philip!

[@jmh31787]

Great video, Wes! Thank you for your time and efforts to create these videos that you share. I especially enjoyed this one, and felt like I was reliving the fantastic experience I had there on April 6th. I even got to see myself in your video a couple of times (Justin from TX in the multicolored shorts). It was a pleasure meeting you there and taking part in the wonderful event. My first 50k, wooohoo!

[@wplate]

I was happy to meet you out there Justin! How did you pick this to be your first 50K?

[@jmh31787]

Kind of a random, but a good friend lives in Suquamish, and the dates for this race worked out. Plus the course looked fantastic compared to Houston trails ha. Good luck with Cocodona coming up soon!

[@wplate]

@@jmh31787 Justin, can you email me at wes at plate dot net? Would like to invite you to a project I'm going to start after Cocodona. Thank you!

[@UntalLaurencio]

Excellent video! Still thinking about you driving at 3 am and then toeing the start line 🙌🏼 way to get it done Wes! 🎉

[@wplate]

Thank you! I worked out better for me to drive over in the morning instead of camping in the car at the start line.

[@PlanBudgetDisney]

I hope the person you helped with directions appreciated it.

[@wplate]

She did! We chatted at the next aid station then ran together much of the last loop. I once ran a trail half and with just a couple miles left I missed a turn. The runner behind me did not alert me. I was so mad when I figured it out even though I probably only added a 1/4 mile. Why did the other runner warn me?? Not cool.

[@suem7920]

Always love your videos. Congrats on the finish. Have you done this one before? That’s an interesting way to do a loop course but like the idea of one central aid station. 1:08 Question-what hydration mix in the individual packets were you using? and does that product come in those little packets or do you pack them yourself? It seemed as though you didn’t pull out your poles out for a while. No wonder your right quad was bothering you, some of those downhills and the trails were gnarly looking and really rocky. For carrying 3 liters of water you were really moving super well. Thanks for sharing

[@wplate]

Hi Sue! This was my third running of this event. It is an awesome spring 50k and for me has been a perfect lead-up to Cocodona. The powder was probably Gnarly Fuel₂O gognarly.com/products/nutrition-fuel Available in bulk bags (which I buy then put into my own small bags like you saw) or individual sticks. I didn't use poles at Ancient Lakes except for the climb up from the river on the blue loop. The other climbs on the course didn't warrant poles I didn't think. 🤔 Thanks for watching!

[@jacobdeleur]

Thanks Wes, for all your videos! Always inspiring! Such beautiful nature you get to run in, awesome footage! I love your raw honesty and ever grateful attitude towards fellow runners and volunteers. I have a silly question in regards to your video camera. What are you using?

[@wplate]

Right on, Jacob, I'm happy you find the content enjoyable. Not a silly question about the camera, I answered the same question in one of my weekly VLOGs back in February. Link to that: kzbin.info/www/bejne/jZurqH2gnN-Bn80

[@calvin_geo]

Thank you Wes! By coincidence I also ran a race on April 6th though it was much shorter than 50k, I know I will be running 50k races before next April 6th. I appreciate you sharing your journey and inspiring those who are still just starting their own endurance journeys, much love

[@wplate]

I'm happy to share my experiences as I still remember my own excitement when I was starting out and I hope others get to experience these things. Let me know when you're getting ready for your first ultra!

[@calvin_geo]

@@wplate completed my first trail marathon today! 50k up next, hopefully somewhere equally as beautiful as ancient lakes, but maybe a bit more wooded

[@wplate]

@@calvin_geo Congrats! I look forward to hearing about your 50K when that happens!

[@emmarunyeard6832]

I need to Google pickle juice.. Not sure that's a brit thing 😂

[@emmarunyeard6832]

Wow, it looks otherworldly.. I live watching American races.. So so different 🎉

[@fundamentalsofahealthylife5137]

Great video! Which ultraspire vest did you have on? I have the bronco one but it definitely isn't the one you have. A lot less space. I like it but curious about what you were wearing. Great job!

[@wplate]

Epic XT 1.0, a 25L pack. I’m excited to soon try out the upcoming Epic XT 3.0 20L pack.

[@grennangoeshiking]

Another great video! I do have a question. Which pack are you using? Looks like a Magda XT but has some extra pockets mine doesn’t.

[@wplate]

An older UltrAspire Epic XT 1.0 This one was 25L. The current Epic XT 3.0 is 35L 😮 but there's a 20L on the way. The Epic XT series is ok but doesn't have enough up-front storage.

[@hibiru6868]

I never thought about getting dust in your lungs in environments like that, must've been brutal. Great job pushing through it (and thanks for the black outs :))! Overall what was the thing that made the race hard? Was it distance and the fatigue that it brought, hydration, eating, or maybe managing the effort, or a combination of it all? I'm in a 50k training block right now and it's always interesting to hear from others where their tough spots are so I can be informed and try to have those areas covered as much as possible. My longest run has "only" been a little over 20 miles so far so those next 11 are a big unknown.

[@wplate]

I look forward to hearing about your first 50K! This race is tough for a number of reasons. There are a few decent climbs, but aside from those the course is pretty runnable, which is tiring! This course is also a mental challenge, as you keep looping back to the same aid station over and over repeating that in/out section over and over. It was warm mid-day, and I ended up getting behind on hydration. Dust in the lungs is often a problem in drier locations. You often don't notice it for quite a while, until it builds up in your lungs. The mouthful of dust I got from the dust devil was a first-experience for me. Yuck.

[@ChrisCullenRacing]

I just signed up for the 50K in 2025, which will be my first ultra. After watching this video, I'm so pumped! I saw there is some scree you have to cross. Do you recommend gaiters for this race?

[@wplate]

I hope you have an awesome experience! Enjoy you training as you get ready! Gaiters are not required for this course, most people don't use them, but I did. I wouldn't recommend investing in gaiters just for this race.

[@ChrisCullenRacing]

@@wplate Thanks for the reply! I'll sure try to enjoy the build up and the race.