sarah's runs and other stuff

Pine Mountain 40 mile race

2011-12-07T10:46:00.000-08:00

The Pine Mountain trail race is held in FDR State Park in Pine Mountain, Georgia, and is conducted by the GUTS running club. I did this race for the first time 3 years ago and really enjoyed it, so I decided to come back this year for the third time. I was happy to be joined by fellow teammates Sheridan Ames and Dreama Campbell as well as her husband Trey. My wonderfully supportive dad also made the trip to crew for me. Unlike most races which are held on Saturdays, Pine Mountain is on a Sunday, so returning back to the real world without a recovery day can be, shall we say, interesting because I’m usually hobbling around pretty badly.
Temperatures on race morning were much warmer than I expected, so I was able to start in just a Patagonia long sleeve tee and shorts. It was much colder in previous years, and I was thankful to have some relief from the cold, but little did I know that it would warm up so much that many runners, including myself, would struggle with the heat. At 7am, race director Sarah Tynes said go, and around 125 runners set off along a .5 mile stretch of pavement before turning into the semi dark woods. Thankfully, the sun rose within minutes of starting, so I chose not to start with a lamp, but those first few minutes on rocky single track were pretty tricky! I intentionally went out fairly hard because I remembered that the first 3 or so miles were pretty flat before starting the first and biggest climb of the day. As we started ascending, the sun rose and allowed for spectacular views from atop the ridge. I was careful not to look too long, though, because the trail is extremely rocky. Those sharp, jagged rocks that seem to just be waiting to bloody the knees of a runner who dares to look away. The trail follows the ridge before descending once again and then climbing right back up to the first aid station at mile 5.6. My dad was waiting for me there, but I still had plenty of fluid, so I said hi and kept running.
As we descended once again, it became clear that the leaves would again be a huge factor. Because this race takes place in late fall, the trail is so covered in leaves that it is almost hidden at times and blends in with the rest of the woods. You literally have to stop and look for flagging to know where to run. Throw in a whole bunch of sharp rocks under those leaves and you’ve got a dicey combination. I knew a fall was inevitable and just hoped it wouldn’t result in too much blood even though there is an actual award given out for “best blood”. I was able to settle into a nice rhythm and made good time to the next aid station at mile 11 where I refilled and grabbed some food. After each aid station, runners would descend, run a bit of relatively flat trail, and climb right back up to the next aid station. It was nice in a way to know that there would be aid and smiling faces waiting for me at the top of the hills, which seemed to grow as the day went on. I felt pretty good until mile 17 or so when I totally bonked. I had just about convinced myself that I was going to drop at the turnaround. The section leading up to this point is extremely technical with at least 10 creek crossing in less than 4 miles. Thankfully, after reaching the turnaround and running a short loop section, my spirits lifted, and I just tried to focus on running from aid station to aid station.
It was really starting to heat up now, and because of some tornado damage that devastated the area earlier in the year, several miles of the trail were totally exposed to the sun. The unseasonably warm weather also led to some nasty stomach issues for me, and I wasn’t really able to eat anything from around miles 22-34. I did my best to drink regularly but could tell that I was getting dehydrated. When I reached the final aid station at mile 34, my stomach had finally settled, and I inhaled a peanut butter sandwich made out of a honey stinger waffle. I swear it tasted like heaven. I knew we still had one good climb before a nice downhill and flat section to the finish. It seemed like forever to get to the top of that hill, but once the trail started to descend, I got a second wind and was really smelling the barn. With about 1.5 miles to go to the finish, I saw my dad waiting to run in with me. I still had a shot a breaking the female course record and was very thankful to have someone to push me to run hard in the final stretch. However, my stomach was not cooperating and I actually had to make an emergency stop with about .25 mile left. When I came out of the woods and saw the clock 100 yards across the field, I realized that I had the record by just over a minute. After crossing the finish line, I just laid down in the grass, exhausted and very grateful to not have to run another step. I feel very blessed to have had a good day and owe a huge thanks to all of the wonderful volunteers and the best personal crew man ever (my dad). Teammates Sheridan Ames and Dreama Campbell also had strong runs, and we all enjoyed cheering in each person as they finished a super tough course.

Duncan Ridge 30k

2011-11-23T06:11:00.000-08:00

Saturday November 19 marked the day for the first ever Duncan Ridge trail race in Blairsville, Georgia. I had several friends going up to do the race, which had a 30k and 50k option, so I decided at the last minute to see if I could get in. The race was already full, but Robert Lewellen, the race director, was kind enough to let me and my dad sign up late. Not only was it a last minute decision, but I was also just coming off of cross country season at UTC where we run a 5k, and I had not run over 10 miles in at least 2 months. I did my best to ignore the blatantly obvious fact that I was, shall we say, less than prepared for a 30k trail race with over 8,000 feet of elevation gain.
The race starts at Vogel State Park and follows the Duncan Ridge Trail and Coosa Backcountry Trails. While the 50k is an out and back, the 30k is more of a lollipop. Race morning was chilly and overcast with temps predicted to stay in the 40s all day, so I stayed in the car until the very last minute. After assembling at the start line, Robert gave some last minute instructions to the 150 or so runners and set us off on what would prove to be a grueling course.
Runners follow pavement for less than half a mile before turning onto singletrack, so I went out pretty hard to avoid the congestion. We immediately started a small climb before descending all the way to the 3.5 mile aid station. I was doing my best to keep up with R/C teammate Sheridan Ames, and he was giving me all I could handle. Immediately after the aid station, the trail starts climbing. Before the race, Dreama had told me about this climb, saying something like "It goes on forever, is really steep in sections, really technical..." That pretty much sums it up. Every time I though we were at the top, I would turn a corner and keep going up. Finally, after something like 4 miles of ascending, the trail turns steeply down, the quad killing, almost worse than climbing kind of steep. At the time, I though to myself how much it would stink to have to come back up this way, not knowing at the time that we would do just that. After maybe a mile of downhill, I arrived at the second aid station which also marked the split for the 30k and 50k. Words cannot describe how happy I was to follow the 30k arrow down a dirt road for about 3 miles rather than the the 50k arrow that went right back on singletrack and up another mountain.
I did my best to make up some time on the dirt road, and it felt nice to be able to stretch out my legs a bit. There was a nasty headwind for most of it though, making my thankful that I chose to wear two layers and gloves. 3 miles later, we were directed back onto singletrack that of course went switchbacking up and eventually spit us back out where we first hit the dirt road. This is when I realized that we had to return the same way we came, which meant that I would indeed have to climb up those nasty hills I had run down. When I reached those hills, Sheridan and I both let out an audible sigh. My legs were just about toast by now, and I was struggling to stay positive mentally, so it was nice to at least have some company even if we were too busy breathing to talk much. The one plus on the way back was that runners get to descend the 4 mile section of trail that they had to climb on the way out. This was a nice chance to recharge, but I knew that the last 3.5 miles to the finish would be tough because the first 2.5 are all uphill.
I took a GU roctane and refilled my bottle at this aid station, the first and only time I stopped all day, so I felt decent going into the climb. It is much more runnable than the previous section, and I managed to keep a steady pace. After reaching the top, it is a fast downhill mile to the finish. When I popped out of the trail and onto the last stretch of pavement, I was relieved to be almost done. At the finish line, I was greeted by Robert and several other volunteers who all worked extremely hard to put on such a great, yet difficult race. I told Robert that, mile for mile, this was by far the toughest course I have run to date, and I cannot even imagine the 50k. Overall, it was a strong showing for the Chattanooga crowd with Dreama taking first overall female in the 50k, Sheridan coming in 5th overall, and Cathi Cannon also having a strong race. I would recommend the race to anyone wanting a challenge, but don't expect to set any pr's on this course!

Big Butts 50k

2011-07-31T18:02:00.000-07:00

When I opened up the race packet for the Big Butts 50k and saw the giant pair of whitey tighty underwear in it with “Big Butts 2011” written on the back I busted out laughing and new right away that this race would not disappoint. Rock/Creek race team member John Brower puts on this race which is held at Butts Park in Clinton, MS. The course consists of a 6 mile loop that runners do 5 times for the 50k or 10 times for the 100k. There is a short road section at the end affectionately named “the highway to hell” to tack on the extra mile or two needed for 31/62 miles. When my dad and I arrived at the start on Saturday, it was already muggy, and the heat index was predicted to be over 105 degrees! As hot as it has been here in Tennessee, I don’t think I have really had experience running in this kind of insanely hot temperature for prolonged periods of time, so it was somewhat foreign territory. Add to it the fact that I originally signed up for the 100k, and any rational person would call me crazy.
Because this was a loop course, runners came back to the start every 6 miles, making it easy to set up your own personal aid station in addition to the fully stocked one already there and being manned by super sweet Beverly Brower. A few minutes before 8, John assembled everyone and basically said that it was hot outside so drink a ton. He also said that the course was impeccably marked, and if you got lost it would have to be intentional. After saying go, 55 or so runners set off in the woods to run circles all day in what would soon become an inferno.
My goal on the first lap was to get a good feel for the course and idea of how long each loop would take. The trail is primarily geared toward mountain bikers and had a few really short but steep hills in the first mile or two. After that it is pretty flat with only several rollers, almost no rocks, and largely coated in the soft pine needles that make for a near perfect running surface. There was one exposed asphalt section around mile 1.5 and a short powerline section around mile 5, but other than that, the course was well shaded. At least it seemed that way early on. A nice breeze was also blowing and the sky was overcast, which blocked the sun for the first couple loops. I finished the first lap in exactly 48 minutes and felt good. After a quick refill of my bottle, I headed out again. As I began the 2nd loop, I thought about my plan for the day. I decided that I definitely needed to drink a full bottle per lap and should probably aim for 48-54 minutes per lap for as long as my legs would obey.
Loop number 2 went by fairly smoothly as I drained all my fluid and finished in right around 49 minutes. I do remember noticing for the first time that it was really starting to heat up now and the sun had burned off most of the cloud cover. The wind had also mysteriously vanished, making the exposed sections of trail downright toasty. I was sweating a ton but felt like I was hydrating well and was pleased with how I felt on the 3 lap, but oh how quickly things can change! Heading out on loop number 4, I started feeling pretty queasy and it was all I could do to force myself to drink a sip of water every once in a while. I also had to concentrate on not puking when I took that sip. As if the stomach issues weren’t enough, I got some pretty nasty cramps in the intercostals muscles between my ribs as well as my abs. This had never happened to me before but they were so bad I could barely breathe. If you haven’t noticed, the wheels were coming off pretty fast now, and I did some reevaluating. I decided to run the 5th loop and make a decision of whether or not to stop at the 50k or keep going for the 100k based on my status then.
When I got back to the start to begin the 5 lap, my dad offered to run with me, and I was happy to have to company but not in a very good mood since I pretty much felt like do-do. By this point, I couldn’t drink much at all without seriously feeling like I would throw up, and the muscle cramps in my abs were getting worse. About half way through lap 5, I decided that I would call it a day at the 50k while I was still able to run semi decently. I knew if I kept going, things would just get worse, and it would turn in to a hike, something I didn’t want to do for 31 miles in 100+ degree heat. Coming out of the woods at the end of my last lap, I told Beverly that I was stopping at the 50k, so she directed me out to the “highway to hell” for my last mile. To be honest, it wasn’t as bad as I expected because there was at least some shade. I made my way out to the turnaround at 2 orange cones and back to the start/finish, thankful to be done and not have to run 5 more laps. I walked over to where my dad had set up our aid station and a very nice lady crewing for her husband offered to spray me down with some water out of one of those pressurized sprayers. It felt amazing, and after thoroughly soaking myself, I plopped down in a lawn chair with an ice rag over my head.
Although the terrain itself was not as difficult as a lot of courses, the heat more than makes up for it, and I can honestly say that Big Butts is one of the harder races I’ve done. John and his wife Beverly did an outstanding job putting on this low key event, and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a summer time race, especially if you want to get some serious heat training!

Scenic City Trail Marathon

2011-05-23T07:17:00.000-07:00

Just minutes before the start of the trail marathon and half marathon on Raccoon Mountain, a helicopter landed in the field at Laurel Point. I had no idea what was going on until someone told me it was there to take pictures of the 500 plus runners participating in the race. Although temperatures were a bit warm for most people’s liking, I love hot weather and was glad that the sun was out and heating things up. Shortly after 8 everyone lined up at the start, and Randy sounded the start. I knew that I would need to go out fairly hard on the 1.5ish miles of pavement before hitting the trail in order to avoid congestion when we got to singletrack. Although a lot of trailrunners don’t like running on the road, I was thankful to have this section to spread everyone out, and the crowd was really not a factor by the time runners reached the entrance to the trail.
I continued to run at a fairly hard pace in the first few miles because the segment from Laurel Point to the East Overlook is pretty flat, and I wanted to take advantage of this while my legs were fresh. I could barely see Lance up ahead and did my best to keep him in sight, fully expecting him to drop me before long. As runners approach the East Overlook and first aid station, there are a few decent hills that mysteriously increase in difficulty on the second loop, but aren’t so bad the first time around. I ran through the aid station without stopping because it was a little crowded and this was only mile 4, so I still had plenty of fluid in my hand held. The trail gradually ascends for about a mile before a long gradual downhill to the switchyard. I love this section and made an effort to run pretty hard on the descent. Unfortunately, what goes down must come back up, and once at the switchyard, runners reach the biggest climb on the course. Raccoon Mountain is advertised as a flat and forgiving course, which is true compared to other trails in the area. However, if you go into the race expecting there to be no hills, you are rudely mistaken. My plan was to take the climb moderately hard the first time around the loop and not push too much early on. It’s not very steep except for a few spots and is maybe .5 to .75 miles long. The good part is that once at the top, you get a nice downhill to the visitor center and aid station #2.
The volunteers at this aid station were awesome. Everyone was so encouraging and I swear they refilled my bottle so fast I barely had to slow down. From here, the trail goes down a few steep hills on what is by far the most technical section of the course. Something about these next few miles always gets to me. It’s like the Bermuda Triangle or something, and I always seem to have a low point here. I don’t know if it’s because of the 3 or 4 stinger hills that are fairly steep or totally mental but whatever it is, I always struggle on this part. Thankfully, I managed to come out of my funk before too long focused on reaching the point where marathoners and half marathoners split. Those doing the half take a right to the finish, and marathoners go left up a nasty hill to the third aid station. I could still see Lance every once in a while which was a mental boost, and I was happy to see my dad and Dawson at the aid station. I quickly refilled and crossed the road to re-enter the trail. This marks the start of the second and final loop. I was still feeling pretty good and hoped to be able maintain a decent pace on the second time around.
It was definitely starting to heat up by now, but the breeze helped a lot, and I never got too hot. I did make a concerted effort to drink as much as I could. Getting dehydrated really impairs your ability to run and leads to more soreness the day after a race, so I knew that it was important to constantly sip on the HEED from my handheld. I went through the East Overlook aid station for the second time where Sam and Leigh Linhoss were volunteering. It’s great to see familiar faces, and their encouragement was much appreciated. At this point, I broke the remaining sections up into 3 parts, the one big climb, the dreaded visitor center section, and the hill leading up to the last aid station. I did my best to only focus on the section just ahead rather than the total number of miles remaining. The climb up to the visitor center was definitely much slower this time than before, and I was glad to get to the top and start the downhill. I didn’t stop at the aid station this time as I was anxious to put these next few miles behind me. To be honest, I was just hoping not to totally bonk on this part, and thankfully, it didn’t seem as bad as it had on the first loop. Before too long, I reached the split and again took a left up the hill to the final aid station. I said hi to Dawson and crossed the road for the final 3ish miles of the race. Ironically, I was thinking to myself about how I hadn’t fallen yet when I tripped and did a full superman before nailing the ground. At that point, all I could do was laugh at myself and be thankful that I hadn’t hit any rocks on the way down. I glanced at my watch for the first time all day and made it my goal to get to the finish in less than 24 minutes if at all possible.
This last bit of trail is rolling with a few little hills. I was starting to smell the barn but also knew that I still had a fair amount of running to do before I was done. Once you reach Laurel Point, runners pop out of the woods on to pavement and make a lap around the parking lot before crossing the finish line. Randy Whorton was doing and awesome job announcing names of runners on the microphone as they were coming in, not to mention adding some additional funny dialogue J. As I crossed the finish, I was happy to see so many friends hanging out and cheering on all the runners. I am so blessed to be a part of such a great running community and have the opportunity to run with some awesome folks. Rock Creek and Wild Trails did a great job organizing this event and making it a great experience for everyone. After getting an ice cold wet cloth and something to drink, I hung out and watched as other runners finished. Huge congrats to all that ran and a big thanks to all the volunteers who worked just as hard!

Byrd Creek 15k trail race

2011-05-14T15:05:00.000-07:00

My original plan was to do a semi long easy run over the weekend in preparation for the Rock Creek Scenic City Marathon on May 21st. However, when Mark Mason mentioned that he might go up to Cumberland State Park to do a 15k trail race, I decided that this would be a good tune up before next week’s race. This was just the 2nd running of the Byrd Creek 15k, and I didn’t know anything about the area or the course. I also don’t have much experience in distances less than a 50k, so my expectations weren’t very high, but it would at least make for a good tempo run. Because the race start is less than two hours from Chattanooga, Mark and I decided to drive down the day of, making for a very early wake up call. We left in plenty of time only to be stopped on the interstate for at least 20 minutes when a Suburban in front of us literally burst in to flames minutes before we got to where it was. We waited impatiently as the fire truck arrived and put out the fire, watching the minutes tick away and fearing that we might miss the start. Thankfully, it ended up not taking as long to get there as we thought.
After registering and talking a bit with the rangers about the course, it was time to head to the starting line where me, Mark, and about 50 other runners waited for one of the rangers to say “Go”. The first .5 mile or so is on pavement and goes down a pretty steep hill before entering single track. Mark always goes out hard, so I made it my goal to stick with him. When we hit the trail, I remember thinking how bad it was going to hurt to run back up that hill at the finish as well as how there was no way I would be able to hang with Mark if he kept up the current pace. There were mile markers along the course, and we passed the first one in 6:53 which may not be fast for some but is definitely a much faster pace than I can maintain for a 15k. We did slow down a tad and I tried to find a pace that I felt I could hold. The trail was absolutely gorgeous because all the plants have come alive and are in full bloom. I had no idea what to expect as far as terrain or climbs, so I just took everything as it came. The first 4 miles were fairly rolling with some pretty tough hills but nothing too awful. A lot of the trail was covered in soft pine needles, making for a near perfect running surface. However, there were a few rocky sections that were slicker than snot due to the recent rainfall, and I almost bit it hard on several occasions.
Mile 4 to 5 was mostly downhill and was a much needed break from the constant up and down we had been running. Somewhere around here there was also a small wooden swinging bridge across a creek. If you have ever tried to run across one of these, you know it’s comical. Each step is different with one sending you bouncing two feet in the air but not forward at all and the next shooting you forward like a rocket. This is by yourself, so imagine what it’s like with 10+ plus runners on the larger swinging bridges! From here, the trail steadily climbed back to the top of the ridge before descending once again. I passed the 7 mile marker and the second water stop where we turned on to a different trail to take us back to the finish. It ran right along a creek, so it was relatively flat but covered with roots, making it the most technical section thus far. I was taking such little steps to hop between the roots that it felt like I was in some kind of obstacle course or football drill where you have to step in those big tires. Around mile 8, we climbed one last time on the trail and ran for maybe another .5 mile before popping out the road for the home stretch. I remembered the hill that I had to make it up but it didn’t seem so bad since I knew it was at the end. After cresting the hill and making a right turn, I could see the finish area and came in at 1:12. A few minutes later, I found out that the boy who won intended to run the 3.6 mile race but took a wrong turn and ended up doing the 15k by mistake. My hat’s off to him for running a great race, even though it was about 3 times longer than expected J It was also his first trail race, and after speaking to him for a while, I’m pretty sure he will be back for more! All in all, this was a great, small town event put on by some very hard working rangers. The course is beautiful and challenging, and I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for cool low key race.

Ouachita 50 mile trail race

2011-04-20T18:46:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday I was fortunate enough to ride to Arkansas in the Rock/Creek race team 4 runner with Dreama and Mark to do the Ouachita 50 mile race. We managed to drive through some pretty nasty storms only to find out that they were much worse in Chattanooga. After a long 7.5 hour drive, we picked up our packets and headed to find something to eat. It was already after 8pm, and I was a bit worried about having to eat so late, especially with the early 6 am start time. My stomach and I don't always get along real well during races, so I try to do everything I can to avoid any problems, and eating an early dinner is one of those things. Unfortunately this was just not going to happen tonight. I just crossed my fingers and hoped things would turn out ok. As it turns out, I probably should have crossed my toes as well.
After settling in to our room, we went straight to bed in hopes of getting some decent sleep before the much too early wake up call at some awful hour like 4:30 am. Driving to the start in the pitch black dark, I realized that I completely forgot to pack a headlamp, as did Mark, so we could only hope that the sun would come out enough during the first 3 miles on the road before hitting the trail. A few minutes before 6am, Dreama and I forced ourselves to shed our warm layers and step out of the car into the cold and extremely windy air. The 3 of us lined up along with 150 or so other runners and waited for the start which was no more than the RD saying "Go"
The first 3 miles are on pavement to the visitor center of Maumelle State Park, and I went out at a pretty good pace simply to try to warm up. The wind here was brutal and I just about froze the whole time. I also quickly noticed that my stomach was definitely not quite right but there was nothing I could do now but hope it got better or at least not worse. Once we turned on to single track, the trail descends steeply then flattens out until you hit the major climb of the day up Pinnacle Mountain. I had heard horror stories about this. People said it was more like rock climbing and that there was no way you could run it. If you are familiar with blue hell at mt. cheaha, Pinnacle makes it look like a cake walk. I was literally doing all I could to step from boulder to boulder up an extremely steep slope. Having one hand occupied with my handheld water bottle didn't help the situation. It was a pretty cool section though and definitely added something unique to the race. I was also very thankful that it didn't come at mile 28 like blue hell does because i'm not sure that I could have done it then. Going down was almost as difficult, and a fall here would not have ended well.
This next bit of trail was really pretty and ran along the lake with some great views. The sun had come out by now, and being in the woods offered protection from the wind. Me and my stomach were still going at it, so I was not able to eat or drink like I should have for the first 15 or so miles when it finally settled down. Compared to the other trails in Arkansas that I have been on, Ouachita is much less rocky and hilly but still has some very technical sections and a lot of rolling hills. The course is an out and back, and by the time I reached the turn around, I was really feeling it. I knew I had not taken in enough fluids early on, and it was coming back to bite me. However, I did get a mental boost by hitting the half way point and knowing that I would get a chance to see some familiar faces on the way back. That is the part I like best about out and back races-you get to see everyone, those in front and those behind, and get an idea of where you stand in the race. I saw Dreama who was looking really strong and was glad to hear that she felt pretty good which was more than I could say for myself at the time.
The 8 miles of trail leading up to the turn around that you obviously have to do twice crossed more creeks than I could count. In fact, I tried to count but soon lost track. Due to the heavy rainfall, some of them were pretty deep, and one even had a rope strung across it. Needless to say, my feet were constantly getting wet but the northface singletracks I was running in drained really well. I eventually made it out of the section with so many stream crossings and was the final 10 or so miles. Knowing that I was getting somewhat near the finish lifted my spirits some, and I really looked forward to hitting the road for the final 3 miles. Remember the part where I said the trail descended steeply from the visitor center? Well on the way back, the trail ASCENDS steeply to the visitor center. When I popped out on the road, I was never so happy to see pavement in my life, even if it meant 3 hot miles with the sun beating down in full force. I picked up my pace a bit, and with about 2 miles to go, Stan Ferguson blew past me like I was standing still. He said that he had been chasing me for 22 miles to which I replied, "well, you caught me." He offered some encouragement and was soon way out in front. To be honest, this last part didn't seem to last as long as I thought it would. I rounded a corner and saw the pavillion which serves as the start/finish. Running across the finish, I was greeted by RD Chrissy Ferguson who was there to shake each runner's hand and give them a finisher award. Mark, who had run the 50k was also there to give me a hug. In all his humility, he failed to mention that he was the 1st place masters finisher, so congrats to him!
As I thought about the race and how my day had not started out so well but also didn't get near as bad as it could have, I was thankful for the opportunity to run such a pretty course with outstanding volunteers and support. The race was extremely well organized and trail markings were awesome. I quickly found my favorite post race drink, diet coke (perfect for rehydrating, I know) and plopped down in Mark's lawn chair to watch the other runners come in. Dreama took 3rd overall female and had an awesome race, so all in all it was a great day for the Chattanooga folks and rock/creek race team!

River Gorge 6.5 mile race

2011-03-31T16:50:00.000-07:00

Of all the Rock Creek races, the river gorge seems to be the one where weather is always a major factor, and this year was no different. I woke up early Saturday morning to the sound of thunder so loud it shook my apartment and rain coming down hard. "This could be interesting," I thought and battled with myself about whether or not to even get out of bed. I stared at the coffee pot for a few moments before ultimately pushing the start button and getting ready for what was sure to be a wet race. I really had no right to complain considering that the volunteers were already out in the cold, dark rain preparing for all the runners. When I arrived at Prentice Cooper, it seemed as if the rain had let up a bit, but a few minutes before the start, it picked right back up. I couldn't decide what to run in and knew that if I wore my rain jacket I would probably get hot, but I was not able to make myself shed it before the start because it was so cold. The race begins with about 1/4 mile of dirt road to spread racers out before making a left turn onto single track. I knew I needed to start off pretty hard to get ahead of the crowd and was ablet to avoid any major congestion. The trail descends for about a half a mile before a short climb and another long downhill. Surprisingly, the trail was in pretty good shape except for some puddles here and there. I fully expected to fall at some point and just kind of threw caution out the window and tried to run this downhill part as fast as I could because I knew the second half of the course was mostly uphill. About 3 miles in, runners come out to a dirt road where the aid station is located. It was here that I quickly yanked off my jacket with the help of volunteer Jim Johnson who helped pull it off of me. After turning right on the road, you climb...and climb...and climb some more. I dont know how many hills there are but it is relentless. The last one is the longest and steepest, but once at the top, runners cut back on to single track for the most technical descent of the day. This part of the trail was more like a river. Chris Gentry was just ahead of me and I did everything I could to keep him in sight. When you get to the bottom of the hill, the trail connects back in with the first part of the course and runners retrace their steps back to the finish, about a mile of steady climbing. I was hurting pretty bad at this point and just kept trying to tell myself it was almost over. After maybe ten or so "It's almost overs" I saw the parking lot and finish line. My goal was to break an hour, which I did by the skin of my teeth. Soaking wet, I walked over to chat with some other runners about how much fun we had running and getting absolutely covered in mud from the waist down. It didn't take long for me to get chilled, so I rushed to my car, turned the heat on full blast, and into some dry clothes. Thanks so much to Rock Creek for putting on a fabulous race despite less than stellar conditions. The volunteers really deserve a ton of credit for spending hours and hours in the cold rain to take care of all the runners' needs. Maybe next year it will be dry, but then again there is something cool about running in a thunderstorm :)

3 days of syllamo stage race

2011-03-15T17:39:00.000-07:00

The 3 Days of Syllamo stage race is both an awesome experience and, as I soon found out a very painful one at times. It takes place in the Ozark Ntl Forest in Arkansas. The race is over 3 days with Friday being a 50k, Saturday a 50 mile, and Sunday a 20k (at least they claim it's a 20k but more on that later). My dad was kind enough to drive the 8 long hours with me to the start on Thursday morning which gave us plenty of time to pick up packets and get a nice dinner.

Day 1-50k
One of my favorite things about this race is the start times. The race director obviously knows that runners will want all the sleep they can get, so the 50k didn't start until 9AM. By this time, the sun was out and warming things up nicely. It was still cool but temps were supposed to get in to the upper 60s. When Steve, the RD, said go, we all set out on the first part of what promised to be a long 3 days. Because the start is in a valley of sorts, each day begins with a pretty hefty climb of about 2 miles. I was feeling pretty good early on and ran most of it to avoid the congestion. Once at the top, the trail rolls along some ridgelines with spectacular views. The theme of the day and the weekend for that matter was rocks. Big rocks, little rocks. loose rocks, and any other type of rocks you could possibly imagine. It made for some very technical running, but the awesome views and weather more than made up for it. The course for the day was an out and back, so I was able to get an idea of what the second half would be like. There were several steep climbs along bluffs which abruptly descended right back down to the river in addition to a lot of very runnable sections. As far as strategy goes, I felt like I should just run how I felt the first day and not worry about taking it easy because I figured going slower just meant more time on my feet and more soreness. Therefore, I ran pretty hard throughout the day and made it to the turn around point in about 2.5 hours. In order to prove that you actually went all the way out, Steve put a hole punch at the turn around for runners to punch a hole in their number. The only problem was that it wasn't a normal hole punch. I don't really know how to describe it except to say that I had a very hard time making it work and was afraid they wouldn't believe that I went the full distance :). I did the best I could and started making my way back, looking forward to seeing everyone still making their way out.

Very shortly after turning around, I saw the next female, a super nice lady named cassie from Colorado followed by Jill Perry who I knew was very strong. I tried to just stay relaxed and run as best I could keeping in mind that this was a 3 day race. I also got to see Abigail, Susan, Rob, and several other familiar faces on the way back. The good part about climbing at the beginning is getting to descend at the end, and when I finally hit the last downhill, I was really smelling the barn. My dad was there to meet me and I finished the first day in something like 5:06.

Day 2-50 Miles
No 9AM start time for this day but rather a cold, dark 6AM. I felt a little sore before the start but nothing too bad. However, I knew that it was going to be a LONG day. My goal was to try to keep a positive mindset and focus on running the best I could, whatever my body would allow. My body wasn't too thrilled about the idea of running 50 miles, at least not at first but I did fortunately loosen up after a few miles. The theme of today's race, according to the RD, is "this is where the fun starts" . I would love to know his definition of fun! The course for this day was like a clover leaf that followed a lot of mountain biking trails. Don't let this fool you into thinking it's easy by any means. The rock were still present and I blame them for all 3 of my falls during the day. After climbing at the start to get to the top of the ridge, the trail constantly rolls with only one really nasty climb about half way through. Although we were on bike trails, there were times when it was so technical or steep that I thought to myself "there is no way I would even attempt to ride my bike on this!" Like Friday, the sun heated things up quickly, so I ran in my Patagonia singlet and shorts for most of the day. There were several creek crossings where you had to get about shin deep. I had a love hate relationship with these. It felt good to cool off a bit but it also made my shoes feel 10 pounds heavier for a mile or so until they drained. I was thankful to be wearing the North Face Singletracks which drain really well and kept my feet as dry as possible. By about the 50k point, I was feeling very fatigued and struggling to keep a good attitude. The aid station with home made brownies did wonders for this however as well as picking up my Ipod from my dad. I made it to the 45 mile aid station where they told me it was a fast finish from there and mostly downhill. Although I really hesitated to believe them, they were telling the truth, and before I knew it, I was seeing tents and smelling campfires which told me I was close to the finish. Day 2 was coming to an end, and I think I finished the 50 miles in 8:59.

Day 3-20k (yeah right)
Thankfully, the 20k started at 9AM which allowed me to get a decent night's sleep. However, I soon realized just how sore I was when I had to walk down the set of stairs to the car. I just laughed at myself and found the idea of trying to go run a 20k comical. On the one hand, you tell yourself it's no big deal after running so much the past two days but on the other hand the idea of running at all is just not very appealing. To make matters worse, there are quite a few people running today who were not in the stage, so they have fresh legs and are ready to bust out a speedy 20k. I was just hoping to manage some sort of a run. Perhaps a "wog" is the more appropriate term (combination of a walk and a jog). When Steve said go, we all made our way to the single track which would be a loop following a lot of the 50 mile course but in the opposite direction. It took me a good 2 miles to loosen up but when I did I actually felt a lot better than I thought I would. My pace was by no meanst fast, but it felt like I was running pretty well. That's what I told myself anyway. There was just one unmanned aid station at mile 7 but because it was still pretty cool, I didn't take the time to top off my handheld. I did find it odd that Steve told runners at the start that the water stop was "at mile 7, almost half way throught the race". If you do the math here, a 20k is 12.4ish miles so if 7 miles marks the half way point, this course was actually more like 14-15 miles. In the big picture, who really cares, and I figured if we had run 81 over the last 2 days what's an extra 2 or 3? Well my legs would beg to differ but they didn't have much say in the matter. After the aid station, the course weaves along the ridge before taking you up a nasty climb to a gorgeous overlook. Another mile or two later, and I found myself on the last descent to the finish. I tried to reflect on the weekend and my experience, wanting to take it all in. When I crossed the finish line, Steve was there to give everyone who ran the stage their finisher award and shake their hand. I had an awesome experience at Syllamo, met some really cool people, and learned a lot about you can almost always do more than you think you can. I am truly blessed to have the opportunity to run and look forward to going back to this race next year if possible.

Mt. Cheaha 50k

2011-02-28T20:00:00.000-08:00

After doing this race for the first time two years ago, I fell in love with the course. It's one of the toughest in the area but also one of the prettiest and most diverse. Race director Todd Henderson does an outstanding job. The fact that it is point to point makes it even more appealing to me, so I was very excited about getting to do the race for a second time this year. Tyler and Mary were kind enough to let me ride down with them and split a room at the lodge which is also the finish line.

On Saturday morning, runners all load up on one of three buses which take them from the lodge to the starting line. The race has grown a lot in the past two years, so the buses were packed. After making it to the trailhead, we unloaded and it seemed as if everyone made a beeline for the 2 porta potties. I swear the line was a mile long! We had about 30 minutes before the 7:30 race start, and because it was pretty cold, I did my best to stay warm by moving around a bit. I knew it was supposed to warm up a lot but it sure seemed cold at the moment. Finally, Todd told everyone to assemble at the start line under a big banner. Runners have maybe 50 feet to spread out before hitting the single track, so if you don't want to get stuck in a huge conga line you are pretty much forced to go out hard. Also, there is a railroad crossing about 3 miles into the race, and a train goes by like clock work at the same time everyday about the time that many of the runners reach the tracks. Therefore, this was yet another reason to start out quick and try to avoid the train which delays you at least 5 minutes. Unlike any other race I have done, the signal to start is when the song "Sweet Home Alabama" starts blaring through the speakers.

I went out at a pretty good pace, not overly ambitious, but did manage to get ahead of the crowd. Nevertheless, I found myself in a small line of runners. I was content with the pace until Sally who was just in front of me mentioned that we needed to make a move in order to avoid the train. This worried me because I really didn't want to lose any time, so I followed her lead and passed the small group until we had clear running room. The first bit of trail is rolling and covered in pine needles, making for a near perfect trail. After about a mile, however, you hit the first climb of the day. It is one of many and we took it pretty hard, still trying to beat the train. After the climb and a short decent, the trail pops out on the road where you run down for about .25 miles, cross the RR tracks and hit the first aid station. Because this was just 3.5 miles in to the race, I ran straight through it and made the sharp left back on to the trail.

Tyler and I ran together for a bit before reaching a dirt road that climbs for about a mile. Not long after leaving the first aid station, we both heard the train and were very thankful to have just beat it. After reaching the road, he took off like I was standing still while I tried to just manage a decent pace and take advantage of being able to run a little faster than when on single track. After what seemed like forever, the hill flattened out and started descending. Less than 2 miles later, I was at aid station #2, mile 8.5. This stop was manned by what I guess were some high school students. A couple of them would dance as you ran by them, and I couldn't help but laugh. It was great to have them be so energetic. After quickly filling up my handheld, I got back on the trail.

This next section of trail is VERY rocky and narrow in spots. The rocks are loose and go rolling out from under your feet making running a constant test of balance. Also, the trail is cambered, so any stumble at all sends you flying down the hill to the left. After a few miles, though, it gets a lot smoother but there is at least one good climb. I think it was around here that I caught back up to Tyler and Sheridan and ran with them for a bit. The trail then goes back to the rocky narrow stuff before a short out and back to aid station #3. As I was making my way out, I saw John Dove and Marcus on their way back looking strong. I topped off my bottle and headed out, seeing Emily and another female runner making their way to the aid station. We said hey to each other briefly and continued on in opposite directions. I knew Emily was really strong and that there was a good chance she would catch me.

The trail becomes a lot more runnable here as it dips down to the creek and runs along the bottom of the gorge for a bit. You cross the creek multiple times but as there was almost no water, I barely got my feet wet. It soon occurred to me, however, that if we descended to the bottom, we would no doubt have to climb all the way back up to the ridge. Sure enough, after crossing the creek one last time, the trail started switchbacking up the mtn. It wasn't that steep, so I was able to keep a slow run up it. Not long after reaching the top, I arrived at the mile 18ish aid station. It was here that I had to fill up with HEED for the first time. I normally drink gatorade because HEED sometimes messes with my stomach, but this batch was mixed just right and happened to be strawberry flavored, my personal favorite, so I left out of the aid station one happy camper.

Shortly after leaving the aid station, I saw Marcus again, but this didn't last long as he soon put quite a bit of distance on me. Every once in a while, I could see him way ahead. Although I knew I wasn't going to catch him, it helped to have someone to try to keep in my sights. After rolling along for a few miles, the trail takes you along the river with some awesome views of little water falls. You then have to cross the water. Two years ago when I did the race, it had rained so much that they had to put a rope up to help you get across. This year, I rock hopped without getting my feet wet! After a short out and back along the creek to the aid station around mile 22, the trail goes up a pretty steep hill. All I had eaten thus far was 1 gu and a few orange slices, so I was feeling pretty low, not to mention that my legs were starting to fatigue. I remembered that I had an espresso gu with caffeine, so I took it and felt ten times better in just a few minutes. It's amazing what a little sugar and caffeine can do for you both mentally and physically :).

After climbing to the top of the ridge, the trail rolls along for several miles. It was here that I saw Byron and ran/chatted with him for a bit. Runners then pop out on an unpaved road for 1.5 or so. It was totally exposed to the sun which was beating down in full force. Also, you could see for ahead for what seemed like mile. I could make out Marcus and one other runner. The dirt road comes to an intersection with the main park road which is paved, and the course makes a left to head into Cheaha State Park. At this point, I really didn't mind the road because it was a mental break from having to constantly focus on the trail below me. I also knew that it meant I was getting close to the final aid station at the base of "Blue Hell". About a mile later, I entered the main park area by a lake and saw the aid station in one of the pavillions. I topped off my handheld for the last time and headed out to begin the tough climb to the top of Mt. Cheaha.

Although there are only 3 miles left at this point, the first mile or so is straight up a trail called Blue Hell because it is so steep and rocky that you have to follow the blue blazes painted on rocks to stay on the right path. At times, you are literally rock climbing. There is no way to run this bit of the race, but given the fact that I had already run 28 miles, I kind of welcomed the idea of walking. I still kept a pretty good pace and was smelling the barn at this point. I managed to pass about 4 people on this section. It was really heating up now and I think the unusually high temps became a huge factor in the race. I talked to quite a few runners who struggled with cramps throughout the day but especially near the end on this portion of trail. After reaching the top of Blue Hell, my legs had decided that they didn't feel like climbing anymore. Unfortunately, the trail continues uphill for maybe another .25 mile before runners again get on pavement. I ran the road segment at what felt like a good pace and passed by the marker noting that it was the highest point in Alabama, thinking that it must be all downhill from here, right? The course then turns back into the woods one last time for maybe a mile. It was generally flat or downhill, and I knew the finish was close. When I popped back out on the road for the last 200 meters, I rounded the corner and heard a man with a microphone call out my name and welcome me to the top of Alabama. Crossing the finish line, Todd greeted me and shook my hand. I met fellow Rock Creek team member Owen Bradley who won the race in a blazing time of like 4:35. After getting something to drink, I sat down to watch everyone finish and in no time at all saw a bunch of familiar faces all crossing the finish line. We hung out for a bit before heading home from a great day in the woods. Overall, I had an awesome experience and would tell anyone to put Mt. Cheaha on their must do list of races.

Here's the link to the website and results
http://www.pinhoti100.com/mountcheaha50k/

Black Warrior 50k

2011-02-27T05:11:00.000-08:00

This race was kind of a last minute decision for me. I had not planned on doing it because Mt. Cheaha 50k was the week after, and I wanted to be well rested. However, Black Warrior has 25 and 50k options, and a bunch of Chattanooga folks were going down. My decision to go ahead and run was made for me in a way when Mark registered me for the 25k :). This sounded like a good plan because it would be a good last longish run before Cheaha. As the week before the race went on, however, the idea of doing the 50k seemed more and more attractive, probably not smart, but appealing nonetheless. I emailed the RD who switched me to the 50k. In all, there was going to be no less than 20 people from Chattanooga running at Black Warrior, so I looked forward to seeing everyone down there. On Friday night, I carpooled down with Mark and met up with most of the other guys at our hotel in Cullman AL, about 40 minutes from the start.
Race morning was probably the warmest day we have had all year. Temps had to be around 60, allowing me to start in short sleeves and shorts. I was so thankful to not have to wear a ton of layers and freeze my butt off waiting for the race to start. I had run this race the year before, but because I have a horrible memory of courses and no sense of direction, I didn't remember much except that it is rolling, muddy, and mostly horse trail. The course is not flat by any means but compared to the trails in TN, its pretty tame. The race starts on a dirt road that is a gradual uphill for about two miles before flattening out for a bit before runners make a hard right onto single track.
I really had no race plan but I did want to go out kinda hard to avoid the crowd and try to keep a good pace for as long as I could to try to possibly get a new PR for a 50k. When the horn went off, I ran probably the first 5 or so miles with Randy and Sal. The trail was pretty muddy in spots, the kind of mud that almost sucks your shoe right off your foot. There were a few uphills but nothing major, and I got to the first aid station around mile 6 feeling good. I ran straight through it because I still had enough water to make it the next 6 miles before filling up at aid station 2. I think it was somewhere around here that I met and ran with Joe Fejes for a bit. He was very nice, and talking with him made the time pass quickly. At the second aid station, I saw Fallon who quickly filled up my handheld and got me on my way. The course seems to get a little harder from this point, but that might just be my head playing games with me because I was starting to get tired. Nevertheless, the hills seemed more frequent with some shorter, steeper, rocky sections thrown in. Also, because the trail is open to horses, runners encountered quite a few as the day went on. Everyone was very courteous, but when a horse sees a person running at it, they often freak out a bit and understandably so. I did my best to slow down and walk around all the horses because I know what it's like to be on a spooked horse, and it's not a good feeling.
Aid station 3 is about mile 17. I was still feeling pretty good at this point but my legs were definitely hurting. I did my best to keep a good pace. Although I had no idea if it was even possible, I really wanted to see if I could break 5 hours, and so far, I was on pace, so I just hoped the wheels wouldn't fall off in the next 14 miles. Aid station 4 is at mile 22ish and is the same stop as #2, so I got to see Fallon again and meet Dan's parents. It's always cool to see people you know on the course, so this gave me a much needed mental boost. I knew there was just one more aid station where the trail pops back out on the road and runners return the same way they came at the start. Unfortunately, I also knew that it would be a decent climb to get back to the road. This section seemed to go on forever. I kept thinking I would turn the corner and see a clearing with the road. This went on for probably half an hour before I finally climbed up the last hill and saw the aid station. I was relieved and looking forward to running on the dirt road because it meant I didn't have to constantly focus on the trail below me.
The volunteer said it was 2.5 miles to the finish which was shorter than I thought, so my spirits got even better. I slammed a cup of mountain dew and headed off down the road, looking forward to being done. I checked my watch and was pretty sure I could safely break 5 hours but wanted to still run as well as I could on this last stretch. What I did forget about was how long you have to run on the road before hitting the downhill section that we ran up at the start. It seemed like an eternity before I rounded a bend and started descending. Late in a race, downhill hurts worse than uphill because of the pounding but it was nice to have gravity on my side for once. Also, the finish line is at a campground about .3 miles past the start line, so if you aren't expecting this extra bit, it can be pretty demoralizing. Finally, I crossed the little bridge where we started and ran the last part of road to the finish. I think the clock said 4:37 ish, so I was thrilled and very thankful to have had a good day. Kris and Mark were there as were Alan, Kevin, Michael, and Lance, who super speedy and had already finished. Shortly after getting something to drink and heading back over to the finish area, the rest of the Chattanooga folks can streaming in one by one. Randy, Yoli, Dreama, Dan, Wendy, Cassey, Charlene, Nik, Janice and probably a few others I'm forgetting all did awesome. It was really cool to get to spend the day with so many awesome folks.

Lookout 50 miler...to run or not to run

2010-12-19T15:40:00.000-08:00

December 18 was the Lookout 50 mile trail race. Although I live in Chattanooga, I had never done this home town race. I am familiar with most of the course because we run on the trails frequently, but the portion of the race that goes through Lula Lake to Nickajack was new to me. When the alarm clock went off on Saturday morning, I was less than enthusiastic about getting up. I am not an early morning person but I usually feel a bit more perky on race mornings than I did. For whatever reason, my head just was not in it. Nevertheless, I made the drive up to Covenant College where the race starts and finishes. It was still dark outside and very cold. On the positive side, however, it was not raining as it had the past two years during the race. Unfortunately, my mood had not gotten any better by the time I arrived at the start, and I was seriously contemplating driving straight back home and going back to bed. I literally sat in my car staring at my running shorts trying to decide if I wanted to change into them and run or just go home. I would tell myself, "You are going to run" only to change my mind. This indecision went on until 7:10. FYI the race started at 7:30. Finally, I forced myself to get my running clothes on and step out into the cold. After making a quick stop at the bathroom, it was time to line up for the start. The sun started to come up, and I wouldn't say that I was totally ready to run, but I was at least no longer dreading it as I had been only moments before.
Dreama and I started off together down the road for a short time before making our way onto the single track that leads to the Bluff trail. It was still pretty congested, and this segment of trail is technical, not to mention being on the side of a cliff, which minimizes the opportunity to pass. Mentally, I was finally starting to come around and was happy to have made the decision to run rather than return to bed. Because of the recent rain and the fact that it was still below freezing outside, the bluff was covered with icicles that formed along rocks. It was absolutely gorgeous. To our left, you could see the view of the city below. This is one of the prettiest trails in the area. After passing Sunset Rock, runners continue to Point Park and go down the Mountain Beautiful Trail before turning onto the Hardy Trail which is a gravel road that leads to Cravens house and the first aid station at mile 8. This aid station was a bit crowded and because it was so cold outside, I had not used much of my gatorade out of my handheld. Therefore, I just ran through hoping to make up some time and get away from some of the congestion.
From Craven's house, we ran down another jeep road and onto the Guild trail before making a hard left onto the Jura trail. This is a really pretty section on single track that leads to the Gum Springs trail which descends very steeply towards the Nature Center. Because Covenant college is at the top of Lookout Mountain and the nature center is at the bottom, we had been running a general downhill for the better part of 4-5 miles by the time we hit the next aid station where I saw Wendy and Kris. It just so happened that another trail race was taking place at the nature center, using some of the same trails as the Lookout 50 miler, so several sentries had to direct people and make sure they didn't go off course. I saw Tyler and Mary here. Tyler said that the three lead women were about 10 minutes ahead, so I really had no expectations of seeing them at all. We ran along the river at the bottom for a bit before turning on to the Blue Beaver trail to begin our LONG 5 mile ascent back up to Covenant College. I told myself before the race that I was going to take the climb really easy because the last thing I needed to do was use a ton of energy so early in the race. Thankfully, I met up with Dana Overton, Michael Scherzer, and Ryan Muelmans around this point, and we talked a bit to make the first part of the climb pass by rather quickly. After a mile or so, we popped out onto the Skyuka trail which is very rolling but runnable for sure. Once you reach Skyuka Springs, the real beast of the climb begins as it is 3 miles of non stop uphill to Covenant. I have done this segment of trail a million time as part of the loop we call "Big Daddy" and no matter how many times you do it, it never gets easy. The first mile is definitely the worst, so I tried to break the climb into 3 sections in hopes that it would help me mentally. Ryan, Michael, and I were still together and run/walked the first part in pretty good time. I was feeling pretty good. I think knowing this part of the course was a real advantage. Before too much longer, the second mile was over, and we were back on the Bluff with only about a mile left to the top. Once you get to Jackson Spring, runners make a loop around a small lake by Covenant and then retrace their steps on the road back to the start which is also the 22ish mile aid station.
At this stop, I saw my Aunt Caroline who came out to watch as well as Vikena and her son, George, who was ringing a cowbell. He is adorable and seeing him ring the cowbell and cheering was a big mental boost. Caroline asked if I needed anything and said she would let my dad, who was working the Nickajack aid station, know how I was doing. After briefly saying hi to her and refilling my bottle, I headed off toward Lula Lake. The next mile or two of trail was very narrow and looked like it was new trail. It was really pretty, and I enjoyed being able to run somewhere I had not been. We then popped out in an open powerline area and ran along a dirt/clay road for a bit. I was pretty muddy, and this was the sticky kind of mud that stays on your shoes, making them feel like weights. Needless to say, I was more than happy to get off this road and back on the single track to Lula Lake. It is a general downhill for about two mile to the aid station at Lula Lake. Because there were so many leaves down, the trail was hard to follow at times, so I had to keep looking for the yellow flags marking the trail. After crossing a road and making a final descent, I came to the aid station where Dawson Wheeler was volunteering.
Dawson directed me toward a wooden bridge crossing a creek and leading back on to some single track. He pointed and said "Go over the bridge and through the woods" in a sing song voice which made me laugh and I set off in good spirits. From here, it is 6 miles to the Long Branch/Nickajack aid station. We ran along some trail that looked familiar to me from the Stage race that is here in the summer but it wasn't until I came out onto a gravel road leading up to Lula Falls that I really knew where I was. This realization was both good and bad. It was nice to have a general idea of my whereabouts but I also now knew that a nasty climb was just ahead. The falls are stunning with emerald colored water in the pool below and a good amount of water in the waterfall. After running down the road for maybe a half mile, the course makes a hard right onto this trail that is literally cut straight up the mountain. It is so steep that they put several ropes for runners to use to pull themselves up with. Once at the top, however, you aren't done climbing as it is a gradual uphill along the bluff for another mile or so. It was around here that I saw Natalie and Roxanned and got to chat with them for a bit. We then turned back and ran down to some very technical single track that looked like it had just recently been made into a trail. It followed a creek and was very reminiscent of a rainforest with lushy green plants everywhere. I remember thinking how pretty this part was but wishing that it was a bit wider so you could stride out more. We then turned uphill and climbed out to Nickajack road which you run on to the aid station. I was really looking forward to seeing my dad here and getting some of the grilled cheese sandwiches they had promised would be waiting here. Chad was manning the stove and quickly offered me some grilled cheese which did not disappoint. My dad asked how i was doing, refilled my bottle with gatorade and ran with me for a bit up the hill where we started a 4.5 mile loop.
After saying bye to my dad, I started out on this loop which was totally new to me. In fact, I think most of this section was pretty new in general. At first, the trail runs around a small lake with several houses before going into the woods. I felt like we were just winding around and around. It was very rolling and would climb up before descending to a creek and climbing right back up. Near the end of the loop, we merged back in with the Nickajack connector trail which I have run on before. When I realized where I was and knew that it was not far at all back to the aid station, I was relieved. I didn't need anything here, so I just checked in and made my way back towards Lula Lake the way I came. This was mile 38.5, and runners were told to make sure they had a headlamp here in case it got dark before they finished. I looked at my watch for the first time all day to see what time it was. I think it was like 2:15, so I decided not to pick up a light because I felt pretty sure I could make it the last 11.5 miles before dark. My dad ran with me down the road for a little while just to talk some and offer encouragement. It really helps to see familiar faces during a race, and I am very thankful that he was there. He also told me that Keving and Lance were doing well and that Leslie and Yoli were on the loop looking strong.
From this point, runners retrace their steps back to Lula Lake. I got to see some runners making there way toward Nickajack, including Chris and Rob. It's always cool to see friends out on the trail, and even runners you don't know because a simple smile and good job coming from anyone can do wonders for your spirits. If going up the trail with the rope was hard, going down it was just as hard, if not worse. It was all I could do to not lose all control and going head over heals down the whole thing. At the bottom, however, I got a second look at the falls. If you have not been here, it really is spectacular. Finally, after what seemed like much longer than on the way out, I reached the little bridge and the aid station. It's only about 4ish miles back to Covenant and the finish, so I was really starting to anticipate being done. Unfortunately, it's also mostly uphill, and running uphill on legs that have already run 46 miles is not exactly pleasant. To add to it, as I was leaving the aid station, I saw a female runner that I caught up to on the loop at Nickajack come in right behind me. She was looking really strong, and I thought she would catch me for sure. I have a pretty competitive streak in me and hate getting passed late in races. Early on when everyone is still settling into their pace is one thing, but after this long, it's just different :).
I tried to push it a little bit on the initial climb up to the road crossing. For whatever reason, I think I was expecting this section to be a lot worse than it actually was. Yes, it is mostly uphill, but it really isn't that steep except for a few parts, and there are some flat areas. I just kept trying to make myself run, however slow it probably was, and power walk the steep sections when I had to. After going through the wooded portion of trail that was covered in leaves, we popped back out onto the sticky mud road where my shoes again collected what seemed like 5 pounds of mud. Once again, I was relieved to enter back onto single track. This was the newish segment of trail that marks the last mile or so back to Covenant. I was smelling the barn at this point and just really wanting to be done. When I heard my dad yelling, I knew it had to be close. He said the finish was only about a quarter of a mile. I popped out onto the pavement and saw Byron, a great guy who I seem to see at almost every race. We ran together to the finish where I saw Mark, Wendy, Tyler, Mary, Caroline, Dee, and a bunch of others I'm forgetting.
It was still very cold, especially on top of the mountain where you are exposed, so we huddled around the fire talking for a few minutes. After changing clothes, my dad, Caroline, and I headed to get dinner. Overall, the day started out less than desirable with my having some serious motivational problems but it ended up being a really fun day. The course is beautiful, and I had a great time. All the volunteers worked so hard in the freezing cold to tend to our every needs, and I am truly blessed to have the opportunity to do these races.

Pine Mountain 40 mile trail race

2010-12-09T18:51:00.000-08:00

So it's less than a month since Pinhoti 100, and I am supposed to run the Pine Mountain 40 mile trail race. I had signed up for it quite a bit in advance because they cap the race at 150 runners and it always fills up quick. I ran this race two years ago and loved it. The GUTS crew always does an awesome job putting on races, so I was eager to come back. However, in the days leading up to the race, I was not sure how recovered I was. Except for a 17 mile training run the weekend before, I had not done any runs over about 12 miles since Pinhoti, so I had no idea how my legs would feel midway through the race, much less at the end. I decided to just give it a go and run how I felt. If I felt good, I would push it a little, but if not, I planned on just enjoying the day. This really helped to relax me and remove any pressure I might put on myself to run well.
Because we had a basketball game Saturday afternoon, I had to wait until after to leave for the race on Sunday. I met up with my dad, Dreama, and Shane to drive to Pine Mountain. We got to the hotel about 9:30 or so and didn't waste much time before going to bed. The race starts at 7am, making for an early wake up. The alarm went off at 5am, and after a quick breakfast, we drove to the race start in FDR state park. It was still pitch black dark and freezing cold outside when we arrived to check in and pick up our packets. Thankfully, there is a cabing where runners can hang out until just before the start.
About ten til 7, we were all told to head outside and up to the top of the dam where the race would begin. I kept my huge jacket and sweat pants on until the last minute before handing them to my dad. Race director Sarah Tynes said "Go" and the group of 150 or so runners set off along the road for about 400 yards before hitting the single track. It was still dark, so everyone had a headlamp, but because we were so close together for the first few minutes, I never even turned mine on. I went out moderately hard to try to get a decent position before entering the trail where it is really hard to pass. It was still frigid outside with strong gusts that chilled you to the bone. The forecast didn't look too bright either as the high was only going to be about 40 with a wind advisory and overcast skies all day. Oh well, at least I was moving enough to stay pretty warm, except for my hands which stayed numb for the duration.
I felt pretty good early on and ran with Shane and Dreama for the first bit. The trail is flat for the first 3 or so miles before climbing up to a road crossing. I think this one was manned but the others were not, so you had to pay close attention. After crossing, we ran along a gorgeous bluff overlooking the city below. The sun was rising and coloring the clouds all sorts of beautiful colors. Although I really wanted to look, the trail here was treacherously rocky, and I knew that if I took my eyes off it for long, I would surely bust it. For the most part, the course is very rolling. You climb a bit then descend again before long at all. It is very runnable but also deceptively hard because there are no extended flat sections. Also, the leaves were THICK to say the least. At times I swear they were at least a foot deep. You couldn't see anything below, so the only thing to do was just run and hope for the best. I don't know how many times I rolled my ankle on some hidden rock or root. When it wasn't totally covered in leaves, the trail was often like a small boulder field, very technical. There were also some really nice sections of soft pine needle covered trail that is a runner's dream.
I came through the first aid station at around mile 6 feeling good. I still had water and didn't need any food, so I just said hi to my dad and kept moving. Runners were still pretty close together, so I wanted to keep moving until we spread out a bit. The next aid station was in 5 miles, and I planned on refilling my handheld then. This section was rolling and leaf covered like the rest. At one point the trail got hard to follow due to all the leaves and I had to stop and look for the white tape used to mark the course. When Shane and I got to the 2nd aid station, my dad helped me refill with gatorade, and I was off again in no time. The GUTS people do an outstanding job at aid stations. Volunteers are always helpful and encouraging and have great food. I don't remember much about the next couple of sections other than it was a lot of up and down, a lot of rocks, but absolutely gorgeous.
I was still feeling pretty good when I got to around mile 19 at an aid station manned by Jeff Bryan and some other familiar faces. It was nice to see him again and here all the encouragement. He told me it was about 4 miles to the next aid station and that this section had 11 creek crossings. "Surely not," I thought to myself as I headed out thinking they must be exaggerating. Well it took about two miles before I realized that they were dead serious. This 4 mile stretch was probably the prettiest as it passes by several waterfalls that had a significant amount of water in them due to recent rain. However, you do cross over the same creek 11 times. It makes for pretty slow going, and I was starting to get a little down and could feel the miles in my legs. The aid station at mile 23 couldn't have come at a better time. Tom Wilson was there making grilled cheese sandwiches were amazing. Seeing everyone and eating some real food really lifted my spirits, and I set off on my way back to the same aid station I had come from at mile 19. The course is essentially an out and back with a slightly shorter route on the way back, so you hit most aid stations twice. I got to see several runners making their way out.
After passing through this aid station, I think runners take a different trail for a few miles before rejoining the blue blazed Pine Mountain trail. About mile 30, I was really getting tired. My legs did not like the uphills, and my mind was doing it's best to put me in a bad mood. I had run most of the day alone, but was now with two other guys who would leap frog me several times before ultimately pulling ahead. It was also around here that this really young looking boy blew past me like I was standing still. I asked him what on earth he was doing behind me and he replied that he had been running with a friend who decided to drop, so he figured he would pick up the pace a little. I swear he looked so fresh you would have thought the race just started. At one of the aid stations, my dad told me that the lead woman had taken a pretty nasty fall and hit her head. She was experiencing some signs of a concussion, and thus made the smart decision to stop. I asked if she was okay and he said he thought so, but it made me realize just how costly a bad fall on these rocky trails could be.
My dad said he may not see me at the next aid station, so I told him I hoped to see him at mile 35 and kept plodding along. For some reason, I didn't eat anything here and was absolutely starving and on the verge of totally bonking when I hit the mile 35ish aid station. Thankfully, they had some delicious homemade chocolate chip cookies which I gladly helped myself to. From here, runners have 2.9 miles to the last water only stop and then another 2.8 or so to the finish. I was still feeling kind of low when I met up with a man and started talking. His name was Ken and I found out that he is a history teacher in Alabama. I am planning on teaching, so it gave us something to talk about and pass the time. He said he wanted to beat 7:51 and asked if he thought we could do it. I asked him what our time was so far and after he said it was around 7:08 I replied that we should have no problem because we had gone a mile or so from the 35 aid station. For whatever reason, this gave me a goal to work toward, and I was able to pick up the pace a bit for the first time in a while. The 2.9 miles to the water stop are pretting rolling, but we ran fairly strong.
Once you hit this last stop, it's pretty much flat or downhill to the finish. I started pushing pretty hard now just wanting to be finished. Before I knew it, I heard my dad yelling and knew the finish had to be close. He said it was a little over a mile, and I started running about as hard as I could without totally blowing up. He ran with me and we passed two or three people in the last mile or so. I say "or so" because I'm pretty sure his estimate was a bit off. It was more like 1.5 miles but there is nothing I could do about it. Finally, I could see cars off in the distance and a clearing in the trees. I ran the last stretch to the finish followed closely by my new friend Ken, and we crossed in around 7:34, well under his goal of 7:51.
Overall, it was a good day. I definitely didn't feel 100% recovered but I also didn't feel horrible. The trail was prettier than I remembered but also more hilly than I remembered. I met the girl who won and set a course record by 17 minutes! As it turned out, she lives very close to me. Because it was still miserably cold outside, I quickly went in to the cabin to change clothes and get something to drink. Very shortly after doing so, Dreama came in followed by Shane. We chatted with some folks for a bit before heading home. I had a great time at this race and would definitely recommend it for anyone who hasn't tried it. I would also say be prepared to fall several times. It seemed like half the runners who came in had bloody, busted up knees, elbows, or even chins from taking a spill or two or five out on the trail. Nevertheless, they all had a smile on their face and no regrets for running a tough but rewarding race.

Pinhoti 100

2010-11-08T19:36:00.000-08:00

In the days leading up to my first 100 mile trail race, I would think about what I was getting ready to attempt and experience a range of emotions from excitement to anxiety to downright fear. I had talked to several people who had done this race as well as a number of other 100s and took in every bit of advice they offered. Nevertheless, I really had no idea what to expect or how my body would respond to runnig for 24+ hours. That being said, I could not wait to head down to Alabama on Friday for the race with Dreama, Sal, and my dad. Mark and Lucky would be driving down on Saturday for their pacing duties. We arrived in Heflin, the starting point and checked in to the hotel before driving to the finish in Sylacauga to pick up our packets and hear any pre-race information. Afterwards, Sal, my dad, and I went to dinner and headed back to the hotel. I was very thankful that we were able to stay at the start rather than the finish. Pinhoti is a point to point course, so unless runners have a ride back, you have to catch a bus from the finish to the start at 4am on race morning. My dad, however, would be crewing for me and was therefore able to drive me to the start at a much more reasonable time of morning.

Start to Aid Station 1-6.7 miles
Before I knew it, the alarm was going off at 4:30 on Saturday morning. After eating some breakfast, we headed to Pine Glen campground where the race begins. It started at 6am, meaning runners had to wear a headlamp for the first hour or so. When we arrived, I went to check in and was informed that many of the race numbers had the wrong runner name on the back and I happened to be one of the lucky people who this applied to. There was supposed to be a live webcast, so if a number and name didn't match up, results would be wrong. After much confusion and chaos, I was issued a new number. As 6 o'clock quickly approach, runners assembled behind a chalk line drawn in the gravel by race director Todd Henderson about 5 minutes prior to the start. He said a few words while we all shivered in the freezing temps. I waited as long as possible to take off my jacket but eventually had to hand it off to my dad right before Todd yelled "Go" and runners slowly made their way onto the trail.

There was maybe 100 yards of gravel road at the start before we all turned on to single track. This made the first bit pretty slow going as runners were very congested, not to mention the fact that it's a 100 mile race, so you don't exactly take off at a full sprint. I just tried to stay relaxed in the beginning and not get caught up in how slow or fast we were going or how many people were ahead or behind me. The first few miles went by pretty fast, and I ran in a group of around 10 runners. We spread out a bit after 3 or so miles but it was still a very moderate pace that I felt comfortable with. I was feeling good as the sun began to rise and was happy to start thawing out. Before I knew it, I arrived at the first aid station, which was very crowded with runners and crew. I quickly spotted my dad who topped off my bottle with gatorade since the official race drink was HEED which gives me serious stomach issues. For some reason, I also decided to take off my windbreaker, hat, and pants because I though it had warmed up enough. However, this would soon prove to be a mistake.

Highrock to Shoal Creek- Mile 13.27
Shortly after heading back out on the trail, my arms got really cold. The sun had not been up for long and it was pretty shaded, so it had not warmed up much. Also, there was a fairly strong breeze at times which made things even more frigid. I thought about how dumb it was to shed so many layers that early. I should have only given up my pants and kept the jacked and hat, but there was nothing I could do about it at this point, so I tried to keep my mind off it and planned on picking it back up at the next aid station. Thankfully, runners continued to spread out a bit on this section which was very runnable. At some point, I met up with Dan Hartley and chatted with him for a bit. It was his first hundred as well, and we were both excited about the experience. The fall leaves were gorgeous, and I tried to look around at everything as much as I could without tripping. It had rained a decent amount the day before, so the creek crossings did have some water in them, and at one I managed to soak on foot. I really didn't want to start the race with wet feet but again, nothing I could do about it. I was happy to be feeling fresh and ran at what felt like a conservative but not too slow pace to the 2nd aid station at mile 13ish. My faithful crew man (dad) was waiting for me to fill up my bottle again and I got a long sleeve shirt to put on as well as my hat. Getting warm again really lifted my spirits as I headed back out on the trail.

Shoal Creek to Horseblock- Mile 18.27
As far as I remember, this section was similar to the last two-very runnable with some rolling hills. This early in the race, the miles seemed to fly by. When I got to aid station 3, my dad told me he was afraid I was going out too fast. This concerned me a little but I didn't feel like I was pushing the pace by any means. I told myself that I should intentionally slow down some because I had a LONG day ahead and the last thing I needed to do was expend too much energy on the front end. It is so easy to get caught up and run to hard at the beginning of a long race and not have anything left for the end.

Horseblock to Hwy 431-Mile 22.71
I think this is when the trail takes runners through a section hit by tornadoes last year. I is very open and totally different terrain than the pine covered single track we had been on. I ran for a few miles with several people I had never met, including a guy named Chris from Florida who was my age and also attempting his first 100. He looked really strong and ran ahead of the little group that had formed. This aid station was not accessible for crew, so I didn't see my dad, but I think it's where Mark Elson, a very nice guy from Georgia and GUTS runner, was working. It is so cool to see people you know at aid stations and can really keep your spirits up. I topped off my handheld with water and set off onto the trail once again.

Hwy 431 to Lake Morgan- Mile 27.66
To be honest, I don't really remember much about this section specifically other than it being some gorgeous single track that rolled along. There seemed to be a ton of pine trees on the Pinhoti trail, and when the needles fall it makes for some of the best running conditions one could ask for. The needles cushion the trail so it feels like you are running on a super soft surface and greatly reduces impact. When I got to the aid station, my dad and Trey helped me refill my bottle and sent me on my way.

Lake Morgan to Blue Mtn Rd- Mile 34.56
Just before leaving the Lake Morgan Rd aid station, I asked my dad how far it was to the next stop. He said it was about 7 miles which is not bad, especially given the cool temps, but there was no crew access. This meant I would have to wait until the next station before hopefully meeting up with him again. I was a good thing I didn't know what actually lay in store over the next 15 miles regarding crew. I tried to stay positive despite the slight downer it was to know that I would have to go a while without seeing familiar faces. It may sound silly, but I just can't say enough about how much of a mental boost it is to have someone waiting on you at aid stations. Nevertheless, I tried not to think about it and just relax, run comfortably, and enjoy the day. It had finally gotten sunny, so I was able to run in just short sleeves and arm warmers with shorts. This sections was one of the longest stretches in the race for me. I wasn't sure if it was mostly mental or if it was due to the terrain. I think it was a bit of both. I knew we had a big climb around mile 40, and I knew that I was not that far along, but I had no idea what mile I was at. In reality, there is a gradual ascent during this section of trail that makes it deceptively hard. After what seemed like forever, I popped out on a little jeep road where a few cheerful volunteers were waiting at the aid station. My only comment was that I thought I would never get here. They just laughed and asked if I needed anything. I topped off with water, got some food, and prepared for the next segment, thinking I would see my dad there.

Blue Mtn Rd to Bald Rock-Mile 40.94
During long races, I do better to not think about how far I have gone or how far I still have to go. It helps me to just run from aid station to aid station so the race is broken up into a bunch of little pieces. This means that a lot of times I have no idea what mile I'm at or what the next bit of trail is like. Perhaps not knowing that the first of the two big climbs of the race was just ahead. I was in pretty good spirits as I set off, and it wasn't long before the trail started climbing noticeably. This made me suspect that I was approaching the climb to Bald Rock, the top of Mt. Cheaha which is the highest point in Alabama. The Cheaha 50k finishes here but runners go up the opposite side of the mountain, infamously called "Blue Hell." My suspicions were confirmed when I saw a trail sign indicating that Bald Rock was ahead. The climb is probably two miles but the last .5 mile to a mile are by far the worst. Its super steep and rocky. I couldn't have run this part if my life depended on it, so I just settled into a power walk. I could see what I thought was the top WAY up the trail and tried not to think about how far I still had to go. At the top, a bunch of tourists were at the overlook, and I can only imagine what they must have thought about all the runners climbing up. We ran along a wooden boardwalk for maybe a 1/4 mile before hitting the aid station. As I was running up to it, I just assumed that my dad was waiting there, so I yelled ahead, "Dad I want my ipod." This must have sounded comical to all the volunteers as I was yelling out orders to my crew. However, it is even more ridiculous because when I got to the station, my dad was nowhere in sight. The only thing I could figure was that he was not able to get to me in time between shuttling cars and picking up Mark who would be pacing me later. This could have been a big let down but just then I saw Sean Oh, a GUTS runner, who was really encouraging and offered to help me get whatever I needed. I went over to the food and saw these amazing looking brownies and some other dessert bar. I grabbed some of both and headed off down the pavement, happy to be at the top of the first climb and knowing that I had a nice descent ahead. The brownies turned out to be better than expected as they had espresso beans in them for an added boost of caffeine.

Bald Rock to Silent Trail-Mile 45.25
Shortly after heading out on the road, I met up with a couple guys, one runner and his pacer. They were really nice and chatting with them helped pass the time. After maybe a mile on the road, we turned onto the trail going down Blue Hell. This part of the trail got its name due to the fact that it consists of all rock, very steep, so the only way to navigate is by the blue blazes painted on the rocks. I remembered how tough it had been to come up this part at mile 29 of the Cheaha 50k, and going down it at mile 41ish wasn't much easier. It is fairly short, probably around a mile, and then you run a gradual descent on trail out to the park at the bottom. Runners continue on the road and essentially run down the mountain. This road seemed to go on forever after reaching the bottom. For some reason, time goes by so much slower when I'm running on roads than on the trail. I really couldn't complain though because it was mostly flat, and I knew I had to be close to the next aid station where I thought my dad would surely be waiting on me. The road turned off to a gravel jeep road that again seemed endless but eventually brought me to the aid station where my dad and Trey were waiting. This time I got my ipod! I also changed from my inov 8 trail shoes into some Nike road shoes because the trail shoes were starting to hurt my toes and I didn't want to have to deal with foot pain for 55 more miles. Seeing my crew, refilling with gatorade instead of water, and getting some food all helped raise my spirits considerably, not to mention the fact that I now had some music to listen to. In general, I don't use my ipod while running trails, but for races that are this long it can be a good "pick me up" and help pass the time.

Silent Trail to Hubbard Creek-Mile 52.07
This part is all a blur to me. I do know that it was a longer segment and there was no crew access but I can't remember much else. I was thankful to still be feeling pretty decent and able to run fairly consistently. This was a mental confidence boost because I wasn't sure how my body would feel after 50 miles, and knowing that I still had 50 more to go was intimidating to say the least.

Hubbard Creek to Adams Gap-Mile 55.34
This segment went by pretty fast because it was only about 3 miles. I do remember getting very hungry because I had not eaten much at the last aid station. It was around 6pm I think when I got to the Adams Gap aid station. They were blaring music so loud I could heare it from way off which gave me false hope of being closer than I was. My dad and Mark were waiting for me there. I put my windbreaker back on because it was starting to cool off quite a bit and also picked up my hat and headlamp as the sun was going down. This aid station had Mcdonalds hamburgers. I have not had a hamburger in at least 5 years but let me just say that burger hit the spot. I could have eaten 2 or 3 if I had stayed there any longer, so it was probably a good thing that I didn't hang around.

Adams Gap to Clairmont Gap-Mile 60.29
Shortly after leaving Adams Gap, the sun started setting, and I had to turn my head lamp on. There was not a cloud in the sky, but the moon was also not visible, so it didn't provide any light. The stars were gorgeous, and I took a minute to just look up at the sky. I was starting to really feel the miles at this point and was definitely not moving as fast as I had been. However, I knew that I needed to keep up a good pace to stay warm in the cold night air. I did the best I could to navigate the trail in the dark without tripping over the numerous rocks and roots hiding under the fallen leaves. Mark and my dad were again waiting for me at the aid station. I was afraid of getting really cold overnight, so I put on my pants and a long sleeve top under my windbreaker. Looking back, I am very glad I did this because it got extremely cold, especially along the bluff where an icy breeze was blowing almost constantly.

Clairmont Gap to Chandler Springs-Mile 65.44
When I got to Chandler Springs, Mark was dressed and ready to pace me through mile 85. I was already exhausted and lonely, so seeing him and knowing I would have some company was a huge lift. I gave him a big hug and we set out into the cold night. Lucky was also here waiting to pace Dreama and I was glad to hear that both she and Sal still looked and felt good which was more than I could say about myself.

Chandler Springs to Porter's Gap-Mile 68.78
Mark and I talked a lot at first about the race thus far and the conversation was nice to have since I had been running alone for most of the race. When we first set off I told him that I was not moving fast. This became clear when he started out slightly in front of me and pulled way ahead in about two minutes. It was not his fault as it is really hard to gauge how fast to go when pacing someone, especially in the beginning. I said "You're leaving me" and he looked back and we both just laughed. From there on, we figured that it was best for us to run side by side if possible or have him run a little behind me so his light could help me see the trail better. Before I knew it, the three miles to Porter's Gap passed and we arrived at the aid station.

Porter's Gap to The Pinnacle-Mile 74.53
My dad told us at Porter's Gap that this segment included the second of the two big climbs. I knew it would be tough based on what other runners had said. People who had done the race before all agreed that the climb up to Pinnacle was much harder than Bald Rock. I wasn't really dreading it because I knew that I would just have to power walk and there was no point in dwelling on how hard it would be as this would just lower my spirits. Me and Mark once again set out. The trail rolled along until mile 72 or so where we began the climb. It's not bad at first, but then it gets pretty steep, and the switchbacks keep coming and coming. Every time I thought I was near the top, I would round the corner only to see another set of swithcbacks. I was starting to feel a little bonky at this point and could not have been happier to see the lights of the aid station which was run by the GUTS crew. Mark Elson was at this aid station as well as Jason Rogers and some other familiar faces. They were cooking up fried egg and cheese sandwiches. I normally hate eggs in any form, fried, scrambled, boiled, etc. but for some reason that sandwich looked really good, so I tried it, and it tasted so good that I inhaled it in less than a minute. Jason told us that we would continue on a jeep road for a short period before turning back on to single track and climbing some more. "What?' I said, "You mean we're not done climbing?" I could not see how we could possibly go up anymore, but I was oh so wrong.

Pinnacle to Powerline-Mile 79.53
Jason's information proved to be very accurate when Mark and I hit the single track and climbed yet again. It wasn't very long but seemed worse than it probably was. I managed a slow jog on the flats and downhills and power walked the uphills until we reached the powerline aid station. By now it was downright frigid, so the chicken noodle soup the volunteers gave us hit the spot. There was a fire as well but I knew that if I stopped or sat down I would not want to get back up, so I got moving as quickly as possible. Even though we were only at the aid station a couple minutes, I could tell that I cooled off a lot, and it took several minutes for me to warm back up. This aid station was not accessible to crew, so I didn't get to see my dad here and would have to wait until mile 85 before meeting up with him.

Powerline to Bull's Gap-Mile 85.63
If I remember correctly, most of this section was on jeep roads. It was actually kind of nice to be able to run without constantly focusing on the ground to keep from tripping. The road also allowed me to run a bit faster and make up some time. It was pretty rolling but no major hills so I slow jogged most of it. When we rolled into Bull's Gap my dad was there but I soon noticed that he was in the middle of changing a flat tire on his car! I went over to the aid station to get some food and headed out to avoid getting too cold again. My dad was supposed to have relieved Mark of his pacing duties here and run with me to the finish. However, he said it would be a while before he finished changing the tire, so I headed off alone, hoping he could join me at the next aid station.

Bull's Gap to Rocky Mt. Church-Mile 89.63
Not 3 minutes after I set off, I heard a runner come up behind me and looked back to see Mark. He said he wasn't going to leave me alone out there cause it would mess with my mind :). I was so thankful that he was willing to pace me for this next portion of the race even though he was dealing with some lingering injuries. By this point, it was all I could do to shuffle jog the flats and downhills. I like to call it a "wog" because it is somewhere in between a walk and a jog. We ran a mix of jeep road and single track for this part. The single track was pretty technical and rocky, making it difficult to move at a steady pace. My coordination was shot, so it was all I could do to keep my balance. Mark and I eventually popped out of the trail onto yet another gravel road where the aid station was located and my dad was dressed and ready to run with me to the finish.

Rocky Mt. Church to Watershed- Mile 95.21
I don't know if it was just me but it seemed to have gotten considerably colder over the previous hour. Before leaving the aid station, I put on my big furry mountain hardware winter coat. Yeah, I was that cold. My dad, meanwhile was in shorts with a few layers on top and no gloves. I honestly don't know how he stood it. We started off down a jeep road that was not marked near as frequently as most of the others. Towards the end of a race when I'm real tired, I get extra paranoid about being off course, so this was not helpful. My dad ran ahead a bit and saw a flag which eased my mind a ton. We talked a lot at first about how I was feeling and how his day had gone. He had been up as long as all of us running and had been working tirelessly to cater to me, Sal, and Dreama's every need. I am so grateful for all he did, and now he was out in the cold running with me! I "wogged" when possible and power walked when I needed a break. This worked well and we were making decent time until maybe mile 93ish when I all of a sudden had this incredible urge to just lay down and take a nap! Up until this point, I hadn't felt sleepy at all. I've heard lots of stories about people falling asleep on the trail and wondered if I would struggle with it. I didn't really think it would be a problem since I had made it this far, and it was about 4am. However, I was now literally falling asleep on my feet and swerving all over the trail. I don't know how close I came to asking my dad if I could just lay down for a few minutes. We hadn't spoken in a few minutes and he noticed me swerving and asked if I was ok. I told him it was all I could do to keep my eyes open. Its kind of like when you are driving and get really sleepy and can't focus. I remembered that I had an espresso gu in my handheld which had caffeine in it, so I took that hoping it would help. I also told my dad that he was gonna have to tell me a story or talk to me so I would wake up. Thankfully, the combination of caffeine and conversation did the trick and I felt a lot more perky after a few minutes. We reached the next aid station which was very small. The two volunteers were super nice and told us it was 5 miles to the finish. I knew that at least 3 of these miles were on gravel road or pavement, so that helped to break it up a bit. At last, I could see the finish getting close and realized that I might actually make it.

Watershed to finish at Sylacauga Stadium-Mile 100.59
The first part of this last section took us through a grassy area and across two dams. My dad commented on how he bet it would be a really pretty view in the daytime but seeing as how it was still pitch black dark, I wouldn't know. There was a good bit of frost on the ground which indicated just how cold it really was. After crossing the dams, I think we entered some single track for a short time before coming out onto a jeep road. This road gradually got more smooth and looked like it was pretty well traveled, meaning we were getting closer to civilization. I saw several fences and farmhouses which made me start to anticipate hitting the pavement. This might not have been a good thing though because it made the time go by really slow. However, we did finally pop out onto pavement. A police officer was at the intersection directing us to take a left and continue down the road. At first I though she said it was 4.5 miles to the stadium which terrified me. I looked at her and said in shock "It's 4.5 miles away?" Thankfully I had misheard her and she replied that it was only 2.5 miles away. You may think that by this point 2 miles wouldn't seem like much, but it was huge in my mind and I think I would have cried if it really had been 4.5 miles. I got a temporary surge of adrenaline and starting jogging better than I had been. My dad told me that I was moving faster and that he could no longer power walk and keep up with my attempt at a run-so encouraging :). Unfortunately, my temporary surge faded pretty quick, especially since the road was a gradual uphill that you could see forever. It felt like we were on that road way more than 2.5 miles. I kept looking for stadium lights off in the distance. Eventually, I could make them out and this gave me one final boost. I started jogging a little faster and came up on the final turn. We made a left and went for a short way until entering the school property beside the football field. Runners make their way across a little wooden bridge which had frost all over it, making it slicker than snot, and then hit the track. You run half a lap to the finish line. Hitting that track was the greatest feeling. I got really emotional and was almost crying with joy as I rounded the corner and ran the straight away to the finish where Jeff Bryan was waiting to meet me with the belt buckle for finishing. I gave hime a huge hug and stepped off into the grass to greet my dad who had cut across the infield. I honestly can't describe the feeling at that point other than an overwhelming sense of relief and joy. I thank God for giving me the opportunity to do this race and the support of family and friends to help get me through it.
After having a few days to reflect on the experience, it still has not really sunk in but I can think of a few things that I learned or that really helped me during the race:
1. I am so blessed to have had this opportunity and I thank God for getting me through it. There were so many times out there when I was feeling pretty low and saying a prayer or just reminding myself of how He had given me the ability to even be out here was really helpful.
2. Having a crew is a huge help. My dad, Mark, and Trey did an awesome job of getting me whatever I needed, anticipating what I might need, encouraging me, and making sure I was doing ok. It saved me a lot of time at aid stations by not having to get in drop bags, wait to fill up with fluids, etc.
3. When the temps are cold, it is best to always carry an extra layer, even if you don't think you need it because I got cold really fast on several occasions and wanted more clothes.
4. Approaching the race with the perspective of running aid station to aid station really helped me as well. It makes the idea of running 100 miles much more doable. I never let myself think about how much farther it was to the finish, only how far until the next aid station.
5. Having a pacer is a huge emotional lift, and I was so glad to get to run with Mark or my dad from mile 65 on. Looking back I think these miles are exactly when I needed someone. The combination of the dark, cold, and fatigue was hard to deal with but having somebody with you makes it doable.
6. Volunteers really make a race great. They put forth so much effort, work crazy long hours, and are always positive, encouraging, and uplifting.
7. There will come a time in the race, at least for me, when I can't move that fast anymore, so I think that running how you feel early on, even if it means a little fast, is ok as long as it is within reason. This helps to bank some time for the later parts of the race.
8. I had a bunch of times where I was really hurting, tired, and just sure about what I had gotten myself into, but it is imperative that you don't dwell on these thoughts/feelings. No matter how tired you think you are, you can always do more than you think you can.
9. Thanks to all the more experienced runners who gave me such great advice and words of encouragement leading up to the race-Kris, Randy, Susan, Rob, and a bunch more I'm forgetting.
10. I am forever in debt to all the family and friends who have supported me in my love of running and worked tirelessly during the race. This was truly an awesome experience.

Cumberland Trail 50k

2010-10-16T18:31:00.000-07:00

On Friday, my dad and I headed down to Cove Lake State Park just outside of Knoxville for the Cumberland 50k. There was a good group of folks from Chattanooga going down for the race, Dreama, Mark, Wendy, Sal, and me, so I was really looking forward to a great day with friends. This race also had a special meaning becase last year I had to quit by mile 4 due to what I later found out was compartment syndrome that resulted in my having surgery about 3 weeks later. Therefore, I was determined to come back this year and finish the race that my dad and Dreama said was gorgeous and very challenging. After picking up my packet and chatting with the race director, Susan Donnelly, who is an accomplished runner to say the least and a great RD, my dad and I headed to dinner before settling in for the night.
The race starts at 6:30am, so runners need a headlamp for the first hour or so. Saturday morning was very cold, but it was supposed to warm up so I started in short sleeves and shorts with arm warmers. When Susan said go, the group of around 35 runners set off. The first mile or so is on pavement before veering on to single track, so the pace was pretty fast from the start. We ran flat for a bit then climbed up to the first aid station at mile 3.5ish. This is basically the beginning of the climb up Cross Mtn. which is just plain brutal. It's long and steep, so I just tried to accept the fact that it was going to take a while and I would do my best to power walk up most of it. I really had no choice in the matter, though, because I couldn't have run up it to save my life. Near the top, the sun was beginning to rise and you could look out and see a gorgeous pink sky and the view of the valley below. With the fall leaves in full effect, it was breathtaking.
The next aid station was around mile 5.5, and is deceptive because you want to believe you are at the top of the climb but boy was I wrong. We continued up for a bit longer before running along the ridge to Aid station 3 at mile 7.5ish. I really liked the fact that the aid stations were pretty close together, and the fact that it's an out and back course means you hit all of them twics. The volunteers were great and alway eager to help runners get whatever they needed. I filled up my handheld here for the first time and got ready for the 6 mile stretch to the next checkpoint. I was running with a man I met who was very nice and we were moving at a pretty good pace down a hill when I took without a doubt the most impressive fall of my short running career. It was one of those where you just know it's gonna hurt. I was falling forward, flying through the air and somehow landed flat on my back, water bottle rocketing off into the woods. I just laid there for a second to see if everything was ok and asked the man if he saw my bottle. Thankfully, he was kind enough to retrieve it for me and we were on our way.
After getting to the bottom of the hill, the trail kind of pops out at an old logging road. I followed it without thinking twice and ran for a good mile or so before realizing that we had not passed any flags or ribbons. I didn't want to accept the fact that I had taken a wrong turn but was afraid to go any further, so the two of us turned around and ran back to the intersection where we realized that we should have gone straight across a creek. I felt really bad for leading him off course since I was in front at the time, and I was also very mad at myself for losing so much time. It always seems like more than it is but getting lost in a race just stinks, and it was totally my fault because the course was extremely well marked. I did my best to stay positive and try to make up the ground I had lost. From this point, the trail winds along the creek for a bit before climbing up a very rocky stretch that seemed to last forever. It was here that the lead guys passed me on their way back. They were absolutely flying!
When we arrived at the next aid station, I saw Susan and to my surprise Dreama. She decided to stop due to some pretty nasty heel pain, and I felt bed for her because I knew she could have had a great race. Runners now continue on a gravel road for about a 1.5 to the last aid station then turn off on grass for about half a mile to the actual turn around. I saw Sally, a very fast runner who I met for the first time at packet pick up on her way back from the aid station and Sal as well. Mark was just behind them, looking strong and in good spirits. We had to grab a playing card at the turn around and give it to one of the volunteers at the aid station. This is the part of the course where an elk was grazing last year, but she was not there this time. After handing over the card, I made my way back along the gravel road, which is very rolling. I got to see Wendy as well and she looked as fresh as ever. After passing through the checkpoint where you enter back on trail we retraced our steps, getting to go down the long hill, and it was around this point that I caught up to Mark and we ran together for a bit. Unfortunately, after running down and flat for a while, we then got the privilege of ascending up the back side of Cross Mtn which we had come down on the way out. I remembered a series of very steep railroad tie stairs on the way down and thinking that it was not going to be fun when we had to go up them.
To say the least, this climbed sucked. It's very steep in parts and seems to go on and on, especially when you've already run about 20 miles. Finally, I covered the 6 miles to the aid station where I filled up my almost empty bottle. Again, I had convinced myself that this was the top and again I was painfully mistaken. We had at least another mile of climbing before reaching the top. Around here, I heard my dad yelling and was so grateful to have him there to run the last bit with me. I also saw Sally here and we ran together for a bit down the mountain. The good part about the course is that runners get a sweet downhill near the finish that was the awful climb at the beginning. I think the climb didn't seem as bad because it was in the dark, and the downhill was a welcome site. Near the bottom is the final aid station with about 3 miles to go. From here it's pretty much flat or downhill with only a few small hills left. I was really tired at this point and just ready to be done, so when we popped out on the pavement with about .5 mile to go I was relieved. In no time, I could see the finish line at the shelter and everyone waiting there to cheer us on. Susan was there to shake our hands.
After finishing, I can honestly say that it is one of the most beautiful, challenging courses I've done. It is organized extremely well, great course markings, awesome aid stations and volunteers. I have no complaints whatsoever and would recommend it to anyone. I will definitely go back. My dad ran back to meet Mark, Sal, and Wendy, and we all headed out to get some much deserved food.

Long Cane 50 mile that was actually 56 mile trail race

2010-09-06T19:10:00.000-07:00

On Saturday afternoon, Dreama and I left to head down to South Carolina for the Long Cane 50 mile trail race. We would be meeting up with Wendy, Mark, Yoli, Warren, Kris, and Randy who were all staying at the same hotel. The drive wasn't so bad, about four hours, and we were able to eat a good dinner at Ruby Tuesday's before checking in to the hotel and settling down for the night. The race started at 7am on Sunday, a little early for my liking, but probably a good thing to avoid the heat. I awoke Sunday morning in time to eat some breakfast before driving to the start with Dreama. This race is part of a series put on by Terri Hayes who is a great race director. The races are very low key with a 74 runner limit and no entry fee but also very sparse course markings, so you really have to pay attention.
A few minutes before 7, Terri gave a description of the trail and course markers, saying that we would be running a figure eight type loop at the beginning followed by one large loop. The trail was blazed white and orange ribbon was placed at major intersections. Easy right? Surely I can avoid getting lost? When 7o'clock rolled around, Terri simply said "Go" and we were off. This would be the longest race ever for Wendy, Yoli, and Warren, so I was excited for them and knew they were all going to do great. The trail started off by a lake which we ran around before a short section on the road and then on to some great single track. The trail was covered in pine needles and gently rolling for the most part. It was very runnable.
Unfortunately for me, I had some serious stomach issues in the first five or so miles and had to stop so many times I just quit counting. It did eventually calm down and I caught back up to Dreama, Warren, Randy, and Roxanne who came to run a bit with him. We cruised along through a couple of aid stations at a good pace with Roxanne leading the way. There were several occasions, however, where the trail dumped out on gravel road for a bit and you had to watch extremely closely for the entrance back on to single track. I think this is where a lot of people got lost and ended up with some bonus miles. I would later learn that Wendy was one of these people, but she pushed through with a much better attitude than I would have had and posted a beastly 60 mile day, close to doubling her longest run, so huge congrats to her!
Randy, Roxanne, and I ran together through aid station 4 and a little further before splitting up. The trail continued to roll along as I passed through aid station 5. At this point you run out to aid station 6 and then turn around and basically run the outside loop in reverse. I got to see the guy in first place and he looked like he was cruising, easily ahead of the next runner. Kris had hiked back a ways and was a welcome sight as I neared the aid station. Terri was here and offered a bunch of encouragement as I set back out in the opposite direction to run the last 20 or so miles. I was starting to feel the miles at this point and just wondered how the rest of my day would go. Kris again helped lift my spirits with some more kind words, and I was eager to see the rest of the Chattanooga crew on my way. Dreama and Warren were running together, and I saw them in not time at all, followed closely by Yoli and then Mark. I was expecting to see Wendy soon and just before making it back to aid station 5/7 I saw her. She told me she had gotten way lost which made me feel for her. Getting lost just stinks, especially in a race of this distance, and can really mess with your head. She seemed to be in good spirits and was running well, so I hoped that the rest of her day would be better.
Shortly after seeing Wendy, I met up with a man who I later learned was Andy Bruner. We ran together for a bit, including through a terribly confusing intersection that he luckily knew exactly which way to go. Andy then took off and I only saw glimpses of him from here on. The next aid station was unmanned, so I just filled up with Powerade and headed out. At the number 9 station, they told me I was around mile 40 which more than I thought, so it was a mental booster. My legs hurt but I was still able to run pretty well and felt like I could have a good day as long as the wheels didn't completely fall off. I reached the last checkpoint where the volunteer gave me some vital instructions about turns. He said it was 5 miles to the finish, but it was more like 8, so the course that was advertised as 52.5ish actually turned into around 56 according to most people's GPS. This last section went on forever! I thought for sure I was off trail once when Andy came flying past me. He had apparently taken a wrong turn about a mile back and said that we were going the right way. Finally, I popped out on the road section before going back around the lake and to the finish. Overall, I really enjoyed the race. The trail was awesome-soft pine covered for the most part with lots of shade and rolling hills that don't seem so bad at first but get pretty tough near the end. After changing clothes and chatting with some folks for a few minutes, we headed out to get some much deserved dinner. All the Chattanooga guys did really well. Huge congrats to Warren, Yoli, and Wendy for finishing their longest race to date!

Fall Creek Falls Triathlon

2010-08-15T18:31:00.000-07:00

The Fall Creek Falls Triathlon is an Olympic distance tri that I got talked into doing about two weeks before race day. It's at a really pretty state park, and a lot of Chattanooga folks would be going so I went ahead and signed up. The swim is 1500 meters, the bike 40k, and the run a 10k. Up until this point the only tri I had ever done was a sprint several years ago before I had any swim experience at all, and I learned very quickly that it's not something you can just wing without any practice. I have managed to at least be able to swim consistently, though EXTREMELY slowly for at least a mile, so I figured I could get through this portion of the race without drowning.

SWIM START
The triathlon had five waves of swimmers, the first three being men, the fourth all women under 40, and the last one being women over 40 as well as relay teams. When it came time for my wave to get in the water, I really felt the butterflies. The course was like a rectangle around 8 or so buoys, and some of them looked SOO far away. I just knew I would be dead last and get run over by the last wave. Regardless, it was time for me to get in. The air horn blew, and we were off. I am horrible at navigating while swimming, so I did my best to just follow the people in front of me to keep from swimming off into the middle of nowhere, away from the buoys. This worked for most of the race but did manage to take the long way around several buoys and almost missed the last one. As expected, many of the 40 and over females caught up to and passed me but my only hope was to catch them on the bike or run. After what seemed like an eternity, I got back to shore and glanced back in the water to see if there was actually anyone behind me. Thankfully there were, not many, but enough to keep me from feeling totally demoralized. We now had to make our way about a 1/4 of a mile uphill to the transition area. At this point, the hill that I had been dreading seemed like nothing simply because I was ecstatic to be out of the dang water. I was so happy that I decided not to even bother looking for the sandals I had stashed to run up the hill in. Just moving on to the next leg of the race was a huge mental boost.

Bike
Once in the transition area, I did my best to get my bike shoes on and get going as fast as possible. I knew that I had a ton of ground to make up and did my best to hammer from the start although my version of hammering is by no means fast. The bike course is pretty challenging with lots of long rolling hills that are just steep enough to really make you hate them. The wind was also fairly strong at times but nothing too awful. I started passing a few riders here and there and also saw at least two people walking back with flat tires. I felt bad for them because it must be such a disappointment to have your race essentially ruined by a mechanical failure, especially so early on. As we left the main area of the park, I kept catching women every couple of minutes and even a man once in a while. My main goal was to try to pass anyone in my age group, which I could see by the age written on their calf, and to not get passed by anyone. Surprisingly I felt really good for the whole bike leg of the race and caught quite a few people without getting passed by anyone, but you should also remember that there weren't that many folks behind me by this point. I even saw two men on mountain bikes racing and thought about how tough that would be. Because the ride is an out and back, I got to see everyone ahead of me. This is cool because I think its neat to see how crazy fast the leaders are and also to see friends competing. I got back to the transition area for the run a bit faster than I expected which was another mental boost and just wondered how my legs would react to trying to run after going all out on the bike for over an hour.

Run
After putting on my running shoes and racking my bike, I took off out of the transition area only to have some guy ask me if I had my race bib. "Oh shoot" I said out lout as I realized that I had forgotten to pin it on. Most people have a race belt but of course this bozo doesn't so I had to fumble with safety pins for the first minute or so of the run. I was very thankful that the man reminded me before I had totally exited the transition area and thus didn't have to run back far at all to retrieve the number or take a two minute penalty for not having it. The run course takes you down a long gradual hill across the dam and onto a bike path that is pretty shaded. My legs felt like bricks for the first 1.5 miles or so but eventually loosened up. I still had the goal of picking off as many people as I could. This helps the time go by faster for me, too, because I just keep looking ahead and trying to catch anyone I can see. The heat was really becoming a factor by this point, so a bunch of people were cramping up or just getting overheated. I was thankful that the majority of the run was very shaded. After staying on the bike path for about 3 miles, we popped out on the road for a short time and went through the parking lot at the lodge before getting back in the woods and running around the lake and back to the dam. The last mile is the same as the first which means we now had to run up the long hill, but it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be or remembered it as a little kid when trying to ride my bike up it. I knew I was really close to the finish and tried to pick up the pace a bit in hopes of catching a couple more people. As I rounded the corner and entered the finish area, it was great to see and hear everyone cheering all the racers and see my dad and grandpa there. Overall, I had a great time and really enjoyed my first real triathlon. Dreama, Lance, Leslie, Lisa, Cecelia, Nik, Chris, and Spider all did great as did a ton of other Chattanooga folks. After hanging around for the awards Dreama, Lance, my dad, and I headed out to run a bit on the trails and check out the falls, making for a great day.

1st annual unofficial Freebird 50k

2010-07-07T11:22:00.000-07:00

First off let me start by saying that I am NOT a morning person. Most people who know me find this out very quickly as I am usually not a happy or friendly person at the beginning of early morning runs. It should come as no surprise then that when Dreama said to meet at her house at 4:45 a.m. to go run 31 miles, I was less than thrilled. In fact, I did just about everything I could to get out of running, but thankfully Dreama would not have any of it. Me, Mark, Tyler, Sergio and Dreama all loaded in her car and drove to the finish in Soddy Daisy to meet Dreama's dad who was so kind to take us to the start.

It was still dark when we set out around 6 a.m. on the Rock Creek segment of the Cumberland Trail. We would be running the Upchuck 50k course which is in my mind the hardest, most technical 50k around including Mtn Mist and Stump Jump. I forgot my headlamp so the first few miles before the sun rose were pretty hairy as I followed closely behind Dreama so I could see. I was still pissed to be running at this horrible hour and wanted nothing more than to be back in my bed. Finally after the sun rose, my mood lifted a little but it was still a while before I even though about having a conversation on the trail. The Rock Creek segment is definitely the easiest of the three parts of the course and is also the shortest at between 8-9 miles. We all made good time here and made it to the start of the Possum Creek segment in much better spirits. There were also a ton of blackberries around here that everyone gorged on.

The Possum Creek segment is probably the most challenging part and lasts around 10 miles. We did not have any aid at the end of the Rock Creek segment meaning that everyone had to carry enough fluids and nutrition to get them through 19 miles. I had a waist pack and one hand held which would have been plenty except that I filled both containers with HEED. I can drink it when it's cold, but after HEED gets hot it transforms into HEAVE, as in take one sip and feel like you are going to puke. As the weather warmed up significantly while we were running the Possum Creek trail, my HEED got so gross I was having to force myself to sip on it, but it made my stomach so queasy that I was unable to eat anything in the first 19 miles. I felt ok until about 2-3 miles left and then knew that I would need to get a cold gatorade and some food at the Jones Gap gas station. My dad and Trey would be meeting us here to run the Soddy segment with us to the finish. We got to the trail head around 10:15, just minutes after Dreama had predicted, and found both guys waiting on us. Unfortunately, Mark had been having some bad leg spasms and decided to call it a day here, so he drove Trey's car back to Dreama's house. The rest of us headed up to the gas station to refuel where I promptly inhaled a power bar and a pack of crackers, forgetting the story which gave this course its name (Upchuck 50k). I could tell that I was much more tired than I had previously realized and feared that the last 13 miles would not be pleasant as my stomach was still feeling weird.

As we started off running, my legs simply did not respond. I felt like crap from the beginning of this last section and had major stomach issues for the first 5 or 6 miles. This probably exacerbated my dehydration from earlier in the day as well as depleted me of any nutrition that I had taken in. Dreama, Tyler, Trey, and Sergio went ahead a bit and my dad ran with me for a while before I told him that he could go ahead and run as he was feeling pretty good. After what seemed like forever, my stomach issues resolved, but not enough for me to be able to think about taking a gel. This section may not be as hard as Possum Creek, but it is no cake walk. There are substantial climbs and very technical sections including two creek crossing with boulders so big its more like rock climbing. Near the end, I could hear music from the July 4th festival going on in the valley and though we had to be really close. WRONG!!! I swear I heard that music for an hour before popping out at Hotwater Rd. where we would run down the mountain and back to the finish at a church. This last part went pretty fast as the others waited to make sure everyone knew the way. By this time, it was downright hot, especially on the exposed road. My stomach was completely jacked and I was running on empty, so seeing the church where the car was parked felt amazing. There were people everywhere with funnel cakes, BBQ, snow cones and any other kind of fair food one can think of. Although the last 13 miles were miserable for me, I am so glad to have gotten to run 31 miles with great friends. We all changed clothes and headed to Moes where we wasted no time stuffing our faces.

Laurel Highland 77 (AKA Fern 77)

2010-06-13T17:18:00.000-07:00

Pre Race

On Thursday me, Sal, Mark, Dreama, Tyler, and my dad, Carl, met up to make the drive to Pennsylvania for the Laurel Highlands 77 mile trail race. Mark was thrilled to have rented a mini van for the trip which allowed us to store all our stuff and still have room to sit. The drive took about 10 hours, so by the time we checked into the motel, everyone was beat. On Friday, we explored the little town of Ohiopyle where the race starts. It's a pretty cool place right next to a river and is literally no more than 2 blocks from beginning to end. The race would be run on the Laurel Highlands trail which is a 70 mile point to point route. The extra mileage this year was due to a detour because a bridge was closed (more on that later). Friday evening we drove to the finish and pre race dinner to pick up our packets and find out any extra info about the course. It was then time to get some much needed rest for the long day ahead.

Race Morning

Because the race began at 5:30 am, we were all forced to get up at the butt crack of dawn to get ready. 4 o'clock came way too fast, especially for someone like me and Mark who aren't really functional until lunch time :). The six of us scrambled around the room getting organized and eating breakfast until it was time to walk to the start. About that time, my dad, who signed up for the 50k and was going to drive to catch the bus to the start, said that our race started in a different place than we thought and he would just give us a ride over there. We were all relieved that he noticed this instead of us walking to the wrong place and risking missing the start all together. After dropping us off, my dad drove to where he thought the bus ride left from (again more on this later).

Start to Aid station 1- 11.6 miles

The five of us running the 77 mile race stood around anxiously awaiting the start. This would be the longest race for me, Dreama, Mark, and Tyler, so we were all a bit nervous and really had no idea what to expect. Mark told everyone, "See you tomorrow" and before we knew it the race began. After running about a mile on the road to the trail head, runners enjoy a relatively flat, wide section before making a sharp left up some really steep stairs. The trail continues to be pretty rolling and very runnable until another significant climb at miles 2 and 4. This is all just a lead up to the monster climb up to the bluff at mile 6. I was very nervous about this as I had heard all kinds of horror stories about how terrible it was. Well, the stories weren't that far from the truth as the two mile climb was extremely steep in section and just kept on coming. Me and Dreama took it really easy to avoid trashing our legs early in the race and were able to make it to the top without much trouble. Tyler and Sal were way ahead already and Mark was just behind. The only issue I was now facing was the hydration pack I chose for the race which was a waist pack that was way too bulky and bouncing around everywhere. I knew after the first five minutes that I would be ditching it at the first aid station in favor of my handheld. After reaching the top of the climb, the trail became pretty rolling and very rocky at times. The pack was driving me insane so I was thrilled to finally reach the first aid station and get rid of it. By the way, if anyone is interested in a North Face lumbar pack I would be happy to let you take it off my hands.

Aid Station 1 to Route 653- 19.3 miles

Shortly after passing through the first aid station, the trail climbed a hill and I heard someone yelling "Go Sarah." It sounded oddly like my dad's voice and when I got to the top, I saw that it was indeed my dad. I asked him why he wasn't doing his race and found out that he misunderstood where the bus left from and missed it. I felt really bad for him and know he must have been really frustrated but I was also thankful that he would be there to crew for us the whole race. I told him that I ditched my pack and was now obviously running with just a handheld which is what I prefer to do. However, I knew that because three sections were at least 11 miles before aid, I would have to be very careful to stay hydrated. This next 8 miles was not very pleasant for me because my stomach was not cooperating as usual. I also go to a tough spot mentally around mile 15, so I had to deal with that as well. Although we had already climbed to the top of the bluff, the trail was anything but flat from this point on. It was constantly descending back down and ascending very steeply up again with no switchbacks to ease the climb. The trail was in very good shape, though, and really pretty. Ferns and Mountain Laurel covered the area around and provided a gorgeous view. Just as i had drained the last of my powerade, I reached the second aid station which was the 1st checkpoint and end of the first leg for relay teams. I refilled as quickly as possible which was very fast given the awesome volunteers and grabbed a pb & j quarter and headed back down the trail.

Aid Station 2 to Seven Springs Resort Area-26 miles

This section was very tough if I remember correctly with lots of steep climbs and rocky trail. I finally came out of my bonk and felt quite a bit better mentally, so at least this was a positive. In this section we ran past a shooting range. Shots were going off constantly and I saw two deer running terrified. One ran right across the trail between me and another man. We climbed for what felt like forever up a steep hill before popping out at a clearing by the ski resort. After reaching the aid station, I once again refilled and grabbed some food before starting off again

Aid station 3 to Route 31- 32.3 miles

My IT band had kinda been bothering me throughout the day but not to the point where it really slowed me down at all. However, when I stopped at the aid station and then tried to walk down the trail, it locked up so bad that I literally couldn't move. I tried stretching it and making myself take a few steps but it was excruciating. For a few minutes I seriously thought my day might be over. Then another runner came up and gave me an aleve out of her pack. I was so thankful that she took the time to ask how I was and get in her camelback to give me some medicine. After taking it, I made myself continue walking (if you can call a hobble a walk) and it eventually loosened up enough to where I could run. I was relieved that I wouldn't have to stop and also realized that from now on, I couldn't stop moving and bending my knee without it locking up again. This would mean that I would have to go through all the remaining aid stations as quickly as possible. The trail continued through some woods for a short time before reaching a clearing by a lake. This was the highest point along the Laurel Highlands trail, somewhere around 2900 feet. I could see the ski lift and slopes at the resort which was kinda cool and helped you realize just how far we had climbed. The bad part was that this section was totally exposed and really hot so I was thankful when we once again entered the woods. I don't really remember too much about the rest of this section except that it rolled along with some nice parts that didn't have too many rocks. I did get to run with a girl on a relay team for a mile or so. She was very nice and just said that she wasn't used to running trails, so it was a completely new experience for her. She also said that there were quite a few teams doing the relay, but there was no way to tell who was doing that or running solo. Our conversation made the time pass pretty quickly, and before too long, I reached the next aid station.

Route 31 to Hickory Flats Road- 44 miles

Because this was a checkpoint for the relay teams, the aid station was pretty crowded. The volunteers were great though and filled my bottle really quickly. It was at this point that I saw Sal at the end of the table. I knew this couldn't be good because he is super fast, so anytime I see him during a race it means something is wrong. I asked if he was ok and he said no. He said his back and hamstrings were killing him and he was done. Sal is one of the toughest people I know so if he admits to hurting you know its gotta be bad. I told him I hated that he couldn't keep going. That is the thing about long races like this; you never know when your day might end early. The people at the aid station told me it was 6 miles to the next water stop and 20 to the next food station. This confused me and seemed off because I knew that we had drop bags at the mile 44 station which was only 12 miles away. As I ran down the trail I wondered if the lady just told me the wrong thing. I had a feeling that there must be a water only stop in about six miles and then the full aid station after 12. Sure enough, after running through some more steep, rocky, fern covered trail for about six miles, I came to a gravel road and saw several people sitting there with and cooler and some ice. It was a good thing too because I was running low on fluids and welcomed the ice cold water. As I started to head back into the woods, they stopped me and pointed me down the gravel road. "Ugh," I now remembered. "This is the start of the 7 mile detour that is all on gravel or paved roads." In some ways getting out on the road is nice because you can kinda run brain dead without having to constantly look down to keep from falling. This positive is soon outweighed by the pounding and full exposure to the sun. Also, up until now, runners had enjoyed seeing yellow blazes every 100 yards or so to ensure them that they were still on the trail. However, the road had no such blazes and only a yellow stake on the side of the road every half mile or so which made me very paranoid about getting off course. At one point, the gravel road split with absolutely no markings so I just had to guess and hope to see a yellow marker soon. Fortunately I did right before I was about to have a mental breakdown. The road went downhill for what seemed like forever which only made me think about the uphill that was surely coming. We turned on to a bigger paved road for a bit and had to constantly watch for cars that seemed to be paying no attention to the fact that there were a hundred or so runners on this particular road. My dad had parked on the side which was a surprise to me as I was not expecting to see him until the next aid station. He gave me an ice cold gatorade and dumped some water down my back to cool me off. Later on after the race, he said that this road section really killed people because it was so hot and long. Runners were apparently stopping and asking him for water so much that he had to go to a gas station to buy more. I told him that I though Sal had dropped but he said that he was running with Dreama. This was encouraging because I know how much Sal wanted to race and also that if anyone could get him through, it was Dreama. I continued running down the road and talked to a super nice guy named Chris for a while to help pass the time. We then started to climb, and I mean climb. It felt like uphill for at least 2 miles before getting back on to a gravel road that was once again a gradual ascent. Finally, after turning a corner for the millionth time expecting to see an aid station, my wish came true.

Hickory Flats Road to Route 30- 52 miles

Just as I was coming in to the aid station, I saw Tyler leaving. I asked him how he was feeling and he said good and started off. This aid station had our drop bags, so I got in it to get a clif mojo bar because I was starving. I had never tasted one before but it was actually very good. I saw my headlamp but decided not to take it because I knew my dad had one and i could get it from him. He was not at this station but was stopped at a road crossing a few mile ahead, so I just planned on telling him to have it for me at the 52 mile mark. Unfortunately, I forgot to grab any gels to carry with me, so I would have to save the two remaining in my handheld pouch for later. I decided not to change socks or shoes despite having some hot spots because I was afraid of what would happen to my IT band if I stopped. This was definitely a risk because I could feel some blisters forming but I just hoped to keep my feet dry the rest of the way and not make them any worse. This next section of trail is kind of a blur to me except for the increased size of all the ferns and mountain laurel. At times, it was so thick on the sides of the trail that it grew over and you could only see a path about 6 inches wide to run on. It also meant that the overgrowth was constantly brushing up against me legs and leaving tiny little scratches that really started to irritate my skin. The trail kept on dropping way down and climbing back up but I do remember one section that had a nice covering of pine needles which make for very cushy running on sore feet. It was around here that I caught up to Tyler. He said he had been feeling pretty good until a few minutes ago when he started to feel crappy. Thats another thing about long races. There will be times when you feel like you could run forever and then just like that you feel like you can't take another step. Fortunately, it usually just takes some time for the mood to shift once again, so I wished him luck and made my way ahead, fully expecting him to catch me very soon. When I saw my dad, I told him that I hadn't taken my lamp from my bag so I would need to use his and he said that would be fine. After running along the next few miles, I came to the aid station at mile 52.

Route 30 to Route 271- 64 miles

My dad was waiting for me here as I filled my bottle and grabbes some food. When I said I needed the lamp, he said he didn't have it with him. "Huh" I thought, "but I said I would need yours." This is a classic example of the infamous "Woerner miscommunication." He apparently understood that I wanted his headlamp but didn't realize that I would need it here because it was almost 6 pm and I had 12 miles to the next aid station. I could probably make it before dark but wanted to be safer rather than sorry. He said he would hike in from the 64 mile stop and give it to me if it looked like I would need it. "Okay," i said, feeling a bit relieved. As I started off again, another more concerning realization hit: I had to run 12 miles with one handheld of gatorade and I completely forgot to get any extra food, so all I had was one gel. "Oh crap. This might not be good," I thought, especially given the fact that it was pretty hot and humid and I had been drinking about a whole bottle every 6 miles. I immediately started rationing my water, only taking a sip after each mile marker. I looked at my watch and decided to take my gel at around 7:15 which would hopefully be about midway between aid stations. This section was very overgrown for most of the way. I started cussing the waist high ferns that blocked my view of the trail underneath. It wasn't long before I also started cussing the mountain laurel because every time I saw it, it mean that there was a climb. I was running very low on water at this point and seriously thinking about drinking out of creek if I came to one, but I never did. At one point, I caught up to a runner and was so desperate that I asked if he had any spare fluid. He said barely so I told him nevermind. It was my own fault for not carrying more and I wasn't about to take anyone elses. With about 3 miles or so before the next aid station, I calmed down a bit and felt like I would definitely make it there with some daylight left and without being too dehydrated. About a mile later, I saw a lady running down the trail toward me. She asked if I was ok, and I said yes but that I needed some water. She immediately told me to open by handheld and gave me both of her bottles stored in her fuel belt. I was so grateful I almost started crying. This was the second time today that someone had helped me out tremendously. She said that I was about twenty minutes from the aid station and she thought my dad was up ahead. I thanked her again and started down the trail, saying yet another thank you prayer to God for him watching out for me. Sure enough, I saw my dad in a few minutes, and he gave me an ice cold powerade that hit the spot. We ran to the aid station together where he gave me the head lamp. As it turned out, I hadn't needed it for the last section, so all was good. I ate quite a bit at this aid station because all I had eaten in the last 12 miles was one gel. The volunteers said that there was another stop in 6.5 miles. My dad told me he probably wouldn't see me there because he was going to wait on Dreama, Mark, and possibly Sal to see how they were doing. I told him to say hi to them for me and headed off once again, feeling for the first time like I might really fininsh the race.

Route 271 to Gas Line Dirt Road- 69 miles

Because it wasn't quite dark yet, I ran with my head lamp off for a half hour or so until the sun went down and I had to turn it on. I knew that the dark would slow me down quite a bit so I was glad to have gotten pretty close to the finish before needing my light. When it did get dark, my progress slowed slightly because I had to be very conscious of my footing. I had not fallen yet which is extremely unusual for me (I typically fall on every run no matter the distance), and I wanted to keep it that way if at all possible. The trail was still very rocky so I had to pick my way. I did keep jamming my left big toe on rocks to the point that it really hurt and I could tell that the nail was probably coming off. Also, after dark, I got super paranoid about getting off the trail, so I would look up constantly for a yellow blaze which made me stumble on rocks below. Around mile 68 the trail popped out on a gravel road marked with glow sticks. I remembered another runner talking about this and how it was awful because it was a long uphill for at least a mile. However, I almost welcomed the road because it allowed me to once again run brain dead for a while. It seems like when its dark, you don't notice slight uphills as much as when its light because you can't see that far ahead, so I ran most of this section. I could see the glow of the aid station off in the distance, and it appeared to be pretty close, but I swear it felt like I ran forever before the lights got any closer. Finally the tent came into sight and a man ran out to greet me and ask what I needed. He said that they had grilled cheese sandwiches and for some reason that sounded amazing. When the volunteer yelled ahead that I wanted one, another man said, "Sorry, we're all sold out." This little bit of humor helped to lift my spirits some, and when I actually tasted that grilled cheese sandwich, it was the best one I've ever had. The workers refilled my bottle while a ate a little and said that it was 8 miles to the finish. This was a little depressing because I thought that it was only 6.5. You might think that 1.5 miles would seem like nothing after running 70 but its kinda the exact opposite. At that point, 1.5 miles can seem like an eternity. Nevertheless, I couldn't change it or move the finish line closer, so I tried to just accept it and stay positive.

Gas Line Dirt Road to Finish- 77 miles

Shortly after running out of the aid station, I saw the 62 mile marker which confirmed the volunteers information about the distance to the finish. The actual trail is 70 miles long but the race was longer due to the road detour. It was a few minutes after 10pm, and I really wanted to get done by midnight, but I knew that I would really be pushing it. I decided to just focus on reaching the next mile marker and trying to do so in as close to 15 minutes as possible. However, for the next few miles, the trail was very up and down with some pretty significant climbs. They really slowed me down, and even when I could run on the flats and downhills, it was not fast by any means or stretch of the imagination. I knew that the trail had to start descending soon because we were still up on the bluff and the finish was at the bottom in a valley. At one point, I looked to my right and could see the lights from the city of Johnstown way below and figured I had to go at least that far down but that it couldnt be too far away. When the descent finally came with about 3 miles left, it was less pleasant than I hoped. The trail was more rocky than it had been all day, making it very difficult to pick my way down without taking a nasty fall. I kept hitting that same toe over and over, and it now hurt so bad that it was throbbing. The trail descended for about two miles before flattening out a little bit and becoming much more runnable. Shortly after passing the 69 mile trail marker, a few people were walking toward me to cheer runners on. One lady said, "the finish is a quarter mile away. Push it!" I knew this couldn't be right because I had just passed the 69 mile marker and I also was in no condition to "push it" anymore than I already was. In a few minutes, though, I started to hear the glorious finish line music and could see lights not too far ahead. Thankfully, the trail became very smooth in this last little bit, so I was able to run without paying too much attention to my footing. As the lights came into full view, I heard my dad yelling my name and saw the finish line. Crossing that line at about 12:25 was one of the best feeling of my life. After 18 hours and 54 minutes of running, I was done. I was overcome with emotion and had to hold back tears. My immediate thought was to thank God who has blessed me with the opportunity and ability to run this race and share in the experience with some awesome friends and family. I looked up to the sky with a finger pointed up and said thank you. My dad was right there to greet me with a hug, and the RD handed me the finishers award, a replica of one of the mile markers with 77 engraved in it. They send and engraved plate with your name and finishing time to put on the marker which makes for a very unique finisher's prize.

Post Race

After finishing, I went over to the food/drink tent and got some green tea which actually tasted pretty good. I have never been to a race where it was offered. After downing that I promptly asked for a much healthier mountain dew :) and walked over to the folding chair my dad had set up by the finish. In less than 20 minutes, I saw Tyler coming in to the finish looking strong. We gave each other a high five and sat down for a few minutes to watch some other runners come in before hobbling over to the van where my dad had set up a shower bag. After running 77 miles, one reaches a new level of grossness, so I looked forward to at least getting some of the grime off, but when I felt that ice cold water hit me I wasn't sure if I would be able to. My dad quickly informed me that I wreaked and he couldn't drive back with us smelling like that so I had no choice but to get back under the water to wash off. It felt ok after a few minutes, and getting a clean pair of clothes on felt wonderful. My stomach had now settled to the point that I could think about eating, and me and Tyler had what I feel was the best bowl of chili I've ever tasted. We both just sat there in the chairs at the finish soaking it all in. Soon after, however, I heard someone yelling for Carl Woerner. I think my dad was still at the van so I stood up and said that I was his daughter. There was apparently a phone call for him, and when I took the cell phone, it was Sal on the other end saying he was at the mile 64 aid station and was pretty sick. My dad arrived and I handed him the phone. A few minutes later, he said that Sal was going to have to stop because he was dehydrated and throwing up. A car brought him to the finish where he sat down and tried to munch on some ice. Runners continued to make their way across the finish line, and a few minutes after my dad hiked in to meet Dreama, I saw them both coming. Dreama did an awesome job helping Sal in the middle of the race and finished up strong. She was walking around like we had only run 7 miles and not 77. A little while later, my dad once again walked back to meet Mark who finished with a group of several guys. Mark had suffered from some pretty awful stomach problems and was unable to eat for most of the race. I honestly don't know how he managed to finish because I know that I wouldn't have been able to. He definitely wins the tough guy award for the day. With everyone now back at the finish, we slowly got our stuff together and waited for everyone to take their turn on the shower. At about 5am we left, almost 24 hours after this incredible journey had begun. This was a once in a lifetime experience that I will never forget. Here are several last thoughts I have about the race and some lessons I learned.

First and foremost, I thank God for getting me through it.
My dad was an awesome crew and worked tirelessly for 24 straight hours making sure that we all stayed hydrated and had plenty of food.
Having a crew provides a great emotional lift and is in my opinion essential in this race.
With 3 sections of 11 miles or more between aid stations it is imperative to stay hydrated and have plenty of nutrition.
In a race of this distance, you will bonk at least once and probably more, but doing your best to stay positive and trust that you will come out of it is the best thing to do.
Thanks so much to the two kind people who helped me when i needed it most- Suzanna with the Aleve and the lady in the blue shirt with the water whose name I didn't get.
It's impossible to predict what will happen during the race because there are just so many different things that can go wrong. This race had 125 starters and only 58 finishers, so anything can happen.

Link to results

http://www.laurelultra.com/results_2010.htm

Scenic City Marathon

2010-05-23T17:59:00.000-07:00

On Saturday May 22, Rock Creek held the Scenic City marathon and half marathon on raccoon mountain. Although I run these trails a lot, this would be my first time running the marathon race. After picking up my packet on Friday, I went to dinner with my dad and Wendy who were also running and my sister, Holly, who would be volunteering. It was then time to head home for some rest and get ready for the big day.
5:45 am came way too early but my prerace nerves woke me up pretty quickly. After a light breakfast, I headed up to raccoon mountain. This year's race was almost double the size as last year with close to 500 runners in the half and full marathon. I wasn't so thrilled about the thought of sharing the trail with so many people, especially at first, because it makes it hard to run a decent pace and see the trail. However, I also think it is great that so many folks want to run on these trails, so I got over it.
About 5 minutes before the start, we all lined up on the road. Although I am not a road runner, I did like that we ran the first .5 mile or so on the pavement to spread out before hitting single track. Before I knew it, we were off. Weather was perfect at the start, not too hot but not chilly so you were uncomfortable waiting for the start. As expected, there was a huge bottleneck at the trail entrance, but I was able to run a decent pace despite the huge crowd. I had not been feeling very fresh the past few weeks since Strolling Jim so I wasn't sure how hard to start out. I decided to go out easy and see how I felt. Thankfully the first few miles went well, so I just wanted to stay steady and not push my luck early.
The course is two loops with the first half of the loop being much easier than the second. I ran most of the first loop with my dad and a lady from lookout mountain. Overall, my spirits were good and the only aggravation I had was someone who asked the mileage. This is totally fine for some but I am the type who doesn't want to constantly be informed of mileage/pace. Near the end of the first loop, runners in the half split from the marathoners, so the pack thinned considerably. I was still feeling pretty good despite some stomach issues which seem to creep up on me at every race. There are three aid stations on the course, but I ran through the first two as it allowed me to pass several people. At the third, however, I stopped to fill up my water bottle. This station is at the top of a nasty hill but it was nice to see Matt and Natalie Sims there cheering everyone on.
Now we started on the second loop. I was running by myself at this point which is nice at times because it helps me focus. I was feeling pretty good at the east overlook aid station where my sister was volunteering, and I knew that I had a nice downhill section ahead before a pretty long, nasty climb. It wasn't so bad the first loop but as everyone knows, hills grow when you have to do them more than once! I tried to mentally prepare myself for the hill and just run steady up it. It was around here that I caught up to Dan who was looking really strong. He said that Dreama had gone out pretty fast and was running well along with Leslie who is getting scary fast. The second aid station is at the visitor center after the top of the climb. Again, I ran through but a boy told me I was at mile 20.5. I hadn't thought about mileage since the girl asked at around 8.5, so hearing that I was less than 6 miles from the finish spurred me on. This last section from the visitors center to the finish at Laurel Point is deceptively tough with some pretty steep hills, short but hard the second time around. Because I hadn't filled up my water bottle, I was more than happy to see the third aid station and get just a little heed to last me the last two miles to the finish. I looked at my watch and figured that if I ran well I could easily break 4:30. My dream goal was to break 4 hours but this was obviously not going to happen and I was really just happy to have felt decent during this race unlike the previous two weeks. The sign said 2.1 miles to the finish, and I was running hard, determined to finish strong. Before long, I came up on several runners which motivated me to keep pushing the pace. I think I passed at least 5 or so people in this last stretch which seemed to go on for much more than 2 miles. At one point I was really hurting and wondering if the finish line was ever going to come. I could hear cheers off in the distance but because I am familiar with the trail, I knew that it was further than it seemed. Finally, I popped out on the pavement and rounded the corner to the finish. The clock said 4:27 and change so I was pleased to break 4:30.
After getting a wet towel to cool off with, I walked around and found the crew of local people. Dreama had run a strong race as always. Lance and Kevin were also at the finish along with Mark, all of whom ran really well. Shortly after this, Dan and my dad finished followed closely by Wendy. Overall, the Chattanooga people had a great day. We hung out for a little bit then went to Greenlife for some well deserved post race food. Rock Creek and the Boonies did a great job as always putting on the race, and I look forward to doing it again next year.