River Gorge 6.5 mile race

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.