Year to year course changes seem to be the norm for this race, this year was to be no different than the past six. Due to Covid the National Parks said "No' to the race going through the park this year, which no running down the mountain to Craven House and back up. This was my 5th attempt here, one year I crewed and paced a few friends. The goal was simple, beat last years’ time.
The new course boasted over 6,000 + feet of elevation gain, someone said during the race that they read it had over 6,500 + feet of gain, which in my mind wasn’t a lot for 50 miles. So the course was going to be flat and fast, that could be a help to me in making my time goal. I’m not fast, but a faster course could help.
Prerace training hadn’t been what I wanted, my highest mileage week in the month leading up to the race had been 42 miles. So I was going to have to rely on my experience and the training from SCAR seeing as how Natchez Trace 50 miler hadn’t gone as hoped, because that race hadn’t gone according to plan I needed to make sure my nutrition was on point. I had over 4,000 calories of Spring Energy planned out along with 7 Electrorides, I paid more attention to preplanning my nutrition this time knowing it was a huge issue last time. With all my food divided into 3 groups, what I start with plus 2 drop bags, all the prep work was done. I could do nothing more.
Weather was a slight concern as the week leading up to the race had gone back and forth on rain chance. So I pack accordingly such that I could make a morning of call as to what was going to be needed clothing wise. I had 3 headlamps, one waist light and my heavy duty long haul light in my second drop bag, my little Black Diamond Spot in the back of my vest. I was as ready as I was going to be.
The start of the race brought the sighting of a few friends Cary Long was as jovial as ever, Becca Jones slap on the back with mutual encouragements exchanged of good luck, Vince Corona seen from across the way. The encouragement for the start of the race was to spread yourself out at the start and to keep your mask on until there was space around you. Randy, the race director, told us that the entire course had been blow that was going to be nice. With that we were off.
Because of the new start direction we were treated to some of the best mountain views within the first 5 miles. I wanted to take pictures but didn’t want to stop, so they will stay forever locked in my memory. The first 6 miles were all on mountain bike trails making the race even faster than I expected, the trail as my son would say ‘was very flowy’. The first 7 miles were all done under 11 minutes per mile save one, it seemed like a repeat of Natchez. I kept reminding myself that I needed to slow down, but just as important that I needed to eat on schedule. It just didn’t seem as though I was going that fast and I was keeping up with my nutrition plan, so I kept going.
Nothing major happened in the first 18 miles to me, but to others there was some damage done. One guy had hit the cross bar of a horse gate on the bridge of his nose just before the first aid station. He couldn't see it due to the person in front of him and the rising sun, that was a bloody mess. I blow through the first aid station, I’ve got everything I need with me. The next 6 to 7 miles were what I like, technical single track flowing next to streams covered in a lush forest. Lulla Falls was about half way through this loop and I stopped for a picture, nope the camera on the phone refused to work. This year the 18 milers got to experience the joy that I’ve always gotten of the rope climb. With it so early in the race I scamper up it like a want-a-be mountain goat. At the top of this climb is where I first encounter Andrew Kelly of Lavender Roots Photography, notice I said first. Heading back to the aid station I just left we hit the bluff with more morning mountain views, because I knew I’d be back here I didn’t stop for pictures. It’s still early in the race so I’m never out of sight of at least 3 other runners, providing motivation to keep at it. So this 6 miles was a loop and as we finish the loop the guy in front of me stops to read the flagging so that he makes the correct turn, 4 others in front of him didn’t and started the loop again. We hollered after them shouting ‘You went the wrong way! You missed the turn!!’ We headed to the aid station with statements of ‘This is why you don’t follow the folks in front of you.’ A quick check of my bottles, I’m good and I head on back retracing my steps on the mountain bike trails. I had slowed down a little in this section ranging between 10 and 14 minute miles, but averaging 11:30’s. Skipped 2 aid stations may not seem like a good idea, but in my training I generally go 20 miles before needing to restock, so this was normal for me.
The next 6 miles took me to my drop bag which was supposed to be at mile 18. This held my first mishap of the day. About ½ mile from the aid station running on fire road under power lines I was attempting to dodge water pits that I had no idea how deep they were, I did fine until the last one. At least ½ a dozen ruts full of water crossed this ‘road’, both sides in tall grass and briars. So I took what seemed like the straightest line with the least chances of getting wet and missing the briars. Mine you I had already been through plenty of water crossing today, so it wasn’t about not getting my feet wet, I just didn’t know how deep these ruts were. As I shifted my weight in an attempt to cross from one dirt clay mud, ridge to another I went down. The guy behind says ‘Thanks for pointing that out.’ We laugh and keep going. What should have been 18 miles was about 18.5, not too bad. My pace has had slowed a bit with a range of 10 to 14, but several 12’s were back to back.
I spent about 5 minutes at the aid station reloading, I had eaten just about everything I started with. I only needed to refill my water bottle and I topped off my Electroride. I took all the Springs I had in my drop bag and ate one as I left knowing that my eating every 30 minutes was about to hit in the next 5 minutes. At this point I hadn’t taken anything from the aid station, everything I needed was in my drop bag. Back out on to the mountain bike trails to the same aid station at miles 6 and 12, the one I've skipped twice already. With the 18 milers out the space between runners really opened up, many of the 50 milers dropped down as well. Through the 24 mile aid station I wondered if I got to do the rope climb again, nope. Back on the Bluff Trail heading out to Longbranch for my last drop bag. The view was gorgeous! I hadn’t noticed the distant mountains in the past, my view was always right there at the edge looking down into the valley, lifting my head up was well worth it. I had my second encounter with Andrew here and we bantered about the views and his mountain bike.
The final push to Longbranch, I know this route. A group of guys had passed me earlier and were now passing me again. Apparently they had stopped at the aid station to get re-bandaged up, the guy who hit the horse gate. Not 2 minutes after they pass me I go down. I tripped over something, I’m thinking nobody’s behind me so I can take a minute to get up. Nope, some gal goes ‘You all right?’ I hop up and keep going as she passes me. Before this fall my left knee all but stops working, running is very painful, I can walk but running was very painful. I resort to interval running, run until the pain is almost too much then walk. I make to Longbranch to find the 3 folks who passed me when I fell sitting at the aid station, the area around aid station is beautiful!! I see a guy picking up drop bags, he picks mine up and I tell him I’ll get that when I’m done with the loop. Those last 6 miles saw a huge decrease in my overall pace dropping down to 15 to 16 minutes per mile.
The Longbranch loop is slow, it’s only 4 miles but takes me about an hour. My first year out here Jobie Williams tells me to treat the loop like 5 miles. Once I got out there I understood why, it’s technical, weaving, dodging, rooty, rock, up and down. Just under an hour back and I’ve figured out how to run with the bum leg, so I can pick up the pace again I hope. I had expected to be passed on the loop but it never happened the three who had passed me and I passed back 4 miles ago came back a few minutes after I did. The gal was very upset with those last 4 miles, she wanted to run but couldn’t. Back at the Longbranch aid station again I ask for my drop bag and see Andrew one more time. I take a bit longer here reloading and getting my lamps in place. I spent some time talking with Andrew about his bike as he offers it to others only if they have Venmo, Paypal or something like those. I’m like ‘I’ve got Venmo.’ ‘How much.’ ‘$2, I’ve only got 13 miles left so your bike doesn’t quite hold the value it did earlier.’ We laugh. I finish reloading and grab a cup of veggie broth, first thing I’ve taken from the aid stations all day.
The final push to the finish, I was heading back. I felt great! My eating was on point and I was enjoying the day in spite of my knee. With the direction we were going I was thankful to avoid the ‘driveway of death’, a ¼ mile climb nearly straight up. What was I thinking, after being on the trial for 1 ¾ miles from Longbranch is see the driveway through the woods and think ‘You’ve got to be kinding me!’, a left turn and up we went. The unexpected blessing was at the end of the climb was an aid station with Raman noodles and a great view. I had gotten passed by the 3 again before the driveway. I grab noodles to go, passing back 2 of the 3, and not 100 feet from and 50 feet below having made a 180° turn so I’m right under the aid station drinking my noodles I go down hard. The trail is bran new, within a couple of day’s new, off camber and soft dirt. Two gals walk by me asking if I’m okay. It’s taking me a minute to get up, the unexpected fall was hard. A guy stops behind me and asks if I’m okay and I tell him I’m checking, this one drew blood. I eventually get up shake myself off and look at him and tell him I’m okay.
I’ve got 4 miles to this one aid station that I have been running through all day but never stopping. Finally the trail opens back on to more established trail and then back to the bluff, it’s not dark yet but it’s coming. I’m expecting to go back the way we always do, but not this year, on to some easy mountain bike and single track. By the time I make it back to this aid station I had been passed by about 6 folks since the last aid station. When I pull through this last aid station I hear ‘You’ve only got 5 miles.’ I shout back ‘If it exactly the same was what we did earlier it will be closer to 7 miles.’ They said it was and tried to assure me it was only 5. By that time I was gone. Nearly everyone who had passed me had stopped, so I again passed them back. As I left I texted Peggy letting her know I had about an 1 ½ hours left and I was leaving the last aid station.
This last ‘5 miles’ I think I was only passed by one or two runners, one of whom was the gal who had missed the turn that I had hollered after. We were back on mountain bike trail and I was moving well. The knee hurt so I ran when I could, but this late in the game I brought out my fast hike pace and made it happen. I manage to pass some folks. At mile 49 I text my wife and tell her I’m either a 1 mile out or 2. Mile 50 comes and I look at my watch because I wanted to be able to hit 50 miles in 12 hours, the watch said 12:03. I was happy I had made that goal. At mile 51.19 I crossed the finish line with a time of 12:23. Second goal achieved, better than last year by around 40 minutes.
After getting my 5th metal and sweat shirt we hopped in the car and headed to the Starbuck’s in Rock City for something other than a beef taco, man I miss the days we had burgers at the finish.
Peggy again made the journey with me and I’m very grateful. She picked me up and drove me to Starbucks and let me lean on her as I hobbled to get some hot chocolate and food.
A huge thank you to Andrew Keller not just for the amazing pictures, but also for the friendly banter throughout the day. All the really good pictures are his.
Stats:
Fell 3x's
Black Toes 2
Total mileage 51.2
Total time 12:23:37
Total elevation 7,572’ so much for 6,000’+
46th out of 97 finishers
For those over 50: 4th out of 11
In hour 12, 52 runners finished that’s just over ½ of all runners finished.
Spring Energy consumed 3,140 calories, outside of the Spring I only had about 8 oz of broth, 2 Electrorides.
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