Just how fast can I walk?
On November 2, 2019
After 12 weeks off and 2 weeks to ‘train’ for a 50 mile race I had a hard conversation with myself about realistic goals for this race. I had to come to terms with the fact that I wasn’t going to be able to ‘run’ the whole thing. I had learned something in the last 2 weeks and that was I could walk pretty fast. The fast walking didn’t affect my heal anywhere as badly as running. So that was the conversation; I was going to fast walk/hike a 50 mile trail race only running the ‘runny bits’, that’s the down hills. Now the question was could I stick with it and execute this fast hike thing?
When I bounced this idea off some friends and my wife they all seemed a bit curious as to whether or not I could pull it off. Not the finishing 50 miles, but doing it with very little running. My longest fast hike had been the weekend before the race in which I did a 10 miles out and then back on the course to see how my legs held up. They seemed fine. Someone suggested upon hearing that I planned on a fast hike for the race that I could be out there as long as I wanted and I could pick up the flags as I went. I wasn’t planning on being last. One friend John, the race director for the Natchez, suggested I use my poles because they would help to take the pressure off my legs. I have to admit I wasn’t real keen on the idea at first but I thought back to my last Lookout Mountain 50 miler and how I finished it walking and using my poles. So it then seemed like an okay idea and I brought them.
Between packet pickup and race morning I was still getting those ‘Good luck, we’re not sure you can do it.’ looks from folks as start time neared. I remember telling John, ‘I won’t be last.’ Race morning, man it was cold, the first real cold morning run for me this season. I stayed in my car as long as possible before heading out into what had to have been subzero temps; it was really around the freezing mark and I was in shorts. I had lots of layers, compression shorts under my cargo shorts, knee length compression socks, smart wool short sleeve shirt with a long sleeve tech shirt covered by 2 light weight running jackets. My hands get really cold real easy so I had gloves with mittens over them, not to mention my 2 buffs. If I was going to be walking I knew I needed to stay warm. (This video is from a friends phone, which is why it on its side.)
John gathered us up to start the race and sent us off into the darkness. A friend had managed to video the start and if you listen closely you can hear someone say ‘Run faster.’ followed by another voice then the first one says ‘Jack, you’re running. You’re not supposed to do that.’ BUSTED, kinda. Yea, I took off. The first climb was less than a ¼ of a mile away and I knew that everyone would be walking up the hill soon, so I just went with it. The climb came, I walked. The climb ended, I walked. We hit our first kinda downhill, I kinda jogged. By the time we reached 2 miles I was last, dead last. Nobody behind me except the vast darkness that covered the trail and in front of me where the dimming lights as the runners tried to disappear from view. I just walked as fast as I could.
Daylight came just before 7 and I could still see runners in front of me, so I kept pushing my walk. Running the downhills. Trying to remember what I had been told about what I should do to help my running form, head up, chest forward, shoulders down and heal-toe. By the first aid station I was no longer in last place, I was keeping a head of one or two others. I walked past the aid station taunting some friends with ‘Don’t let the old injured guy out walk you.’ As I walked a runner left the aid station a little after me and was running to try and keep up. They made the comment of ‘How is your walking pace faster than my running pace.’ I’ve been walking this fast since junior high was my reply. Not too long after they overtook me and kept on going. (This video is a pretty cool wall that you get to go by on the course.)
Not long after the friends at the first aid station came upon me and we had a good chat about my walking and their running. It was about the same as the earlier one with one exception when we hit a downhill together, them being a little in front, and I kinda ran down it. I was told I was sprinting to which I had to reply that if I was ‘sprinting’ I wouldn’t be able to talk to you as I was going by you. By the time the uphill part started I had moved ahead of them a bit and could over hear them talking about my ‘running’ instead of walking. So I had to remind one of them what Kevin had said ‘If you’re talking you’re not moving fast enough.’ After that I moved out at a fast walk always expecting them to come back by and blow my doors off.
By the time I hit Kren and Brock’s aid station #2 I knew I was ahead of at least 5 folks. I became very curious to see how this race was going to unfold. By this point the trail became that relentlessly rolling course, run downhill followed by walk fast on the flats and up hills, keep as close to the same pace no matter what. For some reason that seemed to be working. As I neared aid station 3 I got caught. A guy doing his first 50 miler managed to sneak up behind me. Robert said he had gotten off course, was doing his first 50 and wasn’t sure he was going to be able to finish. I suggested he stick with me, that it might be tight at the end but we should be able to get it done in time. He did for a long time. He peppered me with a few questions about running ultra distances, which proved to be a great distraction for both of us. He would be the proof that I actually walked most of the course. A couple of times he mentioned that it was easier to do a slow jog rather than a walk trying to keep up with me. That kinda let me know I was moving. Yes my Coros Pace was telling me that via data but somehow it coming from another person made it more real.
Coming into aid station #3 I looked off to the other side of the road to see a familiar car and then noticed some friends from a distance and called out to them. I hadn’t seen Nolan and Lucy in what seemed like ages, it was so great doing a real quick catch up with them. As we parted I asked if they would be there when I came back through. ‘Yes’ and ‘We’re leaving at noon, but you should be back by then.’ That hit me, it wasn’t even noon yet and I had 5 miles to go to the turn around. Wow I’m really doing well. I’ve been eating really well. I’ve been taking in fluids like I should. Wow, I might actually finish better than I expected, but that was a bit premature to be having that thought. As we came to the turnaround I told Robert what my plan was, ‘I’m gonna head to the river first then go back and stop at the aid station to restock and grab some food and water there.’ Robert was all for it as he had a plan of his own, get in and out real quick to see how long he could stay in front of me. We arrive at the aid station to pass it and I see a bunch of friends there Kimmy, Erin and Forest were there helping out Jared was there trying to get his legs right so he could finish, Russ was there heading back with his wife crewing him. I was learning a bunch of folks I knew were here getting it done.
One thing that surprised me about this race was just how spread out the field had gotten. Somewhere between 4 and 5 hours into the race I had seen the first of the 50 milers on their way back. There weren’t any clusters of runners, no trains or conga lines. I’d see one or two within sight of each other and maybe once or twice 2 or 3 in a group but no clusters of runners. In most cases those gaps where anywhere from 10 to 20 minutes between runners. It was odd to me for some reason.
From the turnaround Robert had managed to get out before me and was moving on down the road. I stayed chatted with friends, ate part of a banana, restocked for the return trip and then realized once I left I should have taken some pictures with them. When I started back I had roughly calculated that I was ahead of at least 8 others. I started walking back. As I left Jared came with me. It took me a few miles to catch up to Robert, but I eventually did. At that point he hung with me and I learned that he had developed a blister. I suggested he wait until the next aid to do anything about it. We arrive at #5 which was the same as #3 only to find another friend waiting for me, Jason was there manning the aid station. I had arrived back around 12:30 so I knew Nolan and Lucy would be gone. I had watched my watch continue to tell me I was going to miss them on the return trip. I was in and out of there fast. Jason topped off one of my bottles while I drank ½ a cup of water and I was gone. Robert stay back to deal with his blister, he was in great hands as Jason is a great ultra runner and one who knows what to do.
Going back some of these hills where a bit steeper so I really focused on keeping pace and getting up those climbs. Between #3/5 and #2/6 was about 7 miles of trails and I was going it alone. So I just tried to keep the same pace. At one point I saw someone in the distance and thought about closing the gap between us. It wasn’t easy just walking trying to catch someone, but I did it time and time again at this race. I was just trying to be consistent with my effort level. It paid off. By the time I reached #2/6 I was now ahead of around 10 others. When I saw Kren and Brock’s aid station I let out my yell and called their names. I handed off my bottles and ate but within 5 minutes I was out. I finally recognized Russ’s wife at this aid station. I was on the move and didn’t want to gather any moss out here. I hadn’t download just how well I was doing at this point. Between here and #1/7 I came upon a pair of guys in a section of creek crossings, in this one section I think we crossed the creek about 5 or 6 times. At the first crossing we came to they stopped surveyed how to go and then went. I was hot on their heels. At the next one when they stopped I called out to them ‘Hey guys’. They looked at me, looked back at the creek. I just plowed through it and never looked back. I heard one say to the other I guess that’s one way to do it. I think I called back ‘Your feet are going to get wet.’ I never saw them after about 15 more minutes.
When I hit the last aid station there was nobody there I knew, which was strange. I handed off my bottles got them filled and confirmed that I was about 8 miles from the finish. Off I went walking fast. I started doing time calculations at this point figuring out clock time; it wasn’t even 5pm yet. What that couldn’t be right or could it. By this time I knew exactly where I was on the trail and I just tried to keep it even. The sun was still up but starting to set. This couldn’t be right. I just kept going. I had to be back at the start/finish by 7pm to continue on to do the last 3 miles. I think I arrive around 5:10 to 5:30 I was shocked and I think my friends there were as well. I plowed on through saying I’ll see you when I get back.
3 miles to go. I had no idea what to expect except for one water crossing that I expected to be up to my knees. I passed my last person in the first mile out of the start/finish, we hit the water crossing together. It was as deep as I expected. I encouraged the guy I just passed to keep up with me so we could finish together, but his legs were toast. Then I hit another water crossing, a bit deeper than the last. What the heck. Then two more, really? Good thing the air wasn’t that cold nor the water. The last crossing was the deepest at mid-calf. Then somehow we had to get back on the other side of the Trace and go up a hill. Tunnel under the Trace and I started my last climb. While I had my head lamp on my head I still didn’t need it, which was just amazing to me. At the last turn for the finish line I see Emily, she was moving well. I encouraged her to keep pushing. I managed to keep her in sight all the way back to the finish. On our last turn I manage to run over and blind Marla and Trent some dear friends, Marla took some pictures as Trent killed my head lamp to keep himself from being blinded, my focus was a bit else were – on them and the finish. The closer she got the louder I got in shouting her name so that all our friends would know who was coming in. She pushed on threw to start her last 3 miles. A few minutes later 12 hours and 15 minutes after I had started I was finished. Wow, I couldn’t believe it. I had walked about 75% of this course at a great clip, the best part was I didn’t feel wasted. I’ve got my picture with John with the sky still light enough to not need a head lamp unless you were under the trees and I reminded him what I had told him ‘I won’t be last’. What a great day!
One of the great things about the folks I run with is that most of us, if we can, will hang out until the last runner comes across the finish line. It was nearly 9pm when that happened, but about 10 – 20 of us were still there to cheer them as they crossed.
This race reset my thoughts on running ultras. I finished in nearly the same time as my last 50 miler with WAY less effort and feeling much better overall. I think I’ve got a new plan at least in part starting to take form.
Most of the photos were taken by Kren, with myself, John and Marla contributing a few.
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