Lookout Mountain 50 Mile Race Report
Chattanooga, TN December 14, 2013
(First 50 Miler)
Training over the last few months was amazing. I put in more miles, more runs, and more effort than I have for any previous race before this. I'm not an experienced runner, so the training plan was something I just put together literally on a napkin and simply stuck to it. Come hell or high water, I was out running every day (with multiple rest weeks of just 15 miles built it). I also had two races during this time, during training weeks of 70 ad 75 miles. I would like to note that the second race was a PR in the marathon distance during the hilly Richmond Marathon, 3:26, followed by a 15 mile run the next day.
I tapered for three weeks before this race. I think that might have been a little too much, and will adjust from this experience in the future. Driving to Chattanooga was easy, leaving at 4am from Richmond, VA. We got down there by 2pm, checked into the hotel, and headed over the packet pickup at the old Rock Creek store site. We got to see a good friend, Philip Mansueto, and chatted with him and his family for a few minutes in the parking lot. Leaving packet pickup I had this huge rush of anxiety and nerves about the race. 50 miles is 50, 5…0…miles!! Not a short race. In fact it would be the longest physical activity of my life. We had dinner and a few beers (with water) at a local restaurant with Jaclyn's mother Tammy, who came into town from Mississippi to help crew me along at several aid stations. After getting to bed pretty early, I just tossed and turned all night, never sleeping for more than an hour at a time. I guess thats to be expected.
Alarm went off at 5:45am to pouring rain outside. Looking at the doppler radar, it was only supposed to get worse for at least the first half of the race. Temperatures were in the mid 30s, so it was going to be a cold, wet, and long day. "Get over it, can't control it", I told myself. Driving to the race, Tammy and Jaclyn were talking about what I should do if I got hurt or needed to drop out for some reason. Thats like talking to a NASCAR driver about a car accident and what hospital they should be taken to….COME ON!! I made it very clear, I wasn't dropping out. Period. I brought my headlamp.
In Tennessee the sun doesn't rise until close to 8am, so the late 7:30am start was partly done in the dark. The race start was a typical big banner and gun, with this being a championship race. I prefer the 'old-school-side of-a-picnic-table' kind of race, but this wasn't really a concern of mine at this point as I was just happy to be healthy and ready. When the gun went off though, I didn't expect the race pace to be so fast. It felt like a 10k race on the quarter mile stretch of road before diving down the mountain on single-track heaven for 14 miles. I pulled back and just let at least 50 people go in front of me. I wanted to go real slow in the beginning. However I did find out why they were running so fast. They wanted to get to the single track first before getting stuck behind much slower runners, which I guess I got luck cause the group I was with was running just my pace.
My strategy today was to go slow and just gradually increase the effort throughout the first 30 miles of the race. I knew after 30 miles I would be in uncharted territory, so I was prepared for the carnage to come from that point. I had no expectations on pace, time, or place and didn't even wear a watch, as I have a tendency to check my pace and time. I was running strictly on FEEL. I carried two water bottles the whole day, starting with pickle juice and water for the first 8 miles. These were all downhill miles, with crazy cliffs to the left. In many spots if you tripped you could easily end your life. I was amazed that the race was allowed to run next to these cliffs, with more than 300 people starting and funneling into a single track trail. I felt relaxed and comfortable, drinking and talking most of the way. At the first aid station I was one of only a few to stop. I filled both bottles up with water, took two salt tabs and ate two gels while continuing on. I didn't even lose my place, as I easily caught up with the group I started with. From here we kept the downhill theme for another 6 miles to the first aid station where I could see Jaclyn and Tammy. I ran with Erno, an experienced ultra runner for most of this section. He was friendly and offered one piece of advise that would come in handy later, "Just know, that at some point you're going to feel terrible, you're going to have a bad-patch, and work through that. You'll feel better on the other side".
At mile 14 I could see Jaclyn and Tammy in the distance, as they were dawning their trademark green ponchos. They were both cheering load and were such a great site for me to see. I felt great and filled up one bottle with pickle juice and one with water, took some gels from Jaclyn, and got a 'see you soon' kiss. Right after this aid station I knew we had the long climb back up the mountain. So I took a deep breath, took off my coat, and headed up. In Richmond, VA you can't train on mountains, so I had hoped that my extra mileage and tough speed work would allow me to find a rhythm up the mountain. I continued to feel great. I passed several people with a steady grind and fast paced hiking style that is certainly a strength of mine when the ground pitches to a steeper grade. There were several times where I felt I might be off course. For more than and hour, I didn't see another person or see any markers that led me a certain way by the race organization. I could tell that people were making tracks on the trail, so I continued on my way. Soon enough I came across signs left by the race org and could see several runners up ahead on the switchback climb. Relief.
At the top of the climb I could hear the crowd from the Start/Finish line, as the race did a big loop back to this point for the first half and for the second half (the race was in a figure 8 loop). I stopped to fill up my bottles from Jaclyn and her Mom and talked with them for a few minutes. Jaclyn kept saying "you're in the top 20, you're in the top 20". I just shrugged it off though, as I knew there was a lot more ground to cover, and felt there was going to be a gut-check or two coming pretty soon as well. I left here feeling good, but just a quarter mile down the road got lost and off course. I was immediately pissed. One of the race officials saw me and quickly directed me back on course. I didn't lose that much time, but the whole thing got me frazzled and irritated. I hate being lost in a car, so imagine my reaction to being lost in a race. ha. Once back on course I got into a steady pace, smooth and easy. All of a sudden though, I ran head on into four guys. WHAT?!?! They instructed me that I was again off course. They were the top four runners and I was running head-on into them. I was pissed, irritated, mad, and confused. I turned and ran with them for about 30 seconds when we ran into Erno. I remember him telling me that he had run this race 3 previous times and he said I was on the right track, so I again turned around and head back the way I came. I knew I could trust him, as he was very confident about the way to go. From there, we ran into another group of 10 runners who were off course running straight at us. They too had to turn around and run with us. I thought back to what Jaclyn had said though…"you're in the top 20"…doing the math, if I had just run into a total of 14 runners who were ahead of me, then I must be in the top 10 now. WOW! The race just turned in to a race, I thought.
I was right, but I was also in trouble. Now I was starting to run their pace, and this wasn't smart. I should have just let them go and eased back into my rhythm. That was the competitor in me coming out to play with the big boys. Around mile 28 I stopped at the aid station to get some water and HED. After taking a few more gels and salt tabs, I left the aid station in really good spirits. I decided to walk and put my iPod in for the first time. As soon as I did I ran into a guy I met at the start line, Neil, who was also running his first 50. We chatted for a while and made it to the rope section of course, where you had to climb a very steep section with a rope to the top of the mountain ridge. As we crested the climb, the ridge turned out to be a gentle incline that completely put me on my ass. I immediately had this feeling of exhaustion. I got depressed and felt like I wasn't going to make it. I kept pushing on, walking at a slower pace than my previous steady power hiking rate. I was defeated.
As I topped out on the ridge, it turn quickly into a downhill section that hit a portion of the trail hit hard by some kind of storm. There was a lot of cut up branches, down trees, and debris everywhere. I struggled again here as the trail went up and down. Making the final climb to mile marker 34, I knew I would see Jaclyn and her Mom. I came to the aid station with a massive crowd of people cheering. I was 18th but feeling terrible. I told Jaclyn and Tammy that my legs were shot. I didn't know how I was going to finish. In the aid station I got some powerade and water from Tammy and gels from Jaclyn (I will note that I experimented with gatorade and powerade during training, and gatorade gave me terrible stomach cramps. Powerade sat well in my stomach and gave me the electrolytes that I needed. I highly recommend experimenting with different aid items before a race). I made my way over to the food station and grabbed some sugar gummy bears that really hit the spot.
I left the aid station with a defeated attitude and ran about a mile with terrible thoughts of dropping out. Suddenly though, I started to run, and run, and run. I was listening to music and just running easy. I gained this sense of misery and accepted it. I pushed on, and on, and on. Through this whole 4 mile section I felt better and better with each mile. I finished by coming into the aid station again to see Tammy at the top of the hill screaming at me. I was smiling and gave her a big hug and told her that I was feeling much better. I couldn't believe it. Erno was right. I felt the sense of defeat, that 'bad-patch' he had told me about. I just pushed through it and felt better on the other side. My spirits were high and I knew I was going to finish. I didn't care now even if I hit another bad patch, I would just put my head down and power through. I described it at the end of the race to someone, that I wasn't really feeling better. I still had a lot of pain in my legs, exhaustion, lack of motivation. I just had learned to cope with it. I accepted it and ran with it. This was a place I had never tapped before.
After I left the aid station, I carried some sugar gummy bears out with me for the first part of the next section. This part of the trail I had already seen from outbound trip, so I was a little hesitant by the amount of climbing still required to finish. Feeling good though I push the pace and ran hard, hiking some of the up hills hard, hands on knees grunting. I was pleased to hit the now gradual downhill on top of the ridge and run the whole way back to the rope section. I passed so many people, still at mile 30 in the race and knew how much struggle, aka miles, they still had left. I felt bad for them, but didn't say a word, other than encouragement.
At the last aid station I joked around with the volunteers who were amazing all day. I didn't spend much time here, as I just wanted to get this race over with. I crossed a wooden bridge just after a quarter mile and saw a porto-john straight ahead. I needed to pee again so I ducked in real fast. As I left I continued down the dirt path about a quarter mile with a larger stream on my left. I kept hearing something other than my music to my left and finally found out what it was. It was two runners in the same race, but on the other side of this large stream. SHIT!! I was off course again. I was pissed, irritated and mad. I missed the course markings again because they were laid down from all the rain and mud. The race organization didn't put any ribbons on the trees, they were all on the wet muddy ground.
As frustrated as I was, I didn't have time or the energy to spend on being upset for long. I just focused on the last 6 miles. As I worked my way down by the river, I knew I was going be heading up to the finish with a long 5 mile climb. Again I hit a bad patch. Probably self-inflicted though, from missing the course and getting upset. I kept moving forward but not at the pace I wanted to. Neil, from the beginning of the race, again came barreling past me. He had some friends running with him, that I thought was against the rules, but they were all nice and encouraged me along. If I were racing for the win, I would have been pissed, but I didn't really care. I was in survival mode at this point. In the last mile I came back to the powerline section of the course that was covered in mud. I passed two people here as they were struggling to run in the thick mud. With a smile on my face I knew I was going to finish. I almost want to say that I slowed to savor the moment. I was smiling, laughing, almost crying with joy. I could hear the finish line announcer. When we came up to the finishing area I was running with another guy who I hadn't spoken with. He was ahead of me by about 5 yards for the last mile and I just let him go. I stopped and turn to see if anyone was coming. I wanted him to get his glory without me in the picture and mine without him in the picture (though Jaclyn was shooting video). I could hear the cheering for him and starting running again. I saw Tammy at the top of the climb and kept on running with a smile. She was extremely loud, amazing crew member, and supportive all day. As I made the final turn out of the woods I could see Jaclyn standing by the barriers at the finish. I threw my hands in the air and realized I actually made it 50 miles, and absolutely loved it. The woman at the end egged me on to run the last few steps, but I didn't care one bit. I walked, savored, and will never forget those moments.
After the finish I sat cold, wet, and hungry and just replayed the day with Jaclyn and her Mom. Their stories of the day were almost as exciting as mine. It was no easy walk for them traveling all over the mountain to several locations in the rain and cold to see me for 30 seconds at a time. They told me that they had a lot of fun, which I believe, cause if you know Tammy, you know she likes to change scenery and take care of people, and this was a 9 hour and 16 minute event of just that. BIG thanks to Jaclyn and Tammy. So grateful to have shared it with them. I can't wait to do this again. Addicted.
Gear-
Pearl Izumi N1 trail shoes
Injinji Mini-crew 2.0 toe socks (zero blisters)
Salomon Twinskin shorts
Salomon Exo motion long sleeve top
Buff head band
GU gels - Roctane/Peanut butter
Pickle Juice
Powerade
Water
TFR -Wes
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