Mountain Mist 50K

Friday three buddies and I traveled to Huntsville, Alabama for the Mountain Mist 50K at Monte Sano State Park.  It was insanely hot on Friday (77 degrees) and rain was moving in, hopefully bringing some cooler temps with it.  

We were lucky enough to reserve a cabin less than a mile from the start/finish line.  We rolled into the lodge for packet pick-up a little after 6:00 and then down to the cabin to get our stuff ready and a good night's sleep before the race.  The cabin was perfect.  And rustic.  It has a great screened in porch and a wonderful stone fireplace.  While we all joked and nervously laid our stuff out for the next morning, Mann started a fire.  Problem one.  The chimney was obviously clogged somehow because not long after the fire began roaring, the smoke began flowing . . . right inside our one room cabin.  What was cool and rustic a few minutes earlier was now far too small to handle the smoke.    

After the smoke was gone we finished watching A Few Good Men (okay, so the cabin wasn't that rustic) on television and got some sleep.  Part of a one room cabin means sleeping arrangements are, well, not perfect.  Mann and Damien were forced to share a full size bed, Brian slept on a twin mattress on the slate floor, and I took the twin bed - now with only a box springs.  

We were up between 5:00 and 5:30 and began making final adjustments to our nutrition plans and packing our gels, electrolyte replacement drinks/pills/etc.  We were out the door and headed to the lodge by 7:15.  After a few pre-race comments, and a picture of the four of us while we were all in good condition, Mountain Mist 50K 2009 was under way.  The weather was in the 30's with a strong wind to start.  It rained during the night so some of the course was sure to be muddy.  

The race follows a paved road for a short while until we take a left and into the woods for the duration of the race.  The 340 +/- people stayed really bunched up for much of the way toward aid station #1.  I was hoping not to even slow down at aid #1, but was worried that we would get held up as the volunteers checked us through the aid station.  Fortunately the volunteers did a great job and I was able to breeze through.  

Brian took off early in the race and I wouldn't see him again until the last section.  Mann and Damien were behind me somewhere but I was never sure where.  So, I ran the race alone, insofar as the four of us were concerned.  One of the great things about running an ultra is that you are never alone.  There are always others to share stories with and share in the pain together.  I had the pleasure of running with a gentlemen from Douglas County, Georgia for a while.  

The first half of the course is not terribly difficult; however, that changes for sure on the second half.  Don't get me wrong, there are still some tough parts on the first half, but nothing like the water line trail at mile 23 and the last trail out of the bottom at mile 28.  Because I had been warned that the second half was really tough I was doing my best to keep my heart rate down and run a smart race.  When you are going 31.1 miles with 7000+ feet of elevation change, running fast at mile 6 hardly makes sense.  

I  knew the water line and the water fall climb were tough.  Understatement.  The water line trail is rocky but not super technical, that is, until you get to the water fall.  At this point, you literally have to rock climb up a water fall until you rejoin the trail.  This wouldn't be so hard if it weren't at mile 23!  

This course is a really rocky course in sections.  Some of the water falls were frozen and were gorgeous to see along the course, but there was no ice to speak of on the course itself.  The rain made it slick and muddy in parts but frankly the course was in great shape. 

Once you make it out of the water line you are at about mile 24.5.  You get a very small reprieve until about mile 28 when it goes up, up, up.  The climb out of the bottom is long and steep.  The good news is that once you get out of the bottom you only have 1.8 miles left.  The bad news is it feels like you'll never get out.  

I was cramping pretty bad but, having done a few ultras, I knew the cramps would come and go.  My legs started cramping in the groin area around mile 20.  I knew my legs would improve if I could just keep moving forward.  Indeed it stopped, errr, moved.  The cramps went from there to my hamstrings, and to my quads, and calves.   I felt like my nutrition plan was solid - I was getting plenty of sodium thanks to S! Caps and GU gels and thought my carb intake was good.  The second half of the race I added in Cliff Shot Electrolyte Replacement drink, but still the leg  cramping.  I'm not sure what is causing the cramping unless it is simply leg fatigue.

Finally I hit the final aid station and the top of the climb.  I grabbed some salty pretzels and hit it, determined to run the final 1.8 miles.  This last section is smooth trail.  I felt pretty good at this point, having held some back early in the race.  I was able to pick it up a little.  Off in the distance I saw Brian with a distinct limp.  I figured he would run the race in 5:15 - 5:30 so I knew his I.T. band was giving him issues.  As I caught up to him he confirmed that the I.T. band started hurting around mile 10.  Very impressive to finish a tough 50K with a sore I.T. band.   We ran together a bit and I pulled ahead the last half mile and finished in 5:47.  

I was pleased with my time.  It was a PR for me at the 50K distance.  I wasn't in great shape and thought I would run 6:00 - 6:30, so 5:47 was a pleasant surprise.  Mann ran a great race and finished a little behind Brian and me.  Damien, running his first ever ultra event (Damien, try an easier run next time!), finshed well under the cut-off.   

All-in-all, we had a great day.  Running among the beauty God provided for us and with great friends is awesome, regardless of one's time.

Running and crashing . . .

I needed one more long trail run this past weekend in preparation for Mountain Mist 50K.  Brian and I agreed to again meet at 6:00 a.m. and ride to the trails together.  Indeed, we met at 6:00 and in the dark and rain, we ventured toward the trailhead.  

Unfortunately about a mile or two south of town a deer decided he did not particularly care for the west side of Highway 25 and would much prefer the east side.  I have no problem with that decision; however, admittedly I wish he had decided to cross at pretty much any other time than the time he did.  Instead he crossed at the exact moment that my truck was traveling south at about 65 - 70 mph.  Brian and I both saw the deer a fraction of a second before impact.  Nothing we could do, other than hold on.  Fortunately I didn't swerve or slam on my brakes.  I tapped the brakes slightly and collided with the deer on the front left corner of my truck, which wouldn't have been so bad; however, it spun the deer around and into the driver's door.  Now the driver's door will not close all the way and will need to be replaced entirely.  Excellent.

What is even better is that Jamie recently hit a tree at our church in her car.  So now, I get to visit with the local body shop and try to cut some type of two-for-one deal.  Perfect.  

On a positive note, Brian and I decided there was really nothing we could do at 6:15 a.m. on the side of the road in the rain, so we went ahead and got our run in.  Did a nice 21-22 miles.  It was incredibly humid and took a lot out of us.  The temperature was 60-65 most of the run.  I felt pretty good most of the run although I am still fighting some cramping issues in my lower quads.  I suspect it was the humidity and being a little low on sodium.   I had much rather it be 25 degrees with lower humidity than 60 with high humidity.   

Now to the body shop . . .

Unreal

Just wow . . . 

This is outstanding.  Some people consider running 30, 40, 50, 100, 100+ miles as extreme??  Not even close.  Check these guys out.

wingsuit base jumping from Ali on Vimeo.

That's the way to ring in a New Year!

By and large New Year's celebrations are grossly overrated.  I mean, let's be honest, we basically pick a date to close businesses so everyone can head to the bar, pub, tavern, watering hold, etc. to get hammered and play with things that blow up aka fireworks.  Now that's smart.

I am much more of a relax with friends and family (but still play with the things that blow up!) kind of guy for New Year's.  Jamie, the boys, and I did just that Wednesday night.  The boys rode 4-wheelers and we all sat by the bonfire and hung out.  Perfect way to spend New Year's Eve - good friends and family.

Then on New Year's Day a few of my friends (Mann, Damien, and Brian) and I hit the trails at Choctaw Lake for a long run.  We meet at the trailhead around 6:30 a.m. and got started close to 7:00.  Mann and Damien planned to run 20ish and Brian and I hoped to get in 25 or so.  We had a great run.  The weather was perfect, awe inspiring.  It was 25-29 degrees when we started with a slight breeze but warmed up into the 40's by the time we finished.  

We left Choctaw Lake and hit the Beaver Lodge Trail over to the North Trail by way of Lost Cemetery Road.  We followed the North Trail and ultimately took Charlotte's Web to the cemetery.  After a brief re-fueling we began the trek back taking the Sheepranch Trail to Rockcrusher Road and back to Lost Cemetery Road.  Lost Cemetery Road was wet.  At this point we are at about mile 18-19 and I have thus far remained dry, including my feet.  Unfortunately that streak came to end as both of my feet sank into the cold, muddy holes on the trail.

We made it back to the lake for what was 21-22 miles.  Brian and I couldn't stop long or that would be the end of our day.  So we said our goodbyes and took off around the lake toward the trails on the other side.  We ultimately ran what was basically Mann's 10K course in the Choctaw Lake race, so we added around 5.5 - 6 miles giving us 27-28 miles for the day.

I have posted about these trails before, but they really are fantastic.  Charlotte Fuquay does an excellent job keeping these trails in great shape.  We got lots of good ups and downs.  All four of us are running Mountain Mist in a few weeks so we need the trail time.  I am not in great shape but hopefully this training run gave me the "oomph" to get through the race, even if slower than I would like.

Now, this is the way to ring in  New Year!

Saturday hurt . . .

I wanted to get around 3.5 hours in Saturday which would probably be around 24ish miles.  I started early - 5:00 a.m. - and planned to run out to the group (Boardtown Runners) and then do another couple of hours.  The first 8 or so miles went fine, but for some reason around mile 11 I felt awful.  I was dizzy and felt just plain bad.  I thought I had plenty of sodium and carbs but just was not myself.  

I debated heatedly with myself on calling it a day at 11 miles, but fortunately (or unfortunately depending on your point of view) I just sorta gutted it out.  I ended up running 3 hours which was about 20 miles.  After the wall at 11 miles I felt marginally better for the rest of the run.  Not great, but decent.  

Suffice it to say this was one of those days that you are just glad to be finished with.  It hurt.  Hopefully this week will be significantly better or Mountain Mist will be a long day.

A Christmas wrap-up . . .

Wow.  Wow!  It is truly remarkable the decibel level Larkin can reach with nothing more than his naked voice.  I mean it is incredible.  He is only 3 yet commands attention when he wants by simply unleashing his vocal cords.  When he does . . . watch out.  Larkin has been, how shall I say, less than "good" to merit a visit from the ole' jolly one himself.  Yet on Christmas Day there were gifts for Larkin.  That prompted Jack to say "surprisingly Santa came to see Larkin also."  So true.  So true.  

Thus far (I say "thus far" because we are Episcopal and celebrate the 12 days of Christmas that begin on Christmas Day and end on Epiphany 12 days later - we keep our trees up, etc. until then) we have had a wonderful Christmas, although I am continually amazed at the commercial side of it.  There is not a trinket made that our boys don't have.  We have done much better the last couple of years.  Santa now brings only 3 main gifts with a few other items for the stockings.  Our boys now know and understand that despite a list of 5,321 things, they are likely to get only 3.  They are now okay with that.  Banks was making his list to send on up to the North Pole before Christmas and only had 3 things on it.  Jamie inquired why he didn't put more on there.  His response, "well, if I only put 3 things on there and Santa brings 3 things, I'm sure to get all 3."  Pretty intelligent move I suspect.  Guess what?  Santa indeed brought all 3.  (we're suckers).  At the end of the semester in kindergarten, Banks's class was assigned a task of writing to Santa with their Christmas wish for gifts.  Banks's wish?  "to get all the presents on my longer list."  Nice.

Larkin is infatuated with Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman.  Nothing strange about that for a 3 year old; however, here's where it gets a bit odd . . . he insists on watching the episodes in Spanish.  I know, I know.  I cannot explain it.  You can walk in the back of the house and there is Larkin engrossed in some Batman episode in Spanish.  

Wow, it has been, well, a long time since I've posted.  Frankly since I am fairly certain I have like 3 readers, I do not think anyone cares.  Nonetheless, I should probably keep the blog a little more up-to-date.  

Fair amount has happened since my last blog entry.  Historically, we have elected Barack Obama as the President-Elect of the United States of America.  Whether you supported now President-Elect Obama or not, I hope you can truly appreciate this incredible accomplishment.  Time will judge President-Elect Obama's ability; however, at this point I think it safe to say he is a tremendously inspiring person. 

On the family front . . . things continue to hop at our house.  With 3 boys ages 7 and under it would be an understatement to say our life is normal or subdued.  Frankly though I wouldn't want it any other way.  Watching our boys as they interact with each other (read another way that sentence might say "watching our boys as they jump off the bed onto each other and continue to hit, kick, punch, and pound each other . . . ".  I'm kidding.  We are super fortunate that our kids are awesome and play very well together.) is a true joy.  There is not one single thing I would change.  My poor wife is the one that endures the brunt of the "issues" at home.  

The latest addiction at our house is Buzz the elf.  You may have seen the "Elf on a Shelf" at your local bookstore.  Basically, if you are a really good little boy or girl an Elf flies down from the North Pole to your house during the night to check on you.  The Elf has magical powers; however, he is not to be touched by children or he will lose his magical powers and will not come back.  Each night the Elf appears in a different location.  Our boys absolutely LOVE to find him.  They are completely captivated by him.  They named him "Buzz."  So, now when they are, shall we say, not on their best behavior, I threaten with a little "hmmm, wonder what Buzz thinks of this."  Works like a charm.

On the running front, I took most of October off.  I rested a good bit and ran only 4 or 5 times of 5 or so miles each.  It felt good to sleep late and just relax.  I started back in November and now I am getting ready for Mountain Mist 50K the end of January 2009.  I will not be in great shape but should have enough of a base to be okay.  Having not run the course I'm not sure what to expect time wise.  I doubt it is as difficult as GEER with its 8800' of elevation gain, but is probably more difficult than the Ouachita 50K.  I would be pleased if a ran in the 6:05 - 6:15 range, but admittedly I am not in race form at this point.  

I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday season and finds a way to enjoy it without the stress of the commercial side of Christmas.