Carl Touchstone 50K - my first podium!

This was my second time to run in the Carl Touchstone 50K (aka MS 50). The race features three distances: 20K, 50K, and 50 miles. I ran the 50 miles last year but since I was using this as a training run to peak for the Vermont 100 in July, I opted for the 50K this year.

I decided to camp at the start/finish this year with Stacy, Mann, and Mandy. There is plenty of space to camp, but it is primitive camping only. I recalled last year arriving at the start/finish the day before the race around 4:00 p.m. and it being almost completely empty. This year, however, was a different story. This race is run on the Longleaf "Horse" Trail in the DeSoto National Forest in Mississippi. The key word in the preceding sentence is "horse" because when we arrived at camp we felt like we were at some type of horse commune. The place was packed with horses, trailers, campers, etc. We were treated to various horse sounds for much of the night.

After setting up camp, Stacy and I went into town to pick up the various items each of us left at home. We returned to camp to eat and sip on a cold beverage. Mann and Mandy came back after the pre-race pasta dinner. We visited for a while and then each headed off to bed until morning.

We were up by 4:00, dressed by 5:30, and racing by 6:00. It was fairly warm when we woke up, a sign of a very warm day to come. The National Forest Service was doing burns in the area, so the race course had to change at the last minute. Hats off to Dennis and the other race volunteers for making the needed changes and updating the website promptly. Basically it meant we would run an additional out and back on each loop that we had not run in previous years. For the 50K, our first loop was a 16.7 mile loop and the final loop was 15.2 (yeah, I know, that adds up to 31.9, or .8 more than a 50K . . . what can I say? We got the extra .8 free with our race fee).

The race starts in the dark, but a headlamp is not needed because light is fast approaching and we run on nice wide, pine trails for a nice stretch. We then took a left for the first of two out-and-back sections. This first out-and-back was wide and wet. There were several creek crossings that were wide enough that you just had to hammer through them and let the shoes drain later. I felt really good the whole first lap. I hooked up with a fellow Starkvillian, Steve Elder. He and I chatted a bit as we clicked the miles away. We were both running strong and feeling good. We went out with a group of 8 or 9 runners. The front 3 or 4 quickly distanced themselves from us and we settled in in that next group. We leap frogged a couple of guys several times.

Steve and I finished the first section in 2:25, which is about 8:40 a mile. While we were on the 2nd, shorter loop, Steve mentioned that he had run a sub-3 hour marathon. It was about this time that I realized I was an idiot for trying to run with him. While I'm in pretty decent shape, I am not a sub-3 hour marathoner, at least I don't feel like one. Predictably, Steve started to stretch it out in front of me some. Also, I started to get just a little nauseated. It was getting insanely hot for this time of year. The temperature was in the 70's already and it was still early morning. I made a rookie mistake of running out of water between aid station 1 and 2. Fortunately I was without for only a short time. I am still tinkering with my sodium intake. I used Nuun for this race for the first time, and really like it.

By this point it was just survival. I was trying to be cautious and not hammer too hard. I would be conservative on some uphills and run the downhills. This seemed to work well, and kept me in the game for a while. Mentally I was just working on the constant forward motion mantra. I knew I was in the top 5 at this point, but not sure whether I was 2nd, 3rd, 4th, or 5th. When I got to the last aid station, I was fairly certain I was not going to catch Steve, but badly wanted to make sure no one caught me. I continued walking the uphills and running the downhills. I kept thinking "what if someone passes me and it is for 3rd place." As I approached the final half mile I made my last look behind me. Seeing no one, I stepped it up and ran as hard as I could, finishing in 5:01.36, a personal best by 46 minutes, good enough for 3rd place. Had it been a traditional 50K (31.1 miles), I would have broken 5 hours. I was shooting for 5:15-5:30, so I was very pleased, especially considering the heat - it was close to 80 at this point.

Running another great race, Mann was not far behind. Mandy finished her first 50K in under 6 hours, no small feat in that Mississippi heat. Stacy pulled out a top 25 finish as well.

Several other Starkville runners braved the heat Saturday, all running the 50 mile race. Candy ran her first 50 miler and finished in 8:40, good enough for 4th female. Cade notched his second 50 mile finish at MS50. Becky ran a great race, but the heat made it tough and she ultimately dropped down to the 50K somewhere late in the race.

Tim Fromm, from New Mexico, ran strong the entire race, winning the 50K comfortably in 4:21.59. Local favorite, John Brower, defended his title winning the 50 mile race in 7:21 - 20 minutes ahead of second place John Cobbs of Alabama. Kris Whorton was the 1st female 50 miler in 8:05. Lisa Dahl, Minnesota, won the women's 50K in 5:30. Full results are here.

All-in-all, a great day on the trails with friends.

UPDATE: After returning home and unpacking my car, I found an oval "Ford" keychain with 2 Ford keys on there. I feel awful thinking about someone looking for these keys, but have no clue who they belong to or how they got in my truck floor board. If you have any clue, please email me or leave a comment here.

Yes to Carl Touchstone!

Looks like I WILL be doing the Carl Touchstone race.  Turns out enough people dropped out that I got in the race.  Training wise I am supposed to run the 50K instead of the 50 mile and then do one or more 50 mile races in April and/or May.  So, I signed up for the 50K, but wonder if I should still do the 50 mile race instead?

I was originally scheduled to run the Ouachita 50 mile in April, but it is on a weekend that is really bad for me.  So, I will likely have to simulate a 50 mile race of my own.  That is going to be no fun at all I suspect.  

Oh well, at least I'm in Carl Touchstone.  

No Carl Touchstone 50M this year . . .

I did not get into the Carl Touchstone 50M race this year.  It filled quicker than last year and I did not sign up in time; however, I am on the waiting list so there is still some hope I get in.  I will continue training as though I am in the race.  Oak Mountain has a 50K in mid-March that is an option as well.  The trick comes in deciding whether to sign up and pay for Oak Mountain or wait as long as possible on Carl Touchstone.  Obviously if I wait to long I run the risk of Oak Mountain filling up too.

I also need to pull the trigger in the next week on whether I am going to try a 100 mile race this year or not.  I was thinking hard about the Vermont 100 in July.  The problem with Vermont is that it is so far for people to travel to help me as pacers and crew.  I may push my 100 miler out a little while and do the Arkansas Traveller October 3-4, 2009.  We'll see.

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!