I've been looking forward to this race all year. I read a few blogs about it last year and since I couldn't run Mt. Mist, I decided to run this as my first 50k. I was a little nervous all week and felt a little under prepared. My training has really been slacking but I felt like I could finish. I took off half a day on Friday so we could drive down. We checked into the hotel and left immediately to find the lodge. We found the lodge and picked up my packet and headed to find something to eat. I had a hard time sleeping thinking about the race but finally was able to fall asleep around 11. I woke up at 4:15 to get ready. After a shower and breakfast, my wife drove me to the finish so I could get on a bus to the start line. There was 2 buses, one school bus and one prisoner bus. I was told the school bus was full so I got on the prisoner bus. It was full also but I found a seat on the floor between the cage and front seat. I shared it with a guy from Huntsville. We chatted a little on the way. The bus ride took about 35 min. but felt longer. We got to the start area and kinda hung out for about 45 min. The race director called everyone to the start line and gave the final instructions. He said he wasn't going to say ready, set, go, instead he told us to start when we heard the music start. Sweet Home Alabama came through the speakers and we were off. The race starts about a hundred feet from the trail head. The start is slow unless you are a speedster and line up in the front. I started in the middle of the pack. It was a lot of walking for the first half a mile, but it soon spread out. I ran a comfortable pace until aid station 1. I had a cup of Heed at the aid station and was on my way. I was feeling really good after the stop and passed a lot of runners on the road section. We hit the trail and began to climb. During this section the guy running in front of me tripped and fell. He rolled out of it nicely and was back on his feet. He said he was fine. I stayed with him until we hit the jeep road. The jeep road was pretty steep, but I felt good so I ran most of it. There was a guy standing at the top of the hill telling us how far to the next aid station. He was cheering and encouraging everyone to push hard up that hill and told us we only had 1.5 miles of downhill before the aid station. I seen him another 4-5 times during the race doing the same thing. It was pretty neat that he was taking his time to walk about 1-2 into the trail to tell runners how far they had and to encourage them. I made it to the aid station and had half of a peanut butter sandwich and some M&M's. I filled my bottle and hit the trail. We immediately started climbing. It was a brutal hill too. Every time you would think you were done climbing you would switch back and have more. While your huffing and puffing up the hill you can look to your right and left and just see mountains. I think is was one of the prettiest things I've ever seen in person. After topping out on top we ran along the ridge line for a few miles. It was one of my favorite parts of the course. I was feeling really good and decided to run all out on the descent. It was really rocky but I kept pushing hard. I was passing people like crazy. I hammered the whole time on the way to the next aid station. The pounding really took its toll on me as I made it to the next aid station my toes were killing me. I ate half of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and a few M&Ms at the aid station and 2 cups of Heed. As I left the aid station I felt really bad. I couldn't get into a groove and I was running by myself. We had the first creek crossing right after the aid station. I probably could of hopped rock to rock to avoid getting my feet wet, but I was tired and not feeling good, plus my toes were hurting. I splashed straight through the middle of it. This part of the course was really uneventful. I was struggling and I hated running and missed my wife and son and my feet and legs and toes hurt. I really hated every bit of it. I finally made it to aid station 4. The lady working the aid station offered me some ibuprofen. I took 2, ate and drank a little and was on my way. I caught up to a lady from GA and a guy for FL and we ran together for a little while. I was starting to feel a little better but my toes still hurt. We made it to the famous water crossing. I've read about it and seen pictures and I thought it was gonna be big and bad. This year it wasn't nearly as bad as previous years. The lady from GA and the guy from FL was trying to figure how to get across while I just went straight through. It was probably thigh deep and it felt good on my feet. Aid station 5 was right after the creek crossing. I filled my bottle and drank 2 cups of Heed and ate. They had some potatoes that we could dip in salt. They were delicious. After the aid station, I started to run with a guy that had run this race 4 times. He also ran the pinhoti 100 last year. He really new the course well and he was telling me all about it. It was a really pretty part of the course. He was struggling with his back a little and I was feeling good so I wished him luck and passed. I caught up to FL guy again and ran with him for about 3 miles. He stopped right before the next water crossing to use the bathroom and I plowed straight through the water. I never saw him after that. The trail ends and we were forced to run on a jeep road. I was feeling better and even though the road was uphill I tried to run as much as possible. Somewhere along this time I passed the 26.2 mark and I was in uncharted territory. At the end of the jeep road we hit the pavement. I'm not sure how far we ran on the pavement but it felt forever. We finally made it to the last aid station. I filled my bottle and drank a couple of cups of Heed. I ate some M&M's and a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and hit the trail. I followed a couple of guys out of the aid station and started the climb known as Blue Hell. It was brutal. It starts going up and there are know switch backs just straight up climbing. You have to use the roots for steps and use both hands to pull up. There are rocks everywhere and it feels like it goes on forever. The guy in front of me slipped and busted his shin I think. He moved over and I kept going. One miserable step after another. My calves have never felt like that. Once you finish the climb you are dumped back on the road for a little more uphill. I seen a guy in front of me and I picked it up. We hit the trail and had to climb some more. He was doing better than me on the uphills so I let him go. We got dumped back onto another road and I was able to pass him during this section. After a short run on the road we hit the trail one last time. I really pushed hard during this section as I didn't want the guy to pass me. I could hear music and a PA system so I thought I was close. I pushed hard until I had a volunteer tell me I had a little over a mile to go. I slowed a little but was getting excited. I exited the trail and made the right turn and seen a runner straight ahead. I sprinted a little but he had more than me. I crossed the finish line and was relieved. I shook the race directors hand and went to see my wife and son. I laid in the grass for a few minutes and then walked to the car to change shoes. My toes were trashed. 2 toes on my right foot and 1 on my left foot were swollen and the toenails are blue underneath. I'm sure I'm gonna lose them but it should match my other one well.
Overall this was one of the hardest things I've ever done. It was also one of the funniest and if I'm able I'll do it again next year. I've never felt like I felt crossing the finish line. All the things I got to see along the course was amazing. I really want to train a little harder to see what I can really do in a 50k. Since the race I've been trying to figure out what I want to do next. I was planning on working hard to try to BQ this winter but now I/m thinking about some longer ultra's (40-50 miles) And since talking to the guy that ran the Pinhoti 100, I've been thinking about that a lot. Maybe one day
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