So I wanted to follow up my first post, announcing this blog series, with a recap of the 50k that I ran January 15th.
I first learned about the event in mid December. I have a tentative race schedule in mind leading up to the big race 100 mile race (MMT) in May (more on that in the next post), so this was going to be a good first test to see where my training is, what I need to work on specifically, and test out nutrition. It was a good distance and a good time of year.
Leading up to it, my longest run had probably been about 11-12 miles back in November. I would do 3-7 mile runs here and there, but usually on road or more rolling trails.
As you can see based on the graph, it’s a pretty hilly course with a lot of climbs and descents – 8,500 ft in total.
I stayed at a friends cabin outside of Sperryville, VA the night before. It was a chance to get out of the city and relax for a bit and calm any nerves. It also gave me time to I organize my race day nutrition and mentally go through the course. I’ve been out on these trails numerous times before, but not in the last 3 years. However, it’s still very familiar to me.
This was a pretty low key race and post people just milled around until the start at 8am. It was a ‘race within a race’ as they were crowning a king and queen of the mountain – the first male and female to get to the top of Waterfall. I hung out at the back of the start and did a mix of hiking and running as it took me just over 56 minutes to cover that first 5k to their 34 minutes to get to the top of Waterfall and to Crisman Hollow Road.
The next climb was short, about a mile along the orange Massanutten blazes to the top of Kerns Mountain, and then about a 4 mile run along the ridge to the top of Jawbone Gap. I’ll be running this section of Kerns again in February, but in the opposite direction as it is part of the Reverse Ring course, and again in May as it covers miles 72-76 of MMT.
At this point it’s about 930am. The sun is out and temps are in the low 40s. Most of the runners were in shorts, but I prefer tights this time of year and am probably overdressed a touch up top with a long sleeve baselayer top and windstopper pull over. But I tend to get cold, and it can get a little cooler when you’re on the west side of the ridge that doesn’t get any sun. I’d rather have to unzip my top to cool off than not have extra layers if it got cold.
As I said, it had been about 3 years since I’d been on the Massanutten trails, but it was very familiar to me. I can tell by twists and turns and rock formations about how far along I am on that section, and in changes from rocks to needles to leaves on the ground as to where I am in the climb to to the top or descent back to the road. After crossing Kerns and a quick out and back to the overlook, it was time to descend into Gap Creek to the first aid station at mile 9.
Here I picked up a cup of Coke with bourbon (no lie) and a couple bits of banana chunks. Filled up my pack as it was 10 miles to the next stop. I hadn’t been drinking much and my hands were already puffy. The next section was 5 miles up and over Peach Orchard Gap along the blue trail to pick up the orange Massanutten blazes along Duncan Hollow. The climb is relentless but I keep my gaze down so as to not see how much farther I have to go. I will cover this section but in the opposite direction during MMT. It was dry that day, but if it’s raining, the water just follows the trail down the mountain along with the runners. Today there were hikers that I had to pass on the descent along Big Run, but everyone is very friendly. I picked up the orange trail – a section that I rarely run – and started my way back towards the base of Waterfall.
There are a couple main themes with this area – there’s a lot of walking/hiking up hill, and there are a lot of rocks. A lot. Everyone falls at some point, and that happened to me along this section, yet it was fairly flat and there were few rocks. I try to stay as focused as possible, not letting my mind wander to caring for animals, programming, wondering what traffic will be like on the drive home, etc. I do listen to music, but from time to time do a mental assessment of my body – make sure I’m not running hunched over, keeping my shoulders relaxed, drinking enough water, making sure my hips, knees, and feet feel okay, etc.
I get back on the Massanutten trail that meets up at Gap Trail, and I’m back in familiar territory. I have one person pass me, and it’s the first person I’ve seen since leaving the aid station. It’s so familiar that I’m running on autopilot and nearly miss the turn up Waterfall. Fortunately I’m only on the white trail about 50 ft before I catch my mistake and start the long, slow trudge up Waterfall a second time. My time is about the same, but, damn it’s tiring. I reach Crisman Hollow road and start the ‘easy’ 2 mile run to the next aid station at mile 19, Visitor Center.
At this point it’s 1:45pm and I’ve been moving for nearly 6 hours. I ask the volunteers what time sunset is as I didn’t pack gloves or a headlamp. They figure I should be okay timewise and because I’m a veteran of the trails, but I still force myself to keep moving. I pass a few other runners who are slowed by the relenting climbs – one of the last of the day – as well as others who pull off to take pictures above Bird Knob. This is a section of MMT that I will probably cover around 4am, so it’s always good to do it on somewhat tired legs to get an idea of how long the climb will take when I have only 19 miles under foot instead of 78.. Due to some snow/ice near the top on the normal trail, we are detoured onto a side trail that’s a little rocky yet flat and fairly runable. I’ve only been on it once before about 8 years ago, so I’m not too familiar with where I am, but I notice some towers to my left, and realize I’m not far from the road where the trail comes out at.
I spy another runner in front of me, and keep him in my sights the next 2 hours. We run on the dirt road for about a mile before picking up the trail again for the last ‘big’ climb. I remember that it has 4 switchbacks, so I keep my head down and put one foot in front of the other, counting the switches until I reach the top. The descent isn’t nearly as rocky as some others, but it’s fast, and I feel a little tightness in the front of my knees. I slow down a bit, change my footfall slightly, and try no to brake so aggressively to ease the pain. There’s no much to think about on this mile stretch as it’s a quick turn onto another trail. Miss it and you’re in for some extra miles. Luckily I have my spotter in front of me as well as my trail knowledge to keep an eye out for it.
Onto Browns Hollow trail and it’s practically smooth sailing. However, it’s a lot of downhills, and I hope my knees are up to the challenge. I have my spotter in front of me, and seeing him running keeps me running in sections I feel like walking. Knowing the sun is setting on the other side of the ridge keeps me moving as well, not wanting to be in the woods or on my feet any longer than necessary. I finally catch up to him at a small stream crossing – the cold water feels great on my feet – and complement him on his downhill running skills and for setting a good pace. We chat a bit, but keep moving on the slight uphill section – running a few steps, then walking a few at a 1:3 click.
We finally reach the turnoff to the last trail section of the day and it’s about 2 miles back to the parking lot. The trail can ‘disappear’ here as there are spots it’s just a field of rocks to cross, so it’s good to know ‘where’ you should go instead of looking for blazes to follow. This was a section that got the best of me in the dark back in 2007 during my first time at MMT, and I made it a point in the following years to try to memorize the twists and turns whenever I was out on training runs. And that knowledge came in handy. I count the final three stream crossings as you hear the trucks traveling on 211 not far away, and make the final climb to meet up with the other runners who have finished hours before.
The fire pit at the finish is warm and inviting as is the Brunswick stew. I enjoy both, as well as the last 3rd of a 2 liter bottle of Coke with a splash *ahem..* of bourbon. All three hit the spot.
My final time was 9:07 for 31 miles. It was the longest I’d run since completing MMT in 2014, and not far off from my total miles run in all of 2016. ‘
My next post will outline my race schedule for the next 3 months as well as recovery from this race and current training program. And it involves a lot of this..
