It started out for all of us about 18 minutes late due to the lightening that was in the area that morning and the forecast all week said 100% chance of rain and the forecast was spot on. After waiting for the mandatory 30 minutes after a lightning strike we were off. This start was not unlike any other ultra I had started except for the fact that there were only 30 of us and I was the only person over 57 with me at now 60 years old. The from runners were off like a bang and a lot of the rest of us just kinda slogged along until we hit the wooded area and the real start of the race. I kept the pace slow and ran with a few folks for a while then gave up my spot to slow down and take inventory of myself both mentally and physically. The one thing at this point of the race and for some time that kept going over and over in my head was, make sure you are not completely trashed at the halfway point. I had seen before and heard from many runners that the second time you go out on the course is the hardest thing to make yourself do.
The rain by now had continued to come down but never real hard, yet, at least until we reached 5 or so miles in. On the way out I remember running with Carol , Barbie, John, Shari, Dennis and Ryan. I am not exactly sure how those all fit in but I ended up running with Ryan most of the time after about 10 miles. We were together as we started to approach some of the deeper water crossings that really got us both worried. Taking it slow and making sure I did not pick up my feet to high because the current in the water crossings were starting to really push us around.
Another one of the things that had worried me about this race was making sure I was staying fueled up. The great thing abut these ultras is the aid stations though and these were very well stocked with great food and friendly people. I was using my usual nutrition drink and supplementing stuff that looked good on the tables, I.E, bananas, oranges,nutella wraps, potatoes, pickles and a few nuts.
We made it out to the turn around in one piece and I felt real good so we didn't stay long before heading back to the start finish line. By this time the only thing that really stuck out in our minds was the water crossings , everything else seemed to just take care of it's self, even the lightening strikes did't really bother me much. Most of the runners had conveyed to the race staff that it was imperative that they place ropes at all of the major water crossings if they wanted anyone but the front runner s to finish, so on the way back we saw a rope on one of the crossings,except it was one of the crossings that me and Ryan thought was one of the easier creeks to cross but we were not complaining.
By this point in the race Ryan had started to really slow and had started to say that his back was bothering him and we walked more than we were earlier. This went on for a few more miles as we switched places back and forth leading a following until finally I got in front and kinda started to pull away. I never really felt like I would not make the cutoff but I figured I might as well run while I had some energy and the crossings were still passable.
Fast forward I made it back to the 30 mile start finish shelter/ aid station and soon saw my son Matt. That was a welcome site. Matt had promised to be there and make sure I got back out and then join me for the final 15 mile journey in later that night. I got fueled up and changed my top shirt to my scuba gear long sleeve that would later prove to be the right choice in keeping me warm and dry under my "Frog Togg". I was off again, heading out for the next 15 miles most likely by myself since John and Shari had already taken off and are much stronger runners than I.
By now I remember crossing all of the high water areas by myself and hoping that I don't make a stupid move and get swept away. I still felt real good physically I think mostly because I was not hot at all , it was just cool enough to be perfect for me. I do remember now that each time I crossed a water crossing I said I wonder what this will look like after dark?
Now I remember coming into the last aid station before the turn and just as I was heading out I saw Dennis and Candi, much to my amazement. It was a real weird feeling, something I had never witnessed before , two runners turned around on the trail coming back. before I got a word out, they started to tell me about the next water crossing and how Candi nearly got swept away and Candi said that was enough for her it was not worth the risk. Dennis said " you can go look at it and see what you think but the rope they have does not reach all the way across the channel and it is rising fast". So I went with them back to the sheller to tell John and Shari about the situation and then decided to go have look myself. Dennis said the crossing was about a mile out so I figured I needed to see it before I turned in the towel. I was not back on the trail very long and I see Mindy coming towards me on the trail except I know that she has already made it out to the turn and was on her way back now. That was very encouraging to me because I know she was alone like me and she found a way so there must be a way thru this area. Mindy says that the next crossing after you run out of rope the water gets a little shallower and it is ok to go continue in the water without a rope. Then Mindy says that the river crossing rope is up stream a bit and I have to look for it but it is there. With all of that said I felt a little better knowing that they had ropes out and as long as the ropes stayed tied I would be fine. It sure was comforting to see and talk to Mindy... thank you Mindy your the bomb!!!
I make it back to the first crossing and the water is now balls deep which before it was thigh deep and I was praying all the time for it to stop raining so it would not get any deeper before I crossed it again. I made it across and headed to the last major crossing that everyone was worried about since I guess some people never found the rope and crossed way earlier without it. Well I made my way to the river crossing and started to look for the rope , it was no where to be found, but Mindy said look to the right so I tried to keep the blue paint marks on the trees in my site as I wandered up stream looking for the rope. There is was finally and it was a good rope, a little thicker than the others so far. Crossing this river was interesting because it was now totally dark except for my headlight and I was alone. I figured I had no choice but to make it I had Matt waiting on me at the turn and I don't want to make him wait too long.
I think I crossed a couple more bodies of water that did not exist earlier, I think it was the lake backing up into the woods and thank God someone was smart enough to put those blue blazes head high on some of the trees or I would still be out there.
Made it back to the turn and Matt was waiting for me with my meatball sandwich that I asked for ... dang that was good. Well at this point I am pretty happy I have made it 45 miles but really worried about getting back with Matt and now Joshua who is the course sweep. Yep that's right I was the last guy on the course out this far everyone else was either home or on the course ahead of me now. The folks behind me decided to stop running and live to fight another day.
I think at this point I was one hour ahead of the cutoff for this aid station when we left to bring her home. I felt good that there would be three of us but I knew I would be walking a lot due to the terrain and water and I knew that would kill the spirit of Matt and Joshua. As we started down the trail I told them that there was a little teaser coming up in about a mile. It was one of those areas that flooded and it just looked freaky when you came up on it because nothing looked familiar at all and now the water was over my waist and I think it was dang near to Josh's chest. I had to laugh as they both complained about the water being cold... I was like COLD, oh my, you guys ain't seen shit yet. So we made it thru that one and back to the river crossing where the water was still just as high as earlier but not rising any more thank you Jesus. The river crossing almost got ole Joshua but he held on and made it across. Now we are on our way to the bowl area that I tried to explain to them it was completely different that they can remember because it was washed out and we were crossing way down stream. I think they started having fun, at least it sounded like it.
I remember at some point an aid station had been blown over and the station was being ran out of the back of an SUV.. Thanks Angel for the awesome wraps and kind spirit. I know we had three guys out ahead of us abut 15 minutes but I never gave thought of giving chasew at this point. I was now starting to get a little wore out and as I stepped up several times I fell back as Matt would stop me and give me a push back up.
At this point in the race all I wanted to do was get out of the rain and get some dry clothes on and sit down. I knew that they were serving breakfast for the finishers and anyone that was up at the time. We made it back after 22 and a half long hours of rain, torrents, lightening and mud all in one piece without barley a scratch. I really kept God busy for the last 22 hours watching out for me and all of the runners. It was a real comfort to see that finish line and the Race Directors both still waiting for the last guy to come in. It was an amazing experience to say the least and my hats off to everyone that made it happen. I also want to say thank you to the RD's for not stopping the race but instead to give us what we wanted... a hard ass run in dangerous conditions that's what i paid for and that is what I got!
Hats off to everyone that laced um up and stood on the starting line because that takes alot of courage just to say " I will". I hope to give back to this group of runners again in the near future as I love the trail, race and everyone involved with it.
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