Rocky Raccoon Trail Run - 50 Mile - RunUltra Marathon

I went in without any expectations except to finish two loops. That would be longest run to date. My previous longest run was 31 miles a few years ago. My training long run this time around was 20 miles three weeks prior. The plan was to go out slow and try to pick it up. I ran into a low spot on the second loop between mile 23 and 26. I was able to get it back mentally and finished the loop strong. After finishing two loops, I would then make the decision whether to go out for the final loop. I was feeling good after two, so I went out for the final loop. No major problems at all during the last loop. I did run approximately the last 7 miles in the dark. I also developed a blister on the medial side of my left heel around mile 44. I finished strong and feeling good. It was good to be done though.

Not enough training. But that's okay. I did what I set out to do, which was to finish and finish feeling good.


Rocky Raccoon 50 Mile Trail Run
Huntsville State Park
February 2, 2008

I have wanted to run a 50 miler for some time, but it seemed like something always got in the way like an injury or life. So, here I was this year with things finally seeming to settle down a bit and thought I would try again. I had not done any runs over 31 miles in 6 years with only a few in the 20 mile range since then. And the last one of those had been about 3 years ago. I had been sick a couple of times this past year and most recently had been battling a knee thing from an injury I had sustained years ago. I ended up getting in a few runs in August in the 2-4 mile range and then nothing in September, because of the knee. I started back up again in October with a few 2-5 mile run/walks. I continued to build from this point doing two to three runs a week. I started to crank it up a bit in December and started to throw in long weekend runs. My first run of any distance came on December 8 when I headed down to Huntsville to run a loop with a couple of friends that were doing the Sunmart 50K. I ended up cutting the 12.5 mile loop short and ended up doing just under 10 miles. From here on out I would end up doing 1-2 runs a week. Most of this depended on the length of the long run. My total distance of running miles from October 1 to January 31 was 165.71 miles with 11 miles of mountain biking.

Here are my long runs from December until the race (all on trail):
• December 1 and 2 - back to back 6 mile runs
• December 16 - 12.75 miles
• December 22 - measure part of the RR course on bike
• December 23 - 5.4 miles
• December 29 - 16.9 miles
• January 5 - 16 miles
• January 12 - 20.5 miles
• January 19 - 4.3 miles
• January 26 - 5.6 miles
• February 2 - 50 miles

This buildup was quick, but I knew I could handle it, especially since I was only doing a couple of runs for the whole week. I've tried different programs and even coaches in the past, but I would always get injured or burned out. So now, I listen to my body and do fewer runs and/or lower mileage and that seems to work. This gives me time to recover and keeps me mentally fresh.

Race weekend:
During training, I had been struggling mainly with the nutrition side. This always seems to be my biggest problem. I had been using solid food as my fuel, but just wasn't getting in enough calories. So, for the race I decided to go with Hammer Nutrition's Sustained Energy and Hammer Gel. These are products I've used in the past and they have worked for me. Of course, the big no-no was not trying this method during training. I decided to carry some solid food along with me just in case this all went south. The plan was to take in around 200 calories per hour, so I would mix up 3 multi-hour bottles that would last 4 hours each or about one loop. I would just sip on each bottle during each of the three loops and this should give me enough calories to finish feeling good. I mixed 4 scoops of SE with 4oz of Raspberry Hammer Gel and water in a 22 oz bottle. This didn't leave much in the way of water in the bottle, so I carried a hand-held bottle with plain water to supplement. I also would take in a couple of Endurolytes every hour to keep the electrolyte levels up. SE doesn't last long before going bad after water is added, so I had two bottles with just the powder in them and left them in my drop bag at the turnaround point of each loop. I could then just add water and gel to the next bottle in line and leave the used one in my bag. My fuel bottle would ride in a waist pack along with my solid food and other essentials. This would leave one hand free. I would need this one hand once it got dark to carry my flashlight.

My plan was to go out slower than I had been doing my long runs in hope of making the first of the three loop course my slowest. In training, I had been using a 2/4 walk/run ratio. For the race, I planned to walk 6 minutes at the start and then do a 2 minute run/4 minute walk for the whole loop, or whatever the terrain allowed. When I got to parts of the course where the terrain started to roll, then I would abandon the run/walk by time and walk the ups and run the downs. I was hoping to finish the first loop somewhere between 4:15 and 4:30. For the second loop, I would switch over to running 4 minutes and walking 2 minutes in hopes of finishing the loop closer to the 4 hour mark. The third loop would be new territory, so I would do whatever the body allowed.

Loop one:
It was a bit chilly at the start and deciding what to wear became the most difficult decision of the day. I ended up in shorts and a short sleeve shirt with a long sleeve over it. I also wore some lightweight gloves. I knew I would warm up and the long sleeve and gloves could be ditched at the end of the first loop. The 100 mile runners had started at 6:00 AM and we (50 milers) were scheduled to start an hour later at 7:00 AM. Since I wanted to go out slow, I got in the back. A friend of mine, Jon, decided to stick with me. My other buddies, Duane, Alex, Steve, and Brett, were just in front of us and were going to go out just a tad faster than Jon and I. Brett went out the fastest out of our group, but still wasn’t blazing the trail. This would also be his first 50 mile attempt. He had done IM Wisconsin a few months prior, so that should help him out. Duane, Steve, and Alex have all run 50 miles on more than one occasion, so they knew what to expect. Jon had done several 50’s also. I sort of knew what was going to expect since I have run a few 50k’s and have been around these types of races for several years, but there was still that unknown of how my body would react with this type of distance. We take off after the RD says go and we immediately get into our walk mode. As we head up the trail, we settle into a nice run/walk as we watch our gang up ahead. They really aren’t pulling away, except for Brett. Jon and I even pass the three amigos once or twice. After leaving the Far Side aid station, which is at the end of a 2.8 mile out-and-back, those guys finally start to pull away from us and we never see the back of them again. This is fine. I had a plan and wanted to stick with it through this first loop. The next time we see the rest of our gang was on the final 1.09 mile section to the start/finish/turnaround. This section is an out-and-back and as we’re coming in they are already going out. It seems that they have made up even more time on us.

The first loop was pretty much uneventful and everything went as planned. I had everything I needed on me and would only need to stop at each of the four aid stations to refill my water bottle. The less time you spend in the aid stations, the better. The nutrition side worked well, the pace was fine, and I felt comfortable after finishing the first 16.67 mile loop. Jon and I finish the first loop in 4:00 hours and I was really surprised at this. It should have been slower since I was actually walking more than usual. Oh well. I get to my drop bag and shed the long sleeve shirt and gloves. I also get rid of my used fuel bottle and mix up a new one. I walk out and meet Jon as he’s ready to go. It took us 4 minutes or less to get all this done. Now it’s time to start loop two.

Loop two:
This would prove to be the tough one. Since the loop one plan worked well and the finishing time was faster than expected, I decided to stick with that same plan. Jon and I discussed this on a couple of occasions and he was in agreement. It was starting to heat up at this point and the projected high temp would be in the low to mid-70’s. Not hot by any standards, but maybe a bit warm for a run of this distance. I’m starting to feel the run a couple of miles into this loop. I look over at Jon and he’s feeling the same as me. We get to the out-and-back to Far Side and notice that our gang has pulled even farther away from us. I really wanted to stay closer to them and my only hope now is that they went out too fast and would fade from here on out. This loop went south on the way out of Far Side. Most of this out-and-back is rolling single track trail that leaves you either running downhill or walking uphill. The other part is jeep road, but it still rolls. Before now, neither of us was having a problem running the downs, but now that’s even getting tough. We are now past mile 23 after leaving Far Side and on the way back to the next aid station, which is Dam Road at mile 26.1. We finally get to the jeep road portion of this section and I tell Jon that I’m done running for a bit. We still have about a mile before hitting the Dam Road Aid, but it’s going to be a walk all the way in. The bottom of my forefeet had started to hurt on this loop and now it felt like someone had been pounding them with a 2x4 for several hours. Every step I took was painful. It actually felt better to run, but my energy was gone. I really wanted to be done at this point, but I didn’t want to quit. We get to the aid station and I have my hand-held bottle topped off with water. I also grab a few Frito’s that they had out on the table. Jon asks for some ibuprofen. This is something that I never do during training or racing because it can have adverse effects. Plus, I like to know what’s hurting so I will know if it’s a good hurt or an “I need to stop” hurt. I knew the pain I was having wasn’t the latter, so I decided to take a couple myself.

We walk out commiserating to each other. This section is still jeep road and a bit downhill. This will only last for about a quarter of a mile or so before we get to the spillway and single track trail. And this section is the longest between aid stations at 4.4 miles. It is also contains the most roots. A little before getting to the single track I tell Jon that I need to try to run. He tells me to go ahead and I start into a shuffle. It’s pretty tough getting started, but then it gets easier. I just keep going and head down behind the spillway and onto the single track. I finally hit a spot where I need to walk and he catches me. At this point he tells me to go on since he doesn’t have the energy that I do. I ask if he’s sure and he says yes. So, I get back into a shuffle. I come up onto the levee, which seems like the only flat part of the course at this point and get into a pretty decent running stride. I’m starting to feel better. I don’t know what it was, maybe the ibuprofen or maybe the few Frito’s. I don’t know, but whatever it is, I’m going to ride it out. As I get closer to the next aid station, I start feeling even better. I fill my water bottle at the last aid station and know it’s only 2.8 miles to the finish/turnaround point. As I’m heading down the out-and-back to the turnaround, I don’t see Brett or the other guys. Then I finally see Alex and Duane just before the finish of this loop. They tell me that Steve dropped because of some cramping and that Brett has been gone for a bit. I must have just missed him since I didn’t see him on this final section. I’ve gained quite a bit of ground on Alex and Duane and that gives me some motivation for the last loop. I finish the loop strong and feeling good with a time of approximately 4:30. Not bad and I’ll take that. I have now just completed my longest run ever at 33.3 miles. I get my drop bags and switch out my fuel bottles. I’m still feeling good at this point, so there is no change in fueling strategy. I take two more ibuprofen and pack a dry long sleeve shirt and my gloves in my waist pack. I also grab my flashlight since it will be dark when I finish. Now it’s on to uncharted territory.

Loop three:
As I’m walking out of the aid station tent, I see Jon coming in. He was surprised that I hadn’t left yet. I had taken a bit longer at this stop than the previous one, but that’s okay. I had more stuff to do. I also see three friends from Bryan/College Station as I’m walking out. I go over to say hi and thank them for coming out. Henry walks by as I’m talking and tells me to get my butt out of the aid station. Ultrarunning volunteers are very helpful and will give you the shirt off their back, but they will not let you doddle in the aid stations. I tell my friends to meet me a mile up the trail where we cross the park road. I see them at the crossing and give them my thanks again as I run by. I’m really in good spirits at this point. This would hold all the way through this final loop. I’m now running by myself and that’s okay. I don’t have a whole lot to say to anyone at this point. Finishing will take staying focused from this point on, so even if I was running with someone, there wouldn’t be much conversation coming from me. This loop seems like a blur and I guess it’s because some of it I was running in the dark and the other may be because it seemed easier than the second loop. Before I know it, I’m on the out-and-back to Far Side. I’m looking for Brett and Duane. Alex dropped out a couple of miles into the second loop with a tight hamstring. I saw him walking back up the trail and we chatted for a bit. He had told me Duane was that far up ahead. This was another motivator. I finally see Brett heading my way not far from the Far Side Aid Station. He looks like death. He’s walking and not doing a very good job of it. As we passed each other I told him not to let me catch him. He just gave me a smirk and mumbled something I didn’t really understand. Then I see Duane not that far behind Brett. At this point, I’m about a quarter of a mile from the aid station. This perks me up a bit as I head down to check in. I fill my bottle at Far Side and say my thanks and head out. I’m really hoping to catch those guys. It was still too early for me to really pick up the pace. Far Side was at mile 40 leaving me with 10 miles to go. I would just have to settle in with the pace I had been doing and wait just a bit longer to pick it up… if I could.

I’m on the jeep road down heading to the Dam Road Aid Station and it is amazing how much better I feel this time around than I did the last. I’m still hurting some in the feet and the hips are screaming when I go from a walk to a run. The hamstrings are also starting to feel it. Before getting to Dam Road, I was really wanting the taste of something other than SE and HG I had been drinking for fuel. I made the decision to see if I could get a cup of broth. This would change up the taste a little, put something warm in my stomach, and also give me a bit of sodium. I fill my water bottle and grab some broth. Boy does that taste good! I walk out with the broth and sip on it down the trail. It’s starting to get dark now, but I still don’t quite need my light. I figure once I get to the spillway and head back down on the single track, I’ll probably need to turn it on. And I do when I get to this point. Now it’s a whole different game. I’m hoping to catch Brett now since I’ve got more experience at running on trail at night. Duane was looking too good for me to catch him, but you never know. Even though it’s dark, I try to pick up the pace a bit or at least hold it steady. I’m now starting to pass other runners. Some don’t have lights and some have very dim lights. This is leaving them moving slow and tripping over the roots. I’ve also been glancing at my watch for my overall time. I’m doing some calculations and figure if I keep the pace or even pick it up just a little, I can finish with a time under 13 hours. I trip a couple of times through this long stuff section. I also realized in this section that I had a blister on the inside of my left heel. Damn, all this way without any blisters. It’s starting to get painful when I walk, but not bad when I run. I just can’t keep up the running, especially on the ups. Oh well, just deal with it.

Then I finally see what I’ve been looking for – the boardwalks over the marsh. I will be roughly 3.5 miles from the finish when I step off the last boardwalk. Now it’s time to see if I can pick it up even a little more. I glance at the watch again and realize it’s going to be close. Now this was the main motivator. I’m only 0.75 miles from the last aid station and I have already made up my mind that I would not stop. There wasn’t anything that they had or could do for me to help at this point. I’m tired, my feet hurt, my hips hurt, but I just have to push through it and keep going. The only thing that will make all that go away is getting to the finish. I get to the aid station and slow just enough to make sure they get my number. I glance at the watch again and realize I need to keep pushing. I’m still catching and passing runners. I can see their light up in the distance bobbing through the trees and I wonder who it might be. I tell myself that it’s Duane or Brett. This makes me keep pushing. Finally, the Nature Center appears and all I have left is 1.09 miles to the finish. I glance at the watch again and tell myself that I can’t let up yet. I come out of the trees and head down the stretch to the finish. I pass one more person in this section and finish strong. Just as I cross the finish line, I glance over at the clock at it reads 12:54. Sweet! I beat the 13 hour mark. A guy hands me my finisher’s medal and then I see Brett sitting in a chair. I go over and sit beside him and tells me that he and Duane raced to the finish and Duane beat him by 8 seconds. I finished about 8 minutes behind them. I look at my time again and it looks like this last loop was just as fast as or maybe even faster than my second. Man, I’m spent. I need to get some food in me to help with recovery, but my stomach is a tad queasy. It’s not at the point of being sick, but just bad enough where nothing would stay in if I was to eat. That push from mile 43 to the finish is the cause. I had cut back on the water intake and basically stop taking in my fuel because with the faster pace, I wasn’t able to digest as quickly.

Duane had already left the finish area to shower. Brett had to go back out on the trail to look for his phone and radio that he lost in the last 0.5 miles. Steve and Alex had already showered and were hanging around the finish area. I talk to them briefly and then got my drop bags and got in line for blister repair at the medical tent. I was afraid to take my shoes off and look at this honking blister that I had. It turned out to be three small ones that didn’t even need to be lanced. I guess it hurt so badly because of the location. I would find out later in the week that it was blister on top of blister. Alex and I walked back up to the shelter so we could both get out of the way and to get off our feet. Steve comes up a bit later followed by Duane after his shower. Then Brett finally comes in after his search for his phone and radio. He found both. He is in some serious pain though. Come to find out he had a blister on each forefoot the size of a half-dollar. We all sat there reliving our experiences out on the trail that day. I finally made it to the shower and boy, did that feel good. We all then headed back down to the finish area to get something to eat. Brett had his feet looked at and the medical guy lanced the blisters and covered them with duct tape. I think it helped with the pain, but he still had to walk on his heels. After the trip back to the shelter it was time to say goodnight to a wonderful day.