Second year doing this race, so no suprises expected. Knew to start out at the back of pack and not get caught up in the start surge. Lots of chokepoints for the first 2 miles. Established an ok pace, after about 4 miles, did a check of a half mile split and was running around 9:50 mile pace. Got to the first aid station at 1:04. Didn't dwadle too much and noticed on the little out and back to the trailhead that I didn't see many people coming down the trail....."am I that slow or was everybody else super fast this year?" Already at the BOP.

Somewhere on the website I had seen that 8 hours was the cutoff and kept that in my mind all day.

So first up hill is the Fragarance Lake trail. Walked most of the uphill and ran the flats. Tried to not redline the HR. It was hard and the ugly thought of "why the heck am I here raised up" (25 miles to go). This year we looped around Fragarance Lake not like last year....I was following (trying to keep up) with a pack of 3. But once we got on the downhill section to aid station #2, lost contact. Legs were already feeling wornout. So I don't run very fast on downhills (Freaking 221lbs pounding on the legs). And remember that since I'm #281 person on the trails, they are super chewed up sticky and slippery muck.

Next portion of race is the 2.9 miles up Cleator Road. Only ran when I got on the flat sections, rest was walking. I got passed by a bunch of people that were faster walkers. Kinda ticked off that noboby else seemed to be struggling...so basically I'm the only person in misery. Started to notice cramping in the calves (the old feeling of worms squirming in my calves). Took my one and only e-Cap, knew I need to get more salt at the aid station. Had eaten some pretzels at the last station.

Next section was the Ridge Trail (start at AS #3/4) Twisty and turning, up and down single track, foggy/in the clouds. Slow trot during most of this, still it was mostly running and not walking. Feet were starting to get sore from stepping on rocks and roots. I don't think I tightened up my shoes enough, too much play (also think the Asics 2130 trail model is weak)and not hard enough in sole. So I felt I was running more gingerly on the trail.. People that I had passed at the aid station kept catching up too me and passing, could hear them coming, so courteously pulled over to let them go. Never could pace off them, I was just too slow. Frustrating.

Lost Lake trail was the next flat section with a couple short uphill sections. Not as muddy as last year, still messy though. Some soupy portions later on the uphill section of the trail. Slippery, two steps up, one step slipping back. Always trying to find the best line through and around mud holes. And feeling the heel coming out of my shoe.

Came up to the final uphill section, famously known as Little Chinscraper (40 yards of almost vertical climb) rest of the section is switchback after uphill switchback, brutal, just brutal, neverending uphill, just when you think you are done, you look up and see people still above you going up another switchback....DAMMIT! thought we were done.....
By this time besides my feet hurting, hips were sore, knees were sore, no energy in the legs, and the mental state of knowing still 9 miles to go and about 3.5 are pounding downhill.
Passed a couple guys that were sitting down and I guess doing some sort of recovery, later they smoked pass me on the downhill.

Got back to AS #3/4. Ate some chicken noodle soup and pretzels and took shoes off to empty dirt and stones. Then downhill. Again people passed me like I was standing still. Going down is sometimes harder....sorta... IF I WAS ONLY 20lbs lighter...that would be so great!

Finally at the Clayton Beach parking lot and final aid statino a 10K to go and the clock said 6:17...hey! If I do a one hour 6 miler I could beat last years time of 7:35....Whoops, started off slow walking eating pretzels and when I started to run on the flat trail, legs were very dead. I know this trail so very well (one of the main training areas) and knowing that I had 5 miles to go. Mental challenge of just keep up the IM suffle, and don't stop to walk. Sun started to come out and it got warm, panic that I was coming up short on fluid. Finally got to the finish and got a prize of a Trails Calendar.


Freaking Weight. Loose some of it. Age is not a factor. Some 70 year young guy did a 7:12 and a 61 year young lady did a 7:30. So I'm going to grouse about my weight. Plus a lack of long runs during training.

Drank some water and hobbled over to the truck and went home. Tried to take a cold water bath to cool down the aches and pains, put my feet in the tub for about 10 seconds and said "screw that".




Weight and Long Run training. Need to do Hard Repeats.


This is a very good race. Well Organized, well run, a great stenuous, challenging, technical course. It sells out in 2-3 days and capped at 350 runners.