Where is the Starting Line?

There was no start line. Everyone just kind of stood around while the race director made a few muffled announcements on a bull horn, then said "Ready? Go!"

We're off! Wait.. we don't have timing chips! Are we supposed to have timing chips? Was there one in our swag bag? Is anyone else wearing one? No. I guess we are not using them. Ok. But how will we be timed? (shrug)

Let's Get It Started!

We started off on the road then turned onto the trail head. At about mile 2.75, we reached a concrete spillway bordered by steep cement embankments. Here we had to use a rope to repel down into the freezing water, wade across to the other side in a strong current about 1/2 way up our calves, then use a rope to pull ourselves back up the other side. Ok, so less than 3 miles into the race I'm running in wet shoes and socks! Glad I was wearing Injinji socks.



About 1/2 mile later... there were our special needs bags! What? We've only gone about 3.5 miles and out bags are there already? (eyeroll)

At some point, Pete and I got separated and he went on ahead. I thought, "That's ok, I know I'll catch him later once he gets fatigued and my after burners kick in."

At the first aid station, they were checking our bib numbers and writing them down. Ah, I see now. Manual chip timing system!

For the next several miles we hurdled roots, rocks, and fallen trees. We splashed through water, balanced over narrow boards to cross ravines, and did a fair share of rock climbing and scary treacherous rocky descents. This is like a 33 mile obstacle course! The trail followed along the beautiful riverbank with crazy back and forth switchbacks. But the trail was so close to the riverbank, that parts of it were underwater because of the flood! Splish splash!!!



New Manchester Manufacturing Company along race route; a textile mill burned during the Civil War.


I stopped at the second aid station to see what kinds of foods are offered at Ultras (since nothing was posted on the race site regarding available nutrition). There were PB&J sandwiches, M&Ms, gummy bears, fig newtons, chips, pretzels, oranges, etc. I grabbed a couple of fig newtons and pressed on as they warned me that the next 3 miles known as Powerlines and Top of the World was the hardest part of the race. That was an understatement! The hills approaching Top Of The World were exhausting beyond belief. You can look out to the horizon and see one hill crest after another in your path. This part of the race follows along some power line poles all exposed to the sun and looks like a roller coaster. Up, down, up, down... OMG we're going up again? Going down was just as hard as gong up because it was so steep you had to really hold back to keep from tumbling down the mountain. Don't forget, we had to do this TWICE!



At the top of the final hill, we got to an area where there was an out and back section, and after that was Jack's hill. Another hill? Really? This is where I saw the bright green snake slithering across the trail.

The first three aid stations had no porta-pots and by mile 12 I had to go. I've never gone in the woods during a race before, but by now I was thinking that's what they must expect us to do. Over 12 miles and no porta-pots? I finally found a secluded enough place to dash into the woods unnoticed. Loe and behold, the very next aid station had a porta-pot.

I finally approached the halfway point which was back at the start of the race (this was 2 loops). My intention was to grab the camera from the truck to take photos during the second loop, but when I got to the road, I was disoriented as to where the truck was parked. The volunteer kept pointing for me to go, so I decided not to stop for anything. The above photo was taken by someone else, and the others I took the following day.

Here We Go Again!

As I ran on the road heading into my second trip, I spotted Pete up ahead. Ah ha! Deja vu from the Tobacco Rd marathon. I set my sights on catching him, and eventually did. But by now I was at a low point and feeling pretty done with this race. So was Pete. So we pulled each other along to the special needs bag drop to take a quick break (which of course was only 3.5 miles into the race route). Just over mile 19, we plopped down and I had my PB&J while Pete dried his feet, applied foot powder, and followed that up with dry socks. He had already stopped for dry shoes at the truck, but of course they were already wet from the spillway we just crossed for the second time. I was thinking "why bother? We're going through more water in a few minutes anyway." There were at least 5+ places where we had to tromp through water crossings, so trying to have dry feet was futile.

Off again. Pete and I made each other run on every flat/decline, but we walked up all of the hills. Eventually we got back around to the Top of the World powerline hills and Pete was slowing down. I decided to get in front thinking he would instinctively keep up, but he was having knee issues and fell farther and farther behind. All I could think about was getting past the marathon distance point. I kept watching my Garmin and saying, "We've not even run a marathon yet!" Pete told me to "quit saying that!" I did not want to leave Pete knowing he was starting to struggle, but at the same time I did not want to be out there any longer than absolutely necessary. The more we ran, the farther we got separated, so I decided to continue on my own.

Up, down, up, down... here we go again. About halfway up the final hill, there was a lady sitting on a rock looking totally defeated. I told her to "Come on! You only have to do two things today; smile and keep moving forward!" She said "Ok. Smile and keep moving forward" as she got up to continue on. Then I noticed that my Garmin had FINALLY gone over 26.2, so I told her that we've already done a marathon!

Woo hoo! Into new territory now! I felt a new burst of energy as I entered into my running "happy place." This is when I start running on auto pilot with a HUGE smile spread across my face and I'm just happy I CAN RUN! I love that feeling. This lasted until about mile 30 when I realized I still had three miles to go. What? Isn't a 50K supposed to be 31 miles? Oh, this is a trail run and not measured perfectly. I was told at the final aid station that the course is actually 33 miles. Deflated. But.. just keep smiling and moving forward. There is a finish line out here someplace!

Where is That Finish Line!?!

I finally started approaching the finish area where a volunteer told me the finish line is about 1/2 mile ahead. Cool. I get to the next volunteer who tells me that the finish line is 1/2 mile ahead. (sigh) Is there really a finish line out here or is this all a big joke on us? FINALLY I'm heading up a hill and the volunteer says, just go up those steps and up that hill to the finish line! What? This really is a joke. Run 33 miles, then have to go UP steps and UP a hill to the finish. So much for sprinting in! But there it was! I could see it through the trees!

At the finish line, the lady wrote down my bib number, then I was asked what color ball cap I want, blue or grey? All of THAT for a ball cap? Ok... a ball cap and bragging rights! I guess that makes it worth it.









OMG - This is an easy one. TRAIN FOR TRAILS! Since we were so focused on our first marathon, we did all road running up until that point. We ran Weymouth Woods the one time in January, then went to Raven Rock two weeks after the marathon. So, only two trail runs prior to this race. And those trails were NOTHING compared to what we endured at Sweetwater! I'm quite sure we were among the least experienced trail/ultra runners out there.

I actually felt worse immediately after the Tobacco Road marathon than I did today. But that was a deceiving thought. Because the pain I was going to feel later was FAR WORSE than how I felt after Tobacco Road!

I waited for awhile for Pete to come in, then decided to go to the truck for my phone and camera. As I got to the truck, my phone was alerting me to a text. It was my son in Raleigh, NC. He was in the path of a tornado that had touched down in downtown Raleigh and was heading towards his apartment complex at NC State University! I called him and it seemed everything was ok, they had been spared. But downtown took a good hit.

I went back to the finish line to watch for Pete and he finally came in 30+ min behind me. His knee had given out and he had to walk the last miles of the race. But he finished. WE FINISHED! We are Ultra Marathoners now and no one can ever take that away!

I later found out that tornadoes had also touched down about 5 miles from my home in Fayetteville, NC, and many homes and businesses were destroyed!

Wow... triple wammy on me! I was in the path of tornadoes in Atlanta, GA; my son was in the path in Raleigh, NC; AND my home (with pets inside) was in the path in Fayetteville, NC! But all's well that ends well.

We went back to the park the following morning in hopes of getting a few photos. OMG - we were in pain! We walked ever so gingerly along the red trail to at least get a photo of the ruins of the New Manchester Manufacturing Company. We got a few photos of the river, but were unable to access the toughest parts of the course which were outside of the park boundaries. So hopefully I can find a few photos from other people to show just how treacherous this race course truly was! (Wearing my new Huarache Luna sandals).







TOTALLY UNDERESTIMATING THE DIFFICULTY LEVEL OF THE COURSE!

This quote sums it up:

"Life is hard; it's harder when you are stupid." John Wayne