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Rock/Creek Stumpjump 50K - RunUltra Marathon


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Chattanooga, Tennessee
United States
Salomon Rock / Creek Trail Series
55F / 13C
Precipitation
Total Time = 7h 20m 16s
Overall Rank = 233/409
Age Group = M45-54
Age Group Rank = 25/58
Pre-race routine:

This was a travel race for me. I was looking for something to do with my brother who lives in north-central Pennsylvania, and this race seemed to be at a decent time of year and roughly half-way between both of us. We met in Chattanooga at the park for Packet Pick-up on Friday afternoon. Stayed for the pre-race dinner. They did a lot of door prizes from exhibitor tent sign-up sheets and a few from tickets handed out at the dinner entrance. Gave away everything from shoes, jackets, sunglasses to backpacks. The RD talked about the trail running scene in Chattanooga and gave info on some of their other races. There was also a panel discussion from some of the big dog speedsters who normally race out west.
Run
  • 7h 20m 16s
  • 31.07 miles
  • 14m 10s  min/mile
Comments:

The 50K and 11-miler start together, but they take different turns just a few hundered years from the start. My brother and I started together but got seperated at about the 2-mile point. I live just ouside of Houston, TX and had a little trouble building mileage in the summer heat prior to this race. That, and lack of hill training, made me think that he'd probably run off and leave me, which I was just fine with.

The first few miles of the course are on high school cross-country trails, then it's all single track. Lots of rocks and lots of hills. There are only a few level spots on this course. It's almost 100% small rolling hills, with some big climbs & descents thrown in. A few sections are unrunnable, but most of the trail is runnable.

Aid stations range from 2-miles to 5-miles apart. The RD requires everyone to carry a bottle, so the stations do not have cups. In general, they're all well stocked with typical ultra fare....liquids, salty snacks, and sugar snacks.

At the Indian Rock aid station around mile 20, I was just about to leave and get back on the trail when my brother called out my name. We left the aid station together and finished most of the rest of the couse together. He started having GI issues after about the first hour of the race, and was throwing up and dealing with stomach cramps when I caught up to him. We ran most of the next 5-miles of the course toghether, then he was reduced to walking (between throw-up breaks). I stayed with him til about mile 29, then went ahead and jogged in. This was his first ultra, and I think he deserves the "tough guy" award for hanging in there and gutting it out. After he finished, he threw up again when he got back to the car and again in the shower at the hotel. Ugh!

I felt pretty good for just about the whole race. Slowing down after I met back up with Doug and all of the walking we did during the last 1/3 of the race probably helped with that. With that being said, I was way underprepared for the hills. My quads were screaming during the climbs, and I have some major leg soreness going on right now. I'm guessing I won't be running again until the end of the week!

What would you do differently?:

Timing makes this a tough race for me to prepare for. Other than just HTFU, I'm not sure what I can really do to log more miles (especially long runs) during the summer heat. The other big thing I'm lacking is hill training. Since there are no hills within 100 miles of me, I don't think this will change any time soon.
Post race
Event comments:

Excellent race. Well organized, great trails, great aid stations.

Two thumbs up!

This race really got me fired up to do more trail runs this winter!




Last updated: 2012-06-04 12:00 AM
Running
07:20:16 | 31.07 miles | 14m 10s  min/mile
Age Group: 25/58
Overall: 233/409
Performance: Average
Course: This course has about a 10-mile out and back section at the biginning and end, and a 10-mile loop in the middle. The first and last couple miles are on nice cross-country trails, but the bulk of the race is on fairly technical single-track. Lots of hills (4400+ feet of climbing) and lots of rocks on the trail. There are sections that are unrunnable, but they are the exception. This is a challenging course!
Keeping cool Good Drinking
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall:
Mental exertion [1-5]
Physical exertion [1-5]
Good race?
Evaluation
Course challenge
Organized? Yes
Events on-time? Yes
Lots of volunteers? Yes
Plenty of drinks? Yes
Post race activities: Average
Race evaluation [1-5] 5

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2012-10-08 11:17 AM

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Subject: Rock/Creek Stumpjump 50K
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