The whistle blew, signaling the start of the race. About 30 people took off from the starting line. I figured I needed to start with the fast people, just to get a good pace going and then I could fall back later. I was only looking to beat 5 hours on this run, so I just needed to keep up about 9:40 per mile...or about 50 minutes per 5.25 mile loop. There were four of us running together on the first loop. The guy in the lead fell back about a mile and a half into the run. That left three of us. The two other guys knew each other. The three of us ran the first loop at a comfortable pace, around 8 minutes per mile. The hill was easy on the first loop, both times. I stopped at the unmanned aid station about 3.5 miles into the race and took a gel and some water. I caught back up with the other two guys and the three of us ran across the start line together as a group. First loop took 42 minutes and change. I took a half of a boiled salted potato and some water and took off again.

Loop 2 was a little faster. The leader had stopped at the aid station to drop his hat and a layer of clothing. About a mile into the second loop he caught up and passed me and the other guy. I was now back in third place after being in second for about 8 minutes. The rest of that loop was pretty uneventful. The two hill ascents were still pretty easy and I was able to stay with the second place guy, albeit just a little behind him. About 200 yards or so. I figured I was still on pace and I didn't need to pass him. I was racing the clock, not this guy. The first place guy had pulled to about 8 minutes ahead by this time. HE WAS FLYING!!! My average mile on loop 2 was 7:55 and I thought, wow, this is great, I've got loads of time built up. This loop only took 41 minutes and a few seconds. Another half of potato and I took off for loop 3.

Third loop got challenging. I had to really try to keep up with the second place guy. The hill was still pretty easy and I felt myself gaining time on the second place guy every time we'd run up it. There were a few other short hills on the course and I'd gain just a little time every time we'd ascend. I still finished the third loop behind him at 8:15 pace. I stopped at the aid station at the end of loop three, but forgot to drink the Perpetuem. I saw Janelle there, she was eating some food. She said she had been wondering when I'd lap her. I saw the second place guy running up the little hill right beyond the start line, so I figured I'd better hightail it out of there. I also forgot to take the supplements I was gonna take. But I did take a gel, water, and a pretzel dipped in peanut butter. Grabbed another half potato too. That was all I felt like I needed. I hit my split button (43:xx) and headed out for lap four. The first place guy was now about 13 minutes ahead.

This is where I gained the most time, even though I started slowing down. On the big hill, the second place guy was struggling, and I was still feeling okay. This was ascent 7. I didn't want to pass but he was really slowing down, so I made my move. As I passed I said "only 5 more times!!". He laughed and said "I hear that!!". I kept going. He stuck with me for another mile or so. Finally he started fading back and by the second hill ascent of that loop (8th one overall) he was nowhere to be seen. I stopped at the aid station there and grabbed some Gatorade and took my final gel. I figured I had enough nutrition on the course to get me thru the rest of the race. I came into the start area with at least 4 minutes on the third place guy, and was cutting into the leader's interval. He was now only 9 minutes ahead.

Fifth loop. Wow, I was tired. Gained more time on the first place guy, put more time between me and third. The hill got HARD!! But my goal was not to walk it so I didn't. I worked the hill, leaned into it and gave it as much power as I could. Took advantage of all aid stations on this loop. My splits went into the 9's but I was still gaining time on first place. I came into the start area with only 6 minutes between first and me, according to the aid station crew. I saw Janelle there, she said she'd stopped at 15 miles. So we chatted for about 20 seconds while I downed some Gatorade and she asked how I was feeling. I said I was tired, but I was good for 5 more miles. I realized I had just finished a marathon. 26.25 miles. My split was 3:39. The first place marathoner finished in 4:07...if I decided to stop at the marathon distance, I'd have won the marathon. But I kept going. One more lap to go. I had just run a 3:39 trail marathon and I thought, if I can have one more lap like that, I could beat 4:30!! But I wasn't counting on it. I was tired.

I felt sluggish on the final loop. My heart rate started going up as I ascended even the small hills but I did not walk at all. I started counting down the miles I figured I had left. The 11th hill ascent was tough...I gave it all I had. I had to keep my lead. I ran with the idea that the third place guy was gaining. That was my motivation. The miles between the hills got a bit easier, but I was still running 9:xx miles. Soon I was at the final hill ascent. I wanted to walk sooooo badly! I figured I had enough time to kill. But no. I would not walk it. So I ran up. I looked at my watch and I saw that I probably wouldn't beat 4:30 at the pace I was running. I'm sure at that point, my pace up that hill was about 12 minutes per mile. So at the final aid station, I stopped, grabbed some Gatorade, and talked to a runner that was there. He congratulated me on almost being done, and I headed off. Took it easy to regain whatever strength I had left. I figured I'd still beat my Ironman marathon time even if I didn't run hard so I just took it easy. But about a half mile from the finish I realized I could still beat 4:30. So I picked it up...I only had half a mile to go so I could just push myself for four more minutes. As I got to about a quarter mile from the finish line I was at 4:27:xx and I just gave it all I had. The final .25 is a short but steep uphill and then a steep downhill. So I tried to control my speed as I didn't want to fall down. My watch said 4:29 as I ran into the chute and I stopped my watch at 4:29:04. But they told me my actual time was 4:28:58!! I had not only beaten 5 hours, but 4:30 as well! I was totally ecstatic!!! I couldn't believe I actually did that.

Janelle and her BF greeted me at the finish line, congratulated me, and sat down to chat for a while. I greeted the first place guy and he told me that I'd caught up to within 4 minutes of him on the last lap. In three laps I'd gained over 9 minutes on him. If I had one more lap, maybe I could have passed! But I'm sooooooo happy with second...I never even expected to be top three.

Absolutely nothing. EVERYTHING fell into place today. It was 4:28:58 of perfection.

I ate alot of food. Chatted with Janelle about running, marathons, Ironman, and CrossFit. I think I may have gotten two more people into it!! :) Then I ate more food, walked up to the car to get warm clothes on while Janelle and her BF took off for home. I went back down to the aid station to cheer more runners in, have more food, drink lots of Pepsi, and I ate the best grilled cheese of my life!! After a while I started to head home.


Gravity? Probably nothing else.


This is a small town race. Very informal, but very organized, very fair, and for value...HOLY CRAP! I paid 10 bux for this race and got more value out of it than races that cost 10 times as much. The aid station at the start/finish area had fudge, soda, candy, cookies, grilled cheese, pretzels, potato chips, peanut butter sandwiches, gatorade, water, salted boiled potatoes, you name it! I recommend this race to ANYONE who wants to just have a fun run, do a trail marathon, or an ultra. I think it's a perfect first long-distance trail run too. Challenging, yet not to technical. I am all about this race and I will do it again next year, even though it's right after IMFL. I enjoyed it thoroughly. Do yourself a favor, if you like trail running, save the Saturday after Thanksgiving for next year and run this race.