May Madness 50K

 When Doug Dawkins, aka The Boogieman posted this event for his Wild Card run for 2012 I was already looking forward to it  and hoping it would fit my schedule before he ever posted the date or the details. It turned out that the chosen weekend fit my schedule perfectly and with it being just three weeks ahead of the Boogie the timing would be just right for training.

 But this would not be your normal 50k. Rather running straight through like a normal race we would be running 10 x 5k beginning at the top of each hour with our finishing time figured by adding the total of each of those individual 5k's. This would involve a little strategy trying to figure out how hard to run each lap. Go fast and have maximum rest time in between or take it nice and slow?

 The event was going to be held on some Gamelands in the Sandhills near Hoffman NC at the lodge where hunting dog field trials are held. Doug had rented the area for the weekend so we could camp on site so after work Friday I made the drive down to hang out with some friends and get ready for the race the next morning. Around 7pm I hopped in the back of Doug's pick-up with Jimmy Ballard to go out and mark the course which Doug had already wheel measured to give us an accurate distance for the race. This tour would play an important part in my strategy as you will soon see but first a little description.

  Sand. Lots of sand. They call these the Sandhills for a reason. Fortunately Doug was able to avoid most of the hills. We began on a sand road which became very deep, like running on the beach at high tide. This worst part was only about 1/4 mile long but since this was a lollypop shaped course we got to finish up each lap with this at the end.  So anyway we then made a left onto another sand road but it was not as bad. About 1/2 mile later we made a right turn onto another sand road and then a quick left into the woods and a harder packed sand jeep path with pine straw and dead limbs. To this point it was predominately a decline from the start but never steep, about a 1% grade. At the 1 mile mark we had about a 50 yard hill, the only real hill on the course.  We continued on a little further and then came out of the woods and made a left turn onto another sand road with one short section about ankle deep. Then  another left onto another sand road, mostly flat. This was exposed along a field until the 2 mile mark when we re-entered the woods for a short time again and a little harder packed dirt surface. Then we started slowly climbing back up that slight incline  again coming out of the woods and making a left and then a quick right turn which put us back on the spur section to the finish.

  So on race morning I lined up to start  at 7am for the 1st of 10 laps with 35 others, of which about 1/2 were friends. It was a very pleasant morning and I was looking forward to enjoying the day. I had decided on a strategy of beginning slowly and just getting a feel for the course and see what a reasonable overall pace I could expect. After that I would pick it up a little and see how long and steady I could hold the pace. Things were going according to plan and I was way back around 20th or so for the first half mile but then as we made the right to begin the loop I saw that people had missed the quick left turn into the woods. I begin yelling for them to turn and then led the  ones behind me and the ones that were close by onto the proper course. I was still taking it easy and snapping a few pictures with 5 or 6 others right around me as we passed the 1 mile mark in about 9:50 when It dawned on me that all the runners ahead had missed the turn. I decided to go for the glory and see if I could actually lead the race for the first lap and took off picking up the pace considerably. So much for my pre-race strategy.

 Well, it was fun while it lasted. My lead lasted for about 1/2 mile before the eventual overall leader , Tommy Neeson would blow by me. I made it another mile before Marie-Ange Smith, the women's winner would pass me. I ended up coming in 5th in 28:02 for that first one, feeling good. I would spend most of my time resting between laps with Jay and Anita Finkle under their tent. I met these super nice folks back in 2003 at the first Carrboro 50k when they had just started dating and have had the pleasure of calling them friends for a long time over many miles since then. Anita was racing today while Jay was crewing and watching their dogs.

   I decided to see if I could run close to 9 minute pace on lap two  but rather than start slow and then go crazy like lap one I would try an even pace. That worked out ok and I actually ran a couple of seconds faster than lap one in 27:58. I knew then for sure there would be no 9 minute average on this tough course. the deep sand just zapped to much energy out of you and I knew it would be compounded as the day wore on.

 By lap three it was starting to get pretty warm and with the sun rising higher in the sky things would get tough with only about 20-25% of the course in the shade. I just settled in to a comfortable pace for the next several laps with my pace gradually slowing a few seconds per mile each lap. In between I would drink up and get in some calories and sit in the shade until about 5 minutes before the start of the next lap when I would get up and loosen up a little bit.

  Things were going well and I was feeling pretty good and having a lot of fun but by lap 7 it was just HOT and I was forced to take a walk break through the deep sand at the end of the loop. Doug had a hose set up by the lodge and so after each of the next few laps I would hose down to try and cool off as much as I could. I thought I had been taking in enough fluids but being not too bright I had not been carrying water on during the laps so before going out for lap eight I got a little smarter and filled up my hand held to carry the rest of the day. It was probably too late but it did help some and keep me from completely dying out there.

 The thermometer in the shade by the finish area said 88F as we headed out for lap 8. I still felt pretty good overall and was able to run almost all of it except for the worst sand at the end again. Lap nine  was tougher and I walked the little hill at mile one for the first time and then I had to add a few more walk breaks to keep the heart rate down.

 It was up to 90F as we headed out for the last lap and by now I was toast and looking forward to calling it a day. I had hoped to pick it up a little bit but there was nothing left and I struggled in with my slowest lap of the day. Phew.  Ended up 10th place so I was happy with that. Results are here.

 It was a wonderful day overall and I enjoyed the time spent hanging out with a great group of people, most if not all of which are MTC members.  Thanks to Doug for putting this together  and the 3 volunteers that gave up a whole day for us to play, Charles West, Chuck Bingham and Rupert Medford.

Time to re-focus.

It occurred to me a couple of days ago that since the Umstead 100 miler I have "just " been running. Not that there is anything wrong with that but I think the time has come to get back to training again. Other than a random tempo run or the occasional few mile repeats on the greenway I have not done any speedwork since the Boston Marathon in April 201l. As soon as I ran that I immediately began focusing on the 100 and geared all of my workouts toward running as well as possible there which meant a lot of practice laps on the course.

 Looking ahead, my schedule for the year is still mainly focused on ultra's with my biggest goal of running as many miles as possible at the Badgerland 24hr Labor Day weekend and 6 weeks later the Oil Creek 100.  One is pancake flat on a track and the other is on single track trail with 19,000 ft of climbing. I will have some specific workouts for each of those as the time draws nearer but they really are quite different.

 But that brings me back to the point of this post  which is to explain what I mean by training again. Well, in 2005 when my friends prodded me into trying to run a Boston qualifier which was 25 minutes faster than I had ever run a marathon before while I was in the middle of a full ultra schedule ( I did 13 that year) I began the Grand Experiment. Was it possible to train as a marathoner, knock off 25 minutes off my pr while still performing well in the ultra's. Well the answer proved to be yes, I can and in addition to getting the BQ, I set a lot of course pr's and finished some tough 100's over the next year.

 Recently while running with one of my Angels, and training partners,  100 miler Amy, she told me her goal now was to back off of the ultra's and focus on running a BQ by next March at Tobacco Road and then do     Boston in 2014. It just happens that her qualifying time and mine are the same, 3:40. So I figured, what better way to stay motivated than to try and help Amy achieve her goal and have fun doing the training in the process. My hope is that it will once again bring some speed back for me so I can run some quality marathon times and help with my ultra ambitions over the course of the next year. With the new entrance policy for Boston we really need to run under 3:35 to guarantee getting into the race which means setting a pr for me. To be honest I find that to be very unlikely but miracles do happen. They sure did in 2006.

 Stay tuned !

Capital City Classic 10k

 and now for something completely different;

Back when I was much younger and early in my running,  10k was the most popular distance for  road racing but now it seems they are pretty hard to find with 5k's and half-marathons being more popular. Of course nowadays I hardly ever do any short road races but every now and then I'll do one for fun.  Looking back it was exactly 3 years ago on Mother's Day weekend that I last ran a 10k. I did that one in about 49:30 a day after a 51 mile bike ride and running in the Clayton 5k with Karla. I wasn't really planning on running one this year but since I work for Capital RunWalk part-time and they are a sponsor , I was able to get a free entry. the date fit  in the two weeks right in the middle of my schedule of 50k's so I thought it would be fun to see how I could do and get in some faster pace running.

  The weather couldn't have been better for May with the temperature in the 60's and not very humid. There were a little over 300 entrants including my co-worker Bobby Mack, the course record holder , and several other from our store sponsored racing team. I did my usual pre-race warm-up routine and then lined up with about 5 minutes to go. My only plan was to run as fast as my body would allow and hope that I could average about 8 minute pace which would be about the same time as I ran in 2009. I haven't done any fast paced running lately and have just gotten back to normal after Promise land so I really wasn't very confident and I was feeling pretty sluggish during my warm-up.

  As they race began I started easy and eased my way up to race pace. As we approached the 1 mile mark I was thinking to myself that I hoped it would be at least 8 minutes because I knew I wasn't going to be able to go any faster. I must say I was very relieved and happy when I checked my split and saw that it was a 7:31 opening mile. Phew, now I could just relax and settle in. Mile 2 was a little slower in 7:47 which was fine with me. I was still building a cushion and feeling good.

  Mile 3 had a lot of downhill and I was cruising along and enjoying the day. One really cool thing was that the 3 mile mark was in the neighborhood and along the course I ran on 35 years ago when I first began running. At that time I was living just one house off the course on Lenoir and Boylan Ave.  The mile 3 marker was in the wrong place but I saw the mark where it should have been so that mile was 7:37 and shortly after that I passed the 5k mark in 23:37 with visions of a sub 48 dancing in my head.

 Well what goes down has to go back up. Most of the next mile was on a boring section along MLK JR Pkwy with a long gradual rise. It didn;t slow me down too much because I hit mile  4 in 7:47 but it was wearing me down and as soon as the course turned onto Wilmington St and the little hill there, I could feel the effort and the cadence slowed down. I had to back off the effort and re-group a bit until after passing the Capital Building where it turns slightly downhill again. The 5 mile mark was two blocks down from there and I was disappointed that I slowed down all the way to an 8:22 as  I had really hoped to keep the pace under 8 the whole way.

I was feeling better now and knew I could push the pace back down a bit so I knuckled down and even with the climb back up to the capital I was able to run mile 6 in 8:03.I must say i was very pleased with my final time of 48:37, a 7:50 average pace at this point. The race only gave awards to each age group winner but I was 4th in my 55-59 group. considering I mostly run ultra's these days I'm very happy to be able to make a decent showing when I jump in with the regular road racing crowd.

 that's it for now. the next couple of races will be back in ultra distances.

Promise Land 2012 or Running with Miss Leah

 I thought about titling this post  "Two Races in One" due to the Jeckyl and Hyde nature of the days weather but we'll get to that later. As I posted in my preview, I was hopeful for good weather and conditions and that my recovery from Umstead would allow me a shot at a course pr.
After emerging from my tent at 4:30 am before the start it appeared that at least the weather would cooperate. It was in the upper 40's, clear skies with a million stars overhead and a forecast of upper 60's with only 10% chance of rain. Oh yeah !

 With about 10 minutes to go I headed over to the starting line eager to began the day's journey. I lined up with Jenn  the Ultra Angel but I knew we probably would not be spending much time together on this day. I had the splits from each aid station from my 2007 course pr written on my arm so I could quickly tell if I was on pace for a good run. Promptly at 5:30 am after singing the National Anthem and a prayer from David Horton we headed up the gravel road in the darkness for the first 2.6 miles to aid station one at Overstreet Falls. The road is flat for the first quarter mile but then gradually begins to climb becoming ever steeper as we ascend to the trailhead.

  I tried to run as much as possible until the gradient became too steep and then settled in to a strong powerwalk. It's really hard to judge how you feel and how the pace is going on the section so I was very happy when I passed by the aid station and I was exactly to the second  for that first split compared to 07, arriving in 42:07. I didn't need anything so I immediately started up the steep and rocky trail that would take us to the top of Onion Mt. Within moments I heard a young lady behind me ask how if I had run this race before. I replied that yes, this was my 6th time racing. She then said this was her first ultra and would I mind if she paced off of me.  Without looking back I told her that she was welcome to run with me as long as she wanted.

  It's a good thing I enjoy talking and running with people because she sure was full of questions about not only this race and the course but running in general. After a few minutes I could tell she seemed to be breathing pretty hard and my initial thoughts were that she was in way over her head and I would be alone again before too long but she seemed like a really nice young lady and I was glad to have the company. By now the sun was rising and I was pointing out some of my favorite views and describing the next section of the course. I couldn't feel much better at this point if I had to and in these early miles I was feeling confident of having a good day.

  As we ran along on the grassy Glenwood horse trail I felt I was making good time. We were having a great conversation interrupted occasionally as I would pass or be passed by one of the many friends out on the course. This is a longer than advertised section  and I was explaining "Horton Miles" to her when we finally came within sight of the aid station at Reed Creek. Leah seemed to be in a rhythm now and running well so for the first time I glanced back to see what she looked like since it seemed we were going to be together for awhile. At this point it was still all about me and my quest for the course pr so I was in and out of the aid station quickly but she was determined to be my shadow so she followed me out  while stuffing some food in her mouth.

 I was almost 4 minutes behind pace now which was a bit disappointing but I still felt good so the quest for the pr was still on. We began the climb up to the top of Apple Orchard Mt still chatting away. She must have had a hundred questions about everything and I was happy to answer them and encourage her. She told me she had only run one marathon before so now I was really thinking she was in for a rude awakening before long. By now the day was gorgeous with the temps rising but still very comfortable or in a word, perfect for the race.

  We made a good effort going up  to the parkway and then ran strong all the way down to Sunset Fields. I felt great and she was still my shadow matching me step for step as we came into the aid station. I lost yet another  2 minutes in that section so once again I was in and out very quickly with Leah right behind me. As we once again entered the rocky single track I told her my story of "dancing" through the rocks and in a few minutes she said yep, it looked like I was dancing. Well she was doing a fine job of staying right with me despite her lack of experience. The questions continued and I continued to describe the course as we moved along finally reaching one of my favorite sections of the course where the trail parallels the whitewater creek down to the Cornelius Creek Aid Station. This section is so beautiful and every year I wish I could spend hours slowly walking down to the creek, playing in it and taking pictures but even taking a glance is risky business on this rocky downhill trail.

  We enjoyed crossing the creek and cooling off the feet and soon enough we were into the aid station. I saw my friend Charles West there and he asked me how I was doing on time. Well, I had lost yet another 4 minutes despite feeling great and running well .I guess feeling good is a  lot slower when your 5 years older at my age. I was now down 10 minutes and a pr was out of the question but I still felt great so I was going to keep going as fast as possible and still have a shot at a decent time and maybe my 2nd best at least.

  The next mile or so is a flat gravel road so I was running pretty hard hoping to make some time. For the first time Leah was starting to mention that her legs were getting really sore and tired so I told her that was completely normal after that long downhill pounding we had just finished. I could sense that she wanted to walk some  but I told her there would be a chance for a little breather when we hit the White Tail trail. She did really like that section and before long we were at the Colon Hollow aid station where once again I lost 2 minutes off the pr.

  It was soon after leaving the aid station that I think I had unknowingly began to lollygag a little. We were enjoying a great conversation and she was still peppering me with questions. We enjoyed a good laugh over the joke of how I became "Ultraman" I told her all about my Angels and when she asked if I'd ever run Boston I got a bit emotional as I told her Karla's story. 6 years now and every time I tell it to someone new I get choked up. About this time she confided to me that she didn't ever finish that marathon she had ran had but dropped out at mile 21 with heat exhaustion. About this time that we heard the thunder and in just a few minutes the rain began to fall along with the temperature.

  I could tell she was tired but was still in great spirits and I guess it was somewhere about this time that my focus went from running fast to seeing to it that Leah made it to the finish. I began to run and told her we needed to keep it going now. Within just minutes it seemed my hands began freezing and before long we were soaking wet. We finally we made it into Cornelius Creek for the 2nd time losing a whopping 11 more minutes off my goal pace but by now it didn't matter. I started heading back towards the bridge and was waiting for  Leah. She lost sight of me and thought I had left her behind  but I wasn't going to do that to her. Not now with just the last big climb to go.

 Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Apparently someone had told her about the steps and how tough they were but since she was not familiar with the course my description of where they were was not helping her too much. We began the steady climb trying to run a little bit while we still could before it got too steep and rocky. It was raining pretty hard now and the higher we climbed the colder it got and I was beginning to worry about hypothermia, not only for me but especially for her because she was just wearing a racing singlet over her sports bra so I know she had to be cold. The trail was getting very muddy  and treacherous in spots now and I kept looking back to make sure she was still right behind me.

 We finally made it to the falls and I would have loved to have taken some time to enjoy and take some pictures but I knew we had to keep moving as the conditions continued to deteriorate. Ok Leah, now here are the steps !  See, they aren't that bad and look at that beautiful view ! Yes the worst is over but there is still a lot of climbing to go before we reach the top.

   Well, normally the worst is over but today it just kept getting colder and getting windier the higher up the mountain we climbed and to make matters worse the dirt had become a mud with the consistency of chocolate pudding making for some slow slippery progress. Leah was still right there but she mentioned she was getting a little dizzy feeling. I knew that was an early sign of hypothermia as well as low blood sugar but all I could do was keep climbing and encouraging her along and that we were almost to the top. Surprisingly we made it to the top under those conditions only 6 minutes slower than on my pr day. I think the cold was really motivating me to push it  so we could head down to hopefully warmer temperatures.  The rain had stopped but the wind was blowing and I was freezing so a quick gel and some coke and time to roll !

   We had a slight downhill   for 3/4 mile and then the last little climb for about half a mile back to the top of Onion Mt. I told her that now it really was all downhill and she had it made. About that time there was a bright flash of lightning with a quick crash of thunder as another storm hit right on tip of us. Leah flinched and asked if we were going to be alright. I told her, well the only thing we can do about it right now is to run and pray. She took me at my word and the girl took off ! The trail going down here had turned into a river of mud covering the rocks beneath. I was trying to be careful but still trying to keep up. She looked back a couple of times and asked if I was alright and I assured her I was coming, just trying not to get hurt. She opened up about a hundred yard gap on me but we both passed several people that were not even trying to run on the treacherous trail.  I was finally able to close the gap and was just a few steps behind as we came off the trail and onto the steep downhill gravel road.

  I had been needing to pee for a long time so I finally stepped off to the side thinking I would have no problem catching up to her now that I didn't have to worry about the footing. Boy was I wrong. Within a few minutes she was out of sight and I was running just about as hard as I could. After a few minutes a man caught up to me that was from Raleigh and I fell in pace with him. Finally in  a few minutes I spotted Leah up ahead and could tell I was closing the gap. Just past the mile to go mark I caught up to her. She was happy to see me and told me to go on ahead but I slowed down and told her, no were finishing this thing together.
and that is what we did.

 I thought that feeling as good as I did  that I would be disappointed with the time but it turned out to be a very enjoyable day thanks to sharing it with this 19 year old young lady from Va. Tech. Despite the rough conditions over the last 3 hours she never whined or complained and I was so proud of her gutsy performance. This rookie exhibited all the necessary attributes to be an Ultraman's angel for sure. It was truly a pleasure to meet her and spend the day on the trail with her and I know that there is nothing she won't be able to do if she puts her mind to it.

 Saw this elevation comparison for Promise land and Boston. this kind of puts it in perspective next time someone says Boston is a "tough " course.

Off to the Promise Land

The Promise Land 50K++ that is. This is one of my favorite races so I'm really looking forward to going back and racing it while I'm in decent shape. The race is held in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virgina just North of Bedford over a very rugged and scenic course. See pictures here.

 This will be my 6th time racing the course and one year when it didn't fit my racing schedule I swept 25 miles of the course. I ran my best time back in 2007, running 7:11 that year but then I was not able to return until 2011. Of course last year was just 5 days after running in the Boston Marathon so my goal was to just have fun and run as much as possible with my friend Jenn. you can go back to the blog archives from last April and see the videos from that one. To give you a comparison of the difficulty of the course, my 50k pr is 4:44 compared to that 7:11 here

. I've been feeling great and seemed to be recovered from the 100 miler 4 weeks ago so I'm hoping to run well this year. The plan is to get the first big climb done and see how I'm feeling. If all is well then it's game on and I'll shoot for a course pr. I've got my splits from that 2007 race so as long as I'm close I'll keep pushing. But if I'm not feeling that good or way off the pace I can still enjoy the beauty and have some fun.

Umstead 2012- A look back

It's been three weeks now since the race so I've had a lot of time to look back on it. Not much time for writing though due to a busy time at work. Although my time was a little disappointing to me, over all it was a really great weekend in so many ways. I think that one reason I can look back so positively is because m recovery has really been a bit amazing to me. By Monday after the race I was not feeling much more soreness than if I'd done a long training run and was walking around normally. By mid-afternoon I ran across the parking lot just to see if I was really feeling that good. Gave serious thought to going for a run after work but I decided to play it smart and rest a few days. i waited until Thursday and then went for a 4 miler and was almost shocked at how good I felt. No pain and my pace was about normal for my easy runs. A week later I put in a normal 45 mile week of training and followed that up this week with another 45 miles. Sweet !

Once again I must thank Blake and all the staff ad volunteers that make this race so special. It takes a tremendous amount of time and effort to put on an event like this and do it as well as they do. I'll be looking forward to once again being one of those volunteers for the next few years and maybe I'll give it another shot in 2016 or so. Other than my own race, it was a lot of fun keeping up with the training of quite a few local runners that were either going for their first 100 or giving it another shot after a dnf last year. Congratulations to Charles Akers, Jeff Sackoroff, Shannon Johnstone, Lauren Wilkins and Linda Banks as well as the 64 total first timers. Oh and no I am not forgetting one very special first timer, Amy Surrette. I think that watching Amy finish was more satisfying to me than my on effort out there. I had the pleasure of meeting Amy nearly four years ago, not long after she moved to Raleigh. At that time her longest race had been a half marathon and she was hoping to run her first full marathon that November. She asked to join with me and my Angels on our long training runs and soon we became friends. I decided that I would run the last portion of that race with her and it was there under tough conditions and under-trained that I saw she had something special about her spirit and tenacity. I guess I was a bad influence on her along with the other Angels as well as several others in the local community because a year later she was headed off to run her first 50k at Derby. Soon after she asked me if I thought she should do the Boogie as her first 50 miler and without hesitation I told her I had no doubt she could do it. Despite some who would doubt her, she not only finished but made it look easy. So when she said she wanted to do the Umstead 100 this year I was committed to giving her all the encouragement and advice I could as we continued to train together nearly every weekend as well as the occasional weekday run. Well, she once again proved her great spirit and determination in a gutsy performance that moved many to tears. Yep, I'm mighty proud of this young lady and so happy to have her as a training partner, friend and Angel. I'm linking to her report on her blog here

for your reading pleasure.

Me and Umstead. Part 8. The 2012 Race

As always there was much excitement in the air as I arrived at Camp Lapihio for the Friday evening check in and spaghetti dinner. It was a wonderful afternoon and early evening for catching up with old friends and getting in the mood for an adventure.. Everything was going well with my training and I was brimming with confidence as the eve of the race approached with my only concern being how the weather would turn out for us.

Rain. Hmmmm, not what I was hoping for as I made the drive back to the park early Saturday for the race. At least it was a warm rain in the upper 60's but my real concern was what would happen if the rain stopped. Oh well, nothing I could do about it so no need to spend anytime worrying about it. I made my last minute preparations and headed over to the start. I lined up with Amy and gave her some last minute advice and planned to stick with her for the first couple of miles before it would be time for us to go and chase our separate dreams.

Things went as planned and just about the two mile mark she slowed down and sent me on ahead. The rain was not heavy, just light and steady and it was really a non issue for me at this point. Lap one went exactly as I had planned. I was feeling great, and hit my time goal of 2:17, just like I had practiced it. I was using my car for my drop bag because part of my plan to save time was to stay out of the lodge until the race was over. It is a time sucker in there with too many people to talk to and and too cozy when the going gets rough. Jenn the Aid station captain in training was there to greet me and I gabbed a bag of food to carry with me and was out in about 1 minute.

The next couple of laps were just about the same with the light rain continuing and my splits close to what I wanted them to be. Everything was going well, my energy level was good, the legs had adjusted to the task at hand after the usual tiredness that kicks in around mile 25. I did feel a blister coming on my right big toe since the 2nd lap but it was just a minor irritation that I chose to ignore. I was also developing a hot spot on the left forefoot but I chose to ignore it also and hope for the best.

At this point I had been hoping it would remain overcast with some drizzle all day to keep it cool but by the time I was heading out for lap 4 the sun was breaking through. As I feared the temperature rose and the humidity stayed very high. I don't think it ever got hotter than the upper 70's but with the humidity it felt stifling along the trail, especially on Turkey Creek. I tried to slow down and back off the effort hoping that I could stay close to my goal during the day and maybe pick up the effort once the sun set. My time for that lap was over 15 minutes slower than I hoped for and already I knew my fantasy goal for 21 hours was not going to happen but if I could just hold it together the 2nd half the pr was still likely. I did get a new 50 mile pr of 10:02. It may seem odd to break a 50 mile pr in a 100 miler but my previous best was halfway in the 2007 Rocky Raccoon 100. Although I have done quite a few 50 milers , they have all been on tough courses or under tough conditions. Maybe someday I can find a fast course and a cool day combined.

So anyway, back to this race. I had made the decision to allow myself some pacers for the first time and about a week before my buddy Jerry Paul called and asked if he could come run a lap with me. We haven't had a chance to run together in a couple of years so I was happy to have him come join me for lap 5. As we started out I was still feeling ok and hoping to run well but it still felt awful out there. I was moving along well but as we approached the Turkey Creek aid station I could feel the wheels coming off. I took a few minutes to try and gather myself and get in fluids and some calories but nothing seemed to be helping.

I was doing some suffering on North Turkey Creek and my nemesis , the spasming diaphragm kicked in full force making my life miserable. I assured Jerry that I was not dying despite all the noises, the struggling breathing and all the moaning and groaning. By now I was really not having much fun and if I couldn't get this turned around soon dropping out was beginning to sound like a really good idea.

One great thing about this race are the many wonderful volunteers and I am lucky to know so many of them through my connections with this race, the ultrarunning community and the NCRC. Every time through the aid stations I had people looking out for me and lots of cheering. Also due to the out and back spur and the return trip on Reedy Creek Road from Graylin to the Camp, you get to see so many of the other competitors many times through out the day. Lots of support out there and it was especially nice for me to see several of my friends that were either running their first 100 or seeking redemption from dnf's last year.

Of course my training partner and dear friend and Angel, Amy was the one I was most concerned with. I feel partly responsible for getting her into this stuff and I was thinking of her quite often throughout the day and even in my current misery on lap 5. I had seen her several times on the spur and she was looking good and moving well in good spirits. This time though as I was I nearing the turn back to camp she was not looking too happy. I stopped long enough to give her a hug as she told me about having major blister issues and having to spend a long time in the lodge having them tended. I felt bad for her but tried to give her some encouragement to continue and then I ran on back towards camp.

My time for that lap was way too slow and now it would take a miracle for me to turn things around and still get the pr. I could still do it IF I didn't slow down anymore. The humidity was still stifling and I was struggling to get calories and fluids in. The stomach was just shutting down and not processing what I was putting into to it so I sat for a few minutes and tried to eat some soup before heading out on lap 6 by myself. I said goodbye and thanks to Jerry and then headed out knowing that darkness would be coming soon and hopefully cooler temps.

Let me tell you. Lap 6 was awful. The breathing and spasming issues just got worse and I had mentally lost the desire to continue. The one bright spot of this lap was as I was running down the hill to the aid station on Turkey Creek in the darkness I heard the voice of a real angel, my first grand-daughter Aurora ! My son Jeremy and wife Mandy had come out with the whole family, Johnny, Nick, Aurora and Ariel to see Grandpa. Thanks to my meltdown and slow times I was about 2 hours behind what I had projected to be there so they had been waiting all that time. I sat down for about 10 minutes with them while super volunteer BD Sechler took care of getting everything I needed. I really hated to have to go but I needed to get moving so they walked with me until I disappeared onto North Turkey Creek.

The rest and soup didn't help and the rest of the lap stunk and I was miserable. I debated over and over again with myself about dropping out. If I didn't have Lisa waiting to run lap 7 with me and knowing how we had planned it and looked forward to it for so long I don't know that I would have been able to face going out another lap. I finally finished lap 6 and Lisa was ready and raring to go with me. I sat long enough to eat half of a cheeseburger and while we were waiting to head out someone gave us the latest weather report. No rain expected, a cell over Greensboro so we should have a clear night. Boy howdy was that ever wrong.

It was still rather warm around 11pm and I was still sweating in the thick humidity but Lisa was smart enough to convince me to let her carry a long sleeve shirt just in case. Well, we got about 3 miles out when the big thunderstorm hit. Great weather forecast. It was an impressive show for sure although never quite as exciting as the Boogie last June. It did rain very heavy for awhile and it was a cold rain but thankfully it stopped before we got to the aid station. The shirt Lisa had brought for me was soaked but I had another in my drop bag so I dried off and changed shirts and just before we headed out it began raining again. So happy we hadn't gotten out on the trail before it hit and gotten me soaked again. We got some trash bag ponchos from the volunteers and then headed out in the rain and darkness.

I was still feeling like crap and still having the spasms and about to have a total meltdown on those steep North Turkey Creek hills. On the last climb I had to sit on the resting stump to let things calm down and Lisa waited patiently for me. This was not the way we had envisioned this going but Lisa is an awesome friend and an awesome pacer and her company was invaluable while I wallowed in my misery. After a few minutes it was time to move on and get back to camp. One more lap if I could just hold it together.

Lisa would have loved to have gone on my last lap with me but she has Boston coming up and it was in her best interest not to go out for another lap. I sat down at the main aid station and decided to eat a hot dog before going out. This last lap was going to be special in many ways. Most importantly I would get to share it with Karla, my Marathon Princess ! I was wearing my hot pink gaiters and had gotten dozens of compliments and comments all day and into the night. Several times I was able to share the story of my reason for getting them in the first place back in 2006 and how I was going to have the honor of wearing them with Karla to finish the race .


I warned her as we started out that it was going to be a long slow lap and I was going to sound like I was dying and not to worry about me. We stopped by my car so I could grab my vest because it was chilly now and I was not moving fast enough to stay warm any longer with just the shirt. Although I felt horrible and continued to have meltdowns and all the other problems it was wonderful to share it with Karla and she was great company. Slowly but surely we counted down the miles. I was hoping that the hot spots on my feet would not be a problem but halfway down powerline with 3 miles to go I felt an explosion of pain on my right forefoot that brought me to a screeching halt. In a minute the pain subsided enough that I could continue running down the hill but I was sure glad I didn't have much further to go.

Just as we were about to make the final turn at the fountain to head back to the finish I saw Amy walking towards us with her husband Andy. She was in tears and my heart was breaking for her. Her feet hurt so bad but I knew she had no quit in her. I just hugged her again and mumbled something that I don't remember about getting through this last lap and then left them to put an end to my own little misery.

I did surprise myself and ran up the last hill to the finish and looking at the pictures it hardly looks like I had done anything. I was of course a bit disappointed with my time but glad that I stuck with it and got another finish. I spent a few minutes talking to Joe Lugiano at the tent and then after some pictures with my angels I finally went inside the lodge to rest and eat an omelot before hitting the showers.

I was shocked to find a honking big blister on my big toe and wondered how it fit in my shoe especially without popping. It supplied many moments of entertainment to friends and spectators while I waited for Amy to come in.

It was a joy to finally see her come running up that last hill hand in hand with Andy. A very emotional moment for a lot of us that know her.

That's it for now. I don't expect I'll be running this one again anytime soon. Next year I'll put my volunteer hat on once again and find some other Spring race to run.

Me and Umstead. Part 7. Going for the PR in 2012

It was Friday night before last years race while I was working in registration that I knew it was time to make another run for it at Umstead in 2012. It's hard to describe if you haven't been there but there is a special feeling in the air at Camp Lapihio. I'll never forget the feeling before my first 100 and it is so cool being around and seeing the newbies and relating to the excitement they are feeling. One of the great rewards of volunteering is watching people meet the challenges and especially the new ones. Ultra running has really grown in the area since I began in 2002 and I really love to see many friends crossing over to the dark side !


Since coming back from the injuries of 2008 I have been getting better every year and putting in more miles than ever. I knew when I made up my mind to enter that I was not just going to run to finish but I wanted it to be something special. At my age I have to face the reality that there won't be many more opportunities for me to improve and go for pr's so after getting Boston behind me last April , I immediately turned my attention to getting back into the best ultra shape possible. Just 5 days after Boston I was doing the Promise Land 50K for training with Jenn and then began my training. Of course I was doing other races and having a lot of fun but the focus in my mind was preparing for a PR attempt this weekend.

My trip to Tahoe Rim last July was a very important step in the process, mainly because I had not completed a 100 since Feb of 2007. I needed to get a tough one under my belt (and the big shiny buckle on it) to regain the confidence I would need. As soon as I recovered from PL I began trying to get out to Umstead and do a practice lap just about every week. I used these practice laps to work on different pacing strategies and visualizing how I would feel and what I planned to do each lap in the race. My PR is 23:15 but I planned to go big and try for 21 hours. I'm afraid it's going to be a lot warmer than I had hoped but if I use my head I'm confident that I have a real shot at obtaining my goal.

One of the best things of course will be that I have so many friends that will be out volunteering and racing. It boggles my mind to know that barely 10 years ago I was a near hermit. And one entrant in particular that I am most excited for is one of my training partners and special Angels, Amy Surrette. She will be running her first 100. I am so proud of her and all she has accomplished since we met and I will be so happy to see her cross that finish line for her first buckle/pendant, hopefully in under 24. You can do it AMY !

One thing that I have always done in all my ultra's is to go crew less and without pacers but this year I do plan to make an exception to that rule. Since it is local and is so close for so many friends I wanted to share this one with my wonderful Angels that have shared so many miles over the past few years. I was hoping for all of them to run some but it's looking like that's not going to be possible since Amy is running and Jenn is working as co-captain for the main aid station. Margo will be out of town and Laura is suppose to pace another lady but hopefully it will work out that she can run one with me. Karla and Lisa are planning to run the last two with me at least. A non Angel but dear friend Jerry is suppose to pace me on lap 5.

Well, this concludes our Umstead series of post for now. the next one will be my report on the PR!

Me and Umstead. Part 6. 2005 through 2011

After completing the race in 2004 I went ahead and did the Lynchburg Ultra Series as well as another full schedule of Triathlons over the summer months. by 2005 I was a committed ultrarunner and had lost interest in the he tri's so when the 2005 Umstead rolled around I was eager to be there to volunteer for the entire weekend, enjoying spending the time with friends and meeting new ones. This would also be the first year I would be a pacer following a day of helping at the aid station. I had a wonderful weekend and would continue doing this for the 2006 and 2007 races.

Unfortunately I spent most of the months preceding the 2008 race with a lot of pain which began with a really dumb move, not running in early 2007. The dumb running part was racing and racing through the pain. I was not able to mentally or physically prepare for the race but was hoping to at least be able to finish. Jenn was running in her first 100 and I was really hoping to stay with her as long as possible but early in lap two it became obvious I was not having a good day and had to let her go. te day ended up with a DNF at mile 69. If you are really bored you can read that report here.

I had written a long personal report but it disappeared into cyberland so I wrote this shorter one here.

In 2009, 2010 and 2011 I returned as a volunteer and pacer for the weekend again. 2010 was especially nice because I got to run the last lap with Jenn as she set a pr with a 21:55 ish finish. Karla was pacing her too so that made it extra special.

Me and Umstead. Part 5. My first 100

I hadn't really planned on Umstead being my 1st 100 miler for a couple of reasons but mainly because I had no desire to run 100 miles on rough gravel roads. For those of you newer to the area, through 2003 Old Reedy Creek Rd and Graylin Rd were just that. Rough, rutted gravel roads that only existed because before it was a park, people lived and farmed in the area. They were especially rough going down the hills as you would expect. I hardly ever ran out there because it was not very comfortable or fun so when I did run in the park it was on the single track. I don't remember exactly when but I heard sometime later that year that the park was going to re-surface the roads like they are today and that put the seed in my head that I would go for it in 2004.

So after a couple of 50k's I finally did my first 50 miler at Mountain Masochist in October 2003 off of 25 miles a week of training, just barely making the cut-off in 11:54. Over the next 6 months I bumped my training up to a whopping 29 miles a week with a couple more 50 k's and the inaugural Umstead Trail marathon before the race. For some reason I had it in my head that I was going to go for sub 24 despite everyone I knew advising against it. After all my 50k pr was still only about 5:30 but I was confident that I would do it.

In 2004 the race was 10 laps beginning at Camp Lapihio as it does now. We turned left at the fountain onto Reedy Creek and ran all the way to the gate at Trinity Rd. Turkey Creek did not exist yet so the aid station was where the picnic table and new fountain are located now at the start of South Turkey Creek. From there we ran back down by the lake and up Corkscrew to Graylin where we turned right and ran up Powerline. A left turn and through the B&B parking lot to Group Camp Road and then up that hill and back into camp.

I had a plan and had done many practice laps and the day went pretty much the way I had visualized it. Although I was much slower over all the 2nd half I was still running the same amount each lap. Amazingly when it looked like I was falling behind pace after 70, I was able to pick up the pace to mile 80 running that lap faster than any since mile 50.

One of the coolest things to happen was as I came in finishing lap 9, Matt Kirk a friend who had won the race earlier in the day in 15 hours was still hanging around at the finish taking a nap on the hood of a truck. When he saw me he jumped up and seemed more excited than I felt at the time saying you got it ! You can do this ! 24 hours ! I had to go down to the lake behind the camp for the last time( We had to start the race at the bottom of that hill and each lap we ran down there and back up to the lodge). When I got back around Matt was there trying to get me to eat something but I didn't feel like it and just wanted to get going. He finally convinced me to eat some cheese which sounded good to me. The only reason I didn't run as much the last lap was due to big blisters on the forefoot of both feet and it hurt worse to run downhill. It didn't slow me down too much though and I was a man on a mission. I accomplished my goal finishing in 23:48 and Matt was there to greet me. What an awesome experience !

Me and Umstead. Part 4. The Birth of Ultraman

After the ACL blowout I began going to the Y for swimming and weight work to strengthen the legs and stay in shape as well as biking more. I figured while I was doing those two ,once I began running again it was time to try a triathlon which was something I had always wanted to try. Like ultrarunning I had subscribed to a triathlon magazine in the early 80's but never got around to doing one. SO from 1999 through the next 5 - 6 years I participated in about 30 tri's but that again is another story although it does have a little something to do with this one. My running during this period was around 20 miles a week and I still was getting out and running some shorter runs on the trails, usually about 6 miles.

In 2001 I decided to enter the Uwharrie 20 miler which was my longest run since the mid 80's. I probably had not done more than 5 or 6 runs of about 13 miles over the previous years and that race turned out to be about the hardest thing I had ever done but I loved it.
In late 2001 I was going to enter it again for 2002 but found out that they would not be holding the 20 miler that year. I was disappointed but knew there was no way I was going to try for 40 with my running mileage still in the low 20's per week. I had only done a few 12-13 mile runs again and one 16 mile trail race in October but then I noticed a beginner friendly ultra in Va, Holiday Lake put on by David Horton whom I was familiar with and had met at the Virgina 10 miler. I'd always wanted to eventually enter an ultra so I decided it was time and sent in my entry.

That December of 2001 I also decided it was time to re-enter the world and meet some people so I began going to the then monthly NCRC meetings. I met Joe Lugiano there and told him what I had planned and he was great at giving me a lot of advice. I also met the Squiers and eventually made friends. On a side note, I noticed a beautiful young lady at one of those meetings around this time. Figured she was about 23 or so. It would be a couple of years before we ever actually talked at one of the Umstead series runs in August before I took on leading that social series. Turns outs ended up being one of my best friends and training partners, The Ultra Angel Jenn, but I digress.

So I did run that 50K plus in Feb of 2002, and loved it but I was still dedicated to doing my best in the upcoming Tri season so I would not run anymore ultra's that year. My first one of the season would be on Sunday April 7th which just happened to be Umstead weekend. I volunteered on Friday helping park cars and then working in the lodge with the pasta dinner. It was great meeting more ultrarunners and getting to know some of the local runners and volunteers better and was a bit sad that I couldn't be there for the race since I had already made plans to be In Wilmington on Saturday for the Tri on Sunday.

In January 2003 I ran my 2nd ultra at the Frosty 50K and was doing much better at meeting people, making friends and opening up a little more. I was planning on doing several more ultra's in the coming year leading up to my first 50 mile attempt in November but I was still trying to improve in the tri's at this point during the warm Spring and Summer months. Once again I had the April tri in Wilmington on Sunday of Umstead weekend but this time I volunteered on Friday and then came back and worked at the main aid station for 4 hours on Saturday before heading to Wilmington for the packet pickup. I really hated to leave for by now I was really loving being around the ultra community and although I wanted to do well in the upcoming tri season I could feel my heart was moving to the ultra world.

Me and Umstead. Part 3. First race impressions

And now back to our regularly scheduled Umstead stories.

The Umstead 100 was first held in 1994 and included just two entrants, RD Blake Norwood and Tom Newman. Beginning in 1995 it became an "official" race. I'm not really sure when I first became aware of it becoming an event as most of my memories of the 90's a blur. I refer to most of that era in my life as "The Dark Years". I won't go into any of that right now. Maybe a book someday? Anyway by 1991 I was hardly running at all and had no social life outside of immediate family and was living in depression without realizing it through most of the decade. So, anyway things were starting to get better for me emotionally by 96. I had taken up whitewater kayaking. mountain biking and I had began playing Soccer in an over 40 league so at least I was staying active. I ran a couple of hundred miles per year and did an occasional 5k or so but hardly considered myself a runner anymore and still had no friends and didn't really want any. I was always ready to retreat to my cave and other than kayaking when I had to go with a group on the dangerous stuff I did everything alone.

In 1998 I happened to have a soccer game around noon in Cary so before game time I decided to go by and check out this 100 miler I had heard about. I'd been aware of ultra's since very early in my running back in the 70's and had actually subscribed to ultrarunning magazine in 1982 or 83 but never got around to doing one. In fact I had only run one bad marathon in 1981 but back to this story. So I stopped at Camp Crabtree which is where the race HQ was that year and walked around to check things out. The only familiar face I saw was Joe Lugiano but I didn't really know him other than from knowing he was NCRC President at one time and I had seen his name in some ultra results. I hung around for about an hour and it looked interesting to me so after playing my soccer game I decided to return for awhile longer.

Once I returned and began hanging out I decided to offer to help at the aid station. After awhile of this and enjoying and learning about this sport of ultrarunning first hand, Blake asked me if I could sit at the finish and write down runners numbers as they came through each lap. I ended up working there until 11pm when I finally left for home. I was really having a great time and didn't want to leave. I don't have too many memories of the race but I did meet Joel Zucker as he came through a couple of times. You couldn't miss him because he was quite a character, a loud and loquatious New Yorker. Joel was one of the founders of the ultralistserv and unfortunately passed away several years ago after the Hardrock 100 which he loved so much.

One of the highlights for me was seeing Eric Clifton who I knew was one of the top ultrarunners in the country for many years and is still running quality times as a masters runner. He is famous for running in his homemade "jester" running tights. I was amazed to see him running so strong and consistently for so many laps. Just before he was due to come in to finish, Blake came over and handed me a card to give to Eric when he won. Blake had to leave to take care of something important and regretted not being able to be there to congratulate Eric as he crossed the line. How ironic it seemed that I, the walk on volunteer that no one knew was given the honor of meeting the race winner ! I thought it was funny that as soon as Eric finished he walked straight to a picnic table to sit and then after doing all that great running had to be helped into the lodge.

The other major impression that I got was a young lady that came through a couple of times and was always smiling and seemed to be enjoying herself. She had planned to stop at 50 but told me she couldn't believe how good she felt and decided to go out for another lap. Several hours later she came walking in very slowly and when I asked her how she felt she said "that was a really bad idea".

Later that year in October in the middle of the Fall soccer season I tore my left ACL which proved to be a pivotal moment in my life. I suddenly realized how much I missed running regularly,competing and training , setting goals and working to achieve them. I did a lot of praying over it and committed myself to doing all I could to get back to running. I was ready and willing to give up soccer, as well as pick up games of basketball and any other sport that may lead to further injury and keep me from running again. Well you know how that ended up.

Riser Run 5k XC

We now interrupt our Umstead history series to bring you a short race report.

Racing a 5k a week before running a 100 miler is not the best way to taper I'm sure so I promised I would just run it for fun. I certainly hadn't planned on entering anything but when Margherita told me about this one to support the Corinth Holders High School chorus I decided to join in the fun and spend some time with her instead of my usual Saturday morning routine. Margo is one of the Angels and her daughter Gabriella is a member of the school chorus so I was looking forward to doing my small part to show support.

Of course it rained most of the night and was still pouring down when I woke up at 6am. A check of the radar online showed no chance of a break in the weather and it was very tempting to go back to bed and run some other time. I am tapering after all and they already had my entry fee but I decided to go ahead. At least it wasn't cold and maybe the rain would slack off a little.

The rain was not too bad when I arrived and I parked next to Margo and Tony who was going to run also. I checked in and then headed out for a 3 mile warmup at an easy pace on the roads around the school with a couple of laps on the track before heading over to the start. The course was mostly the one used by the high school xc team with the finish on the track.

The start was in a grassy area and we would be running in the grass with lots of mud and puddles and standing water for the bulk of the course. I got off to a good start trying not to push the pace too much. My goal was not to get hurt, fall down or turn a knee or ankle so I didn't want to push too hard. I just wanted to get in a good hard effort and have some fun. After half a mile or so we had spread out a bit and then we turned onto a rough gravel road for about a half mile out and back. I passed several younger folks that had gone out too fast and then the order was pretty much set for the remainder of the race.

I passed the mile in 7:40 and was pretty happy with that considering the conditions. Just about then I was passed by a woman and she would be the only one to pass me. Around 1.25 we ran up a very steep grassy hill that slowed me down considerably but after that the remainder of the course was pretty flat. I just concentrated on being careful trying to maintain a strong pace. There was no need to even try to avoid the mud and water because the course was saturated. Fun stuff. I was loving it and loving feeling so much better than expected.

Went through 2 miles in 16:00 for an 8:20 second mile and then just maintained until I hit the track. with 2/10ths to go. Nice strong finish in 24:58. Considering the conditions , I've done no speedwork and that I was just putting out about 90% effort I was very pleased with my time.

A very enjoyable run in the rain and puddles. Now I'm really tapering. Seriously. I mean it.

Me and Umstead. Part 2. First runs

My first encounter with Umstead as a runner came back in October of 1978. I had been running for about 16 months and racing for about 7 months and now I was looking forward to doing a cross-country race in Tanglewood Park outside of Clemmons NC. My brother, who I had gotten to join in with my running a few months earlier and I decided to go run on a trail at Umstead on the 28th of that October, about a week before the race.

We park on the Reedy Creek side which I think was probably the first time either of us had been on that side of the park and after looking over a map we headed down the Company Mill Trail. Things were going well until just after a mile we came to Crabtree Creek at the old mill site. There we lost the trail and after searching along the bank in both direction following false trails we gave up in frustration and ran back to our car. A quick look at the map and we realized that the trail continued onto the other side of the creek ! At that time there was no bridge over the creek or any other bridges on any of the trails for that matter. If you wanted to get to the other side you waded across.

Later in March of 1979 I returned to the park by myself on the Glenwood side of the park and went for a run on the Sal's Branch trail. Somewhere along the way, probably where the trail comes out at Big Lake, I got confused and couldn't figure out which way to go so I turned around and ran back the same way I had come ending up with about 4 miles.

Over the next few years as I had moved to Fayetteville and Hope Mills I didn't get back to the park but a couple of times. I was focusing more on trying to run fast 5 and 10K's so I was doing most of my running on the roads and track but I had always loved running around in the woods so I would occasionally find a trail to get in some miles. I took a new job in Oct of 1982 which involved driving all over Eastern NC so I began to look for parks and trails to run on close by to where I was working but that's another story.

Me and Umstead. Part 1.The early years

With the Umstead 100 fast approaching, I have been thinking about my relationship with the park and race so I thought I might give you a little history.

My first encounter with William B.Umstead State Park would have probably been in 1963 or 1964. My family had moved to Wake County over the Christmas holidays just after my 8th birthday and I was soon involved in Cub Scout and church activities and I have vague memories of picnics and gatherings in the following years. There may have been trips just with the family but it is hard to remember much from nearly 50 years ago now. I do remember playing in the creek down the hill from the main picnic area where the Sycamore Trail crosses on a bridge now.

In those days it was a long drive through the country to get there from Garner and other than the airport, which was much smaller then, there was no development on either side of the park so it seemed very remote.

When I was in high school I know I made a few trips out into the woods there and in probably 1972 or 73 I took a date there and we rented a rowboat and paddled around Big Lake. I've got some old photos from that day and if I can find them I'll see if I can scan them in the computer and post them.

Which is harder? the old 10 lap Umstead course or the current course ?

That's a question I have often wondered about since the course was changed after my debut 100 miler in 2004. That year the bridle trails had just been re-surfaced in time for the race but Turkey Creek had not been built so we did 10 x 10 mile loops using parts of Old Reedy Creek, Graylin and a couple of miles out on the gravel roads from Sycamore and Group Camp road.

In 2005 Turkey Creek was opened but not quite completed and the course was changed to 8 x 12.5 mile loops with an extension just outside the park on Graylin to a 3rd major aid station at the Rangers residence. By 2006 TC was complete and the current course has been used ever since with just the two major aid stations with the 2nd one moved from the top of South Turkey Creek to the bridges at the bottom.

I have paced the new course for about 120 miles but haven't completed the race on the new course so I have been curious as to which one might be the hardest. I've asked a few runners that ran in 04 and since then their opinions and most answered that they felt they were about the same but the new one maybe a bit harder. I have thought from my experience that the older one was harder but had no real evidence to back that feeling.

I am entered in this years race and like 2004 I have been making a lot of practice loops at least every week or two for the past 10 months. I have been averaging right at 11:00 per mile give or take a few seconds on these so out of curiosity a couple of months ago I looked back in my journal from 2004 to see what pace I was doing those in at that time on the old course. I was a bit surprised that all of those were about 11:30 pace. So, is the course that much harder or am I in that much better shape now?

Only one way to find out so today I did a practice lap on the old route putting in the same amount of effort as my recent laps on the new course and the result? 11:22 pace which shows a little of both. The course is definitely more difficult and I am in a little bit better shape. Theoretically those figures would add up to about a 40 minutes faster time on the new course but there are so many things thing can go bad or good over the length of a 100 mile race.

The main reason a lot of people would think the new one is harder is because of the steep hills on North Turkey Creek but actually other than that there is only one really long climb up by the lake, the climb on Cemetary and a few other minor hills all done 8 times. Just think about this. In 2004 we had to go up that lake hill 10 times, UP corkscrew 10 times, Up powerline 10 times and UP Group Camp road 10 Times . Plus there was that steep little hill behind the lodge at Camp Lapihio that goes down to the lake that we had to do 10 times also.

Bottom Line? I say it was harder but don't let that make you feel any better if you are running the new course. It still ain't easy.

Pilot Mountain Payback

It has taken me awhile to get around to posting this report but that is not a reflection of how much I enjoyed this race but rather finding the time to put my thoughts in writing. No excuse tonight so here it is.

I was up way to early but that's what we runners do to get up in time to do these races. I drove over to Margherita's and from there we rode down with Tony who would be getting in a bike ride while supporting along the course. The drive went quickly and uneventful and we made it to the race site in plenty of time to get ready and hang out with the few friends in attendance. Ultramom Amy had camped out and was there along with a few other ultra and MTC friends including Mark Long, Jim Plant, Jeff McGonnell and I finally got to meet Bill Weimer. It was a beautiful morning in the 40's and the sun was shining brightly as it rose above the trees just before the 9 am start time with a promise of perfect running conditions.

After final preparations we made it over to the start line. If you don't like wet feet this race is not for you because the first stream crossing is within the 1st 100 ft and after crossing there is an steep long hill so after just a minute of running I began walking to save energy and not go into oxygen debt before I even got warmed up. Margo and I walked together but that would be about all the time we would spend together in the race. Once we topped the hill I picked up the pace and started picking my way around a lot of runners on the trail on the downhill.

The course began with a loop through the park mostly on gravel roads and some trail. I was just trying to take it easy to began with knowing that the tough part of the course would come around mile 8. We crossed another creek and were soon leaving the Yadkin River section of the park and after crossing a road began onto the corridor trail, a combination of double and single track that is about 5.5 miles long that connects to the mountain section of the park. We were mixed in with the runners doing the "heavy half" and I could tell there were quite a few runners that were new to trail racing. This section of the course was quite runnable with few rocks and roots to contend with. A few more creek crossings and rolling terrain but none of the hills were too long. I was in ultra mode at this point so I was walking a lot of the steeper portions of the hills. This was entertaining for awhile as I was leapfrogging so many that were trying to run the whole time. I would fall back a little on the climbs but then make up ground and pass a few on the downhills.

This continued for the next several miles and during this time the temperature was climbing to a very comfortable upper 50's so I had my sleeves rolled up by mile 5. I was cruising along fine until another creek crossing where I felt some debris wash into my left shoe which has a small whole around the top of the big toe. ( I wear out a hole in all my shoes within 200 miles at that spot). My gaiters can't help that area and the debris was causing a lot of discomfort so I was looking for a spot to sit and fix it. I knew it wasn't too far to the aid station so I was hoping no damage would be done until I could get there.

Finally came into the AS and I quickly filled my bottle and then sat in a chair to empty the trash out. No wonder it hurt. I found a piece of glass wedged in the corner in front of my big toe along with some smaller pieces of junk. Really lucky not to have been cut and surprised to find glass picked from the creek. While I was sitting there I saw Margo and a few others move ahead of me. I put my shoe on quickly and headed out in pursuit.

We crossed another road here and then began the Summit Trail which was described on the sign as "strenuous" An understatement for sure. The halfers had turned around back at the aid station so things were quite spread out now with less than 75 in the marathon now. I was hoping to catch up with Margo but she was already out of sight. I could just barely see two guys up ahead and after a little while I looked back and couldn't see anyone coming. The trail had become very rocky, and a lot of the rocks were covered in leaves making for treacherous footing and it was a pretty steep climb in places with not many switchbacks. I was concentrating on being safe at this point knowing that I wasn't going to make up anytime here and that this tough section would only last for a few miles.

I was really feeling very good and enjoying the beautiful views from the trail of the rocks and seeing the Big Pinnacle coming closer. I was passed by two young guys before we finally came off the single track section and began the final push to the top on a groomed , wide trail with steps built in every few feet. I was moving along well and soon came out at the upper parking lot and the aid station at the overlook. A gorgeous view but no time to waste so I filled up my bottle again and grabbed a cookie and a gel and headed out for my lap around the pinnacle.

The only time I had walked this section was way back when I was still married and that has been over 20 years so I had no real memory of what it was like. Well, it's very pretty but very tough with lots of rock steps up and down making it a slow trip around. I did snap a couple of quick photos but I didn't want to take up any time and the footing was too sketchy to not pay attention. I hope to return sometime to just walk and enjoy this unique section of trail.

It is a short loop around and I was looking forward to making up for lost time on the downhill but I was in for a bit of a surprise. We would take a different route on the return going around the mountain on it's shoulder and the first mile or so was on some of the toughest trail I have ever been on before. Rocks rocks and more rocks as we ran down below a wall that many climbers were enjoying. The trail was basically a pile of rubble that had fallen from the wall over the millenia and some had been carved into steps. I think it may be the only time I've tried to run downhill and lost more time on my average pace.

After a mile or so the trail finally looped back to the smooth groomed surface and a short climb before heading down and around the mountain. I passed one runner just as we reached the climb. I felt great so I decided to just put the hammer down for awhile. The next few miles were some of the fastest of the day for me as the trail was a gradual downhill and fairly smooth. I passed a couple of others here like they were standing still. Actually walking and they commented on how well I had paced myself. That made me feel good. Experience and solid training do pay off sometimes.

I was in and out of the Visitors Center aid station very quickly and then back onto the trail. The next several miles would be back to the rolling terrain before the summit trail with still a few short but steep climbs. The trail came out of the woods by a beautiful farm and crossed the road and I was surprised to find that I was already back to the aid station and beginning of the corridor trail. Just as I came in Tony rode up on his bike and I asked him how far ahead Margo was in front of me. He said he wasn't sure that she was ahead of me but I never passed her so unless she had gone into the bathrooms at the summit he had missed her.

I just grabbed another gel and took off still hoping to go under 5 hours. I caught and passed another couple of runners including one of the two that had passed me on the climb. I was enjoying using the runners in front of me as extra motivation to keep pushing the pace.

I came to the last aid station and where the race director was working. He said I looked like a man that was looking for something and asked what I needed. I just blew by and said I just need to hurry up and get to the finish line. Shortly after I spotted one more runner in the distance so I focused on reeling him in. When I got close I recognized him as the other young guy that had passed me on the climb. Yes ! I finally caught up to him and he asked if I knew how far we had to go. I wasn't sure but I said it couldn't be much further and then I passed with authority. In just a moment the trail came out to a road and I realized that I was back to the park and should have about a mile or less to go but the directional sign was blown over and I wasn't sure which way to go. While I stood there looking around trying to figure it out he caught back up to me. I decided to go left and quickly figured out I was right so once again I put the hammer down. I really couldn't believe how good I felt and how fast I was able to push the pace to the end. This is getting to be a habit and I like it !

I crossed the line in 4:56:10, a little slower than I had originally hoped for but the middle miles were much tougher than I had expected so I was very pleased with the effort. Margo had finished a few minutes earlier once again showing that she is one tough lady on the trails as well as the road marathons. Jeff had a good run improving over his time from last year by several minutes. I went to sit and wait for Amy to finish. Mark came in looking strong and Jimbo ran a course pr and then finally Amy came in looking strong with a big smile. I was very happy to see that and that she was able to run pain free after having some IT band issues that caused her to DNF at Weymouth last month.

Overall a great day and a great race. I do believe the course is short but hey it's a trail marathon so no biggie.

here is a link to the few pics I took

Pilot Mountain Payback Trail Marathon Preview

I'm looking forward to some fun and racing at this event on Saturday. My training has been going very well and I'm feeling confident that I'll have a good run here. I do plan to race it hard but I haven't tapered for it although I will take a rest day on Friday. I hope to run well but I'm keeping the focus on the 100 coming up in 6 weeks.

I had several friends that ran last year and it looked like a fun race but it wasn't in my original plans for this year but I had to make an adjustment in my schedule so this fit in perfectly as a replacement. It is a beautiful park (link here)and I have visited there several times and driven by on Hwy 52 dozens and dozens of times over the years but have never run on the trails before.

I'm looking forward to riding up with Margo and meeting up with Ultramom Amy for some great trail running. I hear it has jut the one hill !

here is the race website

NCFA 50k+

I hadn't planned on running this one until a month or so ago when I had to make an adjustment to my racing calender for February but with the change this would fit perfectly into my training schedule for the upcoming Umstead 100. Anytime there is an opportunity to do a run with the great people at a Mangum Track Club you know it's going to be a good time for running and fellowship so I was glad it worked out for me to attend. The event was limited to 75 and it was full with a wait list up until this week when a lot of folks dropped out including sadly a couple of my Angels that I was looking forward to sharing some miles. It ended up with only 53 showing up to run and the no shows sure missed out on a perfect January day for a run.

My day began with meeting up with Charles West in Cary to share the ride down to the site of the event on the All-American trail which skirts the southern border of Fort Bragg in the Sandhills of NC. Let me emphasize Sand HILLS, not Sand Flats. Having lived in the area for 4 years in the early 80's I knew to expect some hills but I was a little surprised that it was hillier than I had imagined. That was actually a good thing to me because the main reason I came was for training and it was nearly perfect for that reason.

So anyway , we arrived about 30 minutes before the start and spent the time meeting and greeting friends. Finally got to meet one of my Daily Mile friends, Rachel Dubois who would be going for her first ultra.

Just before the start I was making my final preparations when I realized I had left my water belt in my car back in Cary. Hmmmm, 50k with no water bottle. Well it wasn't hot and I have been referred to as a camel by Jenn for my tendency to run long runs without water. At least I knew Mark had made arrangements for some aid at a couple of locations so I was hoping I would be able to get enough fluid to keep me moving strong. I couldn't help but think about the gentle scolding I would get from Guardian Angel Jenn if I ended up dehydrated and struggling.

This was not a race for me so I'll spare the blow by blow, mile by mile account. My goals were to have fun, finish around 6 hours, run near even splits and feel like I could go back out and do it again if I needed to. Mission accomplished on all four goals ! Everything went to plan and I felt great and had a wonderful time out there. After the first 2 miles I was mostly alone but I was able to share a couple of hours on the trail with Ricky Scott and get to know him better and it was nice to be able to see everyone on the out and back course.

Fortunately I was able to stay strong to the end thanks to the volunteers that spent their day out there on the course. I was able to make it with 6 small cups of gatorade, 3 gels and 2 chocolate chip cookies. With 6 miles to go there were some jugs of water but no cups. I tried to pour some into my mouth but more was going done my chin and on my shirt so I gave up with that idea.



Big Thanks to Mark Long, Fred and Susan Dummar and the rest of the volunteers for a great day on the trail. And congratulations to Rachel and several others for completing their first ultra's !

Oh and thanks to Mark for the photos since my camera was back in Cary

Weymouth Woods 100k

I hope my readers don't find this one too boring. When reading Ultra-marathon reports it's much more interesting when there is lots of pain and suffering going on with epic struggles to finish but I'm happy to say there was none of that happening for me last Saturday. Pain and suffering may make for better reading but I find it is a whole lot more fun running when things turn out like they did for me at Weymouth. Ok, I almost got a blister on my left big toe but even that turned out to be nothing much.

My main goal was to get under 14 hours so that I could get a qualifier for Western States in the bag early and not have any pressure later on which will help make for a more relaxed year ahead. Of course I still wanted to race this thing and run as well as possible so I lined up for the 8am start with about 75 others with a plan to get the desired results.

It was in the upper 20's and calm so I was dressed warmly but hoping to shed layers quickly. The 4.5 mile loops made it perfect for setting up a personal aid station for quick changes of gear and making sure I had everything I needed for each lap. My plan was to go out at an easy, relaxed pace for the first loop and then see how I felt. I was also hoping to get in at least a few miles with Jenn and Amy so we lined up together.

The first lap went according to plan with the 3 of us and a few other friends staying close together. I stepped on a root in the first mile and tweaked something in my upper right hamstring that would make me a bit sore for awhile but fortunately it was never an issue and went away after a few laps. I was already getting warm in my jacket so as we came in for the first time I quickly removed it and put on my vest. I was a little surprised at how long that lap took (51:48) but I was feeling good so as I began the next loop I picked up the pace as planned.

The faster pace felt good but by the time I came back around I knew I wouldn't be able to hold it for too long so although I was a a little over 3 minutes faster(48:34) I backed down to a more reasonable pace. Lap three was just about perfect for what I wanted (51:24) and I had about a 28 minute cushion to work with for the 14 hour finish so everything was looking good so far.

As I was finishing up lap 4 (54:34), I spotted my friends Margherita and Tony coming down the hill looking for me. They followed me into the aid station where I quickly changed out of my long pants into some shorts as my legs were getting sweaty. I usually just wear shorts all the time unless it is going to be below freezing the whole time and it was now warming into the low 40's.

The three of us headed out quickly to begin lap 5. I was still under the pace for 14 hours but it was already obvious I wouldn't be going much faster than that and my 12:30 fantasy goal was truly a fantasy. It was nice to have a little company along for a change. The last couple of laps I'd been a alone and when I'm racing it's hard to find someone going your pace in a small race. Everyone else was either going too slow and I would pass them or too fast for me to try and stay with. Margo had just ran a great 4:49 at the Frosty 50k the weekend before but was having no problem going with the easier pace today. Tony is not a runner but a mountain biker and avid outdoor sports enthusiast so although he struggled a bit he hung with us for that 5th lap (57:52). I did fall one time tripping over a root but it was a soft landing with no damage done and I was up and on my way.

Tony stopped after one but Margo went back out with me for the next two. We had a great time talking and getting caught up since we haven't had much time together for a long time. My time were pretty consistent but I had been slowing down about 3 minutes per lap since the second one. Lap 6 was slower but not as much time lost so I was hoping the pace deterioration would level out for awhile. On lap 7 I was beginning to feel tired and I was letting Margo do most of the talking. It's pretty normal for me to hit a bad spell somewhere between 25 and 35 miles and we were right in that range now. The good thing was that I wasn't feeling very bad at all, just a little tired and sluggish and hopefully that would turn around as my body made the transition to burning more fat for fuel. So, I was pleasantly surprised to only lose one minute off the pace with that lap in 1:00:30, giving me a time of 6:24:15 for the halfway point at 50k. That was a little slower than I'd hoped and I was also over an hour for a loop sooner than I wanted but at least I was still feeling pretty good.

I said good-bye to Margo and Tony and was back to the business at hand, getting out for another loop as fast as possible. At this point I must mention the great volunteers working the aid stations. All of them are knowledgeable and encouraging and it would have been great to spend more time interacting with them but I was a man on a mission. Although they kept offering me some of the great food that was available I had to decline and stick to my fueling strategy. I have felt my best in most ultra's sticking to just sugar, chocolate in particular when it's available in cooler weather and gels . Today I was taking a gel on the far side of the course and then when I went through the main aid station I would grab a handful of M&M"s. As each lap passed it became more tempting to enjoy some of the burgers, pizza, soup and sandwiches among other things but I stuck to my plan. I was even able to decline the grits that Doug and Jimmy had at the far side.

I was very disappointed early in the next lap to catch up to my training partner and Angel Amy. Her knee which had been giving her problems since the last week of December had flared up near the end of the first lap and she was reduced to walking most of the time now. I walked with her for a minute but then had to hurry on my way. I had checked the last time around and was happy to know that Jenn was having a good day only about 5 minutes behind me so I was hoping she would continue to run strong and get a qualifier too. When I arrived back around I was very happy to have maintained pace on that lap in 1:00:41, only 11 seconds slower than the previous lap. Six laps to go and a 35 minute cushion to work with. I was beginning to feel a little lightheaded so I begin eating a mouthful of chips to get some sodium into me and I did take one E-Cap before going out for lap 9.

That lap was uneventful as most were but I did lose some of my cushion with the time of 1:03:59. That wasn't too bad but I knew I would probably slow down a lot more once the sunset and I would have to try to get over the roots by flashlight. It was already getting hard enough to pick up my feet and not stumble over them now just from the growing fatigue. I grabbed my headlamp which I actually wear around my waist just in case. I expected to be back well before sunset from the tenth lap but was just being cautious. I was still very happy with the way I was feeling. My energy level was good, the legs felt fine and although I could feel the miles behind me I was still running well. In fact I could hardly believe when I came back around that I had actually picked up the pace a little running lap 10 in 1:01:05 ! This was a real confidence booster as I would be racing the remainder of the event in the dark.

I ran as far as I could in lap 11 before turning on the light but I hadn't gone far when I had to turn it on. I had dropped off my handheld water bottle and put my waist pack back on so I could carry a flashlight and still keep my hands warm. It had been fairly comfortable all day but never warm because I could tell my nose was cold all day. Now with the sun gone it was dropping back into the 30's and I wanted to stay as comfortable as possible and not risk hypothermia.

I was almost shocked with how well I was running here at the 45 mile point in the race. My breathing was good and I actually was feeling and running better than I had hours ago, just at a slightly slower pace and the roots didn't seem to be as much of a problem as I had expected. I was also playing a mental game with the pacing figuring out how many loops divided by the amount of cushion I had. Hmmm, 4 laps , a 28 minute cushion means I could run a 1:07. well that one took 1:05:53. Still good.

Lap 12 was another good one as far as my condition but it was the slowest so far in 1:07:44. I didn't think I could afford to slow any more but I wasn't sure I could run any faster since it was a pitch dark night and the moon was not out. I asked if Jenn was still close behind me but no one knew and I had to move on and just hope she was still running well.

About 1.5 miles into lap 13 as I was going over one of the many boardwalks over the boggy areas when I happened to notice that the sky was crystal clear with the stars shining brilliantly above through the trees. It was one of those special moments that make these things so appealing to me and I nearly walked off into the bog as I found myself wanting to just stare at the sky. But I was on a mission so I had to go !

As I came into the aid station for the last time I couldn't have felt better. Lap thirteen was a minute faster in 1:06:59 and I was ready to put the hammer down for the last lap. I grabbed a cup of coke, took off my waist pack and was on my way out in just over one minute. This was awesome. How could I feel so strong after 58 miles?!?! The last lap was amazing. I was nearly floating over the roots compared to earlier in the night and I had finally turned my handheld light to it's brightest setting thinking it would surely last to the end. Well, that didn't turn out so good. By the time I was halfway around it was about dead. I changed out the batteries at the aid station but they were DEAD ! Why did I not test them at home ? !? I was about to just run it in using the one around my waist and it probably would have been fine but if it died on me I didn't have a back up so when Jimmy Ballard offered to get me one to use out of his truck I decided to take him up on it.

I took off not knowing how much longer it would take to get back, only that I couldn't lollygag. But I didn't need to worry as I just seemed to get even stronger. I was even running hills that I had walked earlier in the day. I ran that last lap in 1:02:10 and would have surely been under an hour if I hadn't had the issue with the flashlight. I was more than happy to get my qualifier in 13:52:49 but even better to do it and feel so good all day. Amy was there to greet me having stopped at 40 miles. I asked her if Jenn was close but she said she had dropped behind further after dark and was at least 20 minutes back before the last loop. I was sad to hear that news so I went inside to change into some warm clothes and then went back out to wait for Jenn. She came along in 14:18 feeling good and she ran well but just had a hard time dealing with the roots in the dark.



Quite a few other firends from NCRC and MTC were running and most did very well meeting and exceeding their goals which makes it even that much better sharing part of the day with them.

Marie Lewis is the race director for this and she is a wonderful person and put on an outstanding event. This was a runners race put on for runners by runners and it could not have been better. Awesome volunteers and the Park staff were great. I highly recommend anyone looking for a difficult but doable 100k ultra to give it a try.

Here is a link to the results