Racereport 2007                                                                     Race report 2008                                                             Racereport 2006
by Loopi                                                                                                     by Kiltrunner                                                                               by Shannon Cutting

I picked up Seamus in the Versa rental at 6am. We headed up to Reading and got lost on the way to the Blue Marsh lake and had to stop at a Turkey Hill and ask the camoflaged men for directions. They got us right to the doorstep with like 10 minutes to go. That actually was great. The weather was perfect about 55 at the start. The race began in the parking lot and went up the road and then dipped into the woods. I started out slow. My plan was 12-13 minute miles. The first section of the course was rolling. I noted all of the hills because I knew they would be pretty tough on the return. There were a few pretty steep ones just as we began. I joked with someone wondering where the flat part began. The first aide station was about 4 miles out. It had a Halloween theme. I filled up with Heed something I had never had before and grabbed a gel. My plan was 1 every 1/2 hour and a minute walk for every 20 run. It worked out well for me.

The second section was pretty flat. I felt good and this part was uneventful. the second aid station (mile 7) had a Bavarian theme and there was a lovely young lass in a Bavarian waitress uniform. She was great. I grabbed another gel and a couple of PBJ's some MandM's and off I went. The third section was the flattest of the bunch. It was mostly out in the sun which was not too bad yet.

The third aide station (mile 10)was well manned. They warned me of the upcoming hills, and told me to carb up. I had heard there were two "noticeable" hills. They were freaking huge. About 1/2 way up a guy with a Dachshund asked how I felt. I told him ok and I did. There was a young lady behind me who told me the hills didn't drop off too badly on the other side. This part was the most challenging of the course. After the second hlll the leader was coming back. He was flying down the hill. he was about 6 miles ahead of me. Lots of up and downs and a long section out in the sun. I missed a turn and only went a little bit out of my way before finding my way back to the coure on a service road.

The fourth aide station (13 mile)was the most active because there were a lot of runners coming back. I filled up with water and drank some mountain dew and pepsi. The trail rose out of there and was a little crowded with the runners coming the other way. Here I saw Beth the wandering pagoda who was doing this race kind of on a whim and who looked in the zone doing effortless running and Dean, the guy I ran St. Rochs with and HAT. He was doing well plugging away at it. This section included some woodsy areas and some meadow and some slight hills. At the turn around I checked my watch and I was at 3:05. Way too fast.

I made it back to the aide station. They were starting to put stuff away. I got some gel a couple of PBJ's and some more soda. This section began with a climb out of the. When I reached the hills I noticed my right knee was starting to hurt.
So I began to walk the steeper downhills. I hooked up for a little while with a guy named Bill who was doing his first ultra. He and I traded leads several times. In the middle of the largest hill we caught up to Dean who was not enjoying the hills. I made sure he made it up the hill and I started off. I knew that if he could make it up that mountain he would make it in. On the way down a woman passed me. I told her she was doing a great job. She said thanks but added she was not having fun. I never saw her again. At the next aide station Bill was there talking to the nurse who was suggesting blood work. That was all I heard. I filled up with gatorade and tried to get some advil but they had run out. I took some electrolyte pills and went off to the flats.

I had gotten out of my rhythm of 20 minutes running 1 minute walk and a gel every 30 minutes. I was starting to hurt so I promised myself a 5 minute-1 minute run walk rhythm. This worked well the rest of the way. I was pretty true to this the whole way back. I managed to pick off a couple of people on the way. At the Bavarian stop the young lady helped me get advil and i had a pbj and some turkey soup. Some Heed.

I entered into the rolling section again and stayed with the 5-1 method. My mind was really engaged although I was focused on the pain. Right knee was killing me and the achilles on my left foot was also starting to hurt. I tried to keep as flat as possible in my running form and it worked to keep the pain away.

At the last aide station they asked me what I needed and volunteered a hug. I begged off the hug as I noticed that my left nipple was bleeding through my shirt. I gatoraded up they told me it was about 3.5 back and that I was looking strong. They had perogies here and I grabbed a couple,marvelous. I picked off one guy here and I had another in my sights but he looked back and I never did see him again. About 2 miles in one of the aide station guys came running past going away from the finishe he told me I had 2.5 to go. It started to get a little hilly so I was walking more still trying to stay on the 5-1 schedule. At 1.5 the same guy came past and told me it was just a hill away to take it easy up the hill and then it was the parking lot. The hill was pretty steep and at this point I had to grab at trees to help me up. Then began the gradual climb back to the parking lot. I hit the road and knew it was only a 1/4 mile and I stayed strong. At the turn to the finish a woman came out to announce that a runner was on the way. She hooped and hollered so much that I broke up laughing. She told me the way to the finish and I "sprinted" it in. 6:25 on the clock. Seamus was there waiting and I gave him a hug, got a mountain dew and potato chips and a burger and started to access the pains.

I am happy to say my buddy Dean came in shortly after me looking strong. Congrats to him on finishing his first ultra.

Overview. A great little race. Happy to do a PR of 36 minutes better than my last 50K. A lot less hilly than the HAT but just as fun. I think I will do this one again next year the socks and shirt were the nicest I have gotten for a race. The volunteers were great and this was a very well run race.