I hate writing race reports...

[Fionn mac Cumhail]

...but, it was my first ultra, so I feel like I should...

Anywho...I couldn't sleep for days leading up to the race...like AT ALL...it was miserable...

Headed out to Alcoa Tenn....got there Fri night for check in.  Couldn't sleep that night...luckily, my race didn't begin until Sat night at 8.  And I wound up getting a couple of solid hours Sat morning.

So, I get to the start...it's fucking cold...I trained in 70 degree GA weather, and this was 24 degree, Smokey Mountains weather...but, it was dry and there was no wind, so...not horrible...just frigid...the cold knocked a lot of folks out of the race early...

The race is BASICALLY an out and back through a GORGEOUS greenway by a river...5 miles out and 5 miles back....10 laps...pretty supported with an aid station at the start and about a mile from the turn around.  They were stocked with the usual ultra fare...high salt, high calorie, awesome stuff, and they were SUPER supportive and friendly...offering and offering and offering different things, which you think would be annoying, but 30 or 40 miles in, nothing sounds good...so to offer everything from m and m's to a fresh grilled cheese when you have NO idea what you could stomach is a good thing...I stuck to the basics...water, electrolyte tabs and a handful of peanuts or a cookie or 3... pretty light...

Ultra runners, if you aren't familiar are a group largely made up of beautiful women and grizzled, bearded cadavers....and they are INSANELY friendly...like, hippie friendly...
I must have heard some variation of "looking strong" 800 times...and, there were only like 100 runners out there! 

I won't give a 50 mile play by play, but, I ran strong and felt good....my splits were CRAZY even...I had no idea what my time would be...I'd only run up to 30 miles a few times in training, and another 20 on top of that seemed wildly unpredictable to me...
I decided that my goal was to finish strong...but, we all know that's just a consolation prize....my secondary goal was a 12 hour....and, my "everything goes perfect and G-d wills it to be so" goal was 10...

Official time: 9:38:38

Won my age group and pulled 8th overall...

I figured that this race would either crush me and I'd forget about ultras and just have it on the resume, or it would fill me with confidence....well, I'm HOOKED....long story short, I'm eyeing a 100 miler at the end of May...

[Richard21142]

 

[JBM]

Great job! The aid stations are the best and I think if you plan to do 100, you're going to need to learn to eat real food along the way....

[caito]

 

[Fast Eddie]

Ya did great both at the race and your report.  Thanks.   

[Fionn mac Cumhail]

Great job! The aid stations are the best and I think if you plan to do 100, you're going to need to learn to eat real food along the way....

Mos def....I'm still trying to shed the marathon outlook...don't slow down, eat light, drink mouthfuls on the run, etc...that'd be fatal in a 100....

[JBM]

Mos def....I'm still trying to shed the marathon outlook...don't slow down, eat light, drink mouthfuls on the run, etc...that'd be fatal in a 100....

I've only done the 50K distance, but I've done enough of them to know how important the nutrition is. I can take too long at the aid station as I get to the point where I just don't want to continue, but without it you will not make it. I usually go for pringles, orange slices, watermelon, maybe a grilled cheese and anything else that looks good. You need more than just the electrolytes.

[Belgian Lace]

:high five:

 

[Fionn mac Cumhail]

I've only done the 50K distance, but I've done enough of them to know how important the nutrition is. I can take too long at the aid station as I get to the point where I just don't want to continue, but without it you will not make it. I usually go for pringles, orange slices, watermelon, maybe a grilled cheese and anything else that looks good. You need more than just the electrolytes.

I agree....I'm working on that...

I have a tendency to get tunnel vision throughout painful things until I'm done....I was offered soup, and told them, "No thanks, if I get warm, I'll just get cold..."

Which is how I tend to view it...I don't like making myself feel better unless the pain is behind me! 

But, I totally agree...that kind of mileage needs real food...not Gatorade and gels...

Thanks, y'all!

30 seconds after:

That's genuine joy, right there...

[Arrojo]

Won my age group and pulled 8th overall...

Outstanding! 

I figured that this race would either crush me and I'd forget about ultras and just have it on the resume, or it would fill me with confidence....well, I'm HOOKED....long story short, I'm eyeing a 100 miler at the end of May...

 
<Coffee spew>  I always knew you were insane.

[radial]

Great job! The aid stations are the best and I think if you plan to do 100, you're going to need to learn to eat real food along the way....

So true!  Be like the Mr. Fusion doohickey in Back to the Future and eat all the things.  It takes more than peanuts to generate 1.21 jigawatts. 

[Fionn mac Cumhail]

<Coffee spew>  I always knew you were insane.

I blame Meri...if she were less awesome, I'd be less crazy...

[JBM]

I bring Clif bars with me and try to nibble on them along the way. I usually get nauseous but closer towards the end if I'm lucky. Although there was that 50k where I was throwing up along the way and barely holding it together. The one I did in September I was gagging in the last 2 miles. I suggest working on that the next few months. It's an awesome accomplishment this 50 and whatever comes next.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Fionn mac Cumhail]

I suggest working on that the next few months.

I will, thanks!

It's an awesome accomplishment this 50 and whatever comes next.

And thank you!  I'm a little proud...not TOO much...but, a leetle bit! 

[diablita]

You should be so, so proud!

[Zapatista]

Great job. I was going to start training for an ultra in 1996 but I got lazy.

[Fionn mac Cumhail]

You should be so, so proud!

Great job. I was going to start training for an ultra in 1996 but I got lazy.

I LIKE ultras because I'm lazy...running fast is too damn hard!

[rocketgirl]

 

That is really awesome.  But yeah, I can't imagine 100 on cookies and gatorade.  (Not that I can imagine 50 either, or 26.2, or...well, you know.)  I think you are awesome and that is the most badass truly happy picture I have ever seen of you.

[Fionn mac Cumhail]

That is really awesome.  But yeah, I can't imagine 100 on cookies and gatorade.  (Not that I can imagine 50 either, or 26.2, or...well, you know.)  I think you are awesome and that is the most badass truly happy picture I have ever seen of you.

Thank you, very, very much!!   

[JBM]

This article seems appropriate for our Ultra runners - http://midpackzach.com/wimps-and-whiners-kindly-fuck-off/