I have been overweight my entire adult life and I started a diet every Monday, without success.  Not only was I overweight, I was unhealthy!  Just as the Genesis running program is a progressive program, my lifestyle changes were too.  I never thought I would begin running at 31 when I could not do it as a teenager.  Each week as the running intervals increased, I felt such a sense of accomplishment.  I did not look or feel like the typical runner, but I finished the program and crossed the finish line!

Since completing the Genesis running program, I have continued to exercise regularly and now actually enjoy working out.  I did not want to be overwhelmed with significant lifestyle changes, so I decided to conquer exercising and eating like the running program, progressively.  Starting with exercise, I developed a routine and then I progressed to my eating habits.  Overtime, the lifestyle changes I have made have become my normal routine and I do not feel like I am sacrificing.  As a result of the changes I have made in my life, starting with running, I have lost 52 pounds, lowered my cholesterol by 50 points and significantly lowered by blood pressure and not to mention, I feel GREAT!

Although I have made great strides in changing my lifestyle, my journey will continue; it’s just begun!  See you on the track!

What a difference a year makes. From temps in the teens, snow, and blustery wind a year ago to a balmy 50ish with clouds and a flash of rain… and mud for the 2012 edition of the Frozen Sasquatch Trail Race.  Honestly, I prefer 2011’esque weather. I’ve always liked running in the cold and snow and racing in it is even better. But at least we had mud.

Shorts, short sleeves and pair of throw away gloves were all that was needed today.  I tried to get out ahead of most of the field to avoid the bottleneck at Overlook Rock Trail, just a few hundred yards from the start.  I could see the lead pack running most of the hill but it wasn’t in my plan, or within my ability, to run that hill. And as I reminded my friend Harry as we started out, it’s a long race.  Even if we were “just” running 25K.  On a side note, this is one of the few venues that you feel somewhat shamed for running just the 25k.

Heading to the trail one row back. Daniel Todd, photographer.

The first mile which included the meat of Overlook was done in just under 13 minutes. A few people passed me as I walked but I wasn’t too concerned.  I’d babied my lower calves for the past few weeks and they needed time to warm up.  They were tight but manageable.

Old Boundary  Road was uneventful with a little back and forth with a few other runners. Gary was around me, mostly ahead, and I passed Sami and could tell something was wrong with her by the simple fact that I passed her.  I heard later it might have been a turned ankle that ended her day earlier.  What a great young runner she is.

Hemlock was goopy and slick especially at the top where it’s the steepest. But this is one of my favorite trails on the race.

At the bottom of Hemlock we hit Aid 1 and since I was carrying 20 oz of water I took one quick cup of water and moved on.

bottom of Hemlock - photo by a Dolin

Beech Glen is mostly runnable except for the top where it gets steep.  My friend Michael caught up to me and we talked some on the way up.  My only fall for the day was on the ridge section of Beech Glen where I did and end-over-end down the hill. The great thing about and end-over-end is you land on your back and get back to your feet fairly quickly. If you’re going to fall, that’s the way to go.  After a quick check I was missing a water bottle but I could see it up the hill about 10 feet away.  The crew that was behind me caught up when I fell and we worked our way down Wildcat.  I was passed by one big runner barreling down the hill at a pace I wasn’t willing to try under those conditions.

I passed a few people in the campground on my way to Aid 2 at Johnson Hollow.  I was glad to see some friends like Dave, Carrie and Ashley (and Martha).  One quick drink and a gel and it was off to Johnson Hollow, the last but toughest climb.  I worked up Johnson with Nathan and we talked and paced each other up the hill. He was running the 50k and we both agreed there’s too much runnable trail ahead to waste energy on this last uphill.  My plan is always to hit the top of Johnson Hollow with the some legs so I can run the last six or seven miles of the race through the rolling hills and down Teaberry.

Check out the course profile here.

Middle Ridge Road was the muddiest part of the race. On Thursday I was out marking the course and decided then I was going to plow through the muddy ruts and not try to go around them.  The outside edges of the ruts are just as muddy as the middle and a waste of time and energy.  And who’s still clean at this point anyway?

Nathan and I ran all of Middle Ridge Road and MR Trail together before we split at the last aid station. We passed a few runners that I’d been trying to track down.

I skipped AS 3 since it came so late and I knew it was a short road section with one hill and then Teaberry and the last 1.5 miles of mostly downhill running. Teaberry is also the slickest and most dangerous section of trail, the one that’s claimed at least one broken leg and other various minor injuries. A quick look over my shoulder revealed no one on in sight but I couldn’t  see very far either. Still, I wanted to finish on fumes so I pushed.

I was tracking to beat last year’s time by a bunch but any hopes I had of maybe eeking out any kind of award was dashed when I saw several guys already at their cars and refreshing themselves as I passed through the parking lot on my way to the finish line.

It’s always good to be done.  Dolin handed me the handmade finisher’s award;  very  cool and unique.   He also told me the course record was broken with the finisher completing the run in 2:03. Whooo.

But  I was happy.  I beat my last best time by 19 minutes and had a good race for me.   I’m always happy to run and finish healthy. It’s like the t-shirt given to me by my friend Bob Hagan says: Grace: Thank God we can run. (Psalms 115:1)   Every day is a gift. Every race is a gift.  And it’s by the grace of God I’m out there doing something I enjoy.

By the numbers: 25K (15.5 miles officially) in 2:21:00.2.  Average pace: 9:21.   Best mile split: 7:46, mile 10 (Middle Ridge Road).  Slowest mile split: 13:37 ,mile 9 (Johnson Hollow).  Average heart rate 87% of max.  2024 calories burned. 3 gels consumed and a little water left in my bottles.

If you want to see the Garmin detail including the course map go to : http://connect.garmin.com/activity/139777662

A big, fat thanks to Dolin and Mrs. Dolin for hosting the race and for the hours of work that goes in to pulling off a race. Thanks to Dan and WVMTR for timing and supporting the runners. And thanks to the volunteers for coming out on a damp and rainy day so the rest of us can run.

For race info, results, pics and more race reports visit http://www.wvmtr.org/events/frozen-sasquatch-trail-50k25k/

See you next January for the best race around to kick off the new year.

Wet, tired and close to the finish. Photo courtesy of Daniel Todd.

It was my first 50 miler and my first night race.  I wasn’t sure what to expect from either.  And as I begin to write this report it’s been over 36 hours since the finish and I’m still not sure what to say. It was a tough night for me. That may sound crazy to most and maybe like the understatement of the year but it was harder than I thought it would be.  I didn’t think it would be easy but I was gauging it against Highlands Sky which is also very hard but very rewarding.  So I guess I’m having a hard time making sense of it all.

When I went back and read prior race reports to help develop my race plan and equipment needs I found very little that I could use.  I took Adam’s advice and picked up the Petzl Myo XP and had good and small handheld for foggy conditions and as a backup. I carried another small backup headlamp in my pack, and a few other emergency items in case I got lost in the dark (a whistle and box of matches).  By the way, this course was very well marked and I never once was off course or even close to it.  I carried my Nathan hydration pack and began with 40 oz of water. I had gels, chomps, and sustained energy which I planned to use together. And I had my back up mini-snickers.  The standard S-caps and caffeine pills were close at hand too. It ended up that the few gels and chomps with caffeine were enough that I never needed to take any caffeine pills.  But my thought process was to bear the extra weight to make sure I had what I needed.  Again, it was my first 50 at night and I just wasn’t sure.

I wore short sleeves and a bandana. I had arm sleeves and throw away gloves in my drop bag but didn’t need either. In my drop I also had two dry shirts, and pair of road and trail shoes and miscellaneous “just in case” items.  I didn’t use any of it.

The entire course has an elevation gain and loss of 6300 feet with almost 2000 feet in the first 13 miles.  So in the first few miles I hooked up with my friends Michael and Chris and we picked up Gray and the eventual female winner, Kate. Or, as I call her, Kate the Hitchhiker.  Kate, Gray and Michael went on to run fantastic races. And for a little foreshadowing, Chris and I went on to struggle.

CMMM 50 mile course profile

I had a side stitch right from the start. I run very little in the evenings but it seems when I do I get side stitches.  So it wasn’t a good sign but it went away after a few miles. Then my inards started brewing and I only wished I could turn the gas I was producing into some forward propulsion but it didn’t work that way.  Round about mile 11.5 I bid my little pack farewell and made a pit stop in the woods.  I carried tp with me so no worries there. I knew it was inevitable so I gave in to the urge in hopes for relief and comfortable running.  I also thought I’d catch back up with my friends at the next aid station.  Didn’t happen.

Aid station 2 at mile 13 came and went without much fanfare. I filled up my pack to about 40 ounces but hadn’t used even 20 ounces of my water. It was a bad sign that I completely missed. The next  five miles were single track. My eyes ranged 5-10 feet ahead of me for the next hour as I tucked in behind some other runners and listened to their conversation.  Sometimes I just like to listen and not talk. I was in that kind of mood.

At aid station 3 around mile 17 Dan told me Michael was just there and left a few minutes ahead of me. So I took off and hoped I’d catch up with him.

I don’t remember much about the 5 miles of trail between AS 3 and 4.  We were down along Shavers Fork and had to climb back up Cheat Mountain so it was a lot of up hill again. In fact, my slowest mile was in this section.

I arrived at AS 4 at mile 23 and the drop bags. I was about 5 hours in to this thing now and about where I expected to be. My friend Diana grabbed the Mountain Dew she had stashed for me and asked how I was doing. Dave joined us and then Potts. The truth was, I felt bad. I was slow and tired and I’d just run 23 miles and I had 27 to go. That’s a tough pill to swallow at 2 am when I’d been running for 5 hours in the dark and I had a long time to run ahead of me. But its’ also what I signed up for and there’s no whining in 50s.

I thought about bed and I thought about my girls at home. It was a weird kind of desperate feeling.  But when I told my friends that I didn’t feel good they asked me what was wrong and I said, “I’m tired.” And sometimes simple words mean a lot. Potts just said, “Just tired? You can deal with that.”  And turned to help someone else. And he was right.  Who signs up to run 50 miles at night and doesn’t expect to get tired?

So I got the reinforcement in my drop bag, drank my Mtn Dew (thanks Diana) and was about to leave.  Chris’s wife Amanda saw me and came over and I asked her how far ahead Chris was.  She said he hadn’t been through. I thought she’d missed him and hold her he was ahead of me.  Low and behold, here comes Chris. He stopped when I did around mile 11 and had been just behind me the whole time.  I was glad to see him and we left AS 4 together.

Shortly after leaving we witnessed one of those images that I won’t soon forget. Alarmed by the sound of wretching ahead we looked up just in time to see Rick (last name withheld until I get permission) bent over hurling.  Between our headlamps and his own we had a vivid silhouette of Rick emptying his stomach and all of the newly acquired fuel he’d just taken from the aid station.  Chris said something like, ooh, maybe he should quit.  It looked and sounded that bad.  But I figured after all the races Rick’s done that this wasn’t his first time puking and sure enough as soon as he finished he turned and started running up hill.  It gave us a good laugh and we took off too.  It’s funny to say but it was kind of inspiring.

The next section was a little road followed by trail. It’s a good time to say that on my very last long run two weeks before this race that my IT Band on my left leg started acting up just as we finished.  I took 4 days off, iced and rested and it didn’t bother me again during my taper.  But I had a sneaking suspicion it might rear its ugly head and it did.   During the next section of trail it got progressively worse, especially on the downhill. I took the bandana from bald head and tied it tightly to my leg just above the knee. It helped a little but I was hindered from running down hills the way I would normally.

Chris was having trouble with his groin. He’d strained it somewhere along the way and it was getting worse.  So we were the running / walking wounded traveling through the night.

But a lot can happen in 50 miles so there’s no excuses.

Other than my IT band I was feeling better than I did at AS 4. I was more alert and more optimistic.  I didn’t feel quite as tired in my mind.  I’ve discovered that there’s something very significant in being half way done.  When you’re halfway done you begin counting down miles rather than counting up. And I can’t really explain why that makes a difference for me but it does.

But by the time we hit  the tiki torches leading us in to AS 4/6 around mile 33 my IT band was worse and hurt on the down hills.  My sides were cramping and had been for a few miles.

Chris and I had been running together for 10 miles now since AS 4. I went immediately for my drop bag, grabbed the Mtn Dew and a few chomps and gels and got ready to leave.  It was somewhere around 4:15 or 4:30 and we had 17 miles to go to the finish line.

Chris told me he was dropping.  His groin was worse and was pulling up in to his abs. It sounded bad. After a short attempt at convincing him to continue I told him I was sorry for him. Then I said something that was pretty selfish. I told him I was more sorry for me.  I was struggling and didn’t want to run 17 mles in the dark on my own.  It’s always better with a friend.  I wished him well and I turned to leave and walked down the road as I got situated.

But he couldn’t handle actually dropping and yelled for me to wait up as he caught back up.  Maybe I’d guilted him in to running and he felt sorry for me but in the end, he was glad he finished.

In the next 15 miles we saw no one ahead of us and no one behind us.  We walked the hills and tried to run the down hills. My stomach cramps were worse and I ran clinching both sides with my hands, leaning over to find relief, stretching and changing my breathing patterns. All of it provided temporary relief but it was always short-lived.  My original race plan included running the majority of the final 17 miles since it’s a net downhill and very runnable.  We ran but not as much as I wanted too.  Most importantly I think, we prayed our way off the hill. It was a struggle to say the least.

With two miles to go a couple guys passed us.  We didn’t really care.

The sign for Camp Pioneer appeared after a short rise on the road and it was a relieving site.

Adam was at the finish to ring the cow bells and welcome us. Michael was waiting there freshly showered and I knew he’d been there for a while.  The other finishers were hanging out in their finisher camp chairs when they could have been sleeping somewhere. I was glad to be done.

I had heard that CMMM was easier than Highlands. It wasn’t for me. I’d also heard that you could add about an hour to your Highlands time to estimate your CMMM time and that didn’t’ work for me either. I was finished and I was glad for that.   I’d rather finish stronger than I did. I expected to be exhausted but I don’t like injury (ITB).  And the stomach cramps are a real bummer.

A few lessons learned.  I was dehydrated and didn’t do a good job of monitoring my water intake. From now on I’ll carry bottles that I can easily tell I’m getting my 20 ounces per hour.  Also, I’ll stick with my calorie plan.  Because of the early stitch I delayed my calories and spread them out more than planned.

Last, travel as light as possible. I didn’t need the extras and the aid stations were well stocked. There’s part of me that always wants to be more than prepared and I guess that’s normal when you don’t know what to expect.

By the numbers:  50 miles in 10:30:31.  That’s a 12:40 overall pace and a 11:50 moving pace (without stops).  Best mile: mile 1 in 8:55. Slowest mile: mile 20 in 20:11 (523 feet of elevation gain).  Averaged 82% of max heart rate and 6063 calories burned. Finished 29 out of approximately 100 starters and 75 finishers.  For those of you that like data check out the garmin stats here:  http://connect.garmin.com/activity/109982871 The numbers are off a little because I wasn’t with it enough to stop my timer at the finish.

Race details, reports, pics and results are here:  http://www.wvmtr.org/events/cheat-mountain-moonshine-madness/

A big thanks to Adam Cassedy and all of the volunteers that put this race on. The aid stations were great and the different themes were entertaining. They were staffed with great folks who cared for the runners and a lot of runners who knew what we needed.  They stayed up all night too but didn’t have the pleasure and diversion of running.  Thank you.

In the days following the race my friend Bob helped me remember that it’s only by the grace of God that we run.  I’d just finished the longest race of my life and I felt disappointed that I didn’t “do better.”  And by better I meant in the overall standings. I’m not sure what I expected but I realized it was unfounded and prideful.  I rely on grace and thank God I can run. Bob reminded me of the verses in Romans 5:1-6:

“Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. 2Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory.

3We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. 4And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. 5And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.”

I resolved as I finished the race that I didn’t’ care to run 50 again. Now, with some runner’s amnesia and relying on the grace of God I can see it happening again.   But I think I’m better suited for a morning start.

Matt and Chris at the CMMM 50 finish

Relentless Progress

I write race reports so that I save some memories from the day that will inevitably fade with time.  I also write reports to answer questions from friends and family that say, “How’d you do?”  As I sit and write I mostly do it for myself and for the Highlands Sky race which is without doubt, my all time favorite race, the highlight of my year, and a symbol of a family heritage beginning with my Granddaddy almost 50 years ago.

I came in to this year’s edition feeling better and more confident than the previous two running’s.  My training was good but not great.  But over the past nine months I’ve had some PRs in the marathon, a good trail 25K at the Frozen Sasquatch but a moderately disappointing Dirty Dog.  After a nice taper I’d started to get some pop back in my tired and heavy legs.  So all things being equal, I thought I could improve on last year’s results and was hopeful to cut 15-20 minutes off my time. After all, shaving 20 minutes is only another 30 seconds per mile, right?  But a lot can happen in 40 miles so I was cautiously optimistic.

It was about 60 degrees at the start with an overcast sky.  I decided to start a little faster to avoid the bottleneck at Flatrock.  But with the faster start I could see the lead pack of the contenders and thought maybe I was going to fast.  But it wasn’t long before they were out of sight and I felt good about myself again.

Here are a few words on my plan for the day. First I was going all liquid and gels for my fuel.  Second, I’d drink just water accompanied by S-Caps.   And lastly, to even or negative split the second half of the race. That’s my advice to anyone that runs this race is to manage the first half so you can run the second.  It makes for a much more enjoyable day and a better overall result.

Flatrock was uneventful except for the moderate sting from the nettles and the fella in front of me who wiped out crossing the creek on the wet log, a seemingly logical natural bridge.   So I did my duty and warned everyone within ear shot not to cross on the log.  It seems like a good idea but the log is deviously slick.   

On one of the switchbacks about 2/3 of the way up Flatrock I looked back and saw the train of 10-12 runners on my heels.  I was either leading the train or holding everyone up. Either way, it was fine with me because I was setting my own pace.

As Flatrock leveled out I took a test of my legs to see how much the 5 mile climb had taken out of them. I was glad to note that they felt relatively good, that my heart rate was in the low 80s (percent of max that is) and I was on plan with my calories and fluids.

The course profile- It's not as bad as it looks but pretty bad.

Roaring Plains was dry so I ran with my new friend Nathan and made good time over the rocks. And when I say rocks, I mean rocks.  For those that haven’t been on the course before they’re surprised by how rocky some sections are.  It’s more like tip-toeing and dancing than running but it’s all about forward progress.

I made it to Aid 2 at mile 10.5 in 2:07 and 12 minutes ahead of last year’s split. That was a little too fast and casted a shadow of doubt for the rest of my day. But since I was in the front of my little train my bottles were filled with urgency by the speedy volunteers and I was on my way. No food, just one gel. 

Boars Nest was uneventful, thank goodness, and it was back up South Prong and another 3 miles of climbing. I picked up Nathan again and we picked off 10 bridges, counting them off one by one. We both stumbled a bit, kicking roots and rocks, but didn’t completely wipe out.   Nathan’s probably going to lose a toe nail because of that stretch.

The view from atop Boars Nest- One of my favorites

The end of South Prong trail, about mile 19 starts the long stretch of forest service road and leads us to AS 4 and our drop bags.  I switched to my lighter hydration pack, grabbed my bandana with reinforcements and left. I didn’t want to spend much time at aid stations. 

A check on my progress now had me 37 minutes ahead of my AS 4 split from last year. The shadow of doubt was growing.  Remember, my goal was an even or negative split and to shave 15-20 minutes.  I was ahead of my goal time but I was afraid it was at the expense of my splits and perhaps a death march somewhere in the back half. 

Gina and I ran a little while together and when I polled her as to how she felt she replied with an enthusiastic, “Great! How ‘bout you?”  I didn’t’ feel so great and I told her so. But I didn’t feel bad either.  There is a balance between pushing the pace and holding back and ideally you’ll push just enough to get to the finish line fast and coast in on the last fumes in the tank. 

So AS 4 split was about 4:02, faster than expected, and an even split would mean a finish time around 8 hours which I thought was out of reach for me.  But as the drop bag Mtn Dew kicked in I found my mantra for the day, relentless progress.  I recited it to myself time and time again for the rest of the day.  Relentless forward progress towards the next aid station, towards Canaan Valley, towards the HS 40 miler banner, and to my wife, daughter and family who were waiting for me to show up.  Relentless progress.

The road across the sky is a mixed blessing. You can run without hindrance but it’s a challenge for the mind.  I ran when I could, walked when I had too.

Road across the sky

AS 5 came and went and I did eat some watermelon because it looked so good.  Some ultra runners advise you to eat what looks good to you at aid stations because your body probably needs it. But I’m a junk-food-junkie by nature and I know from experience that cramps will inevitably come if I give in. 

AS 6 was a blur but I remember my friends Dave Simmons and Daniel Todd who helped fill my bottles and gave me S-Caps.  It’s good to see friends along the course.  Paula sat at the beginning of Bear Rocks trail checking off runners and taking splits.  Her words of encouragement and great smile were a nice boost for me as I set out on the section that seems the longest.  At this point we’re 27 miles in to this race, slightly longer than a marathon, and have covered some pretty gnarly terrain and we still have 14 miles to go.  So a bright smile and “you’re doing great” was a lift when I needed it.

I like this section of the race because it’s largely runnable and has some beautiful views of the high meadows.   The course picks up Raven Ridge which is a good trail but at about mile 30 there was a fork and no course flags.  I’d just passed a runner so I paused briefly and asked him if he knew which way we were going. He didn’t.  I stood a moment longer to think and about that time two runners came backtracking down the left side of the fork fearing they were off course.  No markers that way.  So we tried the other option and again, no flags.  But I knew that when in doubt, stay on the trail. So I stayed on the trail and picked up the forest service makers and moved in the direction I believed we were ultimately heading. 

I know the first half of the course very well and can run it without flags.  But the second half I know less, although, I know the general direction.  At this point we’re supposed to be on the ridge and working our way towards the boulder section and AS 7.  I took a good look around and could see the boulders and what I thought were the tents of AS 7 beyond. So we stayed on the trail and headed to the big rocks.  At about mile 31.5 we met big Willie Lehman who might as well have been an oasis in a desert. He confirmed that we were on course and continued back tracking the course, marking it and looking for lost runners.  But I learned a lesson, carry a course map or directions- just in case.  At this point a first time ultra runner, Missy, was with me and I have to say, she put together a very impressive run.

Overall, the downed flags didn’t cost me much if anything.

Boulder hopping- hooray!

AS 7 came in to sight with its white tents that I’d seen from almost two miles away.  I dumped my sticky trash in a Dennis’s hands which he graciously accepted and returned my one unused wintergreen mints. 

It’s mostly downhill from here but the course covers the backside of Salamander ski slope, the Wall of Tears, and the butt slide so if you know nothing else the names should give you some idea of the terrain.  The section from Aid 7 to Aid 8 was longer than I remembered.   But I was also hot and tired and wearing down. And I was alone without anyone in sight ahead or behind me.

After working through the switch backs and hitting Idleman Road to Freeland I was able to run again but a quick look over my shoulder revealed  Missy tracking me down and not giving up.

AS 8 is the last stop before the 4 miles stretch to the finish. I put in a gel in my pocket for insurance, filled my bottles, just in case and left. It was mostly road from here and I was on track.  In fact, by my oxygen deprived calculations if I could manage just above a 10 minute mile I might break 8 hours.  But it would be close if at all. At this point in the race math is not my strong point.

Missy left AS 8 with me but soon broke in to a pace that I couldn’t match.  With 4 miles left I was fueled by fumes. My stomach was mildly cramping but otherwise I felt ok for having covered 36 miles.  Relentless progress.  I kept looking over my shoulder to see if anyone was sneaking up on me. No one. I could relax but didn’t want to walk any more than I had too.

I’d been thinking about the finish all day and expecting to see my daughter as soon as I came out of the woods where everyone waits.  My family would be waiting and the emotions began to well up. 

I came out of the woods and could see my dad, Maddy, Dalton and Caroline as I came up on the flat.  It’s my favorite part of the day.  Liney and I crossed the finish line hand in hand as we’d been planning for weeks.   She had been looking forward to “Daddy’s big race” for some time now.  Sweet relief.  The kiss from Ann Marie was precious as she’s always there for me.  I was surrounded by my family all there to watch me finish. 

It was a relief just to stop and I commented that I’m glad I don’t do this for a living. Someone, I think Dan, made sure to comment that I’d be broke if I did.  But I love Dan and all that he does for us and was too tired to even be remotely offended.  After all, it was entirely true. 

By the numbers:  40.56 miles in 8:05:21 with an overall pace of 11:57 (11:34 moving pace).  Best mile: Mile 2 in 7:28. Slowest mile: 35 in 18:02 (including the ski slope).  Average heart rate of 82% of max.  First half split in 4:03 and second half in 4:02.   5068 calories burned. 

What a day and by far, the highlight of my year.  I spent most of the second half by myself with plenty of time for prayer and meditation. I recited my prayer for Caroline as I have the past three years (Col 1:9-16) and for Charlie as he grows up and gets ready for his debut in October (Eph 1:16-19). I thought about my friends Clark and Amanda after her surgery on Friday and prayed for her healing and peace for the family.  I thanked God for a healthy body, the gift of this day, and for His salvation. 

Saying thank you to Dan Lehman and his entire family doesn’t seem to be enough.  It’s a selfless task to put on a race and a great service to the rest of us. Thank you to the volunteers who camp out for hours just to give food and water to runners they mostly don’t know.  They graciously volunteer so we can enjoy the race. Thank you.

The post Highland blues have set in as I have to wait at least a year to do it again.  With a baby due in October I’m preparing for some down time so 2012 is doubtful.  But whether running or volunteering I hope to be a part of this race for a long time to come.

Check out results, pics and race reports here:  http://www.wvmtr.org/events/highlands-sky-40m-trail-run/highlands-sky-2011-results/ 

Be sure to check out the pics by Kirsten Corris who took one of the best rounds of course photos I’ve seen.  It’s a two dimensional glimpse of the awesome creation surrounding us all day.  But as great as these pictures are, you really should see it for yourself.

http://www.wvmtr.org/events/frozen-sasquatch-trail-50k25k

The event lived up to its name.  Following a pretty mild week the temperature was 22 degrees as my friend Harry and I left my house for the race Saturday morning.  We enjoyed the warm drive drinking hot coffee on our way to a cold start.  Most accounts say we had 3-4 inches of snow at the race start.

As we parked the car I realized that I forgot my GPS on the charger. I use it for 90% of my runs and after a moment of panic I decided it was good for me.  I could use a low tech day and welcomed the change.  And since I’ve run this course enough to know the distances I was pretty comfortable.

I had signed up for the shorter race of 25k rather than the 50K. For the past few years I’ve kicked off the year with this event and what a great way to do it.  About 130 people showed up for the race although 160 were registered. I don’t know what kept the 30 runners away from the starting line that morning but if it was the weather, what do you expect on January 8^th?

After the short road section we hit the first climb at Overlook Rock. It was a slick slog up that first climb of about .7 miles. I know the course pretty well since I’ve helped mark it the past two years and often use it for training.  My plan was to take the climbs easy and run the ridges and down hills.  It’s always kind of amusing to watch runners plow that first hill like it’s a 5k. 

Shortly after reaching Old Boundary Road Sami, the eventual 25K winner for women, blew past us like we were standing still. 

Harry and I were hanging tightly together separating slightly on the up hills and coming back together as he bombed the down hills harder than me.  Hemlock was our first decent and it’s best to describe it as a somewhat controlled fall.  It was slick and treacherous and all I can say is I’m thankful for the trees that slowed me down and kept my from crashing. 

I carried 20 ounces of water and gels so I didn’t need the aid station at the bottom but took a quick cup of water and kept going.  Back up Beach Glen, I walked most of the hill to conserve energy.  Even with temps in the low 20s with gusty winds I was getting pretty warm. I run enough in the cold to get my clothing close to what I need.  That day I was wearing compression shorts, loose fitting running pants, a short sleeve shirt and a long sleeve bike jersey, my favorite fire ball toboggan and thick cotton gloves.  I unzipped my jersey, rolled up my hat to uncover my ears and trekked up the slick trail.  Harry was right with me and we picked up Andrew from Morgantown chatting along the way. 

Coming down Wildcat was another test of fortitude and at times flirted with a total loss of control. 

At aid station two I refilled my water bottles and got my gloves wet and moved on to Johnson Hollow, the longest climb at about a mile. But it was also the last climb and from the top there’s about 6 miles of rolling ridge and good single track left to the finish.  And one more big decent.  Here’s a look at the course profile.

This was still a race and I didn’t know where I stood overall but I knew my friend Harry was right on my tail and that he’s better on the down hills and has a stronger kick than me. So I thought I had to put some distance between us with one big downhill left and a couple hundred yards of flat running leading to the finish.  So I ran and didn’t walk again.  For the most part I didn’t look back to know where anyone was. But at one point on Middle Ridge Trail there’s a hairpin turn where the trail runs parallel to itself for a short period.  It’s at that point that I caught a glimpse of several runners including Harry close behind.  I don’t know if he saw me but I told him afterwards that next year I’m wearing snow camo to blend in to the snowy forest.  It often helps to have a rabbit to chase in a race. The runners in front of me were out of site and I constantly felt like the rabbit.  So there wasn’t much left do but pace myself to run as hard as I could and hold on as long as I could.

A quick glimpse back at the last aid station revealed no one but the visibility was limited.  With only a few miles to go the fingers in my gloves had frozen so I had my hands balled up in my gloves. Throughout the race the wind and snow blew on and off making it a little hard to see at times. With stingy and watery eyes I hit Teaberry Rock and the home stretch. It’s about 1.6 miles down the hill with about ½ of that distance on some steep switchbacks, a tough section.

As far as I could tell I had some distance between me and the next runner behind me. I was glad to safely hit the bottom and head for the finish. I was also glad to see a handful of faithful souls there to cheer runners across the line. Last year when I finished there was not another person to be seen.    There are some pictures below of the brave and faithful RD, Dolin, and a few other volunteers still out there even 8 hours after the gun.

My time was 2:39 and change, an improvement of over 10 minutes from last year’s time. I felt good all day.  There were a lot of comments from runners about the cold and tough conditions and such.  And it was cold and tough but I like the snow and run in it every chance I get. I did better than expected and the only thing I can figure is that maybe I like running in the snow more than others.  And for the Frozen Sasquatch you have to be in a cold and snowy frame of mind.

A big thanks to Mike Dolin for putting on a great race. It’s a lot of work for no pay and the volunteers were dedicated and very gracious.  Thanks to everyone that volunteers so the rest of us can run.

Check out the race details, pictures, reports and results at http://www.wvmtr.org/events/frozen-sasquatch-trail-50k25k/

Why not make the Frozen Sasquatch your first race of 2012….