LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN 50 MILER

My first 50 miler under my belt.  It hurt good!  I drove up on Friday night to pick up my race packet and find the start.  After getting my packet and dropping off the "drop bags" Saturday's race, I headed up lookout to find the start.  It was a good thing I did; the fog was terrible.  From there, I headed to my Uncle John and June's house.  This was crucial!  Had an amazing dinner and a great sleep!  

Morning came early!  Headed to the top of Lookout Mountain at Covenant College for the start.  I arrived around 0615am which gave me plenty of time stretch and get ready for a long day.  It was cool but the clouds had blown out leaving blue skies.  I decided last minute to change from shorts to tights and I am glad I did!  The race got going at 0730am sharp.  Started out steady running along a ridge.  It was muddy and slightly up and down with mostly down!  Around mile 4, I tripped over a root in the muddiest section thus far and face planted....it was awesome and I was pretty happy about it:)  It dried off throughout the next few hours so I was able to brush most of it off.  Around mile 14 or so, the trail turned into a stream!  It was literally a mid-calf slosh!  The next few miles stayed low and then we began to work our way back up the mountain to Covenant College.  It was a pretty tiring 4 mile climb up.  This completed the 22 loop and we were back to the first "bag drop".  I got rid of my trash, refilled my nutrition, and headed out for the 28 mile out and back.  

 

The trail was hit or miss with mud but VERY WELL MARKED!  A few miles down there was decent water crossing.  The cool water up to my knees was actually pretty refreshing.  The trail rolled along up and down to the next aid station at mile 34.  There was a large section with downed trees everywhere from where the tornado had passed through.  It was a true picture of the destruction they bring....nuts!  Just past the aid station was the most outstanding waterfall!  It was 500 yards away and you could feel the mist.  We then worked our way up to another ridge.  This climb was so muddy and steep we had to pull ourselves up with ropes at one point.  The top was worth it.  The run along the ridge was gorgeous with views on both sides.  After hitting the next aid station, we did a quick 4 mile loop before heading back to the finish.  Well, quick may not be the best description.  This was probably my low point.  After the loop, another trash dumb and refill of nutrition got me going.

The run back went well and I felt good all the way to the last aid station.  The view of the waterfall was even better on the way back and you could hear it coming and we descended the ridge....via rope.  As I left the last aid station, I broke out my light as the night approached.  I tried to go as long as I could without it but finally did.  It was a slow grind to the finish and I really had to push myself to keep running.  There were some great views of the city lights below as we worked our way back to the top of Lookout Mountain and to the college.  Hit the finish line at 12 hours 16 minutes.  What a day!!!  Delicious hamburger and Finisher Pint glass to wrap it up.

Rock/Creek and all the volunteers did an absolutely amazing job!  The course was amazing laid out and well marked.  The volunteers knew what to expect and filled bottles quickly and were constantly asking what they could do to help!  The aid stations had great food was well.  The only thing I really got was the gummy bears but they were clutch!  The longest I stopped at an aid station was probably 2 minutes; that shows how helpful they were!  Great race and if you run Ultras and have not done it; YOU ARE MISSING OUT!

DUNCAN RIDGE 50K

Gorgeous Views, Long Climbs, Amazing Volunteers, and LONG CLIMBS!  That about sums up the hardest 50K in the southeast...and arguably anywhere!  What an amazing day of racing!  The morning started out cool but not quite as cool as I thought it would be.  The course left from Vogel State Park with an immediate 1-mile climb.  From there, we headed on a gradual 2.5-mile decent.  The 30K and 50K runners were all bunched up talking and laughing as we made the decent.  At the base was the first aid station.  I ran through and headed up the first climb...Coosa Bald.  This climb separated the field.  It was a brutal 4-mile climb to Duncan Ridge.  It was tough to keep my heart rate down.  We hit the ridge and knew it from high winds and thinned out trees.  On the ridge, we ran flat for a few hundred yards before a sharp decent into the second aid station.  As the 30K headed back on a side trail, I filled some water, had a gel, and grabbed a few PB & J quarters as I ran on.  The next 5 miles were up and down.  There were some great views in this section.  I bunched up with 4 others at this point and it was good company.  The trail rolled on the side of the mountains and many times was slanted.  I caught myself leaning inward so that if I fell it would not be down the drop off on the other side.  It was challenging indeed.  We hit the next aid station and again tried to get out as fast as possible.  We were at mile 13 and next 2.5 miles to the turn around consisted of 2 tough climbs.  I grinded through the climbs and descended into Fish Gap, the turn around.  During this 2.5-mile section, we saw the leaders headed back!  I busted my knee on a rock on the only spill of the day about a half-mile before the turn around.  Headed back, we maintained a good pace until the first aid station.  Grabbed some food to go and hit the trail.  The next five miles were the toughest for me mentally.  The trail was rugged and up up up!  I grabbed trees to boost me along.  Finally made it to the next to last aid station.  From here, there was no break.  It was a brutal, leaf covered, ascent up to Coosa Bald.  Once on the bald, we had the 4-mile decent that we had climbed just a few hours prior.  It was a welcome break from the climbs, but tough on the knees!  Hit the last station, but only paused for some PB & J on the go.  The next section was the 2.5 miles that we had laughed our way down all bunched up.  I was alone here after a restroom break on the 4-mile decent.  Needless to say, it was not bunched up and I was not laughing.  Finally, I hit the top and made the 1-mile decent to the finish line.  Wow, 8hrs 2min 10sec, 21st/54, and 11,229 FEET OF CLIMBING!  I am ready for LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN 50 MILER in 4 weeks!!!

The course was an amazing out and back and UNBELIEVABLY WELL MARKED!  Considering how rough the terrain, I was impressed that I never felt off-course.  The volunteers were all helpful in filling bottles and cheering us on.  The food was great and never in low supply.  The shirt is high quality and there was even a finisher hat.  Overall, it was an amazing race that Bobby Lewellen put on, and I will be back year after year.

Vogel State Park

A few of us before we started

I think I will cut my toes nails first next year

Finisher Hat

GETTING READY FOR LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN

Training is going pretty well!  But, I know I started training waaaaaaaaay too late for this.  I am running consistently again finally.  I guess it took me signing up to get at it again, but it feels great.  I have found that riding my single-speed all year really built my legs up and has helped my run.  There are just so many great things about NOT HAVING GEARS.  I have had two, 3 hour plus runs and a 3.5 hour.  I am planning to get up to 6 before toning down.  My runs have all been in the mountains and mostly on the Appalachian Trail.  That has been crucial to get me ready for Lookout's climbs.  With the leaves changing and fall in the air, it has been easy to find the motivation to hit the trail.  I have found my love of running again.

NIGHT RIDES BEGIN

Night rides have begun at Dahlonega Wheelworks.  We had a great crew out on Thursday and I can't wait for lots of long night winter rides!  There were no major mechanicals and we had lots of new faces out.  Following the ride, we headed to Gustavos for the Fugazza Challenge!  Overall a great time!

PLANS FOR END OF 2011 & 2012

I am in the midst of getting together my racing schedule.  This will be my first year back in action since 2008.  I am excited to be back settled into the mountain and am ready to train.  Here is what I have down so far:

Lookout Mountain 50 Miler-December 2011
Operation Endurance 24 Hour Run-March 2012
Rev3 Knoxville Half-May
10 Gap Dahlonega-September
6 Gap Dahlonega-September
Rev3 Anderson Half-October
Beach2Battleship or Rev3 Florida-October

I also plan on doing some local races in between and hopefully most of the tri the parks series!  Post on here if I am missing a good race!

24 HOURS OF GEEEEEEEOOORRRRGIA

What a great race!  This was my first 24 hour mountain bike race and it was a blast.  The environment was great and course challenging.  I raced with a Co-Ed 5 person team and we ended up getting 3rd. The laps were 12 miles.  4 miles were on granite and 8 headed out through the woods on dirt. So, let us talk about my laps.  Lap 1- I started our team out with doing the first lap.  Sunny and mild with a slight breeze....I definitely did not have weather as an excuse to be weak!  The granite section was a blast but kicked my tail on the single-speed.  I ran a 19 freewheel and should have had 21!  One section of the granite was not rideable on my 19...at least for me.  I think it was faster to run up anyway.  The challenging part of lap one is the crowd on a single-speed.  On climbs, you have to go fast and it is touch staying behind someone of gears, but then on the flats, they want to get around you....luckily there was not too many flats.  Lap 2- Finished up just before dark set in.  The sun setting was gorgeous!  I almost hit a deer headed down one of decents...that would have been bad.  There was not too much exciting on this lap.  Lap 3-Midnight riding!  I love riding at night and felt great on this lap.  The trail quieted down and it was nice and peaceful...well except for my gasping for air.  I caught a few people in the last 3 miles and picked up the pace as they tried to hang on my wheel.  This led to my only fall in the last half mile of the course...haha is was great.  I stayed in front though:)  My last lap-this was sometime way too early...4am I think.  I had not hydrated enough after lap 3 and I felt it on this lap.  It was not cramping and my legs felt great.  It was my stomach...no fun.  I was still able to get the lap done in a moderate time considering.  The bumpy course did not help the unsettling sick feeling the entire lap though...I will save you from the details!

So overall, everyone on the team did great!  Our female kept doubting herself but she is faster than she thinks.  SHE DOMINATED!!!  This was her first time riding at night in a long time and it was a tough course to do that...she made it look like nothing.  We all had a blast just cutting up and grilling out.  I met some great people.  I met a girl who graduated with my brother from highschool and her boyfriend ended up winning the whole thing.  They are training for a double iron-distance and triple iron-distance triathlon----yeah, excuse them for being BEAST!  Also, met a few people doing the 50 mile trail run at Lookout Mountain in TN that I am doing.  I am excited to run a few miles with them in the near future.

Chain Buster and Dirty Spokes did an amazing job putting this together and I recommend anyone at any skill level do it!