Hellgate 100k 2014 - Easy weather?

December 13

For the past 11 years, I have made my annual pilgrimage to Camp Bethel is southwest Virginia.  This year, I am making my 12^th straight, attempting to be one of five men to finish all 12 editions of this special race.  One difference this year is that I made the trip from Huntsville, Alabama as opposed to Glen Allen, Virginia.  The weather was good for flying, so I flew to Roanoke, rented a car, and drove to Camp Bethel with my son, Nathan, who is serving as my crew.

We arrived around 5:30pm, checked in, and then ate the pre-race meal.  It is quite an experience to meet up with old friends and be in the cozy confines of this camp.  The pre-race briefing is all David Horton.  He is in his element, embarrassing most, joking with many, and giving a little bit of important information.  The weather this year has been classified as “sissy” weather since it is only forecasted to drop to around 30 degrees tonight and is supposed to climb into the low 50s during the day.

The start is pleasant with very little wind and temperatures around 40.  I am going with shorts, and two thin shirts—one long and one short sleeve.  I also start with a watch cap and gloves as my hands get cold much more easily than they used to.

Mile 3.5      45:39 (13:03 avg./mile) FSR 35

Cruising the first section is fun, but this race with 150 starters is crowded for the first couple of miles.  The creek crossing at mile 3 is uneventful for me, but some lady close to me nearly goes for a complete swim.  Fortunately for her, I am close by to grab onto.  The water is a little chilly, but not bad.  I grab a cup of water at the aid station, and begin the climb.

Mile 7.5      57:36 (14:24 avg./mile) Petites Gap

I run about half of this section trying to strike the proper balance between making good time, but not expending too much this early in the race.  As the altitude increases on the climb, the wind picks up, and the temperature drops some.  By the time I reach the aid station, I estimate the wind is blowing 20-30 miles per hour with some gusts more than that.  The moon is about half full and doesn’t quite provide enough light to turn my headlamp off.  I change shoes when I meet Nathan, drink some chocolate milk, and take a bagel with me for the trail.

Mile 13.1    1:35:46 (17:06 avg./mile) Camping Gap

The rocks going downhill in the first mile are treacherous as always, but I do well with them.  After the rocks comes a rolling section of single track trail that I truly enjoy.  Running it in the dark is challenging, but I pass a few people and feel like I am moving quickly.  The climb up to the aid station is as hard as usual, but I like my time.  I know where I am by feel and time on a section.  The wind is still gusty.  At the aid station, I grab a couple of sandwich quarters, a cup of soup, and a stack of Pringles for the trail.

Mile 21.9    2:32:26 (17:19 avg./mile) Headforemost Mountain

I run the majority of this section with a lady named Stephanie.  However, when it comes time to turn off of the grassy road, I put a little surge in and never see her again.  I think she dropped out as she is not listed as a finisher.  The running is going well, but the rocky, technical downhill towards Overstreet Falls really slows me down.  I twisted my right ankle five weeks ago, and it is still really tender.  I taped it for this race.  The tape is helping, but it can only help so much.  My time is okay, but slightly slower than I would have liked.  At the aid station, I grab a couple of more sandwich quarters and a cup of cold soup.  It isn’t the aid station’s fault as it is pretty cold out here, especially with the wind.  Did I mention that the wind is blowing about 30 miles per hour?  My hands go numb for the last 45 minutes of this section.

Mile 27.6    1:51:10 (19:30 avg./mile) Jennings Creek

With numb hands, but warm enough otherwise, I head down the hill towards Jennings Creek and breakfast.  Initially, I feel like I am moving well enough, but when the trail turns very rocky, my pace slows on the downhill portions.  I used to really like this section, but now it is a pain in the rear slowing me down getting to breakfast.  My ankle is very tender, but I am doing okay.  I think 7-8 people pass me on this section as daylight finally dawns.  This time is terribly slow, but I am still okay as I was 40 minutes ahead of the cut-off at Headforemost.  When I finally arrive at the aid station, Nathan has an English muffin with egg, bacon, and cheese all ready for me.  He also informs me that many people are dropping at this aid station.  Zsuzanna Carlson, who passed me coming down the hill, calls it quits, citing multiple nagging injuries.  Before leaving the aid station, I grab a paper towel for later.

Mile 34.5    1:59:03 (17:15 avg./mile) Little Cove Mountain

Later is only a couple of minutes away from the aid station.  I find the proper tree off of the trail to unload behind.  It was a wonderful and very quick (all in one smooth push) evacuation of my large intestine.  I think it only cost me five minutes total off of the trail.  With that bit of business taken care of, I can again focus on making good time.  Climbing is going well, and I make good time on the downhill section.  A lady passes me running up the hill towards the aid station.  At the aid station, the food is outstanding!  I eat half of a grilled ham and cheese, and drink a small cup of Coke.  It is a bit early to start the caffeine, but I don’t want to push close to the cut-off.

Mile 42.5    2:14:05 (16:46 avg./mile) Bearwallow Gap

Leaving Little Cove Mountain, I link up with Kelly Golden.  He has run this race four times and is going for his fifth finish and the coveted Eagle trophy.  We push the pace a little, and I guarantee to him that we will run this in less than 2:20.  It takes us almost an hour to catch the lady who passed us on the last section.  Her name is Tammy Godin, although I only know this from the finisher list.  She hangs with us for a little while.  Turning onto the wonderfully rocky devil trail, I let Kelly know that we have 45 minutes to the aid station.  These intermediate checkpoints are a great help to my mental outlook.  This part is especially useful as I know I can endure this ankle buster for 45 minutes.  We end up taking 46 minutes, but we are still thrilled to see the aid station.  Joining Nathan is David Snipes, who dropped out at Camping Gap.  It is good to see them both, but I am disappointed that David won’t be getting his 10^th finish this year.  I drink a chocolate milk, change to just a short sleeve shirt, and trade in the hat for a buff.  I take a grilled ham and cheese sandwich for the trail, leaving slightly ahead of Kelly.

Mile 49.5    2:00:13 (17:10 avg./mile) Bobblets Gap

Ten minutes out of the Bearwallow Gap, Kelly catches back up to me.  We talk a lot, which might be slowing us down slightly, but it is making the course pass easily.  In hindsight, I probably could have pushed this a little faster, but I am still making decent time.  When we dump out onto a dirt road that is the last mile into the aid station, Kelly’s wife and friend meet us and walk with us up to Bobblets Gap.  His friend will now pace him, and they are out of the aid station very quickly.  I sit down and eat some soup while taking my time.  I leave with a bagel in my hand to ensure I have enough food to power me through the next section.

Mile 56.1    2:15:36 (20:33 avg./mile) Day Creek

Losing contact with Kelly seems to hurt my pace a little.  He must be feeling great because he will go on to finish 28 minutes ahead of me.  So, I spend my time trying to stay in front of Tammy.  She is behind me by about 100 yards on most of this section.  No matter how many times I do this section, it still takes forever.  This section has the most “Horton miles” in it of any section in this race.  About a half mile from the aid station, Tammy finally passes me again.  At the aid station, Snipes tells me he will pace me for the last section.  I drink some Coke and take half of a bagel to eat on the climb.

Mile 62.4    1:21:25 (12:55 avg./mile) FINISH

I begin the climb by making it my goal to catch Tammy as quickly as possible.  Just before halfway up the climb, I pass her and then spot three more runners to pass.  I quickly pass them before the final stretch of the climb.  Then Al Eder is up in front of me, so I pass him as well just before the gate and crossing the Blue Ridge Parkway for the last time.  Snipes keeps telling me to pace myself.  He will complain later that I tried to kill him by pushing the pace too fast on this climb.  Across the BRP, and it is time to run 3.5 miles downhill to the finish.  I run the whole way, but it is not fast.  The 2.8 mile climb took 38 minutes, and the downhill 3.5 miles takes me 43 minutes this year.  Tammy almost catches me before the last gate and a mile and a half to go, but after the gate, we are on a smooth gravel road, and I pick up the pace enough to stay ahead of her.

Official Finishing Time          17:32:59

114^th out of 148 starters (122 finishers under 18 hours)

The finish at Camp Bethel is always nice, and I am glad that I have survived another year.  How many more will I finish?  I don’t know, but I plan to be back next year.  The other four streakers—Aaron, Jerry, Jeff, and Ryan—all finish long before me, but I am still grouped together with them.

Nothing starts the Christmas season like running and finishing Hellgate!  I wanted a sub 17-hour finish this year, but it isn’t to be.  However, I have a renewed motivation to train hard and try again next year.  Who knows, I might even run another 100 miler in 2015.  But first my next scheduled race is the Mountain Mist 50k in Huntsville in January.  Until then,

Never stop running,

Darin

Return to Darin’s Running Page.

Paris Mountain 50k - 2014- The Inaugural

November 7

I was looking for a 50k or 50 mile race on November 8, which is five weeks before Hellgate.  There was one in Huntsville, but there was also one in Greenville, SC.  Our best friends from the Marine Corps just happen to live in Greenville.  A quick email confirmed that they were going to be free and invited us on over—road trip!

Of course, for us, road trip means driving five miles to the Madison County airport, flying 1.5 hours east, and getting picked up at the downtown Greenville airport by Bradun and Elise.  We had a nice tailwind and perfect weather—fall beauty at its height.  We stopped by Paris Mountain State Park and picked up my race packet and then spent a wonderful evening with the Dunbars eating pizza and catching up.

November 8

Since the Dunbars live less than 15 minutes from the start and the race doesn’t start until 8am, I sleep in until almost 6am.  I have a bowl of homemade granola with heavy cream, and then Bradun and I drive to Paris Mountain State Park, arriving a little after 7am.  I quickly realize that I do not have my race bid with me, so we drive back to their house and then back to the park, arriving for a second time around 7:40am.  The race is small with less than 50 runners divided between the 50k, 50m, and 50m relay.  After a few final words from the race director, we are off.

Mile 7.5      1:20:06 (10:41 avg./mile) Start/Finish area

Right after the start, Byron Backer says something to me as we have seen each other at many ultra races in Virginia, but had never really talked before now.  So, for the first couple of miles, I stay close behind him as we chat about Hellgate and other races that are coming up.  Then I let him go on ahead as he is running faster than I care to at this point in the race.  This course is a fairly simple lollipop loop course.  We run out a mile or two, and then go around a loop that is several miles long before rejoining the out portion back to the start/finish line.  Going out is all uphill, becoming steeply uphill for the last mile before topping out and heading back downhill.  I think each loop has about 1,400 feet of climb and descent.  The first loop climb doesn’t feel hard at all, but I figure it will still be a good workout for me.  All is going well—I feel full of energy and the legs are fresh—until less than a half mile from the end of the first section when I roll my right ankle.  My right ankle is chronically weak for me as I typically twist it several times a year, often a couple of times in a race.  However, I hadn’t twisted it badly in quite a number of months.  This is a bad twist.  I go down not wanting to do any further damage by trying to save from hitting the dirt.  The slide is mostly on dirt (Pete Rose would be proud).  I only scrape the heel of my left palm, and my right knee.  But, the significant pain is in my right ankle.  I hobble into the aid station, wondering if maybe I should call it a day.  I quickly push that idea out of my mind, drink some of my chocolate milk, and head out for the second loop after shedding my outer layer of a long sleeve shirt.

Mile 15.0    1:38:52 (13:11 avg./mile) Start/Finish area

It takes the better part of this second loop before the pain deadens in my ankle.  Then I can carefully run decently.  I feel like my ankle has caused the majority of the time slowdown from the first loop.  Even so, I finish the second loop—almost halfway done—in a little under 3 hours.  I drink some more chocolate milk and trade out my Camelbak for a full one.

Mile 22.5    1:43:19 (13:47 avg./mile) Start/Finish area

Starting the third loop, I am sure that I am making better time now that my ankle is not hurting as badly.  However, I reach the top of the climb one minute slower than I did on the previous loop.  The slowdown continues as I complete the loop.  I am feeling okay, other than the ankle, but I am obviously slowing down.  Oh well, there is only one more loop, and I am leaving the aid station before Bradun, Elise, and Martha have shown up to see the finish.  Have I mentioned that the weather is absolutely perfect?  The temperature started around 40 degrees, and it has gradually warmed up into the 50s.  I was thinking earlier that I might take my t-shirt off for the final lap, but wisely decide to leave it on.

Mile 30.0    1:47:39 (14:21 avg./mile) Start/Finish area

The climb on this final loop seems to have gotten steeper!  There are many hikers out in the park on this beautiful day, and I have to work my way around each of them on the single track trail.  I finally reach the top of the climb and start heading across the ridge when I meet Bradun walking towards me.  They got to the park just after I started this loop and have driven to the top to see me halfway through my final loop.  It is motivating to see them, and it is all downhill from here.  I catch two people on the way down the hill.  One of them is a lapped runner, and the other runner was in fourth place.  I get into the start/finish area, drop off my Camelbak, and quickly head out for the last section of the race—a short loop around the lake.

Darin with 3rd Place prize

Mile 31.2    11:32 (9:36 avg./mile) FINISH

Feeling great now that the finish is almost in sight, I pick the pace up significantly.  I end up sprinting the last quarter of a mile.  It is a good thing that I did because the guy I passed a couple of miles earlier is only 2 minutes behind me.

Official Finishing Time          6:41:27 (race website says 6:29:35)

4^th out of 20 finishers (3^rd male)

This was a really nice, low-key race that made the perfect final tune-up for my next race.  If only I hadn’t twisted my ankle, it would have been perfect.  Fortunately, I have 5 weeks until my next race, and the ankle should be fine.  Finishing 4^th was just a bonus, and I got a “trophy” for being the 3^rd place male finisher in the 50k.

The climax of my running calendar year is the Hellgate 100k race.  The 12^th running of this special race will be December 13.  The very cool early fall weather points to a cold race this year, but one never knows what the weather will be like until a couple of days before.  Last year there was snow, drizzle, rain, and temperatures between 30-34 degrees during the race.  I would say it can’t be worse this year, but I know better.

Never stop running,

Darin

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Barkley Fall Classic 2014

September 19

Race Director Lazarus Lake and Darin

One part of fear is not knowing what lies before you.  This is what I am facing this weekend—the inaugural Barkley Fall Classic.  The Barkley Marathons is the toughest 100 miler in the country based on times run and how difficult it is to finish under the 60 hour cut-off.  It is famous, while being low key and secretive.  I have never attempted the Barkley 100 miler and have no plans to ever do so, but when the race directors announced this race, I had to give it a try in order to sample what the Barkley Marathons is all about.  The BFC is reported to be a 50k, but the course will remain a mystery until we pick up our race packets this afternoon.  The race director has said that less than 10% of us will finish under the 13 hours and 20 minutes allotted.

It is a pleasant Friday afternoon drive from Huntsville, Alabama to Wartburg, Tennessee.  I arrive a little after 4pm and pick-up the much anticipated race packet complete with topographical map of the course.  The first 10 miles look brutal on the map with switchbacks a plenty.  Other parts don’t look as bad, but a topo map can only tell so much.  For example, it gives no indication of how technical the trail is or whether the trail is easily followed.  This is going to be an adventure, and an adventure to which I am looking forward.

After picking up my packet, I setup my hammock and then proceed to the pre-race dinner complete with a Barkley documentary movie.  The movie/documentary is awesome, and the food was pretty good.  Afterwards I talk with Snipes and some other runners before climbing into my hammock for the night.  My sleep goes fairly well, and I think I end up getting about six hours of sleep.

September 20

In the morning over breakfast I learn that I apparently slept pretty soundly.  There were gun shots, a police chase, and nearly everyone camping behind the American Legion building was awake in the middle of the night.  I, however, didn’t hear a thing!  I eat a solid breakfast of eggs, bacon, sausage, gravy, and pancakes.  I don’t eat many carbs, but right before a race is the exception.  I drive to the start and am ready for the adventure of unknown course difficulty and whether I am quick enough to finish.

Mile 7.6      2:23:30 (18:52 avg./mile) Bald Knob

I link up with Rick Gray right from the start.  There are also a couple of ladies with us that Rick knows—Michelle and Glynetta.  We start rather conservatively, and the trail is nice and smooth.  The first mile was on a paved road, and we ran the whole first mile.  The next few miles were the first serious climb of the day.  My legs are fresh and conversations are flowing, so it passes easily enough.  At the top, we make a right turn and proceed to climb and descend for the next few miles until this aid station.  As can be seen, it is not a blistering pace, but it is a good steady pace to finish this race.  I grab a couple of PB&J sandwich quarters and head back onto the trail after topping off my Camelbak.

Mile 12.4    1:28:15 (18:23 avg./mile) Tub Springs

About two miles out of the aid station, we cross SOB ditch, and then pick up the trail on the other side.  Then we are following along, but it doesn’t look like we are still on the main trail.  This race only has “key” intersections marked with no confidence marking in between.  We are following a handful of guys who seem to know where they are going, but after 10 minutes or so, Rick, Michelle, and I decide to back track.  As we are coming back, we spot most runners going up a hill, so we cut towards them to rejoin the proper course.  We are very fortunate as there is a checkpoint soon thereafter where our bibs get punched.  Then the course proceeds on an old jeep trail, and Rick and Michelle pick up the pace to try to make up our lost time.  I let them go at this point.  I come into the second aid station feeling good, but also starting to feel the toll the climbing is taking on my legs.  There are no PB&J sandwiches (or any sandwiches for that matter) so I eat a couple of mini Slim Jims and a few cookies.  After topping off my Camelbak, I continue on down the jeep trail.

Mile 18.7    2:37:14 (24:57 avg./mile) Tub Springs #2

The first part of this section is an out and back portion, and I start to meet some of the leaders returning.  Jack Kurisky, Jeff Garstecki, and Keith Knipling are all looking good.  The turnaround is near the top of a hill, but not quite to the top.  The turnaround is just that and then I get to meet runners still heading out.  After crossing back over a pave road where Tammy Gray is cheering us, the course veers to the left.  This takes us down to the beginning of rat jaw—an infamous hill on the Barkley Marathons.  The climb starts through the saw briers straight up a hill.  I am climbing on my hands and feet, trying mightily to find foot and hand holds without grabbing onto a saw brier.  This is extremely challenging, but the “fun” is just getting started.  After about 200 feet of climb, there are options to pick your own route up rat jaw.  At one point, a few other runners and I climb up a large rock that involves actual rock climbing skills.  From there, I keep looking for signs of the route previous runners have taken.  After almost 50 minutes of climbing and finding a way forward, the top is in view.  At the top of the hill is a fire tower, which I now get to climb up as well in order to get to the next bib punch spot.  It is a gorgeous view at the top, but I only pause for a second or two as I have a race to finish.  After descending the fire tower, it is an easy half mile back to this aid station.  “6.3 miles” has taken me over 2.5 hours and has left me battered, bruised, and cut up from the saw briers.  My thighs sting when I put my hands on them to power up some of the steeper sections.  The sweat and dirt on my hands stings the cuts that now cover my legs.  With still no sandwiches to be had at this aid station, I fill up my empty Camelbak and start down the trail.

Mile 22.1    51:37 (15:11 avg./mile) Trailhead

I am on the jeep road for a quarter of a mile before the course turns left down a single track trail.  This trail is smooth and very runnable, and I feel refreshed to be done with rat jaw.  The problem is that the race is just a little over halfway done.  About halfway through this section, Rick and Michelle catch up to me.  They were way ahead of me, but somehow I got back ahead of them going up rat jaw.  Apparently, they didn’t pick as efficient of a route as I did.  I stick with them into the aid station.  Here I top off the Camelbak and start to get my light out of my drop bag, but then I ask one of the aid station workers if we have to take a light with us from here.  He says I have over 5 hours until darkness and that nobody is checking for lights.  So, I leave my drop bag alone and head out the trail for the last major section.  I am two hours ahead of the cut-off, but my legs have really taken a toll from all of the climbing.

Mile 27.8    2:40:04 (28:05 avg./mile) Spicewood

Rick, Michelle, and I are together for the first few miles.  None of us analyzed the topo map that closely as we think we are almost to the next aid station after about an hour or so.  We have been climbing switchbacks for 45 minutes when we start to descend.  After 15-20 minutes of descending switchbacks, we start climbing switchbacks again.  After 15 minutes of switchback climbing, they end, and we are all sure that the aid station can’t be far.  However, when the switchbacks end, the trail continues straight up the hill.  We pass a few weekend backpackers who are just standing there.  Michelle leaves me and Rick behind as we just aren’t climbing as fast as she is.  Rick and I start to take breaks as the top of this hill seems nowhere close.  This climb is brutal.  Occasionally, it looks like we are almost to the top, but we aren’t.  Finally, we get to the chimney tops, which are a series of rocks.  At this point, Rick starts throwing up.  He does this often enough in these races, and I have seen it before.  We make our way across the top, which again seems to never end.  After a mile or so the trail finally starts to descend, now where is that aid station?  This section is only “5.7 miles,” but I have run another mile about 10 times so far on this section alone, and I am still not at the aid station.  I ran out of water nearing the top of the chimney tops so now I am really looking forward to the aid station so that I can get some more water.  Just when I think the aid station is never going to appear, it does.  I tell Rick that we might not die after all.  I quickly get my Camelbak refilled, and start sucking down the water into my parched body.  Meanwhile, Rick decides to start throwing up again.  There is another group of backpackers here, but I tell them not to worry about Rick as he is a professional and does this all of the time.  When he stops throwing up, I grab some potato chips, and we stagger down a single track trail towards the finish.

Mile 31.1    49:17 (14:56 avg./mile) FINISH – Flat Fork Field

I am running, but Rick is able to walk almost as fast as my running trot is.  So, he runs a little and then walks, and I keep up by running most of the time.  The single track trail is all downhill, and we make decent time staggering down the trail.  We get back close to where the mile 22 aid station was, and I am ready hammer to the finish.  Rick is ready to as well, but we walk some more until we can hear the finish line.  Then we set off into nearly a full sprint.  We finish together, happy to be done with this impossible race that gave us a glimpse into what it must be like to run the full 100+ miler here in April.

Official Finishing Time          10:49:47

Darin's chewed up legs

58^th out of 240 starters (163 finishers under 13 hours, 20 minutes)

I have no plans whatsoever of ever trying the Barkley Marathons, so I am very happy I had this opportunity at the Barkley Fall Classic.  I finished with over 2.5 hours to spare, and I am satisfied.  I had a blast today!  Getting off course early wasn’t pleasant, but it didn’t cost us too much.  Rat jaw is brutal, but I loved the challenge and accomplishing the climb was fulfilling.  My legs will take a couple of weeks to fully heal, but it was all worth it.

My next race is going to be the Paris Mountain 50k on November 8 in Greenville, SC.  This will be another new race for me.  I am going to use it as my final preparation for Hellgate in December.

Never stop running,

Darin

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Bull Run Run 2014

April 13

It is Friday afternoon, and I am driving myself up to Northern Virginia to run the Bull Run Run 50 miler tomorrow.  This will be my 10^th finish at this race.  I don’t have a crew this year, but I am totally fine with that.  I check in and find my bunk.  Then I go to dinner with Snipes and a couple of other people at Carrabba’s.  I have beef marsala with garlic potatoes, and I also have several pieces of their wonderful bread.  I have been eating a low carb diet since the first of January.  I am “sneaking” in a few carbs the day before the race.  I will eat some more during the race.

April 14

I get up at 4:45am so that I can get in and out of the restroom without feeling rushed.  After taking care of business there, I grab some pastries and a small glass of OJ.  I wash everything down with a pint of chocolate milk.  I get my drop bag positioned and then just relax before the race starts.  This is always such a fun race because everyone sees everyone else a couple of times and I know a portion of the runners.

Mile 7.2      1:18:39 (10:55 avg./mile) Centreville Road (1^st time)

I start nice and conservatively while still getting out ahead of most of the crowd.  I really just want to enjoy things today, although I am sure I will try to push things later.  It is a beautiful day, and the blue bells are just starting to come out after our extended winter this year.  I talk with Rande Brown and then later with his wife Kari as they pass me during this section.

Mile 11.6    44:20 (10:05 avg./mile) Centreville Road (2^nd time)

The pace picks up for me, but I still have a good feel about things.  I feel like I am not pushing hard at all while I am making decent time.

Mile 16.6    58:55 (11:47 avg./mile) Hemlock Overlook

After the quick start, it is tempting to maintain the pace that I have set.  However, the temperature is starting to climb, and this is a fine pace for this stage in the race.  At Hemlock, I find my drop bag and take off my shirt.  I trade out my Camelbak for a full one.  Then I drink the pint of chocolate milk that I have stashed in my drop bag.  It tastes great, but I usually don’t drink a whole pint at one time.

                                                                                                                                  
Mile 21.1    53:49 (11:58 avg./mile) Bull Run Marina

My pace slows a little as my stomach is full of chocolate milk.  I also want to remain conservative in the first half of the race.

Mile 26.1    57:19 (11:28 avg./mile) Wolf Run Shoals

I pass Jaret Seiberg during this section.  Usually I am ahead of him, and he passes me later in the race.  The weather is really warming up.  I guess it is in the mid-70s by now, but I feel good still.  At this aid station, there is a Christmas theme with all of the volunteers dressed as elves and such.

Mile 28.1    28:30 (14:15 avg./mile) Fountainhead

Jaret passes me back on this section.  I guess he was just having a down period.  After all, my pace is remaining constant—right?  Well not exactly.  I am still feeling strong, but trying to ready myself for the last 20 miles.

Mile 32.5    56:28 (12:50 avg./mile) Do Loop (start)

It is now officially hot!  I ran pretty well on this section, but it is hot and dry.  When the wind isn’t blowing on me, it is starting to feel pretty warm.  I feel okay, but sweat is pouring out of me in buckets.  I grab a popsicle from this aid station, and head into the Do Loop.

Mile 35.5    34:56 (11:39 avg./mile) Do Loop (end)

The popsicle seems to give me a boost.  In hindsight, it was probably the sugar, but at the time I am thinking it is the cooling effect.  I start pushing the pace in the Do Loop and come out with one of my fastest times on this section.  I am feeling good, and now I only have a mere 15 miles to the finish.  I am surprised to see Frank Probst entering the aid station when I am finishing the Do Loop.  This means he is only 40 minutes or so behind me.  However, he usually melts in the heat, so we will see where he ends up.

Mile 37.9    32:12 (13:25 avg./mile) Fountainhead

About a half mile out of the Do Loop aid station, I meet Gary Knipling.  The ironic part is that it is nearly the same spot I met his son Keith about an hour earlier.  It is always good to see Gary, and I tell him that Frank is about 10 minutes ahead of him.

Mile 39.9    28:40 (14:20 avg./mile) Wolf Run Shoals

I catch Jaret again and ask him if he thinks sub 10 hours is still a possibility.  He says no, so I pick up the pace to see if my legs have a strong finish in them.  For some reason, this section is always one of my slowest.  I grab another popsicle from the aid station.

Mile 44.9    1:03:27 (12:41 avg./mile) Bull Run Marina

This popsicle doesn’t have the same effect as the first one.  My legs are starting to cramp some, and Jaret passes me back.  I try to hang with him, but he is moving very well now.  Liz Nickle and I have been trading places the whole race, and now we are both struggling to get to the end.  The heat is taking its toll.  However, I won’t give up, and I keep pushing as much as my body will allow.

Mile 50.4    1:20:09 (14:34 avg./mile) FINISH!

It is a slog all the way to the finish.  The only thing I can claim is that I manage to get back ahead of Liz and finish almost a minutes ahead of her.  The day is a beautiful spring day—the first 80+ degree day of the year.  Unfortunately, very few of us are acclimated.

Official Finishing Time          10:17:24

98^th out of 321 starters (272 finishers)

I was hoping for a sub-10 hour finish, but it wasn’t to be this year.  My time is faster than last year, so I will take satisfaction in that.  It has now been two years since my ACL surgery, and my right knee is the least of my concerns.  My fitness is nearly all back, but it still takes time to regain everything.

After finishing, I see Snipes, who had a bad day and dropped at mile 16.  I hurry up and get showered and changed so that I can see Gary and Frank finish.  In the end I didn’t need to rush as Gary finishes in 11:40 and Frank in 12:55.  Not bad for a couple of 70 year olds.  My plans this year are to not run a 100 miler.  My next scheduled ultra at this point is the Barkley Fall Classic in September.  I might be able to squeeze in Catherine’s or Catoctin.  Until then…

Never stop running,

Darin

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