Dixie 200 Relay -- Race Recap

Dixie 200 Relay Race

Running can often be a lonely pursuit. I often run for an hour or two in solitude with only my thoughts and my music for company. I do have running partners for some of my runs. And you are hardly ever truly alone during a race. Running is rarely a team endeavor. But that is exactly what makes long relay races so special. When else do you get to run and ride for 30+ hours with a bunch of friends having a great adventure? I got to have just such an adventure for the 2013 Dixie 200 Relay from Atlanta to Birmingham.

My wife, Tracy, and I joined 10 other runners to form a team for the Dixie 200 Relay. Our team consisted primarily of teachers and administrators at Homewood High School. Latta Johnston, Assistant Principal, was our team leader. Nivada Spurlock, Wellness Coordinator for Homewood City Schools, is the leader of The Movement which promotes wellness for teachers and students. The Movement is known on Twitter as #hwdmoves (Homewood moves), so this became our team name. And move we did...

Thursday, March 21, 2013

With hours of preparation under our belts, we loaded up two 12 passenger vans in the parking lot of HHS on Thursday afternoon. 6 people, a bunch of running gear, and a mountain of food & drinks were packed into each van. We arrived in the Atlanta suburb of Powder Springs around dinner time to check into our hotel near the starting line. After checking in, the team walked a short distance to Giovanni’s Italian Restaurant for our pre-race, carbo-loading meal. Two of our members, Josh and Allison, ordered the stuffed shells; they expected cheese filling but got some combination of meat and cheese that fortunately did not cause any GI distress the next day. Otherwise, the meal was excellent!

Tyler, Mike, Dean, Allison, Shane, Nivada, Rebecca, Melonie, Josh, Tracy, Kristen,  and Latta.

Friday, March 22, 2013

We awoke Friday morning ready to run. Nine teams were scheduled to begin the race at 7:00, but we were among the seven teams scheduled to start at 9:30 am. So, here’s how this sort of relay works: each team has between 6-12 runners (most teams have 12). Each team must run 36 legs over the course of the 200 mile race with each leg ranging from 3-9 miles. Teams with 12 runners like ours have each runner run 3 legs totaling 15-20 miles. Teams are split into 2 vans.

Tracy and I were in Van 1 with the other married couples, Latta & Kristen Johnston and Shane & Allison Wear. In Van 2 were Nivada, Melonie McBrayer, Rebecca Shields, Mike Hathorne, Tyler Burgess, and Josh Donaldson. Only Shane and Mike had ever run a relay like this before. As Van 1, we got to lead off the race running the first 6 legs. After receiving our instructions for the race, Latta toed the line to run Leg 1. When the horn sounded, he raced into the lead just so we could say we briefly led the race. Once the team saw him off, we climbed into our vans to begin our journey back to Birmingham.

Latta in the lead!

While Van 2 drove ahead to the first transition point, Van 1 drove to meet Latta at the end of Leg 1 which was 7.1 miles long. The race began on the Silver Comet Trail which runs from Atlanta to the Georgia-Alabama state line. From there, the rails-to-trail path continues as the Chief Ladiga Trail until Jacksonville, Alabama. So, the first 15 legs of the race were run on a fairly smooth, flat, paved trail. At the first exchange zone, Latta arrived before his projected time to hand off to Kristen for Leg 2. Thus we began a cycle to be repeated multiple times during the race: drop off a runner, drive ahead to the next exchange zone, witness the handoff to the next runner, wait briefly for the last runner to cool down and get some refreshment, then head out once again.

Latta to Kristen.

It was a cool, overcast day with temperatures in the upper 30s as we began the race. I was scheduled to run Leg 4 covering 6.96 miles. Shane, running Leg 3, and I were a stark contrast in footwear. He had transitioned to running in Vibram minimalist shoes while I had converted to running in maximally cushioned Hoka shoes. Our teammates did not hesitate to make fun of both of us. I had a really good first leg. The trail was exactly like the Lakeshore Trail back in Homewood, so I was right at home. I had planned to run between 8:00-8:15 per mile pace, but I felt so good the first mile that I pushed that down to between 7:50-8:00. Despite my good (for me) pace, I heard footsteps in the middle of my leg. I was about to be passed! In the parlance of relay races, I was about to be “killed.” I suppressed my competitive nature and refused to let it bother me when the 20-something female blew past me offering some almost-condescending words of encouragement. And I refused to let it bother me when the next guy flew by me at an even faster clip. I just concentrated on holding my even pace for the whole leg. As I rounded the last corner onto a straightaway, I could see my teammates at the exchange zone in the distance. But my Garmin said I had 0.75 miles to go. Gradually, I made my way down the long straightaway until I could hand off to Tracy. My Garmin read 6.95 miles in 54:52 for a pace of 7:54 per mile. This was pretty good for me especially knowing I had 2 more legs to run in less than 24 hours.

Kristen to Shane.

Shane to Dean.

Tracy took off for her Leg 5, and I took a few minutes to cool off. I knocked back a Muscle Milk (contains no milk) protein shake and was ready to climb back into the van. It was during the drive to the next exchange zone that I learned Tracy had had a mini-adventure while waiting for me. This was one of the few stops that had no bathroom or porta potty. So Tracy was relegated to seeking shelter in a nearby pasture guarded by her friend and lookout, Kristen. The place was dubbed Mrs. Poindexter’s Pasture for Peeing. And we wondered since I had been “killed” twice on my last leg -- did that make me a “zombie?” The punchiness that was to come to full bloom later in the night had begun to blossom already.

Dean to Tracy.

Tracy released her inner child, yelling for echoes as she ran through an old train tunnel. At the end of the leg, Tracy passed off to Allison who was running Leg 6 our final leg for this section. Up ahead we would meet Van 2 and make the transition to them. When Van 1 arrived at the transition point, they found that Van 2 had been waiting in the park for hours. Some runners napped, some joked around, other paced nervously. When Van 1 arrived, Van 2 sprang to life getting ready to run. Allison ran into the softball park where we were waiting. She handed off to itching-to-run Melonie. And, thus, Van 2 was on the clock while Van 1 could rest for awhile.

Tracy to Allison.

Allison to Melonie.

Ready for lunch!

We drove on to the small town of Piedmont, AL the site of the next van transition point. We planned to have lunch in a small restaurant recommended by the race director. We toured the entire “downtown” area of Piedmont before finding the Solid Rock Cafe (after realizing we had passed it earlier). We ate a very nice lunch of sandwiches and chips followed by cookies with coffee or hot tea. While we dined, another team came in for lunch while we saw yet another team drive around the block a few times.

After lunch, we headed over the the transition point at the Eubanks Welcome Center. (It took some driving around to find this place, too). Once there, we were able to relax for awhile and recharge our phones. Soon, Van 2 arrived after dropping off Tyler who was running Leg 12, the final leg of this section. Josh, who had run the long 9.5 mile leg at a very fast pace, came hobbling up with an ice pack on a swollen knee. We worried about his ability to continue. But he is young and tough. Kristen prepared to run her second leg. Because it was almost dusk, she donned her reflective vest, her headlamp, and her flashing lights (required by race officials). Once the handoff was made, we said goodbye to Van 2 and drove to the next exchange zone. 

Tracy was next to run. By the time Kristen arrived, it was almost nightfall. Tracy took off back onto the trail into the fading light. As we waited at the next exchange zone, she texted me: “A little unnerved...” Apparently the trail had veered away from the main road into the woods. The darkness, the solitude, and the sound of nearby dogs freaked her out just a little bit. But all that made her run a very fast leg!

Tracy at twilight.

Tracy to Allison.

Tracy handed off to Allison who got to run on the trail through the campus of Jacksonville State. Allison then passed to Latta who took the race off the trail onto the back roads of Alabama. As we waited for Latta, we met the nicest volunteer on the course, Pastor Greg of Lloyd’s Chapel Baptist in Anniston, AL. Shane took over for Latta and ran to the next exchange point which was Pastor Greg’s church. The church had coffee and snacks available for the runners as we passed through about 10:00 pm. As Shane handed off to me, I began my second leg, 8.4 miles from Anniston to Oxford. The first section of road was a dark, divided, four lane highway with not-so-gentle rolling hills. A mile or two into the run, I began to hear the dogs. We had been warned about dogs along the nighttime legs on the course. And now my imagination started to run on its own. Fortunately, I never actually saw a dog, but I ran a little faster. Another mile or two later, however, I ran past a trailer park. About the time I ran by, a very loud gasoline engine started. It was either a motorcycle or a chainsaw. I had visions of an Alabama Chainsaw Massacre. I ran even faster. Halfway through my leg, I turned onto an even busier highway. There, my van was waiting on me on the side of the road, just to make sure I was safe -- a welcome sight. After I ran by to their cheers and encouragement, the van sped off into the night. Four mostly downhill miles later, I was tired but almost done. I was happy to finally reach the van transition point to hand off to Melonie so that Van 2 could begin their second legs. I finished my leg at about 11:15 pm. I had covered 8.41 miles in 1:08:08 for a pace of 8:06 per mile.

Dean into the dark.

At about 11:30, our van headed from Oxford to the Comfort Suites in Pell City. We quickly checked in, took short showers, and tried to settle into bed. Three married couples managed to share 2 double beds and a sofa bed. I managed to drift off to sleep around 12:30 a.m.

Saturday, March 23, 2013

Since we had to meet the other van at about 4:15, our alarm was set for 3:30 am. But due to the excitement, I was up at 3:00. As quickly as we had rushed into the hotel, we rushed back out again. Only now, the skies had opened up with rain and distant lightning. As we pulled into the parking lot at the van transition point, there were several other vans already there waiting for their teammates. As we waited, the rain and lightning increased. At around 4:15 a.m. Van 2 pulled up beside us with the news that the race would be halted after this leg was completed. Poor Josh was running through a downpour on a swollen knee while dodging lightning bolts. As he passed the wristband to our van, he looked almost defeated. But only almost. Van 2 soon departed for the showers and beds of the hotel we had left just a short time ago.

From 4:30 to 7:00, we waited in the van. We waited for the storm to pass. And we waited for the race directors to make a decision about how to proceed. As we waited, the silliness in the van began to overflow. We told stories and jokes; we watched the dawn’s early light. we made fun of eachother; we made up a Jimmy Buffett song. Around 7:00 a.m., the director made the decision to have us skip several legs to get south of the storm. So we drove the van ahead 4 legs expecting to run at any time. But the storm would not go away. So, we sat for another hour. We took turns making a dash to the porta potty in the rain. Finally, around 8:30, the rain let up enough for the race to resume. Since we skipped a few legs, teams were allowed to double up runners on some legs so that everyone got to run their 3 legs. Shane, Allison, and Kristen only had about 10 minutes to get ready to run before we resumed the race. It was interesting to see many of the teams back together again after running solo for most of last legs. Our 3 runners took off, beginning our third legs after a 4 hour delay.

Waiting.

Rain.

The next exchange zone was at Lighthouse Community Church which was providing a pancake breakfast for the runners. We had each paid $5 in advance for the breakfast. But Van 2 had gone back to the hotel, and no one else in Van 1 felt like eating at that time. So, I decided to eat a single pancake without syrup as my pre-run fuel. It was the best $60 pancake I had ever eaten. Tracy and I decided to run the next leg (Leg 30) together. We were running on fairly flat, country roads. When we started it was lightly raining, but it quickly stopped, allowing us to remove our rain gear for most of the run. We ran at a decent pace, but the effort of the previous 2 runs and the lack of sleep took away our top gear. Compared to our previous runs, we struggled through this 5 miles. About halfway through our leg, we were the victims of another kill. But shortly thereafter, we were able to return the favor another team’s runner. Our first kill! We needed 2 county deputies to stop traffic on US 280 in Harpersville to allow us to cross the road safely. As we ran into the exchange zone at Morgan Creek Vineyards, we were relieved (but couldn’t believe) our portion of the race was over. We covered 5.05 miles in 44:44 with a pace of 8:51. As Latta took off for the final leg of Van 1, Tracy and I went to change into some dry clothes.

Ready for the last leg!

Kristen & Allison to Dean & Tracy.

Tracy down the road.

Finished!

We hopped back into the van to head to the last van transition point. We passed Latta on a hilly dirt road. As we drove slowly by, he used our van as a shield against a loose dog on the side of the road. We then passed several runners up ahead and felt confident that Latta could pick up a few kills before the end of his leg. We reached the next van transition point to find 10-15 vans waiting for their runners. We got to joke and laugh with Van 2 before Latta handed off to Rebecca. Van 1 was done! But Van 2 faced some long, very hilly legs before they reached the finish line at Oak Mountain State Park.

Latta to Rebecca.

Since we were finished and Van 2 would not finish for 5 hours, we decided to drive home to shower and change. As we drove home we realized just how bad the van smelled. We chalked up to our running clothes. Until we remembered the brown bananas in the back of the van. We began to talk of the smell of “banana and stink.” Once we had cleaned up, we headed to Oak Mountain to greet our teammates. Their van took longer to arrive at Oak Mountain than we thought, but we chalked that up to the toughness of the final six legs they had to run. They reported that everyone had survived their runs. They also said Josh was hurting but was going to give it his all. Nivada was going to run the final leg with him.

As we waited for Josh, several other teams saw their final runner cross the finish line. Each one look tired. Eventually we saw Josh running down the road through the woods. He was hobbling a little on his swollen knee, but he pushed through to the finish line. We were done! #hwdmoves had finished the Dixie 200!

Josh crossing the finish line.

#hwdmoves

But where was Nivada? She did not come in shortly after Josh as we expected. We feared that she had missed the final turn into Oak Mountain State Park. Latta took off in his car to look for her. He eventually found her a mile away having already added 3 miles to her run. But she got to cross the finish line. We were now able to take our final team picture and receive our finisher medals. We were not concerned about our time; our main goal on this adventure was to do our best and have fun. But #hwdmoves managed to finish in 7th place. Not too shabby!

We were tired and hungry but energized and fulfilled. The phrases “next year” and “when we do this again” were thrown about here and there. Each of us will take away something different from this experience, I am sure, but we can all agree it was an unforgettable time of physical exertion and fellowship.

Oak Mountain 50k -- Race Recap

Oak Mountain 50k -- 3/9/13

My path (trail, if you will) to the Oak Mountain 50k was inspired by two factors: first, my growing love of running trails; second, my failed attempt to break 4 hours at the warm and humid St. Jude Marathon last December. I had begun to incorporate trail running into my training regimen last fall -- partially to strengthen my legs and core, and partially to enjoy the beauty and serenity of the woods. I trained harder and longer than I ever had before in preparation for St. Jude. But a 60+ degree day with high humidity brought my dream to an ugly, crampy end at mile 20. 

Outwardly, I was fine with not meeting my goal, but secretly I sought a chance at redemption. But where and how to find it? I wanted to take advantage of my training and build on my fitness. Looking at race calendars, I had several choices. I could have signed up for the Mercedes Marathon in Birmingham, but that option just did not appeal to me. There were some other races in March and April, but none fit my schedule. In the end, I found myself wandering back to the website for the Oak Mountain 50k. In the end, I clicked the "Register" button.

Part of me was excited by the challenge; part of me wondered how I would make it 31 miles when I had just bonked miserably at mile 20 of a marathon. After a few weeks of easy running during the holidays, I redoubled my efforts at training for the trail 50k. I realized I had no idea of how to train or how to prepare my body. I read every article I could find in print or on the internet. I started following on Twitter established ultrarunners as well as newbies preparing for their first ultra like me. I broke down exactly what went wrong with my marathon. I learned to hydrate properly; I learned about salt capsules and eating on the run; and, most of all, I learned to put in the time on the trails (especially the hills).

Along the way, an amazing thing happened. I spent more time on hilly trails and less time on the road. But I proceeded to set PRs in the Red Nose 10 mile, then the Village to Village 10k, and then the inaugural Tuscaloosa Half Marathon. The time on the trails made me stronger and faster. I certainly had not trained as much as many trail runners, but I felt ready. But no less nervous...

I arrived at Oak Mountain about 45 minutes before the start of the race. The day promised to bring nice weather. The forecast called for the temperature to rise into the 60s. This made me a little uneasy, but I was counting on the trees and elevation to keep me cool. The temperature at the start was a perfect 42 degrees. At the packet pickup, I bumped into local running icon, Al Dimicco (@runningwithal47). I had been following him on Twitter and reading his blog for awhile. I had to thank him for turning me on to Hoka One One shoes. He mentioned his preference for Hokas in several of his blogs. During training I bought 2 pair of Hokas: one for the road and one for the trails. The extra thick, cushioned soles make me look I'm wearing platform shoes from the rock band KISS. But, they are so comfortable. And, my legs did not receive the pounding that my marathon training had imparted.

As I made my final preparations before heading to the starting line, I double-checked what I would be wearing/carrying on my run:

1. Garmin 110 GPS watch -- would the battery last the whole race?
2. Hoka One One Mafate trail shoes 
3. Swiftwick Pursuit Two compression socks
4. CEP compression calf sleeves
5. Nathan handheld water bottle
6. Nike waist pack to hold:
1. iPhone -- for taking pictures, texting updates, and (worst case scenario) calling for an emergency
2. GU gels -- peanut butter, chocolate mint, and vanilla bean w/ caffeine
3. S-caps (salt capsules)
4. Nuun elecrolyte tablets 

I have never seen a more low-key start to a race. As with many local races, Suman Silwal (mruns.com) was there taking photos. At about 6:55, the race director, Scott Parker, gathered everyone around, gave a few instructions, and then quietly said, "Go." We began at the Dogwood Pavilion of Oak Mountain State Park. The first half mile is run on a paved road to spread out the crowd before hitting the trail.

The course can be broken down into 5 segments

1. Yellow Trail
2. Blue Trail
3. White Trail
4. Red Trail
5. BUMP trail

Oak Mountain 50k Course Map

1. Yellow Trail

As an ultra rookie, I stayed near the back of the pack at the start of the race. Once we hit the Yellow Trail, the rolling hills began immediately. One of my plans was to walk all hills of any significance -- no heroics, especially early in the race. Over the next several miles, I discovered that even at the slow, comfortable pace I was forcing myself to run, I was behind some runners going even slower. There was a group of about 7 friends running together that acted as a bit of  a blockade. After a mile behind them, I made a move just after a creek crossing to get ahead of them. The move was more for spacing than for pace. It was just more comfortable running ahead of them than behind. In fact, they stayed on my tail until the first aid station. They were a lively group from Florida clearly enjoying themselves (as it should be).

I next caught up with two older runners who had clearly done this sort of thing before. I joined ranks with them as we passed the Tranquility Lake Dam. I discovered they were true veterans of the Oak Mountain 50k having run 13 of the 14 races. We soon passed Maggie's Glen and headed up another hill into what I call the "tree tunnels." I pressed on past the two veterans with the Florida gang on my heels. 

I was feeling great. The weather was still cool. I had almost finished my water bottle. My breathing and heart rate were under control. As I ran into the 1st aid station at the North Trailhead, everything was going as planned. Even though I did not have a specific time goal, my plan was to run each of the 5 sections in about 1.5 hours. I reached the 1st aid station at 1:28 with a distance of 6.75 miles.

I grabbed a PB&J square and a banana while a kind volunteer filled my water bottle. I knocked back a cup of Gatorade to wash down my S-cap. I even saw my next door neighbor, Jeff, a fairly accomplished ultra-runner who recently finished the Mt. Cheaha 50k as part of his training for the Western States 100 later this summer.

2. Blue Trail

Leaving the North Trailhead, I knew what lay before me -- 3 miles of fairly steep uphill. Fortunately I had trained on this section several times, so I was ready. Even with my slow, steady power hike, I was able to pass several runners going up the hill. I soon fell in behind a younger guy in a visor and hydration vest. Little did I know at the time that we would be together for most of the next 24 miles. 

As we made our way to the top of the Blue Trail, we began to make small talk. I learned his name is Jeff, and that this was his first ultra as well.  After we hit the crest of the South Rim and headed down toward Peavine Falls, we joined a group of 5 or 6 runners all going about the same, steady, but slightly faster pace. We kept a good pace until we reached Peavine Falls.

I had read about descending down to the bottom of Peavine Falls, but I was never quite sure which trail to take during training. I left it to be a little surprise for the race. And a surprise, it was. As we ran along the trail above the Falls, we were guided along a somewhat treacherous, barely-there path looking down on the rushing, gravity-drawn water. My balance is not the best, so I let Jeff and the other guys go ahead of me down the path. 

With great care I reached the bottom of the Falls. I stopped to take a photo to text to my wife just to prove I was still alive and doing well. I had also read something about "climbing" out of the Falls. It quickly became clear what that meant. The runners were directed up a "shortcut" in the side of the hill with sufficient steepness as to require both hands and feet to climb to the top. While short, the difficult descent and ascent took more than a little out of me. But once on the gravel road leading to the Peavine Falls parking lot (and the 2nd aid station), I was able to jog enough to catch up with Jeff and the other members of the our little group.

I reached the 2nd aid station in 3:05 at 13.4 miles. Still on schedule. I smiled inside as I realized I had run the same distance 7 days earlier in 1:48. Different course! I texted my wife, Tracy, that I was 2/5 done. Once again, I grabbed a PB&J, this time with a handful of potato chips. I washed it down with another Gatorade, took my S-cap, and dropped a Nuun tablet in my freshly filled water bottle. I was ready to go! But the other guys were not ready to leave quite yet. So I took off on my own up the hill along the Green Trail headed to White.

3. White Trail

Once back on the White Trail, there was a slow, steady climb to the top of the park. I was in a gap between runners. I had a little room to myself. But that's when I hit my first low point. The sun had come out just a little bit. The temperature had risen just enough to feel a little warm. The initial excitement of the race was over. And now I had no one to pace me. I didn't realize how much I had been leaning on the group I had been in. Up ahead, I saw a group of several runners. So I tried to pick up the pace a little. I was still sluggish, so I took a gel hoping some glucose would give me a kick. I never did catch the group, but I managed to stay the same distance behind them for awhile. So, in a way, they paced me. Somewhere along the White Trail, several of my friends began texting me, asking how I was doing. I cannot tell you how much energy that gave me.

Almost at the top of the ridge, there was an unmanned aid station. Except there was a volunteer there to help -- a manned, unmanned station! I was grateful to top off my water bottle and to stand still for a few moments. But soon I was back up the hill after that elusive group of runners.

I came within 50 yards of them several times, but between walk breaks and stopping to take a picture at Shackleford Point (the highest spot in Oak Mountain), I lost them. But I would have lost them anyway as the descent from Shackleford Point back to the North Trailhead is rocky and steep. With my poor balance and my over-sized Hoka shoes, rocky descents are tricky and slow-going.

Once back onto fairly level trail, I had to make a quick pit stop behind a tree. I took this as an excellent sign that I was taking in enough fluids. As I made my way back to the trails, I saw Jeff again for the first time in several miles.

mRuns.com

I reached the aid station at about 20 miles at 4:35. Still close to schedule! I texted Tracy that I was 3/5 done. I grabbed more PB&J and potato chips (they were working for me). As one volunteer filled my water bottle, another volunteer announced that he just heard that the winner had finished the race. I smiled and refrained from thinking bad thoughts. Suman stopped Jeff and I long enough to take a quick photo. But soon we were off to the Jeep Road leading to the Red Trail.

mRuns.com

4. Red Trail

Jeff and I banded together to tackle the last significant climb of the race. Partially to finish eating and partially because we were tired, we started walking early and often up the hill. Occasionally, one of us would get a short burst of energy and take off up the hill. But then we would lag and the other would catch up soon enough. Consequently, mile 21 ended up being the slowest, non-aid station mile of the race.

Once we reached the top of the ridge, I thought I would be energized. Mentally, I was. But physically, I was not. We continued together until reaching the unmanned aid station for the second time. (This time it really was unmanned). Jeff needed more time to fill his hydration pack, so I took off on my own. I had trained on the Jeep Road, but I had never run the Red Trail on top of the ridge. It was fairly flat but also fairly rocky. Accurate foot placement was an effort. I was slowed to a walk in the more rocky places. I had reached my second low point of the race. And again it was when I was alone.

Jeff eventually caught and passed me during this low point. I could have pressed on to keep up with him, but I wanted to conserve some energy for the last section of the race. Eventually the trail became less rocky and more downhill. I was happy again. Soon I reached the Peavine Falls parking lot for the second time.

I pulled into the 4th aid station at 25.5 miles and 5:59. Despite the walking and the lows, I was still on schedule! I was happy to text Tracy "4/5 done." More chips, more PB&J, more S-caps, and more water -- I was ready to go. Jeff was ready at the same time along with one more guy I had not seen until now. He had been ahead of us but took a little extra time with cramps at this last aid station. But he, Lowell, now felt well enough to join us as we headed out for the final section.

5. BUMP Trail

Getting to the last section of trail requires a short run on the Peavine Road. Since it was a beautiful late winter day, there were many cars traveling to and from Peavine Falls. It felt weird dodging cars after 25 miles in the woods. But we were back on the trails soon enough. As we hit the jeep road on the way to the BUMP trail, the three of us separated. Lowell ran on ahead; I jogged a leisurely pace; Jeff walked. Somewhere along the jeep road, I looked down at my watch. I had reached 26.3 miles. I was an ultra-marathoner. I stopped to take a picture of my watch at that moment. The watch was low on battery but still going! As I came to the entrance to the BUMP trail and the blessed descent off the mountain, I felt relieved. I took one final gel (with caffeine) to get a last kick for the final 5 miles.

As we meandered along the switchbacks of the mountain bike trail, I could barely see Lowell ahead and Jeff behind. I passed a few mountain bikers. Some were very encouraging; some would have run over their own grandmother on the trail. As the trail crossed Peavine Road, there was a most welcome water cooler. Lowell had stopped for a long drink. I grabbed a quick refill of my bottle, and we took off into the woods together. Not far now.

We stayed together for a mile or so, walking a little then running a little. Lowell was ready to resume running sooner than I, so he went on ahead. This was my third (and last) low point of the race. And once again, it happened when I was alone. I found it strange since I had done almost all of my long trail training alone. But maybe I had finally learned a lesson. 

Having run this part of the course, I knew where the last little hill was before heading back down to the Dogwood Pavilion and the finish line. I was quite happy to reach that point. And I began to run with renewed strength. The sight of the road leading to the finish line made me smile almost uncontrollably. I wanted to stop running, but I never wanted this feeling to end. As I crossed the simple white line in the dirt marking the end of my race and my journey, I felt a sense of accomplishment like few others. I had finished in 7:20 -- well under what I thought I could accomplish. The mountain had humbled me, yet I was full of pride.

Scott, the race director, was there to greet me personally with a handshake and a commemorative glass mug. I was offered a beer to fill my glass but opted for a Coke instead. Ahhh....

mRuns.com

As I sipped my Coke, I saw that Lowell had finished and was talking with friends. I then turned to see Jeff coming in a little behind me. He had been joined by his family near the finish line. His two young daughters joyfully ran with him across the finish line. A beautiful scene.

As we ate our post-race meal, I met some of Lowell's friends, Julie and Chris, members of the Clock Tower Runners from Mountain Brook. I ate the most delicious hot dog I have ever had, expertly cooked by Scott Parker's wife, Jackie. 

As runners meandered down off the mountain across the finish line, the entire Pavilion would break into applause. I was grateful for my applause when I finished; I was honored to applaud those who followed me. 

As my legs began to tighten and the afternoon wore on, it was time for me go home to see my family. I said goodbye to new friends and to the mountain I have grown to enjoy so much over the past few months. It is still too soon to reflect upon everything that will come out of this incredible experience. As I write this recap two days later, I am blissfully sore, a reminder of my dedication and my effort.

Forgive the length of this recap. I want to remember as many moments as possible from my first ultra. I make no promises that I will run another; but, I make no promises that I won't either.

RACE DATA

GPS map, Oak Mountain 50k

Elevation Chart, Oak Mountain 50k

Results: 50th out of 103 runners

http://ultrasignup.com/results_event.aspx?did=17879