2013 Merrill's Mile Race Review

As some of you may know, I had a very successful run at Merrill's Mile. I figured I could go more in depth than, "OMG I RAN 100 MILES!" so here it is.

Pre Race

Diet
Up to this race I had ate a mostly vegetarian diet. I kind of waterfalled as time went on. By that I mean, I mean I started out as a fruitarian about 3 months before. About a month later I was mostly vegan. Another month went by and I was vegetarian, then about a week before the race I ate whatever I wanted.

While this was never intended, I find it prepared me well for the race. It got me down to race weight. I also found that recovery while on a Fruitarian diet was phenomenal. The flexibility in the diet as time went on was enjoyed also.

Running
I would say that I moderately increased my mileage in the months before the race. I know I didn't run nearly as many miles as many 100 mile training programs suggest. I focused more on not getting injured and figuring out how to run in times when I didn't want to. For example, I may not have been out running 15 miles every day, but I was able to pencil in two 40 mile training runs on similar ground that Merrill's Mile was on weeks before the race. I think this helped me more than anything as it helped me develop an eating plan and a gear change plan. I discovered that I did really well in my Vivo Barefoot Evo II for the first 20 miles, then switching to my Hoka Bondi Bs for the remainders. After doing this twice I knew I had to do something similar in the race.

Confidence
I was pretty confident in myself the weeks before the race. I felt prepared and confident. I was telling people that I was going to attempt to run 100 miles. They asked me if I thought I could really do it, and without hesitation I responded, "Yes."

So now that I took care of the diet, fitness, and the mind, I was ready to run 100 miles.

Race Day

I slept fine the night before the race. I stayed up late two nights before so I would be tired. I was not nervous or anything and went right to sleep. I woke up, got myself ready, and everything went according to plan. Since I have a morning routine I was able to just do it and not run into any issues.

My parents picked me up and we headed out to the Ranger Camp. We met up with our friends John, Deborah, and Angela. We set up our homes for the next 24 hours.

It was also at this time that I met Kyle, the leader of a study group who had asked if they could monitor everything I ate. I thought that was an awesome idea and agreed.

Willy lined us up at 9 AM and told us some basic guidelines. There isn't much to say about running around a 1 mile loop. He was pretty certain someone would get lost, assuring us that if they did he wouldn't go looking for them. Then, at the end of the speech, he turned his back and said, "You guys can start if you want to..." John and I looked at each other and set the pace.

We had agreed to try to run a majority of the race together. We started out at a 9:30 min/mile pace and decided to keep it at that for as long as possible. We feared that if we started out too slow we would not have time to finish.

About 7 laps in John had to make a pit stop. He told me to keep going. I ran a lap and didn't see him coming the other way. I walked by the porta-john's and yelled for him... Eventually I figured out that he had already left. I ran a fast mile and caught up to him. After a few more laps we got separated again and didn't really see each other for the rest of the race.

Cruisin' With The Hokas

I kept at my pace. A marathon rolled by and I was at a little over 4 hours. Am I doing this right? Don't people strive to run marathons this fast? I kept thinking that I was going too fast, but decided to stop thinking and keep running.

The rain started around 2PM. It varied from a light mist to a medium shower. Still, I kept running my race. I kept my head up. I knew that it was going to rain(I didn't have to look at the weather forecast, it had rained every day for the past 2 weeks). The rain felt good and was better than the alternative - Sun. I took my shirt off and chugged along.

As far as nutrition goes I stuck with Gu and grabbed an occasional snack from the aid station. At this time I was about an 8 or 9 on a scale of 1-10 with 1 being dead and 10 being on my perfect run. Despite all the rain, my feet were holding up really well(thanks to Swiftwicks).

After 27 miles I switched to my Hokas. I made this decision based on feel, and I could feel some minor stresses from my Vivos building up. The lack of flexibility in the Hokas is a good thing for ultras sometimes.

Miles 27-55 were honestly just running. I slowed down a little bit, but was still keeping around 10:30 to 11 min/miles. Still too fast? Not sure. I didn't want to question it.

When mile 55 rolled around things got miserable. The rain opened up and we were running in a thunderstorm. I really wanted to take a break, but my rule for this race was NO BREAKS SUCK IT UP! In the heaviest of the storm I decided to change socks. This would give me time to inspect my feet. My mom helped me get my socks off. My feet looked like they had been in a bathtub for a month. I had some sweet blisters. We popped, covered in superglue, and put a sock on. Blisters couldn't stop me now.

By mile 57 the second wave of runners started. All 4 of them.

I could see their headlamps in a line on the other side of the loop. I felt like crying. I have no idea why. Maybe it was because I was alone for so long. Maybe it was because I was tired of getting rained on. It was probably multiple things. So instead of holding it in I started to cry. I intentionally said things to myself to get it out, "You're not going to finish. You are going to make it this far and fail. God hates you." Blah blah yada yada... I cried. A quarter mile later I felt much better and was glad I got that out of my system. The weather seemed to reflect my mood and the rain calmed.

The miles started going slower after mile 60. So was I. I was trying to keep myself motivated and keep myself moving. I would walk half a lap, then run half a lap. My goal was to keep 12:30 min/miles but I was really around 14 or 15 min/miles.

It was around this time that I realized that the aid station had coffee. About every other lap I drank a small cup of coffee. I would go 2 laps, feel good, try to get another lap, and be dying for that cup of coffee. I gave in and just tried to remember to drink a cup every two laps. 

John and I, trashed

All this caffeine was making me have to pee, but I was getting faster. Not much faster, but faster. My dad started to run with me and discuss my strategy for later. He had been moving a majority of the time I had, but he was in much better condition than me mentally. We tried to do the math and figure out how much I could slack off. Even with these considerations, I kept my 15 min/mile pace. I just couldn't run any faster.

Finally I hit mile 84. It was around 4:45 AM. I needed a break. I sat down at the aid station and tried to get some nutrition. I felt like junk and was so tired. I told my dad, "Let me sleep for 2 minutes." I don't think I actually fell asleep, but I did reset my brain. The next thing I know my dad says, "Tyler wake up. You said 2 minutes and I gave you 3." I looked around and got myself up. Moving forward, at any speed, is better than sitting down.

My dad explained to me that I had to run 16 miles in 4 hours. I could do it if I ran... Wait what was that number? He started doing math again. We calculated how much I could walk if I wanted to hit 100 miles. He encouraged me to run more. Then, as my Circadian rhythm kicked in I started to wake up. My dad also was looking at the leaderboard and said, "Tyler, no matter what you do, you are going to be in 4th place. The person behind you is far behind and the person in front is 7 miles ahead." I said to my dad, "Forget that math, let's just run it in." 

Now, keep in mind both of my parents had been on the course for 24 hours. They had taken maybe a few hours of break in a wet tent, but nevertheless... They started tag-teaming. 

My dad would run a lap with me, talk to me, and make sure I was comfortable. Before the finish of the loop he would call out what I needed to the aid station. They would hand it off to me and I could continue running. My mom would run with me and do the same. I was so impressed with my parents during this time. They were just mechanical in what they were doing. They ran right next to me and were ready to run when it was their turn.

After a 12 miles I surprisingly had caught up to 3rd place. They were walking and I made a fast pass at what felt like 9 min/mile. They didn't follow or notice.

100 Miles - 23 Hours 52 Minutes

At mile 99 I realized that I could get a sub 23 hour 100 miler if I ran the last mile under 14 minutes. I ran it in around 7 minutes and 40 seconds. I came in one mile ahead of 4th place. When I came through the finish I was greeted by a man who looked like Caballo Blanco. I extended his arm and gave me a hug. After the hug I realized that it was Willy. For a moment there though... who knows? 

My dad didn't stop though. We started walking and got another mile in. Then for some reason we went around again. At 102 miles I thought that I was done. I sat down in a chair and relaxed for the first time in 24 hours. 

Then the person in 4th place didn't stop though. They were at 101 miles. If I let them catch up to me at 102 miles then we would be tied. When they walked by I followed them. 10 feet behind them. I had 30 minutes left. They weren't moving fast and neither was I. As I made the final turn I saw them turning in their timing chip. They were done. 

I walked through, getting 103 and turned in my chip. I was done. Willy handed me my belt buckle. Finally.

I sat down while my poor parents and our friend Dave packed up our stuff. I felt like I was being useless, but I could barely move. I stiffened up and got cold. When it was time to go. I got in the car and fell asleep. When I made it to my parents house I got out of the car and threw up. Sweet! We joked about it and I went in to sleep and eat for the rest of the day.

Here is the chart of my nutritional intake for the whole race. Thanks Kyle & Daniel!

Note: I would like to say that I was out there for me that day. I know I got kind of competitive there at the end, but it was really a driving force to keep me moving. In fact, when my dad first told me I was getting close to 3rd place I said, "I don't care, I just want to get 100 miles." Mentally it pushed me, so it became pretty important there at the end. If I had gotten 3rd, 1st, or last I would have been happy that I got 100 miles in.

A special congratulations goes out to Errol Josephs and Beth McCurdy.

A huge thank you goes out to all of the volunteers, friends, and family they helped me succeed in this race. I never could have done it without you.

Quick Pre-Merrill's Mile Post

Wahoo! I woke up! That's half the battle right?

Today, starting at 9AM, I am going to attempt to run 100 miles in less than 24 hours at Merrill's Mile. I am ready! I was good and packed everything a few nights before.

I also accidentally got my hair cut short. By accidentally, I mean, my mom asked me how I wanted my hair cut, I said, "Bald". She said, "I'm not doing that." I then said, short as usual. Apparently she missed the "as usual" part and went shorter than usual. It doesn't look bad though.

Anyway, wish me luck. Anyone running a race today, Good Luck!

40 Mile Training Run: From Minimalist to Maximilist

This post is more of just a journal entry highlighting my adventures yesterday. I will have to review some of the gear I am talking about because it was all very helpful in finishing the runs.

Yesterday I set out to do my first 40 mile training run. I really want to get 100 miles at Merrill's Mile, but I know that if I don't push my body during training that I won't have the confidence to complete it.

Before my run I stopped at Big Peach Running Co. and picked up some Body Glide. While I was there I decided to try on some different shoes. I tried on the New Balance Leadville's. They were very nice trail shoes for those long runs. I also tried on some Hokas(Mufate 2, Stinson Evo, and Bondi B). My favorite were the Bondi B, since they were more road-friendly and had less aggressive tread. Not thinking anything of it I told the staff that I appreciated their help and that I would keep them in mind for my next shoe purchase.

I started out at The Greenway in Cumming, GA. This was my arsenal of gear: Brooks running hat, a sun hat, a cotton tanktop, underarmour underwear, Nike shorts, Swiftwick socks, Vivobarefoot Evo II, and a Camelbak 220z water bottle. I have also been practicing Fruitarianism again, and was eating a lot of Bananas, but mostly Gu during the runs.

After about 10 miles it started to get really hot and I was unable to keep up with my calories and hydration. The water bottle was not working out since there are really only two places to get water on The Greenway. I pushed to get to 22 miles and decided to stop. I was disappointed with myself and had some doubt about the 100 miles. The conditions I was running in were similar to that of Merrill's Mile. Actually The Greenway was probably a little cooler than Merrill's is going to be(4th of July).

On a side note, during this run I saw a baby green snake on The Greenway. I looked at him and he lifted his head up and went back and forth. After 30 seconds of that he turned around and started heading off the path(which is what I wanted since there are bikes there). I used my toe and gave him a little tap in the butt so he would squiggle off and be afraid of The Greenway. I wouldn't want him to get hit.

After the 22 miles my feet were sore and my legs were tired. At 22 miles, with low confidence, I needed something to change. Maybe if I had a different, non-minimalist, pair of shoes I could switch into them during the run and protect my feet as well as use different muscles?

I decided on the Bondi B. I am going to do a comparison of them to minimalist shoes, but to be honest I have found that I can run with the same gate and with less pain during long runs.

During the drive home I tried to eat back some of the calories, but I know I didn't even come close to what I spent.

I stopped by my parents house and picked up a Nathan #020 race vest that I got really cheap off The Clymb. When in doubt, try out a bunch of new crap!

For this run, my arsenal was: The same Broooks running hat, a tech shirt, the same Underarmour underwear,  the same Nike shorts, Zensah calf compression, Swiftwick socks(higher ones that compress my ankles), and the new Bondi B.

It took about a half mile for me to get used to the Bondi B. I was a breath of fresh air from minimalist shoes. I still kept my stride the same, but I did feel some different muscles working. I also noticed that my feet felt a little more stable and did not roll in as much as they do in minimalist shoes(the rolling takes a wear on my ankle and hurts after a while). Needless to say, in a little over 3 hours and some struggle I had 18 miles done!

On another side note, during this run I saw a baby bird in the parking lot. It was pretty tiny and was just sitting there yelling. I kept going, hoping that I wouldn't have to rescue it. The next lap he was gone, hopefully back with his mother.

I don't really want to go too much in depth about any of the new gear I purchased. I don't think I have given any of it enough use to be critical and I don't want to give something a positive review without more testing.

Fat Run!

Jason Robillard was nice enough to let me test drive his new book, Never Wipe Your Ass With a Squirrel. It's a odd name, but a very good read so far.

One thing he writes about is running on fats. The purpose of this is to ease the transition from carbohydrate fuel to fats. This is what "the wall" that marathon+ runners hit. The idea is that if your body gets used to making the transition it is not so bad.

1 Pound of Fat - DaveyWaveyFitness.com

 Yesterday I did not eat much. I probably was around 1400 calories give or take. I did not eat a lot at night and a majority of my caloric intake was from fats and proteins. You see where I am going here?

This morning around 10AM I split an omelette with Whitney and ate a pear. Oddly these eating habits had nothing to do with Jason's writing. I was just trying to practice portion control.

Anyway, around 1PM I was feeling a little hungry. That's when I reflected on my caloric intake over the past 12 hours and decided it would be an excellent time to try out Jason's ideas.

Now, Jason says there are two ways to burn fats while running. 1) Run slow and keep your heart rate below some number a mathematical formula gives you. 2) Fast before a run. Then just run.

"I'll just do a little of both." Guess what people! It worked.

Around half a mile I started to feel depleted. My pace did not change and I didn't feel too bad. This feeling lasted for about 4 miles, then I started to really feel the fat burning.

I could tell I was burning fats because I did not want to run anymore. My mind was telling me to walk. I was not sore, but my brain was scavenging for calories. I kept wanting to drink out of my bottle, which had nothing but water in it. Ha body! I tricked you!

It was at this time that I started craving some stupid stuff. For example, raw oysters. I have never craved this on a run, but today I wanted it. 

I did my best to just keep going. I told myself that if I stopped I would have to run another mile. The last half mile I said, "I wonder how much gas I have left in the tank?" I started running faster and it felt great. I was able to keep a sub 7 minute pace for that half mile and cruise to my destination.

I debated if it was a good idea to eat a meal once I got home. I decided that I would take a shower and eat something really clean. I ended up eating some black raspberries, a pear, some strawberries, and a cup of orange juice. Update: 20 minutes after eating this Whitney brought a milkshake from Chick-Fil-A to share...



Enough about what I ate!

So what did I learn? I think my body is used to making this transition already. It wasn't nearly as bad as described by noobie marathoners, but I can definitely still use some practice. Since 10 miles isn't really long enough for my long runs I am going to try to do the first 10 of my next run slow and low carbed, then eat something(like a peanut butter and jelly) and run 10 more miles. That will put me in a good place and give me some ups and downs during my runs.

Running The Streets of Dahlonega

When running around Dahlonega there are some things to keep into consideration. Of course, some of my suggestions can apply anywhere, but some are more specific to our small town.

1. “Sorry, I Didn't See You There”

Coming through Dahlonega I usually run from Hancock Park to the crosswalk at the Fudge Factory. I make an honest effort to slow down before hitting the crosswalk, since it is kind of hard to see anybody from that direction, let alone a runner. Even with the most caution I have found myself in the uncomfortable situation of waiting and wondering if that van is going to hit me. Sure enough, as I am halfway though the crosswalk the van cruises by and I hear the driver say, “Yeahhh sorry I didn't see you there.” and drive off. Never expect people to stop for you. I have friends that have been hit by cars, and you can too.

2. To The Left, To The Left

When running on the road try to always run on the left side of the road, facing traffic. When possible, run on a sidewalk. Exceptions to this rule are:

a. There are people on the sidewalk.

In this case, make sure you can safely enter the street and go around them. You should be running on the sidewalk that is next to the left side of the road, so you can safely enter the oncoming traffic. Regardless, look over your shoulder when entering the road.

b. You are running up a hill

If you are running up a hill and can see a tenth of a mile behind you and you can't see what is coming over the top of the hill, it may be safer to switch to the right side of the road until you reach the top of the hill. Once you are at the top of the hill and it is safe to cross, move back to the left side of the road.

c. You are running Lake Zwerner in a clockwise direction

If this is the case, I see no point in crossing the road just to immediately cross back again. I believe there is also more room on the part of the bridge facing the lake than on the other side. For bonus points do 5 mile out-and-backs and avoid this problem all together.

3. Closed

A few days ago around 8 PM I decided to run at the park and do some loops. Around mile 9 the lights started going out and a man from a car yelled, “Hey! I'm lockin' the gate.” I was able to finish my 10 miles, but it was frustrating having to leave the park when the man tells you to. It's better to just avoid the park at late hours and run other places. The drill field at the college seems to always be open and welcoming to late-night runners.

4. Well, That's Odd...

Ever wanted to try out those new shoes that look a little funky? Well you can, but the people of Dahlonega will glare at you. See, Dahlonega isn't one of those hip suburbs where the current trends are booming. Nope. In Dahlonega, people keep it simple. That is not meant to be taken as an insult to Dahlonega or it's residents, it's just something I have noticed. I got a ton of odd looks running in Vibram Five Fingers and even more running barefoot.. Just wait until I break out my Huarache sandals and sport kilt!

5. “Hi”, “Hello”, or “Hola”

Something that tends to bother me more than it should is when people don't say “hi” back. For example, I am running along at Yahoola Park and see a woman walking with her dog. As I run by I say, “hey there”. You would expect someone to say something back in this situation. Unfortunately, I mostly get the stupid look and pass by. The stupid look you ask? This is the same look you would get from someone if you walked up to them and asked, “Has anyone really been far even as decided to use even go want to do look more like?” Why the look? I believe I am saying “hi” too late. Think about it, you have an extremely charming, sexy, and almost barefoot spectacle running at you. Are your dreams coming true? Yes, yes they are! Then he says “hi”. You struggle to find the right words. I am looking at you, your dog is looking at you, you make a face like you want to speak, then it is too late. Prince charming is gone and then you realize the appropriate response. In conclusion, say “hi” about 10 to 15 feet before passing the person. You might get more normal responses.

6. Don't Be A Creeper Around Lake Zwerner.

Story time. One time I was running an out-and-back at Lake Zwerner. I was doing a pretty comfortable, but quick, pace. As I came around a turn I saw two college girls walking in the same direction as I was. They were talking and carrying on. As I got closer they didn't seem to want to move. No acknowledgments what-so-ever. Finally, I got about 10 feet away from them. I tried the ol' clearing the the throat trick(usually they hear you and move). One of the girls let out a yell and ran into her friend. Apparently they hadn't heard me and heard my cough, scaring the bejesus out of them. I laughed and apologized. About 10 minutes later I had turned around and was heading toward them. I noticed the girls through the trees and heard them talking. “They gotta see me coming”, I thought. I turned the corner(I say I turned, they say I popped out) and heard a yell. At this point I didn't know what to say, so I awkwardly said “Uh... Sorry I keep scaring you?” and ran off into the distance. Most people are a little more observant than these girls, but when coming up on people maybe try to clap your hands from a distance? I really haven't found a solution to this one yet.

I hope these tips help you navigate around Dahlonega a little easier. As Jenny would say, "…if you're ever in trouble, don't be brave. You just run, OK? Just run away.”

I Dig Dahlonega Writing

The other day Matt Aiken asked me if I would write some articles for his I Dig Dahlonega website. I thought it was a great idea and told him I would get to work on one. Since I am kind of a slow writer we decided to use my recently posted Reflecting on a Memory From 6th Grade Track Tryouts. I really like what he is doing by bringing local writers together on his page and linking back to their respective blogs.

Reflecting on a Memory from 6th Grade Track Tryouts

This is a memory from 6th grade track tryouts.

It was my first year trying out for track and I was still testing the waters. I wasn't sure what I was good at, but I kind of knew I wasn't fast or strong enough to throw the shot put far enough. The team had made it through tryouts and were pretty sure we all made the team(the track team at Lumpkin County Middle School wasn't that big). On the last day of tryouts our coach said, "If you want to make the team you need to run around the gym for the entirety of practice.

The gym was a hot and humid place. It didn't help that it was raining and they had the heater on.

We started running. The first 10 laps or so were okay. I felt I was inching toward the farthest I had ever ran(2 miles) and the clock was still ticking.

What felt like hours went by. I kept my legs moving, even though my some of my peers were walking. These peers were also getting yelled at by the coach. I wanted my coach to see that I was strong and that I could perform in the hardest of conditions.

One or two other kids had more laps than me, but I didn't care. They were better runners than me and had more experience. I was just focusing on myself.

Finally, after doing what felt like 100 laps the coach blew the whistle and told us that we all made the team.

For the remainder of track I was put in the 2 mile run group(the longest distance available). I wasn't the fastest, but I always finished and had gas in the tank. I learned a lot about myself during that run though. I found that I had an inner strength to just keep going, even in the most strenuous of conditions. Sure I have a permanent memory of the wresting mats we ran past every lap, but it was all worth it. Never, in a millions years, would I have though it would pay off some time later when I decided to start running ultra marathons.

Almost Sub-20 5k...

Today Whitney and I explored some of Yahoola park in a hunt for a Geocache. After that, we decided to run a little bit. She just started Couch to 5K and I like to run, so we ran.

Even though I am still recovering from the Red Hot 55k in Moab, Utah I was able to start out with a decent pace. For some reason I felt strong and was able to comfortably run within the sub 8 range. By the end of mile 1 found that I was running faster.

Anyway I just got faster and faster during the run. I felt strong through the whole run. The wind kept blowing back on me, slowing me down. If it wasn't so windy I would have made it. By the end of the 5k I was pushing hard but realized that I wouldn't make it when the clock went past 20 minutes. *Sigh* I ran out the rest and finished at 20:17.

So, can I break 20 minutes? Heck yes! It just has to be on a day with the right conditions(no wind, not recovering, etc). I could also just try getting faster too...

The fact that I started out this run without even trying and that I have not trained for this distance make me feel pretty good about myself. This might be a testament to distance running. The only reason I have this strength is because I have the confidence to run shorter distances at a faster speed(more confidence).

Anyway, here is the run. I might try to break 20 minutes again sometime, but it is not on my high priority list.

Attempting Fruitarianism - Kind of...

Well I am back on that "fruit diet". Basically my goal is to improve recovery times and feel better with it. I am being a little less serious about it this time around, as I still drink beer and have the occasional non-fruit snack.

For some of you wondering how anyone can thrive on just fruit, I am not going to go into a long-winded post about it. To be short, I don't. I also eat vegetables, nuts, seeds, and Avocados(and basically anything else I want because I'm not an extremist). There are plenty of resources, one of the most popular being 80/10/10 by Dr. Douglas Graham.

Anyway, I am using myfitnesspal in conjuction with this to make sure I am eating enough calories. I also like how at the end of the day I can look at which percentages of my calories come from carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. I am shooting for 80% carbohydrates, 10% fat, and 10% proteins, but I have found that I usually end up with 90/5/5.

One thing I am finding is that I am not eating enough during the day. Even if myfitnesspal says I am over my calorie limit to lose weight, I feel like the body treats fruits a little different than deep-fried chicken. All I know is that at the end of the day I am hungry and I start to eat out of diet. I think with more food throughout the day I will be able to curve this behavior to maybe just drinking a beer at night with some fruit. 

To eat more during the day I am going to make it easier for me to eat fruit at work. I am bringing a cutting board and a knife so I can easily get into my oranges instead of having to work for it.

2013 24hrs of HOSTELity Race Review

Yesterday I was fortunate enough to participate in 24hrs of HOSTELity, hosted by DUMAss Events. Knowing the course, and my goals for this year, I decided to just go out, have fun, and not get injured. With these goals in mind I was not confident from the start that I would run the full 24 hours.

The race started at 9:01. Willy lead us through our first lap, then we were on our own. The course is a very hilly, 1 km loop. On a faster loop one could run it in about 7 minutes. Obviously records are not meant to be set here. With that being said, Willy did create belt buckles for anyone daring enough to hit 100 miles.

The first 15 laps went by fast. I knew that my leg would give me problems soon. Before this race I had tightness above my knee and around my foot. I got a massage the day before the race, which helped me run farther than I expected. Anyway, sooner or later during the day I felt the pain come back. I couldn't run correctly. When I could "run" my downhills involved a straight left leg, a bent right leg, and some hopping. Not good for preventing injury.
Luckily DUMAss events had a sports chiropractor there that knows their stuff. They helped me with some stretches. This got me going again for a few miles.

I would have times when the pain was minimal and I was really able to kick it up, then there were other times when I just wanted to stop.
Around noon I grabbed a beer and went around the course. Drinking and running is something I have never tried. The beer made me feel a little bloated, but I enjoyed the beer more than I disliked feeling bloated, so no worries there.

More laps went by. I was off and on as far as my leg went. I popped some Ibuprofen and got into my red wine(I came prepared!). The red wine was excellent. I drank it like water for a few laps, taking sips when necessary. This did not make me feel bloated, tasted delicious, and gave me a little buzz to reduce pain.

Now you may be thinking, "So you are running, drinking alcohol, and taking Ibuprofen? You are going to get sick!!!" Nope, in fact I think this race was one of my best feeling races as far as stomach goes. This may have been also helped by the fact that I think I ate more calories than I burned all day. :)

As the day went on I made friends with a few people. I used these people to make me want to walk more. For example, one friend was stopped and telling everyone she was done. I asked her just to walk a lap with me.  We chatted and before we knew it the lap was over with. I set out to do another lap and about a minute later I could see her starting another. I love in these races, no matter what position you are in, you can be friend with the person in first and the person in last. Best of all, the way the course is laid out you can see a lot of the runners in different stages of the loop while running.

My parents visited me and helped me with my leg. My mom let me borrow her Zensah calf compression and put in over my knee. She also stretched me out. After doing that I was able to run again!

Meanwhile, Angela McVay is kicking tail out there. She was in a race with Margaret Curcio for first place. All throughout the day they are back and forth. Now it is 1.5 hours from the finish and Angela needs to make up a lap. I hook up with Angela and she is tearing it up. She must be running those 7 minute laps I was telling you about earlier. Surely nobody is out there throwing it down like she is now! On our second lap together Angela passes Margaret, putting Angela on the same lap as Margaret for the moment. Angela still has to loop around Margaret to take the lead. Angela and I kick it for a few more laps, my leg locks up on me, and I have to let her go.

Walking slow again I expect Margaret to come by any time now, but she doesn't. At the end of the lap I am greeted by a friend who informs me that Margaret is done. Margaret apparently was just trying to get some training miles in. Angela comes plowing down the big hill and we tell her the news.

For some reason Angela keeps kicking. I get a few more laps in and hang out next to the fire for a while.

At the end of the race Angela lets me know that she won the 12 hours overall, and that if someone from the night doesn't beat her she will get first place in the event. I was so excited for her. She worked hard all day and deserved to win. On a side note, the laps have not been posted on Ultra Signup, so I don't know if she actually won or not.

After Angela leaves I hang out indoors for a while and talk with some people. Candy, one of the volunteers and a killer ultra runner, made some delicious chicken orzo soup. I had to stay to enjoy that(and sober up).

Finally around 10 PM I turn in my race chip and tell Willy that I am going home. He hands me a really nice plaque with the race info on it. I tried to go around and thank everyone, and if I didn't I apologize. I appreciate each and every person that helped me during the race.

After taking a shower and laying in bed I had no regrets for leaving. I have a very important and expensive race coming up in a few weeks. I want to be injury free for that and maybe try to compete with some of the pros.

This means over the next few weeks I will probably keep it low mileage and do a ton of stretching, maybe even some Yoga. The massage therapist I visited told me multiple times that I needed to stretch my quads out. I know with my barefoot running technique my quads do get used a lot. They deserve some attention.

Anyway, thanks for reading and if you were there and you took any pictures, or wrote a blog, let me know and leave a link! I will add more photos to this blog later.

UPDATE: Some more experiences:
I forgot about a few things I meant to mention.

• There was a girl there wearing Barefoot Ted's Luna Sandals. I haven't done much research on these, but they looked really well constructed and comfortable. She only did a few laps with them(as far as i know) before switching to vffs. The steep hills probably led to some sliding around. I have messaged her about them and am waiting to hear back.
• Jim, "Godzilla" , was a super cool guy that I met. I could hear him coming up on me. He has a distinctive breathing pattern, similar to what Dr. Nicholas Rominov teaches. Instead of deep breaths he almost pants. I am not sure if this is intentional or not. :) This coupled with his tight-leg-muscle-dowhnill-technique made me give him the nickname Godzilla. We cheered each other on all day and told each other we looked good.

Lack of Running and Nagging Pains

I have been taking it easy for the past month. So easy that I haven't even ran 50 miles. This is caused by a combination of a few different factors.

• Burnout: I simply did not have the ambition to run. I didn't even get cranky from not running for a few days.
• Weather: The weather has gotten colder and I haven't adjusted. I am cold all the time and don't feel like going outside and running.
• Tiredness: I am more tired than usual. I feel this has to do with a lack of vitamin D(from less sun exposure) and the cold(which requires more energy for my body to stay warm).

So I haven't ran. 

Today I slept in, got myself ready and went out for a run around the lake. I had every intention of doing a 10 mile run. I carried my Camelbak and listened to some music. I was really enjoying myself. The sun was out and I was soaking it up. Then I started to get a nag on my inner ankle. I am very familiar with this nag and have learned to just deal with it. Today it seemed to be a little more naggy. This is where I drew the line and decided that something had to be done about it.

The pain circulates around this area

 Another long-time discomfort I have had is that it feels like, when I'm standing, that my toes are crossing over each other. I wear minimalist shoes all day that have a huge toe box. My toes have plenty of room to splay. Coincidentally this discomfort takes place on the same foot.

I think I have some muscle groups that are just tight and need to be loosened up. I feel a massage will accomplish this. I don't really want to pay someone to massage me, since I am cheap and am actually interested in how my body works.

I had remembered a friend of mine had a book about massaging different parts of your body. It basically used a ball a little bigger than a golf ball. (It is a ball used in a sport, I just don't remember the sport). Anyway the book shows you how and where to massage different muscle groups. Definitely something I should look into!

Something else that might be of consideration is strengthening. Maybe I could make a balance board and strengthen the stabilizer muscles in my ankle.

Unbreakable Movie - Meeting The Pros

Just a quick update.

I have been running and running, but other hobbies have pulled me away from my writing.

Anyway, last night I met Hal Koerner, a really awesome ultra-runner who I probably would never see in a race situation(would be too far ahead).

He was a super nice guy, real down to earth. We talked training strategies, pacing, and nutrition. He had a great Q&A after the movie where some more topics were covered such as race preparation, mantras, and wife material for him.

Oh, the movie was awesome! I am going to have to buy it! Maybe if I watch it with my girlfriend she will become inspired, as it is an extremely motivating movie! It was really neat to see all of my running heroes packed into one movie.

Well, that's all I got for now. I'll keep running and so should you!

Merrill's Mile 2012 24 Hour Race Report

Well I suppose it is time to write about my Dumass Events Merrill's Mile Race, which was my first attempt at 100 miles.

DUMassery

Prior to this race I had not run anything further than 31 miles, thus making 100 miles a very ambitious goal. With the layout of the course and superb aid support, I thought this would make a great race to attempt. I was nervous, but knew what I was getting myself into. I was going to have to stay awake for most of 24 hours and keep moving. I typically am clocking out around 10 PM, so staying up that late would be a challenge in itself.

This race started pretty anticlimactic. As you can see from the video below, we are not exactly speed demons. Or maybe we just know that we are in it for the long haul and nobody wanted to make an ass out of themselves.

Within the first ten miles I was in an eating habit. I would pop a Hammer Huckleberry gel on the even miles and eat a banana slice and pretzels on the odd. I made up this strategy during the race to keep track of my miles and my food. "What's that taste in my mouth? Huckleberry? Must be on mile 8." This worked out for about 15 miles, then I got bored of it, so I kept eating frequently.

Miles 15 through 25 started to get hot. I tried to keep eating warm gels and keep my nutrition up. I also would put ice in my hat almost every mile and splash water on my face. My stupid hand-held water bottle did not have a large enough hole to put ice in, so my water was not the coldest by the end of the one mile lap. Luckily, the aid stations were passing out larger water bottles that held the icy water very well. I was grateful for this since it kept my hands cold. With these proactive measures against the heat I did not get a headache like I have been getting. I am happy that I found what was causing these so I can further improve on these measures. 

I believe during this time my dad spotted a barefoot runner who was alternating between barefoot and Merrells.

25 through 30 really dragged. I was getting really hot no matter what I did and I was having trouble convincing myself to eat. I stopped at our tent and grabbed an Ensure. I had never had one, but knew it was high in calories and could be just what I needed! I drank it down and kept moving. About ¾ of a mile later I was on the side of the loop puking. After two good pukes I felt a million times better. My dad saw me puking and walked me to a nearby river to cool off. I had no idea that the river was there, but I was previously wondering why people were going back there.

After cooling off I finished 30 miles and decided it was time to take a nap. Dave, Sue, and Matthew came and visited me during this time. It was nice seeing some people from the outside world. :)

Apparently some believe there was a person watching down over us. See the face?

My nap didn't go as planned. I basically just laid there. I thought that I just wasted time and a mile, but found that I was able to run much better after taking a little break.

Continuing on I just kept running and walking when needed. I threw in another nap and had a grilled cheese sandwich and a very peculiar choice of other foods. I was just glad I got a big meal in me and took another nap around mile 45. 

I run with a women named Mary. She keeps me company, talks to me about government jobs, tells me about her. She is super nice and friendly. To be honest, I didn't absorb 80% of what she said. When I run I tend to do that. I do appreciate her company and would love to run with her again.

Mile 49 I felt a strong soreness in my Achilles of my left foot. I walked for a second, tried to run, it hurt, so I walked, tried to run, still hurt, dammit.

I explained to my dad what was going on and he reminded me that there was an a sports chiropractor at the aid station who was doing massages. I made it a few more laps when my lovely Whitney showed up, along with her two closest friends. During this time Dave, Sue, and Matthew came back.

Approaching 9PM, I figured I needed a break anyway, ate some food, and talked to them. You know, nothing makes you feel better than having the people around you that are true, authentic, friends. With high spirits I told Whitney to meet me over at the massage table.

While waiting for a massage I overheard my Whitney's friends mentioning my hairiness. I was running without a shirt and didn't even think about it. I don't think they cared. I sure as hell didn't(at least not at this time) and found it quite amusing.

The sports chiropractor started working on me. She used something that looked like a butter knife and rubbed the muscles and tendons. She said it was supposed to flush out the bad. At this point I was willing to do anything to keep running. I remember her telling me what she was doing and all that stuff. Honestly, I didn't really care. She was the professional. She can do anything she wants as long as she thinks it is best for me!

After seeing Dave, Sue, Matthew, Whitney, and her friends, as well as getting a massage, I was feeling awesome! The people at the aid stations were impressed that I was running and actually keeping a decent pace. I am sure this was due to the new runners out there as well.

During this time the second round of runners started running with me. I talked with one guy and he seemed really friendly. If you know who you are let me know. We can talk on Facebook or something.

Then the pain came back. Mile 57 I felt like junk! My Achilles and hip flexors flared up and I couldn't make myself run another step. I started walking.

During this time I noticed that Angela had been in the tent for a while now. I feared her alarm didn't go off, but wanted to leave her alone for a few more minutes so she could at least get some rest if she wanted.

After hobbling around 60 miles I decided to take a real nap soon. Luckily Angela had started moving again. She got out of the tent and immediately started making fun of me, “Oh Tyler, I just had the best nap! I feel great! But you , you look like shit!” …. “Tyler, you are walking funny! Hahahahaha”

Bleh, I went to the tent and set my alarm for 30 minutes. Feeling like this I knew there was no way I could complete 100 miles. In a few minutes I was asleep.

Beep! Beep! Beep! *Reset alarm for 30 more minutes* Beep! Beep! Beep!

“Okay, I'm up! It's not going to get any better than this I thought to myself. I got myself situated and started moving again. I got another lap or two in when I started to notice a soreness on the top of my foot.

The VivoBarefoot Breatho model is an excellent shoe, but it does have a tight spot on my foot that eventually bruises. I tried re-lacing them so they wouldn't have this sore spot, but it was clear I had to switch shoes.

Whitney had mentioned that she brought her Nike running shoes. I start looking for them. I spent about 10 minutes looking for them when Willy came up. He probably thought I was disoriented and asked me what I was up to. I explained. He helped me look for them and after about 2 minutes he came up empty handed as well. This is when I noticed my SanukSidewalk Surfers. “These will work!” Willy laughed at my choice, but I knew they would be comfortable enough to at least walk in.

During this time I found myself making excuses. "If I just ate this, I can move further." "If I go poop I will feel much better." "If I visit the chiropractor again I will be good..." So of course I did all these things. Looking back, these were probably all necessary and helpful, but I knew I was making excuses. With high trust in the chiropractor I asked him to adjust me. He was super cool and hooked me up with an alignment. I melted when he popped my upper back. Keep in mind, this is the only other person that has adjusted me that Dr. Toby Hopkins. Thankful for the series of overall successful events, I told myself that that was enough distractions! I must move!

So I walked and walked... Mile 65 Dave shows up. It is 5ish in the morning and I am so happy to see him! He walks and talks with me. I tell him about Angela teasing me. He assures me that this is just the way that I speed-walk and that I look good. Phew!

Mile 69 rolls around and it is 7AM. I tell Dave that I want to get to 70 miles. Well, I cross the finish line and start on lap 70. I start running. If I am going to finish now I am going to go out with a bang!

I start running and I hear Willy yell, “He's alive!” That lap felt so good. Michael Arnstein mentioned a very emotional feeling during ultra running. I felt that. I was very happy and felt weightless.

Walking with the mama, who ran 40 miles the previous day!

After finishing that lap around 11 min/miles Dave throws me a curve ball and says, “Well, you have to walk it out after running like that!” We walk another lap. After this I chill out at the aid station and eat/drink Ramen Noodles(Glorious BTW). The sports chiropractor works on me for a 3rd time, then I just sit and relax. My parents show up around 7:30 and walk with me for my last 5 miles. I walk half of the 75th mile, then run it in. The rain starts and it feels good. A part of me enjoys it, the other part wants to be out of the rain.

Willy notifies me that I have 28 minutes left. I tell him he can have it and go back to the tent before getting more drenched. Angela's husband, Lee, is there and he offers me a seat. What a great race!

One thing that worried me during this run was that I peed only a handful of times throughout the race. The hot temps dried me out and I kept hydrated. Will have to experiment/do research about this.

Meanwhile a woman is cutting it close, but wants the buckle. She continues her run/walk around the track, finishing with 12 minutes left. This is the beauty of ultra running. EVERY SINGLE PERSON there wanted her to accomplish her goal. When she did she got a round of applause. Friendship outweighs competition.  

Overall Merrill's Mile was an excellent race especially for the first time it had been put on. Willy did an excellent job putting it together. This is most likely because he is an ultra runner and knows what the people want. He also genuinely cares.

I am stoked that I hit 75 miles. That is more than double my previous distance! 100, here I come! :)

Thanks to everyone that helped me along the way and during the race. I couldn't have done it without you. I met some great people during this race whom I hope to run with in the future.

Post-Race with Ultra Mom(40 Miles) and Ultra Dad(39 Miles).

And the results!

 

"Juice"

I am currently on an airplane. Less than 45 seconds ago I was offered a drink. More recently I have been drinking and eating more fruits. I thought that I would try a juice from the cart. The cranberry apple juice blend sounded good, so I chose that.

It wasn't until I had sat down in my seat that I realized I was drinking a lie. The "juice" that I got was only 15% juice. The rest looked to be the equivalent of a Coke.

This feels like false advertising. I wanted juice but instead got high fructose corn syrup.

The worst part is, we are fooled by other products as well. For example: chicken nuggets. Chicken nuggets are not always completely chicken and I bet some are less than 50%

50% is still better than 15%. I mean, at least those crummy chicken nugget manufacturers are trying! Well, kind of.

People wonder why people are so fat.

For the most part:

1. People make bad food choices and know it. 
2. People may choose the healthier looking alternative and actually get something less healthy.

I think the FDA should make companies write on title of the product in clear text what the product actually is. Less than 95% real fruit juice? That is not juice, that is drink. I shouldn't have to read the fine print on a damn drink.

This change would encourage food makers to make real food or pay the price. Let the fatties that want to eat unhealthy, eat unhealthy. At least help the people that are trying.

How do you feel about this? Is there any known percentage of the named product that is required before it is considered false advertising? Could I take a muffin and call it a carrot? What about if the muffin contained 15% carrot?

24 Hour Signup - Merrill's Mile - Course Evaluation

The other day I was browsing Facebook and my friend Willy "Natureboy" posted a picture of the Merrill's Mile belt buckle. I thought it was pretty and decided to sign up!

Ain't that sexy?

The truth is, I had heard about the race and was debating on whether to do the 24 or 12 hour race. Unsure of my abilities I was leaning toward the 12 hour. Then I saw the belt buckle. 100 miles. Could I hit 100 miles?

A quick calculation on Cool Running's pace calculator told me that I had to stay below a 14:24 min/mile. This means a slow trot or a fast walk. Could I do this? Hell, I dunno.

It is so easy to run out here that senior citizens can run!

Willy had mentioned that the loop was a 1 mile FLAT course. I have had race directors mess with me and tell me something is "easy" only to get out there and hit a mountain. Within 2 hours Willy had posted a picture for me of the loop. It was literally one of the flattest courses I have ever seen.

So I signed up.

RunningAhead Map of Course

Today I went there with Dave and ran it. We had no trouble getting into the Ranger Camp and started running. The terrain was very flat and soft. There were pea size rocks, which I didn't feel though my minimalist trail shoes(Link to my blog).

There were some spots where water had run a small divit on the course. No biggie, just step over.

The only thing I am hesitant about on this race is the flatness. This will use the same muscles the whole way. I am grateful that there are some inconsistencies on the trail to keep my mind in check and make me step differently occasionally.

I feel if there is a race that I can run 100 miles at currently this is the one. There will be a great aid station every mile, along with some very supportive people.

Check out that helicopter!

Oh, and as a bonus I was checking this out for my dad. Since he didn't join us and was worried about the terrain I sent him this picture.

Hehehehe...

More on my plans to complete this sucker later.

Being a Mule

Today my Dad, Angela, and I had a nice run up to Springer from Amicolola Falls. I tried something I have never tried before: Running with twice as much water.

Last week I did a tough run at 2:30 PM. It was around 95 degrees and sunny. At mile 6 on the trail I felt myself getting low on water. We still had 4 miles left and I was wanting to drink it all right then an there.

Fortunately we found a water pump and were able to refill/dunk our faces. From that I learned a valuable lesson: Run with enough water.

So this weekend I took my mom's CamelBak Women's Day Star 70 oz. Hydration Pack(Amazon Affiliate Link) and put 2 70oz bladders in it. I tested it with a quarter mile run, decided it would work, and set out to run 15 miles with it the next day.

RunningAhead Link of Run

Springer was an excellent run/hike. It is the approach trail for the Appalachian Trail. In my bag I had 1 70oz bladder of water, 1 70oz bladder of Gatorade mixed with Cytomax, a PB&J, 5 Banana Nut Cookies, and toilet paper - weighing in at 13 pounds. This was 8 or 9 pounds more than what I am used to running with.

It ended up being cool and rainy. I figured I wouldn't drink all my water, but it would help me as far as training goes to carry more weight and get stronger.

The first few miles were tough. I didn't drink much water and didn't really need to. It felt hard to move forward and I was tempted to dump out my bladder.

Around mile 3 I got used to it and felt like I was just carrying my Camelbak. Now you may be saying, "Well that's probably because you drank all of your water!" No, I still had at least 4/5 of both bladders left.

We made it to the top of Springer. Susan(she likes it when I mention her) had made some amazing Banana Nut Cookies. They were so delicious and moist. Well, most everything was moist at that point, but these were made that way. They really helped me not have a low point on this run. I also ate a PB&J. Another thing I like about this bag is the extra space. I can carry 4 times as much food as with my Camelbak XCT. Different tools, different tools... Of course, with this extra space, everyone handed me their trash, which I didn't mind.

On the way down I was able to handle my downhills as usual. During the times that I wanted to go slow on the downhills I had to work a little harder. Other than that it was all the same.

Around mile 14 of 15 my Dad ran out of water. I shared mine with him. He drank a 100ml of water during his run. This is great, but would have left him uncomfortable/stressed for a mile.

So, in a fast-packing and ultra-lite world where people are claiming to be minimalist, I am finding the good in carrying a little more. I was able to eat more and not worry about running out of water. Nor did I have to carry a water pump and worry about my water source. I had more food and I was able to share my extra space with others.

My P90X and Ultra Running Schedule

Since I am starting to feel better from the strep throat I am going to start doing P90X again. I previously did P90X, got a month into it, and stopped. I think back to when I did it and think, "I would be in such good shape if I didn't stop." Well I am back at it again with an ultra running schedule!

This plan takes 2 weeks, then repeats until I feel I need to change it to something else.

Short runs range from 3 to 5 miles and will be performed at a faster pace (7 min/miles to 9 min/miles) weighted, hilly, or all/some of the above.

Medium runs range from 5 to 10 miles and will be at a moderate pace (9 min/miles to 11 min/miles) and will be weighted, hilly, or all/some of the above.

Long Runs range from 15 to 20 miles and will be at an ultra trot (12 min/miles to 15 min/miles). I will carry my Camelbak and run these on mountainous trails or hilly roads.

Of course the speed is going to slow when I add weights or hills. Essentially I am shooting for high intensity short workouts and low intensity long workouts, meeting in the middle on the medium run.

Monday: Shoulders and Arms + Ab Ripper X
Tuesday: Short Run
Wednesday: Medium Run
Thursday: Legs and Back + Ab Ripper X
Friday: Chest, Shoulders, and Triceps + Ab Ripper X
Saturday: Long Run
Sunday: Yoga X

Monday: Back and Biceps + Ab Ripper X
Tuesday: Short Run
Wednesday: Med Run
Thursday: Legs and Back + Ab Ripper X
Friday: Core Synergistics + Ab Ripper X
Saturday: Long Run
Sunday: Yoga X

So what have I done to make sure I stick to this?

• I met a P90X coach on Facebook, Lou Trentadue, that has added me to his P90X group THE RESISTANCE. We motivate each other.
• I created a group called The Yahooligans for us Dahlonega natives to hook up and run together.
• I created an Astrid Tasks list to remind me on my phone.

Basically I am going to use peer pressure and annoyance.

I would like to say that I am going to change my diet and eat healthy, but I don't see that happening. Hopefully exercise is enough.

Bring it!

My First DNF - The Georgia Jewel 100K

I am starting this post by telling you that I did not finish this race(kind of like how some books start with you knowing the main character is going to die).

The race, The Georgia Jewel 100k proved to be a tough course for my amateur legs.

Here is the map/elevation chart of the race

Before signing up for such an ambitious distance I thought it would be nice to speak with the race director to make sure the distance would be possible.


Our email conversations went like this:

I am pleased to see that you signed up.  We went and finalized the course this past weekend.  The 100K has four loops which consist of roughly 1400 feet of climb per loop.  Some parts are technical and there are a few water crossings so you will get your feet wet.  However, I've extended the time limit to 18 hours and if you train on trail with some climbing involved you will be fine.  Hill repeats will help as well.

Thanks for signing up.  I'm giving buckles on the 100K.

See you in April.

- Karen



Thanks! Just to clarify, I have 13 hours to run the 46.5 miles(3 loops), then I am on my own to finish? This is my first ultra and I am not sure how my pace is going to be, so I am just trying to plan ahead. The way the race was presented in the handbook gave me the idea that we would have ample time to finish. Honestly I am not sure if I can finish now with less time.
Regards,
     Barefoot Tyler - barefoottyler.com

 You have to leave The House on the fourth loop by 8pm.  The finish is at 1pm so that gives you 5 hours for 15 miles.  That's 3 miles an hour on the last loop which is very manageable.  You will be fine.  18 hours is a lot of time for a 100K.  It is not a tough course - well there are some good climbs with a few technical parts but it's very runnable.   Just remember that you will have to make the 8pm cut off but you will have 5 hours to do 15 miles.

I have been known to be lenient on race day but one has to draw the line.

Don't worry you will be fine.

See you race day.
Karen

Impressed with the quick replies and information given to me I signed up for the 100k, as my Dad did for the 50k!

Race day came. We all stood in a crowd as the race director gave a slightly confused but carefree guide to the race. Basically we start at The House, follow a bunch of pink ribbons through the trail for 5 miles, and end up back at the house. Then we run 5 miles to a cottage, and come back for 5 more miles.

Simple enough, I thought. The race started at no defined spot, and we were off. The most eventful thing about this 5 mile loop was the two river crossings back-to-back, which after crossing we noticed that they were completely unnecessary and Karen was just messing with us. We laughed and kept running. Apparently somewhere along the first 5 mile lap I missed a turn(as did other people) and only had 4 miles on my watch. This was after getting turned around a few times, but I thought, "Hell, I'll just keep going and get as far as I can.

The 10 mile loop after the house was confusing and hard to follow. We would be on a defined trail and all the sudden not see any pink ribbons. Run back 10 feet, and we found a ribbon in the woods completely off the trail. Times like this were frustrating but were not as taxing as some of the later confusion.

Somewhere in this mess I met a man named David, who went on to finish, and a woman named Elizabeth(I think). David had completed a 100k before and kept me excellent company. Elizabeth was a minimalist runner and commented that she liked my gait. Sweet!

At one point after running past The Cottage and fueling up myself(at this point David and Elizabeth were ahead of me) and the running sisters(I don't know their names but they are the neatest girls ever. They are 15 and 16 I think, and can probably outrun you) started running together. Then the major confusion happened. We ended up right where we started to make our way up to the cottage. WTF! This race is stupid!

After about a half mile of listening to the girls yell at each other we finally got back on what we thought was the right path(I looked at my watch and saw that we hadn't been that way before, so it might be correct...)

The only major climb of this section was the climb to the water tower. It wasn't so bad though on fresh legs.

Finally, after getting turned around a few times with a different group we made it back to the house. At this point, mile 14.5, I was feeling pretty good. I fueled up and went back to start on my second loop. Despite the confusion I felt like I had a better understanding of the course and told myself, "You can do this!"

The back side of The House

During the second 5 miler I was expecting to get on track with what the race director wanted us to do. With only missing one mile I wasn't that worried about it.

As I ran up on the dual river crossings I saw where I was supposed to go and where I went. Basically I originally had went straight across the river, saw an arrow pointing to the right, and ran that way. Sensible right? Nope!

Apparently I was supposed to make a slight left while crossing the river and go down a side trail. No problem, I'll just go this way!

Then I hit it.

The mile that I missed was the hardest mile of the whole course. I have never climbed anything that steep for that long. It was steeper that Duncan Ridge Trail(but not as long thankfully). During this time I sent my mom a variety of text messages. They said,

Don't let my dad come back out again.
Why not?
It's really hard
He has already left
Great. I had tried so hard to warn her. Now all I can picture is my dad crawling up this hill, dying, and rolling back down.

Some pretty flowers greeted us on the 10 mile loop

Making it back to the house I told my mom of my experiences. I told her, "I probably won't finish this. It is much harder than anticipated." She told me to try my best and that my dad had already done that mile the first loop and he already knew about it. Relieved, I set out on my last 10 mile loop.

This loop was less eventful. My pace went up by about 3 minutes during this loop. It was in the heat of the day and I had no ambition to run any faster.

This second lap was much easier to follow. The race directors went out and added some touches to the course. I also had a mental map of the course and could find my way around.

During this lap I lost a lot of something. I felt like junk. I had been drinking Gatorade, but I was forgetting to eat. When I hit the cottage I was greeted by some awesome volunteers who filled my Camelbak up and cooled me off with ice. There was also pizza. ALL HAIL PIZZA!

After chilling there with another 100k'er named Mark my friend Paul came up. He was looking pretty beaten up, but still staying strong. The volunteers had noticed that I was shaking when I came in(from malnourishment), but told me I was good to go if I wanted to. After talking with Paul for a minute we agreed to go out and get after it!

The last 5 miles were pretty uneventful. The climb to the water tower was much steeper this time and took much longer. Through all the complaining we couldn't help but appreciate the land.

Mark, Paul, and I kept leap-frogging each other all the way back. We weren't trying to beat each other(I think), but we were just hitting highs and lows in our runs.

Finally coming in I ran past the imaginary finish line and sat down at the house. I had zero incentive to keep moving. I looked at my watch and it told me that I would have to do the next 15 miles in 4 hours. This is extremely do-able on flat ground or even semi-hilly, but not possible for me on this course.
 
After chilling out for a minute I thought I might-as-well get up and run another 5 mile loop. I took about 10 steps and my head was killing me. Forget it.

One of the few flat spots on the course

 I walked over to the race director and told her that I was dropping out. Other runners tried to convince me to keep going and that I would regret it.

I still don't regret it.

We still had to wait for my dad to come in. I was pretty happy about that because it was an excellent day to sit outside and talk to people.

During this time I met a super awesome runner chick named Brandi. We talked running, technique, products, gels, etc. She tried to convince me to do the Northface 50k. I tried to convince her to do the Duncan Ridge Trail.

She mentioned that she had finished the race around 6 hours and was awarded the 3rd place girls overall plaque. Shortly after the girl who came in 4th accused Brandi of missing the 1 mile section of the first 5 miles(the one I missed). She had admitted to that before, compared GPS watches with the 4th place girl, and had her award taken away from her. This is complete BS. This was not her fault. I would understand if this was intentional or if she was the only one but I believe a majority of the runners missed that turn.

Brandi's friend, Dean, was out in the lead for the 50k. He was running without a shirt and looking like he knew what he was doing! He had about a 15 minute lead on the second place runner and about a 30 minute lead on Mitch Pless and his gang.

As we waited for the 100k to come in I talked with my dad. He said he was basically hiking and would be a while. He mentioned that he was being lapped by 50k'ers.

My Dad is on top of the hill(This is the climb to the water tower)

Dad?

My dad came in and about 45 minutes later the first 100k'er came in. He was running without a shirt. Brandi was so excited to see her runner come in. The runner let out a, "WAHOO!!!" and held his hands up. As he got closer we all started to realize, "Wait, that's not Dean! That's Mitch!"

Dean bringin' it home

Mitch had caught up to Dean and passed him, filling in that 30 minute gap. What a beast! While most people are breaking down he is breaking in!

Shortly after Mitch Dean arrived. Everyone was happy to see each other and were super congratulatory to each other. Although Dean didn't have his win, he did do a great job especially for his experience compared to the other runners.

 Overall my feet held up great during this run. I did not have any blisters and they seemed dry. The VivoBarefoot Breathos and Swiftwick Socks really helped!

So all-in-all it was a just okay experience. I had a good time finding my way through the woods. Once I got over the idea of not finishing and just enjoying myself things got better.

Will I run another Georgia Jewel race? Probably not. I obviously don't agree with how the race director sets up her races. Instead of making a big deal out of it I will just avoid the races. I don't know why some ultra directors find it necessary to lie. If they were just truthful I could mentally prepare myself. This is why I like The Duncan Ridge Trail. Yes, it is hard. I can mentally prepare myself for it and chose my distance wisely. This year I am doing the 50k, a step up from last years 30k.

Some other blogs about this race are:
Determined to be Fit
GnarlyRunner7(Brandi)