Before the start of the race, I’m in navy ~ Photo: Traverse Trail Running

Deborah and I drove down for the race, leaving Dallas around noon. We stopped at Braum’s in Hillsboro (YUM!) for hamburgers, french fries, and shakes. I couldn’t think of a better way to start the race. We took I-35 down to Hwy 29 and went west into Burnet. Then we turned left onto Hoover Valley Road (CR 116) all the way to the Youth Camping Area. It was really a snap to find, though once on CR 116, I wondered if we were going the right way.

Once at the race headquarters, we made haste to get the tent setup. There were already 10+ tents in the area and a fifth-wheel trailer. After getting the tent up, we made trips back and forth from the car (only about 50 yards away in a small parking area) to get our gear. It’s a good thing that tent was up because it started pouring rain about an hour from the race start.

Brad Quinn, the RD, started handing out maps before the pre-race briefing. The original 10K course had to be modified to a 5-mile loop due to flooding from the heavy rains and because the spillway was opened on race morning. The course would now be a double lollipop where we’d be doubling back on the same trail that connected the two “loops”. At first it seemed really complicated, but once out on the trail, it was pretty easy to follow, even after dark (at least I thought so … others had some trouble and got slightly lost). I liked having some traffic on the trail and seeing people slightly (or several laps!) ahead.

The race got off to a casual start and we headed across a small bog and the wet and mud was on. I settled into a comfortable pace behind Linda Rust and Diana Heynen, two runners I knew from HCTR. It was nice to once again be running with several of the club members that kind of got me into trail running in the first place.

My first loop went really well. I didn’t push at all in hopes of saving energy to take me long through the night and into the next morning. There were plenty of long-ish uphills, particularly after the park road after Pecan Flats camping area, and again at the end of the lap before heading back into the race headquarters to meet the lap counter.

I stopped after my first lap to take 2 Succeed caps and considered topping off my new Hydromedary Cloudliner bladder that I bought to replace the stock one in my EMS (Eastern Mountain Sports) pack. I decided I’d wait another lap instead of carrying the extra weight. I actually wasted minimal time in the start area and headed back on for loop 2 ahead of most of the people that came in at the same time. However, I did end up heading back to the tent after forgetting my head lamp since I figured it would be pretty dark at the end of the lap.

I was mostly on my own for lap 2 but I was actually catching a few people in front of me. Just before I started on the park road, I caught up with Ryan Lauck. But then on the road, David Johnson came flying around and sped off in front of me. I’d originally met David at the Prickly Pear 50K back in 2004 and we were both lost during that race. I had plans of avoiding getting lost here at Capt’n Karl’s and it would soon take more effort than I thought it might.

After I left the Karl’s Canoe aid station on the far side of the course (and after Mark gave out riddles to runners–we would try to come up with an answer while running and then give an answer at the start area for a chance to win a t-shirt), darkness started setting in. Brad hadn’t yet met it to this area to hang glow sticks and I was wishing he had. At points it wasn’t clear if I was on the right path or not, particularly since I wasn’t really near many other runners. Several of the granite areas were a bit difficult to navigate but I ended up finding the right way with little effort. I was really concerned that I’d wander off the trail though and end up lost. This actually made me decide that I’d stop and wait at the start area until Deborah came through. Then I’d think about doing another lap.

I got back to the start area and decided I’d had enough. The mud was making things miserable and I’d already cut my ankles up pretty badly. I tend to catch the inside of my shoe on the ankle of the other foot. Without my Dirty Girl Gaiters on, it eventually cuts the skin. With the cuts and the dirt, I was feeling quite a bit of burn. So I wimped out and decided to change out of my wet clothes.

I brought my camp chair over to the lap counter area where I chatted with Brad’s parents who were visiting from Wisconsin. I sat there almost an hour until Deborah arrived at the end of her second loop. She decided that I was absolutely doing another loop, even without my running clothing on. So I reluctantly headed out for loop 3, though we’d be walking since Deborah has a pretty severe case of PF.

Loop 3 was nice. Deborah and I chatted the whole way. Laurie Underwood and Clay passed us shortly after starting the loop, followed by Sammy V. and another runner. We weren’t blazing the trail, but were both happy to be out there getting in more miles. It was fun now knowing I probably wouldn’t get lost and if I did, someone else would be stuck with me :-) We made it over to Karl’s Canoe again and talked with Mark and Gina for a short bit. Then we headed out to finish off the loop.

After getting back to the start, we sat around and chatted with other runners for a while. When it seemed like there wasn’t a big need for additional volunteers, we decided to pack up and head home early. We’d end up stopping north of Waco for a short nap since we were both zapped. We wound up making it into Dallas around 7:30am … and I was glad that I hadn’t stayed at the race til the finish because I was feeling completely wiped out!

All in all, this was a good race, but I should have pushed myself to keep going through the night. It would have made for some good after-dark rough terrain training in somewhat miserable conditions. Even still, I had a great time and will likely be back next year.

Bar-H ranch is located about 5 miles outside St. Jo, Texas. To get there from Dallas, it’s a simple drive up I-35 to Gainesville, then west on Highway 82 to St. Jo. Just before the Dairy Queen, take the FM 2382 north about 5 miles. A gravel County Road 433 will appear on the left. Winding down the gravel road about a mile will bring you to the entrance to the ranch on the left. Upon entering the property, a small shack with restrooms also serves as a pay station ($6/person per day). Continuing up and over the small hill will dump you out into a field which served as the race headquarters.

There are sign and markers throughout the ranch and generally the trails are very easy to follow. Much of it is single track with particularly rocky sections along Horseshoe. A jeep road connects Horseshoe to The Oaks, which is a more gentle section of trail. Closer into race headquarters, along the second half of The Oaks, the trail winds through a forest with very soft trail under foot.

Overall this makes a great place to get in a hilly workout. The two trails combined were about 5 miles in total and it was easy to stay on course. Flour was put out before the race at all the intersections and it was very easy to follow. It was nice that half way through the loop you were dumped back to headquarters so grabbing aid was easy and particularly helpful on a hot and muggy day.

This year the race started at 5pm and continued until 11pm. Runners were allowed to start their last loop before 11 and could continue to the finish. The temperature was in the low 80s and the humidity felt like it was above 90%! We were advised to stock up on electrolytes and carry enough fluids on the course. In the past, I heard that the race went from 8pm-8am.

My race

I decided to head up to Bar-H around lunch time on Saturday. I’ve been waivering on whether or not to go through with my FANS entry since my training has been very lacking. But since the Boondoggle was a 6-hour race, I figured I could do as much as I wanted and just cut out when I felt like it.

Driving down CR 433, I noticed a lot of sky on the left. That’s because the ranch has a rather large canyon in the middle of it. I didn’t realize it would be so hilly out here and was quite surprised. I was trying to scope out the trail as I entered the ranch and from what I saw, I figured I was in for a wild ride!

Before the race started, we all gathered around Antje, race director, to listen to her pre-race briefing. With little fanfare, we started off on our first loop. I settled in with a group which included Jay Norman, who was still recovering from rotator cuff surgery, Elisabeth (who I met for the first time), Shelly (I’d seen before, somewhere), and Laurie. We stayed pretty close together throughout the whole loop and would continue at roughly the same pace through the second loop. It was good to have NTTR friends on the trail and it made me much less worried about getting lost, which didn’t happen thanks to the great course markings.

We headed up the gravel road from the open field and turned right underneath an old western style sign onto the Horseshoe trail. It quickly got rocky and hilly as we alternated from slow jog to powerwalk to hike. The day was still hot and muggy even though it was already past 5pm. With the recent rains, the wildflowers were still in good supply and there were sprinklings of them throughout.

At the end of most of the climbs, the trail takes an abrupt left, but not before dumping you in front of an amazing canyon view. Green pastures and patches of trees were visible for miles but the humidity and low clouds made for an eerie looking day. I imagine on a clear day this view is fantastic.

Continuing on Horseshoe I started to get into my rhythm. I had adjusted to the heat and humidity and was drinking my Clip2 at regular intervals. I’ve just recently started trying this instead of my usual Succeed. The light raspberry flavor is tasty though I found if not mixed well, there can be a nasty artificial taste. With enough shaking of the amphipod bottles I use, it usually mixes itself just fine. Though it’s not particularly sweet, that’s probably a good thing as I hear too much of the wrong type of sugar sours the stomach.

Along the edge of the ranch, there are old bikes tied to the barb wire fence. The trail heads back to the right towards the canyon and there are signs with 3 down arrows signaling a steep decline. It was a bit too steep for me to comfortably run down so I leaned back a bit and gave my quads a workout. Shelly seemed comfortable (just as she had on the rocky sections) and motored right on down!

Before I knew it, we were at a trail juncture where Copperhead went off to the left and we followed the jeep road on a slight uphill to the right. This would lead us back to the headquarters and onto The Oaks. Jay had fallen back a bit and I was with Elisabeth, Shelly, and Laurie. Another guy was up ahead a bit.

The Oaks starts just behind the barn and goes out into more of an open field. It winds around on itself before turning back towards the ranch entrance. At the farthest section, Lynn Ballard had placed the aid station which consisted of a couple jugs of water. They were in just the right spot even though I didn’t need them. The trail on these sections can be a narrow V-shape which made footing a bit tricky. The recent rains surely had eroded the soil and made it more this way.

About half a mile after the aid station, the trail take a quick down and up dip which Jay Norman said was impossible to navigate when it was raining on race day. It must require the crawling on all 4s method to escape! The rain was holding off at this point though I was hoping it would come a light shower so it would cool me down. Around here, the trail starts a slow and gentle yet constant ascent as you make up the elevation from having dropped down the canyon. I was really liking the trail here with a lot of shade from the trees. In the distance I could hear some sort of mower so knew I was getting near the ranch entrance.

I passed a parked trailer to my right shortly before coming to another old western sign which had a cow skull hanging from it. I was a bit disoriented and didn’t realize where I was at but soon figured out that I was at the restroom/pay shack. After a steep uphill climb on the gravel road and over the hill, it was time to cruise down the road back to the field. Right at the top of the hill you pass the entrance to the Horseshoe trail and it then makes sense how the trails are laid out.

My second loop was much like the first, but with more walking than I’d have liked. I realized I probably once again went out too quickly, particularly with the uphill sections. I was powering up them from the get go and my muscles were already sore. On the uphills, I went around Jay and Laurie, but Elisabeth and Shelly were still a ways ahead. I saw them at the top of the jeep road just after the turnoff to Copperhead and the guy was right with them. But they kept going steady while I alternated with walking. Somehow in the forest area, the guy and I got ahead of the girls because as I came into the headquarters area, Elisabeth and Shelly came jogging down the road. I decided they must have put in extra miles because I didn’t remember taking a different course. The guy also ended up in front of them, too.

After that second loop, I went and sat down in my camp chair and cracked open an iced down Dr Pepper. Bad move. I got comfortable and decided the hot and muggy conditions were more than I wanted to deal with on Saturday at 7:30pm. With darkness less than an hour away, I knew the third loop would be slow. So I called it a day and headed back home figuring a 10-mile training run was better than nothing. FANS is gonna be killer tough!

I emailed with Elisabeth after the race and they ended up doing 4 loops. She wanted to do a fifth but couldn’t convince anyone to carry on. She also mentioned that shortly into the third loop, they spotted a “10 foot” snake! I knew there was a good reason that two loops was enough.

Results

5 laps

• Jeff Snyder
• Lynn Ballard (but finished after Jeff)

4 laps

• Charles Chen
• Ryan Lauck
• Elisabeth Will
• Shelly Turner
• Laurie Underwood

3 laps

• Drew Meyer
• Jay Norman
• Ron Alvey
• Marless Clark

2 laps

• Danny Davis
• Brad Garrison
• Kim Monson
• Cody Cassity
• Mike Padilla

1 lap

• Audry Kwyk
• Porial Monson
• Sandy Monson
• Theresa McCoul
• John McCoul
• Mark Blenden

Goutham and I rode over to Tyler (he drove) starting from Irving at 4:00am. I woke up at 3am on not enough sleep but I was excited to be racing once again. The drive over was easy though I nodded off a few times. We stopped just outside Tyler at a McDonald’s as I was craving a bit to eat and a milkshake, but the shake machine was down and they were only serving breakfast. I opted instead for cookies and milk at the Chevron across the highway. Soon we were back on the road, to the park entrance, and sitting in front of the Blackjack 4 camp area.

As I opened the car door to step out, I realized that it was going to be a brutally cold morning. I didn’t even want to wander over and get my packet. With about 15 minutes to go before race start, I went to get my packet only to discover my registration wasn’t on the roster. I was given a bib and packet anyway and would work out the details later (it was discovered that my active.com registration was there, the RD just missed seeing it). Back at the car, I made a quick change from my sweat pants to my fleece pants as I chatted briefly with Letha who was parked next to us. Her two dogs were yapping and the sun was now shining down plenty of light.

We started the race very casually and headed down the road before a turn to the left dumped us out on the trail. Wow, my first thoughts were about the nice and soft the pine needle-covered trail. Deborah soon mentioned that the entire 10-mile trail was just like this. It would have some ups and downs, but most climbs and descents were on switchbacks. It was just the type of course I love.

The first loop went well. Goutham and I brought up the back of the pack through the first aid station. We headed right through the station without stopping and up and over the hill. Then at the next hill, I missed the trail turn to the left and we got off course. Deborah and Tom realized this and started yelling our names and shouting “WRONG WAY”. We could see them and were really not far off course and actually took a long-cut. Goutham and I made our way through some brush to get back on the course.

Somewhere after this Goutham shot on ahead while Deborah and I stayed back. We met Terri and Sharon who were running their first 50K. They picked a nice course, but the day was awfully cold. After winding around and heading down a big set of switch backs, we wandered up an asphalt park road and into the second aid station on the loop. Red Spicer was there along with a few others. Deborah and I didn’t stay long but Tom seemed to have stopped for a while to take care of some business because we wouldn’t see him again until late in the second loop. Tom had forgotten to replace the insoles in his shoes and his recent sickness had him feeling terrible. I was also not at 100% and the cold was not helping things. I was bundled up in fleece but sweating heavily so my clothes were soaked and keeping things somewhat chilly.

At the end of the first loop, we got to a rock where a boy pointed us to the right. We could see the start/finish from here but had about 1/3 of a mile out and back before we’d return. What a teaser, but Tom had warned of this. It seemed like forever because mentally I was ready to be done with the loop. We rolled into the start/finish about 2:20 into the run. I made a pit stop at the bathroom, took off my fleece top, had the very nice aid station people empty and refill my bottle with Succeed Ultra, and headed back out for loop number two. Deborah must have thought I went on ahead because she was nowhere to be found. But less than a mile up I would find her waiting for me.

It was nice to be running again with Deborah. The second loop did go by well until after the second aid station. We chatted each others’ ears off, as usual, and were having a great time. For a bit, the sun had started to shine nicely on the first loop but this second loop was more overcast and it was getting cold again. Without my fleece, I was wishing I was warmer. I shouldn’t have dropped it off at the car! After Red’s aid station, the course seems to wind around all over the place and I never felt like I was making much progress. The leaders in the 50K were now lapping us and 4 had already gone on by. It seemed like we were crawling.

I started having doubts about finishing around here but kept my thoughts to myself. I figured I would break it to Deborah when we saw the boy and I could just skip on over to the car and get back into my warm fleece. But when we got to the rock, the boy was no longer and Jay Freeman had taken over the duty of directing runners to the right to finish the teaser loop before heading to the start/finish. At the rock, Deborah made me keep going so I would at least finish the second loop. She said we’d talk about my decision later :-)

We got back into the start/finish and Paul asked how we were doing. I told him Deborah thought I was fine but I was feeling otherwise. Several people were commenting on the salt buildup all over my face. I guess it looked worse than I felt. I ran over to the car to get my fleece and discovered Goutham had taken my things from the roof and locked them inside. Boy I was really wishing I’d tied it around my waist now! I told Deborah I would just hang out by the campfire and sit it out from here. She was worried about me staying warm so she lent me one of her jackets. What a relief as I would have been shivering!

Soon, Tom rolled into the start/finish and said he was also dropping here. Now Deborah would be on her own :-( But Terri would actually be running up behind her soon and she’d have company for the rest of the loop. Tom offered for me to sit in his car and warm up so we did so until Goutham came in around 1:45pm. He had managed at 6:45 for his first 50K, which was not only an excellent time, but also remarkable because his ITB was really flaring up and giving him problems. I joked about how he could fix it all the way home.

So this makes three races in a row that I’ve paid for but not finished. Two DNS and a DNF (my second). There will be another day though. I was surprised I ran as strong as I did and Deborah mentioned the same thing. I just need to get my strength back, kick this cold for good, and get back into regular training. I also need to find a way to mentally convince myself that sore feet are no reason to stop and rest. I will never make it very far at the FANS 24 hour if not!

Panoramic view in Palo Duro Canyon State Park

I flew up to Amarillo late Friday night and settled into a hotel on the west side of town, practically right on the road that would take me south to the race the following morning. After a few hours of sleep, it was time to get up and start preparing for the journey ahead. The drive down to the canyon was mostly uneventful, but once in the park, I looked up to a magical display of shooting stars and bright twinkles. It had been a while since I saw such a bright sky, and it was an uplifting start to what would be a long morning.

I walked down the hill to survey the start/finish area and look for Deborah, who had kindly picked up my race packet the day before. I didn’t see her (or many people I knew for that matter) so I headed back up to the car to finish my pre-race prep. It was really cold and I didn’t want to turn loose of my fishing pants, but I figured I’d regret it later if I kept them. It was the right choice.

It was getting dangerously close to the race start and still I had not found Deborah. I just kept calm and wandered around. The campfire that was already going sure felt good. It would feel even better after my second loop and almost entice me to make a bad decision. I walked over to the drop bag area and sure enough, Deborah was right there. I thanked her, got out my bib and attached it to my race belt, and walked back near the campfire. After a short prayer, we were told there was about 30 seconds left and that a horn would sound to start the race. I’d not seen such a fancy timer before, but did see on the NTTR list where the race director had purchased a new one.

The start was brisk and I had my polar fleece on to keep warm. I carried a small Princeton 1-LED flashlight. Only seconds into the race, I realized I should probably find the bathroom. After a quick pit stop, I was now at the very back of the pack. I determined that this was the right place for me as I have a bad habit of pushing too early and having no gas left. The second half of my Bandera 50K in 2004 was like this. I was determined to finish this one strong.

I was very content plodding along behind most everyone at this point since it was still dark and I had no desire to twist my ankle in the pretty rough dried mud. I’d have at least 7 hours ahead and there was no need to be in a hurry. Besides, I had come to this race in part to take in the scenery and enjoy the day. I had a very rough goal of where I’d like to finish, but wasn’t worried about it.

After about 1.2 miles, we came upon the first split, where the 50 mile race turned left and the 50K race went right. It was still dark at this point but the sun was peaking out. I stopped to tie my fleece around my waist as I felt warmed up. Shortly thereafter I realized I was near a very chatty runner. I can be pretty chatty myself, but it is part of a conversation. This particular person was just running the mouth without any response from others. I resolved to not let this ruin the sunrise so took my sweet time looking around the canyon for that first 6 mile loop.

Downed tree – not part of one of the trails

Before I knew it, I was upon the Dos Senoritas aid station. The trail went two ways and I stopped to ask for directions. I learned that the currently blocked trail was the short out-and-back that was part of the 12.5 mile loop to be done twice later. I headed out from the aid station to finish my first loop and check out the Lighthouse rock formation. After winding around in a mostly flat section, I realized that that I was experiencing the wind that everyone was talking about. It was one of the few negatives I’d heard about the race. It would get worse.

After making good progress through the last 1.5 pretty hilly miles of the course, I saw the windmill and shortly was on top of the hill where you can see the finish banner. It felt great to be finishing the first loop at a pace I was comfortable with. At the finish area, I dropped off my fleece and flashlight and had my Succeed Ultra pre-measured for a quick refill.

My main goal for this race was to not spend an eternity at the aid stations. Through the first half of the race, I actually did a good job. On the last loop, I would end up spending too much time. The only excuse I could manage was that I was letting a pair of very chatty (they were actually bitching) runners get far enough ahead to where I could enjoy myself.

I was quickly off to my second loop. Somewhere along the path in the trees was a motion sensor chatterbox thing. It almost freaked me out when it went off and I’m glad no one was around to see my leap! I would remind myself to remember it for the last loop. I did, but there was another one in a new spot waiting to trick everyone. Cute. Also neat were the little inspirational signs scattered about along the course. They were great reminders of why I should keep pushing myself to jog instead of walk.

My second loop started out too strong. I got behind a couple of runners that were discussing the terrible storms that seem to follow the Prickly Pear 50K (my only DNF). I realized I was pushing too hard and let them go ahead. Another good choice. The second loop was my first time through the very pretty tree lined area on the far side of the course. This was my favorite section since the trail would run right up against the wall of the canyon on short ups and downs. There were also some nice patches through tall grasses and a few wooden bridge crossings. Not too hilly which suits me fine but also not boring.

I started aching between the Phil Spicer aid station and the Dos Senoritas. The wind had gotten up really strong by this time and it was trying to convince me to stop my shuffle and just walk. But it kept running through my mind to: “Run all the runnable sections. If I’m not running these, then when am I running? And if I’m not running, why am I out here? :-)” I played that over and over the entire race and I think it helped me keep my pace more steady. I was walking all the uphills by this point, even the small ones, but I figured most people were, too. I wasn’t passing many people and was keeping pace with the various runners I could see in the more open areas. I got to Dos Senoritas and completed the short out-and-back. On my way back, I decided to have a short sit on their metal picnic bench while I munched a potato chip. Then I reminded myself not to spend much time at the aid stations and headed for the start/finish.

The big downhill right before the finish chute really got at my legs. Along with the wind and temperature, I was really having to convince myself to go back out. My legs were really tight, though not cramping (and never would thanks to the wonders of Succeed Ultra), and I felt my race falling apart. Mentally, I was trying to decide that dropping here would be fine. The campfire was feeling good and the burger smell was enticing. However, I was in before the 4 hour mark which was my goal. After a lot of back and forth, I resolved that even if I walked the entire last loop, I’d still finish within the time limit. After traveling all this way, there was no reason I should stop, and I was making my time goal so far. So I put my fleece back on and headed out on my final lap.

Palo Duro finisher’s chute from 2007 race – it’s always fun to run through all the flags at the finish

I started out at barely a shuffle as my legs were really tight. I think the second little motion sensor/chatterbox loosened me up though :-) Soon I found myself past the Phil Spicer aid station and in the tree lined area. I was starting to get back in my groove. Until I ran upon the chatty bitching pair again. They were really souring things up so at the aid station on the far side (most opposite the Lighthouse), I sat around and talked with the kind volunteers for a while. Before I got too cold, I headed back out. By this time, I’d discovered the very redeeming qualities of a small bite of snickers mixed with a banana slice.

The stretch from that aid station back into Phil’s was the longest part of the course to me. I could never figure out how much further it was even though the mile markers were pretty consistent. I just wanted to get back to Phil’s because I knew that the markers were almost every half mile beyond that point and it felt like you made quick progress. But when I got back into Phil’s, I needed to take a pit stop. The single port-o-john was occupied for some time so I sat on a concrete bench and rested my very sore feet. I saw the lead 50 mile runner come into the aid station and realized that he was only 7 miles behind me. I determined to finish before he lapped me … again :-)

So I headed back out determined to shuffle my way to the finish. By now most of this part of the course was pretty familiar and that was reassuring. I had a few runners up in front of me that I tried to keep pace with to ensure I was making decent progress. I powered into Dos Senoritas and onto the out-and-back. I didn’t stop on my way back in and I was resolved to push on to the finish. I told myself not to look at my watch the entire last lap, hoping that I might make it in under 7 hours but not wanting to get down if I realized the time wouldn’t allow it. I figured the best way would be to give it what I had and let it work itself out.

The last 1.5 hilly miles were taxing and my feet were very sore. It was a welcome relief to see the windmill and the parking area to my left right before I descended the big hill to the finish. I past the two gals I that had put some distance on me since Phil’s and powered down the finish chute. Mentally I was really proud and the clock read 7:07 so I was pretty happy about that. I know if I had not piddled at the aid stations on my last lap that I’d have come in under 7. Something to shoot for next time!

I got to the starting line with plenty of time. The race didn’t start until 8am and I was there by 7:40. I walked around the finish area, thought about going to the restroom, saw the huge mass of people that were waiting, and decided to just tough it out. Well, I’d be toughing it a while!

The race course was actually really nice. It started at the Art Museum before heading to the Deleware River, along South Street, across Chestnut to University City, up by the Zoo and Civil War Memorial, then back to the museum. That was only half. One of my favorite aspects of the course (and my pace) was that I was able to see the race winner right around mile 26 just before he finished. This is the first marathon where I’ve been able to watch the leaders in the final stages. Of course it was a slight mental setback knowing (and seeing) all the people that were miles and miles ahead of me.

So back to the toughing it … they ran out of water at the first 2 or 3 water stops. This was no good. There were also very few porta-potties and when they did appear, there was a line. I ended up waiting til around mile 17. I was never uncomfortable but it would have been nicer for everyone to have more options.

The residents of Philadelphia sure know how to support a marathon, particular at the toughest sections. From miles 19-21 (typically referred to as “The Wall”), we ran an out-and-back in Manayunk. Though it was hilly, the two-lane road was lined solid on both sides with spectators and it was definitely one of the more uplifting parts of the course. Speaking of hills, there were a lot more than I expected. There were quite a few climbs around the Zoo and they reappeared around mile 21 as we headed back from Manayunk to the museum.

Overall I held a very solid pace given my lack of training. I was very content on going out nice and easy since I figured I’d have to hold on for the finish. More than in past marathons, I think I was able to finish strong. I did have some serious cramping (as usual) around mile 23 and the last 3 miles were much more grueling due to that. At mile 26 with only a couple of minutes left, I had to all out stop in the middle of the road. When I managed to put my first step out, several guys were cheering me on and that’s all I needed to finish without any other problems. I even jogged most of the way home after picking up my medal. I did have the usual fatigue that would go from the bottoms of my feet to my knees to my hamstrings, but this wasn’t as painful as I expected it to be. I did have about 20 minutes worth of loopiness starting around mile 18 where I started to dig too deep into my energy reserves. I managed to snarf down some orange slices, a few bites of an energy bar, and increased my Gatorade intake and luckily it went away.

I knew a few Wharton classmates would be running the race and I did actually see a couple of them on Kelly Drive. They were way ahead and looked really strong. I also ran into a cohortmate randomly on my way back home and that was really nice.

The only other course I’ve run is Austin. While Austin’s course is easier, it’s not as populated with fans in so many spots. They do usually have more live music which is always great. I also appreciate the more frequent water stops. Having said that, the Philadelphia Marathon is a great course and I loved the fans. They really make it so much easier on the runners.

The course was setup to be a small out-and-back followed by three 9.9 mile loops. The markings consisted of yellow plastic plates with “PP” written on them and were stapeld to ground stakes. When paths crossed, white chalk normally marked the wrong way. There were also orange ribbons in the trees. Well somewhere around the 9.5 mile mark of my first loop, I got off course and never went past the start/finish area. This was a big mental setback for me as I didn’t feel like my race was official at that point. No one probably would have cared since it was such a small distance, but it still ate away at me. Several others were having trouble finding the correct route in this area so at least I wasn’t alone.

The weather was really bad. It was quite chilly (low 50s) at the start and it started sprinkling about 15 minutes into the run. Sprinkles soon turned to downpour and the course turned into an all out mudpit. Rocky Hill was bad; this was worse … much worse. The course had some drainage issues, too, because some of the areas were almost knee deep in water. I could have gone swimming along parts of the trails. At one point the wind really picked up and I thought that a tornado might be on the way.

All in all, I actually enjoyed the downpour but I didn’t care much for the mud. It took a lot of energy out of me. Combined with the thought that I’d repeat this same stuff two more times, I didn’t feel like it was worth it.

There was one really good part about the race. At the first aid stop on the loop, I ate the most delicious caramel brownie. Leadfoot was there and she said she was trying not to eat them all. Dang, they were just perfect! This gets my vote for all-time best aid station snack.

I knew this course all too well from last year when I entered the 25K. While there are not mountains on the course, the hills and rocks, not to mention the questionable Texas weather in January, are enough to test even the veteran trail runner. With a good excuse in hand, it took little for the local trail running club members to convince me to give the 50K a shot this year.

The first 16 miles flew by. I was feeling good and the weather was picture perfect. However, after having recently taken over a month off from training due to a recent foot injury, I knew I probably wasnt in shape for this event. Between miles 16 and 22, an out-and-back journey from one of the five aid stations along the course, I really questioned myself for entering the race. But I just kept slugging along, not willing to give up on a goal Ive had for quite some time. When I got to mile 22, I knew I must have looked pretty scary because one of the guys in the 100K event said I had quite a bit of salt dried up all over my face. Nevertheless, I was still wearing a smile and determine to keep pushing.

I reached the final aid station before the finish, conveniently placed 26.1 miles into the course, just ahead of the person who talked me into entering the race. It was nice to see her face and know that I was going to make good on the promise to myself. And thank goodness she was there for me, because not more than half a mile after leaving the aid station, I was about to take a wrong turn!

The last 5 miles were so rewarding. With every step, I knew I was going further than I ever had. I was also reminded of this fact as every muscle up and down both legs was threatening to cramp up on me. I had been fighting these cramps since the 18th mile and knew I was now teetering on the edge of pushing myself too much, but the finish line was much too close to even consider stopping.

As I made the last turn into the open field that contained the finish area, I could hear the volunteers and spectators clapping for me. My sense of accomplishment took over and the cramps just about took me down. Luckily, I was able to gimp my way to the finish without falling down and it certainly felt nice to sit in my green plastic lawn chair after more than eight grueling hours on the trails.