A different kind of 50K

I am happy to report that I completed the most difficult run ever, the slowest run ever and the longest run ever.  So, to celebrate, I decided to start blogging. Here it goes:

To start with, I really don't know why this race is called the Swinging Bridge 50K. There was no bridge to be found anywhere (swinging or not) so all creek crossings were done by foot. Other than that, it was a great day to be outside on Saturday. We started the run in the 20s and finished the day in the low 40s. Perfect running weather.

When I went to Bear Creek Lake Park in Cumberland VA Saturday morning to participate in the Swinging Bridge 50K, I didn't know how long I was going to run. I thought I could probably do 10 miles and treat this race as a training run. My hamstring started acting up ten days earlier and I was not able to run leading up to the race. But I decided to show up and see how it goes. 



It was nice to wait inside the Bear Creek Hall before the race. It had a nice bathroom and a burning fireplace.

I knew the trails were hard because this is where I ran the Bear Creek 10 miler in December. That was when I ran with a friend and he counted 81 trees we had to climb over or under in a 5 mile radius which means we did this 162 times over a 10 mile run. And here I am attempting a 32 mile run in the same woods. The trails definitely test your abilities. This is no Seashore 50K. The trails at Bear Creek are single file, they go over many creeks, there are downed trees everywhere, there are hills, the trails are not always easy to see, you can easily get lost if you don't pay attention, there are hunters around (you could hear gun shots and we saw lots of shells on the ground), and of course the trails are full of rocks and roots that you have to watch every single step if you want to stay on your feet. 




One of many times we had cross a creek. This was early in the race and before people dispersed.

  

The race is very well organized, it only costs $15-$25 to sign up, and you get a nice long sleeve t-shirt with the entry. What a bargain! There were a total of 6 aid stations during the run (about every 5 miles) stocked with water, coke, mountain dew, bananas, chocolate chip cookies, pretzels filled with peanut butter, veggie chips and m&ms. The run is split into 2 races. A 35K where you go out 11 miles and back. And a 50K where you add another 10 miles on a different course (5 miles out and back).  When you complete  the 35K you have the choice to continue or you can stop. If the 35K takes you more than 5 hours, you are not allowed to go for the 50K.

 The run itself was an adventure to say the least. It quickly became lonely just after 3-4 miles. To find your way around all you had to do is follow the white markers on the trees. There are really no trails to follow in most areas so you had to keep one eye on the ground in front of you and the other eye straight ahead looking for the white paint markers on the trees. I managed a few times to veer off course but quickly found my way back to the trails, except once when I ended up in the orange line, which is a bad place to be. 

During the run, the hamstring bothered me for about 10 miles and then miraculously it stopped being an issue. When the pain spread over to the rest of my body, the hamstring took a back seat. So I was back in familiar territory because the pain was expected by then.

At some point around mile 18 I ran into the old man who takes care of the trails and he told me I was off track. He said I was on the "high road" and I am supposed to be on the "low road". I joked that I always took the "high road" :) but he proceeded to show me how to find my way back to the "low road" and get back on the trail. He was very nice and I was glad to run into him because he was painting orange markers on the trees. It took me a little while to find the "low road" and I became nervous because the gun shots were getting louder and louder. The signs warn you that orange signs are for hunters and all I saw around me were orange signs. I really wondered how bullets know to stay on the orange line and not enter the white line during a "run and a hunt". I probably ran my fastest mile there and all I could think of was the movie, "The Fugitive".  You can really run fast when you run for cover.

At some point around mile 20 two guys passed me and I thought these guys are fast and they should've finished the 35K by now. I told them I got lost and just found my way back and they told me they also got lost except they added 6 miles to their run! I guess the old man saved me from an even longer day. 



I completed the 35K in 4 hours 48 minutes with 12 minutes to spare and they asked me if I was done. Of course my answer was no. It was too much fun to stop.  I told them I am continuing even though the people who finished with me all decided to stop. So I took off again after a quick break to refill my water bottle, have some Coke and a couple of cookies. I never thought that Coke can be a recovery drink but it worked on Saturday.

After running the first 1/2 mile I started walking and I wondered if I should turn back and call it a day. Even though there were no medals, finisher hats, shirts, etc. I wanted the  satisfaction of completing a race not many people do. So I kept going. When I got to the last aid station at mile 25 I was told that I was the last person to continue for the 50k so, Kevin, the race director was going to run me in. He told us at the beginning of the race that he was going to be the trailer for the last 50K runner. Never in my wildest dreams did I expect to be the last person coming in. This was a very humbling moment for me but then I realized at least I am running the 50K instead of the 35K like most people did. So, with Kevin running with me I picked up the pace and started running at a good clip again. I ended up passing a guy from Maine who comes every year to do this race. Kevin stayed behind with this guy so now I am on my own again but I am not the last runner anymore. I also passed two more people on the way back to the finish line. They asked me if I know how much longer to go and I told them 2.5 miles. They did not like my answer when I explained to them that the last 15K is really 10 miles and not 9. How can they do this to us, they said. If I had found out at that point that 15K was 10 miles instead or 9 I would've been upset too.



Kevin, the race director picking up the last runner and the signs.



This was for the most part a very lonely run. I'm glad I brought with me a camera and my ipod. I listened to an episode of Phedippidations where Steve Runner talked about people with a purpose live longer than people without a purpose. I agreed with him :) I also listened to stories from Lake Wobegon and some good music. I think that was the main reason I got lost a few times. It's not easy to to pay attention to where you are and also listen to podcasts and music in those woods. When I was completely lost around mile 18 and the gun shots got louder I turned my camera to video and started talking to myself. I think I needed some company at that point. Yanna watched the video of me and she laughed out loud. She said I was delusional. You can also hear a very loud gun shot as I am talking to myself.

So how hard was this race? Let the numbers speak for themselves. Over 130 people signed up with 80 people expecting to complete the 50K. On race day, about 100 people showed up. 31 people completed the 50K and 66 completed the 35K. There were a lot of no shows in addition to people calling it a day after a brutal 35K. I came 28th out of 31 runners and third in my age group. Yes I placed for the first time ever, except .... only 3 people completed the 50K in my age group :). The other number that's interesting is that it took me 2 hours and 50 minutes to go the last 10 miles (average 17 mph). Even the couple of miles I ran with Kevin my watch said my average was 15mph. I must've been running in place. That's the only explanation I have for this.

But this was a run that I didn't care how long it took me to finish (it took 7 hours and 38 minutes to go 32 miles :) ). I was proud of myself to be able to finish such race and never giving up. And, yes, I want to do this race again next year, hopefully with some company.

PS. I just read on http://www.rrrc.org/ that the Cumberland Forest authorities asked the race director to correct the description of the trails from "semi-primitive" to the official term "wilderness trail". I think that's more appropriate.

So, marathon #21 is in the books (18 full marathons and three ultras).

 

The finish!





If you didn't pay attention to the white markers on the trees, you could easily get lost. There was no trail to follow. Only the white markers.





The back of the race shirt we were given has some wise quotes. I assure you that I experienced all of the things on the shirt.