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Scenic City Trail Marathon (May 20, 2011)

Mid May 2009 I watched the video over and over.  It was what I wanted – a trail marathon that was nearby.  Tired of driving to Pennsylvania and just west of Little Rock, I wanted a fast, trail marathon that was still a trail.  Rails to trails would not satiate my craving.  I grew up on trails.  I used to drive from my house in Valley Forge to Hampton.  There I could hit the AT in just about three miles.  Later I was able to drive fifteen minutes to get lost on the trails of the Big South Fork.  Now, it was time to return to my roots.  The Scenic City Trail Marathon, where a new state record could easily be accomplished (or so they said), was just a few days out.  I sat in my office chair and watched the five minute video (more than once).

A few days before eyeing this marathon my second son was born.  A few days before that, I couldn’t run.  The sciatic nerve stopped me in my tracks.  There were several days of walking without any running.  Now, not just tackling this trail marathon but placing in the trail marathon became a new goal.

That was all two years ago.  I hurt that marathon.  I felt the injury, but I ran well enough to place second.  The next year I wanted to go sub three and take a new state record for a trail marathon.  Dane and Nick had different ideas.  Nick beat me by almost three minutes, and Dane beat me by more than a decade, or so it felt.  When I came out of the woods, I saw the clock tick from 2:59:59 to 3:00:00.  Still good enough for third.

2011 would be another strike at sub three on the Scenic City Trail Marathon course.  I didn’t even think about first place; Josh Wheeler was in the race.  He beat me daily on the stage race.  When I crushed the first half of the Lookout Mountain 50 miler (not knowing what I was doing), he was the only one in front of me.  Boy Wonder excelled at the trails.  He is an amazing Rock/Creek teammate, and I didn’t even think about pulling an upset over him.  Then I was given bib 1.  He was bib 4.  Feb Boswell, a friend from Memphis, with whom I had raced several times, was bib 2.  With the first few bibs in seeded order, this meant I had a target on my back.  A thirty minute delay of the start helped others see my displayed target.  All this was working on me mentally.  What little mental stability I had was disappearing.

We started with a helicopter overhead.  The first part of the course had been changed, but we bulleted out.  Everyone must have wanted to make up the thirty minute delay.  I ran a sub 6:00 pace with a dozen people in front of me.  Wheeler was out there.   My friend and teammate Owen Bradley led around the first corner.  Two weeks earlier I ran a mile with him at the Strolling Jim.  He chatted leisurely at me while I tried to stay with him from mile 29-30 of the race.  He ran ten more miles than I did at that time, and I thought I was going to die trying to stay with him at that pace.  This time, I didn’t see him again until when I finished.  He explained what I saw slightly after the start of the race: everyone in front of Feb and I ran into the woods too early.  Wheeler and two others came back out confused and right in front of us.  They were directed to turn (as the old course did), but it was not the new course.  The hit trails a half mile too early.  Some may have lost thirty seconds with the wrong turn.  Teammate Matt Sims came up beside Feb and I in the first mile to help assure me that I was going the right way.  Feb and I hit the trails together, where we were supposed to hit them.

The first two miles clicked on my watch and were verified by a sign some ten feet later.  Just under thirteen minutes meant we were too fast.  6:52 gets you through if you are trying to break three.  6:30 is too fast.  We both said we should slow down.  After all, we decided, Wheeler was the only marathoner in front of us.  We hit the five mile mark at 32:40.  We slowed by :03 per mile – not enough.  Feb and I switched front and back and pushed on.  My watch was about 5% off on the measurement.  Feb said his was off by almost 15%.  Cursed technology!!!  By the time we hit ten miles, his was off by nearly 20% and mine was off by 8%.  63:20 for ten miles means that you have been running a 6:20 pace (on trails!).  6:20 pace translates to a 2:47 marathon.  We both realized that if we did not slow down, we would be slowing down in a non-voluntary fashion.  We would blow up.  I just wanted to hang on until the top of the hill at eighteen.  I could take the rest if this were the case.  We hit the twelve mile mark at 1:17.  Last year, I slowed to ask how far back I was.  This year I asked for water.  Dawson Wheeler poured into my small flask and questioned what I was doing with such a small water bottle.  My only answer was that I was trying to catch his son.  With a smirk, he sent me on my way with a full flask.  The water stop at fifteen met me with the doubts of hitting the top of the next hill with all me energy.  I was starting to blow up.

Feb pulled away.  He was out of sight by the time I hit the base of the hill.  The mental dagger was only dulled with the thought that I was still third.  I gave the hill and the next a strong showing.  I was starting to lap people.  I came on Angela Ivory first.  Her smile seems to always make my pain go away.  It did this time too, just temporarily.  At twenty-two a lady told me I could catch the guy ahead of me if I push it.  I thought Feb must have been fading.  She then said, “You’re in fourth!!!”  How could this be?  Fourth?  She had to be mistaken.  Only Wheeler was fast enough to be in front of Feb and me for the first blazing half.  I knew that she was confused.  Then I started thinking.  I started doubting.  I was souring.  It could have been the heat.  My Patagonia shirt had never been so wet.  Not even in the washing machine could it be this drenched.  It was not the heat, it was fatigue.  Bumping my mileage by almost thirty miles per week starting in May could be a downfall.  My legs were not tired though.  My heart was.  The race did not click mentally anymore.  By the time I hit the hill at twenty two and two ladies told me there was a snake on the trail, I was walking in front of people.  The news of being in fourth place had been the proverbial straw.  My back broke.

Encouragement at 22.1 water stop helped me muster some “running” legs.  I stumbled along trying to catch Feb.  I saw him on a ridge ahead of me.  Feb was weak, but I could tell he had more strength than me at this time.  He had put in a good run.  When I exited the woods, I looked for him crossing the finish line.  It had happened a few minutes before that.  He was third.  I was fourth.  My family greeted me after the finish.  I did not expect their presence but welcomed it.

I spent the next few hours shaking hands and cheering people to the finish.  The lesson from this race took a while to come to me.  The next day I ran twenty in order to try to prepare for the stage race.  I guess that I can use the mileage, but I was a little disappointed with my run.  What did not disappoint me were the people and the race itself.  My running friends are always a blessing.  I have been lucky that I have been able to experience that blessing towards the end of May for the past three years.  I tell people that I will be back.  The first year I was second.  The second year I was third.  The third year I was fourth.  I must come back and get fifth next year. …maybe a sub three too.

– Josh Hite

2011 Scenic City Trail Marathon Finisher’s Medal

I am exhausted and in pain now. I know running Ultra is painful, but I just tend to forget how painful the last Ultra was and still end up signing for a couple more. I can feel the twinge of soreness in my achilles tendon and I dare to break those nasty blisters. I’d decided that I would rather leave the room lights ON and go to sleep instead of making an attempt to get up and turn it off.

3:18AM, Oct 16th, I forced myself out from the bed at this God forsaken hour to hit the shower. Race starts at 5:00AM. I decided to start along with my friend Diane, two hours prior to official start time. My ambitious goal was to get the 50 miler under 10 hours and run until 7:00PM to get a 100K. Little did I knew what was in store for me for the rest of the day.

It was very cold that morning that one could see their breath. I wasn’t expecting it to get this cold. No long sleeved shirt and no gloves. About 20 runners took off, into the fog, into the darkness. Not knowing where you are running at times is a bliss. I could hardly see anything ahead of me and that included the elevation as well. The first few miles were quiet hilly until we reached Kohls from where we ran towards Percy priest dam and back to the start line. Running that long wooden bridge along Stones river has always been my favorite course. While running back towards the start I saw the runners who started at 7:00AM. There were many faces that I could recognize. Dallas Smith, Josh Hite, Mike Melton, Mike from Bartlett, John Titjen and more. By the time I got to the start line which was mile 16 now, my hands were completely frozen and I had to take Angela’s help, another awesome runner and a good friend, to even open a can of coke and the cap of the water bottle.

The sun was up by now and I headed my way towards Shelby Bottoms. The course was great and the course directions were marked pretty clear. There was NU written all along the intersections. It was a pleasant surprise when the arrow turned right detouring from the pavement to a dirt/grass trail. The grass drenched in early morning dew, with trees covering both sides of the trail, it felt like running in the wild. That’s when the unexpected happened. I landed myself in a small ditch which was camouflaged by the covering of grass and I really twisted my ankle and felt a sharp pain shoot out from my Achilles. I walked a bit and when I felt good I started running again. The grass trail was winding through all along the course until a few miles short to the Shelby Bottoms Aid station.

It wasn’t until after crossing the Pedestrian Bridge, mile 26, that my feet started hurting from the earlier ankle twist. It was getting hotter but nothing unbearable. Running along the Cheatham lake reminded me that it’s the Purity 10K course which I ran earlier this year and I ran the purity 10K just for the unlimited ice cream after you finish. I saw the turn around point for 60K and 70K and was eagerly waiting to approach the 50 Mile turn around point. Mile 31, finally I made it to the turn around. Now all the way back to the start in addition to a small loop to the finish line.

Mile 33, piercing pain hit my achilles and even running a 13 min pace was becoming impossible. I was well in time until now for a sub 10:00 and decided to take it easy and walk till the pedestrian bridge but when I reached mile 37 I lost all hopes and the goal was just to finish. A doc at the aid station looked at my leg and after examining my feet he said that my feet is swollen and it’s going to be difficult but when I insisted to continue, he decided to splint my achilles which offered very little support. It was still painful but at least helped me keep moving. Prolonged walks on the hot pavement, my Vibrams couldn’t hold it, and ended up developing blisters. At mile 40, when I reached the aid station I had nothing in my mind but to quit. Should I drop down to 40 mile and finish the race, running another 10 miles in this situation was something too daunting. While my body was waging a battle against my mind, I decided to keep moving on the course so that I will not have a choice but to continue to the finish line.

Soon I hit the grass/dirt trail. The same course which I loved running earlier that morning was looking like a crazy demon waiting to devour my leg as soon as I set my feet on it.

READ THE REST OF NARESH’S NASHVILLE ULTRA RACE REPORT HERE

I skipped the Mohawk Hudson Marathon on 10/10 in order to spend 6 days in Portsmouth, NH.   I decided to skip the race after my half for the Ulman Fund on 10/3.   My ACL had become very painful the day after that run, thus I imagined the marathon would have just left me home recovering for days.  Right now, I really need to be training not resting.  In exchange for a hard 26.2, I opted for 42 easier miles along some of the most beautiful waterside scenic routes.

Portsmouth, NH  has a wonderful running community.   The local running club ( http://www.coastalathletic.org/)    has links to group runs, pub runs, and trail and road races.    All the roads that I covered seemed to have a beaten down foot path along side the shoulders showing just how much runners are out there pounding out miles.   I mapped a  wonderful 13 mile loop through downtown Portsmouth and over the island town of New Castle, settled in the early 1600’s making it the oldest town in NH.   Hampton Beach and Rye are a short trip south from Portsmouth and a wonderful place to log some ocean and cliff-side miles over mildly rolling terrain.  The crisp 45-60 degree weather just made every run perfect.  Walk up to the window of the Beach Plum for a post-run Lobster Roll or some Pumpkin ice cream when in Hampton or stop by  Me and Ollie’s Café when back in Portsmouth for butternut squash/cranberry soup and a thick slice of gooey cinnamon swirl breac and it really it doesn’t get much better that this.

Skipping the marathon left me feeling good enough to run some mileage this weekend, so I attended to two local races: the Mountain Madness 50k and the Asbury Park Marathon.  My plan was to run while paying attention to my knee in order to stop before I do damage that would require rest and recovery.   There were not goal races, so I did not feel compelled to push through the pain.

Mountain Madness (MoMA)

Rick and Jennifer McNulty organize New Jersey Trail Series races (http://sites.google.com/site/xxctrailseries/Home).  The MoMa is in its second year.  The idea of running through the woods for hours and hours on a crisp fall day is so alluring.   I recall  feeling incredibly overwhelmed by the warm colors of the fallen leaves last year.  I looked forward to another beautiful day of slow hilly running.

The MoMa is truly second most difficult course I have run in NJ.  The first is another NJ Trail series run called Running with the Devil (RwtD), which takes place at Mountain Creek Ski Resort at the end of July.   At RwtD runners travel up 933 ft over 1 mile, then back down, and repeat for 3, 6, or 12 hours in the heat and humidity while being tortured by the sounds of people enjoying the adjacent water park.

The MoMa is much kinder, but the 50k loop over long hilly terrain is really quite challenging (for me).  Some sections are a bit too rocky for my trail running ability and I end up twisting my ankles a bit more than I care to tolerate.  Getting lost, as a group, is common.   Last year, a few of us were lost for a good half hour due to pulled markings.   This year, it seems the course markings were pulled again.  It became a group effort to determine where to go next.  This race is really beautiful, but runners could be disappointed if they expect to post a fast time.   As for me, after twisting my ankle four times, my ACL was not very happy.  It took just one very long decent around 13-14 miles for me to decide it was time to bail hoping to be able to run at least half if not all of the Asbury Marathon the next day.

Asbury Park Marathon

The Asbury Park Marathon is a fun race (http://www.runasburypark.org/index.html).   It is primarily a relay that takes place over a flat, fast, 8 loop course running through Bruce Springsteen’s home town.   The cool weather was absolutely perfect for a fast race.  The headwind in the early section of each loop was really the only obstacle.

As soon as I started, I could feel how the slow pace at the MoMa the day before left my legs feeling less than peppy. Regardless, I started just about sub-8 for the first mile.  It didnt take very long for my knee to rebel and knew I wasn’t going to run the entire way.   After 7 miles, I ran past my car, dropped off my gels and decided maybe a 10 mile run will be enough for the day.

At that point I met Art, who rode up to me on his bike and asked me if I was having knee pain.  Since my knee is taped, I laughed asking “Yes, how did you know?”  He told me that he is a physical therapist who just attended a seminar on knee problems in runners. He came to watch runners and talk to those who experience knee pain.  For the most part, I generally don’t engage men who ride up to me on their bike while I am running, but since there was zero creepiness about Art, I listened to what he had to say.  I ran a bit while Art rode and he asked if he could video tape my stride for a few seconds and discuss with me what he saw.  Since my run was almost over, I figured why not hear what he has to say.

Art explained that most runners try to strengthen their quads in order better hold the knee cap properly.   However, he recenty learned that the newer thinking is that the knee is being pulled out of place by strong quads and therefore the muscle groups that need the most attention are the glutes and hamstrings.  We discussed a few different types of exercises that could be done at the gym and I was off to finish my run.   I would love to hear more thoughts about this.

Just as I was about to finish off the run, I saw Colleen running along with her friend Valerie.  I met Colleen at the start and she is a Marathon Maniac who was working on her first double marathon weekend.  (Congratulations Colleen!)  I returned my chip at approximately the 9 mile mark  as I passed through the start/finish, I caught up  and talked with Colleen and Valerie while planning to stop once I reached my car at 11.   As I passed my car, I was feeling good enough to continue so I took things about ½ loop at time.  Once reaching the S/F line (very close to  my car), I decided to continue on.   Upon passing my car again, I decided I still was not ready to stop and went back out.  Again crossing the S/F line, I decided to continue on.   Briefly, I thought I would end up finishing the entire run.  That idea quickly vanished just after 16 miles, when I could feel my ACL  straining too much for my comfort level.   I ended up with about 17 miles for the day and 32 miles of wondering running for the weekend.

Thank you all so much for reading my posts.

Shannon

I spent this weekend in Maryland at the First Annual Half Full Triathlon.  This event was the brain child of Brian Satola at the Ulman Cancer Fund to help raise money to assist young adults diagnosed with cancer.

Pre Race:  Several months ago, I was picked to run the half marathon relay leg on team Bec and Friends.  Bec Wassner is a pro triathlete.  Her twin sister, Laurel, is the only pro triathlete that is also a cancer survivor.  Both were racing as part of relay teams to show their support of the Ulman Fund.

Bec was our swimmer and Mark Raynault, also a cancer survivor, was on the bike.  Mark is about 6 years out from his blood cancer diagnosis.   I meet Mark at the Team Fight luncheon.  He is a wonderful guy who I hope to see again in the future (maybe I can talk him into teaming up again next year!)  At the luncheon, Brain presented a very moving video showing just what Team Fight is all about.  I hope a link becomes available.  Many were moved to tears.

Just before the video, I was asked to say a few words about my journey from cancer to over 110 miles in 24 hours.  I enjoyed sharing with Team Fight  just how running has helped me through my own recovery and has shifted my self image from one of “cancer patient/survivor” to “athlete/survivor”.   I also explained how the Ulman Fund personally helped me get back on my feet by giving me a scholarship.

Race Day: There was over 1000 participants.  100 were cancer survivors! The start was a time trial wave start which meant swimmers were release in pairs every 2 seconds and sent off in group by age bracket or other designators.   The wave for Relay was one of the last to go.  Bec is incredible and swam her .9 mile leg in around 21 minutes, passing many of those released into the water well before her.

Mark took off on his 56 mile bike leg.   Mark was undertaking an incredible feat by racing the longest race of his life for our relay.   He did ride the course two weeks ago in about 3:45.  We were hoping that he would be back by that time or sooner.  I showed up in transition at 11:10 am, just 3 hours after he set off on the course.

While waiting for Mark, the leaders came in much later than anticipated due to a very strong head wind slowing everyone down.  I was hopeful that Mark could still pull off a 3:45.  At the 3:30 mark, I got ready to race and tried to stay that way.  It is terribly hard to be ready to race when you don’t know when you are going to start.   Like most bikers, Mark was running late and by 4 hours I began to worry.  Chatter started about flat tires, popped chains or other things that could go wrong out there.

Then suddenly I felt a sharp pinch under my arm, like someone stuck me with a safety pin.  Oh man! I just got stung by a bee (twice!)   Not sure if I was allergic, but knowing my dad is, I began to have a mini panic attack.  I watched the area and I felt fine while standing.   I was just not sure what would happened when I started getting my heart rate up.  The double loop run course had lots of police and volunteer presence and that helped me feel a bit at ease.   About 20 minutes after the sting, Mark came explaining that he did get a flat.  (I’m so sorry that happened Mark)

I wasn’t the least bit disappointed in the delay because I knew that I was feeling less than prepared to crank out a speedy half.   My ACL was not perfect and I was told the course was challenging.  I truly just wanted to finish the race with a good effort and hopefully stay sub-8 pace, chalking this up as a nice training effort.  Generally I don’t worry about whether or not I will finish a half, but if my ACL got too painful, I knew I would have to stop.

I took off out of transition and I was moving well.  It felt good to run fast until I started up the first little hill.  I could feel my heart pounding and hear my wheezing.  I started to get scared!  Oh no, is this anaphylaxis!  There isn’t even another runner nearby to help me!  I looked at my arm and the swelling had appeared to have gone down.  Then I hit mile marker 1 and saw it a 6:57 on my Timex.  Ha ha!  That explains it.  My heart is pounding and I can’t breath because I am running a lot faster than I should be.   I just needed to slow down.

Soon, I caught up to some others and tucked in behind a guy with a smooth stride.  We hovered at 7:30-7:40 per mile until the next water stop where he slowed and I passed.  The course was rolling with some truly substantial hills, the kind that make you question whether you can run to the top without walking a few steps.  I was pleased to never need to resort to that.  But if I had just come off a 56 mile bike ride, I probably would have walked half that course!

By the second loop the down hills and any sharp turns began to take a toll on my knee.  I slowed down my pace to see if I could reduce the strain that was starting.  It pained me to see some splits well into the 8’s on those last climbs, but today wasn’t the race for me to damage myself.

But when I saw that 12 mile mark, I decided to just open it up until the finish.  As I approached mile 13, I suspected I was in the mid-7’s.  I was happily surprised to find my last split was 6:53 and my fastest of the day.  I kicked hard into the shoot to finish in about 1:42.  There really is nothing more exhilarating than finishing strong and one thing Triathlete do well is set up a finish line!  Carpet, flags, flowers, fences and a gigantic framed in digital clock!  This sure beats the old standby shoot made from a few traffic cones and some police tape that I’ve seen show up at few good ol’ foot races. 😉

Overall, Brian did a fantastic job directing the first Half Full Tri.  Sarah was incredible at the Ulman Fund info table, interviewing and posting videos of willing participant explaining why they are at this event.   Katrina was another amazing Ulman Fund person I got to meet as she ran around with her camera snapping race day photos soon to be published online.

I feel honored to have been a part of this event and hope to return next year ready to rock those hills.  It honestly almost makes me wish I owned a bike!  🙂

(Please keep the Ulman Fund in mind when considering which cancer foundation to send a donation.  http://www.halffulltri.org/ or represent  Team Fight http://www.ulmanfund.org/Get-Involved/Team-Fight.aspx at your next event!)

Hinson Lake took place just one week after the NC24, the National 24 Hour Championship.   Boy do I wish there was just a little more time between these too events.  It seems that most people prepared to run substantial mileage would have chosen to do so at Nationals.   Therefore, seeing any impressive performances at Hinson would really be a wonderful surprise.

Tom Gabell is the RD of Hinson. The course is a 1.52 loop around a lake with one well-stocked aid station at the start finish area.  This year there were over 200 participants, making this race (what I was told by my friend Ray,who is likely the most reliable source on all thinks ultrarunning) the largest 24 hour event in the country.

It is obvious that Tom and his wife put on this race because they love the sport.  For a $24 fee he provides everything that a race costing 3-4 times that amount would provide, except chip timing.  As for timing, Tom recruited his family and they tracked us by tallying up our laps on a board.  The same person is your lap counter all day and with each crossing of the start/finish, you are greeted with a “I got you Shannon (or No. 7), that was lap #___ for you”.  I like this system 100 times better than chip timing.  Not only do you begin every lap knowing just what you have done, you also get your own personal cheerleader.  🙂  The volunteers were so fantastic that at one point, I changed my clothes, forget to pin on my bib, and STILL my countered called me out by name to tell me lap number.  Chip timing has nothing on the old school way.

As for my race, I am still recovering from the 75 mile run I completed last week.  I had low expectations, but that will not stop me from showing up.  I was hoping the soft clay surface would be forgiving on my knee.  I stopped last week when I felt pain building in my ACL.  There was just not enough time for my ACL to fully recover and I felt it early in the run.

This course is quietly sneaky in that it is much more challenging than it sounds.  Although generally flat on a non-technical trail with some short boardwalk bridges, the course seems like it would be rather fast.  However, there was one incline of significant length that was comprised of deep sand and some other shorter sand traps along the way.  In the addition to the sand, the temperatures, reaching as high as 96-97 as per some reports, added to the challenge of the day.

The unstable footing of the deeper sand immediately aggravated my ACL.  By laps 2, I began to experiment with some taping.  I did find that the tape helped enough to get me through half a loop, but increased pain would occur on the way in.  I would RICE for a few minutes, start to feel better, readjust the tape and then try another loop.  Eventually, it became painful to bend my knee at all and I figured that was enough messing around.  I believe I logged about 25 miles.  At that point I reverted to my original plan and purpose for going to Hinson, to crew for Jim.  It was great to see him reach the 100k mark in what turned out to be a tougher than expected race.

In consideration of the sandy trail and the 90 degree temperatures, Mike Morton’s performance is mind-boggling. Steady and strong, he strided along appearing quite focused all day.  Early on many people were not sure who he was and just what he thought he was doing putting about 15 laps on the second place guy in the first 12 hours of the race.  I tend to not get too excited about leaders since the 24 hour is about survival (and as I personally know, a great 12 hour run does not often make for a great 24 race).

However, as Mike approached his 66th lap, it was truly exciting to see him complete over 100 miles at just under13:15.  I feel lucky to have been present to witness such an amazing preformance!  The only question left was whether he could keep on going for the 40 more miles more he would need to make one of the three remaining spots on Team USA!

Mike was clearly in this for the duration and eventually went on to log about 154 miles!   This would have been good enough for 2^nd place and an auto-entry into Worlds had he been present at NC24.   I would even guess that had he raced last week, in much cooler temperatures and on a flatter and faster surface, he would have logged well over 154 and the race between Serge (last weeks winner at 156) and Mike would have been incredibly fantastic to watch (since Serge was slow and steady and Mike faded hard in his last 4 hours).

As for me, Hinson is keeper and I look forward  to returning next year.

Thanks for reading,

Shannon