50K – 31.0685 Miles
Elevation Gain over 50K: 9, 572 ft
Elevation Loss over 50K: 9,570 ft
Elevation Loss over 50K: 9,570 ft
Avg. pace: 16.03 (You had to be there to believe it )
Avg. Speed: 3.7 mph
Avg. Speed: 3.7 mph
Max Speed: 11.7 mph
Age Group Standings: 5th of 7 runners
Overall Standings: 112 out of 133
Total Time: 8:49:59.73 – Now that’s a Butt Kickin slow Whew!!!!
Temperatures were around 50 degrees race day morning. Not wanting to be late, Missus Gj and I headed out from our hotel room around 5am. The drive took twenty minutes. Parking attendants directed us to our parking spot, about 400 meters from the stat/finish line. This was necessary since the Relay teams had to use chase vehicles to meet the respective team runners at the various relay points; their race begin their race at 8am
Although we arrived early there where many runners already readying themselves for the arduous journey ahead (and that is not an understatement). I began to double check, no make that triple check my equipment: My Buddies pictures - check (Please note that I did not carry them around my neck due to the many hazards I would encounter on this run – Missus Gj held them for me at the finish line – she did show them off for all to see), Hydration pack – check, power bars & gels -check, trail shoes – check, drop bag – check, safari hat – check, all is ready
Suddenly, the race director called out “All you Krazy ultra runners to the starting line now, the racer starts in 5 minutes”. All too soon, the starting time (6:15am) was upon us; head lamps were going to be needed to see the trail for the first leg or so of the race. Runners Set...Go, we were off…
The runner’s headlamps made it look like hundreds of fire flies were lighting the trail as we set out. Since the starting line was out in the open at the beach it initially didn’t seem too dark until about a quarter mile later when we entered the foreboding wooded trail, made more for a goat than a human to be sure. At first we runners were bunched up as we snaked our way down the winding trail, looking ahead you could see the flickering of the headlights as the runners weaved in, out and down the darken path. As we proceeded, the pace smoothed out, our rhythms found. For safety reasons none of the runners attempted to pass; besides it was still way too early in the race to do else wise. The sun started to crest over the tress as we neared the end of this part of the race; it was a beautiful sunrise. In fact, I had to stop and marvel at its beauty as we turned down “Monks Rd (running west to east). The orange globe filtered thru a rising fog gave a surreal look to my path forward (it was so beautiful that I thought that maybe this is what heaven is like for my Little Buddies). Appropriately, this section was called the Awakening, 4.75 miles in length and technically would rate a scale of 1 on a 1 to 5 rating with 1 being easiest. That rating would soon be nothing but a pleasant memory living within a horrible reality.
The next several sections of the ultra were technically more challenging and would be worthy of rating of anywhere from a 3 to 5. Most time trails were nonexistent as we blazed our way through poison ivy patches, nettle bushes, around fall tree and 3 knee high streams with muck and mud abounding - It was heaven. As I started to land after jumping a hefty tree blocking the trail, my left calf felt like a hammer hit it. Looking down I didn’t notice any blood so I continued on… this was somewhere around mile 9 ….I should have looked first since on the far bottom side of the truck was a broken limb just waiting to give me my first and only injury of the race. Only now a week later is the bruising evident….
I could go on and on about how beautiful the weather was last Saturday, how challenging the trails were and much I enjoyed the “Dances with Dirt Ultra” race, but there are not enough words to describe it adequately; it has to be lived, experienced - for through the pain of the 31.0685miles I found life and was able to spread the word about my Little Buddies to many runners….
The next several sections of the ultra were technically more challenging and would be worthy of rating of anywhere from a 3 to 5. Most time trails were nonexistent as we blazed our way through poison ivy patches, nettle bushes, around fall tree and 3 knee high streams with muck and mud abounding - It was heaven. As I started to land after jumping a hefty tree blocking the trail, my left calf felt like a hammer hit it. Looking down I didn’t notice any blood so I continued on… this was somewhere around mile 9 ….I should have looked first since on the far bottom side of the truck was a broken limb just waiting to give me my first and only injury of the race. Only now a week later is the bruising evident….
I could go on and on about how beautiful the weather was last Saturday, how challenging the trails were and much I enjoyed the “Dances with Dirt Ultra” race, but there are not enough words to describe it adequately; it has to be lived, experienced - for through the pain of the 31.0685miles I found life and was able to spread the word about my Little Buddies to many runners….
Develop an attitude of gratitude, and give thanks for everything that happens to you, knowing that every step forward is a step toward achieving something bigger and better than your current situation.-- Brian Tracy.
God Bless Everyone of you...
Till later,
Gj
