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Tussey Teaser #6: Eager Seeger HM - RR (Read 34 times)

FTYC


Faster Than Your Couch!

    Today I ran the last of the Teaser series of the Tussey Mountainback 50M Ultramarathon and Relay.

    This Teaser covers the new part of the Mountainback course which was redesigned in 2013. The former leg from the Alan Seeger Natural Area to Penn Roosevelt State Park has been replaced by part of the "Eager Seeger HM", starting from Alan Seeger, and leading to Penn Roosevelt State Park. Other parts of the Mountainback course have been re-routed, too, but that's not part of this race and report.

     

    I had never run this route before, and all I had heared about it was that it incorporates a huge, steep hill right at the beginning: 4+ miles at an 8% incline, only slightly easing up toward the top, gaining 1,400 ft. Then gentle downhills, alternating with a few smaller rolling hills. The HM is run almost entirely on packed gravel roads.

     

    I chose to wear my road shoes, as usual when I run on the gravel roads in this area. Shorts, T-shirt, a handheld water bottle, an emergency gel, and - no hat. Not so great considering there are a lot of gnats and mosquitoes out there, but I did not have a hat ready, they were all in the laundry.

     

    I drove to the start late, but there are only two access roads which lead to the start over miles and miles of dusty gravel, and I ended up in the middle of a little convoy of vehicles all driving to the start area. When I left the parked car, I was surprised how dusty it was.

     

    I met some friends and knew instantly that this would be a fast race. Lots and lots of the HM "specialists" from our running club were there, all in their best shape, eager to set new course records and personal bests. And then there was me, just a couple weeks post-pneumonia, again suffering from a cold with a bad cough, knowing I was barely in the shape to run a HM at all.

    But, on the bright side, the weather was perfect, temps in the lower 60's, partly cloudy, no wind.

     

    A few instructions before the start, and at exactly 8:30, we were off. The field started out surprisingly slow, and I soon found out why. The incline started right there in our face, almost vertically uphill (well, this might be a slight exaggeration, but it seemed unproportionally steep). Several of the faster runners started to power-walk this uphill, and - coughing, wheezing and gasping for air - I noticed that they were at least as fast as me trying to run. What the ???

     

    At mile one, I wondered why the "arrow" pointing in the direction of the course was drawn on the ground only halfway .

    By mile two, I deeply regretted having filled my water bottle almost to the top.

    By mile three, I wondered when the "easing off" would start.

     

    Meanwhile, while I could still see my friend Barb (who usually is about my pace, or just a bit faster) somewhere up ahead, I had arrived at the back of the pack, and I was sure I was 4th- or 5th-last. I did not mind this too much, as I knew that my pace was just slow due to the pneumonia and cough, no matter how much effort I put in, but I started doubting this whole running thing in general.

    Maybe I was better off just retiring to the couch, and not exhaust myself for -- what anyway?

    Maybe I should just turn around and walk back to the car?

     

    But, I don't really know why, I kept going. Just slowly trudging up this hill, keeping my "forever pace", trying not paying too much attention to how many runners still were behind me, or how far.

     

    As mile 4 came along, I made up my mind that turning around would be a hassle, having to walk all this (now) downhill back, so I kept going. The steep hill eased off eventually, and there were some shorter almost flat sections. Slowly, I found into my groove, and I could start working on getting my mind out of that funky mood. Breathing was better, too, wheezing had stopped, and I felt stronger again.

     

    Miles 5 and 6 ticked away, and meanwhile, I was running all alone. The girl ahead of me had just vanished out of sight (and her annoying perfume, too, which had bothered me quite a bit on the uphill), and the guy behind me had not kept up. OK with me, I don't need company on my runs.

     

    Mile 7, halfway, finally, and many thanks to the heavens above. Now it was a lot easier to run, and I started having fun. I still held back, just because I knew I should take this race just as a training run and not exhaust myself to the limit, as I feared the pneumonia might flare up again, from my cough and all. So I just jogged along the downhills happily, slowly catching up to perfume girl again.

     

    I ran all alone until mile 10. At times, I wondered if I even was on the right course still.

     

    Shortly before mile 10, I caught perfume girl and left her, and the intense fragrance behind.

     

    I caught up to a guy, who introduced himself as Adam. We stayed together, and he told me about his running, that he had started just a while ago, and that he was proud to run this "tough" HM. He was training for a marathon later this year. He told me about his mom, who was about my age, but totally out of shape, and how much he loved running.

    For the first time in my running career, I felt that this guy really deserved to finish strong. As we were trotting along, we were encouraging each other, and the last mile, we went really fast.

     

    Now I am known for staying behind competitors up to the very end, then slyly speeding up, and beating them in an all-out sprint right before the finish line (or maybe the 1/4 mile before).

     

    But this time, something was different.

    While we were still speeding up, sprinting toward the line, I did not go into turbo mode, and I was able to let Adam finish right before me, without feeling beaten, deserved or not, without feeling I had to give up something to let him finish first, and without needing any appreciation or even a comment about it. It just felt right to have him finish before me.

     

    My time was something around 2:07:something, as I had expected (not what I had hoped for, but what I knew was realistic). I can live with that, considering the shape I'm currently in, the effort I put in.

     

    After the race, Mike, the RD, gave out coupons for a pair of socks, for ice cream, and other stuff, to runners who had finished all Teasers of the series, and some more coupons to runners whose birthdays were closest to important dates of the Mountainback series. It was a lot of fun and laughing.

     

    After driving home on miles and miles on dusty gravel roads, not only I needed a shower, but my car is also in desperate need of a wash!

    Run for fun.

    runtraildc


      Great report, Couch!  Congrats on your finish and a quite respectable time.

      jamezilla


      flashlight and sidewalk

        Congrats on the half Couch! You'll get your fitness back quick now that you're on the upswing.  Very cool that you connected with Adam and got to help him have his moment.  I really enjoyed the race report (oh and I've followed perfume girls before too, so I was with you on that description ).

         

        **Ask me about streaking**

         

        AT-runner


        Tim

          Glad you are back on your feet.  Hope recovery continues to go well.

           

          Looks like your "motherly" side won out over your "competitive" side while you paced Adam to the finish.

          “Paralysis-to-50k” training plan is underway! 

          Daydreamer1


            Thanks for posting. Glad to hear that it went pretty good for you considering your recent struggles with the pneumonia. Maybe next year I can get up there to give you some competition in that series.

            TrailProf


            Le professeur de trail

              Awesome! Have you made a decision about ES? I didn't know if your sickness had derailed you that much or not.

              My favorite day of the week is RUNday

               

               

              FTYC


              Faster Than Your Couch!

                Awesome! Have you made a decision about ES? I didn't know if your sickness had derailed you that much or not.

                I'm going to run it, at least try to get as far as I can.

                Right now, 30 miles seem ok, 40 a bit of a stretch, on trails similar to ES. But I still have a few weeks to shape up, and my self-assessment does not figure in extended walking, so I might get a bit further within the allowed cutoffs.

                 

                There's no failure in trying, right?

                Run for fun.

                moonlightrunner


                  Congratulations! I am glad you are feeling better and that you are going to run ES. I hope your cough dissaptes quickly.

                  January , 2022 Yankee Springs Winter Challenge 25k

                  TrailProf


                  Le professeur de trail

                    I'm going to run it, at least try to get as far as I can.

                    Right now, 30 miles seem ok, 40 a bit of a stretch, on trails similar to ES. But I still have a few weeks to shape up, and my self-assessment does not figure in extended walking, so I might get a bit further within the allowed cutoffs.

                     

                    There's no failure in trying, right?

                     

                    My 2 cents is to walk early and often....wrap your brain around being on your feet for 32+ hours.  I think you will be fine.  You are a mentally tough person!

                    My favorite day of the week is RUNday

                     

                     

                    mtwarden


                    running under the BigSky

                      thanks for the report!  Nothing like a steep hill right off the getgo to let the gremlins creep in Smile

                       

                      sounds like you're healing right along (seemed like half of us were on the mend in some fashion or another this last couple of months) and you're fitness is catching up

                       

                       

                      2023 goal 2023 miles  √

                      2022 goal- 2022 miles √

                      2021 goal- 2021 miles √

                       

                      Sandy-2


                        Nice job on the Tussey Teaser !!!!!  I was planning to go on the "new" route on a run last year while I was up your way, but got a bit turned around and missed it.  I'm now thinking that was a good thing.  ;-)

                        2/17/24 - Forgotten Florida 100 Mile, Christmas, FL

                        FTYC


                        Faster Than Your Couch!

                          Nice job on the Tussey Teaser !!!!!  I was planning to go on the "new" route on a run last year while I was up your way, but got a bit turned around and missed it.  I'm now thinking that was a good thing.  ;-)

                          4 miles uphill will feel just like a short jaunt after having run 15 miles uphill on the first hill of Bighorn - just sayin'... (not that I'm an enabler, just comparing two nice courses, honest!)

                          Run for fun.

                          Sandy-2


                            4 miles uphill will feel just like a short jaunt ....

                             

                            Yes, but I get seasick looking at the elevation chart of Hardrock.  Yikes. 

                            2/17/24 - Forgotten Florida 100 Mile, Christmas, FL

                            FTYC


                            Faster Than Your Couch!

                               

                              Yes, but I get seasick looking at the elevation chart of Hardrock.  Yikes. 

                               

                              I know. The name suggests this could be so much fun. Then, all those months of preparation, figuring out what to wear, which shoes, maybe even how to do your hair, so that you look good when you're in the spotlight.

                               

                              And then, last minute, just when you're wrapping up your packing lists, you realize you may just as well leave your electric guitar at home - this isn't going to be a music event. Bummer.

                              Run for fun.