After I ran my first 50k in September I looked to enter another. There is not a lot to choose from that is close by. Yankee Springs is an hour or so from my house, so it seemed like a good idea.
The race takes place within a State Recreation Area. It is almost all a single track course with a couple of small two tracks. It is hillier than what I train on. Lots of rocks and roots.
The weather report for the day was snow in theearly am, turning to rain. We have had no snow on the ground for a while. The 50 mile race was to start at 6. The 50k at 9. Eric (Gator Eye) called me Friday and said he was running the 50 mile. It sounded like if all went well we might finish around the same time. I was hoping for 6ish hours.
It just started snowing about 5 am. By 6 the roads were covered and slippery. The route to the race includes a lot of very dark and curvy roads...I think I arrived around 730. I picked up my number and chatted with runners in the lodge. It was pleasant...but made leaving for the cold outdoors difficult.
We clustered at the start...they gave whatever instructions I could not hear and we were off. I wore tights, a long sleeved shirt and a light jacket, a cap and gloves. I warmed up and fairly quickly took off the jacket. I wore my winter shoes, which are water shoes, with a pair of thick wool socks.
The first aid station was pretty quick. I took a swallow of Gatorade and moved on. it was slippery under foot and I debated for a long time about putting on my yak trax extremes. I arrived at the second AS and decided to use the bathroom. I chatted with the lady who exited and found she was in my age group. A very experienced road runner/marathoner. We chatted as we left the AS and ended up running the rest of the race together. Sometimes she paced us, sometimes she did. Running with her made my race. We shared a lot of our personal lives with each other and it made the miles for the first loop fly by.
Did I mention I was undertrained? By mile 10ish I knew this was not going to be pretty. I had put in my yaks around mile 6 and it made a huge difference....BUT...my toes were running up against the chain of the yak. Water shoes are really soft. I had never run this far in them with yaks. Around mile 14 I had to take them off because the pain in my right 2nd and third toes was too much to bear. The snow had turned to rain, which alleviated some of the footing problems.
My new friend and I finished the first loop. I changed into a light shirt and jacket. My gloves were wet. I lingered too long and became chilled. Without my friend I probably would not have talked myself out for loop #2. I was cold and miserable. We talked and ran. With the rain the miles would have sucked without the talking.
I think after we exited the second aid station a gentleman joined us briefly who was running the 50 mile. The age looked close and I asked if his name was Eric...and it was! He ran with us for a few minutes. He looked great. I was still wearing my yaks at that point (now I am not sure when I took them off) and was a little bit jealous of them, but clearly did great without them as he sped down the trail.
Miles 16-22 were tough for me, and my friend led most of that part. Each aid station turned into an oasis despite my cold and misery. When we left the station around 22 I started leading. The food kicked in and I picked up our pace on the flats. This was a very hilly section and we hiked the ups..and some of the steeper technical downs. Eventually it turned into a terrible grind. We finally got to the aid station marking 3 miles to go. I was cold and wet and must have looked like shit. The AS person asked me if I thought I could make it. I said I could and we set off. My friend was walking. I told her I had to run or I was going to become hypothermic. So I ran much of what remained very fast. I just wanted to get done. FINALLY the end was in sight! We finished together...joining hands in victory! They gave her first in our age group..I took second.
In retrospect, there were times I ran slower for hwe benefit and she did the same for me. Every mile was better though because we ran together.
I feel better today than last night...except for my toes...I think I need to pop a blister under my toenails.
Thanks for reading!
January , 2022 Yankee Springs Winter Challenge 25k
Faster Than Your Couch!
Congratulations! This must have been a tough races, and then the weather on top of that. But you seem to have managed it well. 50k in cold rain is quite a challenge.
I hope the blisters will go away quickly. I had to pop a blister under my toenail three times before it eventually did not recur again, but the pain relief was worth the effort. Heal up soon!
Run for fun.
Congratulations, Moonlight! It sounds like it was a very tough and miserable day in the rain and sleet. I hope the blisters heal quickly and you can get out for a recovery run.
Congratulations. I don't know if I would want to do a 50k in the winter up in your neck of the woods. Blisters under the toenails??? Ouch.
Very nice job moonlight! Way to push through the snow and cold rain, and 2nd place in AG,congratulations!
Actually...I looked at the results...my friend and I were actually 2nd and third. I am old enough that entrants for females in the 50-59 is pretty sparse. There were 3 total...that's OK though. I beat everyone who did not sign up. Overall in the 50k and 50 mile there were entry of DNFs.
One thing I did learn is that for winter weather ultras I need to get specialized clothing. I should have been dressed in smart wool and had extra layers to put on. Wet does not bother me unless it is cold on top of it.
Occasional Runner
Nice work! Thanks for sharing.
Nice job Moonlight!
I was thinking of you yesterday morning knowing you were running in the same crap we were. Glad you survived and did well.
Blisters under the toenails sounds excruciating though.
Great job!!! It's nice to hook up with 'new' friends on the trail. You said that you might not have continued if she wasn't there, and I'll bet she is saying that she would not have continued if you weren't there.
tbd.
Tim
Congratulations. You've come along long way! I'm very happy for you. Conditions sound like fun to me, but I like to embrace bad weather.
“Paralysis-to-50k” training plan is underway!
i don't mind embracing bad weather...but...let's just say...it was more hours in the elements than I would have liked. You are one tough guy...I do t feel that tough.
we both admitted we would have bagged it after loop one. I think the most difficult miles (one of them anyway) was mile 1 away from the start/finish.
Sue
Congratulations!! running in that shit just sounds miserable!!! Way to tough it out and how cool to make a new friend. Future runs together?
05/13/23 Traverse City Trail Festival 25K
08/19/23 Marquette 50 dns 🙄
I hope to run into her again, but she is primarily a road runner. I urged her to run Dances With Dirt Hell for the 50k. It would be nice to run that with her.
It was nice to finally meet you Moon. We met while I was mentally hitting rock bottom, when you called my name and the little bit we chatted brought me out of that slump and let me refocus for a strong finish, thanks. My A goal was 10 hours and I finished around 10:10
Moon, sorry I didn't stick around after but I was worried about the slippery ride home. we have to make good on that training run when the weather warms.