History:  So I signed up for Blues on June 24th before I had even ran a marathon. The reason? I don’t know….I guess I knew in my mind that I could finish it. And quit honestly I was starting to get bored with the cookie cutter marathon training plan I was currently doing. I also started to grow tired of the blacktop road running and yearned for the trails more. Another reason was that my  training for my then “target” fall race, the Philadephia Marathon, was going so well and I was already regularly running 18 and 20 mile training runs on the weekend that I figure why not.  However a month later I wound up signing up for The Dam Full Trail Marathon as my last long run prior to BC as I altered my training schedule mid way to ramp up my long runs from the standard 20 milers for a road marathon to 26 miles for a trail 50K. In retrospect, I have to say I’m glad I did because the Dam Full was soooooo much fun and a great small race with great people and a some really nice challenging climbs. That race also gave me another long run to really get my fueling down (which I did) and gave me just another boost of confidence which is always nice to have.

Training: I live an hour drive from Blue Marsh Lake. It’s far but I really wanted to train on the actual trails so I began to go there for the majority of my long runs. I would do the lower 22 mile loop using Church Road as the cut off from the upper 7 mile loop and park at the stilling basin. Some weekends I would drive there and do the upper smaller loop on Saturday then the lower 22 mile section Sunday. I did this several times so I really got to know those trails. That also really helped with confidence. Usually I like to be surprised when running a race. I don’t really care if I have never ran there. To me that’s part for the fun. I think that’s why I loved running The Dam Full. But I figured this was perfectly set up for long runs and it was worth the drive.

Race Day: I was running the race with my running buddy Kourtney who is a road marathon runner but does occasionally do trails. It’s nice because we are both relatively the same speed.  Our departure time was set at 6 am. I try to wake up at least four hours prior to the start of a race. Had my usual bagel and coffee and ate a cliff bar during the drive there. We arrived at about 7:15 with the race starting at 8:30. Starting temperature was about 40 degrees, no humidity, and partly sunny. Perfect weather. We picked up our schwag, I ate a Honey Stinger waffle, used the bathroom several times, lined up, and cheered that Bart Yasso was there which was a fun surprise. We sorta lined up around mid pack probably favoring slightly more towards the back. We both refused to get caught up with the gazelles at the start and in a race of this length that would be a fatal error. And off we went up the grass and up the parking entrance and into the field.

The first hill was very early right past the soybean field and I was a little shocked that so many people were trying to pass and jockey for position ahead of it. I was thinking to myself my god we have 31 miles to go what is the rush. That hill is runnable but Kourtney and I opted to run half and power hike the top half. Then it was a simple run down to the stilling basin up the hill and into the woods. We kept it nice and even. I was wearing my Garmin 210 with HRM and I like to keep my HR around 150 if I can, lower of course would be better. I was also carrying 16 ounces of Nuun with caffeine and 16 ounces of Red Bull. I love Nuun and used it all summer. The Red Bull I used for the first time during The Dam Full and again during Sloppy Cuckoo Half and it worked fantastic. I was also carrying two packs of Honey Stinger gels.

The first aid station was around mile 4.5 and it was great. By the time we got there I already ate a pack of my HS gels. I use the theory of eat often and early because bonking is far worse then a sluggish full stomach. I had bonked badly during a 22 mile training run here in the summer on these trails but of course it was oppressively humid that day. But I digress yet again. So the first aid station was fantastic. I was handed a pierogi and Kourtney took some bacon. We slammed some Gatorade and hiked up the parking lot and started running when we hit the woods. Now I’m the type of runner that needs a good 6 miles to warm up. I don’t know why but my legs just seem to need a good 6-10 miles in them to get going. So I was getting warmed up and the air was nice and cool. The sun kept peaking through the trees flickering off the fall colors. It was so nice and soothing to be running in the fall in the Pennsylvania woods. Those first miles really ticked off quickly. This is where we settled in a groove and followed the tried and true plan of running the flats and descents and quickly power hiking the ascents. We practiced this strategy when we trained here. And soon enough it started paying dividends.

Aid station #2 was another awesome time. I slammed a burrito and salted potatoes. One other runner asked how on earth I was able to eat a burrito. I responded with a I don’t know I never have done it and we all were laughing. We chatted with so many runners and all of them were gracious and courteous. The vibe was laid back and chill. The volunteers were very friendly and of course many were drinking beer at 9:30 in the morning and having a blast themselves. Onward we went.

Skinners Loop is where it started getting real  fun. Its a small loop that cuts into the lake then back out around mile 15 and runs a little of a mile in length. As we turned in the loop we could see a pack of around seven runners way ahead. This section is flat and open single track. Kourtney and I had a few runners with us at this point and we very slowly started catching up to these folks. We passed a girl on the flat, then at the halfway point of the loop we caught the pack at a small 80 ft climb and passed all of them on the power hike up. At the top was a great view then it was a fun bombing descent down heading towards the cutoff aid station at Church Road. Funny thing is we were not exactly going hard at all at this point it was just a nice controlled flow. It just so happened that we slowly passed these folks and passing people on the power hikes on the hills was secretly satisfying.

The Margaritaville Aid Station at Church Road mile 17.5 was a truly a gem.  So many of the runners families were camped there waiting while the runners came up that hill to the road. Normally I would have hiked that hill but I was leading a small train of runners up to the approach and the enthusiasm and cowbells from that crowd gave me a thrilling and controlled surge.  I ran into that aid station clapping my hands and thanking everyone. For me that moment was so exhilarating. Fun is the word, it was fun and it should be. People were smiling and clapping and asking the runners what they needed and cars were buzzing by honking their horns. It was pure positive energy at work and a snapshot in time I will truly never forget. I have never experienced an aid station like that. Seriously how can any road race compete with that? That was truly the trail community at work and it felt like a big happy family picnic.

That energy lasted all the way to the aid station five at Heidelberg Rd mile 21. We used that surge to pass several more runners at mile 19 on a very steep 130 ft hill. Relentless. Forward. Progress. Again power hiking and feeling strong and repeating that very classic mantra. Once passed Heidelberg Rd and back into the woods we found ourselves fairly alone for the next several miles all the way to aid station 6 on the backside of Church Rd. I remember the one volunteer telling us only seven more miles left. This is the part of the race that is very runnable and if you let the first twenty miles of the course chew you up you would be in big trouble at this stage.

The only real low point was that open field at mile 28 and Kourtney felt it also. For some reason that open field single track just seemed to go on forever. Its only about a half a mile but it might as well be ten miles long. This is where the two ladies who had been with us for so long finally sensed a lull and past us both as soon as we made it to the woods and started to walk. We cheered them on and they seemed to really surge on. It was as if they were waiting miles for that chance to pass. We walked for maybe 2 minutes and started up again as we really on had a 5k left. Just a 5k. That can be done. Weaving through we finally hit the last hill at mile 30, the abandoned road that also goes on forever. We passed four runners on that hill and they looked shot. We were shot also. Kourtney took charge and passed me and was hiking so fast as she passed them I had to giddy up to stay with her. We both could smell the finish and your could hear people and music at that point. That last mile we were alone and she took the lead and really started running. As we hit the parking lot she got faster and faster and kept telling me to speed up and encouraging me to keep up. We were laughing at that point and hit the grass smiling and thru the finish line. 50K done. We high fived each other and my wife and mother in law ran over and had tears in their eyes. It was a moment. Eleven months and 1,300 miles later I ran an ultra and I finished strong.

My B goal for this race was 7 hours, A goal was 6 hours 30 minutes, we both finished 6 hours 22 minutes FTW!

What a race. From the trails to the volunteers it was an A+ event. Can say enough good things about it. The one race I ran this year that I actually want to do next year. I can’t wait.

By the sound of the description (and a little simple math), you ran the course clockwise.  I ran it in 2011 (the first year they went all the way around the lake) and we ran counter clockwise.  I have wanted to get back and do the clockwise direction to compare it but unfortunately I have not been able to.  I always wondered which was better.

Great report.  Thanks for sharing.

I do have to say that it sounds a bit like me.  I mean that I was a road runner and one year I decided to change up my schedule of road HMs and implement a 10 mile trail race I saw in Lancaster Co.  Wow.  It wrecked me....for the better.  I have yet to run a road race since and that was 2010.  I have nothing against road races and someday I do want to run some more but the longer distance trail races are so much fun.

BTW - running trail in winter is awesome.  Adds a new element if there is snow.  And with the leaves all down, the same trails take on a different feel than when you run them in spring or summer.

Hope to see you out there at either Hyner or Iron Masters.  (I will not be at both but hopefully one of them).

Nice job, and congratulations.

I've done BC a few times, and yes, that field near the end sucks.  When they used to run it as an out and back race, you hit that damn section 2 times.  The Mt. Bikes have made a nice rut in the middle, so it's not great for trail running.  I usually have to run next to keep my ankles from turning with my big feet.

The AS's rock at this race.  Most volunteers are ultra runners and know what the runners need.  I always liked the Octoberfest and Margaritaville AS's the best. Did you have any perogies?

Thanks everyone for the kind words. Now I just have to nail down what 50 milers I want to do for springtime or early summer.  The Dirty German in Philly is only an hour at most from my house so that's kinda almost a no brainer. Although I keep looking at Cayuga Trails 50 in Ithaca. Only problem with that is I loath an out and back course and that's a double out and back. It does look like a sweet place for running so maybe my brain can look past that. Idk.   I really would love a one time 50 mile loop but that seems hard to find for spring...Oh what's a runner to do?

Why wait until next spring??

 

Stone Mill 50 looks like it still has some openings (which is surprising) http://www.stone-mill-50-mile.org/ NOVEMBER 15th

 

My longest run prior to my first 50 (which was Stone Mill in 2011) was 32 miles.  I ran BC that year and then another 50k (that had a bonus mile) a few weeks prior to Stone Mill. (And Stone Mill ended up being 54.5 miles that year - it no longer is that long).  It might be doable for you...just saying.

Oh man don't temp me, I'm easily talked into signing up for races.  If I had no other races planned I would probably just do it. However here is the remainder of my fall bought and paid for race entries.

10/18 Runners world 5k and 10k

10/19 Runners world Half Marathon

10/26 Bucks County 20 miler

11/1 Marathon on the Mountain

11/8 Trenton Half Marathon

11/23 Philadelphia Marathon

I probably should also divulge that I have only been running for 12 months. So squeezing in a 50 miler and then running Philly the next week might be a tad bit much for me. Besides my wife and kids are already like how many races do you have?? haha

I do have Stone Mill penciled in for next year however unless of course my training goes so good that I take the jump into the rabbit hole and sign up for a 100 miler. Yikes...even typing that freaks me out!

Don't listen to Jamie, he's an injury prone enabler .

 

Your schedule looks pretty full.  I would make a mild suggestion not to push all the races.  Run some for fun and pick the ones you really want to "race".  Just a suggestion to keep from getting injured.

 

Good luck and keep us updated.

LOL!  Thank you. Yes honestly I don't really "race" many races. The only race I would probably empty the tank on would be the Trenton half. Just to see if I can make a new PR at the half distance (even though I normally could care less about PR's). So I might go for it if the first few miles go well. Otherwise I just try to stay even and try to sustain a nice pace and walk away not injured and destroyed. That way I can sign up for more and more races and keep the wheel turning and drive my wife crazy!