Pre-Race:  The last 11 weeks have been tough, from plantar fasciitis to knee trouble and just normal things one will have when you've got a family.

My longest run was 14 miles other than the 15 miler I cut in half last Sunday, and even though I was doing a lot of doubles, I was lucky if I got in a 45 mile week. I was beginning to accept the very likely chance that I would end up doing the half marathon instead.

Towards the final week I made up my mind that I was going to do the full marathon, whether that meant a horrible second loop or barely making it out at all. The last couple of weeks have been getting better and better for me, I was finally starting to feel like I was getting back to my pre-LBLM self again. So knowing that this race would kick my a$$ was a little frustrating, but since nothing is certain, especially races and vacations, I knew I needed to get this marathon in because at this time I am not sure if I'll have another chance at a long distance race this year.

I picked up my packet Friday evening and went home. I got my race clothes ready, and my change of clothes in my gym bag, then I made sure that my hydration pack had everything I would/might need (good thing I put extra GU's in there, after fearing getting more lost yesterday, I think I might be buying one of those fancy little water purifier thingies too.. what good is "food" if  you can't drink when you're lost). I was... ready?

I was up at 3:15 AM Saturday morning, I think I started my coffee and then got ready. I ate a Cinnamon Raisin English muffin with peanut butter and cherry jam, had some coffee and quite a bit of water. I let the house at 4:40 AM, I wanted to make sure I got there in time to use the facilities and make sure I had what I needed. Just 10 minutes from the park, I had to stop and pee in some really tall grass, thankfully nobody drove by at that moment.

Got there, park and hit the facilities, put some vasoline on my thighs and under arm areas. At 5 til 6 we lined up, and then by 6:02 AM we were off.... the half marathoners wouldn't start until 6:30 AM.

The first 3-5 miles seemed to tick off pretty quickly, it seemed pretty uneventful. Can't remember but I think the first aid station was around mile 5..... and things were going great or well enough, I was taking my Hammer Nutrition Endurolytes Extreme tablet every 45 minutes. I had Perpetuem in my 18 oz water bottle, and I had a Cherry Lime Gu somewhere along the course but I can't remember when.

I had one guy in front of me, and could see the two ladies up ahead of us and things were going good. It was between mile 7 and 8 (according to my garmin) when all four of us stopped at a fork going left or right, confused. They had been doing really good with taping and marking until right here, and I decided to follow the ladies while the guy went right..... (should've followed the more attractive of the 3 damn it!).

After about 10 minutes I knew we were on the wrong course but didn't want to turn around alone, as far as we had gone, there had been another off trail or two and I was sure I would have picked another wrong path. We came out on a service trail after about 15-20 minutes, and came upon a volunteer who let us know that were weren't the only ones. I can tell you right now, I knew instinctively that it had cut 20-25 minutes off of what we should've ran and I will tell you why shortly.

Last year, during the half I finished the race with my garmin around 10-11 miles so when my garmin said around 9 miles I knew it was off quite a bit. My heart, my mojo was kicked right in the stomach after that, plus I was worried I'd be disqualified... but Chris (the RD) looked a little upset as he knew quite a few had already made this mistake, and wasn't going to disqualify anybody, but they did make sure to send somebody out to fix that mistake immediately.

I went off ahead of the two ladies, knowing they'd catch me eventually. The first 3 miles of the loop is on mainly service trails... large enough for service vehicles to get on if they need to, then right before we come up on the mountain bike trails there are port-a-potties which I had to stop at... and that is where the ladies passed me.

At this point heading back onto the trails I was pretty much alone and just trekking along, pissed off at getting lost and that my garmin was only honest as far as time. But I was pushing on, I didn't care if I finished after 6 hours, I was going to finish the damn thing.

The next hour or so was uneventful, as I came upon the fork I saw that they had quickly taped off the wrong turn. That was nice, I was also hearing people.... voices... but I couldn't see anyone ahead of me... at this point the trail really began it's twists and turns and switchbacks and I also realized the difference between this part and the wrong turn we made..... this was hell and going to be an uphill battle.

Up and up and around and back and around and up and sometimes down.... and then up again... it was a freaking roller coaster for mountain bikers! Bloody hell, and the voices I kept hearing were driving me crazy... I wanted to hope some people were just ahead of me, I didn't want to be alone but I could never see them. There were a few rare points where I saw the same guy who made the correct turn but that was only when the trail was making such a tight (left) turn that the trail ahead was parallel but about 25-30 feet apart.

Around 3.5 hours my brain decided to really torture me, and started thinking about ice cold root beer, ice cold root beer floats and fruit and ice cold water.... yeah I was mentally distraught and breaking at this point, and an ice cold coke would have helped so much right then (I am suggesting they have those options next year damn it). Maybe LBLM spoiled me, because they did have cokes and fruit after the 2nd loop for marathons and ultra runners.

I found the unmanned aid station and a couple were still there, the man was pouring water on himself while the woman headed on, he told me they had also accidentally taken the wrong turn during their 1st loop and his watch was at mile 21 (he said it is normally pretty close to correct). My garmin was saying 18.3 at that very moment. Last year this aid station did have volunteers and ice cold water which was a nice treat just before what lay ahead of us.... I was about to realize it too.

At this point I reached hell, if I thought the trails behind me had been tough and insane.. my eyes were wide open here. It is hard to describe just how badly twisted these trails were, but I will say that if this same course was turned into a roller coaster and kept exactly as it was... it would be the most insane beast I've yet to encounter, and a lot of it was uphill.

I was barely hanging on mentally, but I kept going, running when I could and hiking the uphill parts. The sun started peaking out and I was cursing it, hating it with a passion. With it came glaring heat, not just muggy heat but glaring.. in your face... mocking you heat.

A runner came out of nowhere from ahead, but running the other way... probably trying to make up for the lost mileage. I thought for sure I was getting close to getting out, I could hear cars on a road but could see nothing but trees. Shortly after seeing him, I came upon an unmarked fork... F*%^!!!!! I looked left and right, and I was about to hit my knees in despair... I was never getting out of this , at least not near my Tahoe or the finish. After a few seconds, I chose left and started up that way as I could hear the couple coming behind me... Not 100 feet on this trail came another off trail from this one... no mark or tape!!!! I chose to stay on this trail, and take my chances.... shortly after, I could see the couple was coming my way so at least I wasn't possibly lost alone. I wanted ice cold water, I wanted to talk to someone, to laugh at this mess but to not be alone.. it would've been slightly different had I not gotten lost the first loop and felt like I didn't earn the finisher's medal.

We kept pushing ahead, I began running more just to keep them behind me so that they wouldn't leave me alone out here. The trail was still twisting and turning and going up and down, and it didn't look like I was going to get out.

Finally.. finally I saw the opening to the way out, and volunteers and then the road which is like a 3/4 mile from the finish. My feet ached but I didn't slow to walk on that road, I kept running, just wanted to finish and sit down.

I finished 4:58:08 with who knows how many miles, I know it wasn't 26.2 but it sure felt so much harder than the Land Between the Lakes Marathon, I would have to say this course is pure hell and it is a brutal beast and doesn't forgive or show mercy. The last 3-4 miles are the hardest part of the course, and the heat sure don't help.

  Yeah, it was tough... it wasn't easy by any means but I am very happy I pushed to the end and didn't stop after the first loop. I've come to realize that I've got to add this loop to my training, or at least half of it, the drive to it sucks but some sacrifices have to be made. I even made a suggestion to the RD to maybe see about adding a 3rd loop option to next year, this course would indeed make for a brutal (but great) ultra-marathon race. But I also suggested that they add some soft drinks to their aid stations, and coolers full of icy cold water so that we can dunk our heads into, maybe some sponges to use as well.

Well, another trail marathon over and done, it was brutal and hard but it hasn't slowed me down at all on the direction I want to go. It has just opened my eyes even more about what I've got to do to train and prepare for such tough events like trail marathons and possibly ultra-marathons.

 

Now that's the spirit!!!! You are now officially a crazy trail runner. When the course beats you up and knocks you down what do you do???? Suggest adding another loop, that's what. Way to go .

Lol, glad I'm not the only one with that logic 

Thanks, here in a couple weeks once I start my training for the Mark Twain Endurance 50, I'll be adding this loop to a few weekend long runs, if I can only get it in there once a month then I'll aim for 15-20 miles out there.

Nice job, FreeSoul.  One of my biggest pet peeves is a  poorly marked race course.  No excuse getting people lost in the woods, and can be dangerous.

Good job, way to tough it out.  That is quite annoying about the poorly marked trails.  As you were describing the section at the end where you didn't know if you were going the right way but looked back to see runners coming, they might just have been following you.  Fortunately, you went the right way!

And yes, suggesting adding a loop to bump it up a level is a +100.

Thanks for sharing.