I have wanted to run this race for several years. It is billed as the most difficult of the 4 races in that series. Over the years I have run the race in Hell, MI and in Wisconsin. I have not traveled (nor will I ever go) to run the Florida version.

Training

Has not been consistent. Longest run in many months was 15 miles.

Decision to go anyway:

Was made on Wednesday. The kids (who I usually take care of while DD works on Saturday )were going to my ex's for the weekend. So...WHY NOT?

The Area

The race takes place near Gnaw Bone Indiana in the Brown County State Park. It is a very well run race. The company who puts it on (Running Fit) does a great job, although I see some sadistic tendency with the folks that come up with the course. The race is a mix of horse trails, technical mountain bike trails and...for fun they take you off trail many times. And..by the way, from the perspective of a relative flatlander, INDIANA HAS MOUNTAINS.

Race Day

I drove the 5 hours on Friday and got a room in the cheapest hotel I could find. I am really glad I did because it pored down rain through the night. It is billed as a muddy race, and this year's version was going to live up to that expectation. It was cold...and...I neglected to put in my jacket or a long sleeved shirt (it is mid May, afterall!) I had a thin t shirt, which I put in over my tank top for warmth...but was very cold waiting for the start.

I wish I could describe the race like you all do, but it is a blurr. After running a gravel road we entered the State Park...and climbed up in thick, deep, and nearly contant mud. I had placed myself in the rear, and the group I was with hiked this. Any attempt at a run would have been a futile waste of energy. When it flattened and the deep mud dwindled, we started running. But through out the next miles the terrain was punctuated with steep hills and deep mud. It was kinda funny, I saw people trying to avoid the mud. I was wearing 5 fingers. I just plowed through it. There were many large downed trees that had to be climbed over, mud to be dealt with and an occasional stretch of relatively dry mountain bike trails. I was having a great time, Leapin' and Hoppin' around mile 8 when I tripped and fell. Scraped and bloody elbow was the worst physically, but it eroded my confidence in runnable areas. It was around here (miles 8 through 20) I paired up with a gentleman with whom I conversed pleasantly and fell into his run and hike pattern. I knew I should be running more, but I decided to shadow him. He was close to my age, had run this before and was from the area. I chose his wisdom "I race for a good recovery. What is the fun in not being able to walk without assistance tomorrow?". Overall, he was a godsend and our conversation made the miles, the hills and the deep, soul-sucking mud seem fun. For a while. Somewhere in this section I noticed a pain in my chest making it difficult to take a deep breath and my neck hurt. Yup! My neglected upper body was giving out on me! I knew I should lift weights..but...like eating kale...it never happens. At the aid station I spent a long time in the bathroom with intestinal issues. My trail buddy thought I left and took off to catch up. It was the last I saw of him until I finished.

It was at this point my run/hike turned into hiking only. My neck hurt and my chest did too. I played leapfrog with two young men who were also mostly hiking because one of them was having cramping issues. There were some very steep off trail sections requiring a crawl, there were stairs. Stairs were easy..I walk stairs all the time at work. There was no shortage of hills, soul sucking mud and rocks, downed trees, drop offs and all the things I find fun,,,when not in intese pain. Getting through it was a game..a series of races. "How far to the nxt aid station? 4.3 miles..then this is a 4,3 mile race. I can get through 4.3 miles!". I was absolutely miserable the last 5.5 miles. My legs were fatigued but it was my upper body that was in agony. I think I finished in around 10 hours. I won my age group (pretty sure I was the only one IN my age group). My intent was to drive 5 hours home. I was too tired and in too much pain to be safe, so I got through the Indianapolis area and got a hotel room for the night. I hurt everywhere and can't sleep.

I will likely NEVER do this race again. For me, the 50k distance is challenge enough without it being an extreme 50k. Am I glad I ran it? Maybe when the pain is a memory.

Congratulations Moonlight!  And I hope you got home safely (and somewhat comfortably). Good way to spend the child-free weekend. You deserved it.

Congrats. Don't worry you want remember the pain. You might remember you had pain but you want remember the feeling of it.

If not no woman would have a second child.

Yeah...I was thinking that if I did a 50 mile training program to prepare I might be capable of running the 50k at this event better.

Moon, nice job!!!

You say it now, but you'll probably be back next year. 

50 mile plans are nice, but with your grandmother duties, the time required does jump up for the long runs.  Sticking to a 50K plan but adding a more aggressive run (terrain + hills) once in a while might help out. I really like to simulate race conditions as much as I can on long runs to get ready. It helps me physically and mentally on race day.

You've come a long way, so be proud of your accomplishments.

Moon, nice job!!!

 

You say it now, but you'll probably be back next year. 

 

50 mile plans are nice, but with your grandmother duties, the time required does jump up for the long runs.  Sticking to a 50K plan but adding a more aggressive run (terrain + hills) once in a while might help out. I really like to simulate race conditions as much as I can on long runs to get ready. It helps me physically and mentally on race day.

 

You've come a long way, so be proud of your accomplishments.

It is hard to get in training time with my life. I am hopeful (always hopeful) that will change. It is hard to train for the extreme mud and hills. I need to find good substitutes.

Mud is the worst. Hopefully the course will be drier when you run it next year.

 Three days later and now you plan on doing it again.  We are a strange bunch.

Queen: I an still sore and full of fluid. In very glad I did it. Planning on doing it again next year.