was when I said that ......
Saturday morning, it was dark and 4:15 AM. The race started at 6 AM, we had a 30 minute drive to the De Soto National Forest outside of Laurel, Mississippi and I had that feeling of oh no, it's going to be a long day. I tried to shrug it off, making wise cracks and joke just as I would before any race. My friend, Andrew and I made our final preparations for this long journey ahead. We had talked about running a race of this distance several times until we finally made the commitment. He had done his training runs in the hills in Georgia and I was coming off a PR marathon just 3 weeks prior. The day we had anticipated was finally upon us and I just didn't have that "confident" feeling I would normally have before a race. This wasn't the pre-race jitters, this was that feeling that "it's gonna be a struggle to run". I made sure my Garmin didn't "beep" on each mile, I didn't really want to be reminded unless I specifically looked. We packed up and headed out to the forest.
When we arrived, after almost missing one of the turns, it was still dark. We got out and checked in, got our stuff together and began to mingle. Of course, I'm still joking and having that feeling that it's gonna be tough today. The race director begins the directions ....... GO!
We were off. I was off on a race that was going to be a test of endurance and willpower. Could I do it? Would I bonk? Gosh, I wish I had that feeling of "what a great day to run" but it just wasn't there. We ran for the first couple of miles and the first water crossing. Everybody was trying to avoid getting their feet wet early and I was no exception. We continued on until we hit a huge mud hole, I skirted the edge and kept on going ... only my right shoe was still in the mud .... CRAP! I turned around, stepped in the mud, put my shoe back on and took off up the trail. Oh, I guess you've figured out this is a trail race. It's the Carl Touchstone Memorial Mississippi 50. 3 races in one, you can choose to run the 20K, 50K or 50 Mile and even switch races up or down. Anyway, back to the race ... I'm doing ok, just trying to keep some kind of pace going. My street running friends don't always seem to understand about pace on a trail run .. you can't always keep the same pace, it's always changing. I pass Andrew, or should I say Andrew passes me on our first out and back loop. We shout at each other and keep on moving. Andrew later told me that when we passed, he didn't think I'd finish, heck I didn't either at that point in time. I managed to strike up a few conversations, very few, on this first of two huge loops. I just kept moving. My clothes were soaked with sweat and sweat was rolling off the bill of my hat. Sometimes it would get in my eyes and burn. Keep drinking I tell myself. I sweat something awful and if not careful, I will dehydrate quickly. I think somewhere between miles 13 and 15, Andrew and I passed each other on another little out and back loop. We shouted encouragements to each other and I just kept thinking I'm not sure I'm going to finish. The first loop is about over and the checkpoint is coming up, about 17 miles down, decision time. I sense I'm getting a blister on my left heal - GREAT!! Only about 100 yards to the checkpoint, there's the van, I'm changing socks. I change my socks and start back off. There's the checkpoint. "Well, what's it's gonna be Mark?" I ask myself.
I keep going, past the check point, they call out my bib number. "I'm gonna do it!" I told myself. I never looked back or thought about it again. Funny, the rest of the time out there, it never occurred to me to stop, quit or turn back. Off down the trail I go. I don't remember those fences ... hmm, oh well, it was still a little dark when we passed by here the first time. Water crossing again, I know I have a blister - I feel it. Andrew and I pass each other again, we shout again and I tell him, "I'm gonna do it!" He sees it in my eyes and believes me. See, I couldn't quit, earlier before the race, I had told him to give me some crap when I crossed the finish line. Something like, "what took you so long?" So you see, I had to finish, I had to cross the finish line. Aid station is somewhere up here, maybe 1/2 mile or so, maybe they've got something for a blister. Aid station #1, I ask if they have anything for a blister. I put a huge gauze pad and tape on my heal, grab some food and drink then take off. Across the water again ... great for my blister. Time ..... makes me think of Pink Floyd ...... doesn't matter so much, just finish this thing I kept telling myself. Man, it's starting to get warm out here. Funny, a week ago it snowed, now it's going to get up to 80 degrees today. What mile is it? 18. Somethings wrong here, what is it? Oh, I know, no more sweat dripping off my hat. I take note, my clothes are just about dry ... How much water do I have left? 2/3 full, when is the next aid station? Gotta drink and conserve water at the same time. I look at my Garmin, mile 22. Wow, ONLY 10 miles to go ... I'm going to make it, I CAN make it! I stop. Looking up ahead, I don't see anyone. I look behind me, no one there. I listen, nothing, nothing but the sound of wind blowing through the trees. What a peaceful sound. It's tranquil here. I love it, what a feeling. I'm starting to cramp, exhausted, thirsty but it's perfect, it's so quiet. Is this the right trail? Yep, there's the orange tape. Time to start moving again. Water, 1/4 a bottle ... where is that aid station?! I get passed by another runner. "Hey, where's the aid station?", I ask. "Just up here" he says. Mile 26+. I've done a marathon.
I'm charting into new territory now. I'm going to go beyond any distance I've ever run (or walked at this point). 5-6 miles to go, I'm gonna make it. Aid station #2, these guys are great! What do you need, I ask them to fill my water bottle. They ask if I want ice? "Oh, that would be great!!" "Thanks!" I've never been so appreciative of the volunteer at the aid station, though I've worked a few (on shorter races). When you train for marathons you always hear about not trying anything in a race you haven't tried on a long run. The heck with that!!! I drank some Coke, a little Sprite, ate some M&M's, a few Gummie Bears, and a few pretzels. Another drink of water and I took off. I feel so much better. I pick up the pace again but have settle back into a slow jog. I'm really cramping good now. Whoa, oh, oh, I tripped over a small tree stump and the sudden move put my legs into nothing but knotted pain ...... relax, oh, that's better, keep moving forward. For the next couple of mile I walk and run, well the run is more like a shuffle so as not to cramp up. And when I do, I walk. Aid station # 3, 28+ miles, only 4 to go. I'm going to make it. I'm gonna do it! Piece of cake!! I hurt and have gone farther than ever before and I'm still moving forward. Aid station #4 only 2 + miles to go and then the finish. I pick up the speed. I run now every chance. I'm trying to finish strong. I'm going to finish strong. I've got this licked! "I'm gonna do it!" Last mile to go. Is that white up there the finish tent? .... Hey, it's moving .... what the .... ha, it's a horse and wagon. I had to laugh, I mean I just started laughing out loud. Keep moving, gotta finish! There's the road. This is it! One more short walk .... OK, run, whatever is left in your body, legs and emotion ..... run, run to the finish.
There's Andrew to my right. I shout, "I told you I was gonna do it!!!" He didn't say anything ... that's not like him to not say something ..... The finish line!! Time 6:53:09, I did it!!
We hopped in the van and headed home. I asked Andrew why he didn't say anything. He told me he knew how hard it was for him and just didn't have the heart to give me a hard time. I told him I was disappointed. We both laughed and began discussing our experiences.
Maybe I'll tell about the ride home at another time. I would like to say that this is a great 50K trail experience. The aid stations were great, the camaraderie along the trail with the runners fantastic. And, the trail wasn't too technical, really pretty easy.
Well, that's it. I guess the question is what's next? ....... The Twisted Ankle Trail Marathon in North Georgia is what's next.
I think I'm getting my legs back under me and back into full training mode again.
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