Lookout Mtn 50

So what would a person do on their 51st birthday that loves to run?

Their first 50 mile trail race of course.

The 4 weeks or so of training leading up to this event were not the best or what I would have liked to have had. Injuries and a couple of colds along with high stress and long hours at work, just wore me down. Luckily, I did manage to get in long runs but not the time on feet that I needed.

Now on to the main event .....

After not getting a lot of sleep, the day has finally arrived. The excitement as well as the unknown provided for nervous energy. This was similar to running my first marathon and first 50k, it's just the unknown of the distance. How will I hold up, how will I do, will I finish, will my body hold up .... all the questions come up. Doug (@SweetDaddyD69 on twitter) came down to crew and be a safety runner .... I think he really just wanted to get in a trail run with me and used this as an excuse to do just that :-)

Walking out of the hotel the weather wasn't too bad but it sure changed when we got to the top of Lookout Mountain, it was in the low 30F's or upper 20F's and a breeze that cut through my lightweight jacket. Grabbed my drop bags and put them in the aid station containers then back the van to warm up. About 7:15 AM went back to the start to catch any last minute announcements - Also Met Tim @Abueloruns and Chris @MrHump who were out there for the 10k race. There were about 260 registered for the 50 miler and when asked how many first timers, there were a lot of hands to go up. Good, I'll have plenty of company to share our pains.

7:30am:

I'll not go into a mile by mile but just hit some highlights and observations along the way.

The first section was about 8 miles winding our way down from the top of the mountain to about 1/2 way down and aid station #2. There were some awesome views - sorry, no pictures; you'll have to hike it or run this race to know what I mean - of Chattanooga, cliffs, rocks and streams. Oh, I forgot, it rained the 2 days prior to the race, this is important to know before getting to aid station #2. As we wind our way around and down, there is the narrow trail that at some points, one bad slip or stumble and you will find the fast way to the bottom of the mountain. Streams of water and mud everywhere, so it's difficult to try and keep from getting wet feet but I managed for a while. Through aid station #1 and I'm a little ahead of schedule (I don't know it though because the Garmin is acting squirrely) fill the bottle, grab some grub and head off on down the mountain. Just before getting to aid station #2 is where the rain comes into play; the creek was over its banks and over the trail, so we wade in, at first it's calf deep but then the next step was up to the crotch - and yes, the water was cold! Along the way I managed to shred my legs with a few thorny vines that wanted to hold me back but I was not going to be denied a finish by some pesky vines. So, thus begins the first of several water crossings and forgetting the thought of dry feet or socks.

We pass through aid station #2 filling bottle and grabbing grub - ok, this is a normal thing that happens so I'll not mention it again - and then the climb back up the mountain soon begins. We did have a little time to get our legs warmed up by running through some flat stuff before the actual climb up. My shoes seemed to dry out a little but I'm not sure if they were really dry, I can't believe they were ever really dry the rest of the day. It's a steady climb of hills, switchbacks and more hills to get to the top. I also stopped to pee (sorry if that's too much information) but that was the last time until later that night. I hit the top at aid station #3 and see my wife, daughter, future son-in-law, and Doug. I make my comments and head back out.

Over the next several miles I make my way through muddy, soggy slop .... the fun of a trail run.

I meet people along the way never really getting their names but just a casual, "how's it going?", "where are you from?" and "is this your first 50?" The one thing you didn't need to ask anyone was are you doing the 10k or some other distance, we were all in the same event. We do a lot of leap frogging along the way. Through the miles and the couple of aid stations it's pretty much your typical trail race. As I pull out of aid station #4 you get the awesome view of one of the waterfalls - spectacular - and then the rope climb up the cliff. Not too bad in daylight and only about 30-40 feet but I thought, this is not going to be easy in the dark on the way back.

I hit aid station #5 and see the "crew" again and this is where Doug was going to run with me as a safety runner (I know he just really wanted a taste of running some trails) but I wanted to do this part myself. See, I've only gone as far as about 32 miles and this was mile 34 with a "4.5 mile" loop coming up. You know, sometimes you just have to push and see where your limit is or what you are capable of doing. I ask how am I doing on time and they tell me still about 30 minutes ahead of my planned time - great!! I head on out and then I get hit by this 20-30 second blast of emotion ... I can do this! I will finish! ... that was such a high I almost lost it and then the crash ... I just kept wondering how long can 4.5 miles be! This can't be right! Doubt begins to creep in but I catch it and keep thinking - if you keep moving forward, you WILL FINISH! Besides, I've told too many people about this. I have family and friends here, I have to finish!

Back to aid station #6 and I pick up Doug. I'm beginning to slow down and it's getting cooler as the sun is beginning to set. Doug is "chatty cathy" and it takes my mind off of the slow pace. We walk and run until it gets dark at which point I begin to do more walking. I think to myself, next 50 miler I want to finish in daylight. I begin thinking of the things I need to do for training to better my performance next time. Doug, I'm sorry but most of what you said that night was just a droning noise but it was company. I warn Doug of where the water (creek crossings) and sloppy parts are going to come up and the rope climb. Just thought as my safety runner, he should know ... LOL.

We come into the last aid station, #7, I want some Ramen Noodles and need to change my socks since my toes are getting cold ... I'm handing out orders but not meaning to really sound like that and I wasn't wanting to sound pushy; it's just if I didn't say it then while it was in my head, I might forget it. This is the first time I have sat down since the start and I try to change my socks but my legs want to cramp, my shoe strings are soaked and my fingers are not very nimble. Doug helps me out .. what a friend, someone that will change wet dirty socks for dry ones .. LOL Thanks Doug, that really meant a lot even if they got wet again not long after that. From here it's only "6 more miles" and we plod along. I try to run but I think a 90 year old with a walker could move faster - haha. We pass a few people and play leapfrog again. We have a young man that is 17 doing his first 50 miler tag along for a bit. I got his story earlier when I came up on him and he was having a low spot. We chatted and I got the run down on his training .. he did his first marathon 3 weeks prior, then a 50k and then another marathon the week before LM50. I told him he was doing great, just trying to pump him up a little. As he was tagging along on the way from aid station #7, I asked how he was doing and he told me fine. I told him good to hear it and we were going to finish this thing.

This had to be the longest 6 miles of my life. It was dark, my legs hurt and I really just want to be done. I start worrying about time because I know I have really slowed down. I'm also trying to remember points along the way so I know how much farther it is to the finish. Not really the thing to do. We come up on another runner and she is cold and keeps asking how far? Maybe that's why that got in my head. I kept trying to shake it by saying we get there when we get there. At one point I'm a little concerned that we may have taken a wrong turn but then I saw the trail markers and felt better. I kept saying it wasn't far once we hit the power lines. When we finally came to them the wind was really whipping through the air. Being wet from sweat and the wind just made it worse. I think it was snowing a little at this point as I kept seeing little specks flying past the headlamp. My breath was heavy and would produce a vapor cloud each time I exhaled. I was having a hard time with my agility at this point and hit a muddy patch that sent a leg one direction, the other another and my hands right into a puddle of water. I still have a tingling sensation in a couple of my right fingertips from wearing gloves that were soaked. We hit the last sloppy mucky section and at this point I know it's only about a mile or less to the finish and I could care less if my feet are wet and cold. The finish is close and I will complete my first 50 miler with time to spare - not much but it was before the cutoff. We get passed by a couple of young kids (ok, maybe early 20's), a woman we had passed earlier and the young 17 year old I had met as we came out of the woods onto the road to the finish. But I will not be denied running through the chute, I pick up the pace and run up the hill to the finish!!! They call my name, congratulate me and I let them know it's my birthday. They give me a big "happy birthday". They hand me my finishers Pint Glass - this is special and will be cherished because it has the date on it - my birthday and first 50 mile completion.

I give my wife a kiss and sit down on the back of the van to get out of the wet shoes. I can't do it, so I ask Doug once again to help and he makes his normal comments as he unties them for me. This is the second time since the start I have sat down. I'm cold, tired and hungry but satisfied with the outcome. Yeah, I'm sure I could have done better and with better training, that will be the plan. I have my mental notes on how and what I need to do next time.

The next couple of weeks are running by feel with no set plan, distance or pace. Then it's kick things back up for MS50 where I will keep Doug and Stan (@Goofy57runner) company on their first 50k.

My daughter now wants to do an ultra since she was asking how long would it take her and how long did it take me .. which are 2 entirely different things. My future son-in-law has also decided he wants to try a marathon. Well, they can both do what ever they set there sights on and are willing to train for. It's not going to be easy and it will hurt but if you want it, you can do it.

OK, if I had to pull out the profound thought that hit me and I'm sure it's been said before because I'm not that smart is this:

I told that young 17 year old runner in his low spot; "You can neither succeed nor fail if you never try, it's only in trying that something will happen". And I had to hold on to that thought as well.

finished 146 of 156 finishers in 13:24:59

I guess a lot of people did not finish or got pulled.

I know it wasn't fast, it sure wasn't pretty but I finished and before the 14 hour cutoff - I had time to spare :-)