2014 - My Return to Running

2014 has been an amazing year of running for me. After suffering from multiple DVTs and bilateral pulmonary emboli that were nearly fatal in late December of 2012 and spending most of 2013 recovering from reconstructive ankle surgery to fix the issue that caused the blood clots initially, I was ready to get back to running.

My return to running and racing was rather slow going in the beginning and that was painfully evident in the first two ultras of the year, my favorite local race, the Mountain Mist 50K in January and Mount Cheaha 50K in February. It would probably be more accurate to say that I covered the distance rather than actually race these events. Either way, I finished them and that gave me the confidence to get back into training and participate in races again. Now that I had been given a second chance, I had also decided to become more aware of and concerned about my overall health and fitness. That decision resulted in some serious changes in my training and diet, which produced positive results almost immediately.

As the year progressed my results started improving, resulting in my first overall wins at a couple of smaller 5K races, a local road marathon and a gnarly 35 mile ultramarathon. Along with these wins came a number of PRs over various distances throughout the year culminating in my third attempt and first finish of the Pinhoti 100 Mile Endurance Run, my first 100 miler in more than 2 years. This was my goal race and I had trained the better part of the year for it. It went nearly perfect for me as I reached my B goal finishing in under 22 hours and placing 16th overall.

This journey wouldn't have been possible without the support of my family, both in Germany and here in Huntsville as well as my awesome training buddies Jerry, James, Richard, Ed, Mike and Paul and my Pinhoti crew in particular, Cary, Jeff, Scott and Benj along with all the other cool peeps I've met, hung out and shared the trails with along the way. I ended the year completing 42 races (including 13 ultramarathons) with 6 overall wins and 9 master's wins and if everything goes according to plan, I will have run 3000 miles for the year. It has been amazing and I can't wait to continue this journey to see what adventures 2015 has in store for me.

2014 Race Results

I wish everyone a healthy, happy and adventurous New Year 2015 and I look forward to sharing the trails with all of you.

Race Report - 2014 Rocket City Marathon

Lots of anticipation 2 minutes before the race start.

This race probably would've worked out as I had originally planned, had I not decided to take care of a bucket list item three weeks before RCM. I had just completed my big 2014 goal race, the Pinhoti 100 Miler, on the first weekend of November and was still feeling giddy when the opportunity presented itself to run the JFK 50 Miler, the oldest and largest ultramarathon in the US, just 3 weeks after Pinhoti and 3 weeks prior to RCM. Adding a 50 mile race sandwiched between a 100 miler and a marathon PR attempt is probably not a good idea, but I decided that I could not turn down the chance to run JFK, even if that meant not being properly rested and prepared to PR at RCM. There were a few experienced runners who said as much before I toed the starting line at RCM. Regardless, come race day, I would still try everything I could to achieve that elusive sub 3 hour marathon time. I had fallen just 150 seconds short 9 weeks earlier, when I ran another local marathon as a training race, so I felt that I might still be able to get it done on less than perfectly rested legs. I had stuck to easy running for the 2 weeks leading into the race, hoping that it would help my legs to recover and regain some of their "spring" in time for the marathon. However, I wouldn't know if that was the case until I actually ran the race.

Race Report - 2014 JFK 50 Mile

A bucket list item for many ultrarunners.

The JFK 50 Mile Memorial Run is an ultramarathon that has been taking place annually since 1963 in Washington County, Maryland. It is the largest and oldest running ultramarathon in the United States that start in the town of Boonsboro, Maryland and leads 2.3 miles on asphalt roads towards South Mountain before entering the Appalachian Trail for 13 miles. The course then continues on the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal towpath and along the Potomac river for 26.3 miles before entering the final 8.4 mile leg of the race along rolling country roads. The race finishes in Williamsport, Maryland right in front of Springfield Middle School. The course is laid out in a point-to-point configuration that resembles a horseshoe and covers a total of 50.2 miles with +3,300ft elevation gain (according to my Garmin Fenix altimeter). This rather varied race course with its rugged Appalachian Trail section, smooth gravel and dirt towpath and rolling country roads is not only challenging to both seasoned ultrarunners and newbies alike, it is also extremely beautiful.

Race Report - 2014 Pinhoti 100 Mile Endurance Run

Following Benj Lance, who made a special guest appearance as my crew, after climbing to the top of Alabama (Mt. Cheaha).

The long way there

For me, this race began about 23 months ago, when I was released from the hospital after a suffering from multiple deep vein thrombosis (DVTs) and bilateral pulmonary emboli (PEs) due to a traumatic ankle injury. A month later, I underwent surgery to temporarily insert an Inferior Vena Cava (IVC) filter to prevent new blood clots from forming while undergoing reconstructive ankle surgery. Serious running was out of the question for almost a year, but I started my rehab and recovery almost immediately. Fast forward to about 9 months ago, I had just finished the Mountain Mist 50K with an agonizingly slow finishing time. My training mileage was extremely low and I was still dealing with the fear of reinjury as well as mileage that was far lower than necessary to be adequately prepared for a challenging trail 50K. However, I was lucky enough to have a couple of friends who were more than willing to trudge along with me for as long as it took to cross the finish line (Thanks again to the Trice brothers:-).

After the race, I decided I was ready to start training for ultras again in earnest. However, if I was going to put in all that time and effort again after getting a second chance at this running ultras thing, then I wanted to make it count. In other words, I wanted to see if changes in my diet as well as in my training would get allow me to actually become "competitive" in ultras. Obviously, being competitive is a relative term. I would measure my training success or lack thereof by comparing my own racing results, new vs. old. I also needed a goal and what better goal than the Pinhoti 100 Endurance Run, a race that I attempted twice before, once as my first attempt at a 100 miler, than again as my final attempt at the distance just weeks before my health troubles began. Yes, I finished four 100s in between, but the Pinhoti 100 buckle continued to elude me. That was not going to happen again. The 2014 Pinhoti 100 would be my official return to ultra marathons and I would claim that buckle this time, no doubt about it!

First, I cleaned up my diet. I had had my cholersterol checked just before my health issues had started almost 2 years ago and my family doc suggested meds to lower my HDL levels. I firmly declined. I was determined to clean up my diet first to see if that would reap any benefits on that front. Of course, I forgot all about that during my year of physical rehab, so instead, I gained 20lbs. Cleaning up my diet now should not only help lower my cholesterol, but also help shed a few unwanted pounds. Just a month before Mountain Mist, my weight maxed out a 184lbs and a body fat percentage of 19%. I was determined to change that. No more sodas, fried food, fast food, bread made from processed flower, candy, or any other sources of empty carbs and unhealthy fats.

Instead, I added lots of water (sparkling water preferred:-), Ezekiel bread, healthy fats from walnuts and almonds, blueberries, bananas, strawberries, spinach and grilled or baked chicken and fish. Did I religiously stick to that diet? More or less. I would (and continue to) allow myself to indulge here and there, but the aforementioned food items were no longer part of my regular diet like before.

I slowly started to ramp up my mileage and I created a race schedule with lots of shorter stuff initially along with one ultra event per month to measure progress and to help me get my long runs in. Later on, I would add back to back races on my weekend schedule to relearn again how to run on tired legs. I had decided on a baseline mileage of 50 miles per week. A nine moth training cycle was rather long, but I wanted to be ready and comfortable at the Pinhoti starting line and even more importantly, I wanted to stay injury free. After my initial mileage ramp up, I followed a 4 week on 1 week off training cycle (e.g. 70/75/80/85/50), which I was able to stick to for the most part.

As I continued to follow a healthier diet, the pounds came off quickly and  as I added cross training to my regular training schedule (Pilates, Muscleworks and weight training), I replaced lost body fat with muscle. My I reached what I considered a manageable weight and body fat percentage 4 months into my new training/diet routine, 159lbs and 6% body fat, and I felt better than ever. Basically no muscle soreness after training runs or even some of the back to back training races. I guess the natural anti-inflammatories were doing their job. As I continued my training, my times improved. In my first 5K race of the year, I set a 30 second PR. I continued to set PRs at every single race after and over every distance I ran. I also collected my very first ultra marathon and road marathon wins during my training along with a couple of masters wins. To date, that streak of setting PRs still continues and I am well aware that it won't continue indefinitely, but while it lasts, I am going to enjoy it:-) It has been a great year so far.

Time to reflect

I had been looking forward to this race for nearly 9 months, so it wasn't surprising that my mind was preoccupied with this race all week. I had started to pile up race gear and supplies as early as Monday night. Thankfully, I didn't have to worry about drop bags, because I was extremely fortunate to have been able to secure a fantastic group of peeps to serve as crew and pacers for my goal race of the year. Cary Long aka Hot Wing Runner would be my crew chief and pacer and "gingerly cruising" Scott Bell and Jeff "GT-R" Deaton would be pacers as well as help out crewing. I was one lucky dude!

Regardless, as race day approached, I was starting to doubt my abilities to execute my race as planned. Yes, my training had gone perfectly, yes, I had put in the miles, but 100 miles is 100 miles, so my training don't mean $h!t. Well, that's what went through my head anyway. Leave it to your family and friends to step up and be there for you when you need it most, even though I didn't really let on my self doubts. I was flooded with very personal messages of support from many friends and family as well as open words of encouragement through the interwebs aka Facebook and Twitter. Love it or hate it, but social media does have its benefits. In my case, I really enjoyed all the words of encouragement that were coming at me. I appreciated this more than anything and it allowed me to relax and truly look forward to the experience. After all, this was my third attempt at the Pinhoti 100 and I had no plans to run more than 225 miles to earn my first Pinhoti 100 buckle, meaning this was the year I'd finish it, DNF was not an option.

Friday arrived and I was pumped. I had gotten plenty of sleep the night before (which is a very important lesson I've learned as I never seem to get enough sleep the night before the actual race) and I only had a few items left to pack before Cary would pick me up around noon for a pre-race lunch and a short two and a half hour trip down to Sylacauga, Alabama for the packet pickup, pre-race briefing and dinner. I was done packing with a couple of hours to spare, so when I sat down to relax for a minute, I started to reflect on the past 2 years and how I got here. Of all the times I expected to become emotional on race weekend (e.g. finish line, seeing my wife at an aid station, etc.), this was definitely not the moment, but here I was summing up the last 2 years and how my family and friends had been there for me in the most challenging moments. Yes, I got choked up big time and there might have been a couple of tears, but there were no witnesses, so I will deny it if anyone ever asks.

I was ready to line up at the starting line and run this race. On cue, Cary pulled into my driveway and within minutes we were loaded up and ready to go. We had plenty of time to make it to the pre-race briefing, so we decided to stop at a BBQ place for lunch. Yep, that's what happens when Cary is your crew chief. He selected every piece of food known to man to cause gastrointestinal distress, I stuck to grilled chicken, fries and a salad. Just before we stopped for lunch, we discussed our running gear for the race. In that moment I realized that I had actually managed to leave my second most important piece of gear at home. Both of my UD vests with their bottles were still hanging in the wardrobe at my house. Thankfully, my training partners Jerry Abbott (Pinhoti runner) and James Duncan (his crew chief) were a couple of hours behind us, so a quick call and a desperate plea ensured that they picked up my vests and bottles at my house before heading down south. Now I was ready to enjoy lunch and try to relax.

Cary and I arrived in Sylacauga 30 minutes before packet pickup started, but we weren't the first to arrive. There were already plenty of cars in the lot and other runners and crew buzzing about. Todd, Jamie and their crew of volunteers were putting the final touches on the pre-race event before a bunch of ultra runners descended upon them for race bibs and a bunch of race swag. There was plenty of time for me to catch up with a bunch of folks I had not seen in a few weeks and sometimes months. We enjoyed the pasta dinner before Todd proceeded to talk about the race course and the event that was to take place the next day. I had prepared zip lock bags for my crew for them to ready my running vest at each aid station. In fact, I had numbered them according to aid stations, so they would always know what I needed in my pack at any given time of the race. I had estimated different time goals and paces for the race, so they could manage their time accordingly, e.g. estimate times to meet up with me based on my current pace. Everything was ready, so I was able to just listen to Todd's briefing without too much worry.

After the briefing, Todd finally started the fun part of the evening, raffling off free gear and other prizes. In years past, I had walked away with nothing, but this year was different. It started as it always had, Todd went through what seemed like hundreds of names and mine wasn't one of them. When we noticed that all prizes had disappeared from the table, we started to walk out. As we were leaving, Todd (sounding rather muffled on that microphone of his) mentioned something about "free entry" and "next year" and "Pinhoti" and I was like, hold off guys, there's one more prize. And as I am turning around, my name pops up on the screen. SCORE!!! No matter how tomorrow turned out, I was going to be back again next year. An hour later, we arrived at our motel in Heflin, AL with plenty of time for last minute race prep and some chit-chatter. We actually went through a nasty storm and I was starting to think that maybe the race wasn't going to be dry after all.

Is this really happening?

Cary, Jerry, James and I all stayed at the same motel while Scott and Jeff would join us on course the next day. It was the cheapest place available and extremely close to the race start, so I was pretty pleased with my booking. That was, until we actually started to try to go to sleep. Initially, Cary and I though that the room next door was pretty noisy and those were probably fellow ultra-runners celebrating the day to come. While Cary was still wondering if maybe those folks were ultra runners a few hours later, I was convinced pretty early on that that was not the case. We turned in for the night around 9:30PM and at 10PM sharp, the night and any chance of getting any sleep pretty much ended for Cary and I. But why, you wonder? Well, Cary and I were hearing strange sounds from next door for about an hour straight. Nope, these were not muffled noises, these were all out screams of intense joy or intense pain. That's about as PC as I can describe it. This intense joy (or was it pain and agony?) was expressed verbally and in very specific terms.

Anyway, while we were giggling about it for about 5 minutes, an hour later we both were over it. Cary being the ever concerned and caring person that he is, proceeded to call the front desk: "Yes ma'am, I think that someone in the room next door might be hurt. Yes, it sounds like someone might be in serious pain, a woman's been screaming pretty badly." I though he pretended to call until 3 seconds later the phone next door rings and after a short conversation, the woman must have started to feel better, because the screaming stopped and a TV was turned on instead. Phew, dodged that one, or so we thought. An hour later, the entire episode repeated itself and then again and again...all night long, all the way through our 5AM wake-up call. This stuff only happens when you travel with Cary. Note to self, ear plugs aren't just for airplanes anymore. At this moment I was glad I made sure to have had a good night's sleep the night before.

Finally, race day has arrived

After my pre-race morning ritual Cary and I headed out the door. We met up with James and Jerry at the Hardee's next door, so our crew could fuel up for the long day ahead. Jerry and I had opted for healthier food choices. After a pretty short drive, we arrived at the race start with 45 minutes to spare, but the place was already jammed with other crew and runner's cars and trucks. It was still pitch black outside, but we knew that daylight would be here just in time for the actual start. We walked the half mile or so to the actual race start and got signed in. After all, nobody wants to run 100 miles only to be told they weren't official, right?

We all took care of our last minute needs before meeting up with Paul Morris, another one of my training buddies for a quick pre-race group picture. I had been debating all morning whether I needed to wear long pants, but as 7AM approached, I was glad I opted for the shorts. After all, this was a race and I would warm up eventually if I just ran hard enough:-) It didn't hurt that the weather was actually somewhat kinder to us than initially predicted. I was ready to go! As we were lining up at the start, I wanted to make sure I wasn't too far back, because I wanted to avoid the conga line that was going to form pretty much right after the start of the race. While I didn't avoid it entirely, I did end up in one that was moving at a pace appropriate for me this early in the game. It prevented me from getting sucked into a fast early pace.

Team Huntsville at the race start (Jerry Abbott, James Duncan, me, Paul Morris, Cary Long)

I pretty much lost sight of all my buddies right from the start, but I did end up just behind Suman aka Marathon Runs after passing a couple of folks. He and I had met on the hottest day of the year in a race that went much better for him than it did for me (e.g. unless you call walking 10 miles with severe quad and calf cramps a good day). We stayed in touch after that comparing training notes, etc. for Pinhoti. We both had similar plans this morning, try to run a 11-11:30 min per mile pace until the halfway point around mile 50 and see how you feel. We stuck to that script pretty much from the start. Suman was leading the way and I was following along. It stayed this way pretty much for the first 20-25 miles, when I decided to pass him on a descent in an effort to charge ahead to take a quick pee break on the side of the trail. That was the last time I saw him, but I am glad to report that he finished the race.

Rolling into Lake Morgan aid station with my new friend from Russelville, AL...

After I "charged" ahead, another runner I had met during these early miles, a guy from Russelville, AL, stayed with me as he had similar plans for his first 100 mile attempt (Sorry I forgot your name, buddy, but I did enjoy the miles we ran together. Hit me up on FB, so we can reconnect.) We actually ended up running together for 40 miles all the way to the top of Mt. Cheaha, at which point I lost sight of him. We continued to run together chatting about previous races and our plans for the day. We were both feeling great and good company made the first few miles of the day go by extremely quickly. Cary met me at every aid station possible, ready to refuel me and tend to me needs. He made it possible that I went through aid stations faster than I ever had before. In fact, I did not even see the aid station tables until after mile 40. I had set out four goals, A, B, C and D, for sub 20, sub 22, sub 24 and sub 30 hour finishes, respectively, and my pacing charts were accounting for all of these to allow my crew to adjust accordingly.

...ready to refuel after covering the first marathon distance.

When I completed my first climb of the day to the top of Mt Cheaha at Bald Rock, I was still on target, but what was even more exciting at that point of the race was the many familiar faces I saw here. James had ventured about a mile down the trail to meet me and Jerry, who was just behind me. As I got to the top, there was Benj Lance with his usual huge smile. He was another local runner, who had decided to pace someone at Pinhoti on short notice. As a result, I got to see another local running buddy unexpectedly. As I trotted down the boardwalk, I saw another local runner Megan Nobriga, who was here to crew as well as Brad Goodridge and Philip Sustar, two Georgia guys and exceptional ultra runners whose friendship I value and whom I respect very much. By this time, Cary had also met up with the rest of my crew, Scott Bell and Jeff Deaton, who had made their way from Nashville to help me out (By the way, I can't wait to repay this huge favor, guys!). I had the biggest smile on my face. Seeing all of these folks really made my day and I felt like I hadn't even started running. I was pumped. I headed down towards "Blue Hell" with not a care in the world.

Me smiling big with my crew chief "extraordinaire" Cary Long.

Blue Hell is about one thing and one thing only, don't break your neck. Forget about your pace, just make it down in one piece. I did. I started running again as soon as I reached the bottom and I knew I only had 3 more miles until I would pick up my first pacer, Scott. During my first attempt at Pinhoti four years ago, I was feeling tired at this point, my knees had started hurting and by the time I reached the jeep road, I was ready to quit, which I eventually did at mile 60. I arrived at Silent Trail aid station at a faster than expected pace. I tried to push a little during the short road and jeep road section just because it felt good. Scott was ready to go and off we went.

Arriving at Chandler Springs aid station at mile 65 with my awesome pacer Scott Bell!

My fueling strategy had been working perfectly and I only recall one time were I really didn't feel like eating, but that phase passed as quickly as it had arrived. Chatting with Scott kept my mind occupied. We knew we wouldn't see my crew for about two hours until we reached Adam's Gap at mile 55. In between we hit the Hubbard Creek aid station at mile 52. I felt like I was still moving well. My crew made a point of not discussing my race goals with me or the fact that I might no longer be on track towards my A goal. Reality was, I realized pretty soon after Cheaha that I would not be able to maintain my current pace across two more mountains, which is what I would have had to do. I knew running up Pinnacle was not a realistic option, which is what would have been required to hit my A goal...and I was okay with it.

My race was really going well regardless, I was out here with a bunch of my friends who'd given up their weekend's with their families to help me achieve my main goal, which was to finish this thing and I knew I was going to finish it. I decided to keep pushing, after all, I had three more goals to strive for:-) I think I went silent once while running with Scott. I remember realizing that I hadn't said a word in a while and Scott confirming it by asking me if I was okay. I wouldn't really fall it a low point, because I wasn't really considering quitting at any time during this race, it was just a quiet moment. I'm sure Scott enjoyed the fact that I'd shut up for a few minutes anyway.

When we finally met up with my crew again at Adam's Gap, I was glad to see them. Every aid station signified one step closer to the finish line and that's how I run 100 miles, just one aid station at a time, never thinking further ahead. Adam's Gap signifies the halfway point of this race for many folks just based on the course profile. Even though I had no foot issues at this point (we were able to cross every creek keeping our feet dry), I followed Scott's advice and switched from my Altra Lone Peak 2.0s to my Altra Olympus. I also went ahead and changed socks (Injinjis with wool) and my top layers, hat and gloves. As soon as I started walking, these shows felt tighter than the Lone Peaks had and it worried me a little bit. I was afraid that my toes touching the front of the toebox already would spell disaster on the upcoming downhill sections during the remainder of the race. Thankfully, these concerns were unfounded. I did not have a single blister during this entire adventure, thanks Injinji and Altra.

I'm pretty sure we had to start using headlamps starting around mile 55 as well. Again, we would not see our crew for a couple of hours as they would not be able to meet us at Clairmont Gap (mile 60). I kept eating a couple of boiled potatoes and half a banana every time we came through an aid station in addition to a swig of EFS and a Honey Stinger gel every hour. I would also try to consume 14-20oz. of fluids between aid stations, alternating between Skratch and Hyper Skratch for electrolytes and extra sodium. I took SCaps by feel throughout the day as well to stay on top of my salt intake. It was cold, but you still sweat and cramps wasn't anything I wanted to deal with today. This plan worked out great as I never felt hungry or bloated or deal with any stomach or even leg issues. I was also able to intermittently step off the trails, jut enough to know that I was still hydrating well.

Whenever I stopped talking Scott kept the conversation going. He kept my mind occupied when needed. We arrived at Chandler Springs at mile 65 and I was in a great mood. It was now time to give Scott a break from me, so Jeff was ready to go. I kept moving through aid stations at a pretty steady pace, just grabbing whatever Cary handed me and chowing down while walking through the aid station and back onto the course. However, I did grab a piece of bacon at one of the large buffets (read: aid stations) just for a taste:-)

Jeff was ready to tackle the next 20 miles with me and he was finally able to tell me about his first 100 mile finish a few weeks earlier. He had had an amazing race experience running with some serious legends in the sport of ultra running and I was only too happy to have him tell me about it. It made the next few miles and the climb up Pinnacle much easier. In fact, the climb up Pinnacle wasn't really all that bad, though I did get confused with the various headlamps below and above going back and forth on the switchback trails leading to the top. There were inspirational messages (read: aid station menu) and promises of a party posted along the trail and when we finally made it, I did indulge in a bacon, egg and cheese tortilla sandwich. We filled up our bottles (e.g. Jeff filled up my bottles) and I was ready to keep going again.

I have to admit, this next section was the toughest for me both physically and mentally. I did recall Todd talking about another serious climb right after the Pinnacle aid station, but this felt much more serious than just another climb. I mean, come on, WTF! I though the next climb was Horn mountain. Is this Horn mountain? No? Well, WTF! At first I cursed a little out loud, then I just cursed inside my head and got quiet for a while. This was my second "low" point during the race. Jeff checked with me to make sure I was okay. He made sure I kept on top of my nutrition, because I had started to get confused about when I had had my last gel or SCaps. I was ready for some downhill running, but any downhills we encountered were technical and dark single track trails. The uphills weren't much better, rutted out jeep roads that did not make for easy climbing, at least not at this point in my race.

Jeff kept it positive and kept me on track and moving. I started thinking about the final section of trail already, 15 miles to the finish. I just had to make it to that point in one piece, I could make up some time then as long as I didn't destroy myself on this section. This was probably the toughest section of the course for me, miles 75-85 and Jeff stuck it out with me until Cary was ready to take over at mile 85 at Bulls Gap aid station. At this point, I got my biggest boost of the day. My wife had traveled down from Huntsville that afternoon to try to see me at the finish or maybe even run the last 5 miles with me, so I hadn't expected to see her already, but there she was, cheering me on and giving me a nice big hug:-) I was starting to smell the barn. Before we headed out, I received one last pep talk from Josh Kennedy, the aid station captain at Bulls Gap that is manned by Huntsville Track Club members. And to think, it only took me three tries to actually make it here:-)

15 miles of downhill and I would be at the finish. If I could run this in three hours, I would break 22 hours and I was determined to do just that. After all, it was all downhill from here, right? Wrong! Yes, it started out with a smooth jeep road, but it went up, then down a little, then up again. Seriously? It went on like this and I had to bite my tongue a time or two as I didn't want to make Cary's sensitive ears hurt. Well, I wasn't successful at that for long. It just kept rolling, I though we are supposed to come off this mountain and head into town. What is this? Poor Cary had to listen to a few choice words before I got over it. I was getting that sub 22 hour finish, so we kept moving, Cary showing the path with his headlamp, me putting one foot in front of the other. I had a few "quick" miles and a few not so quick miles, but we kept chugging along.

My wife Anya and Cary had talked and decided that it would be best for her to meet us somewhat near the finish. We weren't sure of the terrain and how well I might be moving at that point, so she would basically start running towards us from the finish line, so I could run the last mile or so with her to the finish. This plan worked out perfectly. We were moving as well as can be expected at this point of the race and when Cary and I finally got dumped out onto the 2.2 mile stretch of road leading to the HS stadium and the finish line, I was excited. We kept running and after about a mile or so, I spotted Anya running in the opposite direction to meet us. A fog had moved in (or what that just my foggy mind) and everything around us aside from the street lights was dark. I kept my eyes on the asphalt looking for the next arrow, but Anya knew the way. I have to admit, this was the longest 2.2 miles of road I had ever run, but Cary and Anya coaxed me along.

When we finally arrived at the stadium, I had to figure out how to actually get to the track, but Anya knew where to go and we finally stepped on to the track for a final 200m "dash" to the finish line. I crossed the finish line in almost complete darkness (see finish line pic below), but Todd appeared on cue to hand me my first Pinhoti 100 buckle after 21 hours and 36 minutes. I was absolutely elated. We headed into the finish line tent, where I got to talk to some of the other finishers while eagerly awaiting a plate of fresh pancakes made by Todd's awesome wife Jamie.

Showing off my most prized new bling at the finish line!

After hanging out for a while, we decided it would be best to take a quick shower at the hotel and try to get a couple of hours of rest along with some more food from the Huddle House next to the hotel. Suffice it to say, I didn't get much sleep, but Cary had no problem passing out, curled up next to the heater in our hotel room. I just kept staring at my shiny new buckle. Once I finished the race, I also received another cool gift. James Duncan, my training buddy and Jerry Abbott's crew chief, had put a monkey in a Pinhoti 100 shirt (see pic below) and had this guy unbeknownst to me photobomb me at every other aid station as well as hang around me all day. This was the proverbial Pinhoti monkey that I had been trying to get off my back ever since I attempted this race for the first time in 2010 and for the second time in 2012. Now I have my own mascot for future ultra races to remind me of the road that got me here. Thanks again James, this guy is awesome!

I  have my own ultra mascot now thanks to James Duncan. I was finally was able to get this little guy off my back.

Finally, I need to thank my amazing wife for putting up with my running habit and the need to train for a 100 mile race, which can be quite time consuming and selfish at times. I also need to thank my entire crew of Cary Long, Scott Bell, Jeff Deaton for allowing me to have a near perfect race. Thanks also to James Duncan, Benj Lance and all the other folks that helped me that day, be it by talking to me, cheering me on or handing me that delicious piece of bacon.

The ultimate thanks goes out to Todd and Jamie Henderson and their absolutely amazing team of volunteers. Without these folks, none of us would have the opportunity to run this race or experience these trails. And thanks to a free race entry, I will be toeing the starting line again next year...and I can not wait!

A daylight finish line picture after a shower, food and a short nap.

You can never be over-prepared for a 100 miler.

The Pinhoti 100 elevation profile is nothing to sneeze at.

My race in numbers.

Race Report - 2014 Mystery Mountain Marathon

Race start.

If I remember correctly, I had registered for this race two times before and both times, I ended up with a DNS due to a previous commitment or injury. This time, I wasn't going to let that happen. After racing in the Fleet Feet Monte Sano 15K on Saturday morning here in Huntsville, AL I headed home to watch some soccer before loading up my car to head to Fort Mountain State Park just outside Chatsworth, GA. I didn't feel like making the 3 hour drive on the morning of the race, so instead I headed West Saturday afternoon to pick up my race packet and make use of one of the primitive campgrounds inside the state park that was reserved for runners. However, the weather forecast called for thunderstorms, so instead of unloading my minimalist tent and potentially having to deal with lots of wetness at night and on race morning, I decided to camp out in the back of my car. It wouldn't particularly comfortable, but it would be dry and warm.

Race Report - 2014 Southern Tennessee Power Classic Marathon

It was Thursday night and I was roaming on Facebook to see if I anyone was looking for a long run this weekend. Pinhoti 100 was only 4 weeks away and I was in need for another long run. When I came across Ryan's post about running a marathon or half marathon race in Winchester, Tennessee about an hour north of Huntsville, I was immediately interested. I looked up the Southern Tennessee Power Classic Marathon to find out more. I was still undecided when I came across a post where a fellow runner offered up her free race entry coupon. Initially, she was asking for a nominal fee, but when we both realized that online registration had closed prematurely, she offered the coupon to me for free in hopes that the race director would still honor it. When I contacted the RD, she did just that. Now I had a free entry and a free ride (compliments of the Chaffin family) along with great company (Blake came along to run the half with Ryan while Aleisha was doing the marathon as a training run), so how could I not go.

Race Report - 2014 Georgia Jewel 35 Miler

Hanging out with Jerry and Todd prior to their 100 Mile start.

Originally, I had planned to run the 50 miler as part of my Pinhoti 100 training. However, things changed. By luck, I was able to run a tough 100K mountain race in Poland during a business trip 3 weeks earlier, so I figured there was no need to beat up my body more than necessary in preparation for my goal race. I also found out that my wife and I had been invited to a wedding that race day afternoon, so the 35 mile distance was the only distance that would even give me a shot at making the wedding 3 hours away in Birmingham that same afternoon.

Race Report - 2014 Bieg 7 Dolin 100K

The ultimate reward after a hard day's work, a local beer:-)

The adventure begins...

I got the opportunity to run this race completely by accident. A business trip required that I visited Ireland and Poland in early September and as usual, I immediately started to look for races in those locations or just cool places to run. After about a week of research, I located a really cool looking ultra marathon in Poland at the site of last year's World Mountain Running Championships. The "Festiwal Biegowy" or Festival of Races takes place in Krynica, Poland just a couple of hours drive outside of Krakow in the Carpathian Mountains (Eastern European extension of the Alps) over the first weekend in September. There were races on the calendar from the 100 m dash all the way to a 100K ultra marathon, the "Bieg 7 Dolin" or Seven Valleys Run 100K. In between, there were 5Ks and half marathons, and 33K and even a 66K distance as well, but I figured go big or go home. After all, I probably will never ever get the opportunity again to run an ultra in this region.

Race Report - 2014 Coldwater Mountain 50K

Great t-shirt and master's and finisher's awards.

Ain't nothin' cold about the Coldwater Mountain 50K

I don't think I have ever committed and signed up for any race as late as I did for this one. After realizing on Wednesday before the race that I needed a long run on Saturday, because my Sunday was already booked with other activities, I decided that it was much more likely for me to finish 31 miles in a race than it would be for me to get out there on the hottest day of the year to run 31 miles on my own. After all, I had nothing to loose, every race prior to November is just part of my training for Pinhoti. I just needed the miles, no need to worry about being race ready or tapering or anything.

Race Report - 2014 Hot To Trot 8 Hour Run

A sea of pink during the pre-race briefing.

Day #2 of my back to back adventure
I woke up at 5AM to get ready for part 2 of my weekend adventure in ATL. I did my usual morning routine and headed from my hotel in downtown Atlanta to Lithia Springs State Park. I've been there a few times for different ultra events and this time I was headed there for my first "Hot To Trot 8 Hour Run". However, my goal was not to run for 8 hours the day after the Stone Mountain repeats. Instead, I set a more reasonable goal for a 50K distance, giving me back to back long runs with lots of elevation gain.

Race Report - 2014 Stone Mountain F@t@ss Run

GoPro group picture minutes before the start of the inaugural Stone Mountain FA Run.

My first Fat Ass
I must admit, when I first received the Facebook invite from James Suh to the Stone Mountain Fat Ass Run, I had no idea where and what this mountain was, but since I was in the middle of preparing my training schedule for Pinhoti in November, I thought, "What the heck, sign me up!" he promised repeats of steep climbs, sounded like great training to me:-) I also looked forward to the opportunity to see some of the Nashville, 'Nooga and ATL ultra peeps again.

Race Report - 2014 Silver Rush 50 Miler

Arrival in Leadville just 3 hours after landing in Denver, Colorado.

It didn't go according to plan...but definitely worked out for the better
Originally, I was registered to run the Bullet Creek 50 Miler. Unfortunately, that did not pan out as the RD for that race took our money and ran. However, that is a story for a different post, maybe another Facebook rant? Who knows. All I know is that I am actually glad that race fell through, even if it did cost me 60 bucks. If it hand't, I would've never even considered registering for the Silver Rush 50 Miler in Leadville, Colorado.

Race Report - 2014 Rockin' Choccolocco 50K

One happy boy at the finish line! 6th OA and 1st Master.

Another Cheap Motel...

As has become a recent practice of mine, I try to find the cheapest hotel possible for the night before any race that requires more than 2 hours of travel. This time was no different, except that this place was actually kinda nice unlike previous establishments I resided in. It had a working A/C unit and TV remote and I didn't feel like I had to put the chair under the door handle to prevent drug dealers from entering my room...which I have had to do on similar trips in the past. Just as well since my wife was with me this time to enter her first trail race ever. After a recent road half marathon we ran together, she decided it was time to take the next step and check out trail racing. So when I decided to run the Rockin' Choccolocco 50K, she went online as well and registered for the Half.

Crew Report - 2014 Thunder Rock 100 Miler

First tip: You should always make use of drop bags in a 100 miler, even if you have a crew.

"Lessons Learned" - How To Crew (Not To Crew) A Runner During Their First 100 Miler...Or Any 100 Miler

While this crew report will largely refer to this specific race, the Thunder Rock 100, this crew (Jerry Abbott, Scott Bell and Martin Schneekloth) and its runner (Sir Fartsalot aka Hot Wing Runner aka Cary Long), many of the topics discussed and issues encountered would apply to other races as well. However, this report is merely meant as a personal lessons learned and as the ultra saying goes "We are all an experiment of one" so what works for one doesn't necessarily work for others as well. With that disclaimer out of the way, there are certainly takeaways in this report that should be useful to anyone considering to crew/pace/run a 100 mile race for the first time.

Training Log - Ancient City Wall & Big Wild Goose Pagoda (Xi'an, China)

The ticket for the "City Wall", RMB 54.

Day #1

As soon as I arrived at my hotel in Xi'an, China I made sure to grab a city map in preparation of my first run in China. I always make a piont of going for a run while on business travel and the more exotic the place, the more eager I am to get out and do a "destination run".

Race Report - 2014 Strolling Jim 40 Mile Run

Super cool medal, participant shirt and finisher's shirt!

I was looking forward to my "birthday run" this year. After all, it has been 2 years since I was able to toe the line at this event. As usual, the field of runners at this year's Strolling Jim 40 Mile Road Race was as impressive as ever. It also seemed that lots of local runners were using this race as their final tuneup for a new 100 mile race taking place just two weeks later. That meant a field full of runners ready to race. While I still consider myself on my road to full recovery, my training had been going well, but I just didn't have a lot of long distance events under my belt just yet. This race would be my longest event in 2 years, which meant that I would likely have to suffer late in the race, IF I miscalculated my level of fitness and target pace.

Race Report - 2014 Grand Viduta Stage Race #2

...Or How to Have Fun on Monte Sano Mountain

I can't lie, I wish I had signed up for all three stages rather than just one of the inaugural Grand Viduta Stage Races this weekend. As it happened, my wife and I decided against the Nashville Country Music Marathon (e.g. I'm too cheap to pay $400 a night to stay at hotel) and ended up staying in town, instead. I had been running a lot and really needed to take a day or so off, so I decided to only register for the Saturday stage of the races. One third of my usual training group (Jerry and James) had registered for the whole weekend and been training for it, Ed and I registered for Saturday only and had also been training for different events, only Mike and Rich opted out entirely. In any case, we were all training for one thing or another.

Race Report - 2014 Cookie Dash 5K

Always the best tech shirts at this race:-)

This was my first short distance "race" event in quite some time, almost 2 years to be exact. I had run other short distance races since I started my recovery, but I had been taking it easy, not trying to push at all. My main goal was just to return to running, not to break any personal speed records. My recovery had been going well and my return to ultras had gone extremely well for me personally as well. I ran my first ultra since my return from my health woes in January of this year at what I would call a "leisurely pace". I managed to get a finish and I my endurance base and speed continued to gradually improve from there. A month later, I started to put more focus on my diet, which I had been neglecting for the most part. Just like most people, I had gained a few pounds every year since high school, but my running had kept that gain somewhat in check. So when I started to see some positive results in my training, I figured why not improving my diet as well, since it was about to be time for another annual check up with the doc.

Race Report - 2014 Bridge Street Town Centre Half Marathon

My favorite pic of my wife and I. No need to zoom in to see us both smiling war to ear:-)

The local inaugural Bridge Street Town Centre Half Marathon was part 2 of my weekend of running adventures. After running the SweetH2O 50K just outside Atlanta, Georgia on Saturday, I had signed up for this half marathon to pace my wife to what hopefully would be a new PR for her. My body was a little stiff on race morning, especially my quads were shot, but I was hoping that I would be able to keep up with my wife once we started actually running. Thankfully, that's exactly what happened.

Race Report - 2014 SweetH2O 50K

A great shot taken by one of the race volunteers. A beautiful day and course, indeed.

... or Tails From the Front of the Middle of the Pack

I signed up for this one as my 50K for April, one race in a line of "local" monthly 50k-50M races I put on my calendar in training for the Pinhoti 100 Miler in November. I ran this race for the first and only time three years ago, long before I had my "health issues". Since I consider everything prior to Pinhoti 100 in November a training race, actual racing isn't really on my mind, but I have been noticing that I've steadily been getting faster since puttin' on my ultra running shoes again earlier this year. My initial thoughts of "wow, I'm just glad to be out here running ultras again, DFL or not" have slowly turned into "$h!t, I might actually be getting faster than I was before my reconstructive ankle surgery, multiple DVTs and bilateral pulmonary emboli, yeah buddy!"

Race Report - 2014 Savage Gulf Trail Marathon

Cool tech shirt logo and a bandanna with trail map to boot:-)

This race was a last minute decision. I had already registered for a local 10 miler, when Cary convinced me that this Savage Gulf Trail Marathon is not to be missed. When I finally googled the location and saw the pictures, I immediately went to ultrasignup.com to get registered.

I decided to take Friday afternoon off, so I could join Cary and a group of folks from Huntsville, Franklin and Chattanooga at a primitive group campsite located right at the start and finish line of the race at the Stone Door Ranger Station at Savage Gulf State Park. Folks brought a ton of food for a pre-race cookout and luckily, or so I thought, I wasn't going to have to set up my own tent, since Cary invited me to stay in his tent. I'm not sure if my memory left me for a moment or what, but it didn't remember Cary's favorite bodily function when I agreed to share the tent with Sir Fartsalot.

Cary assured me the next morning that he didn't relief himself of any post-digestive particulates in respect of me. Honestly, I don't remember much from that night, my memory is extremely hazy. I think Cary unleashed a silent but deadly Blitzkrieg of flatulence on me, putting me out of my misery for the rest of the night and allowing him to indulge in his favorite activity at will.

There were about 15-20 of us camping out, but there could only be one winner of the "most wicked tent" competition and that prize went to Daniel Lucas and his "floating tent". If you think this is one awesome way to camp out, give Daniel a holler or look him up on Facebook. He is a redistributor for these awesome shelters.

Race Report - 2014 Delano Park 12 Hour Race

Cool race swag NEVER gets old!

 The Delano Park 12 Hour Race has become an annual tradition for my wife and I. While neither of our most recent training regimens had really prepared us to run for 12 hours, we do go every year to have fun, meet up with friends and get in some miles along the way. As always RD Jon Elmore and his wife along with a great team of River City Runners volunteers put on another fantastic event. Special props to the weather as well, it was perfect.

I had decided earlier in the week that I would treat Delano as a 50K training race. It was only my third ultra since coming back from some health issues and while I had been having some solid training runs, my base wasn't what it needed to be for me to run for 12 hours without risking injury or having to take off from training for a week after the event. I figured a solid 50K would be a great goal, especially as my prime event for this year is going to be my third attempt at the Pinhoti 100 in November. I plan to treat every race until that date as a training run and there was really no reason to push distance at this stage of my training.

So while I had set a distance for this day, I was still wrangling with a time goal, not for any purposes other than keep me motivated and focused while out there running laps. So the day before, I started playing with the pace calculator at coolrunning.com and after plugging in different times, I decided to shoot for an average pace of sub 10 min miles. I wasn't confident that I could hold it, but why set goals if you know they're easy.

My wife and I got to the race start around 5:15AM and the place was already packed with runners jockeying for parking spots close to the "track". I managed to grab the last "good" spot where I was able to back up our SUV to the track and set up a canopy right next to the track. After greeting some fellow runners, Anya and I huddled up in the car for a few more minutes before the start of the race. The race started as planned and we all got going.

I was trying to decide whether I would try to run with my wife or Jerry or Cary or Benj or Greg, but after just one loop I quickly realized that everyone was going to be running very different races. Some of us were running the 50 mile distance, others were going for 12 hours, yet others were going for 50K.

On that note, a huge congratulations to Benj's dad for completing his first 50K ultra marathon! Freakin' awesome!!! While I am congratulating folks, a special congrats goes out to my wife, who has now completed at least 50K at each of the last three Delano events. Not too shabby, baby!

So I set out to get settled in my target pace, just under 10 minutes. While I did go closer to 9 min miles, I slowly adjusted my pace to hit the goal pace. I decided to run 10 miles, then eat a honey stinger gel and drink a bottle of fluids ad then continue, and then rinse and repeat. I did that and my pace stayed consistently on target, until just after mile 26 or 27. I started to slow down because I required more water breaks as the day was heating up. That meant longer walks to stop the slushing in my stomach after guzzling down and entire bottle of Gatorade. But I kept my eyes on the prize, whenever my overall pace started to click closer to 9:50 pace, I started running again, always with the goal to get back to that target pace and for the most part, I succeeded on every lap. When I finally crossed the finish line, The clock showed 5 hours 7 minutes for the 50K distance, which is likely an all-time unofficial PR for me, since I never raced that distance before on a flat course. Considering my current situation fitness wise, I consider this great progress! Goal reached!

On a final note, congrats to my buddy Cary Long, who dealt with some serious knee issues and still managed to reach his 50 mile goal for the day. I can't wait to crew you to your first 100 mile finish at the Thunder Rock 100, buddy! Congrats to my training buddy Jerry Abbott, who also finished the 50 mile distance just like he planned. Again, looking forward to crewing and pacing you at the Double Tap 100 next weekend! It's gonna be awesome! Congratulations to Gregg Ellis for hitting his target. He's been coming back from a serious injury as well and he's been running like nothing ever happened, just amazing! Finally, congratulations to all the top performers, especially Rob Youngren, DeWayne Satterfield and Beth McCurdy. You guys are what many of us runners aspire to and I fell pretty lucky to have been introduced to ultrarunning being able to sharing the trails with you.  

As my bother captioned this photo on FB "The Beauty and the Beast"

Don't forget, March is Blood Clot Awareness Month. Hit me up if you'd like more information on how to recognize this often silent killer or if you'd like to find out how to do more to raise awareness of this cause. I never tire of talking about it, so if you see me at a race, please ask me about it. I work with the National Blood Clot Alliance as part of their team of NAThletes (endurance athletes that participate in various running, cycling and swimming events) in their campaign to "Stop The Clot". I'd like to make as many people as possible aware of the risks of DVTs and PEs. Believe it or not, but endurance athletes in particular are in a high risk group, especially immediately following a big endurance event. Shoot me a message or comment and I will gladly provide more information. See you on the trails!

My wife completing her 50K threepeat!

Race Report - 2014 Mount Cheaha 50K

The North Alabama contingent.

My Unofficial Official Return to Ultras

After making it across the finish line of an ultra marathon for the first time in more than 12 months at the Mountain Mist 50K last month, I was feeling pretty good about having a shot at finishing my first attempt at the Mount Cheaha 50K. I was feeling so good, in fact, that I decided to finally break out my new racing attire, my polka-dotted running shirt in support of the National Blood Clot Alliance in the fight to "Stop The Clot", but more about that at the very end of this race report.

When I crossed the finish line of the Mountain Mist 50K, I was pretty beaten up physically and mentally after taking almost 8 hours to make it. So I started to doubt my decision to register for Cheaha. Then again, I didn't really have anything to lose, so I decided to put in some quality runs between Mountain Mist and Cheaha...just as soon as I got over that cold I got right after Mountain Mist. Nothing like hitting a few snags trying to derail your plan.

Since I had only had 2 really good weeks of running since Mountain Mist, I figured I'd treat Cheaha just like another long training run, allowing me not to taper and take full advantage of another week of running, kinda. I did a 10 miler and 12 miler on Monday and Wednesday, respectively during the week of the race. I also made sure that every training run since Mountain Mist had at least 100 ft of ascent and descent per mile, allowing me to get as much climbing in as possible before tackling what is arguably the toughest 50K in the Southeast with somewhere between 6000-7000 ft of climb. It also happens to be one of the most beautiful trail races out there, taking you along 30 miles of pristine single track trail just before you climb to the top of Alabama (the top of Mount Cheaha, the highest point in Alabama) where the finish line is located just in front of Bald Rock Lodge.

Getting to the Race

While the race was only a 2 hour drive from Huntsville, I decided to drive down the afternoon before the race, because the logistics for this race kinda require it. It's a point to point race, requiring participants to either make their way to the race start on their own or to take the free shuttle from the finish to the start of the race at 6AM the morning of the race. Either way, I would've had to leave no later than 3:30 AM to make it in time. Thanks, but no thank you!

Cary Long AKA Hot Wing Runner, had kindly offered to not only give me a ride to the race, but also let me crash in his family's hotel room. I initially accepted, but later declined citing my desire to give him and his family their well deserved privacy. Honestly, I just didn't want to sleep in the same room as Cary. You know what I'm referring to if you've ever run behind him. I could only imagine what happens when he has access to and makes use of an actual toilet. No, thank you.

So instead, I decided to live it up. I remembered this city's slogan "What happens in Oxford, AL stays in Oxford, AL", so I checked in to the swanky Super 8 Motel. The staff was so friendly, they had already turned on the lights in my room before I even entered. Actually, I kid, the hotel has just been remodeled and was extremely clean with friendly staff to go along with it. Unfortunately, this place didn't resemble the Bates Motel at all, like I had hoped (after all, that would've made for a much better story). Remember this place when you're coming to Cheaha next year, low price ($50), clean updated room, great service.

Race Day

My alarm went went off at 4:45 AM, leaving me enough time to fix and drink a cup of coffee and take care of my other pre-race needs before driving my car over to Cary's hotel just before 6 AM. Tony and Christy Scott were kind enough to give Cary and I a ride to the race start. Thanks again, guys! Cary, Gregg Gelmis AKA photographer extraordinaire and I walked our tails over to their hotel to catch our ride. The drive to the race start was quite uneventful, Gregg only got us lost once;-)

Just after we arrived at Porter's Gap Trail Head for the start of the race, the shuttle school buses arrived with the majority of the runners. Luckily, we got to use the porta potties just in time before the mayhem that is 300 runners competing for 3 toilets ensued. Now it was time to mingle with fellow runners from near and far before taking the obligatory picture under the race banner. As always, there were quite a few Georgia GUTS runners, but the Birmingham BUTS runners were represented as well. With all these entertaining acronyms, Benj, Cary and I figured it's high time to introduce the newest chapter of "We Run Huntsville" the NUTS runners (North Alabama Ultra and Trail Running Society). It's an idea, anyway.

Cary being his usual self.

After some comments from RD Todd Henderson, folks lined up under the banner for the race start. Todd asked slower runners to line up in the back to allow fast runners to charge ahead and not get caught up in the congo line that would ensue a mere 50 feet after the race start, where the single track trail started. I decided to line up in the back of the pack. My strategy for running races this year is to just finish them and to try to finish them feeling good, so the back of the pack is the perfect place for me in this phase of my running life.

Cary and Benj lined up somewhere to the front of the mid pack, while Ryan Harbaugh AKA Newbie Ultra Runner and I rolled up the field from the back. We were sent off just after 7:30 AM. My goal was to stay under the 9 hour cutoff and the conga line would make sure that I didn't get any ideas of starting too fast.

Me and Ryan in the back of the pack.

The first few miles were relatively uneventful, it was slightly cooler than expected at the start with temps in the 40s, but the weather forecast called for highs in the upper 60s for the day, which would actually feel hot. I had been on the Pinhoti trail before during a couple of unsuccessful Pinhoti 100 attempts, but that race runs the trail in the other direction, so the entire course felt new to me, aside from the painful Pinhoti 100 DNF reminders brought on by the Cheaha aid stations that were located in the same spots as . It didn't matter what direction I came from, I immediately recognized them. Hopefully, Mount Cheaha 50K was just a prelude for my third attempt at a Pinhoti 100 finish in November, my big race for this year.

I continued to run with Ryan for a while, but as I was trying to pass some folks to get off the train in order to run at my own race pace, I ended up losing sight of Ryan. Sorry, buddy, I really wanted to run together a little longer than we did. As I was working my way up the field, at a very slow and easy pace, I caught up with another fellow runner and FB friend, Gregg Ellis, who's had his own health and injury woes to deal with and who is also on his way back to a full recovery, I'm sure. Thanks again, Gregg, for the company along the trail. Glad to see you finish strong!

The night before at the race packet pick up, I also met a fellow from Denmark, Michael, who happens to live just a few hundred miles north of where I grew up and where most of my family still lives. A Disney song comes to mind: "It's a Small World, After All!" Ha! Try getting that song out of your head by the end of the day. I bet you can't!

Just after I caught up with Gregg, we came up just behind Michael and the three of us ended up running together for a while. I started to feel the urge to step of the trail to pee, but I enjoyed the company, so I decided to wait. When I couldn't wait any longer, I decided to just run ahead, build a small cushion, step off the trail and be done in time before they caught up with me. Just as I turned back to the trail, I saw a couple of guys in red shirts and I figured one of them must be Gregg. Well, I was wrong and I wouldn't see him again until much later. And I didn't see Michael again until the finish line. On that note, it was good to catch up with you and exchange stories, Gregg! And Michael, I will try to Facebook or Google stalk you, so we can connect! I hope you had a great experience running your first ultra in the US, and the Mount Cheaha 50K no less!

I continued to run at a slow and steady pace, walking serious hills and running the rolling hills and flat sections (there weren't many of those). There were a couple of fun creek crossings and really not a lot of mud to speak of. Unfortunately, due to my slow pace, Gregg and Tony were already heading back from the big creek crossing and I think I might've actually startled Gregg as I was running by them on their way back to the trail head. Thanks again to both Tony and Gregg for taking a couple of snapshots of me running, much appreciated!

My new buddy Michael from Denmark.

I ran most of the second part of the race on my own and I figured it was time to break out the iPod Shuffle. I had added a couple of newer songs in addition to my "go to" ultra running playlist that largely consists of AC/DC's Greatest Hits. A couple of songs provided just the perfect soundtrack to this race. First, there was Daft Punk's "Get Lucky". How can you not feel lucky as you are running the Pinhoti trail with these amazing vistas of the surrounding hills and mountains. Yeah, yeah, I know, not exactly what the song's referring to, but who cares. It definitely worked for me.

And then there was the sections that is lovingly referred to as "Blue Hell". Call it karma, coincidence, whatever, but as I approached the bottom of this section of "trail", if you can even call it that, AC/DC started blaring "Hard as a Rock" through my headphones. Next followed "Highway to Hell". I couldn't make this up. So I started climbing this thing with a huge smile on my face. No joke, while I am always happy to be out there running, I usually do not expose my teeth for a smile unless I sense a photographer nearby. This smile was real, this smile was sincere and I had a blast! I cannot describe it any other way! Everything felt perfect in that moment. I wasn't tired, I wasn't ready to be done, I was just happy to be out there and doing what I was doing, just happy to be able to do what I was doing. I even passed a couple of guys during the climb.

When I finally neared the top, I made another new ultra running friend, Michael Bloom. We chatted for a while and he asked if I minded if he stayed with me for a while. Did I mind? Heck no, I just didn't want him to be held back by my slow pace. So we decided to stay together and finish together. He started to pick it up and I just tried to hang on (Michael, for not having run more than 10 miles at a time this year, you sure kicked my butt on that last stretch!). Another big climb and a short trail section later, we were dumped out onto the road leading to the finish line. As the announcer shouted out our numbers, I knew I did it and when I checked my watch, I realized that I was actually going to finish in just over 7 hours, comfortably below the 9 hour cutoff. Thanks again #93 for running with me for the last section of the race!

Crossing the finish line with Michael Bloom.

Jerry Abbott AKA Mister Consistent, Cary and Benj as well as most other Huntsville runners had long finished by the time I crossed the finish line, but I couldn't have been happier. I felt great, I wasn't in pain and I had had a great race, period.

Yep, that white stuff is salt.

Aftermath

I hope you're still reading this, because before I conclude this "short" race report, I wanted to mention my new polka-dotted race shirt again. As most friends and family already know, along with my ankle injury a little over a year ago came a near brush with death due to multiple Deep Vein Thromboses (DVTs) in both of my legs and Pulmonary Emboli (PEs) in both of my lungs that had developed as a result of that injury, putting me in the hospital for a week, resulting in an extensive rehab and recovery phase and making me extremely thankful for the family and friends I have. For this and other personal reasons, which I gladly share with folks in person, I had decided that if I got to continue to run, that I would do so in honor of other PE and DVT sufferers and to raise both awareness and funds for the National Blood Clot Alliance and to support them in their fight to "Stop The Clot" in any which way I can.

I consider my continued ability to run a privilege and raising awareness for this very personal cause is my way of being thankful. Please feel free to hit me up at an upcoming trail run or race and I will gladly share with you the ways you can exercise prevention for yourself, your family and your friends as well as learn how to recognize when someone might be suffering from DVTs or PEs. And just in case you're thinking this cannot happen to you, think again. I had no genetic markers nor was I otherwise predisposed to blood clotting disorders. Yet, it did not keep me from being affected. Furthermore, only 2 out of 3 people affected by PEs are as lucky as I was. We actually get to tell our story.

I encourage you to make a small donation for this worthy and, in my opinion, underserved or under-appreciated cause. Click on the donation link in the upper right corner of this blog and visit the National Blood Clot Alliance website to support my efforts as a NAThlete in the fight to "Stop The Clot".