Race Report - 2022 Eagle Ridge 50K

Dashing through the forest (PC @schreinerphotography)

Fourth consecutive weekend, fourth ultra. This time, I decided to revisit the Eagle Ridge 50K in Guntersville, AL. I've had pretty good showings there a couple of times over the last few years and I knew the course. I figured this would be another great training run. However, I still underestimated the elevation gain on this course. Im sure this will be an unpopular statement among some of the southeast trail and ultra runners, but this course is more challenging than both Mountain Mist 50K and Mount Cheaha 50K. I have run all of these courses nearly 20 times combined, so I feel I get to have an opinion:-)

Either way, this would be another great training run. I planned to be somewhat conservative from the start, and since this was a double loop course, decide at the beginning of the second loop whether to push the pace. Unfortunately, I used a bunch of half marathoners nipping at my heels as my pace gauge. I didn't realize until they turned left for the finish 12 miles in while I turned right to continue the longer first loop laid out for the 50K runners.

It was at this point that a friendly volunteer (thanks Alan) notified me that I was running in third place overall. To be honest, it really didn't matter as I was already feeling the effects of the quicker pace. I dialed it back right away, but that only prolonged the inevitable slowdown that would occur eventually. The remaining 18 miles turned into me looking over my shoulder at each and every rustle of the leaves, expecting a runner to pass me from behind. It wasn't that I was worried about getting caught, I was actually hoping someone would pass me so I'd stop worrying about it and just slog it in for a finish.

That never happened. The unexpected warmup seemed to get to all of the runners as well, not just me. It seemed the entire field slowed a bit as the race progressed. As a result, I never did get passed, which meant I had to keep moving as best as possible as a "death march" is never fun. After all, I may not have cared about my overall placement, but I also didn't just ant to give up third place because I decided to walk it in:-) 

In the end, I actually had to sprint uphill for the final quarter miles just to come in under 6 hours. I'm happy to say I managed. As always, this was another well managed race brought you by the crew from RunningLane. The course was well marked and aid stations provided everything I needed. If you want a challenging race early in the season to see where you're at, this one is worth the trip.

Race Report - 2019 Eagle Ridge 50K

Proud Buck at Guntersville State Park on race morning just before the start.

I ran the inaugural event in 2018 and this year they announced a slightly changed course with more vert. My goal was to match last year's finishing time, which meant staying under 5 hours. Anything else would just be icing on the cake. I had nearly 50 miles in my legs already from a week of training, so I wasn't sure how my body would respond. I decided very early not to try to stay with Brandon and Justyna Mader, who were leading the charge for the 50K distance along with 3 other runners. I chose to hang back instead and wait to see how my legs would feel on the second and slightly shorter final loop of the race.

Solid group of trail and ultra runners right there:-)

As mentioned, the race consists of two loops with a short challenging lollipop loop basically sandwiched between the two loops for 31 miles and nearly 6000' in total vertical gain. Overall, the course is very runnable with only a couple of short technical sections. I chose to run the downhills fairly aggressive while holding back about 20% and run all uphills that weren't too steep.

My nutrition plan consisted of one gel per hour and at one bottle of fluids (both electrolytes and calories) between each aid station except the first one. The plan worked out extremely well. My "start slow and see what happens" strategy worked out extremely well as well. By the first third of the race, I had caught up to the fifth and fourth overall runner, who self-admittedly had started out too fast. Once I came past the start/finish area to start my second and final loop, a volunteer informed me that I was less than a minute behind the runner in third overall. One mile later, I passed him as he had decided to take a walk break. I pushed until he was out of sight before settling into my comfortable pace again.

I was now running in third place. I figured Brandon and Justyna would be miles ahead by now and as I was able to confirm after the race, there were indeed way ahead of me. While I have the tendency to get too comfortable when no other runners are around, I did still had the goal of breaking 5 hours, so I continued to keep my cadence up. To my surprise, I caught up to Brandon with about 5 miles to go, but only because he had been walking due to an injury. I checked in with him before continuing in. Thankfully, he was able to finish by walking it in. I was lucky, but thankful to take the overall win for the men, while Justyna crushed it taking the overall win by a large margin and setting a new overall and women's course record.

My training for the US Grand Slam of Ultrarunning continues, hopefully with the same steady results and improvements in endurance necessary to make it through this summer. Thanks to Will Rodgers, RunningLane and the entire crew of volunteers that took such great care of us runners. Lake Guntersville State Park is a great venue for a 50K trail event.

Don't get to be on top of the podium very often.

Race Report - 2018 Eagle Ridge 50K

View from the lodge at the race start/finish line.

Initially, I had signed up for the half marathon distance of this inaugural "local" event. But as race day approached, I realized that I needed to build up to 90 miles that week. While I've knocked out plenty of 25+ mile solo runs in the past, I enjoy the ultra trail running scene a lot more than solitude, so I decided to step up to the 50K distance to reach my 90 mile weekly goal. This would mean my third ultra in 4 weeks, but I hadn't really raced any of them aside from the first one, my local favorite Mountain Mist 50K. With that said, I was excited to run the first edition of the Eagle Ridge 50K put on by the folks behind RunningLane. It was taking place in Lake Guntersville State Park, an area and trail system I had never run before. I figured at worst, it would be little rollers. After all how much elevation could there be with the highest point being just above 1000ft. Boy was I wrong about that one.

View from the lodge at the race start/finish line.

My wife had signed up for the half marathon and with both distances starting at 8AM, we decided to get there about an hour before race start to get oriented. The parking lot was slowly filling up as we arrived at the state park lodge just after 7AM. The race would start just outside the lodge and with plenty of time to spare, we walked into the lodge to check out the location and catch up with friends.

View from the race start/finish line.

My plan for the day was pretty simple. Cover 31 miles, don't push too hard, don't get hurt and be able to walk after finishing the race. After all I had another run to put in on Sunday:-) I was hoping to find someone around my pace and stick with them until it became too difficult, i.e. my legs and mind got tired, at which point I'd slow down and finish out the race, hopefully on one piece.

While there were lots of familiar faces, I had no idea of anyone's plans for the day. Trying to stick with Craig Smith for as long as I could seemed like as good an idea as any. Until last year, we were teammates and some similar results in various events. When the race started, about 5 or 6 runners took of in what seemed to be an all out sprint. All but one were running the half marathon, but I didn't really know that at the time. It allowed me to settle into a pace pretty early on as Craig and I ran together at a comfortable pace. Part of the lead group was Tim Pitt and to be honest, I could not believe how fast he took off. There was no way I could have chased him down if I had wanted to at this point, he seemed to be on a mission. It wasn't until about 3 miles into the race after Tim took a wrong turn before catching back up to us that he shared his "racing plan", bomb the downhills and run whatever else you can until you cannot go anymore, love it! 

Tim, Craig and I ran together for the first 15 miles before we started to stretch out a bit, Tim , then me, then Craig. The race course consisted of 2 full squeezed figure 8 loops followed by half a loop to make up the 31 miles. It wasn't easy either. While it was all runnable trail surface aside from a short "rock garden" around miles 9, 22 and 28ish, there was some serious elevation gain with GPS and altimeter readings varying widely from 4700-6100 feet of gain. I suspect the true gain to pay somewhere in the middle.

Cruising early on before the climbing started.

As Tim began to push a little on the downs again, I decided to back off and try to run "comfortable" or at least a pace that I had hoped I could maintain. I ran by feel, never checking my pace. The second loop climb was the toughest mentally as I realized I had to do it all over again and my legs had already done plenty of running. I could no longer see Tim in front or Craig behind me, so I just kept chugging along. I would see runners here and there on the course, but never really knowing where they were in the field, how far they had gone or even which race they were in. It did not matter, it is always great to see fellow trail runners in a race, encouraging each other as we pass.

One of the few "water crossings".

The course had very little water on even with all the rain that had fallen during the week. Not surprising, since there are barely any flat spots on the course to even collect water:-) Overall, the course actually had a great flow, surprisingly so when once considers the elevation profile. The scenery was pretty, but overcast and mist somewhat impeded the views of lake Guntersville. The entire course was basically single track trails, which was fantastic and a lot of fun. I may actually have to go out there again to do some training runs. It is well worth the 60 minute drive to me.

Back to the race, once I completed the second full loop, I was actually a bit reenergized, both mentally and physically. I knew I only had the short loop left, half of it mainly downhill followed by the final climb to the finish. I chugged a couple of cups of Coke at mile 26 before moving on to push to the finish. I tried to sustain some kind of pace, no matter what that meant, just keep moving. I had no illusions of catch Tim. The only way that was going to happen would have meant he was sitting on the side of the trails taking a break. When I finally made that last right turn at the top to head to the finish, my wife had patiently waited to see me in. One final sprint across the timing mat and I was done. Tim had deservedly taken the overall win and I actually could not believe I had managed a 2nd overall finish.

Thanks to the race director and all of the volunteers that worked their tails off on this day to allow us to be out there having fun. I can't wait to see how the course changes next year to incorporate even more of the single track trails available in Guntersville State Park. Congrats to all that toed the line today.

At the finish line with RD Will Rodgers and fellow runner and 3rd Overall Craig Smith.