TransRockies Run 08.13.13 - 08.18.13: "If you never ever go, you'll never ever know"

Mike and I at the top of Vail Mountain on stage 5 of the 2013 TransRockies Run

I am starting to write this as I lay in my sleeping bag in tent city in Leadville. Everyone around me is busily organizing there things and getting ready for tomorrow's stage 3, 24+ miles from Leadville to Nova Guides/Camp Hale. When we finish tomorrow, we'll have no cell coverage and no connection to the outside world. So I thought I'd start to record my experience of this adventure called TransRockies Run and then hopefully write a daily account of each stage to finish with a full report at the end.

After a fun weekend climbing Grays and Torreys last Saturday, Mike and I spent the rest of Saturday in Breckenridge and then on Sunday drove to Beaver Creek to catch the shuttle. When we arrived in Beaver Creek, we realized we didn't have clear instructions on where to meet. We met two other runners, Linda and Maria, who also were having trouble. After some phone calls, we found the spot but learned that the shuttle was overbooked. The race staff who was there, Kevin also known as Houda (one of the coolest guys you'll ever meet), asked me if I would be willing to drive a van. I said, "Sure!" Mike, Maria, Linda and I jumped in the van and headed to Buena Vista. That's how our TransRockies Run experience started. We dropped Maria and Linda off at their hotel when we arrived and we went to ours. The next two days was spent hanging out in Buena Vista where on Sunday afternoon we saw a burro race, had beers at Eddyline, ran a short run to test the legs on Monday and even considered tackling Mt. Princeton, a 14'er near town. It was a good thing we didn't. Anyway, come Monday afternoon we picked up our TransRockies Run race packets and attended the pre-race briefing.

It was interesting to see all of the other runners. There were runners representing 19 countries. It was surprising to learn how many were running the event for the first time and also how many of them didn't regularly run at altitude. Several representatives from the staff addressed everything from medical to logistics to the course for the first day. Kevin, who we met on Sunday with the shuttle, closed the briefing in what we've come to enjoy as the comic relief every evening. The guy works his ass off managing 87 staff and volunteers that take care of everything from transporting our bags to setting up the tents and other behind the scenes stuff we probably don't fully appreciate. Anyway, when Kevin finished we got together for a group photo then went back to our hotels for our last night in a bed for five days. The next morning, it was go time!

Mike on the dirt road during stage one with Mt. Princeton in the background (slightly to the right).

 Stage 1: Buena Vista to Rockbridge, 20.8 miles, 2,500 ft. elevation gain (Route Map)

Nice views on day one.

We woke up early to make sure we had time for breakfast and to get our bags ready for pick up. The race gives each runner a giant duffel bag for all of the gear. The duffel is transported each day and our regular luggage is kept for us until the last day. We walked to the start in Buena Vista near the Arkansas River and waited with the other runners for the start of the race. Everyone was obviously excited and there was nervous energy all around us. A little after 8am, we all filed into the chute and at 8:30am sharp the race started with AC/DC's Highway to Hell blaring over the PA. We ran for a short distance on asphalt until we crossed the river and hit single track trail. We bottle necked for a moment and it was slow going up the trail as we slowly climbed up to a county dirt road. As we kept going up, we started to have a wonderful view of the city below us and of the collegiate peaks due west. Mike and I ran this section the day before to test out the legs (and lungs) and we were familiar with it. We could clearly see Mt. Princeton in the distance. Once on the dirt road, every one started to finally spread out.

Check point #2 stage 1.

When Mike and I first registered for the race, we had done so as a two person team. However, we later realized that it would probably be a good idea to switch to the solo category. For day one, we decided to run together which was a lot of fun without the pressure of pushing or holding each other back. At several points during the stage, we took pictures and enjoyed the amazing scenery all around us. I was surprised at the terrain on day one. It was more like high desert than mountain running.

Rock tunnels last few miles.

On the dirt road, we made our way south then east around the hills that overlook Buena Vista. We eventually made it onto single track trail for a few short miles before then jumping on double track trail that the locals enjoy by driving their ATV's. We also started climbing for a while until we hit the aid station at mile 7.3. Mike and I were feeling pretty good at this point and we stopped to refuel and enjoy sliced watermelon at the aid station. Sliced watermelon is amazing as a long run food! Leaving the stop, we descended for the next couple of miles. On our way down, we met Pablo and Rodrigo, two runners from Puebla, Mexico. We ran with them for a bit and chatted with them while we ran. We also met Densie Maylin, who was wearing a Marathon de Sables buff on her head. I couldn't resist asking her about it. Turns out her husband, Russell, who was also running TransRockies had run the famous seven day Sahara Desert race twice. I made a note to meet this guy.The double track trail continued on the way down and then leveled out for a bit. We ran past incredible rock formations and through big open meadows with wild dandelions. It wasn't long before we arrived at aid station 2 at around mile 14. Among the usual aid station fare, they had bacon which I gladly grabbed a couple of strips. The aid station came at the right time for Mike as he seemed to need the boost from refueling. The next section of trail was the most fun of the day on ATV trails that twisted and rolled up and down. Mike and I found ourselves running with two other teams through this section, all of us making good time.

Mike and I at the finish of stage 1.

We then ran a couple short sections of dirt road before we arrived at the last aid station of the day. We stopped, grabbed something to drink and left rather quickly. We left the aid station with a team who had run the race a couple of years earlier. We ran through some rock tunnels and then stayed on what seemed the longest stretch of packed dirt road ever. It was only three or so miles to the finish but it seemed like twenty. I was having trouble mentally during this section, but Mike helped me get going. To make it through those last miles, we sang old Iron Maiden lyrics. Finally, we could make out the tents of the finish line and then we could hear the music. We ran into the finish line and finished around 4:02. We later learned that we were 7th and 8th among the male six day solo runners on our first day. Not bad!

We went down by the creek and sat in the cool water for a bit before taking the shuttle to the campsite. Day one was in the bag.

Mike and I at the start of stage 2.

Stage 2: Vicksburg to Twin Lakes, 13.4 miles, 3,200 ft. elevation gain (Route Map)

The next morning, we were on a bus that took us to Vicksburg on a rutty dirt road to the start of stage two. Stage two is a short 13-ish miles, but it has an intimidating climb up to Hope Pass at 12,500 feet. We arrived at the start really early and had to wait for a while before they finally let us check in and get in the chute. It was cold too, so everyone tried to stay in the sunlight. After a few announcements and with music blaring through the PA, we were off. The first mile and a half of the course was on a wide dirt road and it was my intention to get out ahead of the pack in order to start the climb up the single track trail without getting stuck behind a huge train of runners. Mike and I got separated and I wouldn't see him again until the finish. We turned off the dirt road about two miles in, skipped the first aid station and went up the single track trail that immediately went upward.

Climbing up to Hope Pass.

My strategy of passing the majority of the crowd on the initial dirt road worked and during the climb up I passed a few more folks until I settled in with a group up to the top of the pass. The toughest part of the climb was at the beginning which had the steepest sections. Later as we cleared the tree line somewhere above 11,000 feet, the grade wasn't as bad but remained steady going up. The views below were incredible and when we looked up or down, we could see the other runners on the switchbacks.

Top of Hope Pass.

I've heard so much about Hope Pass. It's a pivotal point for the annual Leadville Trail 100 miler (which is actually this coming weekend). Those runners run over the pass not once, but twice. We only had to do it once on a much shorter run. It was still neat to get to experience running over the pass and to think of all the legendary ultra runners who had been here before. When I made it to the top, I exchanged smartphones with another runner, Sammie, and we took each others photos. Sammie then looked at me and said, "alright, it's time to go downhill!" She took off and I went after her. Coming off the pass is not overly technical, but the first 500 feet or so are on trails with loose gravel and rocks and can be quite tricky. We were flying and I was trying to keep up with Sammie. I was holding my own. We ran past the aid station and kept going down. Down and down we went and even under tree line, we were still cruising. We passed several other runners and then she started to widen the gap. I knew too that I wasn't going to be able to hold this pace once we flattened out, but it was fun while I could hold it. In the back of my mind I was thinking my quads were going to hate me the next day. I lost sight of her and in a way that was a good thing. I got into my own pace and soon got behind a couple from Wales who I would end up running with for the rest of the way into the finish, some four or five miles.

The climb and descent over Hope Pass was only about six miles of the course and the run down the mountain was a blur. I can't recall my surroundings of the descent that well, but the run along the last few miles were along the Continental Divide scenic trail through beautiful sections of aspen trees and with views overlooking the Twin Lakes. It was rolling with short inclines and we kept a good pace. I could tell that I was running out of steam a bit and I was glad today's stage was short. We stayed on single track and continued to make our way around the lakes until we came out through the ghost town of Interlacken and then out the trailhead onto a dirt road. We could see the finish but it was still about a mile away. The couple I had been running with got out ahead of me but after taking a quick look behind me, I realized there was no one that was going to surprise me in the last few yards.

Finishing stage 2.

I crossed the finish line at 2:54 and I was really pleased to finish sub-three hours for the day. I was also
pleasantly surprised to see a good friend, Tom Wilson, there at the finish to greet me. He was in the area with other GUTS friends from Atlanta getting ready for the Leadville 100. In true Tom awesomeness, he provided me with a beer, an Upslope IPA, and had me sitting down in a camping chair. While chatting with him, Mike came in about 15 minutes after me and he had a pretty good stage two. We finished fourth and fifth for the day among men's six day solo. We're starting off the week well, but let's hope we don't pay for it later.

Enjoying an Upslope IPA
thanks to Tom Wilson!

The race organizers had insisted we run with extra water for this stage due to the fact that the first check point was very early on in the stage and the second checkpoint was in a precarious spot just after Hope Pass and the few supplies at this station had to be brought there by burros (or in the case of the Leadville 100 by llamas). I ran with my Nathan HPL20 hydration vest which had a 2-litter bladder and I carried a hand held too. When I was done with the stage, I realized that I could have easily ran with just my Nathan vest even though I skipped both aid stations during stage two.

We picked up our drop bags, agreed to meet Tom in Leadville later that afternoon, and got on the shuttle to our tents waiting for us in Leadville. The TransRockies Run folks had everything set up for us in a baseball field just a couple of blocks from Harrison Avenue, the main street in Leadville. Here on out, I'll try to recap each day at the end of each stage.

 Stage 3: Leadville to Camp Hale, 24.3 miles, 2,700 ft. elevation gain (Route Map)

Mike on Harrison Avenue in Leadville
before the start of stage 3.

Today's stage was to start right on Harrison Avenue in Leadville. This was an anxious day for the Run3 runners since it was their last stage. For the first time all week, there was a crowd of spectators including runners who were in town for the Leadville 100. Mike and I arrived in time to leave our drop bags and check in to the start line chute. Every day we're required to carry a pair of gloves, a cold weather cap, a jacket and a space safety blanket. These items are checked before entering the chute. While waiting I saw Rock Creek race series director, Randy Whorton, and I had a chance to chat with him before the start. He was in town with other Chattanooga runners for the Leadville 100. It was good to see him.

The race gun went off and we ran down the avenue eventually onto the shoulder of Highway 24. The field had a chance to really spread out. Mike and I once again were separated. It was interesting to fall in line with many of the same runners from the prior two days. We ran on asphalt for a couple of miles before heading off on trail on the climb to Mt. Zion. A modest climb that would take us up to approximately 10,900 feet. During the climb, the field thinned out and I was running with just a handful of other runners. In the distance, I could easily make out Mt. Massive and Mt. Elbert, the two tallest peaks in Colorado.

We reached the crest of the climb and ran along double track trail and dirt road. We turned off the dirt road and started to descend. I was feeling good and decided to take advantage of the descent to get by a few runners. It wasn't long before we reached the checkpoint. I refueled on watermelon, bananas and Coke. Some of the runners I had passed on the way down arrived at the checkpoint as well. The next mile or so was on asphalt. I fell in step with two other runners on the road and we all hit the next section of dirt road and double track trail together. We crossed several muddy puddles before starting another climb. There was little to look at as we ran passed pine trees on either side. After a couple of miles, I was running almost alone with a female six day solo runner, Carrie, up ahead who I would run close to the rest of the way. The course up to the next aid station was along a rutted out dirt road with parts that had muddy puddles. It had a gradual climb at first along the Tenneessee Creek and then once we crossed it, went along rolling terrain through pine trees and to the next aid station. Carrie stayed within sight in front of me most of the way.

I couldn't help remarking how well I was adjusting to running at altitude. I felt it most on the steep climbs, but for the most part I was moving well. On those climbs, my heart rate would get so loud that I could hear it in my ears. I did notice that I felt more fatigued than usual at the end of the stage.

After the next checkpoint at Tennessee Pass about 14 miles in, we hopped on the Colorado Trail and enjoyed a long section of gradual downhill trail running. Soon we reached what would be my favorite portion of the course on tight single track trail into a broad open meadow with wild flowers. The sky was clear and the sun was out, but it wasn't hot. It was also an area where the night before during the course briefing, the race organizers told us to be ready to come across herds of sheep and the accompanying dogs. They told us that if we were confronted by a shepherd dog, the command to make the dog go back to the herd is, "Back to sheep!" We didn't encounter any sheep or dogs, but it was amusing to think about. We ran along for a couple of miles weaving our way down to a road crossing and the last climb of the day. At the road crossing, there were a group of spectators that I had seen earlier. They were obviously following one of the runners. As I ran by I joked that if I kept seeing them that I would start to think they were my personal cheering squad. They laughed and joked back that they would help kick my ass to the finish. That didn't sound bad to me.

After crossing the road and hitting the climb, I was still with Carrie, but we now had caught up to a guy who I later learned was the six day solo leader. Apparently, he was having a bad day although he managed to stay ahead of us for the rest of the stage. The three of us got through the climb and up and over a few rolling sections of trail and then started the descent into Camp Hale. We came off the trail and onto dirt road arriving at the last checkpoint of the day. I was definitely feeling the day's effort and spent a bit more time at the check point than I should have. The other two runners took off and I left the aid station after them.

Finish of stage 3.

The last three miles were really difficult, mainly due to head winds along the straight wide dirt road. I once again saw the group of spectators I joked with earlier and told them that I could use the ass kicking right about now. They laughed. The guy that we had caught up to earlier, picked up the pace and widened the gap and Carrie who I had run with most of the day also widened the gap. I was slowing down and looking forward to ending the stage. The toughest part of this section was being able to see the race camp and finish line from a distance. Two other runners caught me before the end. I crossed the finish line happy to be done.

Mike soaking his legs after stage 3.

Interestingly enough, I came in fourth again among male six day solo runners. If I had more in the gas tank at the end of the day, I may have been able to get third, but not the case. The end of stage three brought us to Camp Hale, a beautiful area surrounded by hills and where we would call home for two nights. Our tents were set up on a lawn over looking a pond. At night, the half moon lit up the sky and the stars pin pointed it.

I spoke to Mike and told him that after coming in fourth the last two stages, that I wanted to give it a go on stage four and see if I could get on the podium. Regardless of the outcome, I told him that we would run together on stage five or six. He encouraged me.

Panoramic of tent city and the finish area at Nova Guides/Camp Hale.

Stage 4: Camp Hale to Red Cliff, 14.2 miles, 2,800 ft. elevation gain (Route Map)

Mike and I at the start of stage 4.

Last night I slept the best I had so far. I finally got comfortable in my sleeping bag and I was able to ignore the sounds from my neighbors. I woke up and met Mike at breakfast. A few of the Run3 runners were still in camp including friends from Atlanta, Choo Choo and Joyce. It was sad to know that they were leaving camp. Both were incredibly supportive and Joyce had been a big help the past two stages helping secure a good tent spot.

Mike and I checked into the start and I was feeling anxious. If I was going to get on the podium, I needed to have a plan. I figured if I could keep one of the top runners in my sight for the first half of the stage, that maybe I had a chance. The stage was a short one but it had a big climb with a long descent through a creek and finishing with a gradual downhill dirt road into Red Cliff. I needed to play it right.

The familiar notes of AC/DC's Highway to Hell started playing and Mike gave me some words of encouragement. The gun went off and out of the start line we went down part of the same dirt road that finished the stage yesterday except we took a turn that had us going up a hill before descending and then getting on double track trail straight up the mountain. In the group of runners around me, I was surprised to see another male six day solo runner obviously trying to stay in front of me during the climb. This was messing up my strategy since I knew Russell, the British runner who had done Marathon de Sables and who was currently third in my category, was just slightly up ahead. If I was going to catch Russell, I had to deal with this other runner first.Up the climb we went and it got steeper and steeper. I kept a good tempo walking the climb while the other runner would try to walk then run the slightly more level sections. About a third of the way to the crest of the climb, I finally passed and dropped him. I also soon came in contact with Russell and one of the German teams who had been on the podium all three of the previous nights. Now it was a matter of holding on. We reached the top and the dirt road took us along the top. Besides Hope Pass on Wednesday, this part of the race course had the best views so far for the week with mountains to the east and west. However, I was in race mode and I didn't have much time to appreciate it. We all skipped the first check point and kept going.

When we reached the top of the descent, that's when I went for it. I think I surprised Russell when I passed him and I just took advantage of it and did my best to quickly put a gap between us. On the initial part of the descent, I also passed the Germans. Down I went and I was navigating the switchbacks in the dirt road with no problem. There were some rather large rocks but I managed to keep my footing and continue to descend. Before long, I came across the first creek crossing once it started to level out. I looked up the road and I couldn't see anyone behind me. I kept pushing. I crossed one creek crossing after another until basically running in the creek was the only option. The water was cold, but it felt good. Eventually I crossed a wooden bridge and suddenly I was at the second and last check point of the stage at about 11 miles in. I didn't stop. The volunteers called out and asked if I needed anything. Thanking them I said I was fine. I just wanted to keep going.

I was alone and there were no runners that I could see either in front of me or behind me, but I knew that if I messed around it wouldn't be long before Russell would be within sight. The next couple of miles to the finish were all on a dirt road with the perfect grade to keep a good pace. I kept looking over my shoulder but did not see anyone. One mile went by and I thought surely I was going to be caught soon. The next mile went by and I started thinking that maybe this was my day. Last mile and I came in contact with the first homes of the little town of Red Cliff. The dirt road changed to asphalt. I came around a bend and I could hear the music of the finish line. I took one last look over my shoulder and I still didn't see anyone. "Holy shit!", I was going to get this done. Finally, I reached the finishing chute and crossed the line ecstatically and in a respectable 2:34:48 to take third place for the stage. I got some high fives from the other runners that had already finished and then I stopped to get something to drink while waiting to see when Russell would be coming in. It wasn't long before he came around the last bend and made his way into the finish line. By his pace and the look in his eyes, I was glad that the stage wasn't another mile longer.

At the finish of stage 4.

Russell was a good sport about it and I think he was even excited to have additional competition for the stage podium. We high fived when he finished and remarked about the stage and how it all worked out. Russell may have been a bit disappointed when I told him that the rest of the weekend I planned to stay with Mike and just run, rather than race hard.

On the podium!
(Photo: TransRockies Run)

That night it was fun to get up on the stage with the other top three stage finishers. It was even more fun at the end of the evening when Houda got on the mic and had us all in stitches making us laugh. He told us some story about when he was traveling the world and he was in Vietnam. It involved a girl and he was to meet her some where. He was hesitating, but someone told him something that stuck with him. "If you never ever go, you'll never ever know." Advice that he bestowed on us for our running.

Mike along the ridge of Vail Mountain on stage 5.

Stage 5: Red Cliff to Vail, 23.6 miles, 4,100 ft. elevation gain (Route Map)

Camp Hale.

Wow! This stage was by far my favorite. Leading up to TransRockies Run, my friend Roxanne, who has run this race a couple of times, shared that this was her favorite stage and now I know why. Even though the first eight miles are dirt road, the following ten miles contained the type of trail, the views and the running experience that I was hoping to find when signing up for this race. Just stunning! But I'm getting ahead of myself.

After two nights at Camp Hale, it was time to say goodbye to a great spot. The set up here was ideal and with the additional night stay, it really allowed for everyone, race crew and runners alike, to really settle in to the event and to create camaraderie. The nightly camp fire, the evening sky, the surrounding landscape, the other runners and the fact that we were disconnected from the outside world due to lack of cell service or internet connection really made it seemed like an adult summer camp for trail runners. A fantastic sensation!

Start of Stage 5.
(Photo: TransRockies Run)

In the morning, Mike and I packed up our duffel bags, dropped them off and shortly after breakfast joined the others to get on the shuttles to return to Red Cliff where the previous day's stage finished. We were to start from there to tackle Vail Mountain and arrive at Vail Village some 23 miles later. I was looking forward to this stage and even more to run it with Mike. When we arrived in Red Cliff it was chilly and most of us piled into a local restaurant called Mango's (hung out there yesterday after the stage and enjoyed some good food and beers before heading back to Camp Hale) and waited there until it was time to check in to chute. When we did finally gather in the chute, we all waited patiently to get going. A local Red Cliff resident, I think his name is Marco, had showed up to fire a real pistol as opposed to the usual race gun that fired blanks. Pow! We were off.

On the dirt road out of Red Cliff.

We headed up the same dirt road that we had finished on the day before. Except this time, we passed the bridge that led to the creek and water crossings and kept going. It was a long, very gradual, but steady grade up hill along the dirt road. After the initial shuffle of runners taking their positions along the pecking order, Mike and I got into a comfortable pace and spent much of the time talking about various things. It made the miles go by and soon we reached the first check point. Another runner, Mikael from Sweden, passed us on the dirt road and we would later learn that he had a shot at third place against the second overall leader, only to lose in the final sprint of the stage. Just goes to show that everyone can have a really good day even five stages into a multi-day race.

Good times on stage 5.

Over the first part of the week, we'd learn after a couple of stages that each checkpoint has a designated crew which allowed us to get to know and to expect the same familiar faces at each checkpoint. Today checkpoint one had a luau theme and the volunteers were dressed in grass skirts and danced with a hula hoop. One of the guys had on a coconut bra. It was a fun station! This station also marked the beginning of some of the best trail we'd experienced all week.

Wildflowers along the trail.

We refueled on watermelon, some other munchies and Coke and then hopped on the single track trail that was to take us up the mountain. Right away I knew this was going to be special. The trail wound and cut along the side of the mountain with switchbacks that steadily took us up. We climbed with one of the women's team and we all maintained a nice tempo. When we reached the ridge, the next several miles were nothing but amazing views, some even in a 360 degree perspective, and all on the most wonderful, pine needle laden single track trail that Colorado has to offer. To the southwest, we could make out the range of mountains that included the Mt. of the Holy Cross and in the other direction, we could see another mountain range. Parts of the climb were steep, but then we ran along a ridge trail that cut through beautiful, open sections with a mixture of pines and other local trees. I absolutely loved this part of the stage. Mike and I took tons of pictures, not caring much about actually racing.

On the back bowl of Vail with
Mt. Holy Cross in the distance.

I have to comment that Mike ran this stage in a pair of Vibram Five Fingers after blowing out his Inov8's on stage 2 and not caring too much for his Altra zero drop shoes on stage 3 and 4. Everyone we passed or that passed us seemed to make a comment about his shoes. I had run in my Salomon Mantras all week and they had worked well except for my heel was one big blister, but I think that was more due to all the descending the day before rather than the shoe itself. My Salomons had good traction and were holding up despite the beating they were taking day to day.

Cliff descent.

The ridge trail came down off the side of the mountain and into the back bowls of the Vail ski slopes at first into an area called Outer Mongolia. The trail got tighter here and we ran through beautiful sections of wild flowers and soon started to climb again on several switchbacks that brought us back up to the ridge and further into the Vail ski resort area. The views remained spectacular through this section. We ran along the ridge until we came to a short, but technical, climb down a rock cliff formation. Once down, the trail lead into check point #2. This station was set up right under one of the major ski lifts of the backslopes of Vail and from here on through the next miles we were to run on dirt road. As always, the volunteers at the checkpoint were incredibly helpful and were eager to assist.

Coming down the mountain
bike trails.

Mike and I at this point were still feeling pretty good. We left the checkpoint and made our way down the dirt road passed other ski lifts, but still able to enjoy an incredible view to the southwest. On the dirt road, the grade varied from sharp downhills to flats to a couple of climbs before we made it to the west end of the ridge and ski resort then the course took a turn onto single and double track trails that locals used for mountain biking. The trails had names like Lucy's Loop, Grand Traverse and Fred's Lunch. At first the trail descended through pines and aspen trees, but then it cut across and made its way up again until we reached an open section with more wild flowers where the trail began to switchback downward. We came out onto a short section of dirt road, then picked up more mountain bike trails and continued to descend. Down and down we went and here's where we were started to feel it. Some of the trail was on sharp descents that hurt the quads and stressed the toes in our shoes.

Finish of stage 5.

When we came into the last aid station of the day, we were glad because we knew we only had three or so miles to go. But even though we were descending, those last few miles would take forever as our legs had been punished with all of the earlier descending. Mike and I managed to stay together while a couple of other runners actually caught up to us and passed us on the final portion of the descent. We could make out the buildings of Vail Village below. Down and down we went with switchback after switchback. Finally, the course turned onto a final section of dirt road and as we ran down we could hear the music and then see the finish line. Mike and I came across together in 5:02 and change in 6th and 7th for the male six day solo runners. Despite the hurt from the long descent, this was by far our favorite stage of the week. The views that we enjoyed at the top of the ridge and the top of Vail Mountain out did anything we had seen earlier in the week including the views from the top of Hope Pass on Wednesday.

After spending some time at the finish area catching up with the other runners, we took the shuttle to where tent city was set up on a baseball field  just outside of Vail Village. This was going to be our last night in a tent and there was a bitter sweet sensation about that, at least for me. It made me realized that this wonderful adventure called the TransRockies Run was coming to an end. Only one stage left to go.

Stage 6: Vail to Beaver Creek, 21.7 miles (the course book claims 20.6, but several people had this on their Garmins as a mile longer), 5,200 ft. elevation gain (Route Map)

I had a hard time falling asleep last night, so when the alarm went off this morning I struggled to get out of my sleeping bag. Then the thought hit me, this was going to be the last time crawling out of my tent and getting ready for another fun day of running in Colorado. It was going to be hard to say goodbye to what had been a fabulous week. I met Mike and others for breakfast, then went back to my tent to pack and drop off my duffel bag for the very last time.

I haven't mentioned enough how grateful I am to all of the behind the scenes work of the staff and volunteers at the TransRockies Run. It really does take an incredible amount of work to move everything. There are so many people that work this thing that I am grateful to have met including Houda who manages the crew, Carlos from Madrid who was involved in taking down and setting up our tents every day, Memphis Joe who transported our duffel bags and gear, Burt who drove, set up and cleaned up the shower truck every day, and on and on. Best part about it is that they all do it with a smile and a sense of humor. Thumbs up from this very appreciative participant!

I dropped off my bag and Mike and I walked into Vail Village back to the area where yesterday's stage finished. We were to start from here and run to Beaver Creek some 20 miles on trails and dirt road. When we arrived at the start, it was interesting to see the looks on everyone's faces. While some showed signs of being tired, most had a look of anticipation as if realizing that this was all coming to an end. A few I think were actually excited that this was the last stage. We checked into the chute, heard the intro to Highway to Hell and heard the race gun go off all for the last time. Off we went up a hill at first then down and into Vail for a mile or so on asphalt before going over I70 on a pedestrian bridge. Everyone ran quietly for the most part.

Mike coming around the bend
passed the aspen trees.

Stage six went from Vail to Beaver Creek on a course that was to prove challenging and which contained a mixture of everything from asphalt to single track to dirt road. And there was plenty of climbing, perhaps more than any other day of the week long race, or maybe we were all just feeling the effort of having run up and over mountains for the last five days. We got off the asphalt and hopped on a trail that took us up and up to the top of Red and White Mountain on the north side of Vail. Tall grasses and plants lined the trail and came up to our chest in some parts. The trail wound up and up. Mike and I fell in step with the same women's team we had run a portion of stage five with from checkpoint two to the top of Vail Mountain. Steadily upward we climbed, switch back after switch back. At times, the tall grass would give way to short trail sections lined with aspen trees. On the climb up, I noticed Mike was not keeping up as he had the day before. I was determined to stay together though and as a result let up on my pace slightly. We reached the top and came out onto a dirt road. A short time later, we hit the first aid station.

At this point, we were running with several folks that we've come to know over the last few days. Two couples, Ashley and Emma who were from Wales and Chuck and Katy Hazzard who had run all week wearing running kilts and who also ran tethered to each other during the climbs. Ashley and Emma had run well on stage 4 and took third place in their mixed group category that day. Chuck and Katy had also run well all week even though they did not get on the podium. Another runner, Moises (he was the guy who had surprised me during the first half of stage 4 when I was trying to keep up with Russell), was also yo-yo'ing between us. We all ran along the top of Red and White Mountain together along mostly double track trail and dirt road. When we arrived at the second aid station, Mike and I took some time to refuel and get something to drink. This time check point two had bacon. Ever since they first had it on days one and two, I had been asking them for it, but they hadn't had it again until this stage. Nothing like a couple of strips of bacon to get you going. Ha, ha!

Mike coming down the trail
passed the tall grass and
 aspen trees.

The couples had run up ahead of us and Mike and I left the aid station knowing that the next couple of miles were one long descent. We took off down the hill and soon caught up with Ashley, Emma, Chuck and Katy. This part of the trail, although a little rocky, actually had a good grade that allowed for some fast descending and Mike and I took advantage of it. We passed the two couples and kept flying down the hill. We caught up to another runner right at a brief s-turn that put us on a narrower single track trail with tall grasses that made watching wear you plant your foot difficult. We were also slowing down from the earlier effort. When the trail started to level off, we came into a ton of thistle that was chest high. I found myself running with my arms in the air so that I wouldn't smack the thistle as I ran by. We crossed a couple of small creeks and then went under a road through an underpass. The trail eventually came out onto an asphalt road that would continue going downward into Avon, CO. Mike ran ahead of me and set the pace the rest of the way down until we came into town and I think after that he was ready to be done except we still had another six or so miles and a hefty climb to go to the finish.

In the town of Avon, we ran on the road for a couple of miles until we crossed highway 6 and ran up to the last aid station. This was it. Just four or so miles left to the finish but it would all be uphill except for the last mile or so. We were both tired, but I had a bit more left in the tank than Mike. I tried to encourage him. Chuck and Katy were the first to catch up with us and then Ashley and Emma. They would put a gap on us and we wouldn't see them again until the finish. We climbed along a double track trail at first, then dirt road, then trail again. The sun was out and for the first time all week heat was playing a part in the race. We weaved in and out of cover from the sun when ever we were under tree canopy, but much of this part of the course was out in the open.

Mike and I with our medals shortly after finishing stage 6.

We eventually came into the outer edge of Beaver Creek even running one section that was a series of tight switchbacks on a hill side with a ski chair lift. We eventually hit a dirt road and started descending. This was it. This had to be the last mile of the TransRockies Run. As we made our way down, we could see the resort area of Beaver Creek from above, but it wasn't until the dirt road started to level off that we started hearing the music and then the cheering. We picked up our pace as we crossed a bridge and then saw the finish line chute. Mike and I ran in together with 4:40 on the race clock. We high fived, posed for a photo, hung out, ate a little and sat down.

In the men's six day solo category, I managed to hold onto 4th place for all six stages with a total time of 23:35:46. Mike finished in 7th with a total time of 24:41:08. The fastest finishers were in the men's open teams category with Rob Krar and Mike Smith finishing in a blistering 15:22:59 (remember, that's over 118 or so miles. Wow!) The most creative team name or my favorite was "Scrambled Legs and Achin'". Pretty funny!

Beers to celebrate the finish!

Our hotel was right around the corner, so when we were ready, we grabbed our duffel bags and other gear and checked into our room for showers. Admittedly, it was nice to get into a real shower. Once refreshed, we then came back downstairs and grabbed a table at a restaurant across the way with a view of the finish line. We toasted with a couple of beers while we watched other finishers still coming in. It was really cool to see the happiness on finishers' faces as they crossed the finish line. For us and for them, it was done. The 2013 TransRockies Run was in the books.

Post Race

With Densie and Russell Maylin from
New Zealand before start of stage 5.

It's hard to put into words what exactly this event meant for me. I know that I gave an account of mostly the running part of the event and the daily stages, but this was more than just the enjoyment of trail running. It was also about the camaraderie and getting to know the other runners. There are so many amazing people that Mike and I met. I could have easily filled this blog with tons of stories about each one of them. There were experienced ultrarunners all the way to runners who had at the most run a few half marathons and marathons. One guy, Martin Parnell, had recently run 250 marathons in a year in an effort to raise money and bring awareness to a cause called Right to Play. There were also Ironman finishers and athletes of all skill levels and abilities. Of course, Russell Maylin who twice finished Marathon de Sables and placed top 50 both times. The elite field for this race was very impressive with the top men's team, Rob Krar and Mike Smith, just smoking the field. Rob had also finished second at this year's Western States. There was a Run3 runner we met earlier in the week who after finishing the three days at TransRockies Run headed up to run the Leadville 100. I'm not sure how she finished, but just the fact that she attempted it was impressive to me. I met and made many new friends, many who I mentioned already Pablo, Rodrigo, Densie, Carrie, Moises, Ashley, Emma, Carlos, Houda, Mikael, Memphis Joe, on and on and on. There were even several friends from home including Choo Choo, Joyce, Pablo, Silas and Liz. I hope to run across them in the future soon.

I've been asked a several times now if I would run the TransRockies Run again. The short answer is an unequivocal YES. I would love to once again take part in this event in the future. The long answer is more complicated since taking a week to ten days off away from my family is very valuable time and as a result, if I had the time again I would probably move on to other adventures that I would also like to do.

The whole idea of running the TransRockies Run was born several years ago when I first heard of the race, but it wasn't until last year that I finally found a partner to do this with me. I can't thank my friend, Mike, enough for joining me on this adventure. It was an amazing week to reconnect with an old friend. I think we both discovered new things about ourselves and each other. It was a real joy to not only take part in the race together but to also spend time together from climbing 14'ers on the first weekend to grabbing the final round of beers on the final night of the race. Mike, I hope we get to do something like this again soon.

I have to thank Tim Tatarka at Salomon Running, Nate Price of Nathan Performance Gear and the staff at Big Peach Running Co. in Decatur, Georgia for gearing me up for this fabulous adventure. Thanks guys!

I also need to thank my friend, Roxanne Zobava, who had run this race a couple of times before and who designed my training plan and gave me advice over the last year or so leading up to this event. Thanks Rox!

Lastly, a very special thank you to my wife, Stacy, who supports me and has told me time and time again how proud she is of me. Stacy, I love you!

Hanging around the camp fire at Nova Guides/Camp Hale at the end of stage 4.

I'm a Trail Casualty: Georgia Death Race 03.16.13

Dave, me, Dustin, Brack and Drew before the start of the Georgia Death Race

I'm a trail casualty of the Georgia Death Race. There I've said it. I dropped out at mile 25. Done. Fork stuck in my back. In hind sight, I'm good with it, just like I was fine with the decision during the race despite my buddy, Brack's demands to keep going. Truth is, I knew when I signed up that it was totally unrealistic to truly be ready for this race in time. But I admit that I got caught up in the hype of the race and I wanted to be a part of its inaugural edition. With 60-ish miles on some of the toughest terrain in North Georgia, it was hard to not pay attention. I interviewed Sean "Run Bum" Blanton back in October and even got more excited about the race.

I can list three reasons why I ended up "trail kill" this past weekend: 1) I somehow managed to do well at the Mt. Mist 50K despite very low mileage going into that race. While I know that a 50K can't compare to a 100K, I obviously developed a false sense of confidence that if I could wing the first, I could at least make an attempt at the latter only six weeks later. Not! 2) I started off way too fast. It was exciting to be on the course in the dark with almost 200 fellow trail running buddies on some of the most challenging trails in Georgia. I paid for it in 25 not so short miles. It took me over seven and a half hours to cover the distance, but I lost the most time in the second half of the distance. I should have been more conservative. 3) It's simply hard as shit. I've run the Duncan Ridge Trail before. I know how tough it is (which is why I was so intrigued by this race), but I did not respect it and I paid for it. Hence, the drop at mile 25.

Despite everything, it was a great day for trail running. Let me rewind and share how it went for me up until leaving the race at Point Bravo (mile 25).

Brack, Drew, Dustin and Dave picked me up at work on Friday afternoon and we headed up to Vogel State Park. About ten miles from the park, we got stuck in traffic. Unfortunately, a female cyclist from Cumming, GA was coming down the road from Neels Gap and was ht by a car. It shut down the road for several hours while authorities investigated the accident scene. In the meantime, we were late along with several others for the scheduled 7pm obligatory race meeting. We arrived in the park around 7:45pm, checked in with our mandatory gear, picked up bibs, listen to Sean's instructions and then immediately headed off to the cabin to get some sleep.

Wake up call was for 2:45am, but most of us didn't sleep very much. We ate, got dressed, double checked our gear and went down to check in for the race start. 182 runners were all amped and ready to get started. Everyone was anxiously awaiting the start and supporting each other with best wishes for an awesome day. We lined up on the park road while Sean shared a few prepared words, "It was the worse of times. It was the best of times..." and I honestly don't recall much else. All I know is that at 4:03am, we were off. The first mile of the race was relatively flat at first with just a slight incline once on single track trail. The line of headlamps in the dark made for an entertaining visual. Brack and Drew went out ahead of me and I soon lost Justin and Dave behind me. When we reached highway 180 and crossed it, we hit a long descent that I think had many of us, myself included, go out a bit fast. I've run or hiked the Coosa Backcountry trail many times, but this was my first time running on it in the dark.

We crossed a creek, then a forest road before starting the long climb up to Coosa Bald. When the climbing started that's when the crowd started breaking up and thinning out. About half way up, it was just me another runner that I would end up running with on and off over the next 18 miles although I never got his name. The wind started to pick up as we neared the top, but luckily the temps were not cold at all. In fact, the temps were perfect in the 40's and sky over head was clear. A much better scene than the one a couple of weeks earlier just a few miles away during the Double Top 100 where snow ended up shutting that race down.

When we reached the top of Coosa Bald and got on the Duncan Ridge Trail about 7 miles into the race, it was only a mile to go until the first aid station. I have to admit that going into the race, I was concerned about how well the aid stations would be manned and stocked. Inaugural races can have their hiccups, but I'm happy to report that the Georgia Death Race had well stocked aid stations and plenty of volunteers.

I grabbed something to eat and took off down the trail. About a mile or so down the trail, I saw two headlamps coming at me. It ended up being Brack and Drew and they both ran by me unknowingly. They doubted the trail because they hadn't seen a ribbon marker for a few yards. I heard them but I didn't have a chance to stop them before they were out of sight. I shrugged my shoulders and kept going. While its true that there had been a lack of markers on this section, the fact is that there is no other possible trail. The one we were on was the only option. I stuck with this thought and was soon rewarded with a ribbon marker to secure my confidence. I was running well through this section of the Duncan Ridge Trail. Perhaps too well.

The trail wound its way up onto the ridge and I had to make my way through a tight double back where  I was running on a muddy, slippery trail with a sharp drop to my right. I focused on keeping my headlamp on the trail and putting one foot in front of the other while trying not to think of potentially slipping and dropping off to no where next to me. I got through this section and soon caught up to another runner, someone I knew from other races, Dave Carter. We ran together for a little ways and went over two Duncan Ridge Trail summits together before I pulled ahead on my own. The skies were starting to brighten and I eventually started descending into Mulky Gap and the next aid station at mile 13-ish of the course.

After refueling at Mulky Gap, I left the aid station and made my way straight up the trail on a long ascent. The sun was coming out. As I made my way, I was recalling the last time I was on this section of trail while sweeping the Duncan Ridge Trail 50K back in November. I ended up not finishing the job then due to an injured ankle. Not a good memory. This section between Mulky Gap and Fish Gap is pretty tough, but nothing compared to the trail after Fish Gap. About three miles after leaving the last aid station, the crazy, steep climbing really began. Brack and Drew who had past me in the opposite direction a couple of hours earlier had caught up to me and run slightly ahead although I managed to keep them within sight for a few miles.

Of course, the photo doesn't
do this climb justice.

While we all tackled the tough little Duncan Ridge summits together, we started seeing signs on the trees that at first I didn't realize were left behind by Sean, the race director. The first sign I noticed said, "Don't feed the bears or the axe murderers." Shortly after that and on one of the climbs, I came on to a sign that read, "You're almost done with the climbing. You got this!", only to then find another sign just a few yards ahead that read something like, "Not a chance. It keeps going and going." Need less to say, the only thing more inspirational would have been to have Sean standing at the top of each summit just laughing at us. The three or four miles between Fish Gap and the drop down to Skeenah Gap are hard...really hard. It's not easy to put into words. There's no reprieve at any point. You are either going straight up or you are going quad-busting downhill. I kept hoping that the next aid station would come soon, but little did I realize that it would preempt one of the toughest climbs of the day.

Where the Duncan Ridge Trail meets up with the Benton McKaye trail, the combined trail continues westward and the Benton McKaye goes northward. The race took us down the Benton McKaye to Skeenah Gap before turning around at the aid station at the bottom and climbing bak up to continue westward bound. Heading down to the aid station, I ran into those runners that were ahead of me and heaing back up to the ridge. I saw John Dove and he was shaking his head. He let me know that it was about a mile straight down, approximately 800 feet to the aid station. Something to look forward to. As I went down the trail, my legs were definitely feeling the earlier climbs and descents. I was ready to get something to eat and catch my breath. I arrived at the aid station and took my time refilling my pack bladder and grabbing something to eat. Ashley (@AshRuns100s) was managing the aid station with other volunteers. Someone asked her how much farther to the next aid station. She said over six which didn't match what was earlier reported. Because this aid station was supposed to be at 20 miles of the course, but if she was right that would put Point Bravo at mile 26. Not a big difference, but not encouraging either.

I left the aid station and started the climb back. It sucked. It took what ever I had left, chewed it up and spit it out. Once I arrived back to the ridge, I just wanted to get to Point Bravo and see how I felt. Although the thought of dropping started to creep into my head. The miles between Skeenah Gap and Point Bravo at highway 80 took forever, but probably not as long for me as it was for two other runners that both passed me in the opposite direction. Both grumbling under their breath about missing the turn down to Skeenah Gap, but not realizing it until a few miles down the trail.  I felt bad for them both.

The last couple of climbs on the way to Point Bravo are not as steep as the earlier ones before Skeenah Gap, but that doesn't make them easy. I finally started a final descent and I could hear the traffic on the road below. Normally, I would have picked up my pace encouraged by the noise below, but my legs were shot. Down and down I went, and I could only think about getting my pack off and stopping. I finally made it to the bottom and crossed a short wooden bridge where I could see the Point Bravo aid station and all the family and friends of other runners. My dad and brother had come up to crew for me the rest of the day, but they were surprised when I told them that I was done. Of course, they supported my decision. Brack and Drew who had both gone ahead of me earlier were at the aid station and I was surprised to see them. I let them know that I was dropping out. Drew just patted my back and as mentioned earlier, Brack tried to encourage me to keep going. I probably could have gone on for a bit more, but it would have been avoiding the unavoidable and I knew what was yet to come. Besides, it would be another 15 miles or so before I could meet up with my dad and my brother. I made the right decision.

Looking back, it was still a great day on an incredible trail. I was bummed to miss out on my buddy Aaron's bacon stop at mile 47. The guy cooked like 7 lbs. of bacon and it was gone apparently. Next year's race is on March 14-15 and who knows, maybe I'll come back for redemption. I have to keep my eye on the prize this year with TransRockies in August and possibly Pinhoti 100 in November first. I take my hat off to Sean and all the volunteers. The race seemed to go smoothly, at least from what I experienced. I did hear later that the course was a bit long. Maybe Horton Miles are now Blanton Miles.

Drew ended up dropping out at mile 40. Brack finished with 18:30 (even after spending like an hour and a half at the mile 47 aid station) and Dave and Dustin also finished but around 20:45. I'm glad that those guys earned their Georgia Death Race spikes.

Georgia Death Race finisher's spike. I'll have to earn mine another time.

Goin' Muddin'!: Mt. Mist 50K 01.26.13

Not all, but a good chunk of the GUTS runners represented at the 2013 Mt. Mist 50K

Before I jump into my race report for the 2013 Mt. Mist 50K, allow me a moment to dust off the old blog by catching you up on what's happened since my last race report, last year's Double Top 100K. It's hard to believe that it's been ten months since my last completed race. Because of one thing or another, I haven't been able to  put in the miles that I would have liked, both on the trail and on the road. First, I rolled my ankle back in March shortly after Double Top and although I had plans to dial back my running miles over the summer anyway, I still had the SweetH20 50K to tackle in April. I lined up at the start of that race but ten or so miles into it, my ankle started complaining. I made it to the river crossing and pulled out at 18 miles. It took a while after that race before my ankle started feeling normal again. Then in July, I dove down a flight of stairs in my house after my son who was falling and when I landed on my back I tore the ligaments out of my left shoulder and clavicle. I had surgery to repair it and I was basically out for a month and a half from consistent running. In September, I started back up in earnest. I didn't think I had a Fall race in me due to my low mileage, but I thought if I put a race on my schedule that it would help to motivate my come back, so I signed up for Mt. Mist. In the meantime, I had the opportunity to sweep the second half of the Duncan Ridge Trail 50K. Running the sixteen miles over the difficult terrain of the Duncan Ridge, but at a slow pace, was going to fit right in with my training for Mt. Mist, but something strange happened.

Me and Woody pre-race in the lodge.

At Duncan Ridge 50K, I helped the turn around aid station out until the last runners came through. At around 1pm, I left the aid station and made my way down the trail towards the finish. I soon turned a couple of runners around. Only three miles in, my ankle started to hurt. Six miles in and I could barely walk. I called the RD and he was able to find a couple of other runners to finish sweeping for me. I was disappointed. I guess my injury from earlier in the year came back, but the strange thing is that a few days after trying to sweep the course, the ankle felt more or less fine. In December, I had a second surgery on the shoulder to remove the hardware that was installed in the first one. While not as intense as the first surgery, I ended up not running for about a week after this surgery. Which puts me at the Holidays about a month before Mist and my weekly running mileage was averaging 20-25 miles. Not where I needed to be. I took part in the annual GUTS Fat Ass in January and ran three loops to get 15 miles in. That would end up being my longest run in about six months...

…and my longest run leading into Mt. Mist 50K. 

The Mt. Mist 50K has been on my short list for quite some time. Here in Georgia, a ton of trail runners make the pilgrimage to this race every year. The race is one of the most popular ones in the Southeast and sells out quickly. I had missed the opportunity in the past because I was too slow to sign up before it capped out. Except for this year, which I made it a point to sign up the day it opened. My buddy Woody signed up as well. Fast forward to this past weekend, Woody and I headed up to Huntsville on Friday and after a mandatory pit stop dinner at Terminal Brewhouse in Chattanooga, we arrived in Huntsville at the Monte Sano State Park Lodge with just a few minutes spare to pick up our race packets. We ran into a few friends and caught up but quickly headed out to get some rest at our hotel.

The alarm clock went off way too early, but it didn't take long before we had eaten breakfast and were on our way back to the lodge. The top of Monte Sano sits at about 1,600 feet which is about 900 or so feet higher than the average elevation of Huntsville. So up the mountain we drove. The night before we dealt with a thick fog, but the morning of the race the skies were cloudy but no fog. The race was set to start at 7:30am and we pulled in around 6:30am, quickly found a place to park and picked up our timing chips. I was able to make the group photo with the other GUTS runners, about 50 or so taking part in the race. We then lined up right outside for the start. Woody made his way towards the front of the pack and I stayed back a bit with my buddy, Andrew. Andrew was going for his tenth Mt. Mist finish which would earn him a special jacket. I was happy to be there to witness Andrew get his jacket, but more on that later.

The gun went off and 400 or so runners started off on what would end up being a beautiful day for running. Tons of rain fell the day before and the earlier forecast called for doom and gloom on race day, but the sun broke through the clouds about an hour and a half into the race and temps would peak in the high 50's later in the day. Perfect conditions except for the mud. From the start, we had mud and muddy puddles all over the trail. We were goin' muddin'!

Powerline cut out.

I got into a nice pace with Andrew and the first few miles went by rather quickly as we were talking and catching up. Much of the early miles are down hill and except for occasional rocks and the mud, it's actually a tame part of the course especially compared to the later miles of the race. I was feeling pretty good as we were geting into a good pace. We followed the side of the mountain for a bit then came up to a flat section that I later learned is part of the course of the Dizzy Fifties, a loop race later in the year. Here the mud was manageable and we got in a couple of decently fast miles. Andrew and I were running at this point with a group of other runners, many of them also GUTS runners like Steve, Sarah, Kim and Janice. After a short technical decent, we came out into a powerline section that ended up being one of my favorite of the course. Out of the trees, you had a chance to look around and see the surrounding foothills. Plus the sun was starting to break through the clouds.

On the powerline section, the mud was intense. Before the start of the race, Woody talked me into wearing my Saucony Peregrines, which even though I had never run long in them had more traction than my other shoes and were a little lighter. This actually helped out a lot during the course. I was glad I had listened to him. The mud caked up on the shoes with the grass and it made the rocks that much harder to handle. We came off the powerline section and had our first real climb of the day some where around 9 miles in. Andrew said the climb was nicknamed K2. What ever it was called, it was something to see a whole line of runners just walking their way up the switchbacks ahead of us.

Once we leveled off, I thought I'd try to pick it up a bit and see how that would turn out. So I slowly made my way past a few folks, left Andrew and the other GUTS runners that were with me behind and soon found myself running alone for a bit. I came in to the second aid station, grabbed a few peanut butter stuffed pretzels and Coke and kept on. I was thinking to myself that I was probably going to regret this push on the early miles but it would end up fine.

Coming into aid station #2 (photo: Vikena Yutz)

I caught some other runners and we made our way up and around another decent climb. The trail wrapped around and interestingly enough came up to a summit of a hill where these giant stone formations formed a cave. I later learned these were called the Stone Cuts. These things were beautiful. You literally have to squeeze between gigantic rock formations. You could also see holes in the rocks which looked pretty dark and deep, but there was no time to explore. Plus you had to respect the two Emergency Rescue volunteers that were waiting on the other side of the Stone Cuts. There must be a reason they were there. I got through the rocks, came out of a steep little ascent and I was back on the trail. Down we went again and then back up towards aid station #3.

When I got to aid station 3, my buddy Joe was haning out and cheering on friends. While I grabbed something to munch on, he mentioned that the station was around 17 miles in. 17 miles, huh? Well, I was feeling pretty good and better than expected. This was now officially the longest I had run in over six months. My legs were holding up well though, but I knew the hardest part was yet to come. We crossed the road and hopped back on the trail. Down we went on the Bluffline Trail. Lots of rocks and mud made the descent a bit tougher than it would normally have been. I ended up tagging along with another runner for this section and the next several miles. He had run Mt. Mist 13 other times previously and knew the course well. I stuck with him and we had a decent pace going navigating the mud and rocks. The Railroad Trail section of the course was more of the same mud and rocks. When we hit aid station 4 at around 21 miles, I thought "this is it, I'm going to burn out any minute now." But I kept up. The next couple of miles were, you guessed it, rocky and muddy. We crossed the same creek a couple of times and that made me think of the famous Waterline waterfalls that we were soon to hit.

The famous waterfall on the Waterline Trail.

We left the Railroad Trail behind us and switched to the Alms Trail until we finally hit the bottom of the Waterline Trail. Now I had heard so much about this climb. And admittedly, I was bracing myself for it. But the first few miles of the climb are disarming. It's a straight medium grade trail on top of a stone bed that while is relentless going up, it wasn't very technical at all, until...

I saw a rock formation up ahead and then I noticed all the runners to the right at a stand still. The runner in front of them was looking across to the left and was obviously studying how to go across and then scramble up the waterfall. When my turn came, I crossed the waterfall and then scrambled up the side of it following every one else up and up, grabbing small tree trunks and what ever I could to help me up. I'm sure everyones blog entry for this race has an aside for this section of the course, but it really is that crazy of a climb from the waterfalls. Once above the falls, there is still some more climbing to go. By the time we got all the way up and started approaching aid station 5 at 26 miles in, we basically earned back all the the descent miles from aid station #3 to the bottom of Waterline. At the aid station, i refueled again on pretzels and Coke while sucking down a GU. Once back on the course, we descended and on the way down I picked up Eric, a local runner who I had run with before, and the two of us chatted while making our way. As we made our way down, he had me stop and take in this giant rock well off the trail. It was impressive. It must go hundreds of feet down. Eric joked and said that local trail runners would toss a rock in there as they ran by to see if one day they could fill it. What ever the case, I didn't want to be falling down that thing.

Smiling at the finish!

After a short ascent past the well, the next section was pretty technical and the mud reared back its ugly head which once again made traversing the rocks difficult. Down we went into what's called McKays Hollow. I was feeling the effort now from the big climb earlier. The footing was lousy and being tired, it was hard to get a good groove going. Down, down, down. I knew there was only 3-4 miles left, but I also knew that we were going to pay for all this downhill. Eric dropped me and I ran alone for a while. But before he left, he mentioned something about free tacos for all the finishers. That was incentive to get this done. The trail leveled off at the bottom and I crossed a creek. It wasn't long before I saw what was in store. I looked up and a few runners were ahead of me. We came around and soon started climbing. And climbing. Happily, I got a second wind at this point and picked up my pace. Now I wasn't running, but my power walking got me past the other runners and I surged up the hill. Up and up I went. I heard voices and eventually I was at the last aid station. I asked a volunteer how much was left and he said, "1.8 easy flat miles back to the lodge." This put pep back in my step and those last 1.8 miles ended up being my fastest of the whole day. Although I was passed by a runner or two, I did some passing of my own. I could hear the murmur at the finish line before I could see it. Once across a little footbridge, the finish line was in sight. Ran in at 6:46:46. No where near my fastest 50K, but given my base mileage going into the race, I was quite happy with that. It was good to have a race under my belt again.

Woody was at the finish to greet me. He threw down a 5:07! The winner was David Riddle who broke the course record with a 3:36!! Pretty impressive stuff given the mud. Woody pointed me in the direction of the free tacos and beer and I made a bee line for it once I picked up my finisher's award, a really cool slate shell with some original art. With food and brew in hand, I went and sat with the fellow GUTS runners and we cheered others as they arrived. It was good to see Andrew cross the finish line about 10 or so minutes after me and earn his jacket for having run ten Mt. Mist races.

I really enjoyed the race and I was glad to have finally run it after having heard so much about it. I plan to come back and be in better shape. Next up, the Georgia Death Race in March, a 60-mile race from Vogel State Park to Amicalola Falls State Park in North Georgia. We'll see how that goes.

Course profile
Course route
2013 official results

I tried to capture the mud on my shoes,
but this photo doesn't do it justice.

2013 Mt. Mist finisher's award

Great swag! Love the visor and shirt.