Mount Cheaha 50k 2011

I had never heard of Mount Cheaha 50k until Mike O’Melia began pestering me to sign up last October. I hesitated at first, not knowing what my schedule would look like, but after several e-mails and texts I gave in and registered. Thank you Mike! I am so glad that I was able to experience this race and would recommend it to anyone looking for a challenging 50k.

I have to say that my journey to the starting line of this race was much more challenging than the journey to the finish. From the time I signed up it seemed that things were stacking against me being able to get away for the race weekend. About a week after I registered I realized that the race was going to be held at the end of my three youngest kiddos’ winter break. I wondered how I was going to work out the logistics, but figured I would work out a way, or not, as the race got closer. As is happens, their break was canceled due to missing a week of snow in January so the logistics were looking like they would work out. Then in the month leading up to the race it seems that my world turned upside down. Nothing that happened seemed like it would keep me from attending the event, but it looked like it was going to leave me undertrained and exhausted. I was considering just skipping the race and spending a weekend at home and relaxing. I had been away from home the previous 4 weekends in a row and had managed to put over 3,000 miles on my car in the process (and while I love running long distances, I really really hate driving). All I wanted was a break and a good night’s sleep. So while in Virginia for a funeral I came to the decision that not only was I going to attend the race as a getaway, but that I was going to book two nights in the hotel at the park and get some much needed rest and sleep in the process.

After a brief stop at the park’s hotel to check in and get my key, I drove the couple of miles to race headquarters at the Bald Rock Lodge. I arrived for packet pick-up and the pre-race dinner just as things were getting under way. I saw a few familiar faces, but seeing as how 50k’s tend to draw a more local crowd and I am relatively new to the area, I didn’t see as many as I am used to seeing at ultra events. I did get to meet and talk for awhile with Annette Bednosky. This woman is truly amazing and I was in awe. For those of you who haven’t met her, she is funny and wonderful and even more beautiful in person than her pictures let on. It was really a great thrill to talk with her. She was also a speaker at the pre-race briefing and gave some great advice about having fun while out there.

During the briefing candles had been lit throughout the lodge and I began having an allergic reaction so as soon as the briefing was over I was out of there and on my way to the hotel to remove my contacts and take some allergy medicine and hopefully to get a good night’s sleep. When I arrived back at the hotel and unpacked my gear from the car I realized that I had not remembered to bring several things that I would like to have had with me. I had forgotten to pack my socks, the padded tape for my feet (I have a couple of thick scars on the soles of my feet that tend to blister deep under the scars if not adequately padded) and my hand held water bottle. While not having these could prove detrimental in a 100 miler, I hoped that I could get away from a 50k without too much of an adverse affect. I decided to lay out all the things that I would need in the morning and try to get a good night’s sleep. This was when I realized that I had also forgotten a bowl for my cereal (luckily I had my dog’s food dish in the car and it worked just fine) and my charger for my cell phone. I set the alarm on my phone and hoped that it wouldn’t die before waking me and went to bed for what turned out to be a fairly fitful night’s sleep. Sure enough luck was with me and the alarm did go off, immediately followed by the phone shutting down and refusing to come back on due to a completely drained battery.

I had looked at finishing times for other runners in the past and compared them to some of the other races I had completed and knowing my current state of exhaustion and training I set my sights on an 8 hour finish. I know that this is fairly slow, but I have a couple of very key races coming up in April and an 8 hour finish should be what I needed in my training schedule and should also not tweak the hamstring I injured back in October. My goal was to not aggravate my hamstring and to also stay in the very lowest portion of my aerobic zone, barely breaking a sweat so to speak. I know that this isn’t the attitude I should take at the start line, but it was what I needed at this point in order to reach the goals I had set in front of me. I had decided to wear a watch, which I rarely do on slow training runs, but planned only to use it to know when to take my SportLegs which I take due to the calcium they provide which helps with my osteopenia. With this in mind I headed out to catch the bus to the start line.

This race starts in a parking area by the trail and proceeds to single track trail immediately, so wherever you are in relation to the field of starters when you begin is where you are likely to stay for at least the first several miles. I chose a place near the middle of the field, and as the chords of “Sweet Home Alabama” began was swept along to the trail head. The first portion of this race runs along single track covered in pine needles and is very runnable. It might even be scenic, but with the sun at an angle to hit one straight in the eyes (note to self, next time wear a cap with a bill) and just enough roots and rocks to be sure to trip you if you take your eyes off the trail for even a moment, I wouldn’t know. I kept my eyes on the trail and the feet of the runner immediately in front of me. In fact, the majority of the race would be run in this manner. Before I knew it we were a little over 3 miles in and at the first aid station. Having made the decision to not carry a water bottle I knew it meant that I could not skip any aid station and would have to take the time to drink at least a couple of cups of liquid at each of the 6 aid stations. This would slow me down somewhat, but seeing as how I didn’t actually have a time goal and was not even coming close to racing this event I was resigned to this course of action.

Leaving the first aid station the train of people that I had been in the middle of seemed to have shrunk in size. As I started on the next portion of the course there were only a handful of us running together. It was shortly after the first aid station (I believe) that I tripped on a root or rock and went down. I have been rehearsing in my head what to do if I trip on the trail. Always before I attempt to run my legs back under me and avoid actually hitting the ground. However, this is a great way to tweak the hamstring. Usually it is something that will correct itself within a few steps and at worst you will have a little soreness the next day, but since the tear I have been very leery of doing anything that puts the hamstring at risk so I had practiced in my mind just bending the knees and diving along the ground much that way you would if you were diving for a save during a game of volley ball, landing on the underside of the forearms with the hands flexed upwards so as to be out of harm’s way and to take the brunt of the body’s weight on the upper part of the thighs while protecting the knees. As I tripped my first instinct was to run my feet back under me, but I quickly changed tactics and made what felt like a perfect dive. I must have executed it just like I had envisioned since I have scrapes on the underside of both forearms and the tops of both thighs and no soreness or bruising anywhere. I know that those running near me had to think I was crazy since I was so happy about the fall when I quickly continued running. In fact I was up and continuing in the line of runners quickly enough that only the runner immediately behind me jumped ahead of me. Actually, he literally jumped over me, for which I thanked him several times. As crazy as it sounds this fall was possibly the most positive moment of the run since I managed to execute precisely what I had practiced in my mind so many times.

The rest of the run leading up to the beginning of blue hell all runs together when I try to recall each section. The trail is wonderful. It is mostly single track, and even though there are fields of large loose rocks and many roots just waiting to snag a toe if one takes their eyes or mind off the trail for even a second, it is very runnable, with no portion, whether uphill or down, that is steep enough to bring a competitive runner to a walking pace. This race is a point to point and has an overall gain in ascent so may not lead to a PR performance, but it is very runnable and could nonetheless lead to a great performance. At least that is what a runner will be thinking before they approach the base of “blue hell”.

The lead in to the last aid station is a portion of dirt road that brings one along the edge of Cheaha Lake. It is rolling without ever becoming steep. However, I did take the uphills at a fast walk. I was still sticking to my plan of low aerobic zone and not pushing the pace, making sure that I could take a minimum of 4 strides to each inhalation and another 4 or more to each exhalation. At times it was difficult to stick to this strategy. I have a very competitive streak and part of me wanted to see what I could do if I pushed the pace, but I knew that that strategy didn’t fit into my overall plans, especially since I was coming into the event so worn out. Like the saying goes, “it is easy to be hard, but hard to be smart”. My challenge became to stick to the goal I had set for myself at the onset and not lose patience. This was made harder several times during the race when I would approach an aid station thinking that I should be nearing a certain number of miles only to find out that I was several miles further along. I was definitely not feeling as if I had covered as many miles as I had and therefore knew that I could, and possible should, be pushing a little harder. I was definitely feeling like a slacker. However, I was now approaching the last aid station and knew I only had to keep it reigned in a few more miles. I just needed to concentrate on not doing something stupid and getting myself injured.

Leaving the last aid station I was told I was headed into “blue hell”. This was said with a wicked grin by the volunteers. They looked like they had inside knowledge to something and that I was about to become initiated. I had seen a powerline cut from the road a few miles back that indeed went straight up the side of a mountain and looked like something that should require ropes to attempt. I wondered, and honestly hoped, that it was going to be the “blue hell” that everyone had been talking about. As it turned out we were not going to get to climb the powerline cut, however, the trail that we were going to take to the top was probably about as steep. It was a boulder field that wound its way up the mountain and was marked on the rocks with blue blazes. There were parts that required hands and feet to pull oneself from one rock to the next. At one point I heard voices and looked to my right and only a few feet from where I was ascending there were a pair of guys rappelling. If anyone was actually able to run this I would love to have seen it. I loved every inch of this climb and thought it was by far the most beautiful portion of the course. I love rocks. I made good time on this portion and passed a couple of people. When I topped out there was a guy sitting above the trail on a rock and he commented on how quickly I had come up and how happy I looked. I was happy, that was until I looked at my watch.

I knew I was close to the finish line and I decided to finally allow myself to compute the time I had taken and get an idea about what my finish time would look like. I felt strong. I didn’t feel tired or that I had pushed myself. I felt like the 8 hour goal I had set for myself had to be achieved or even bettered. Then I did the math. My finish time was going to be right about 8:30. I know that I didn’t come in with a great goal, but I have to admit that I was really upset by this revelation. I had thoroughly enjoyed running without giving the time it was taking a second thought, once I would have been calculating and recalculating my pace and projected finish time constantly, wondering if I could shave off a few seconds here and there. This whole race I had only run by feel, enjoying every minute. But I felt like I put in a better effort than what the time was telling me, did this mean that I wasn’t in as good a shape as I had surmised? I jogged the remainder of the trails and walked the paved roads making excuses in my head. The tough few weeks leading up to the race, while not physically demanding, had definitely taken an emotional toll. However, excuses are just that, excuses. The bottom line is that maybe I wasn’t in as good a shape as I needed to be in order to meet my goals I had set for the month of April.

As I approached the finish line Christian Griffith offers a high five and tells me that I have made good time, I hear comments from others that I look fresh and that I have finished in good time. I am smiling as I always do when I am running just from the sheer joy of it, but the smile fades as I begin questioning my fitness level. It is then that Christian appears again and asks what is up. I tell him that I really wanted 8 hours and thought I had it, that it felt like an 8 hour effort. He gives me a strange look then points at the finish line clock which reads 6:32 and asks if I am not happy with it. It seems that I had not bothered to see if my watch was set to the correct time and that it wasn’t 4pm local time when I finished but 2pm. I will definitely not go so far as to claim that I am in better shape than I thought, but maybe, just maybe, I am where I should be physically in order to attempt to tackle my goals in April. Only time will tell……