Stump Jump 50k 10-6 2012

The Stump Jump 50k  on Signal Mtn. is the hardest 50k Ive ever done! It was my first ultra and trail run several years ago.But this year it didn't seem bad at all! I paced myself accordingly and enjoyed the run. The scenery was beautiful and there was over 7000 feet of elevation and descent.This was my 3rd year to run this race.My goal was 8hrs a nice training run,however I made a wrong turn and ran about 30 minutes out of the way,then had to run 30 minutes to get back on the trail . My mistake and several others as well, Even after an hour extra running my time was 8:51. I have no complaints and appreciate the extra time on the trail. This was a training run for the Nashville 50 in Nov,and that will be a training run for Bartram 100 in Dec,and that will be a training run for Rouge Orleans 126.2 in Feb 2013.To give an idea how hard the Stump Jump is I ran a 50k in Huntsville with a time of 5;50 and the next day ran a 50k in Murfressboro Tn with a time of 6hrs. I am looking so forward to the Stump jump next year. I was more sore after the Stump Jump 50k than after the Rouge Orleans 126.2 last Feb.2012.This year I felt great after The Stump Jump and was able to run the next day!

 

Hawk 50 9-8 2102

The Hawk races offer a marathon,50miler and a 100 miler all in the same race,with a 32 hr finish time for all.A genius idea! The race is in Lawrence Kansas at Clinton Lake.is a 25 mile loop . The marathoners run  just  a little over a mile then run the loop one time,the 50 milers run the loop twice and 100 milers run it 4 times. Let me tell you this part of Kansas is not flat ! The loop is very challenging equivalent to middle Tennessee! I wore a new pair of shoes that had my foot bleeding by mile4 however even with that my first loop went perfect.I felt great when I completed the first loop which was the start /finish line. Then as I started the second loop I got very dizzy ,it didn't take long to figure out It was a sinus infection,The second loop found me freezing,then burning up,also found me sitting at the aid stations way too long coughing and spitting trying to relieve pressure. I was able to finish with a lot of walking on the last loop. The Hawk is a excellent race with excellent aid stations and management! I am considering the Hawk 100 next year!

Hot to Trot 8hr Endurance Run 8-4-2012

Hot to Trot is an 8 hr endurance run held in Lithia Springs Ga. It is a 1.18 mile trail loop at Sweetwater Creek Park. The race is from 8am till 4pm. You have an option of running your desired distance and going home or running the entire 8 hrs. The loop is challenging along with the heat and humidity it can be a long day. There is a very well stocked aid station at the start/finish you can visit as needed as well as passing a bathroom on every loop.The race is very well organized with chip timing and very friendly volunteers! It was good to see many friends there as well as make some new ones. The temp was relatively low at the start of the race however the humidity was very high. About 2 hrs into the race it started raining and rained for several hours.The rain felt good and was definitely better than  the sun! Our shoes got very heavy from the mud, I went into this race with the goal of running around 20-25 miles then going home. I ended up running 26 miles then went to clean up then enjoy a grill cooked hamburger at the finish line. I will run this again next year and would recommend this race to anyone, It is a challenging loop,well stoked aid station,great volunteers and excellent hamburgers at the end! I would have liked to stay for all 8 hrs however life was calling.The goody bags were well stocked with a shirt.visor,gels,and food!

Run Under The Stars 10 hr. Endurance Run 2012

Run Under The Stars (RUTS) is a 10 hr endurance run held in Paducah Ky at Carson Park which is also a horse track. This year the race started on June 9th at 8pm and ended on June 10th at 6am. The track is a half mile loop with finely crushed gravel as the surface,also offers a very well stocked aid station and a bathroom every half mile! You can also set up your own shelter along the track as we did.
   You can run this race as a solo runner or as a relay team. There are people there of all ages from preteens to the retired.Many come to run a personal distance then go home. This is my 2nd year to run Ruts ,as last year I ran48.5miles. However with the stomach issues Ive been having for several months I knew I wouldn't make that goal. However I had started a pro biotic and was wanting to see how it would do during a long run.

Home!

Lined up for finishers medals

Start/finish

Sulaiman resting before run

Wade & Rick plotting!

  The race started at 8pm and I averaged 5.5 miles per hr for about 4 hrs. As the night went on I cycled gels,caffeine,amino's for energy and focus. As the sun started to rise I found new energy and ran well between 4am and 5:30 am I was happy to complete 43.5 miles with NO stomach issues! I finished in 30th place out of 125.I have had stomach issues for almost a year but after 3 days of taking probiotics I was feeling better,I hope to increase my training back to pre stomach issues. I really enjoy the Ruts run,this year myself,Joseph Nance,& Sulaiman Seriki rode together and shared a shelter and encouragement during the run.It was good to see many friends there and also to meet Face book friends you haven't met! I would advise anyone to try Ruts for their first ultra or PR. Thanks for a great race Steve Durbin for a great race ,see you next year!

Strolling Jim Race Report 2102, Hail Yes !

Approx 100 runners were patiently waiting  in downtown Wartrace for the start of Strolling Jim a ultra marathon of 41.2 miles in its 34th year,with some of the most challenging hills in middle Tn. This was my 4th year to run it and it turned out to be my worst time ever due to stomach issues. The race started in true Strolling Jim fashion rain at 1 mile and a hailstorm at mile 3 ! My goal was 8 hrs. At the 1st aid station I was at 2;20.  Then the sun came out in full force,I managed to make it to the 2nd aid station at 21 in 4 hrs. Still had a chance to make 8hrs, However my stomach went south and and at the marathon line I was forced to pretty much walk the rest of the way. I tried sugar,amino's,gels,caffeine,Just couldn't seem to run after the marathon mark.My 50k time was 7 hrs and my finish tine was around 10:25. That is over 2hrs slower than last year. But I still enjoyed the run I got to spend time with other runners along the route while my crew assisted them, My crew was very popular we had ice ,cold water, food and cold Cokes!I did notice the water in jugs along the course for runners was very hot after the sun hit them. I was glad to get to the finish line to find some friends waiting on me. We had a good time sitting around swapping stories,The stories were the same every ones time was slower due to heat.The runners at Strolling Jim is what makes the race so special! See you next year !!

Delano Park 12 Hour Endurance Run 2012

Delano Park  Run is a 50 mile or 12hr endurance run for solo runners or a relay team. It is a 1 mile loop on a hard packed gravel trail around the park.The aid station was located at the start/finish line and was stocked with PEEPS, pbj sandwiches,cookies,pizza,donuts,m&ms, nuts,fruits, chips ,pretzels,and many other foods as well as water,sports drinks,and Pepsi products.It would be possible to gain weight here!The restrooms were conveniently located just past the start/finish line along the track.
     My goal for this race was to run a minimum of 50 miles and a maximum of 55 miles.This was my
longest run since the Rouge Orleans 126.2 on Feb 10th.
    The race started at 6am Saturday morning March 10th and ended at 6 pm.The starting temp. was around 32 degrees with runners wearing pants,jackets,hats and gloves and well as the relay team station workers sitting covered with blankets and some brought propane heaters for their pavilion.
 I started a little fast the first hour but adjusted accordingly. The loop was very scenic passing a school and giving a nice view of the neighborhood.The park was very busy all day with locals bringing their children and pets to the park,this helped to get my mind off the fact I was running in circles.
   All runners encouraged each other throughout the entire race.The relay teams offered assistance to all solo runners. It was a beautiful day at Delano Park as the temp. rose runners shed jackets,hats,gloves and pants as the temp rose to around 70 degrees or so with a beautiful day of sunshine.I enjoyed hearing the other runners talk about their experiences and PRs.

   At the 6 hr mark I had ran 31 miles I decided to slow my pace and stick to my 3 step energy plan and it payed off ,during the last hour I picked up my pace and ran 9-11 minute miles not very fast but not bad after 50 miles. I was able to hit my maximum goal distance of 55 miles in 11h 43 min. with 17 min. to spare . I debated to try to push for 1 or 2 more miles but decided to stick with my original plan of  a max of 55 miles , and I'm glad I did. I managed to finish 15th overall.I also finished with no blisters,no chafing,and no stomach issues. Now that is a good race, I would like to thank my crew Sean Scaruffi who has decided to run Delano Park next year as his first Ultra, Best wishes to him,he will have my full support in training and at the race !!! The event concluded at a post race meal at a local church which was very well organized, following the dinner was the awards ceremony.See you next year !

Rouge Orleans Race Report 2012

It started with a sound that woke the dead,The firing of the cannon from the USS Kidd. And it was on
but by mile 10 we had left the levee due to construction and ran through water standing fields just to return to levee for feet to dry and repeat.
   The unmanned aid station had not been set up around mile 14 when we got to that point,however the race directer Jeffrey Beck flagged us down and we left the levee to be met with coke,chips,water . I was surprised how much I drank . O had figured a 70 oz camelbak would last till the first manned aid station around mile 25 or so. However the wind was very dehydrating and I was out of water by mile14.
  I arrived at first manned aid station around mile 28-28 and was filled soup.coffee.and other goodies which was a welcome sight. I reached the aid station in about 6 hrs or so. I called my crew at 5:45  Saturday morning to wake them and let them know I was at mile 43 and should be at mile 50 when they found me. The wind had been blowing very hard all night and when I met my crew my face was frozen and couldn't hardly talk. They ware worried about me but my spirit was strong. After meeting my crew at 2nd manned aid station around mile 54 I was able to change out of wet socks and shoes.I left the aid station with the wing still blowing hard but I ran good to the 3rd aid station at mile 80 where I was the 8th person to leave the station. My 80 mile time was 19h 55m.
      I hit mile 100 at 26h 30m. where I met a girl named Clair who wasn't doing well. I told her crew I would stay with her.We finally reached the aid station at mile 106 and we severed some potatoes that were about 5000 degrees. We then left 106 and went into the coldest,and longest part of the race for me!AI actually saw a McDonald's and a Circle k ahead that didn't exist when I got there around mile112 or so. I asked my crew to find a store and bring us some Ra min noodles because we were freezing! We were moving very slow at this point and the wind was taking more  energy out of us than we were creating! The noodles arrived and I ate mine but Clair couldn't eat any! Clair had to drop somewhere around mike115-118. At that point I picked up my pace a little to try to generate some heat! But as daylight came on Sunday morning I felt new energy.At this time I am wearing running shorts with a pair of lined running pants,3 Nike running jackets,2 pair of gloves,2 beanie hats.and a neck gaiter. I was also wearing a cold weather running cap that the wind blew off somewhere during the last 10 miles and I didn't even miss until the finish line and I was surprised to see someone found it and brought it to the finish line where I reclaimed it.I have never been that cold in my life!! The wind blew the whole race,the temp was in the20s and with the wind chill I'm sure at times it was in the single digits!
 The dropout rate for solos was over 50% . Started with 51 ended with 25! many quit due to hypothermia. After reaching the finish line in Audubon Park I was running the finishing loop and tripped and fell on a tree root! I ran 126 miles without a fall and fell with.2 left. Now that is funny !!

I managed to finish in35h 58m  13th place and 2nd in my age group !Cant wait till next year !!