My 2020 Algonquin 50k Race Report - 2019/2020: A Rough End Begets An Even Tougher Beginning

My Mom showing off her new Mt. Shasta jacket,

From a running stand point, 2019 wasn't one of my best years, a DNF in April and a smattering of injuries seemed to mess up my brain for the whole season. I screwed my head back on and I committed to having a fun visit out west to see Nathan and I was determined to have a blast at the Headwaters 50K. If you read my last blog post you know that the trip to see Nathan was magical and so was the race through their beautiful California mountains. I'll be damned, maybe 2019 wasn't a total loss.

High above Heart Lake and Castle Lake outside of Mt. Shasta CA

Arriving home from that trip, I was high as a kite and I felt absolutely bullet proof,  but that feeling only lasted a few days. I was out for an easy run on my home town mountain when I felt pain on the back of my right knee.  Three days later, Janice playing co-ed softball blooped a dribbler towards 2nd base and she heard a pop and she ended the day on crutches. Janice and I were bitten by sports injuries and at the same time my Mom was noticeably slowing down. If you know my Mom, all 4 feet 11 of her, you know she never did anything slow. Still living independently at age 95 and for the first time in her life she was showing signs that she wasn't 45 anymore. I ended up in physical therapy with Distal Hamstring Tendonopathy.

Pre-surgery selfie, the beginning of what
proved to be an excruciatingly painful day for Janice.

Janice greatly out did me with a ruptured Achilles Tendon requiring surgery and Mom at this point was concerning us. I told her that I couldn't believe that during a recent visit, the doctor hadn't recommend hospitalization. She shot back, "hospital? why?", "if I'm going to kick the bucket, I can do that just fine right here at home". Mom's appetite was falling off and getting around the house was getting tougher and tougher.

Needless to say, I had a lot on my mind. Two women I love were struggling and I wasn't in the best of shape to be of much help. I did what I could to fix myself while trying be a helper too. The guys at InspiredPT were great, Dan and Steve quickly saw where my pain was and developed a plan to get me back to running as soon as possible. Along with PT, I decided to register in some short fun races I could use as part of rehab while trying to keep my brain in the game.

SMT Turkey Trot  - The Turkey Trot Tri, which I selected by accident, meant I would get to run a 5k, but at about the mid point I had to eat a small pie, drink apple cider, grab a pumpkin and run with it to the finish.

Me & my pumpkin.

The Santa Shuffle - Yep, you guessed it, I ran a 5k in Harrisburg while wearing a Santa Suit. It was a total hoot and my Santa pants never fell down. [I was also registered for the Last Mile in Duncannon, PA and the Fleetfeet New Year Run Challenge, but I wasn't able to participate in either.]

December 18th, everything changed, Mom was in need of serious care and that day ended at the Hershey Medical Center ER. Man was she mad when I told her I had called for an ambulance. Mom was now on a journey and she wanted only one thing, to be well enough to go home, but Christmas would be at the hospital. Who knew that if you had a loved one stuck there for the holiday that the hospital hosted Christmas dinner? In an odd way, it was nice to share Christmas dinner with Janice and my Brother Larry in the hospital cafeteria. The doctors and nurses at the med center took such great care of her and eventually she got her wish and with Hospice Of Central PA, Home Instead and me learning how to be a home health aid, Mom got to go home. Mom got to see 2019 become 2020 and a few days later she turned off the television and Janice and I said what would be our last good night. It's been tough to start this blog, but now that I'm writing, it feels good to share. Dad provided the path, but Mom definitely kept us on it. We knew right from wrong, we knew perseverance, we had strength, we learned so many lessons because of Mom. To be so privileged to be 58 years old and still have my Mom was such a gift. At 95, she was finally ready to say goodbye.

Mom grocery shopping on her 95th birthday.
I have no idea what she did with that big loaf of bread.

Whenever I was late to visit, Mom just assumed I had been running. We'd be making her hairdresser appointment or a doctor appointment and she was always worried it would conflict with my getting to run. One time I took her grocery shopping after running in a cold rain storm. I was running late to pick her up so I showed up soaking wet, still wearing muddy shoes and tights and starving. That seemed to make Mom mad, so she made me get food at the store hot bar and sit down and eat while she started shopping without me. [She made me promise to never do that again.] My running, now that I'm old, seemed to scare Mom as much as it amused her. So she wouldn't worry I never told her about ultras until after I had run them. She did always want to hear about them and she knew running was important to me so she made it important to her. Now Mom was gone and I hadn't been running at all since she got sick. To know that I wasn't running would've really upset her, she never wanted to put anyone out.

The beautiful morning sun in Janice's lens.
Milburn Landing, Pokomoke River State Park, MD

For the past 3 years I've started my running year at Pokomoke River State Park at the Algonquin 50k and true to form I was registered this year too. I was in no way prepared, no miles in my legs and a huge gut. I had no excuse; I had to be there as I knew Mom would be watching and I couldn't let her down.

This year's Algonquin 50k would be different in a neat unique way as well. An old childhood friend, in fact one of my original childhood friends, Mike McCauley would also be making the trip to the Delmarva to run the race. Mike grew up literally right across the street from me and yes he also knew my Mom all his life. [How many kids who grew up as neighbors would become ultra runners later in life?] #weird

Packet pickup fun with Shane, Janice Me & Mike.
(photo stolen from Mike's Facebook feed)

The Algonquin 50k has made a name for itself with its battle cry of, "Mud or Blood". The course is at sea level and flat so in many spots there is nowhere for water to drain, which really is a great understatement. Some of the puddles on this course resemble small ponds and one is affectionately known as Lake Swanson, named for the Race "Dictator" Trent Swanson. All anyone was talking about at Hopper's, the sight of packet pick up, was the heavy rain that had just hit the area. The storm cleared out for the weekend but not until it had left plenty of water in its wake. Oh did I forget to mention the blood part? It's simple, if you choose to avoid the water and mud by wandering off the trail through the trees; you'll find yourself sliced and bleeding as the forest is full of razor sharp briers.

I'm not from Delmarva, but this event has a feel that I haven't experienced at others. I feel at home at this one, among friends. Often you go to races and you run into the regional clicks, whether they're all from the same town, region or running club and if you don't fit one of those categories; you're left standing alone waiting for the gun to go off. And at the finish line those same folks are all standing around, puffing their chests and boasting of their effort and surely you'll hear the letters PR, quite a bit. (to me PR represents the beautiful island of Puerto Rico) I'm sure those groups exist at the Algonquin 50k, but due to the atmosphere that's generated, and I have to say caused by the Race Director's personality; the event is focused on fun more than anything else. I've gotten to know so many people from returning for now my fourth year, that I feel a little embarrassed when someone calls me by name and I can't think of theirs (please accept my apology if you're reading and that's happened to you). The first year Janice and I met Gabe and Will  at packet pick up and I ran much of the day with Sara. Year two introduced us to the Air Force buddies, Shane and Clayton. Year three I spent much of the day running with Erin and Dani and I'm leaving out a bunch of folks, but you get my point. I'm not a social runner, I train alone and at events I yearn for those hours on the trail in solitude; so by much of my own doing I don't meet people at races. From the social event the packet pick up at Hopper's has become to the finish line where most everyone waits for the remaining finishers, some other events need to take a lesson.

New friends and old, just another cool bi-product of trail running.

Race day weather was mild, Trent was yet again denied his true winter ultra (maybe we'll see snow next year). Got to see Mike and Shane before the start and then I filtered my way toward the back, having no idea if I'd make it much past the first aid station; I didn't want to be mixing in with the folks who had actually prepared for this event. After words from the Race Dictator and the National Anthem, we were on our way. My run started off with a faux pas right away, I had been using the 'Sleep' feature on my Suunto 9 watch and I didn't realize that setting came with a "do not disturb" period and that didn't end till 8am and the race started at 7:30. I was maybe a 10th of mile in when I looked down at my watch and instead of data, there was a message on its face. I'm not sure what it said, but I stopped and restarted my watch and all looked normal. Now I was really at the back of the pack. (I no longer use the Sleep setting, I sleep pretty well and pretty consistently, I don't need to monitor it)

After a short stretch on a park paved road, the course turns onto the Algonquin Cross County Trail. The start of the trail is a mellow section, flat and with few obstacles; it's a nice warm up before tackling the water and the sand. Well this year was different, with the immense storm that had visited, this typically mild section of trail which has never had water or mud had both. With this as a preview the talk in the pack went right to wondering what the wet sections would look like. The water on the trail did not disappoint, entry to the aid station at Mile 4 which is usually dry had a fun pool of water; I say fun because it was fun to watch runners try to avoid it or splash through it. Out on the wet sections, pools of water were in new spots and many of the usual ponds were much longer than past years. There were so many big ones this year, I lost track as to which was Lake Swanson. It was more like the Great Lakes of Swanson this year.

Through the aid station at Mile 4...and still smiling.

I moved through the first aid station smoothly without getting in the tumult of the crowd and found Janice out on the road waiting with Pickle Juice. It was just 4 miles, but I was feeling better than expected; nothing hurt and I felt like I had already found a pace that I could maintain while I waited for the wheels to come off later in the race. Next up is Furnace Town, my favorite aid station on the course, simply for its cool historic name. Janice handed me Pickle Juice and I changed my gloves that had gotten wet when splashing through some crotch deep water. Janice also went to hand me a new bottle and that's when I realized that I was 10 miles in and feeling good, but I hadn't drank any Tailwind or eaten anything. I ate a Mama Chia Squeeze which hit the spot and I took off.

Uphill in sand...
#dreamcatcher #janiceshadow

Immediately after Furnace Town, the sand starts in earnest at the spot now known as Algonquin Beach. It's not just sand, it's actually on an incline (notice I didn't say hill, because there are none); sloped just enough to add to the difficulty of running in sand. I got maybe another mile down the trail and finally drank some Tailwind and gobbled down a Huma Chia Gel. I left Furnace Town saying I'd make a conscious effort to get some calories in me and I still forgot. A nutritional blunder like can ruin or even end your day.

Looking for The Greenbrier Spur Trail

With the festive beach party behind me, I now arrived at the mouth of the Greenbrier Spur, an out and back section, that for some reason really gets in my head. First it's an out & back so you end up retracing your steps which makes me nuts. Second you end up seeing runners who are ahead of you and behind you after you turn around and I have no idea why, but I find that mentally taxing as well. It's also at a point on the course where fatigue is becoming a factor.

The Goatman wears Altras.

To make matters worse, just before heading down the spur trail, I tripped and fell. This was my third tumble on the day (yes it was one of those days) and the worst. First I was pretty stoked when I realized that my face plant had landed just to the right of a tree instead of going headlong into it. Unfortunately though, I soon realized that my left knee took a nice hit and I could feel it getting sore and swelling. Before I knew it, the Greenbrier Spur and it's mind game was behind me and it was cool as I was able to see Mike, got to see Pete and even Shane who was running with Kyle from Altra.

Got to share some trail miles with Jackie, up from North Carolina.
She's quite an inspiration and a member of The Suunto Elite Team.

I think it's like 7 miles to the next aid station after the Greenbrier Spur and for some reason, in past years it's felt more like 17 miles and I've wished I was carrying 2 bottles through this section.  This year I planned ahead and had a race vest with 2 flasks.

I get NUUN Hydration stuff from The Suunto Factoryteam and I mixed those flasks with NUUN instead of Tailwind. Towards the end of races I start to reject Tailwind and having NUUN as an alternative seemed to work well and soon I was striding into the next aid station.

The party was raging at this stop, I could hear The Who, Baba O'Riley, "Out here in the fields, I fight for my meals" booming through the trees as I approached the break in the forest. Smith Island Cake, food, shots of Whiskey, whatever you wanted, they had it. I wanted a cup of sugary Coca-Cola, in fact I had 2 and they did the trick. Janice gave me Pickle Juice, took my vest and handed me a new bottle with Tailwind and Huma Gels in the handheld and I was quickly back on the move. Janice could teach a class on crewing.

In this next stretch I realized I was running with Erin who I finished behind last year. We talked about dogs, Josh who didn't come this year and her work with UPMC and their expansion in the Harrisburg area. The time passed which is nice, because it's always these late miles in an ultra that seem to never end. I stopped and walked a bit when I saw Janice at the last aid station which felt good.

Cramp free running all day thanks to Pickle Juice Sport.

I found myself behind two women who were so psyched to know that at 28 miles they only had 3 to go. They were so excited I had to tell them the final distance was more than 32 miles so they weren't let down when 50K passed and they were still running. I suggested they view it as bonus miles that Trent wasn't charging us for. They were in such high spirits, they took it very well.

Watching and waiting for me and the end of long long day.

Winding my way through the final muddy miles, I caught back up to Erin and soon we were heading into the finish. Kinda' strange (but neat) to be finishing with the same exact person 2 years in a row. As we neared the line, Trent knelt holding two mugs high, one for each of us. After a big Race Dictator hug, I stumbled around til I found Janice and promptly filled my new mug with cold beer and raised a pint with Shane and Mike. It was good day. I in no way assumed I could finish and something got me there, it certainly wasn't training. Maybe it was Mom. 💖

The Algonquin 50K finish line is the gem of this event. Beer, food and music blaring. An MC announcing your name as you finish. The crowd of those who have finished before you cheering. I would guess that more than 75% of the runners hang out and cheer. You're also faced with the fear that if you miss that 8 hour cut off, Trent will smash your mug. We did see mugs that didn't survive. More finish lines need to have this feel. I really don't give a crap about your PR, your place in the race, your mile time or any of that. This isn't road running, chill out, go get a beer and cheer for your brothers and sisters who are still finishing.

Next year will by 5th year toeing the line at Pokomoke River State Park, can't wait for registration to open! Go run this race, I dare you to not have fun. Register early too, because it has built a great reputation and it will sell out fast!

Trent The Race Dictator
"Roads Are Dead"

Next up for me is The Seneca Creek Greenway 50K.


Those folks that make the race a reality:

If you scrolled this far you must really be bored or you simply scrolled too far. Like the three previous years, Janice and I made a weekend of it and headed to Rehoboth DE for the night. This year was different, we drug Mike along with us. We had a hoot, so glad Mike joined us. Dinner at The Crooked Hammock, a brief Karaoke night at the wrong kind of bar and then a fun night cap at The Rehoboth Ale House. Of course we made Mike join us for breakfast at The Robin Hood Restaurant. 

Breakfast didn't stand a chance.
I was accused of licking my plate...

Big Oyster Brewing

He hit the road and we bought Grotto's Pizza to take home. After a quick visit to The North Face Outlet, a brief stop at Big Oyster Brewing Company and then Total Wine & More (no tax) near Wilmington we were eventually on our way home. Until next year!

View this post on Instagram

"Did somebody order pizza?" #heybill #grotto

A post shared by Perry Ligon (@perryligon) on Feb 9, 2020 at 9:15am PST

Oven Running - My MD H.E.A.T. Race 50k Race Report

Start of a long day.

Having run the Allegheny Trail Runners 12 Hour Ultra in July, I thought I had experienced the heat and humidity of a life time and no summer time ultra would compare. I was so wrong. I had run the MD H.E.A.T. Race a couple of times before and sure it's August on the East Coast so yeah it's hot. This year Mother nature pulled out all the stops and provided enough heat and humidity to shrivel even the strongest runner.

In 2018, a year I didn't run it, its course was changed due to extensive flood damage. The Patapsco River flows right through the park and is prone to flash flooding. Deadly flash flooding that is. I hadn't seen this new version of the course, but I knew there was plenty of hill side throughout the park that Nick Yeates the Race Creator/Director would not deliver a course without significant climbing.

I got checked in and chilled out waiting for the sun to come up the rest of the way. Janice was there with me and she had her bicycle along so she could get from aid station to aid station and not contribute to the traffic jam this popular park sees on hot summer days. Nick greeted us at the start line and after informing us that the race almost didn't happen due to a last minute insurance snafu, he said "go". Nick's a different kind of Race Director, dressed in a grass skirt and Hawaiian leis he lead the pack out of the start area and didn't peal off until we entered the first forested section.

So far so good, the course not only looked familiar to me from past years, it seemed identical. Soon we were through the race's trade mark tunnel and headed up a paved park road on a slight incline which lead us to the first real climb of the day. The race started at 7:00 AM, but the humidity and heat was already building and reaching the top of the relentless hill had me drenched. I was carrying two bottles of Tailwind and was sure to be diligent about taking in Pickle Juice as it was obvious that all day was going to be serious fluid dump.

To run 50K two laps are required and this new course was in more of a lopsided Figure 8 than the 2 loops of the past. Along with the neat little tunnel near the start of the course, there is the real unique feature of the race in the form of a huge rock wall requiring runners to climb onto it and then run along it's top and descend down the other end. On the old course configuration, this wall climb appeared just before the finish of each lap and now you needed to climb it after your first/shorter  loop of the figure 8.  After the first short loop the course returned to the start finish area and heads to the wall. Coming at the wall early in the race also meant you were facing the opposite way as in the past, climbing the sloping end that meets the river and hopping off the other end that meets the retaining wall holding up the road that's above.

While the opening/short loop was basically a mammoth climb and then return to the start line, the second/larger loop was loaded with more diverse trail and didn't disappoint in the area of climbing. One neat feature missing from the past was a swinging bridge, on this new course we saw it, but we didn't cross it.

Hiking Only

Swinging Bridge Aid Station

Ice Bath

There was a fun aid station located there just before probably the longest climb on that second loop.  The Patapsco River State Park lies on the hills surrounding the Patapsco River and is extremely popular at this time of year. The wide part of the river right at the start/finish area is jammed with picnickers splashing in the cool water while the trails on the hillsides are full of day hikers and mountain bikers. The course also scrambles through a boulder pile next to a beautiful little water fall.

Nearing the end of the first lap I was running with a man and woman who knew each other. We were high on a hillside scooting a long the top of a steep drop. I jokingly mentioned to the guy in front of me how this would be a bad place to fall. Not a quarter mile later I caught a toe and down the steep drop I went, grabbing a tree root to stop my slide. I heard the runner in front of me ask if I was ok, I replied I was and then he asked where the heck I was. I had fallen not only down the hill I was obscured by a small tree. I let him know I was ok as I climbed back onto the trail. Considering I was soaked with sweat and now covered in dirt, I was muddy and now also bleeding from a couple of spots.

It was even blistering hot in the shade.

This race allows runners to call it quits after 1 lap and take the 25k finish.  I now felt like absolute crap, the heat had definitely taken its toll and now the nasty fall had convinced me I'd be done when I reached the finish line. To make it even easier to quit, thunder storm brought a down pour that made the climate even more like  a rain forest. Of course I came into the start finish a little rattled, I saw ribbons every where and couldn't even figure out where the chute was. Then I saw Janice and announced I was done and she wasn't agreeing at all. Nick gives a pretty generous cut off for the 50K, but after some quick math I knew I was looking at  9+ hour finish time. Janice said, "so what, keep going".

Loving Life

I'm not at all sure what happened, I was so certain coming into 25k that I was done and now here I was feeling like complete crap and starting another lap. The down pour was at its height and I saw Paul Encarnacion coming in to start his last bigger loop. He attempted to High 5 me and I missed. My day was going so well I couldn't even accomplish a high five with a friend. I could only hope that he'd be done and gone and not see the end of my day.

Heading to the big climb on that initial short loop, I was on the road and a guy drove up next to me, rolled his window down and asked me if I knew where number 26 was, referring to a picnic shelter. It's pouring sheets of rain and I must've looked at him like he was nuts and I told I didn't have a clue and the guy lost it on me, Cursing and claiming that I knew and wouldn't tell him because I was a racist. At this point I was certain I was hallucinating. I was never happier to see the course disappear back onto the trail and back into the forest where he couldn't pursue me. What the heck had just happened?

These climbs at the beginning of the second lap were this time familiar and briefly I felt ok about my condition. The down pour had stopped and the sun came out and now we were really cooking. I saw a runner off in the brush on his hands and knees as if he was looking for something. I was striding p the steep and asked him if he was ok and he nodded and said he was fine. He didn't look fine so I asked if he needed anything and he just looked away and said nothing..It was hot as hell, who knows, maybe I was hallucinating. At the top of the climb, I popped out onto a road that I didn't remember from the first lap and after just a few steps I knew I had missed a turn. Returning to the forest from where I exited I saw a young couple I had passed earlier on the ascent and the man said he thought my course went down that way and he pointed. Downhill sounded good to me, but there were no course markers. I didn't care at this point, I knew that downhill was going to feel good and I could figure out the course later. I passed numerous day hikers and things just weren't looking familiar. My first time through here I was with other runners and I could've sworn that there were course markers everywhere.  I got to a trail junction that required a decision and flipped a coin and followed a drainage-like trail which eventually dumped onto a park road. The road looked familiar and I even saw a sign for the Soapstone Trail that I had remembered, but still there were no markers or arrows and I couldn't figure which way to turn on this road. I ran to left at first passing various groups of folks out enjoying picnics all looking at me like I was an alien. I wondered if one of these picnic areas could've been #26. I soon found myself back at the base of the big climb and I knew right away I had gone the wrong way. Running back past the picnics I decided I'd follow the road and hope I recognized something. As I past that trail sign, I noticed all the course markers and directional arrows in a nice neat pile. I found out later that some over zealous volunteers had gone out a little too early to take down course markings. Soon I saw the tunnel that I recognized and now I knew how to get back to the start finish.

I had wasted so much time while I was lost, I was now certain that I was done and there was no way Janice was talking me out of it. As I approached the bridge just before the start area, I saw Janice on her bicycle. I was wearing a GPS tracker provided by the race and she had been concerned because it was showing me not moving for a while. I explained that I had been lost because there were no course markers. I told her I was done and of course she said keep running and I'll see you at the start area. I got to the start line and this time there was no one at the aid station there. I guess those volunteers were like the crew who took down the markers and assumed everyone was done. That kind of pissed me off and when Janice found me and told me I needed to keep moving, I did it out of frustration/anger.

I downed a Pickle Juice and Janice topped off my bottles with tailwind and I headed to climb the wall again. It seemed to keep getting hotter and the climb onto the wall and the subsequent climb onto the road took a lot out of me. Janice caught me on camera there and I look next to death.

Feeling like Hell...

Eventually I reached the aid station by the swinging bridge and they had ice water in a bucket which felt great dumped over my head. Janice was there too and she doused my visor and a bandanna in the ice water, it all felt so good.

I made it to the finish line eventually, finishing the slowest 50k I've ever run. I guess my accomplishment on the day was not quitting in the heat. And really, that was all Janice, it was her insistence that made me continue.

Casual Applause For The Survivors

I crossed the line and saw Paul standing with Janice and I was embarrassed to realize he was witnessing the end of my glacial run. If you know Paul though, he was of course his incredibly gracious self and reminded me that a finish is a finish. He recommended an IPA and Janice grabbed me some food and it felt great to sit down.

Yes I was done at this point, but this isn't a photo of my finish.
It's shortly after I finished.
I'm actually shrugging my shoulders, basically wondering what had just happened.

I then started to hear the stories around me. Arguments about what the high temperature was, a guy needed medical attention due to the heat and I heard many folks say they dropped at 25k. The 25k saw 141 folks reach the finish line while the 50k only had 59 finishers. I'm not sure how that compared to other years, but I feel that 25k number included a lot of 50k folks who had better sense than me.

This is a fun event in a beautiful park and the party afterward is off the hook. I highly recommend it.

Heat, Humidity, Hills & Horseflies - My Allegheny Trail Runners Trail Fest 12 Hour Race Report

July 13, 2019

Start of the first lap with Elmo.
(No sanity present in this photo.)
(Thanks to Momentum Photography.)

Not finishing the C&O Canal 100 at the end of April left me in a funk. A state of not wanting to run at all. I told a friend that I felt lost on trails that I've run for years. I also came away from the C&O Canal with a funky injury to my right foot so my brain even had a tangible excuse not to run.

On The C&O Canal before the sleepmonster came to visit.

I needed an event in the future that I could look forward to, an event that could lead me back to where I needed to be. I saw the Allegheny Trailrunners were hosting a "Trail Fest" offering three different timed events of 3, 6 and 12 hours. I had always wanted do a timed run so I entered the 12 hour event. If nothing else it would be a good chance to catch up with my friends from that part of Pennsylvania.

May 2019

The month of May was as if it didn't happen. It hurt to even tie my right shoe and I think I barely ran 30 miles the entire month. June rolled around and I got off the pity party sofa and started training again. June also came with more head-space therapy in the form of an extremely relaxing visit to the beach with Janice, Cody and our Moms. I hadn't had any long runs to speak of since the sleepy 75 miles on the C&O toe path, but while driving to Bald Eagle, PA I felt trained enough to have some fun for half a day of moving on the trail.

The Trail Fest, in its first year, was held at Camp Anderson Boy Scout Camp in Bald Eagle Pennsylvania, just outside Tyrone, about half way between Altoona and State College; yep - sort of in the middle of nowhere. Camp Anderson has quite the story behind its current existence and it's now open to public use. Having been to numerous Boy Scouts Camps during my life I envisioned mellow camp paths that lead from camp to camp or merit badge station to merit badge station. Easy walking paths, so even the oldest and least fit of Scout leaders can handle it. My guess was that if I had 12 hours on that type of terrain, my goal would be 50 miles.

I made a brief visit to the main lodge that was buzzing with Scouts wearing their Class A uniforms preparing for their closing camp fire ceremony. Just up the road from there I found Ben Mazur, the club president and race director, sort of sitting in a car making a last minute sign of some kind. Gimpy with a broken toe he was hobbling around and eventually found his way to a chair off his feet in the shade. I was extremely early because I wanted to be able to park near the course, so I could both sleep in my Jeep and use it as my own mini-aid station during the run . Nobody was there yet, but Ben, Mark and Scott who were setting up and I felt confident I'd get the parking spot I wanted; so I handed off a good will six pack of beer to Ben and headed up the road to get dinner.

Race Director Bribe

#hümabeing

I'm not going to name the place where I ate, because  I think they knowingly poisoned me. I had seen it after I got off the main highway and it was not far from the camp. It was one of those places that when an outsider walks in, all conversations about the second amendment are interrupted and every head turns to look. I don't know if it was the pastel green #hümabeing t-shirt I was wearing or my choice of socks, but while I sat at the counter I felt at least one person was staring at all times. I watched the weather channel, ate my Fireman's Burger and hit the road back to camp.

Injinji - thanks Ray!

My Camp/Aid Station

Got back to camp, decided on a parking spot next to a big pile of rocks, set up camp and made my way to the pavilion that would be the next day's aid station. There was spaghetti for everyone and I had stomach space so I ate again hopefully ensuring I was fueled for 12 hours of running. The number of Allegheny Trail Runners and other trail runners was now growing and to top it off, everyone's favorite Vol State Roadside Sleeper; Elmo Snively arrived. After a couple of fire side cold ones, I crashed for the night in the back of my Jeep.

Just after 5am, I woke up with a horrible rumbling in my lower stomach. I needed to get up and get to the bathroom which was about a half mile away. I hustled and I made it without incident, but now I felt worse and my stomach felt completely empty. It was a cool morning in the 60's, but I was perspiring like I had a fever. Normally I eat at least a light breakfast before an ultra, but my gut was in a bad way; so eating was out of the question.

Registration went smoothly and it was cool to see how the number of runners had grown. I pinned on my number and made sure to wake up Elmo, who was sleeping in his car parked next to me. The start/finish area was buzzing as the trail fest took shape. Brush Mountain Running & Outdoors was there, a fixture at Allegheny Trail Runners events.  The North Face was a sponsor and Appalachian Outdoors from State College was there representing them. Standing Stone Coffee from Huntingdon was there pressing some tasty dark brew and food was available in the main hall.

(Thanks to Momentum Photography.)

Furrer Beverage would be there later with cold beer for post race partying. Lance from Momentum Photography was there bright and early snapping photos while the event took shape. I enjoyed a cup of coffee and chilled with Elmo while waiting for our turn to take the trails.

The three hour runners took off first and we waited through the six hour crew as well and then it was our turn to begin our 12 hour day circling the camp. Prior to the start, the feverish sweating had passed, in fact the coffee went down well. I rolled out trotting along with Elmo comparing our plans for the day. Elmo was running in sandals with KT Tape on his feet where he expected hot spots or blisters. No they weren't sandals designed for running, they were basically men's sandals like you'd find at Walmart. Elmo said he was on The Couch to 12 Hour Training Plan as he had literally gotten of the couch the day before.

We weren't even around the large parade grounds when the fever sweat returned and my gut was needing another visit to the bathroom. We were about a half mile into our first lap and I was already ducking off the course looking for relief for my rumbling belly. This process would repeat itself 2 laps later, so three laps into the run, my body was empty of nutrients; I was now a bonk waiting to happen.

Early morning sunbeams.
(Thanks to Momentum Photography.)

I felt better, no more fever and no more upset stomach; but I knew to keep going I would need to consciously force-feed myself. I ran the first 4 laps carrying nothing, but after that, every lap I carried a bottle and stopped at my Jeep and dosed with Tailwind, Huma Chia Energy Gels, Pickle Juice and whatever else got near my mouth. It was also about that time that the temperature and humidity began to build. I had equipped myself with a small cooler of cooling towels in an ice water bath and those things are a God-send on hot humid days. These breaks typically took 1-2 minutes and I was back on my way. Through the day, I drank 6 bottles of Tailwind, 6 bottles of water (and that doesn't count the times I refilled at the sink outside of the camp bathhouse), 6 bottles of Pickle Juice, 3 cans of Coke, 2 cans of Mountain Dew and 2 cans of Red Bull. I ate 8 Huma Energy Gels, 2 packs of Clif Bloks, maybe a dozen Pierogies at the aid station and as much watermelon as I could stomach. I was refusing to bonk or dehydrate.

Eating!
This was my first event wearing the new Suunto Factory Team gear.
I was told I looked like a walking billboard...mission accomplished :-)
(Thanks to Momentum Photography.)

And about the course, the night before the run I heard a woman say she was no longer expecting to get 50 miles now that she had seen the rocky part in that hilly section. I almost I hurt my neck when my head whipped around, "rocky part?"..."hilly section?"... Others who were there, mainly race organizer folks, dispelled this rumor of hills and rocks; but on the first lap it was evident that the back side of the course was tough. The route did begin at the main lodge of the camp with a gentle lap around a large field before disappearing into the woods.

"In and around the lake" ~ Yes
(Thanks to Momentum Photography.)

At that point you were greeted by shoe sucking mud and soon you were scooting along the lake, before crossing through the camp over a damaged bridge that bounced and up a little hill and around the shooting ranges and a chapel. From there the course was back on a camp path that had recently been filled with fine loose gravel, which was nearly as fun as running on loose sand. Reaching a road, the easy camp path part of the course was over and the hills began. The first time we hit the hills I still felt awful and I wondered if I'd even complete a marathon. Just before the climbs started, there were small trees that had been cut off to make the trail, with about 3 or 4 inches still sticking up. Many, but not all had yellow caution tape wrapped around them. I found one that didn't have yellow tape and I fell hard. Now 26 miles was even in question. After I began my twelve hour eating and drinking fest I changed my mind again and went back to hoping for 40 miles...the 50 mile goal was definitely gone though.

In a hurry it got hot and humid. I read afterwards that the official high for the day in Tyrone was 88° and the dew point wasn't far behind. Thankfully the weather archive I checked didn't list the "feels like" temperature, but I'm sure that index was in the 90's. I had a good plan in place for that and it seemed to work. Hyper hydration and dousing myself with ice water every lap kept me going.

Soaked.
(Thanks to Momentum Photography.)

I did eventually catch up to Elmo again and we walked a lap together. Walking a lap wasn't too much slower than my running a lap so it was cool to spend the time with him. I was bitching about the horse flies and he told me I need to eat more garlic. I had started the day wearing a trailhat and changed to a visor, giving the horse flies easy access to my bald head. I switched to a trucker hat to try to win that battle, but they were biting me right through my t-shirt. (Mark Lauber did hook me up with insect repellent later, which worked wonders) By now Elmo had some pretty serious blisters and to make matters worse, he was pissed that some other guy had already dropped out and now he couldn't finish last. Elmo was also bitching about the hill and he aptly named it "Stupid Hill".  I asked about the subsequent hills and he said, "it's all Stupid Hill". I had other names for it. Commiserating with a fellow goof ball ultra runner did feel good.

It was around 25 miles I started to feel seriously fatigued from the heat so I took a little longer visit to the Jeep, but I still hoped for 40 miles. My Suunto 9 watch wasn't matching what Mark had come up with when he made the official measurement of the course and that coupled with having no idea how many laps I had run, I wasn't real sure how much more I needed to reach 40 miles. Any ultra runner will tell you that it's a bad idea to try to do math while you're running; let your crew do it. Well, I was crewless and clueless so I just kept moving and I decided I didn't really care about the distance and focused on the fact that I was having fun.

Each lap ended with passing by the main lodge where others who had already finished the shorter events were hanging out and cheering on those still running. Ben Mazur was there as well and on every lap it seemed he had a different name for me; Jerry, Larry, Barry, Hsrry, etc. There was that temptation to quit and party, but the fun encouragement also kept me going. Ralph and his wife Monica appeared on one of the laps so I knew the beer for later had arrived, but still I avoided the temptation to stop.

(Thanks to Momentum Photography.)

Yes I used my Jeep as a personal aid station, but there was an official aid station as well and the cheering those folks provided made it impossible to quit. I ended the day officially with 21 laps or 37.59 miles (my watch had 38.88 miles, but who's counting?). It was just what I needed to get back to running.

After waiting for the last couple of 12 hour runners to finish, Ben had a nice awards ceremony with plenty of food and yes, cold beer. Every finisher got a cool pile of swag and their distance was announced. This was the first year for this event and I'm sure Ben will tell you that first-year headaches were plenty, but it was still a great success and I'm sure in future runnings it'll only get better.

One of my highlights was the wildlife on the day. I saw a small Bear out on the course (I saw a larger one later as well when I was changing clothes to drive home). I did drive home that night, many stayed to camp another night and party around the camp fire. I highly recommend coming out to next year's trail fest.

Another highlight and I'm sure some didn't even realize what this photograph was. On one lap, just after the lake I saw an enormous Heron fly up from the stream and then I saw Lance with his camera. He said he didn't think he got a shot, but here it is. I'm not sure if anyone other than the two of us saw it, great shot Lance!

(Thanks to Momentum Photography.)

New sticker from the trail fest.