The 50M course was an out and back, apparently a last minute change because of down tress caused by recent snow fall. Drop bags were allowed at miles 9/41 and 19/31. In the first bag I put a hand bottle and waistpack in case I felt like switching from the Nathan pack I was starting with. In the second bag I put 10 Gus, some endurolytes, 2 Little Debbie StarCrunches and a windbreaker. Rumor was that even though it was clear that stroms were coming in were a high possibility, therefore I opted for the Nathan pack as I could stuff my rainjacket in it.
Everyone was moving slowingly in the morning and the race didn't officially start until 10 after 6 AM. It started looking like a repeat performance of the previous day, Matt, Ty and Josh took off up the ridge and Scott and I dropped into the chase pack. By the time we crested the ridge though, Matt and Ty were on a tear and Scott and I caught up to Josh. We bumped into Matt and Ty a few times before the first aid and mile 5 as they lost the trail marking momentarily. It was good to have trail veteran Scott with us to point the way.
By the time we reached the first aid station we could turn our lights off. Already the scenery was looking more spectacular than the previous day.
For this first portion off the run we were on the North Sylamore Creek Trail. The anticipated clouds had rolled in and there was a layer of fog hovering above the creek in the canyon. It was mystical. From mile 5 to the second aid at mile 9 the trail passes along side of a bluff with a steep drop off towards the creek. It was some great running. The three of us chatted it up, everything from previous ultras to college life. After leaving the Barkshed aid station the course heads about 50 feet up a gravel road before a sharp right hand turn. Josh and I would of ran past it without a second thought if it wasn't for Scott. Unfortunately, ahead of us Matt and Ty weren't so luck and kept running right on by. There is a large climb after the right turn and this is where Josh, Scott and I split up, Josh running ahead and Scott dropping back. We got about ten minutes of rain here and a clap or two of thunder. Nothing too worrisome. The trail is severely cambered and on every step my right ankle rolled slightly and I worried that it might get sore. I caught back up to Josh on a long downhill section and we arrived at the third aid station. Cal and Steve were there and told us that they hadn't seen Matt and Ty go by, we started wondering if they got lost.
Another climb and Josh took off. I was really starting to hurt and think that I might of gone out to fast and ran too hard trying to keep up with Josh. These aren't very comforting thoughts only 15 miles into a 50 mile run. The scenery was gorgeous though and kept my mind distracted. At mile 19 I arrived at the Cripple Turkey aid station. I grabbed some more Gu, ate a Little Debbie and ran on. Steve's wife told me as I left that now we were on the Ozark Highline Trail and needed to follow the white blazes. Leaving the station there is a steep downhill. I heard someone shouting my name, Josh had missed a turn. He came running back down the road toward me and we found a sharp right turn across a creek. Again a climb and again Josh took off and again at the top of the hill I heard someone shouting my name, Josh had got lost again.
The Ozark Highline Trail was just created a few years ago and it is not very well trod. Most of the time it is like connect the dots going from blaze to blaze. I arrived at the mile 23 aid station around 4 hours and 30 minutes into the run. Earlier Josh and I had talked about finishing in under 9 hours, possibly around 8. The course had something else in mind. From here it is 2 miles to the turn around. They said that they put up flagging and wrote a word at the turn around that we would have to tell them on the return trip. These two miles out to the turn around were the hardest miles of the day. Every step I was hoping that I would see Josh coming back at me and after every step he still wasn't there. After 25 minutes I finally saw him, two minuntes later I was at the turn around at 4 hours and 56 minutes, four minutes back of Josh. In case your wondering, the word was "Syllamo", which I probably should of guessed, I mean what else would it be? "Rabbit"?
Out and back courses have a unique psychology, on the way out you try to make little references to use to know how far you have left on the return and you keep waiting for the turn around. The constant waiting always makes the run seem farther than it should be. There is a huge mental lift once you reach the turn around and start heading back, knowing that you are over the hump, on the return. I experienced this exactly. With every step I took after the turn around I was getting stronger, I was getting faster. Good thing too, since the third place runner, Paul, was only eight minutes behind me and there was a pack of runners about two minutes after that. About halfway to the sixth aid at mile 27 I saw Matt and Ty. They had gotten lost but were now on the right track, I knew I would have to keep going or else they could still catch me.
At aid station 6 I shoved about five quartered pb&j's into my mouth and left feeling better than I had when I was there for mile 23. I was seeing lots of runners now and everyone told me that Josh has about 5 minutes ahead, I didn't figure I'd see him again. Aid station 6 back to Cripple Turkey at mile 31 felt entirely downhill. I'm not sure if it really is or if I was just running strong, but I felt great and just went with it. I loaded up with Gu from my drop bag and was supposed to fill up on endurolytes here too but I forgot and didn't realize it until I had ran for ten minutes past the aid station. Such is life, I had four left and figured I could probably ration them, I had plenty of Gu so I should be OK.
Past the unmanned aid station at mile 35 and onto Barkshed at mile 41. Strong and getting stronger. I stopped seeing runners coming the other direction. About a mile and half out from Barkshed I came into a big long switchback in a deep drainage. Just leaving the other side two minutes ahead of me was Josh. I hollered, "I'm coming for you Josh." Pretty stupid I know, but come on I'd run 40 miles, most of it by myself and can't really be held responsible for all of my dumb comments. I kept closing on Josh on the downhill leading to Barkshed and I finally caught up to him at the aid station where we left together.
The next four miles were amazing, perhaps the best of the entire weekend. I felt like I was running effortlessly, pure running bliss. Definitely part of my twenty miuntes (see John Bingham's article Runners' World April 2008). Josh stayed with me for about a half a mile then dropped back.
I got a pleasant surprise at Gunner Pool at mile 45, Gina was there waiting for me. Good thing too since there were no aid station wokrers there, they left the water and Heed, but pulled all of the food. Gina gave me some V8 (the best midrace drink) and I took off, five miles left to go. I kept looking for the finish. Having only run this section in the dark, I couldn't exactly tell where I was. Sure enough, I got the finish and was able to push it on in, finishing in 9:30:02. I'm most proud of the HUGE negative split, 4:56 on the way out, 4:34 on the way back.
Josh came in ten minutes later, Paul thirty-five after that and then more and more starting trickling in. Tough course. Only 20K to go the next day. Josh was in first overall, about ten miuntes ahead of me, Paul, Matt and Ty were all around 50 minutes behind me.
Running moment of the day: Mile 41 to 45, this is Barkshed to Gunner Pool, beautiful trail, I ran strong, felt invincible, pure transcendence.
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