Race Review – An Outdoor Life

December 9, 2024December 9, 2024

Dirty South Half Marathon Trail Race Report Dec 2024

I ran the Dirty South Half Marathon trail race on Sunday, Dec 8 at Meade’s Quarry in Knoxville; the final race in the 2024 Trail Running Series. The race is located south of Ijams Nature Center, which I ended up having to park in since I arrived so close to the start time. Last year I ran the 10K and admired runners who stayed straight and ran 13.1 miles on that cold morning. I wanted to do the half so today is my day.

In June I finished the Motus Half which has a similar course but Dirty South is longer and more elevation gain.

Race Day Morning:

I woke up not feeling great about racing today. I thought about not going; which is par for the course for almost every race. I had to cheer myself on by saying I love trail running in winter AND I needed trail miles. I have to do this as Step 2 of my Do Hard Things year. Step 1 was completed by finishing the Philadelphia Marathon. Step 3 is Beast of the East marathon.

But today just 13 plus miles on runnable trails, is what I’m thinking.

I got my gear ready and started driving to Meade’s Quarry.

The Race:

The Dirty South race course is touted as “a mix of rocky, technical singletrack and buffed out, flowing mountain bike trail”; and that is exactly right. I love this course because it’s so runnable and flowy. It’s rocky and rooty, and just perfect. I always forget about the first mile, which has a steep, hikable trail and a significant hill climb. Then it evens out to flowy mountain bike terrain.

Just before the first aid station I met Kara and started running with her. She is an ultra runner too and it was great to talk to someone.

During the run at this point I hit a snag in a root. My left foot was caught but miraculously snapped the root and I didn’t fall. My left foot hurt for a minute, I stopped then walked it out. I didn’t think of it again.

My first mistake during this run was made at the first aid station. I didn’t fill up my bladder to the top and I didn’t drink any Tailwind. I wanted to keep going since I was feeling good. I realized, too, that usually I bring one booby bottle with Tailwind and I didn’t today. It just wasn’t on my mind in the morning. I did bring enough food this time, gels and bars; sometimes I don’t bring enough. I learned from a runner that the next aid station was around mile 10. I ran out of water at mile 8. I hate it when I make rookie mistakes like this. Then, the situation got worse – there was no aid station at 10. I felt a bit delusional at times and would go a while not sure I was on course. The trail didn’t look the same from the spring (It was a different course, different organizers). At one point I had to yell ahead to Kara just to see if I was on course and she was so awesome to run back to me to make me feel better (Thank you Kara if you read this).

Once I realized that maybe there wasn’t a second aid station, I just settled in and tried not to panic. I walked a lot and just concentrated on getting to the finish. At mile 12 the aid station appeared. I drank a bunch of Tailwind and filled my bladder to the top. I was spent. I lost a lot of energy worrying and just felt dehydrated. Then, at mile 13.1 I wasn’t at the finish. I walked and run and finally at mile 13.97 I crossed the finish line. Yahoo!

Post Race:

The Good: I finished
The Bad: My left foot is a swollen mess from the root and it hurts to walk on it.

As with any running injury I question everything about running. This injury could’ve been much worse if the root didn’t release my foot. I start to think I’m too ambitious in my running goals. I’m too old. I’m too fat. I’m not strong enough. I’m not going to trail run anymore. I’m going to play my life safe. No more risks.

But luckily, the nurse practitioner at urgent care says it’s not broken. I might be able to run Saturday if the swelling subsides – and BOOM – everything is okay in the world.

In 2024 I did many of the races in the Treadin’ Trodden Trails race series. I will sign up again in 2025.

Race Website: https://ktc.org/events/dirty-south-trail-races/
Distance: 13.97 miles.
Elevation Gain: 2,753 ft
Time: 3 hrs, 14 mins
What I ate: Pre-race: 3 eggs and veggie scramble, During race: 2 GU gels, 1 Honey Stinger waffle
What I drank: one cup of tailwind endurance at 2nd aid station, 1.5 L water
What I wore: Salomon hydration vest, winter running tights, green ¼ zip long sleeve, blue Mountain Hardwear jacket, beanie
What I saw: I heard a lot of birds and squirrels in the forest. No wildlife encounters.

Rate this trail run: 10/10

August 31, 2024August 31, 2024

Miner’s Lady 50K Race Report

I signed up for the August, Miner’s Lady 50K in January as I was plotting my return effort to finish a 100 mile trail run. I was creating a progressive race schedule that would build to a 100 in November. It was difficult to find a 50K in August since it’s just so hot everywhere and there are few races, but I ended up finding this race in West Virginia; a place I’ve only driven through. I chose this race because 1) I needed a marathon or higher in WV 2) it fit into my progressive distance plan 3) it was a trail run in a place I’ve never been.

It’s far away, probably the farthest distance I’ve driven for a one day race, but I wanted the experience so I signed up.

The race even got a mentioned in Ultra Running What’s Up This Weekend

I drove north on Friday for packet pick up and met my carpool buddies at Two Rivers Treads in Ranson, WV. The race organizers enforce carpooling since there is limited parking and for sustainability reasons. I thought it would be nice to drive to the race with two other women who knew the course and starting area’s set up.

Here is the course map at packet pickup:

I was really excited for this race. This was the first time I felt prepared for a 50K in a really long time. They took photos of all the runners at packet pickup. Here’s me – ready to run!

I drove over to Harpers Ferry National Historic Park to check out a national park I had never visitied. Read my blog post about this amazing park. Then, to find food for dinner.

I didn’t want to sit in a restaurant or eat a big meal so for I stopped at the local grocery store and bought a sandwich and a container of hot mac and cheese, and ate it back in my hotel room.

As I prepped for the next morning I ate dinner and watched TV. I wasn’t feeling excited or scared at this point; I just felt ready.

Race Morning:

I drove to Amanda’s house which was a short 5 miles to the race start. She was still in the process of getting ready when I arrived, and we were a bit delayed getting to the start. It was still dark and parking attendants sent us closer to the staging area so that was great to be parked close to the start. As we set up the tent, it was getting close to start time.

Then suddenly, the whistle blew and had to run from our area to join the race. Not ideal but it was fine. I had my headlamp on and just started running.

While I studied the map, I had never been on the course and just followed the group. The course began with a gentle downhill and rolling hills. The course is wooded and beautiful, and as the daylight appeared, I felt like something bit me behind my knee and started rubbing it. A few minutes later I learned that runners were being stung and attacked by hornets.

I don’t notice the hornets except for what bit my leg, and wondered where they were? In a tree? Just buzzing around? A runner told me they were on the ground and she swatted them and they stung her hand multiple times. Geez! I lucked out on that one. A few people really got stung badly, I learned later.

I just kept running.

Then came the downhill section. And though I studied the map, I didn’t realize that I was on the out and back section and was surprised to see runners coming toward me. I was feeling good and running downhill, then moved over to make room for the oncoming runner and BOOM – my left ankle twisted, I heard a creaking noise, I fell to my right and landed off trail.

I was completely surprised, 1) because I haven’t twisted my ankle in two years and 2) I was only 2 miles into the race and 3) it hurt A LOT.

A runner tried to help me up and I wasn’t quite ready to get up. I was sitting there stunned. After a few minutes, I got up and walked. My right knee was bleeding but I could walk. Then my ankle started to hurt more. Sometimes after a twist like this, I can recover and it’s fine. This wasn’t going to be fine.

So I hobbled the remaining loop, and ended my day.

The loop was such a good one. I wanted to run it. I wanted to run it 4 more times. I wanted to finish the 50K but it wasn’t meant to be.

The medic told me that it looked bad and I should go to urgent care. My ankle looked like a golf ball, all swollen. Since I carpooled, my car was 5 miles away. A very kind race volunteer couple drove me to my car and I headed back to my hotel to clean up.

Every time I get injured my love for running grows. While in the past I can go months without running because I just don’t want to run or I lack motivation, when I get injured running, I miss running so much and can’t wait to get healthy.

It’s been two weeks since the race and while I can run, my ankle is still sore and not 100% yet.

I will be back to this race. It’s on my BIG plan of dream races and do-overs. Sometimes it takes me two times to finish a race. Case in point: Colossal Vail 50K. I DNF’d the first time in 2013 and finished in 2021.

While this race entailed a lot of driving (Road Trip Total Miles from TN to WV: 930 miles) the area was beautiful and I loved the course (minus the hornets). See you next year.

Here is the progression of my ankle over three days:

July 14, 2024August 4, 2024

Race Review: Haw Ridge Trail Run, Oak Ridge TN

The race starts and finishes at the Haw Ridge Life Development Center on Old Edgemoor Drive in Oak Ridge, Tennessee.

I loved, and was tortured by, the first two miles of steep uphill. Then after the last steep climb on tippy toes, it was a steep, downhill treacherous hike to get to the meandering, up and down fun single track trail for the remainder of the course.

After the initial climb and descent the trail ran down to a lake and skirted it for many miles. I wanted to jump in it because it was so hot and needed to cool off, but erred on the side of caution. The trees kept us a little cool; the benefits of trail running in the summer.

There was a train in the distance hooting its horn; I love trains. All the runners were in good spirits and I think they enjoyed the trail as much as I did. The single track was so well maintained and since it hasn’t rained in weeks, the course was in perfect condition filled with many rocks and roots.

The race description said 8 miles. It was 8.7. I’m not complaining, now that I’m writing this, because it was a GREAT course. At the 8 mile mark my brain wanted to see the finish line, but it was another 10 minutes away.

It was nice to get out of Sevier County for a few hours and explore the woods in Tennessee.

I signed up for this race series so I could get to know trails outside of where I live. The Treadin’ Trodden Trails race series is top notch. So far I’ve run trails at IC King which is similar to Haw Ridge in that it is for mountain biking, too.

I’m looking forward to the next race in the series, The Trail That Can’t Be Concord. All the website says is that it will be at The Appalachian Mountain Bike Club (AMBC) at this address: 11813 S Northshore Drive. I can’t wait to run this new-to-me trail.

Click this link to view information on this area from a mountain bike perspective. I need to get back here with my bike.

Race Website: https://runsignup.com/hawridgetrailrace
Distance: 8.7 miles.
Time: 1 hr, 58 mins
What I ate: Pre-race: English muffin, half peanut butter and jelly sandwich. During race: one GU gel, 6 Skratch Labs Sport Energy Chews (towards the end and they helped)
What I drank: two bottles tailwind endurance fuel, 1 L water
What I wore: Salomon hydration vest, CW-X compression shorts, Little Rock marathon race top, Pistol Ultra baseball hat
What I saw: no wildlife, 250 people entered the race

Rate this trail run: 10/10

March 2, 2023March 2, 2023

Epic Racing Update, It’s March

I haven’t written a post for a while; it’s been crazy. Working, training, dogs and buying a house. All contributed to a lack of writing.

Here’s the updated plan on completed races and what’s next:

I didn’t run for one week last week and this week has been a tough one too. Buying a house was the most stressful thing since moving to Tennessee. There was so much to do and I didn’t make time for running. There is still so much to do; it’s a bit overwhelming.

However, despite everything, training, racing and traveling is full steam ahead.

Race Report Houston Marathon:

It was a fun time to be in Houston. The weather was perfect and it was so good to connect with Mark, Brian and Shelly. It was nice to get out of town for the first time since moving to Tennessee. I was glad to finish and have a great meal with friends.

At the Houston Marathon Finish Line 2023.

Race Report Roaring Gap

My new friend Christal agree to join me on this adventure east to the mountains of North Carolina. The Roaring Gap race is touted as a tough trail run. It was no joke. The 50K is four loops and at the end of the day we did one loop plus a few miles when I took a wrong turn.

The trail is up, over and around Stone Mountain with gorgeous waterfalls and vistas. It was 100% worth the trip (3.5 hours in the car) to experience this place. Thank you to Christal who drove most of it.

I think we both agreed we don’t need to go back to this race, but then again, four loops may be calling us in the future.

Like I always say: everything is good, hard, fun, difficult, complicated. I am alway pleasantly surprised by the good people who come into my life and make it so much better.

December 14, 2021December 14, 2021

Colossal Vail 55K Race Report

I finished.

It was a great day.

I was happy running all day.

As I was driving to the race from Tucson to Vail, I thought, so many things could or could have gone wrong to get to the start. At times, I can be worst-case-scenario girl. I traveled 2,600 miles to run 34 miles in the desert. All my flights were on time, rental car went well, I wasn’t murdered, I didn’t oversleep, and I didn’t get a flat tire on race morning. These are the things I think about. So much can go wrong.

The afternoon before the race I started preparing all my gear and realized that for the second time at a big race I forgot the lid for my reservoir. Since it’s not attached to the reservoir I always leave it by the sink. I forgot to pack it. I had to run to Summit Hut, just one hour before they closed to buy a new one. Seriously, that was the worst thing that happened; it was a good race weekend.

The start of the race was cold; 40 degrees. As the race started and we headed into the desert the wind kept me cool. I wore two layers and gloves. Even as the sun glared down on us the wind kept me cool and comfortable. The course was absolutely stunning. The pictures do not do it justice.

I started slowly and walked when it was really rocky. My legs didn’t feel fatigued until after mile 12. I only had a few moments of feeling bad but for the most part I just felt good and happy. I ate and drank according to the plan. I cheered on runners coming back from the turn around and that gave me energy.

A few weeks ago I bought Altra Olympus running shoes. They are super bulky, heavily padded shoes. They were the most expensive shoes I’ve ever purchased but the specifications said they were good on technical, rocky trails so I wanted to try them.

They were worth every penny. My feet felt great the entire time and now, they are my go-to running shoe on trails.

At the 17 mile turn around I knew I was going to finish. I knew everything was going right. The aid station volunteers were amazing and helpful. Oreo cookies with frosting are now my favorite aid station food. I used Tailwind the entire time. I ate bars and gels and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.

The course was a mix of hard packed dirt, small rocks, big rocks, slabs of rock, and sandy wash crossings. There was even a brook that was flowing from the rain the day before that I had to rock hop. The Arizona Trail is amazing and varied. I’m so glad I came.

The final downhill to the finish I pushed it and was so happy. I was the only person from New Hampshire to race. I got my finisher railroad tie, drank some chocolate milk and headed back to the hotel. So Happy.

As I drove into Tucson to meet Kassandra for dinner, the Catalina Mountains stood guard. They are a stunning mountain chain rising up from the desert. I miss Tucson. I spent three years in Tucson learning about the desert by running and mountain biking all the parks that surround the city.

Hiring a coach was the best thing I could’ve done. She helped me prepare for the race by giving me a plan that made me strong and helped me create a race plan to get me to the finish. Thank you Coach Kathy.

I’m so thankful for my health, my friend Kassandra and her family who I got to see and catch up with, and everything and everyone in my life right now. Thankful.