This is an awesome venue for a trail ultra. If you haven't participated in this event, it is one to definitely add to the list of must do's. It is "ultra" laid back and more of a fun run then an all out competitive race.
My training had been going well although stress and lack of sleep (due to the economy and events at work) had been making it difficult to carry on a regular schedule. I was logging about 30 to 40 miles a week for the past month with a few shorter runs during the week and longer 10 to 15 mile runs on the weekend. Ben, his wife Vickie and I, car pooled to the race, which always makes for lively and pleasant conversation. It was a cold, windy, blustery day. It had snowed the night before and that morning but only a light dusting. I really like running in the snow. It seemed a lot colder waiting to get started then it actually felt once we took off.
The Race Director Lou Joline, starts runners off in groups separated by a few minutes. I'm not sure but think I was in the third group with Ben, Kurt, Sophia, Pat and several others. We all ran fairly close together for the first seven or so miles. It was fun chatting which made the miles go pretty quickly. It was about that time that the group seemed to break up a bit. Ben, Kurt, Sophia and me ran together for most of the run. Pat hung back to run with some fellow folks that were new to ultra running. That's the nice thing about this race. It seems to be more of a Mentor / Protege trial run. Many folks much faster then I, hung back to help other slower junior ultra runners. The people who participate in this sport are some of the most humble and willing to help the younger less experienced.
Ben, Sophia, Jim & Kurt - Photo by Dick Ross (seekcrun.com)
I had found myself peacefully running, noticing the bluffs along the trail. I was then reminded of the economy, work and the pending layoff that was soon to come. This seemed to enter my mind more often then I wanted. It was something that had been consuming my thoughts and I was definitely having difficulty coming to terms with it.
It was cold but not unbearable. I never really noticed the wind until we reached the Wildlife holding pen. I heard stories about this race being difficult due to the "bushwhacking." For the record, I'll take all the bushwhacking in the world over pavement. Bushwhacking on this run was more like running through the woods "last of the Mohican's style." At times it was silent except for your own breath and the soft crunch of your footsteps. I think this is where I made the best time. Maybe it was this part that energized me a bit. Somehow Kurt and I got ahead of the rest of the group but not by much.
Jim & Kurt - Photo by Dick Ross (seekcrun.com)
We came to the old silo, signed the roster and took a page from the book as instructed. We ran back through the campground and then back to some bushwhacking. I really enjoy finding old foundations of where homes once stood in the woods and noticing where old roads once traveled now overgrown with brush and trees. It makes you wonder what brought families to this place, what did they do while here and why did they leave. We came to a crevice in the bluff that seemed to have steps that led down to an old rock chimney. It looked like a great place to build a cabin with the rock bluff as two walls. I could visualize a roof between the bluff walls and the chimney.
Site of the old Chimney
The bushwhacking areas where separated by stretches of fields and pavement. We were a little over 20 miles or so at this point. On the pavement sections it seemed like Kurt would wear me down and get ahead and I would eventually catch up in the trees. I had heard that several folks got off track a time or two. I actually thought the route was marked well for the most part. The directions certainly helped and without them it would have been more difficult. Luckily, Kurt had run this event before and had the map and directions. He pretty much kept us running in the right direction.
Kurt with the map - Photo by Dick Ross (seekcrun.com)
There is about three miles of pavement towards the end of the run that might as well have been 30 miles for that is how it seemed to me. Kurt took off and built a good gap between us during the pavement section and I thought I had seen the last of him. There is one last section of single track before the finish. There is nothing better than single track trails. I must have been in some sort of refreshed zone because when I exited the single track I heard Kurt yell out my name. We had one more book to sign in our time. I was pleasantly surprised to see him and especially when I learned he had just arrived.
Signing the last log - Photo by Dick Ross (seekcrun.com)
We had about ½ mile of pavement left to the finish. I couldn't keep the pace Kurt had set and fell back a few minutes. Go figure…. It would have to be pavement for the last ½ mile. Kurt made it in ahead of me and I was surprised to learn that we finished about 10 minutes behind the leaders.
I grew up in the area (Independence, MO). As kids and teenagers, we used to hang out on the weekends and during the summers at Lake Jacomo. The thought of circumnavigating both Lake Jacomo and Blue Springs Lake would seem far-fetched then (especially since Blue Springs Lake didn't exist yet). Since the run, whenever I tell a family member or childhood friend about the race, they just look amazed when I tell them we ran around both lakes.
It might be normal, but the last three miles of all three 50K's that I have run are by far the toughest for me. I almost loose all interest in running and just want it to be over. Maybe that will change as I increase my distance. This race however, was great and I'm very glad that I had showed up this cold morning. The only improvement would be less pavement and more single track……or bushwhacking…..
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