It Rained.......

When preparing for races I have always followed the soldiers adage"Train as you Fight." Up and out early in the morning, into the rain, heat of the day or dark of night preparing for the worst, expecting the best on race day. Until recently, I had always been blessed with good weather at the start line. No one ever really expects anything less.

Rain had been forecasted for the entire weekend and it had rained all day the previous day, this race was going to be a wet one. Packet pick up Friday was at the Catawba Brewing Company in Morgantown, North Carolina, it was pouring. After sampling a couple choice beverages from their menu and grabbing a bite to eat, I turned toward Steele Creek Park for the night.

The 13 mile trip was slowed by the continued rain. The parks entrance was obscured in the pea-soup fog. I passed through the gate, my chin on the steering wheel, making every effort to stay on the road. It reminded me of a scene in a horror movie. I pulled off the muddy dirt road just steps from the start line and tucked into my sleeping bag for the night.

Runners slowly emerged from where they had been hiding from the rain, almost unwillingly assembling for the 0700 50K start. Mark, the race director, gave last minute instructions regarding course markings, creek crossings and cut off times. With an unceremonious "GO", we all seemed to plod off into the murky approach of dawn. It was still raining with everyone thoroughly soaked in the first 1/4 mile. People complained of the rain even made the effort to avoid puddles, I must have laughed out loud because the young lady next to me asked "whats so funny?" "This" I said "look at us."
I had done my due diligence, studied the course description, map and profile on the races website prior to the start. Using splits from previous years, I felt I had developed a pretty solid plan for the day if the rain kept up however I may have to reevaluate.

50k Course Map*

Swollen Steele Creek*

If it was not pouring; rain dripped from the trees as if it was. We splashed through puddles like kids on the playground, gingerly crossed swollen creeks. The wet smell of decay filled the autumn woods, on the climb to table rock we passed through hay fields, climbed wide grassy double track roads, meandered through the woods scrambling over rocks, slipping and sliding along grease, muddy trails. A few dirt roads and aid station tents our only reprieve from the challenging conditions.

You simply have to decide to get on with it during a day like this. To be honest, it was fun tramping through the mud, meeting other racers and friendly aid station staffers. I unexpectedly found myself at the summit before noon with no view, of course, but ahead of my original plan. I was pleasantly surprised!

Torrents of water raged down the middle of the trail cascading over rocks and roots as we waded on. As I slipped, slid and stumbled my way from the summit, I was cold and tired and extremely concerned about falling and really getting hurt. As I left the Table Rock parking lot aid station, I had the overwhelming feeling  that I had been moving too slowly and that I was in danger of missing the 1pm cut off. Wet, sore and tired, I put everything into getting to the next aid station before that time.

Passage of time between aid stations was a blur. I slipped and tripped and slid a great distance on my butt only to learn upon arrival that my concern was for not, the cut off requirement had been at the previous aid station. Because of my effort I found myself an hour ahead of my original plan and 10 or so miles from the finish. My focus turned to finishing and finishing better than I ever had. This was unexpected and unfamiliar territory really. The conditions where not going to get any easier and I was tired.

Fortunately, the next 6 or so miles where a mix of gravel roads and less technical trail making it a little easier to keep moving at a steady pace. I met up with Tim and we pushed and pulled each other to the last aid station in less than an hour. My exhaustion kept in check by the possibility of finishing this 50K faster than any previous 50K attempt. My entire body ached and was screaming that it had had enough. The last stretch to the finish overlapped the first 5 miles, I anticipated them to be as unfamiliar as they had been 7 hours earlier when we heading out. In another push and pull effort, Tim and I rallied together to ensure forward progress. We hiked up the hills, ran every downhill and with the finish in site ran as if we were vying for first place. He won. With more gas in the tank, Tim was able to muster a little more than I was at the end. It didn't matter at all.  I had just knocked over 2 hours off of my bet 50K time and I was elated!

 It was still raining as I struggled out of my wet clothes and pulled on my clean, warm and dry FINISHERS sweatshirt. Sitting in the warm car, I sat staring through the windshield as finishers continued to trickle across the finish line. My eyes heavy, I drifted into a nap before the drive home.

*Credit for the pictures goes to Table Rock Ultras