Seashore 50K Quick Race Report

I ran the 2nd annual Seashore 50K in Virginia Beach on 12/18.  This was my 2nd time running the race and as always, it lived up to my expectations. And then some….

When you first think of VA, Beach you think FLAT.  Well, if you ever run this race at Seashore Park you will soon learn that hills have been imported from other various parts of the state!  No major climbs, but rolling hills that add up over 50Ks.  Add 1 inch of packed snow and ice to the trail and it ends up being a winter wonderland of fun.

Seriously, if you are ever in the area on the third weekend in December you should run this race.  It is organized super tight with timing chips, a well marked course, awesome aid stations, what seems to be a 3-1 volunteer/runner ration (with 200+ runners), and a very scenic trail.

I was shooting to PR my 50K time here with a 5:59, but ended up with a solid 6:37.  Not too shabby for me considering the slick conditions of the trail.  I pushed as hard as I could go for the entire race and I’m very happy with my time. 

For $80, the RD hooked us up with a nice pullover rain jacket, paper weight, key chain, finisher’s medal, finisher’s hat, free parking, and a post race party!

Great event that I hope to repeat many times…..

On a totally different note I’m going to be forced into taking some time off ultra running.  I’m guessing about 4 months.  I’ve had some issues with high blood pressure during the past few days and I need to focus solely on getting this under control and dropping weight. 

I will still see many of you at some of the winter/spring races as a volunteer.  I’m excited about getting healthier in 2011 and hitting some new PRs in the 2nd half of the year.

30 Miles Completed At Bartram 100 Miler

It’s hard to “run” 100 miles.  I say “run” because most everyone walks more than they run at this distance.  I do anyway.  I finished one hundo at the 2009 Iron Horse in Florida.  I didn’t see that run as being this tough, but I’ve recently been reminded that it really is.

Yep, another DNF (Did not finish) at the Bartram 100 Miler in Milledgeville, GA.  I started vomiting and having other stomach issues around mile 27.  That quickly lead to the “what am I doing here” thoughts and before I knew it, I was back in the car making the lonely four hour drive back home.  Walking / Hobbling another 70 miles just didn’t seem like something I wanted to do.

Could I have stuck around and finished under the 32 hour cutoff?  Maybe, who knows?  I wasn’t willing to find out and it obviously didn’t mean that much to me.  I had never been happier to be leaving a race early.

My previous Pinhoti 100 mile DNF really bothered me, but this one didn’t in the least.  As a matter of fact, I felt better than I had in a long time as far as running goes.

I relate to some Poe writings – this one hits home after Bartram…

A Dream by Edgar Allan Poe

In visions of the dark night 
I have dreamed of joy departed—

But a waking dream of life and light
Hath left me broken-hearted.

I’m burnt out with long ultras.  I’ve ran nearly 30 of them in the last 18 months.  My body & mind are confused and beat down.  I had to get real and face the facts on the drive home over the weekend.  I’ve been battling back and forth with this for a few months now, but it came full circle two days ago after the DNF.

I love the people associated with the runs and the energy around the events, but my mind and body have had enough.  Am I finished running?  Of course not!  However, it is time to change gears and do some different stuff.

Another mental aspect of the long ultras is being away from my wife and kids for entire weekends at a time.  I feel selfish doing this once every 4-6 weeks and I’m not going to do it anymore. 

I can get out and run a 50K or shorter runs in the morning and be home by early afternoon or sooner in most cases.   So going into the future I’m sticking to these type of runs for now.

Will I run more 100 milers, 100Ks , 50 milers?  Of course!  However, they will be special events that I have trained properly for.  Physically & Mentally.

With that being said, I’m super excited about running The Seashore 50K in Virginia Beach, VA this Saturday!  It will be my brother-in-law’s 1st ultra and I have a feeling that he is going to rip it up!  I ran a 6:00:12 last year which was a 50K record for me.  I want to beat that on Saturday.

One last note.  It’s not all about me!  I gotta throw a BIG congratulation out to my running bro. Charles R. for finishing his first 100 miler at Bartram!  GREAT RUN!  Congrats also to Beth M., Kena, Psyche, Lane, Ashley, and several others.  There are lots of incredible folks in this sport including The Georgia Snail himself Thomas who faithfully waited and helped lots of runners finish last weekend.

Hope to see you out there soon……….

Finishing 2010 With A Hundo & 50K...

23 days left in 2010....
Just enough time to try and squeeze in a 100 mile race and then follow it up with a 50K.

I honestly don't know what I've gotten myself into at the Bartram 100 Mile race in Milledgeville, GA this weekend.  A 5.25 mile loop that is to be repeated 19 times.  Seems like a logical way to spend a winter day, right?  And for you number crunchers, yes we will be running an extra quarter of a mile on the first loop to make 100 miles even.

This is just another sadistic way for me to revenge my DNF last month at Pinhoti.  I've actually let that one go for now, but still feel the urge to travel 100 miles on foot while being under the pressure of a clock ticking in the background.

There is no plan or promise for this race.  Just go run & walk.  Just keep it up and enjoy the experience.

Looking forward to running with lots of great friends & meeting some news ones as well.

Report to follow soon...

Camp Croft Trail Half Marathon

The inaugural Camp Croft Trail Half Marathon was held in my Spartanburg backyard on November 13th at Croft State Park.  Pictured to the left are some of the runners - Joe Camo, Beth (wife), Big Easy (me), Sam-O-Nator, and Brian (The Guz). 

The weather was picture perfect.  40 degrees with a bright blue sky setback against fall turned leaves falling from the trees.  It was the type of day where you couldn't wait to hear your feet crunching the foliage as you ran through some beautiful rolling single track.

The course featured some of the best parts of the park.  It was a 13.1 mile loop that ran between Lake Craig and Johnson.  80% single track, 20% trail.  0% pavement - LOVE IT!


The entire event was organized to a tee by Seth N. and the Spartanburg Running Club.  I was impressed because from the moment I arrived at the park I knew exactly where to drive and what to do before the race.  All of the volunteers were great and from what I understand all of the runners finished the race.  They had the course marked perfectly and even I was able to stay on course for the entire run - very unusual!

This was Beth's 1st trail race and second half marathon.  I settled into a pace behind her from the beginning and let her determine the tempo.  We took our time and enjoyed the run.  She took one bad fall, but bounced back up without injury.

After 2:58 we made our way into the finish line and enjoyed some post race food.  I was surprised to see a live band playing too!  There were a TON of raffle prizes given away.  Beth and I both won $10 gift certificates to local area stores which was very cool.  Add this to the sharp technical shirts given to runners before the race and we walked away with some killer swag.

If you are ever looking to run a well organized and challenging trail half mary, then Croft should be the race for you.   Rumor has it that there could be a 50K run in the making on this beautiful trail system.  More details to come if I hear of it materializing...

Pinhoti 100 DNF (Did Not Finish)

Sometimes races don't go your way.  Sometimes you don't go the race's way.


For me, running is all about having fun.  I have learned to embrace suffering after covering certain distances and in some sick & twisted way that is fun too.  The Pinhoti 100 was going to be a special race for me.  100 miles on mostly single track rugged trail across Alabama.  While it was still a great weekend, I was pulled off the course by the sweeps for missing the cutoff time at 35.5 miles due to taking a wrong turn.

I will elaborate on my details later, but I wanted to touch on the bright highlights of the event first.

As in any ultra marathon one runner is only one part of a very big picture.  I have never taken the opportunity to watch an ultra from a the perspective of a non-runner.  I'm overwhelmed in the amount of work time & work that volunteers, personal crews, and total strangers take to help runners achieve their goals and keep them moving.  These are total unselfish people who sincerely want to see a runner complete their race.

After my race ended I had the privilege to hang out with Vic, Phil, and Christian for the remainder of the weekend.  Vic & Phil were crewing my buddy Weezy in his first 100.  These guys were awesome to watch as they drove through the night taking care of him and other runners at various aid stations.  Sean O. was also on the scene with an entourage of helpers who distributed food & love to runners along the way.

The highlight of the weekend was seeing my buddy Wayne (Weezy) cross that finish line to complete his first 100 mile race.  He fought hard through the cold night and toughed it out.  I'm so proud of the guy.

Here he is running to the finish...

I have many mixed emotions as I think about the darker side of the DNF (did not finish).  I took a wrong turn on a somewhat poorly marked section of the trail and went at least 4 miles off course before realizing my mistake and making my way back.  I didn't go the race's way.  This cost me about 2 hours of precious time and as a result I was instructed by the sweepers to drop from the race at the next aid station.

After finding my way back to the trail from going off course I saw that the trail was marked, but I had somehow missed the turn.  This was my own fault and I should have been paying better attention.

As one of the kind aid station volunteers drove me to meet up with the rest of Wayne's crew I was telling myself that I was finished with ultras for good.  I felt defeated and like I had let down a lot of people - mainly myself.   Would I have finished if this had not happened?  I really don't think so.  It hurts to say that to, but I just didn't have any strong drive or motivation after the first five miles of the race.

It was great to still have Weezy and other friends out on the course because it gave me something positive to focus on instead of the DNF.  Several of my friends finished their first 100 miler and it was awesome to be able to experience that.  Unfortunately, I had to leave the excitement and take a long drive back home to Spartanburg and begin to sort things out in my mind.

I'm not looking for sympathy or pats on the back - I'm just being real here.  I have a whole world of joy to be thankful for and running is just a small layer of icing on a huge cake of blessing that is my life. 

I feel disconnected from ultra running right now.  I think that is normal after your first official DNF in a race.  At this point I'm going to take some time off to rest and get back to the type of running that I enjoy.

It will be fun to run with my wife Beth this weekend at her 1st trail half marathon close to home.  At least I'm not too beat up to go out and enjoy it.

Pinhoti 100 Mile Race Live Updates

It's finally time for the Pinhoti 100 Mile Race in Alabama this weekend!  For anyone interested, the Race Director just informed us that live updates will be posted during the race on:

http://www.ultralive.net/  (My Bib # is 1567)

I'm carrying my cell phone and will be posting as many tweets and facebook updates as possible.  This will depend largely on the cell phone coverage. 

Pinhoti 100 Miler Is In 23 Days – I have a Plan

I will start slow, I will start slow, I must start slow.  Gotta remember that.
Eat & Drink something every thirty minutes.  Not fun at 3:00 AM, but necessary.
Live in the moment.  Enjoy the people & trail.  Thank God for every step.

Even though I have never ran a single step on this trail, I believe that I can finish it under 28 hours.  The cutoff time is 30 hours and I don’t want to end up playing “beat the clock” as the sun is coming up for the 2nd day on Sunday morning.  I’ve recently lost a few of those games, but not this time.

I will have drop bags at miles 27, 41, 69, and 86.  The aid stations at Pinhoti will be excellent so I’m not going to put much stuff in the bags.  Only what I really need so I don’t waste a bunch of time just standing there starring at everything.  Although, that is a lot of fun.

Wayne D. and I are talking of running the entire course together.  I will probably slow him down, but I selfishly and secretly hope that it works out that way. 

My friend Jason R. will begin pacing me around midnight near mile 65 all the way into the finish.

I will enter the race with an attitude of “going with the flow”.  The race will never unfold as I imagine.  There will be highs & lows.  Stuff will go wrong and unusually right.  Either way – here is my game plan.

Pace Chart For 28 Hour Finish at Pinhoti -
Race Starts At 6 AM (CST)
Sunrise: 6:45 AM & Sunset 6:00 PM

Drop Bags

1 (27.66 Miles) AMP Energy Drink / Glide / Desitin / Clip2 / Propel / Band –Aids / Toothbrush / Paste / Special Snack

2 (40.94 Miles) AMP Energy Drink / Glide / Desitin / Clip2 / Propel / Band –Aids / Both Head Lights / Special Snack

3 (55.34 Miles) AMP Energy Drink / Glide / Desitin / Band –Aids / Cap / Long Shirt / Pants / Gloves/ Special Snack

4 (68.75 Miles) AMP Energy Drink / Glide / Desitin / Band –Aids / Cap / Coat / Warmer Gloves / Special Snack

5 (85.60 Miles) AMP Energy Drink / Glide / Desitin / Band –Aids / Cap / Tooth Brush / Paste / Special Snack / Road Shoes / New Socks

6 Finish Change of Clothes / Shoes / Cash / Toiletries

F.A.T.S. 50K Race

F.A.T.S. is short for The Fork Area Trail System in North Augusta, S.C.  This would be the fifth and final race of the S.C. Ultra Trail Series put on by Terri Hayes.  I had the privilege of running all of her races & finishing for my second year in a row.  I'm very grateful for the time and resources that she has put into South Carolina ultras.  Her races have hooked lots of runners into the sport (including me) and given many the confidence needed to pursue and complete other goals.   Thanks again Terri & all of the folks who volunteered to make these events possible.

I treated this race as my final long trail run for The Pinhoti 100 Miler on November 6th.  The plan going in was to run a conservative pace similar to what I will run at Pinhoti.  Well, that was the plan - you know how that goes!

I left for North Augusta around 4:45 AM on Sunday morning and enjoyed the 2 hour drive down through Greenwood.  There a lots of nice little county towns to pass through with local culture.  It's amazing what you see in some of these places before the sun comes up.  Cops sleeping in their patrol cars, roosters pecking in the road, dogs sleeping on the highway.....great stuff!

It was great to drive into the parking lot and see so many friends preparing for the run.  After thirty minutes of laughs and some last minute course instructions from Terri, we were off and running.

I was stuck in the middle of about 20 runners for the first 7.5 miles which was fun.  I was enjoying a cool fall morning running on some beautiful trails while hearing the conversations go back and forth.  We hit the first aid station and the crowd thinned out after that.  I felt like running a little faster so I hustled through the aid station and got back on the trail quickly.

I'm planning on averaging a 16:40 min/mile pace at Pinhoti and I felt that a 14:00 min/mile pace today would be adequate to train with since there are no big climbs on this course.  I hit a great stride for the next ten miles and ran nearly all of it around a 11:50 min/mile pace.  This was way too fast for me after doing a 100K on the Foothills Trail last weekend, but I didn't care and just went with what felt good.  That came back to bite me later!

I eventually ran up on my friend Scott around mile twenty who was moving well despite running the Stump Jump 50K on Saturday and finishing The Foothills Trail the weekend before!  Unreal!  I decided to hang with Scott for a while and we quietly paced together through the small rolling hills.  We eventually ran up on Psyche & Charles who were walking her son Leopold back to the finish.  Leopold is an incredible ten year old who has completed several endurance races and was trying for his first 50K today!  Although he didn't officially finish the 50K, he still ran an "ultra distance" of 27 miles which is just incredible!

As Scott & I entered our final 7.5 mile loop of the race, I was getting really tired.  I could feel all of the long & tough training runs from the previous three months on my legs, but I made it a point to keep running.  I took a nasty fall about 3 miles from the finish and my head bounced off the ground.  Luckily, I feel into a bed of pine needles and not rocks.  Scott came over to help me up and we continued towards the finish.

I ended up finishing around 7:45 and I measured the course out to be about 33.5 miles.  That put my overall pace at 13:53 min/mile which was just what I was looking for in the run.  If I had it to do over again, I would have ran more consistent through the run, but overall, I'm very pleased in my final long training run before the 100 miler.

Thoughts on where I am as a runner...

This blog entry will discuss where I'm at regarding ultra running.  Both mentally & physically.  I'm going to take some time to sort out what is working and not working for me as well.  I have a lot of stuff in my head and need to get it out.

I'm looking forward to running Terri Hayes' FATS (Fork Area Trail System) 50K this weekend near North Augusta Georgia.  If I add up all of my ultra marathon races & organized fun runs this will be my 22nd ultra event since I began with Buncombe on May 3rd, 2009.   That's 22 in about seventeen months.  If you know me, I rarely push myself to run fast at these, but just set out to finish strong.  I will push myself to finish though!

By no means am I boasting when I talk about completing those 22 events.  I personally know lots of ultra runners who have ran a lot more races in a shorter period of time.  I'm only making a mental "bookmark" of my running for now, while briefly looking back at my couch potato life of 300+ lbs lying in front of the TV before 2009.  That's me pictured to the right with my sister in June 2009.  I was at 310 lbs.

By the way, how did I get here?  I was motivated while watching the 2008 women's summer Olympics marathon on the couch and decided to go for a run that evening.  I walked 100 yards and nearly passed out.  Ran a road half marathon, then full marathon, finished and thought I would like running on the trails better.  Googled trail running and found Christian Griffith's Chattooga 50K race report.   Then I met Race Director Terri Hayes and signed up for her 2009 Chattooga 50K event.  I was so anxious to run it that I decided to run her Buncombe 34 Mile Race one month before.  That was my first ultra.

My past three ultra events have seen me fall short of my goal for each of them.  First, The Foothills Trail Run in July 2010 was extremely hot and I did not finish it.  Next, I ran The Long Cane 50 mile race in Greenwood, SC and went off course which caused me to cut the mileage short for the day.  I did receive credit for a 40 mile official finish, but it was tough to stomach another mishap.  Finally, just last weekend I came up short on the Foothills Trail again making it 60 out of the 77 miles. 

I feel frustrated about coming up short three times.  I am a very analytical and obsessive person and that makes it even tougher to deal with not finishing.  On the other hand, these were very difficult and demanding events that required patience, strategy, thinking on the go, and endurance.  It always does me good to get "slapped down".  It humbles me, breaks me down, and then I can build myself back up stronger than before.

Today I'm feeling that it is vital for me to finish the FATS ultra this weekend.  There is no such thing as an easy 50K, but compared to many this one is on much more forgiving terrain.  I plan on showing up rested and ready to have a fun day running in the woods.  It will be nice to run without a watch again.

The weekend after FATS I'm excited to be running with my wife Beth.  It will be her first official race - The Spartanburg IRecycle Half Marathon!  I'm really looking forward to sharing this experience with her and she is going to do great because she has trained so hard for it.

The Pinhoti 100 mile trail run is then right around the corner in November.  I've never felt more prepared for a race than I am for this one.  My personal battles with the Foothills Trail over the summer have provided the perfect training ground and I'm glad that I had the chance to lay down the ground work for another 100 miler.

More than anything, I'm thankful to God for my health and the ability to get out on the trails and do this!  It's been tough not meeting my goals recently, but looking back at all of the beauty that I've seen & experienced makes me so content.  I'm very thankful for all of the incredible people that I've met and had the pleasure of spending time getting to know.

Ok, here is some stuff that I have learned this summer.

1. I don't need salt caps (S!Caps) unless it is near 100 degrees or extremely hot & humid.  I get enough salt & electrolytes through the food I eat.
2. That leads to another finding.  I have been drinking way too much water.  I can safely take in 30 ounces of water / hour in extreme heat.  20 oz. / hour if more ideal for me.   I noticed several problems that developed when I was drinking more than that over the summer.
3. I DO need to eat a little something every 45-60 minutes during an ultra.  I will bonk after 2-3 hours with no food.
4. My body handles distance much better by going slow & steady for the entire event.  When I try to run hard & stop and rest more I suffer.  As a matter of fact, I do better by not stopping unless I absolutely have to.

Photo courtesy of Psyche Wimberly - 2 Mile Above Whitewater Falls Foothills Trail

Foothills Trail (2nd) 77 Mile Run

My first attempt at the Foothills Trail was on 7/24/10 and I dropped out at Whitewater Falls which is around the 48 mile mark.  I entered this run very confident of a finish and thought that I had it figured out.  To make a long story short I dropped once again at Burrell’s Ford (mile 61) which was about 16 miles from the finish.  Severe chaffing and mental fatigue were the main contributors. 

The runners for this one were Denise Davis, Scott Hodukavich, Charles Raffensperger, Psyche Wimberly, and myself.  Byron Backer provided crew support for us and Denise’s husband Alan provided support for her.

Our plan for this run was to start from Table Rock State Park on Friday night (9/24/10) at 7:00 PM.  The strategy was to run the tough Table Rock & Laurel Valley sections of the trail while it was dark & cool and then face the remaining 29 miles in the daylight on Saturday.

The run started as planned at approximately 7:10 PM.  Denise took the lead heading up Pinnacle Mt. while the rest of us fell into a speed hike as the sun began to set.  We hit the overlook at Pinnacle in about 1:20 and were making great time.  A beautiful full moon appeared behind a mostly clear sky and we continued to speed hike/jog towards South Carolina’s highest point – Sassafras Mountain. 

We met up with Byron at the top of Sassafras and refilled our supplies.  After hanging out there for about 15 minutes we headed downhill to the Laurel Valley Parking area at mile 14.5.  Denise & Scott had gotten ahead through this section while Psyche, Charles, and I ran mostly together.  We saw several copperheads on the trail through that section.

My split for the first 14.5 miles was around 4:40 which was nearly one hour faster than the July run.  It was close to midnight as we met Byron again on HWY 178 at the Foothills Trail crossing.

We met back up with Scott here who was waiting on us and Denise had taken off into Laurel Valley just as we arrived.  This would be the last time we would see Denise during the run.   Byron had a great spread of food put out for us again along with ice cold drinks.  We all loaded lots of calories into our packs for the long 33 mile unsupported section through Laurel Valley.

The four of us stuck together closely through the Laurel Valley section until the very end after sunrise.  As midnight came and went the sharp & steep sections of the trail began to take their toll.  I hit a very low point around the 29 mile mark which may have been around 2:00 AM.  I began thinking about how far I had left to travel and the darkness was disheartening.   We pushed on & on as a group of four through the darkness making the best of the night with some jokes and ramblings.

Dawn began to break around 6:30 AM as we closed in on the Bear Camp creek section which was getting close to the halfway mark of the run.  All our spirits were lifted as we enjoyed a beautiful sunrise together on some nice downhill sections of the trail.  Scott got ahead on this section and we eventually made it to Hilliard Falls.  Psyche & Charles decided to take the short spur trail to the falls and I made the decision to keep pressing towards Whitewater Falls where Byron & aid were waiting for us.  Scott had decided to visit the falls as well so Psyche & Charles met up with him there.

I really enjoy the section from Hilliard Falls to Bad Creek.  There is some fantastic single track with some very gnarly climbs.  My legs were beginning to complain about moving for 15 hours at this point, but I was enjoying the cool fall morning listening to the forest come alive.

I hit another low mental point around Bad Creek as I knew the tough climb out of Whitewater was inevitable.  I kept reminding me that Byron was at the top with aid and I would reward myself with a nice break once I got there.  I took a lot of breaks through the next four miles.  I think it took me about three hours to cover the four miles.  I decided that I was going to drop at Whitewater and just could not stand the thought of going another 28+ miles to the finish from there.  Those negative thoughts made the climb out even worse.

The steep climb out of Whitewater was comical.  I was talking to myself and beginning to come unraveled.  Two families turned back on the trail when they saw me having conversations with myself.  I heard one lady say, “Honey, I think we need to go the other way….”  Then about 100 yards up the trail another lady said, “I’m tired and need to turn back”.  I must have looked like a wretch at that point.  I guess 48 miles and spending the night in Laurel Valley will do that to you.

I finally climbed my way up to the gravel parking lot on HWY 130 and was greeted by Byron and Alan.  Wow, was it ever great to see them.  Byron announced that I was looking good because I was still moving and I just sat down on the ground for a minute.  Just as I sat down Scott, Charles, and Psyche came up right behind me.  It was great to see them as well.

If it were not for the rest of the people around me here I would have dropped for sure.  I was in a terrible mental funk and just wanted to quit.  I was not injured and was not extremely tired, but just way down.  We spent about 30 minutes here and packed up heading towards mile 53 at Sloan Bridge.

I felt incredibly great climbing out of Whitewater Falls.  My spirits were lifted and I was so excited to be getting closer to the finish.  The toughest part of the trail was behind me and I felt secure in a finish. 

We reached Sloan Bridge around 5:30 PM which was about 22:30 into the run.  For some reason I developed sever chaffing through this section in my inner thighs.  Psyche let me have her Glide roll on to use and it helped for about 15 minutes, but after that the burning was horrible.  Every stepped left me grimacing in pain.  I tried to make adjustments to my shorts, but it just kept burning more & more.  I was determined to not let this stop me from finishing and kept pushing forward.

The 3.3 mile section from Sloan Bridge to Fish Hatchery was much more technical than I remembered it being from previous runs.  There were lots of roots and downed trees that made for tricky footing.  My inner thighs were burning so bad at this point I wanted to cry.  The sweat and salt on my shorts was rubbing back and forth as I moved.  I just couldn’t find a fix.  I put much, much more glide on, but it just wouldn’t help.  I even tried to rub it all off with my shirt and then re-apply, but again, it made it worse.  I noticed a little blood, but I just pretended not to see it.

I put my headphones on and tried to listen to music for the first time through this section.  I thought that it may take my mind off the situation at hand, but it made me very angry.  I have never had music make me mad like this did.  I think I was listening to some Phil Collins, but not sure.  Either way, I packed my MP3 player back up and kept moving.  The three of us reached the Fish Hatchery off HWY 107 around 6:45 PM which was about 23:50 hours into the run.  We were about to face our second night on the trail.

We put our lights on at Fish Hatcher and turned them on about 2 miles down the trail as we headed towards Burrell’s Ford.  I lost my mind through this section.  The chaffing was about to bring me to tears and facing a 2nd nightfall was demoralizing.  The three of us stumbled slowly downhill towards Burrell’s Ford.  We tried to keep talking some, but we all had a hard time making conversation.    I knew that we only had about 16 miles to go after Burrell’s Ford and that I just needed to get there and get things fixed.

We finally rolled into Burrell’s Ford around 8:15 (25 Hours Into the run) to find Byron patiently waiting for us once again with a truck full of aid waiting at our disposal.  I was having a hard time forming sentences and felt wildly delirious.   I ate some excellent hot chicken noodle soup and a few sandwiches in hopes of getting another lift up.  I knew that I needed to treat that chafe as well.  When I reached down to take a look at it there was a bloody mess there.  That pain on top of knowing that eight more hours of running waited ahead for me to finish the trail made me decide to drop out of the run.  I told the group that I was finished and Charles also said that he was dropping as well.  I had noticed him breathing strange and he was complaining of other complications. 

Byron was ready to run with Psyche and the two of them geared up and headed off into the night down the technical Chattooga river.  As I stood there watching the two of them head back into the woods a flood of emotions came over me.  I was so glad to be finished, but deeply heartbroken to not be finishing the trail.  Either way, I stood by my decision.

I remember praying for Byron & Psyche’s safety as they heading down the Chattooga in the darkness.  I knew Byron was fresh and that he would take care of her out there, but I knew how she was feeling when she left.

My car was parked with aid in it at Burrell’s Ford so I drove it back to Oconee and followed Charles who drove Byron’s truck.  We left his truck at their final road crossing – Cheeohee Rd. – and Charles rode back to Oconee with me.

We got showered and ate back at Oconee where we had setup camp earlier on Friday afternoon and I collapsed in the tent. 

Here is how the run turned out for the group:

Denise Davis – 1st Female to ultra run the Foothills Trail and she finished on her first attempt in 26:58

Scott Hodukavich – Finished on his 1st attempt 30:37

Psyche Wimberly – Finished on her 2nd attempt 31:48

Charles Raffensperger – Dropped at Burrell’s Ford Mile 59.8

Jason Sullivan – Dropped at Burrell’s Ford Mile 59.8

I would like to say a special thanks to Byron Backer for helping us with this run.  He provided excellent aid to us at every possible intersection and even spent some time running on the trails with us.  Not to mention, finishing the 16+ miles with Psyche through the night.  Thank you again Byron!

I’m looking at another run on the trail in the Spring of 2011.  I’m planning on taking the hard lessons I’ve learned and using them to my advantage for a finish next time.  I’m deeply disappointed in not finishing, but I at least feel good about making it farther than I did last time.

Long Cane 50 Miler – Left Turn led me right…

For this report we are going to do pictures first.  But before that, here is the short version of my race.  My mom drove down with me to cook burgers at the finish early Sunday morning and everything “pre-race” went smooth.  I was having the best ultra race of my short career when suddenly around mile 25 I went off course and took a wrong left turn.  After running several miles in the wrong direction and not being sure of where I was - I decided to just keep running and enjoy the beautiful day.  I’m estimating that I ran about 44 miles in 10:00 hours and felt great afterwards.

Now for some photos….

The beautiful lake at Long Cane…

Scott and I at the start – Tracie is in green to the left… 

My mom and another volunteer at the final aid station…

A couple who just completed their first ultra & did it together!

Me at the finish…

From Left to Right: Dan, Terri, Jason at the finish…

Like I said before, I was having a great run.  Very relaxed and feeling great and then I took a wrong turn.  I was about 100 yards behind Tracie and she took the wrong turn to the left.  I just blindly followed her which was STUPID!  I’m amazed at the amount of stupid things I do during an ultra.  I put a lot of thought into the layout of this race and felt confident about being able to follow it through the day.  Terri (Race Director) did a great job of marking the course.  I made the mistake so I had to live with it.

As stated earlier I made several small runs around the park looking for the correct turn because I realized that I was off course after about 4 miles from the wrong left turn.  I felt myself getting frustrated and really upset so I decided to lay down on the trail and just relax for a minute.  I laid down on some soft pine needles under the trees and looked up at the deep blue clear sky.  The wind was blowing and the breeze felt heavenly.  I just laid there relaxed for a minute and laughed at my mistake.  At that point I decided to keep running around the perimeter of the park until dark and just make the best of the situation.

I went through three more aid stations and they all greeted me with cheers that I was in the lead!  I hated to bust their bubbles (and mine), but I was far, far away from the lead.  I told each aid station volunteer that I was off course and just out for a run at this point.  They just laughed with me and encouraged me to keep going.  One guy was trying to figure out how I could back track and make up the mileage, but we couldn’t figure out where I had been up to the current point.

I didn’t see anymore runners for the final three hours of the run and I enjoyed the solitude.   After nine hours my legs were beginning to complain about the 80 miles that I had put on them this week.  It was bitter-sweet to run the final mile into the finish.  I would have much rather covered the entire course, but I’m proud of myself for making the best of the situation.

I love the pain & torture that comes from hours of running.  It keeps me humble and reminds me of where I belong and how I should behave.  Ultra running makes the simple pleasures in life such as clean water and soft chairs a supreme luxury.  I’m the most blessed man in the world after a long run when someone hands me a plate of hot food and a cold cup of tea.

I didn’t run the race correctly and I screwed up, but I got exactly what I needed at Long Cane.  Thanks again to Terri Hayes, my mom, and the many other volunteers who worked so hard to make us feel like kings & queens.

2010 Laurel Valley 35 Mile Whitewater Race

The 16th Laurel Valley Whitewater Race put on by race director Claude Sinclair was held on the Foothills Trail Saturday August 14th 2010.  The total mileage of this race is somewhat of a mystery, but it stretches from a little town called Rocky Bottom, S.C. along the Foothills Trail to Upper Whitewater Falls on Hwy 130 near Mountain Rest.  I have only ran 19 ultra marathons to date, but this race is incredibly rugged and you better be prepared going into it.

There are no aid stations, volunteers, trail markings, time clocks, or crew access points.  It's just you running with God & nature.  Throw in the occasional other runner and you have a very unique run that tends to draw some amazing talent year after year.

I have ran this section of trail once as a sweep during my first time last year at the race, twice on self-supported runs, and again last weekend as a regular runner in the race.   My approach to the trail is to survive and come running out the other side.  Some of the runners who show up literally have a water bottle and a few crackers.  They are out there to run fast and I'm still blown away by them.

The winner broke seven hours at 6:54.  I came in near the back of the middle pack at 10:54.  The sweep group who are responsible for staying behind all of the runners to make sure they get off the course safely came in around 15:03.

I ran this course as hard as I could go and treated it like I rarely do which is a "race".    I'm not surprised that this resulted in a 18:41 mile/min pace, but "it is what it is."  Compare that to my only 100 mile race at the Iron Horse in Florida with a pace of 15:10 miles/min.  That proves how difficult the terrain and circumstances really are with this race.

I decided to sleep in my own bed the night before and make the hour long drive to the start on Saturday morning.  It poured rain nearly the entire drive and I drank about any type of caffeine that I have brought along.  The temperature was forecasted to be in the low 80's with high humidity and heavy rain on/off through the day.  That is just about a perfect running day for anywhere in South Carolina during August.

I arrived to the starting area around 4:40 AM to find Charles R. sleeping in his SUV.  Of course I started flashing my headlamp in his face to wake him up.  He wasn't running the race today, but still ended up doing a fun run of over 20 miles.    Sorry Charles, but it felt great to wake someone up that early.

I was greeted by so many friends, Psyche, Dave, Scott, Eric, Lynn, the list goes on and on.....

About 8 regular runners and six sweeps began the run at 5:00 AM as the race director allowed a runner to begin the race with a shot from his musket.   We began into the mountain darkness as the gun fired.  Headlamps were lighting the path as we made the initial climb from the parking area.

Part I - Laurel Valley Is "Really Easy"

The first eight miles of this race are so deceptive.  Yes, there are some stairs to climb here and there, but overall the terrain is mostly runnable and there are even some long flat stretches.  I began the run with Buddy attempting his 15th Laurel Valley race in front, Eric, Lynn, me, and Andy.  We laughed and laughed through this section as the miles ticked by.  Lynn and Andy had both suffered concussions from non-running accidents (Slip-n-Slide and falling down stairs) a few months back so they were titled "Team Concussion"....

Team Concussion

The sun finally begin to rise through the thick morning fog, but the clouds threatened with rain from the very start.  We ran through thick, lush jungle looking trails until we finally reached beautiful Laurel Falls which overlooks Lake Jocassee.  We all knew that the going was about to get tough, but some reason I always forget just how tough.  I guess that is why I keep coming back for more.

Part II - The Mean 15

From Laurel Falls the Foothills Trail takes you straight up and then straight down to Lake Jocassee.  I think this is the trail's way of saying, "I'm bout' to beat you down, Sucka!"  This is a 15 mile stretch that is incredibly rugged, beautiful, and well.....just punishing on a runner.

The Beginning of The Mean 15 - Prepping Water with Andy for What is To Come...

 














Over the 16 years of this race, I would guess that more drama has went down in this section than any other.

I ran much of this section alone and really enjoyed it.  I crossed beside Lake Joccassee and begin the never ending climb away from the lake.  I mean this climb went up and up forever.  I came to several false summits and would think that I had reached the top and was only devastated to find another long & steep 100 yard climb up. 

The trail throws this type of terrain at you for the next 12 miles.  Just one steep climb after another followed by jaw dropping descents into valleys where the humidity was so thick you could cut it with a knife.  It was so green out there that you could almost taste it.

I hit a low mental spot through this section around mile 18.  From experience I knew just to keep moving, eating & drinking and it would pass.  I felt sorry for myself for about two more miles and then all of the sudden I felt like running.  I love this feeling and it is hard to describe.  I feel like I can run forever, well at least another mile until the next major climb.....

I kept pressing forward and I noticed that my pack was feeling lighter and lighter.  Even when I would stop to refill the 100 oz. bladder, it seemed on the light side.  I normally take in about 200 calories/hour, but I had been eating closer to 400.  I'm not sure if it was due to me running faster or what, but it was cause for alarm.  I didn't want to bonk on this course.  Been there, done, that & it just ain't no fun!

I'm nearing the end of the "Mean 15" approaching Horse Pasteur River when I see my buddy Mike Riggins laid up on the side of trail looking white as a ghost.  I knew right away that he had gotten too hot and behind on electrolytes so I stopped to try and help.  At first he was reluctant for help and told me to go on and then he started talking about getting a ride off the trail.  I knew he was talking crazy so I stuck with him for a little while.  I loaded his 20 ounce water bottle with enough electrolytes for six people and he started sipping it.  Within about 15 minutes he was up and running.  I never caught him.  Man, that must have been a great drink!

Mike came into this race with a lot on his mind.  We could smell the sweet fragrance of rain just before he left and sure enough it began to pour.  It was so refreshing and lifted my spirits a LOT!

Part III - Hades 1/2 Marathon 13 Miles
The final thirteen miles are demoralizing.  You come to a sign that says 13.3 miles to Upper Whitewater Falls and you think,  "Well I can probably run this in about 3 hours." Its a half marathon, right?"  WRONG AGAIN!

Just as you go up another killer climb, guess what is waiting?  50+ of these!


This wicked set of stairs is about two three miles past Horse Pasteur River right at the 26.2 marathon distance.  They will flat out burn your quads off your legs.  I took them slow about about one step every two seconds.  BRUTAL!

My friend Wayne D. (Weezy) had started the race as a 6 AM runner and I was thinking that he would have caught me by now.  I asked a runner if he had heard from him and I was told that he had hurt his ankle and headed back to the start.  This upset me, but I had to stay focused and find a way to finish.

I ran four more major climbs and descents before approaching Whitewater River which is home stretch.  The rain had turned into a steady pour and I was feeling great.  I reached into my pack for more food, but it was all gone!  MAN!  I had one bag of Tang drink mixed left so I made a stout 100 ounce drink to push me the final four miles.

It worked well because I was able to maintain a modest pace through the final 1400' foot climb over about 2 miles.  I crossed the bridge over Whitewater river and this left only .75 miles to reach the finish line, but it was up, up, and up.  Massive amounts of stairs and ladders were in front of me and every step felt like it could be the last ending with a severe cramp.

The final set of steps literally look like they are going to climb you up to the clouds and then all of the sudden you can see civilization on the Whitewater Falls Observation deck.  As my head crested the hill I could see my family.  What a great sight!

At this point in the run my senses are on overload and it is hard to focus on any one thing for long.  Luckily, they know this so they just smile and run with me into the finish for the final 1/4 mile.

I found out later that my buddy Wayne had sprained his ankle and toughed it out to finish anyway.  I told you there are some amazing runners that show up to this race....

Thanks again to RD Claude Sinclair for all of the Quad Burning Fun.  A shout goes out to Christian for running a killer 7:40 as well.  Very impressive!

 

Foothills Trail 77 Mile Attempt Recap

Several months ago after running the Iron Horse 100 mile race in Florida I began to chat with several running friends about running the entire 77 mile Foothills Trail.  Dan Hartley, Weezy Downey, Mad Dog Riggins, and a few others were interested so we set July 24-25 as the date.  The date was to work for our advantage because we would have about 15 hours of daylight and a full moon at night.  We didn't count on temps in the 90's with high humidity and 100 degree heat index. 

Weeks and months ticked away after we decided to run the trail in February.  Dan set the framework of organization for the run and six brave souls showed up for the journey.  As you read this please realize that this is only my account of the run.  I hope to include links in this post if other runners decide to share their experiences.

The Runners
Jason Sullivan
Dan Hartley
Jim Cobb
Psyche Wimberly
Charles Raffensperger
Chad Henderson

We all decided to meet on Friday afternoon around 3:00 PM at Oconee State Park where the run would end and setup our campsites so they would be waiting as we finished.  We setup the campsites and then headed to Table Rock State park which would be the beginning of the run.  Sweat poured from our bodies as we put our tents up.  In the back of my head I wondered how this heat was going to play out in the run tomorrow.  Little did I know.  We dropped aid along the way at Cheohee Road, Burrell's Ford, Whitewater Falls, and Laurel Valley Parking Lot.  We all arrived at Table Rock State park and had our camps setup with dinner being ate before dark.

Sam enjoying the afternoon with a chuckle...

I pose for a pre-camp shot.......

Charles & Psyche having a laugh before dinner....

After enjoying some cold grilled chicken breast and has browns, I was in my tent sleeping before 9:30 PM.  The alarm was set for 3:30 A.M.the run was  to begin the run at 4:00 A.M.

4:00 A.M. came quickly as it always does and we began our walk to the Foothills Trail head on time.  We all walked quietly through the still darkness onto the paved road which leads to the trail head.  After only two minutes of walking a car came driving down the road and it was Scott H. who was there to support us and provide aid.  Scott drove on down to the trail head and snapped a group photo of us at the start.

From Left to Right:  Dan Hartley, Chad Henderson, Jim Cobb, Charles Raffensperger, Psyche Wimberly, Jason Sullivan

‎"The people that I have met are not foolish; they are aware of how tired, disoriented, and how possibly injured they will become. They know they will face great physical, mental, emotional, and possibly spiritual challenges as they make their way to the finish. This is what they are racing against. This is their challenge. This is what ...I admire."            - Carolyn Erdman

Dan, Chad, and Jim set off in front of Charles, Psyche, and I since they were planning on a faster run.  I looked at my watch and it showed my run beginning at 4:17 A.M.

Off we headed into the darkness up Pinnacle Mountain...

The first section of the trail takes me from Table Rock State Park To Laurel Valley parking area on Hwy 178.  Psyche, Charles, and I all ran this section together. 

I think we summited Pinnacle Mountain around 6:00 A.M. just as the sun was rising in the East.  There was a light fog in the valley and you could feel the mountains waking up from the night.  The three of us took a brief sit down break and enjoyed the incredible view from the top.

At this point I realized that my camera was not going to make the rest of the journey because it was already filled with condensation....

I was disappointed about the camera because my goal was to snap at least 100 photos during the run.  Oh well, at least the pack was lighter after I dropped it at Laurel Valley parking lot.

The first five hours of the run went by very quick.  Charles, Psyche, and I were having some great laughs and enjoying the beautiful sections of single track trail.  The three of us climbed Sassafras Mountain (South Carolina's highest point) and took another brief break.  The mountain air was still cool and a light breeze was making it even sweeter.

We were back up and running soon and descending to HWY 178 where our first aid drop would be waiting for us at the Laurel Valley parking area.

I was thinking that this 13.6 mile section would take us about four hours, but it ended up taking closer to 5 hours.  We were all three very cautious about going out too fast and wanted to slowly work our way into the adventure without blowing up completely in the begining.

We were greeted at the L.V. entrance by Dan's friend (and now ours) Scott Hodukavich.  Scott was incredible!  He had a full aid station setup out of his car waiting for us.  He was stocked with cold towels, ice, sodas, watermelon, grapes, sweets, salty foods, medical supplies, and anything else that we could have needed.  We were simply blown away by his generosity and willingness to meet our every need.  Thank you Scott - you have a huge heart.

The three of us spent nearly 45 minutes at the aid station in the parking lot and like any great aid station volunteer Scott reminded us that we had been resting long enough and that it was time to get moving.  He was right and the three of us knew that the tough 34 mile Laurel Valley section was waiting for us.

I was trying not to dwell on the time too much, but it kept popping up in my mind.  I should have been through this section and into Laurel Valley after 4.5 hours at the most.  I was now starting it after nearly 6 hours.  Either way, I felt like we were doing the right thing so far.

The three of us began the next 34 mile Laurel Valley portion of the trail.  There is no bail out point or crew access through here.  Once you are in you have to either get to the end at Whitewater Falls or turn around and head back to the parking lot.

The climb away from the parking lot is tough and all of the sudden it was getting very warm.  The sun was now up and it was 10:30 AM.  The three of us were moving slowly up the climbing stairs, but Charles was really struggling with the heat and sweat.  We reached a good water source to refill at and the sweat was pouring from Charles.  I have never seen a person loosing that much hydration in my life.  He was still in good spirits, but I knew that we were all going to have to slow things down even more which was going to be tough.

The math & time started racing through my mind again.  We had covered about 16 miles in roughly 7 hours.  At this pace we would be meeting up with Terri Hayes who would pace us for the final 30 miles after Whitewater around midnight.  I knew that if we moved that slow there would be no chance for any of us to complete the entire trail. 

I reluctantly shared this information with Charles & Psyche and made a selfish decision to push ahead at a faster pace by myself.  I use the word "selfish" because I was honestly thinking of my own personal goal of finishing the trail.  I shared these thoughts with the two of them and they agreed that I should go ahead.  We all three figured that we would end up meeting down the trail again soon enough.

I pushed ahead at an even clip.  I was slowly jogging the downhill & flat sections and walking all of the uphills as normal.  I passed Laurel Falls and enjoyed a quick sit down break and some lunch, but was quickly on the trail moving again.

The trail gets very difficult after Laurel Falls and takes you through a lot of steep climbs and descents.  The drama began during this section called "Canebrake". 

I was closing in on a excellent water source that pours into Lake Jocassee when all of the sudden I felt something looking at me.  I didn't feel threatened, but figured that I was closing in on some people camping since this is a very popular area for boaters to dock & camp.  While jogging a nice downhill section I glanced to the right and saw nothing.  Then glanced to the left and 100 feet away was a 150 lb. black bear making his way towards the trail.  If we both continued on our course we would intersect and thankfully, neither of us were interested in a confrontation.

We both stopped.  Vulnerable & standing in the middle of nowhere and looked at each other.  I smiled.  Sometimes when I don't know what to do I smile.  The bear kept looking at me for a few seconds and I would like to think that he smiled too.  I wanted to turn around and retreat, but I couldn't.  I knew not to run from a bear and there is no way that I was going to climb up a hill going in the wrong direction.  As quick as those thoughts raced through my mind the bear spun around and darted towards the lake.  I was in awe as it thundered through the forest and I could feel the vibrations under my feet.  It ran through small trees and brush like it was nothing and I heard a loud splash as it retreated into the lake. 

It seemed like such a great idea.  Just forget about the day and jump into the lake with the bear.  He lives out there and knows what to do.  I can cool off for a few minutes and he may even know where some more blackberries are like the ones I had enjoyed a mile back. 

Reality raced back into my mind and I laughed off the thought of following the bear.  I never felt overly afraid, but somehow connected to the entire situation.

The Canebrake section throws a killer up hill section at you with a massive amount of steps.  You ascend about 40 steps built into the side of a ridge where you cannot see the top.  The trail levels out, then it presents you with about 50 more steps.  The trail levels out then it throws about 60 more steps at you.  It can be a demoralizing section, but I tried to keep my eyes on the incredible views of the lake to the left as the torture continued.  Just for fun, the trail builders put a park bench at the top of this section.  I didn't even let myself sit on it and kept moving.

I was pouring sweat at the top of this section and now it was time to descend in the same manner.  As I'm carefully making my way down the steep steps, I hear Ken's voice down the trail asking if that is Jason.  I was hoping that it was the voice of God, but realized that if it was, then He would have already known it was me.  Darn.

Ken had backpacked into this section to provide us with fresh water and other remote aid.  The generosity that was poured into this run continues to blow me away even as I write this.  Ken instantly alarmed me by stating that Dan had dropped out of the run a few hours earlier.  He caught a ride with some guys on a boat and that is all that Ken knew.  He said that Chad and Jim were still looking good and moving ahead.  I was happy to hear that everyone was safe and accounted for, but saddened by the fact that Dan had dropped.  Ken assured me that he had several signs of heat exhaustion and that he had made the right decision.  Ken, thank you for being out there.  You were vital to our safety.

Ken asked how far back I thought Psyche and Charles were and I was guessing about thirty minutes.  Ken was beginning to worry because we were already three hours behind schedule and I think he began to hike back up the trail looking for them.  I pressed on through the tough Canbrake section.

I crossed over the Toxaway River bridge and saw several party boats docked at the rocks where the river flows into the lake.  The boaters glared at me as I shuffled across the hot bridge and back into the wilderness.  It was a surreal moment where I felt disconnected from their way of life.

I felt the life pouring out of me as I made the climb out of Canebrake back up into the higher mountains.  A steep logging road presented its own set of challenges in the heat.  It was nearing 3:00 P.M. and the heat caught up with me on this climb.  I knew that if I could struggle about 1 more mile to the top there would be a nice little stream to find refuge in.

A struggle it was.  I laid down on the trail twice and closed my eyes just to rest and let my body cool down a bit.  It was at this point where I began to question my ability to finish the trail.  It was too disheartening to spend much time thinking about so I just tried to keep moving forward.

I finally reached the stream at the top of the mountain and I was so sleepy I had to take my pack off and get a quick nap.  I didn't look at my watch when I laid down, but I slept hard.  When I woke up I guessed that I had slept about 15 minutes.  I went to stand up and that is all that I remember.  I woke up again and felt a little better, but was very thirsty.  I treated some water and drank about 20 ounces then realized that my glasses were missing.  I looked around for them for several minutes, but couldn't find them.  This still puzzles me as to what happened to them.

I pulled myself back together and got on the trail moving through a nice easy downhill section.  I could hear thunder off in the distance and the blazing sun was finally extinguished by some thick dark clouds.  The rain began to pour and I felt better than I had felt in five hours.  I began to put together a few nice miles as the rain fell.  It didn't last more than a hour and the sun reminded me that it was still there. 

At 4:45 PM I encountered a wild boar on the trail.  I was running down a switch backed section of the trail and the black boar was walking up it about 75 feet approaching me.  He squealed when saw me and ran back down the trail about 20 feet.  My jaw dropped in disbelief.  I could not believe that I was seeing a boar and this was a whopper.  I'm guessing that it weighed at least 100 lbs.  maybe 150.  I kept making noise and he kept squealing and retreating a little less each time.  I finally had enough room to safely pass him by cutting the switchback short by about 10 feet.  We both wanted to avoid a confrontation.  I was thankful to have him behind me and a few seconds later I heard him running down through the valley in a different direction than the trail was taking.

At 6:30 P.M. I was about 10 miles away from Whitewater Falls and at that point I realized that my dream of running the entire 77 miles would have to wait until another day.  I was so spent physically and mentally that I considered lighting a fire at the next campsite and just spending the night on the trail and heading out in the morning. 

I passed a few campsites and even had a seat at them, but felt that I had enough drive to push a little more.  As I entered Bear Creek the entire area had been mutilated by wild boar.  The beautiful moss and undergrowth looked as if a someone had ran a tiller through it.  It was all turned upside down and nothing but pits of mud & debris remained.  I went into high alert and tried to make as much noise as I could.  I even sang "Rock you like a hurricane" by Scorpion as I trudged through this lush trail area.  No sign of boar - thank goodness.

As the darkness settled in for the night I laid down in Bear Camp Creek to cool off one more time.  The water didn't even feel cool anymore.  It was like floating around in a sun baked swimming pool.  I loaded up with 100 ounces of water into my pack and ate as many ginger snaps as I could stomach.  I needed a good calorie surge to send me off into the night.

The food kicked in and I began to run again.  I put my head lamp on for the 2nd time in the run and decided that I had three miles until I reached Bad Creek and then about three to four more miles until I would reach Whitewater Falls.  I kept taking sit down breaks on the trail and looking back for Charles & Psyche, but they just wouldn't show up.  I knew if we could all meet up together everything would be better.  Our spirits would be lifted and we may even have a remote shot at finishing the entire trail.  Just maybe.

I looked back down the trail one final time at 8:00 PM and decided that they had both dropped out at Canebrake with Ken.  I was happy for them and I knew that they had made the right decision.  As the final runner out on the trail I felt like I should give it my best effort to make it into Whitewater so everyone could rest in peace.

The climb from Bear Creek to Bad Creek was a memorable one.  My mind & eyes began to play tricks on me with shapes forming in the dark wilderness.  Bats began to buzz by my headlamp and I'm fairly certain that they were real.  My eyes would put together strange shapes from reflections off the vegetation that would form anything from a rocking chair to a palm tree.  I became lost in a virtual sea of vivid falsities and my mental focus shifted to the white blazes on the trees that marked the trail.  They would take me home.  It would be several more hours, but I had to focus on them and not get distracted by the mind benders appearing around each turn.

After another long climb heading up to Bad Creek I decided to lay all of my remaining food out and see what I had.  I had 20 Ginger Snaps, 10 Jolly Rangers, 10 Lifesavers, and a hand full of dried pineapple bits.  I decided to eat all of it so I unwrapped it and forced it all down.  I even ate the remaining powdered Tang that I had left and chased it with some water.  I despised chewing up all of the food and it seemed like a lot of work.  This gave me a great energy kick and I actually ran so much that I formed a blister onto my foot which was fine with me at that point.

I finally arrived at the Bad Creek area around 10:20 P.M. and had a decision to make.  I could either continue on the Foothills Trail about 3 miles and climb out of Whitewater or cut through Duke Power's property and travel mostly on paved road for about 4 miles.  I was going to be about 5 hours behind schedule when I arrived at Whitewater and I realized that if a group was out on the trail looking for me that they would not find me if I took the paved road out.  I knew that I had about 1.5 hours of energy left from the food and decided that the paved road was the safest option for me.  If I bonked on the road someone would find me at daylight.  Plus I could sleep/run on the pavement and not have to worry about my footing.

It took me another hour to finish a three mile climb up to HWY 130 through the Duke Power property.  The night was incredibly beautiful with a huge full moon looming over Lake Jocassee as I made my way up the remote winding paved road.  As I looked down into the valley to my right I noticed two objects that were shaped like humans keeping my pace.  They seemed to have thin white lights inside of them and I could make out their shape to be human.  When I stopped to sit down and rest they would vanish, but when I started running they could be seen at random times again.  I'm not sure what to make of this, but they made me feel safe and each time that I saw them I knew that everything was going to be fine.

I finally saw the entrance to Bad Creek on Hwy 130 and made a right heading towards the Whitewater Parking area.  Charles and Terri greeted me with hugs and it was fantastic to see them.

They informed me that Chad had continued on with the run several hours ago with Sam pacing him and that Jim had dropped at Whitewater.  Charles decided to head off the course with Ken on top of Canebrake through a brutal spur trail, but thankfully he made it out.  Then my heart dropped to the ground when they told me that Psyche was still out on the trail.  I instantly regretted ever leaving her or Charles out on the course.  Charles let me know that when he decided to bail with Ken that she looked strong and wanted to continue on.  Psyche is very tough and I knew that she would be OK, but just hated the fact that she was probably out their alone.

Just as I had feared, Scott had went to look for Psyche and myself and never saw me because I took a different way out.  We figured that he would run upon Psyche soon and we kept looking for them to come out of the trail at anytime.

Charles, Terri, and I waited around Whitewater for about 2 more hours and Terri let us know that it was time to initiate search & rescue via 911.  Charles & I agreed so we drove back to Oconee State Park where we found Dan already awake.  He had to make the call because Charles' phone would not get a signal and I had locked mine in Sam's trunk.  Terri decided to sleep in her Jeep at Whitewater in case they made it out and Charles & I got some rest at Oconee in case we needed to go in after her at daylight.

I drifted to sleep praying for Psyche & Scott's safety.

I woke up around 6:00 AM and found Sam wondering around.  I was excited to see that Chad had finished the run, but she let me know that he made it 71 miles to Cheohee Road and collapsed due to exhaustion.  She got him back to the campsite and he was wiped out.

I went and found Charles heading back to Whitewater to meet up with Search & Rescue.  I told him that I was going too, but Dan flagged me down on the way out of the park.  He let me know that Psyche had emerged out of Bad Creek and caught a ride with some hikers.  She was safe!  This was the best news of the weekend and we were all filled with joy! 

Scott had also made his way back out of the trail after spending several miles of night running looking for Psyche.

We drove up to Whitewater and she was beyond exhausted.  She had gotten off course at Hillard Falls and taken a logging road away from the trail for several miles.  The road lead her back to the trail, but it was dark and she was disoriented.  She took a hour and half nap from 3:00 - 4:30 AM and made her way out after that.  I told you she is tough!

I hope to have another shot at the entire trail in the future when it is cooler.  It was more than I could handle in the heat and I'm thankful that we all survived.  It was a true honor to spend the weekend struggling out there with so many great people who have impacted my life in countless ways.

I'm looking forward to running "Just" the Laurel Valley section in three weeks....

Extra pictures courtesy of Scott Hodukavich....

Climbing away from Laurel Valley Parking Lot....

Beautiful View of The Foothills....

Group Photo at the Table Rock Start....

Psyche & Jason Laurel Valley Parking Lot Scott's Aid Station

More fun with Psyche & Charles!

Dan, Jim , Chad enter Laurel Valley...