Race Report: Savage Race Ohio

To put this race into context, it's important to know where I came from. From 1997 to 2014, I accrued 61 finishes of a marathon or longer, 29 marathons and the rest ultra-marathons to include 3 x 100mi races. So running is in my DNA and more-so, trail running that I love and miss. From 2014 to present, my fitness life has been CrossFit with a hefty dose of rucking and in recent years, a few OCRs (obstacle course races). It's my opinion that my history in running paired with over a decade as a CrossFitter prepares me "fairly" well for any OCR with no extra preparation. I see it as a test and I'm all for it! I say "fairly" because my weaknesses will be highlighted quickly during an OCR. Undoubtedly, as a 52 year old, 6'3" 205lb guy, the grippy, jungle-gym-like obstacles are going to challenge me hard. Other things like scaling an 8 foot wall, carrying heavy sandbags through the hilly woods, low-crawling, hoisting a heavy chain/sandbag high into the sky...those things come pretty "easy" to me as does running fast on single track trails through the woods. So could I be competitive at these races if I did more OCR-specific training to get better on my weaknesses? Sure I could...but it really isn't important enough to me to carve out the time for that. I rather enjoy hitting a race like this and just giving it my very best with the strength, skill and experience I bring to the starting line.

In August 2021, I did my first OCR, a Spartan Trifecta in West Virginia. The Beast, Super and Sprint all on the same weekend. That wet my appetite enough to head to a ski resort in NJ the following April for the Spartan Ultra. It's basically 2 Beasts plus another 5-6 miles. About 31 miles and 60 obstacles. That was an ALL DAY race. Then in September of 2023, I did a Tough Mudder in Pennsylvania. In short, Spartan offers both a competitive category and another where everyone is encouraged to work together to get through the obstacles. There are also penalties when you don't complete obstacles in the form of burpees or "penalty loops." Tough Mudder is on the other end of the spectrum. It isn't timed so it's really not competitive at all and it is insanely muddy as the name implies. Less upper body jungle-gym kind of obstacles and more challenges that get you on the ground in the mud. Tough Mudder is definitely big on FUN. Enter Savage Race. In my opinion, Savage is a little of both of Spartan and Tough Mudder. Savage is timed yet there is far less concentration on the competitive side of things. In fact, the field at Savage Ohio for the "Pro" division was very very small in comparison to the overall number of racers at the event. There also aren't penalties at Savage. If you attempt an obstacle and simply can't do it, you move on. It's that simple...but you are heavily encouraged to at least TRY. You might just surprise yourself! Savage also doesn't have any race distance as long as the Beast. The main Savage event, called Savage Race, is 5+ miles and 25 obstacles which most closely related to Spartan's Super option. Savage also has the Savage Blitz which is 3+ miles and a handful less obstacles. This most resembles the Spartan Sprint.

My alarm sounded at 2:50am on Saturday morning for a 4am departure for Zanesfield, OH. If you know where Columbus is, Zanesfield is northwest of the city out in the country. The event is a one-day event that kicks off at 8am with the National Anthem and the Pro racers. I arrived just past 7am and got checked in with no problem. Savage keeps their pricing simple. Compared to Spartan that stacks a bunch of fees on top of registration fees, Savage doesn't but they do charge for parking and bag drop. I highly recommend. you purchase those in advance. It made for very easy check-in and parking at the ski resort.This particular Savage Race has a reputation for having a lot of climbing and it did not disappoint!

So as I walked around the starting/finishing area or as some call, the "festival area," I noticed this. Truly, a baptism of ice water simply to get IN the starting corral to begin the race. That's SAVAGE! After I finished the first race and lined up for the Blitz, I was really looking forward to this as the refreshing rapid cool-down would be appreciated.

So after the 8am PRO division took off, I took my dip in the ice bath and gathered around the other early-starters. If you register for both races that earns you the Syndicate, you'll get preference to start early which I highly recommend. After a really great speech from the "hype guy," an ex-Marine that first did this very race in 2013, we were off. It wasn't even a few minutes into our run that we were climbing the first ski slope before we encountered our first few obstacles... 3 four foot walls and 2 sets of barbed wire to low crawl under. After a few more obstacles, the course split. For Blitz runners, they hung a right and the full length Savage Racers, they went left. I really liked a few of the obstacles in this section that I got on the longer race. One was a 45lb GORUCK sandbag carry up and down through the woods and an 8 foot wall. A lot of folks were struggling with this one but in my first attempt, I jumped up and had no issue pulling myself up and over. I was really proud of that! We also got a healthy dose of trail running in this section which I enjoyed. Then, we re-joined the main course that had both Blitz and regular racers in it. Here are a few of the photos that organizers posted the night before the event.

^^^ These things spin freely BUT I did it both times. Lots of grip and maneuvering to keep the momentum going in the right direction.

^^^ This obstacle was quite hard, too, because you had nothing to climb up to get yourself over the top. I ended up holding on to the top while standing on the thin 2x4 at the bottom then swinging one leg up and over the top then pulling myself up from there. The first time was almost a fail. The 2nd time went much better.

^^^ The hardest obstacle, in my opinion. I tried it 5 times each loop and couldn't do it and I didn't see anyone around me accomplish it, either.

^^^ Ah, yes... probably my proudest accomplishment. I made it up and over both times without failing. Some of the best professional photos that Savage got of me are on this. They're at the bottom of this race report.

^^^ The similar obstacle with Spartan is always a fail for me. I was really proud to accomplish this one on my first loop. Not so much the 2nd time around!

^^^ This doesn't look so bad at first glance. The tough part is where the upper-most knot is on the rope. You've got to get your feet on it and pull yourself up and over the top. That is made even harder by next to nothing to grab onto at the top. It was a serious upper body pull to get up with no help. I did...but it wasn't easy!

Overall, the vibe was great out on the course. There were a lot of teams out there helping each other out. For me, I didn't know a soul and that was ok. I saw people of all ages, colors, sizes and abilities. It was a true melting pot of people all doing something potentially very uncomfortable for them to doing it, nonetheless. I didn't hear complaining or any bad karma being spread around. Without a doubt, my second loop around while doing the Blitz, there were many more people on the course as there are rolling starts all morning long. That really made the FUN factor MORE fun.

As I neared the festival area and the last few obstacles, lots of spectators lined the course trying to get a glimpse of their racers approaching the finish line fire jump. After making the jump myself, volunteers were waiting with medals and t-shirts. Here are a few of the "action shots" that the Savage photographers grabbed on the few obstacles they were positioned at.

Speaking of photos: with thousands of photos taken, Savage Race had these up on their website Sunday afternoon... 24hrs post-race...and didn't charge for them! That is a big difference from Spartan and Tough Mudder. THANK YOU!!!

After my 2nd finish, I got in line to claim my Syndicate Medal, a MASSIVE medal you get for completing two Savage events in one season. Some claim it over a few weekends... I got mine on the same day. My philosophy is this: if I'm going to take the time to drive there and I have the time, why wouldn't I do both?! Really glad I did. After claiming my medal, I headed over to the "shower area" to hose down with ice cold water. I brought a bar of soap with me so I wouldn't stink to high heavens all the way home. Adjacent to this area, they had male/female tents so you could strip down and put on some dry clothes... much appreciated!

"Shower Area"

Before leaving, I also grabbed a few photos, my free beer and headed on out for the drive home. Later that day, an email showed up with final results. I gotta say... I'm very pleased!

Savage Race: 
Finish Time: 1:24:35
Overall Placement: 110 of 1482 finishers
Age Group 50-54: 5th of 44

Savage Blitz:
Finish Time: 59:59
Overall Placement: 35 of 516 finishers
Age Group 50-54: 4th of 16

Overall, I had a GREAT time at Savage. I think it would be great for both a first-timer and experienced OCR racer alike. If you uber-competitive and tend to have a chip on your shoulder, this probably isn't your vibe and Spartan is probably your jam. If you want to literally be caked in mud top to bottom, head over to Tough Mudder. :) Will I do it again? Not sure. No real reason not to, honestly. For now, it's 10 days to WAR-X... a once-a-year event south of Columbus that has cleaned up in awards in the OCR world. I've never done it but I'm really looking forward to it. Unlike going down-n-back to Savage this past weekend on one day, WAR-X will be a weekend affair. Stay tuned for a report shortly thereafter!

Thanks, SAVAGE RACE!

Race Report: Moebius-Green Monster Trail 50K

I had to let this race soak in for much of yesterday before writing this morning. For 99% of my race reports, they have a "happy ending" and a finishing time to report. Spoiler Alert! Not this time. Call it quitting or whatever, I pulled the plug early and headed home without the awesome, handmade finishers "medal" made from a tree limb. But since I did enter the race and paid the entry fee, I thought it was the only right thing to do and write a race report.

If you read my blog regularly, you'll know that no race has been spoken about or forecast on my calendar. This race, however, has been on my radar and penciled in only in my mind. I did back in 2013 and dubbed it as a great first-timers 50K. (here's that race report) The Moebius-Green Monster Trail 50K is held within Sunny Lake Park in northern Portage County in Aurora, OH. It really is a perfect "easy" 50K. It's five 10K loops on a trail that has rooty trail, some pavement, grassy meadow and hardly a "hill" to speak of. When there is a hill, most 50Ks would chuckle at them and say "that's not a hill!" and I would agree. It's scenic and highly predictable given the 5 loop design. For aid, it's perfect as well. An aid station is at the start/finish as well as exactly halfway so if you're analytical like me, every aid station is 10% of the race so that's how I carved it up in my head. In a marathon or more, it's always wise to break the event into small pieces to make them more manageable targets.

It was a gorgeous, perfect morning. Upper 50s and partly cloudy with zero rain in the forecast. In fact, we've had pretty much no rain for weeks in Ohio so the trail couldn't have been more bone dry. Here is sunrise over Sunny Lake and the ONLY (I know...shocking!) photo I took of the day.

I felt good waking up yesterday. I took Friday off from CrossFit simply so I would feel no soreness on Saturday morning and would feel refreshed and ready. I did. Taking Friday off was smart. Thursday was a heavy squat day at CrossFit and 2 hours in the gym. Eventually, I would come to feel Thursday on the trail. As 7am approached, I made my way to the start in just my trail shoes and shorts. I wanted the minimum on for clothing because the forecast called for rising humidity and the low 80s for a high.

Everything went very well in that first loop. I ran as smart as I could with a goal of just maintaining it throughout the day. As expected, the course was bone dry and beautiful. At the end of the first loop as I came across the start/finish, I was smack dab on 1hr which is a fast pace for a 50K. I ran this in 2013 in 5:37 so I knew I was ahead of that but like I said, the pace felt right so I continued on. I felt great, too. In that 2nd loop, I started to feel my hamstrings and more towards my butt where they connect. I have been doing a LOT of squat work in the gym and this has been normal, especially this past week. Well, they were letting me know they were there! Yowsers! Still, though, I kept the pace and clearly, the temperature was rising as my shorts went from a light Navy blue to a "completely soaked through blue" by the time I finished lap 2...again, right at the 1hr point or 2 hours into the race. Still...at the 40% complete point, I felt good!

Oh, Loop 3. Well, this is where the wheels fell off and walking was introduced sporadically. All the runners I had passed previously got me and the infamous Ron Ross caught me and passed me up, running strong and kicking butt as usual. I think I need to mention something at this point. I have not been running...like at all when it comes to distance running. My prescription for running for several months now has only included the short 200m/400m runs at CrossFit or the occasional 5 or 6 miler on a Sunday morning from home. Other than that...nada. I bet I haven't even averaged 20-25 miles a month. That's a stark contrast to 2014 when I was averaging over 200 miles a month through September. The question as I approached this race was "Can I do it? No training but a long resume of races and wisdom in distance running and ultra running...would that be enough?" I posted on Facebook with that photo above "Time for #33." This would've been my 33rd ultra-marathon finish. Well, I got another full dose of wisdom on that third loop and really faced my mortality. I suppose I could blame it on the rising humidity (my arch rival) but it's simply this: I wasn't prepared or trained. While I have become the fittest in my life from head to toe, my endurance to go long has been vanquished. Back in January of this year, I did run a frozen 50K in West Virginia but I had only been out of distance running a few months. Come November 4th this year, my CrossFit "lifestyle" will be one year old so a lot of time has passed now...and I have not given running it's due time.

I finished Loop 3 much slower and honestly, I don't know the time but would assume I came in around 1:15. As I approached it, I debated whether to continue or not. "I paid the entry fee...of course I should continue." "I'm not a quitter." "Oh man, my hammies are screaming!" "This isn't fun anymore." "Why am I doing this again?" "I do love to run...it was my "first love" so go for it!" Well, I kept going. Loop 3 complete. The sun was beating down hard now as I walked onto Loop 4. The mental battle continued as I eventually broke into a run and left the asphalt for the trail. I looked forward to the short climbs as I could stretch my hamstrings. They were so sore at this point and made even a jog very uncomfortable. Besides them, this was the first time running distance in a LONG time...actually, since the Pro Football Hall of Fame Marathon in late April..on no training as well. I finished respectably back then but still suffered. So as I continued, I came upon a crossing over the asphalt path that circled Sunny Lake. I thought "Decide now. Either cross it and continue or hang a left, take your number off, and walk back and drop." I decided to drop. I was totally tanked...nothing left...and I had become miserable. I paused on the asphalt for just a second to be sure I wanted to do this and wouldn't regret it then I began the walk back...probably 3/4 of a mile to a mile. I took my bib off and enjoyed the walk while processing what I was doing. Along the way, I caught a glimpse of these 3 turtles sunning themselves on a log in the lake. They were lined up perfectly end to end and were small, medium and large...and all their heads stretched out as far as they could be. "Soak it in, turtles!!!" I thought the same about me and made the decision to not live in gloom after I spoke the words "I dropped" to the race director minutes later and think fondly of the day. Those turtles set me on the right course...simply by being who they are...out on the lake enjoying the sun.

Back at the start/finish, I walked up to Steve Godale, the race director, and spoke the words "I dropped at mile 20." He said ok, jotted down my bib number, and that was that. I grabbed my towel out of my trunk and crashed onto the ground for about 10min before going anywhere. I needed that. Honestly, that felt so good that I could've fallen asleep for hours. I texted my wife who was at CrossFit and told her not to bother coming out for the finish and I'd meet her at home.

Part of my CrossFit 881 Family

The next 4 or so hours told the tale of my physical condition and confirmed my decision to call it a day. I was a complete mess. I could hardly eat, I couldn't stay awake, and I was a comedy of positions had you had the "pleasure" of witnessing it all. After a salt-washing-down shower, I first curled up in bed, then fell asleep face down on the carpet in the living room, then face up, then curled up in a fetal position on the floor...then on the couch burying myself in the cushions. Hot one minute, freezing the next. I drank water every time I got up but not much else. Everything hurt and I couldn't keep my eyes open. "Wow...and that was only 20 miles," I thought. "I used to eat that for breakfast!" Eventually, the time came for a planned outing for last night...a planned CrossFit outing to the Cleveland Indians game. 10 of us met in Ohio City for dinner then took our right field perch for the Indians game. It was a great night but sitting in that cramped seat nearly killed me. The 7th Inning Stretch couldn't come soon enough. While I sat in right field, though, I did sign up for a CrossFit event in October, dubbed the Run Amuck 5K. Cumulatively, it's a 5K but it weaves in burpees, situps, pullups and squats into it...lots of them. While I may have lost my "long haul endurance," the running history and endurance certainly has benefits in the CrossFit world. This will be a FUN event!

Moving forward, I'm good. I'm good with where I am, where I've been and where I'm going. 61 races of a marathon or longer and 32 ultra marathon finishes is something to be proud of with humility. Yesterday was a dose of reality and I needed that. I have no regrets for backing way off running, dropping from the race or taking on CrossFit like I have. I will continue to sprinkle in running to my routine and continue to give CrossFit my 100% max effort. I'm happy for where I am "RIGHT NOW" and in my opinion, that's what is important. It's not for anyone else but me and if I'm not happy doing it, I should stop. For right now...August 2015, it's all good, but I DO love to run and I sure did love being back on the trails. The air, the birds singing, and all of God's nature surrounding me. It was worth the time spent out there. (I'm just thankful that I feel back to normal this morning!)

Do what you love, friends...and never give less than your everything.

Race Report: Pro Football Hall of Fame Marathon

Spoiler Alert! I got my 29th marathon finish and my 61st finish at a race of a marathon or longer. (32 ultra marathon finishes) I'm pooped but super happy. I left everything I had out on that course today and loved it. So the report...

I ran the inaugural running of this event last year and that was my last marathon, actually. I've been sticking to only one official marathon per year, although sometimes I'll be known to just run one on the weekend "just because." Last year was awesome and the race management of this race took the results of it and learned from it, made some tweaks, and brought us a fantastic race this year. The course, from what I could tell, had only one super minor tweak in it around Mile 21 where the last relay hand-off takes place. Outside of that, it appeared to be the same course.

Logistics: At the Pro Football Hall of Fame, there isn't enough parking to host all the runners (marathon, half marathon, and relay runners) without disrupting regular attenders of the Hall itself. Last year, they had everyone park at the Stark County Fairgrounds and shuttle them over. I didn't use that but this year, they moved the parking spot to the huge open parking lot of Belden Village Mall...one short exit down I-77 from the Hall. We arrived at 6:15am (7am race start) and didn't wait a moment for a bus. The Stark County transit was lined up to take us to the Fawcett Stadium and the start. Easy parking and super quick ride to the start...perfect and it couldn't be better. After the race, it was just as flawless. There were a plethora of buses lined up again so no wait at all. The drivers even had a great attitude, too. :) Upon arrival at the stadium, we walked on in to this view of the finish line and field...and a brilliant sunrise. The curve around the end zone at the bottom left is the sprint to the finish at the 50 yard line.

The Start: Both the half marathon and marathon races begin together just outside Fawcett Stadium and the Hall on the road in between them and I-77. A huge flag was hung over the start (which I especially loved) and easy to find pacers were scattered along the road so runners could seed themselves right where they need to be around others who plan to run around the same pace...very handy for preventing a stampede at the start. Prior to the start, the sun was rising fast, temps were in the 30s (but headed to the 50s) and my wife and I met up with longtime friend, Mindy, at the Hall's sign. This is definitely the most common meet-up spot for runners and for pre-race photos. The start is adjacent to this spot so it's perfect. The race was supposed to start at 7am but it sounds like some of those buses were still transporting runners so the race director decided to hold off on the start for about 10min or so. Once the time came, we were treated to a chorus singing the National Anthem...beautiful. To prove how the race management learned from last year, we couldn't hear a single word last year of the Anthem. This year, speakers were well-positioned and drowned out the chit-chat of the runners when it was time...perfect. THANK YOU! Moments after they finished, we were off...right under Old Glory!

The Course: This course is most easily described in two parts...the first half and the second half. All runners are together for the full and half marathon all the way until right before the half marathoners head back into Fawcett Stadium for their finish. This is pretty great, especially for those who are running with another runner of the opposing distance as I was. It's an easy break-off and easily understood. As for elevation, below is the elevation profile for the entire 26.2. "Rolling gently" is how I'd sum up this course. No big hills as I define them but certainly some rises and falls here and there.

First Half - click on it to enlarge

The first half takes you almost immediately under Interstate 77 and towards downtown Canton. Awesome architecture, tons of runners everywhere, not too much crowd support (or ever, for that matter) and an interesting route. The latter half of the first half takes you into a park setting and then the McKinley Monument and those famous steps...imagine Rocky Balboa in Philly...but many more of them. Tempting to run up...but I thought better of it. :) My plan today was to hang out around the 9min/mile area and the 4hr pace group leader and then if I had more to give later, I would. We moved past that pace group leader early on and maintained around a 8:45-ish pace. I haven't been training at all for this race and haven't done any serious distance since my last race, a 50K in early January. Since then, I think I've run at most 15 or 16 miles at once and only ran 2-3 days a week at the very most. Instead, I've been doing CrossFit five days a week. Today was to be a true litmus test of endurance. I believe I am more fit than ever in my life but when it comes to long distance running, endurance is bound to decrease if the miles aren't put in. Since I have a life outside of my 1hr of CrossFit a day, the running has taken a backseat. Still, though, I love to run and I'd like to run this marathon for as many years as I can without missing one. Usually, I know or have a good gut feeling for what waits for me, based on my prep but I had no idea today. As I approached the halfway point, I felt great...very comfy at my pace. I hung a left as the half marathoners cruised ahead towards their finish and the silence immediately took a hold. Quiet. Total.

The second half is almost entirely residential and takes place west of the southwest of the Hall. If you like turns and having the road all to yourself, this is your cup-o-tea. Now before you think I'm hating on the second half, please understand that I knew this before running it this year...not last year, though. I don't typically like to complain without offering a suggestion for improvement. In this case, I have no idea what I'd suggest. #1: the bulk of runners are finishing the half marathon...way more registrants. You can't do much about that and that's the trend nationwide. #2: Residential is...boring. Unless the residents come out to cheer us on, it's going to be painfully quiet except for the regular water stop and running families waiting for their runner to pass...and cheering others on while they wait. So while the second half is what it is, you just need to be prepared for it. For some, it may be music and if that's you, bring it! Here's the zig-zag second half:

2nd Half - click on it to enlarge

It was probably around the 17 mile point that I knew my time had come and the suffering was coming. By the time Mile 19 rolled around, "suck-it-up-buttercup" mode was fully engaged. From lifts I did in CrossFit last week (felt those in my upper and lower back) to my quads, hammies, and calves yelling (and cussing) at me. This was absolutely no surprise so now it was just a matter of keeping forward movement...and delaying the arrival of the 4hr pace group leader that would catch me...eventually.

One of my favorite (if not my favorite) parts of the course happens in the 20th mile just like last year. The Flags of Freedom put an incredible 1,000 3x5 flags on poles in the ground, one at a time along the course. With the clear blue skies and breeze, every Old Glory waved in a majestic way. This was a great distraction from the sucktastic Mile 20.

As the miles progressed, the discomfort grew and I slowed. It was in the 24th mile that the 4hr pace group leader went on by with only two runners at his side...pretty typical of what happens in a marathon. I told them "great job" and watched them go. There was no keeping up with them. Within about 1/2 mile of the finish, the series of downhills begin as the surrounding neighborhood roads took me back to Fawcett Stadium. If you reference the top photo in this report, all runners enter the stadium at the top left. We all pass over an electronic sensor that lets the finish line announcer know who's coming and as I turned the corner to the finish, I had the finish line all to myself. I heard my name announced and raised my hands as I crossed the finish. DONE. I didn't wear a watch so I had no idea what my time was until a little bit later. The volunteers draped the awesome medal over my neck and I loaded up with some Subway, a banana, some chocolate milk and water. All very appreciated! As promised, my wife was waiting for me in the sun on the 30 yard line and I hit the turf...hard. :) Mission accomplished! A short while later, I logged in the event's website and checked my finish time: 4hrs, ONE minute, 47 seconds. I guess I wasn't as far behind that pace group leader as I thought! :) But seriously...that's awfully close to being UNDER 4 hours. What's cool about running without a watch is the mental decision to leave it all out there on the course and hold nothing back. That's precisely what I did. I don't regret anything because I know I gave it all. Marathon #29 finish!

All in all, this is a GREAT race. Jim Chaney (race director) and his team have done a fantastic job. The ONLY downside is the second half and how lonely and quiet it is but like I said, I don't have a suggestion to fix that. The finish line at the 50 yard line, an uncrammed finish line area to get the medal and food, and wide open field to just crash in the sun is awesome. Then there is that medal. The marathon finishers got a medal that, I kid you not, has battery-powered stadium lights on them that flash. Talk about thinking outside the box!!! The half marathoners got a super-cool medal, too. Both are totally different but equally creative and awesome. I'll certainly be back next year but I think I'll turn on some tunes in the second half. I had them today...I just didn't turn them on. Great race, great organizers, super-awesome volunteers...and I do love Old Glory and it was everywhere today. Do it in 2016! Marathon, half marathon, marathon relay and Gold Jacket 5K on Saturday. www.hofmarathon.com

Race Report: Frozen Sasquatch 50K

Last year, I ran this race for the first time and after a great experience, I signed up right after registration opened last year. Out of town races are really attractive once I've done them before because it makes the logistics so much easier like where to stay, where to eat, etc. Last year, race conditions were a lot different. We had 9F at the start and it warmed a whopping 40F during the race. This year, the forecast changed daily over the last week but always included warm, unseasonable temperatures and rain. I got into town early on Friday and picked up my shirt (a Patagonia 1/4 zip next-to-skin tech shirt...great as a base layer) and bib number at Robert's Running Shop in Charleston, WV and while there, got great advice on dinner. Once we got checked in to the hotel near Kanawha State Forest, we headed out to Lola's. It's a pizza shop in the middle of a residential neighborhood IN an old house. Really good! Super fresh ingredients and we first enjoyed a salad with roma tomatoes, balsamic vinaigrette, a lightly fried square of gouda cheese...oh my. Before crashing for the night, we sat poolside while the kids played and caught up with friends who used to live in Ohio and were in town for the race.

This morning, the rain was already falling before we left the hotel and it was 37F with a forecast still predicted to head north to the upper 50s. Shorts, my brand new Hammer Nutrition tech tee, 5 Hammer Gels, 6 Hammer Endurolytes Extreme and a bottle of Heed equipped me with all I needed. About 10min prior to the start, we received final instructions from race director, Mike Dolin, and a prayer...and the downpour began. Shortly after the "amen," we were off.

The Sasquatch 50K and 25K consist of one or two 25K loops and are most easily understood if you divide the loop into 4 pieces. The race begins with about 1/4 mile run down the run before hopping on the trail and immediately, a half mile climb begins without a break. "Welcome to the Sasquatch!!!" The first section is 5.1 miles and the other 3 are around 4mi each...just a bit less in each segment. Other than that major climb and some other climbs in that first section, there is also a "slicker-than-snot" downhill through the hemlocks just prior to AS #1. In the second section, there is another climb followed by 1-2 miles of road before appearing at AS #2...the best aid station, in my opinion. They were cheering like the finish which definitely put a smile on my face. Oh yea, the sasquatch was out there! Near some ledges, he was lurking and grunting...apparently disturbed by all the runners out there. I almost stopped for a photo op...but didn't. Seeing him sure did put a smile on my face. (Nice touch, Mike!) After AS #2, another very steep climb awaits. I was dreading that one both times today. Getting to AS #3 is a huge landmark, in my opinion. Only 4-ish miles remain to the finish for the 25K'ers and halfway point for us doing the 50K...AND, no real climbs. Somewhere around a mile to mile and a half to go to AS #4, a series of switchbacks begin that are rocky and steep. Oh how foolish it would be to not keep your eyes on the trail here! Eventually, I arrived at AS #4, refilled my Heed and grabbed my first real food of the day...well "sorta" real: PRINGLES! So so good. Other than that, I spent next to no time in the aid stations and only fueled with what I was carrying. I did have a drop bag here for the "just in case" things like a need to change a shirt or re-lube any areas that started to chafe due to the rain. Since I had zero physical issues (except ready for a shower, thanks to the caked on mud on my legs), I just got going on loop #2 while the bulk of runners around me headed towards their 25K finish. Course map is below. Nice elevation map, eh?! See that nearly vertical spike? That would be that ugly "hill" after leaving AS #2. It's maybe just a sliver more in climb than the initial climb that starts the race.

The 2nd loop was humbling. I finished the 1st loop 13 whopping minutes faster than last year. That's almost a minute faster per mile. The thing is...I was tired and knew I would not repeat that time nor even come close to it. Earlier this week at All Heart CrossFit, we did overhead squats. It was a serious burn, especially doing it for the first time ever at only 9+ weeks into doing CrossFit. I rested on Thursday/Friday from CrossFit but I still felt that workout today on the climbs. Anyway, I got moving and had only one guy pass me on the entire second loop. The power in my uphill climbs just waned from the first loop but I kept moving with a purpose. Arriving at AS #2, the roar of the aid station workers once again put a smile on my face. Right away, this conversation:

• Timekeeper: You guys are really chasing each other out there!
• Me: Huh?
• Timekeeper: Yea, you're 10th overall!
• Me: Wait a minute, that's impossible. This guy (pointing at myself) never does that.
• Timekeeper: Look! (shows me his clipboard)
• Me: Oh I know, I am just never anywhere near the front. I'm typically a mid-packer...but thank you!

I look over his shoulder and I see the next runner. Oh geez...now I'm the hunted! Better get moving. The runner had a bright orange hunting hat on...easy to spot through the woods. While I don't really care about placement of 10th overall vs. 11th, the competitive blood in me charged...and what waited for me? That stupid climb on tired legs! I was off...and that climb sucked, no doubt. No nice way to put it. All I cared about was getting to AS #4 because I knew the climbing was over and eventually, the fast, technical switchbacks were waiting for me...my forte. That section of the course wasn't muddy and I love to dance over those jagged rocks while flying downhill. Knock on wood...I've never bit it within terrain like that. While I'm not a fan of looking over my shoulder, I looked...a LOT during the 2nd half of this 2nd loop...always looking for that orange hat. Man, woman...it didn't matter. As I was getting close to those switchbacks, I took a look at my Garmin and it read 5hrs, 44min. I let out a sigh because after my first loop being much faster than last year, I thought a course PR (personal record) was "easily" in reach. Well, I ate a big piece of humble pie here because last year, I ran a 5:47:49. Not gonna happen this year. I still didn't let up and figured I'd still do my very best and see where I end up. I got back down to AS #4 took the turn towards the finish at the other end of two parking lots. My wife and girls saw me and sprung into action and cheered me in to the finish. (She snapped the photo above just prior to the finish.) At the finish, the clock read 5:50:13...2min, 24sec behind last year's race. Unhappy? Not at all. I left it all out there! BUT, did I really finish 10th overall? I asked the finish line timekeepers who did verify it...I did! The official results aren't out yet but they mentioned that I was 2nd or 3rd in my age group, too. Regardless, I was on top of the world with that finish. I'm also curious where I end up in the Master's Division...those over 40 years old. I'm guessing 2nd or 3rd as well. Afterwards, I grabbed some finish line food, snapped some photos and waited for my friend to finish before heading back to the hotel to shower up and wash all the mud down the shower drain. Here are some other photos from the finish. Sorry, no course photos this year. With the rain at the start and prediction for more of it all day, the phone stayed nice and dry back at the hotel.

Unique, eh?! The race director had a brand made and he takes slices of trees and brands them. One of a kind!

Overall, another first class event put on by the West Virginia Mountain Trail Runners. I've now run in five events of theirs and in every case, it's been a fantastic experience. The aid stations were well stocked, the course was extremely well marked and simply not a thing missed. I just wish I saw some of my WVMTR friends more often. Recommend it? Of course.

As an aside, today marked another big milestone for me. Back in 1997, I ran my first marathon at the Steamtown Marathon in Scranton, PA. Today was my 60th finish of a marathon or longer. This made my 32nd ultra marathon finish and I have 28 marathon finishes. (The full chronological list is at top of this blog under the "Racing Resume" menu.)  Ironically, I didn't run my first ultra until 2007 and I have more finishes, even though I started running marathons 10 years earlier. The future? I thought a lot about that out there today and posted the following on Facebook just a few hours ago: "Had a lot of alone time (almost 6hrs worth) today to consider my goals and the "why" behind them. I think that sometimes we/I/you pick goals because we think others expect us to...but if our heart isn't in it, perhaps a rethinking of said goals should be done. Passion is fleeting and moves from this to that over time...our goals should follow suit." Today was a blast and I gave it my everything...I'm certainly passionate about the sport. However, my mind did wander quite a bit about that passion moving forward. I want "it" to lead me. Otherwise, joy will be absent no matter how far or fast I run. For now, the Sasquatch who continues to reign as the world champion in the game of hide-n-seek, delivered plenty of joy...and I'm better and stronger because of it.

Race Report: Amish Country Half Marathon

I'm not really too fond of half marathons except for a key few that I like to do for other reasons than just running. Since running 13.1 miles is something I just like to do on a whim, I don't find a lot of attraction in paying a fee to do it. But like I said, there are a few, namely the Medina Half Marathon in May, the Akron Half Marathon (tradition to run it with my wife) and today's race, the Amish Country Half Marathon down in Berlin, OH...in the heart of Amish country. I ran it two years ago and finished in 1hr, 47min, 22sec, placing pretty well...within the top 10 of my age group. However, that year taught me one huge lesson about this race: hills. BIG ones...and many of them. The way I explained the hills to a friend earlier today was to explain that they are the kind of hills that cause your car to drop to a lower gear to go up...ya know, THOSE kind. It's a twisting, turning course that within the first 6 miles and miles 10 to the finish, those hills are plentiful. Of course, with those gut-wrenching hills come many fast downhills. Kind of a quid pro quo of a race course...plus the lung-burning thrown in for free. Below is proof.

Elevation Profile

Pre-Race

The race headquarters and start/finish are at Hiland High School in Berlin, OH, right on Route 39 in Berlin. Easy parking, easy packet pickup, and a start and finish that takes place on the high school track just down below the building. From a spectator standpoint, it's great for the start/finish and not so good for out on the course. For my #1 "spectator," she sees me off then hits up the few shops about 1/2 mile away. Since today was "Christmas in Berlin," there was plenty of shopping/browsing to do. They offered packet pickup Friday night but being over an hour away, we just showed up early and checked in. I highly recommend that if you're any distance away. We also ran into a great friend of ours, "Kimba" who was also racing it for her 2nd time. We hung out waiting for 8:30am start, catching up on life. (here's Kimba's blog) The race also boasts pacers, courtesy of Vertical Runner of Wooster, a sponsor and big supporter of the race since its inception in 2012. Basically, there was a pacer for every 5 minute finishing time. This was a surprise to me which was nice. Now, I could just run and keep the ones in sight that aligned with my goal instead of running according to the Garmin on my wrist. That being said, I decided to hang with the 1:45 pacer since my only goal for the day was to PR the course...finish under 1:47:22. However, given that I've gone from 7 days a week running to 1 or 2 days a week in the past two months and added in CrossFit 5 days a week, I had no idea what to expect.

At the start, just over 300 runners took off on the course. The beginning heads down a very long downhill so just plan on having a very fast Mile 1. Just be careful with "how" you run the downhills on this course. Run them in such a way to trash your quads and you'll pay later. You NEED those quads for the "mountains." Anyway, I tucked in with the pacers and life was good. Clear skies, a light breeze, and temperature in the low 30s...the "warmest" its been in the race's 3 year history.

You can see the course elevation up above...that needs no explanation. As for the view out on the course, it's Amish country! Here's what you'll get at this one and no other race probably offers: manure and lots of it and many, many Amish families out in their front yards to cheer you on...silently. I say this with the utmost respect, I really do. But, if you could frame each one, they'd be a perfect portrait of the Amish family. Grandparents, parents, kids, etc. I often shouted "Good morning!" to them about half of the time, I'd get a response. The other half, just silence. As for the manure, it's all over the road because again, it's Amish country and instead of oil slicks from cars, we have manure from the horses. If you love the smell of country, beautiful landscapes, lots and lots of farms where horses and cattle are grazing, you'll love this race. Something else unique to this race is some of the runners who are Amish yet are not wearing what you and I would consider "running attire." They were wearing their boots, jeans, and sweaters...just like the families in the front yards. In the picture here, I'm about to finish, but this gentleman and I ran close to each other for about the last 4 miles. So, he was bookin' along sub 8min miles in jeans and boots! I was impressed...no way that's comfy and chafing is definitely a factor. But, there he is. He was one of many. I didn't see any girls today, though, in their dresses...not to say there weren't any.

As you can see in the elevation profile, there is a "little" hill that begins in the 11th mile that takes runners up to Route 39. It's a monster. After climbing that, you hang a left onto Route 39 and the high school comes into sight. Before getting back to the track, though, you have to climb one last hill with about 3/4 mile to go and then it's "mostly" downhill before you circle almost the whole track for the finish. Unlike in 2012 where I powerwalked some of the steepest sections, I didn't walk a step today. I focused on form and controlling my effort on the hills and using the downhills to their maximum advantage. There is NO doubt: much of what I've learned in CrossFit in the past 4 weeks when it comes to effort, form, and giving it all leaked into this race. CrossFit is so much more than just pushing weight around. (see my other blog posts on that topic) Back to the pacers: I eventually got the 1:40 pacer behind me early on. My goal was to keep him there. However, at every glance over my shoulder, I could see him. He caught me on that 11th mile hill but then I got him back at mile 12. In the end, he wasn't on the 1:40 pace (which was ok since no one was with him) because I finished slower than 1:40 with him behind me but passing him up cemented my early-on goal to keep him in my rear view mirror. In the end, I finished in 1:43:48, about a 3 1/2 minute PR for this course. I was THRILLED! I really did give it all and I was blessed with meeting my goal.

Back in the high school, hot buttered noodles, chocolate milk, water, cookies, Subway, and some chips awaited. Also, though, they were handing out age group awards. I thought "Why not? I'll go ask and see...ya never know!" I told him my name and approximate time and BAM! 3rd place in my age group of 21 men ages 40-44! That never happens, mind you! So I got a second medal around my neck and one much more valuable to me. I don't think anyone could've wiped that smile off my face. Kimba arrived shortly thereafter, we enjoyed the noodles, etc., caught up on some race stories then headed on out. Back home, results were already up and my final stats were 45 of 311 finishers and 36 of 165 men. Average pace was 7:55. Could I ask for more? Not really. That was a really good measure of where I'm at and if my greatly reduced running schedule is hurting my ability to run. The next test will be a 50K on the first weekend in January. If that goes well, the next big goals for 2015 contain a marathon, 50 miler, 100 miler, and 24hr race. For the Amish Country Half Marathon, though? Check in the box.

By the way, what other race gives you a block of cheese at the finish?!

Race Report: 2014 YUT-C 50K

There are a few "old school" ultra marathons left in the area and this is assuredly one of them. Dubbed the YUT-C 50K, it stands for the Youngstown Ultra Trail Classic 50K (and 25K, too). YUT-C is the main event for NEO Trail Club and often serves as a gathering of the club members and lots of newbies this time every September. This year was no different but was also the 10th anniversary of the event. Three runners finished YUT-C yesterday for 10th time and all wore the #10. "Well done, Dave Peterman, Ron Ross, and TJ Hawk! LEGACY runners!"

In my own personal opinion, the course at YUT-C is one of the most technical, rocky, rooty AND beautiful in all of northeast Ohio. Pick your season and it never disappoints. From the fall colors coming up to the twice-the-size-of-humans icicles near the Mill in the winter, it's always beautiful. The YUT-C course circumnavigates 3 different lakes in their entirety multiple times and within those or dividing them are manmade waterfalls from the dams. In between, the stream twists and turns, is full of light rapids and wildlife, and is simply always beautiful to look at. The best way to understand the course and trails at Mill Creek Park is to imagine a figure 8. Starting from the bottom of the 8, runners begin at the Old Log Cabin. Following the 8 clockwise as if writing the 8, runners pass the Covered Bridge at the center of the 8 and the first aid station. They continue on the 8 around the top right which takes them around Lake Newport. They do this loop (top of the 8) twice before finishing up the 8 by heading back to the Old Log Cabin. At this point, the 25K runners are finished. The 50K runners continue on and do the lower/fat part of the 8 twice more before finishing at the Cabin. Smooth trail under pines, running atop pointy rocks, climbing the infamous Monkey Hills (since our knuckles nearly drag in the dirt due to the angle of the climbs), running along a boardwalk path en route to the Covered Bridge and even a little bit of asphalt on the east side of Lake Newport, this course has it all.

Lake Newport during the road section

I hadn't raced since the Highlands Sky 40 Miler back on Father's Day weekend and on purpose. I had one or two others to do but never registered. Instead, I just laid low and enjoyed daily running. Totally needed that refresher! I've been streaking since June 19th and this was Day 87 of no days off. My monthly average, as well, for 2014 is also way ahead of any other year...but I feel as strong as ever. Entering the race yesterday, I had no real plan but nutrition. I mimicked everything I've done the past few races by drinking nothing but Hammer Nutrition's Heed (when available), an Endurolyte Extreme once per hour and a Hammer Gel once per hour. I did have a few Pringles during the race and a few potatoes but that's about it. This not only fuels me with only what I truly need but makes my aid station stops 30sec to 1min...always affording me the chance to pass several runners and be efficient about my stop. As for the pace, I decided simply to go with it. I know I should start slow and maintain to the end. I sorta kinda DEFINITELY DID NOT do that yesterday! BUT, I had a blast for every step and regret none of it.

Unlike many races, I didn't chat much and spent most of the race by myself and in silence. That was totally ok but I did take any opportunity presented to meet new runners or catch up with ones I hadn't seen in far too long. Back to that pace: I knew I was in over my head when I passed a few people I shouldn't. I knew that I'd eventually see them again but that was ok. I was running strong, breathing very easily (often with mouth closed...that's a good gut check for me), and nothing was difficult. I finished up the 25K back at the Old Log Cabin and there it was...confirmation: "2hrs, 32min" read the race clock. NO WAY I'm a 5hr 50K runner...especially on this course and with two more lower laps to run. Still, I was doing well and hadn't slowed...yet. I refilled my bottle, grabbed some baby mandarin oranges (chock full of potassium to ward off future cramping) and got started on the next 25K. About halfway to the Covered Bridge, I got passed by those mentioned earlier...as expected. I shouted some one-way encouragement and was pleased to see them doing well. So if I was able to maintain the pace, another loop would yield me 3:48 or so back at the Old Log Cabin. As expected, I rolled into a nice comfy pace and got back there at 4:04:56...so I slowed by 16min on that lap. Should I be able to maintain that pace, I'd have myself a 5:36 finish and a course PR.

The last loop was pretty uneventful and I just cruised along and chatted with a few friends and even made a few friends, too. Spurts came and went and I took them as they presented themselves. Within the last mile, a fellow 50K'er, Roger Walker, passed me. I was right with him in the early miles but hadn't seen him in quite awhile.  I stayed with him and learned today was going to be a new 50K PR for him and he was feeling great. (inset photo here is us in the early miles...photo courtesy of Jeff Musick.) We ran to the finish together and finished 15th and 16th overall in 5:40:52. So yea...if you look at the paragraph above, I "almost" ran an even split that last loop but lost 4 minutes. Too much chatting at the Covered Bridge Aid Station, I'd say! :)

Overall, I am very happy with my result. The 5:40 finish was a 15min PR on the YUT-C course and easily one of my faster 22 50K finishes. Most YUT-C finishes have me about an hour slower. For the whole field of finishers, the results show that 76 of 89 starters finished the 50K. That's an 85.4% finishing rate. I am listed as the 16th finisher. Not too shabby! :)

Post race, some veggie lasagna, pizza, a birthday cake for the race director "Slim" and plenty of friends to catch up with. At YUT-C, some folks just pack up and get on with their day yet others will just linger to watch other ultra runners finish and/or chat it up with fellow runners and NEO Trail Club members. I really appreciated the time I got to just chill out and hang out. As swag for the race, we got one of the best tech tees I've ever had and designed by none other than Slim's wife, Beth. Excellent design! (the print is the first image at the top of this post) At the finish, all finishers received the YUT-C oval sticker as well as a one-of-a-kind unique finisher's award...a green, aluminum bottle open with YUT-C printed on it. Sweet! There's no doubt...us NEO Trail folk love great craft brew!

Jim "Slim" Harris (race director), me, and Kim "Kimba" Love-Ottobre at the finish.
Photo courtesy of Jeff Musick

Overall takeaway: I continue to love YUT-C and hold it high in my arsenal of must-do races and one that holds true to what ultra running and trail running is all about: camaraderie, giving back to the parks we run in, and taking care of the runners. The volunteers were top notch (and provided the necessary kick down the trail as needed), aid station food was perfect, the course was marked better than any other year I've run it, and the trail...well, it's everything plus some. Is it easy? Not at all. No one ever said it was! It is rewarding, though. There is not a section that really challenges you where you don't get rewarded soon thereafter. It's just how the trail takes a little from you then gives you more back in spades. Just you/me, the trail, and the journey towards the finish line.

A few random photos from the trail below:

Lanterman's Mill

Monkey Hills!

Yinzer Covered Bridge

Closing in on the Covered Bridge after finishing the Monkey Hills