2013 One Epic Run
3rd year for this event, first 2 were run by a different RD. This year it was taken over by an ultra runner who knows how to do a race. She was fantastic. Set at Croft State Park in Spartanburg, SC the format was simply run a 3.1 mile loop as many times as you want within a 24 hour period, could be once, could be 50 times, whatever you felt like doing. Not sure what the winner finished up with but he as at 27 laps this morning with 2 hours to go. Knowing him he's one of the locals here I run with) he probably got in an even 30 unless someone was pushing him. My goal going in was a 50k (10 laps, 31.whatever miles). It would take an epic (pun intended) act of the Lord to get me through it given my woefully inadequate training but I was challenging the spirit of BnB and hoping for a miracle.
The
course, from looking at information posted on the web, didn't appear to be overly difficult with a modest elevation. Don't believe the internet, ever. The modest elevation was due to the mountain goat climbs canceling out the break neck declines. Entire course was up & down with about one or two areas of flat. The weather all week was alternating from 50% to 70% chance of rain but right as we drove into Spartanburg, the skies parted and the rain held off (except for one brief time) for the entire day. Temps were mid 50's so the conditions were good but due to the rain all week in the area, the trail quickly got sloppy. Not muck monster pull your shoes off sloppy but slippery. The coating of leaves didn't help but you run with what you got.
In preparation, I packed everything I owned. Food, gatorade, water, ice, clothes for a two week stay, 3 pair of shoes, you get the picture. I was pretty nervous all week and didn't sleep Thursday or Friday night leading up. One night of insomnia is normal, two was tiring but I was still jacked to the sky when I arrived Saturday. I tried desperately to rid myself of any extra weight (if yo know what I mean) but the body wasn't cooperating so I knew somewhere along the way I was going to need to make a pit stop and ruin some poor bathroom attendants day. True to form, about an hour into the trip I left some holiday cheer for a wonderful worker at a QT mart in Gaffney, sorry bud. Got to the park fine with plenty of time to spare, race started at 9am and I was there by 7:30. Got settled, walked off some energy and then started chatting up some of the locals that made the trip from Fort Mill.
We got our instructions which was pretty much carry a bottle at all times and make sure you check in when you complete a lap. The aid station was stocked with every conceivable want and the food stocks were rotated throughout the day so the selection stayed fresh. We started out doing a lap around the parking lot to try and thin the herd some as there were 175 registrants and most of the trail was single track. It didn't really help until lap 2 but it s what it is, lot of walking on lap 1 until we all found our groove. From there it was lather-rinse-repeat.
Lap 1 - 37:27, aver. 12:29/mile
Even with the walking and weeding out on the 1st lap I felt pretty good about the time, having never seen the course before I quickly realized it was not going to be a cheery walk in the park (pun intended).
Lap 2 - 37:09, aver. 12:23/mile
Turned right back around and went back out. The course starts with a pretty good downhill that you share with runners heading up to the aid station so it could get crowded but it never turned into a problem. You crossed the river via the wooden bridge then the goat path uphill started. I ran it the first two laps.
Lap 3 - 37:29, aver. 12:30/mile
Still chugging along but doubt starts to set in as I have to walk a couple of the uphills and I'm not 9 miles in. In hindsight this should have been the plan all along as I did this on every lap afterward.
Lap 4 - 40:51, aver. 13:37/mile
The herd really thins now as everyone starts to find their pace. Really starting to doubt things now as I'm feeling the ankle but I tell myself just get to halfway way, take a break and just see what happens. Started eating potatoes covered in salt. Was going through about a bottle of Gatorade every lap or so (4 bottles in 5 laps)
Lap 5 - 40:50, aver. 13:37/mile
Told myself just get through this one and you can have a break, eat some food & regroup. Made it through but my confidence in completing the the full 10 laps was pretty low. That did however end up helping out in the end. I think this was the lap that I really started hammering the downhills and formulating a strategy but I didn't realize it.
Lap 6 - 44:22, aver. 14:47/mile
I took the break, regrouped and decided if I wasn't going to hit my goal I was at least going to document the event so I grabbed my phone with the intent of stopping to take pictures along the way and just enjoying the run. I walked a good portion of this lap (which was what most everyone else was doing as well). Even took a video of motivation alley. There was a stretch in the middle of the course that was literally right next to a firing range s all day long for about a mile or so you heard loud booms & automatic fire as you passed by.
Lap 7 - 45:43, aver. 15:14/mile
My ####off lap was in the books, time to get serious and try to get in as many as I could before I died. By this time my feet were hurting some (toes mostly from getting jammed into the front of the shoe) and my quad that I did something to 2 weeks ago started reminding me how old I am. I started out pretty strong but about a mile in I ran into one of the local guys who races quite a bit and does well. He was walking the same stretch I was so we struck up a conversation and ended up walking damn near the whole lap because he was hurt. I did get a little back at the end but the lap was a waste timewise. The conversation however was excellent and well worth the sacrifice.
Lap 8 - 42:39, aver. 14:13/mile
Ok, ####off lap #2 done, really need to get going. This was the lap that I put into place the strategy that got me to the end, walk the uphills and hammer the downs. My powerwalking skills are nowhere near those of Duck or BnB, I was going at a 15:00-17:00 minute pace but was hitting mid 9's on the downs. It was one of those things where I couldn't miss a step on the downhills and was just flying. It was a great feeling and set teh tone for the rest of my time on the course.
Lap 9 - 46:17, aver. 15:26/mile
I knew I would finish now, it was just a matter of how long it was gonna take and I really didn't feel like talking to anyone. So many folks walking now, very little running going on by anyone so flying down the downhills was getting to be a bit of a challenge if there was a pack walking down. Thankfully most everyone was overly courteous all day long and would get out of the way as they heard you coming. Also very cool to hear them shouting encouragement to anyone still running the on the course.
Lap 10 - 44:00, aver. 14:40/mile
Had to grab a head lamp to finish this one but set out behind another group of locals who had just got back on the course after an hour or so break so they were all pretty fresh. They took off ahead of me but I caught them on the first uphill. I was walking and they decided to run off. I lost sight of them pretty quickly but when my favorite downhill came up I caught them and surprised the hell out them. We played tag like this throughout the lap until we all finished and they went back out for their 10th.
Feel pretty good about this one, not gonna lie. My longest run since June was a 15 miler two weeks ago and I could hardly walk afterward. My cardio was pretty solid but my legs are hurting today. Actually gong for a walk after I finish this up to try and work some of the muck out. Thanks to Duck, BnB, grue and all the other distance guys for their advice and knowledge. There is an encyclopedia of knowledge in this thread and an unending amount of advice if you ask. Thanks to all of you. I know not all of you are religious so I won't go into it but I attribute a lot of this to Him and His strength getting me through those last few laps. I never fell, slipped or twisted an ankle on the course and there was plenty of opportunity. The celebration beer last night tasted great!
Good luck guys!
for me and BnB. And yes, three times I heard "Sean....". I wish I had my HRM on as I'm sure I hit Zone 5, especially the first time that happened.
