Dizzy 50s
November 15, 2014
Got Leaves?
What a Difference a Year Makes
The Dizzy Fifties are held on Monte Sano Mountain every November. It offers a 50K, 40 mile, or 50 mile option. I elected for the 50K this year. Also, it is the first leg of the Huntsville Track Club/Fleet Feet Grand Slam Challenge. The Grand Slam consists of the Dizzy 50s, the Rocket City Marathon, Recover from the Holidays 50K, and the Mountain Mist 50K. All of these events occur within a 10 week time frame.
The main thing to understand about Dizzy is that it takes place at a time when the Fall leaves cover the trails like a carpet, or maybe more like a ton of throw rugs. Sure, there are sections of the trails that are clear, but for the most part, they are pretty well covered. The downside of this is that the trails on Monte Sano are full of a variety of toe grabbers. They come in the form of rocks, roots, stumps...you name it.
The main thing to understand about Dizzy is that it takes place at a time when the Fall leaves cover the trails like a carpet, or maybe more like a ton of throw rugs. Sure, there are sections of the trails that are clear, but for the most part, they are pretty well covered. The downside of this is that the trails on Monte Sano are full of a variety of toe grabbers. They come in the form of rocks, roots, stumps...you name it.
Last year, at about 10 miles into the race, I caught my foot on a piece of rebar sticking out of a railroad tie (hidden by leaves) and flipped head over heals and wound up chipping a bone in my left hand and tearing a tendon. As I stood up from the fall, I saw that my pinkie finger on my left hand was pointing sideways. Not good. But, I finished the race and actually clocked my 50K PR in the process. This year, I finished with all of my fingers pointing in the right direction, but finished about 8 minutes slower. Go figure. At least this year, I will not have to run the Rocket City Marathon and Recover from the Holidays 50K with a cast on my hand. What a crazy sport.
2013 Post Race Photo
2014 Post Race Photo
Who Left the North Window Open?
The story of this year's race was the cold weather. It was Mountain Mist cold this year. I always enjoy Dizzy as the last, nice "Fall feeling" race of the year, but it was not meant to be this year. When I pulled into the parking lot, the temp on my console read 26 degrees.
Because it was so cold at the start of the race, I went out at a pretty good clip when the musket was fired.
Dizzy has a small initial loop that you only run once. It is 2.3 miles. After that, you run a 4 mile north loop, that is fairly technical, and a 5.59 mile south loop, that is mostly pristine single track, but with the leaf coverage it can lull you into complacency, and the next thing you know you are coming face to face with the ground. In between each loop, you pass through a pavilion that serves as the run's aid station. It is a pretty sweet set-up.
After the little loop and my first full north and south loop, I was at 2 hours even. I felt great. I thought for sure I could set a new 50K PR this year.
Dizzy has a small initial loop that you only run once. It is 2.3 miles. After that, you run a 4 mile north loop, that is fairly technical, and a 5.59 mile south loop, that is mostly pristine single track, but with the leaf coverage it can lull you into complacency, and the next thing you know you are coming face to face with the ground. In between each loop, you pass through a pavilion that serves as the run's aid station. It is a pretty sweet set-up.
After the little loop and my first full north and south loop, I was at 2 hours even. I felt great. I thought for sure I could set a new 50K PR this year.
I was still hanging in there after the second full loop, but I could feel the weight of my training efforts starting to take a toll. I'm working towards the Graveyard 100 in March and I was not able to taper for Dizzy. It just wasn't in the training cards.
Lucky for me, as I started on the third and final loop, I ran into several good running friends who kept me going. David Holliday, who was coming off of a strong Western States 100 finish earlier this year and a Mountain Masochist finish a few weeks ago, had taken a few tough falls, but was still moving well when we found ourselves running together. We hung together for most of the last full loop. At one point, I took a fall and David was good enough to stand there and I remember him saying, "Are you going to lay there for awhile?" I said, "Yeah." He gave me a hand and I got back up and we kept moving. At another point on the South loop, I caught my toe on something and was headed for another fall, but I caught a small sapling and twisted around it....pole dancer style. I think I may have been nominated for save-of-the-day on the Grand Slammers Face Book page. Suzanne Erickson also came cruising by me on the South loop and pointed out the place where she went sprawling a couple of years ago. Rick Calloway and his dog Sam were running on the last loop, and Sam wound up beating me by a few minutes. Later, it was pointed out that Sam only ran 25 miles, but that didn't make me feel any better. Finally, Chad Woods came cruising past me with about a mile to go. I later learned that was Chad's first 50K finish. I was glad to have been there to see the final push. Congratulations Chad!
While I didn't get a new 50K PR, I was only off my time by about 8 minutes. Given that I burned time shedding layers of clothing, and felt like I completely fell apart on the last loop, I'm pleased that I was able to at least clock a 6:07:36. Thanks to the Race Director, Don Alan Hankins and all of the volunteers who made Dizzy a great run this year.
Now, I can turn my attention to the second leg of the Grand Slam, The Rocket City Marathon!
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