Several years ago, David Horton was the guest speaker at the pre-race dinner for Mountain Mist. For those that aren't familiar with David, he is one of the most accomplished ultrarunners around. During the Q&A portion of his talk, he was asked of all of his accomplishments over the years, which one meant the most. Without hesitation, he said completing the Barkley Marathons. He elaborated by saying that in the ultrarunning community, we often point to the most sadistic thing we have ever accomplished as the race that means the most to us. Now, to put that into context, David has won the Hardrock 100 twice; competed in the Race Across America and came in 3rd; and set speed records on the Appalachian Trail and the Pacific Crest Trail.
His talk really resonated with me, and as I have reflected on it over the years, I've come to the conclusion that the reason that Mountain Mist holds so much meaning for me is because it is the most sadistic race I run on a regular basis. It is truly a beast. In the Huntsville running community, we often say that if you can run the trails of Monte Sano Mountain, you can compete in any trail race out there. Monte Sano has it all -- roots, rocks, mud, an awesome array of single track trails, combined with challenging climbs and water in all of its various forms. This is the setting for the 31 mile Mountain Mist Trail Run.
A friend of mine jokingly asked me once if I fell on every run that I do; I laughed and said, yeah just about. But the truth is, most of my falls have taken place on Monte Sano. I ran Thunder Rock 100 without falling once; I've finished the Stump Jump 50K twice without face planting, and the same for the Cheaha 50K, and the Snakebite 50K, but Mountain Mist is a different animal. There are tons of opportunities during this race to find yourself eye level with the trail. It is technical with a capital "T."
So, Let's go for a Run through the Woods (Race Start through O'Shaughnessey Point Aid Station, 6.4 Miles)
The weather for Mountain Mist is always unpredictable. Dink Taylor, the Race Director, says that the race controls the weather and that our local weathermen don't understand that fact. He probably is right. The 10 day forecast showed dry weather for the week. However, as race day approached, things really started to change. It rained the day before the race, ensuring the trails would be a little extra sloppy and slick, and the night before the 7:30 a.m. start, the rain turned to snow on the top of Monte Sano, so we had a nice dusting to start the race.
My brother, Spurgeon, has made this an annual event and I always enjoy running this race with him. I'm sure one of these days, when we are confined to rocking chairs (or wheelchairs, thanks to Mtn, Mist), we can share great stories. Anyway, the gun went off and we started the race. I was hanging just behind him as we headed out on a section of road, that quickly turned into a wide family bike trail. He was chatting it up with one of his running buddies, and I took the opportunity to take a quick look at my Suunto watch, which showed that we were running at an 8:05 pace. That was just crazy. I believe in making hay while the sun is shining, but I didn't need to be heading out at that pace, so I dropped back to about 8:45. I didn't say anything to him, but watched as he pulled away. All the while I was thinking, "Okay, speedracer. Head out at that pace and I am just going to reel you in, on the back half of this course when you blow up." I was sure this was going to be the year I beat him. Although, I was in the middle of an 85 mile training week, I had noticed on STRAVA that he was not clocking a ton of miles leading up to the race. While I may have been running on overtrained, tired legs, I was sure he was running on undertrained legs. But what can I say, this verse was the same as the first. As I saw him disappear ahead of me, that was it. I wouldn't see him again until I crossed the finish line. He just keeps getting it done! Oh well. There's always next year.
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(My brother and I during happier times -- before he left me in the dust)
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(A little snow on the Mountain)
About 5 miles into the race, I see Kathy Youngren just ahead of me. I pick up my pace to catch her. Unfortunately, it was only a Kathy look-a-like, but then I see Christy Scott and it turns out to be the real Christy Scott. At this point, I'm thinking I am having the race of my life. I mean Christy Scott is the real deal. (A little Ultra Signup stalking proves my point: Christy finished Mtn. Mist last year in 5:48:36 and Strolling Jim 40 Miler in 6:50) I fell in behind Christy and hung with her as we approached the first aid station.
O'Shaughnessy Point to Goat Trail Aid Station (11.9 miles)
I stopped at the aid station and Christy and a few others raced through it. I figured that would be the last I would see her, but I topped my bottle off, grabbed some pretzels and kept moving. I passed a few people dropping down a rocky piece of trail towards Warpath and much to my surprise, I caught up with Christy again. So, we started chatting a bit. She and her husband Tony were the RD's for the Recover from the Holidays 50K and I was telling her how I got my 50K PR at RFH this year and I really appreciated her effort. As we came out of the woods and onto Power Line, I pulled even with Christy and she said she was battling a tightening muscle/hamstring issue and it was slowing her down. Well, there it was! I knew I shouldn't be on a "Christy Scott pace," but today Christy Scott wasn't on a "Christy Scott pace." I wound up passing Christy but figured she would be just behind me for the rest of the race, so I continued to push it. Later, I found out Christy had to drop because her calf muscle continued to get tighter. (Good update: Christy posted on Facebook this week that with the help of a foam roller and some rest, she has had a couple of good runs.)
I felt pretty good going up K2 and was able to power hike most of it. As the trail leveled off at the top, I resumed a decent pace through Goat trail and the aid station. From there, the course takes a loop over through Stone Cuts. Somewhere along the way, I ran into David Holliday. I thought he was still behind me as we started pounding down Sinks, but it turned out to be Jon Elmore, who had to give a shout out to me as I nearly missed a turn. David passed me heading over to the Fearn Drive Aid Station and said something about us passing each other over the next few miles, as we often go back and forth for a while during races, but not today. David was gone, gone, gone.
Fearn Drive (mile 17.1) to the LandTrust Aid Station (mile 21.1)
By this point, I knew I was having a good day, but a few people were passing me here and there, but not entire trains of people as I've had in the past. Michael Scott came up behind me on on High Trail and we encouraged each other a bit. Michael Scott is a big part of the Chattanooga running scene and I was glad to see him. He played a big part in my Thunder Rock 100 story, and he is just an all around good guy -- he passed me, but other than that, he's a good guy.
But things started looking up when I passed Clay Self on Bluff Line, so that kind of evened things out. He said he was hanging back to wait on Loren Traylor who was gingerly making her way down a rocky section of trail ;) In the end, Loren had a great day and won her age group.
As I am about a quarter of a mile away from the Land Trust Aid Station, it happens --- a root or rock or something grabs my foot and I go down hard. I landed on my left side, but it wasn't a fall into pine needles or a soft bed of leaves. It was a fall onto a bunch of Bluff Line rocks. I got up slowly and kept moving, but I could feel it in my left shoulder, left knee, and a couple of fingers on my left hand were numb. I was really ticked at myself, but was able to get back into a decent pace pretty quickly. It was HTFU time (See Chopper HTFU on YouTube). I made it into the LandTrust Aid Station and grabbed some pretzels, and a Mountain Dew. It's funny, I'm not normally a Mountain Dew drinker, but I crave the stuff on long trail runs.
LandTrust Aid to Monte Sano Boulevard Aid Station (25.1 miles)
As I headed down the Old Railroad Bed Trail, all I could think of is Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, Grandpa Hoka, or whoever invented Hoka running shoes. Those oversized clown shoes make running over rocks as easy as running from my couch to the refrigerator during a commercial break -- Too easy.
A couple I dubbed the Tourism Board Tandem fell in behind me during this section. That name popped into my head because they kept asking me about Waterline and where Natural Well was. I told them Natural Well was on the other side of the next Aid Station, and Waterline was just ahead. More to come on these two.
I realized when I got to the bottom of Waterline that I must have hit my watch with my hand or water bottle or something when I fell. In any event, it had been paused since then. That ticked me off, but I punched the button and got it going again. I took my time getting up Waterline, and climbing up the side of the waterfall knowing that I had banked plenty of time and I wanted to have some left in the tank for the "other side of Monte Sano Boulevard."
Monte Sano Boulevard to Rest Shelter Aid Station (29.2 miles)
After making it up to the top of Waterline, I made it over Monte Sano Blvd. to the Aid Station. I had a cup full of Coke -- I didn't see any Mountain Dew, and a salt covered, boiled red potato -- so good! I made it down to the trail and started over to Natural Well through the new section of trail, which replaced the Son of a Bitch Ditch section which was completely washed out a few years ago.
The Tourism Board Tandem caught up with me and asked if we were getting close to Natural Well. I said we were, and as we eventually approached it, I pointed to the little stone structure and said, "We're here!" I made the turn and headed down the stone covered trail that descends into McKay Hollow, but I heard them say, "That's not a well." Then, they ran 10 feet further and saw the fence and together said, "Ooooooohhhhh."
I was making my way down the rocky part of Arrowhead a little more slowly than I would have liked and they passed me. I was not happy. The trail soon transitioned from ankle twisting rocks, to sheets of mud. It was at this point, that I ran into photographer extraordinaire, Gregg Gelmis, who was documenting my slide into McKay Hollow. Gregg summed it up perfectly. He said, "It's as slick as owl shit down here." No truer words were ever spoken.
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(Mud Surfing)
I finally gained my footing and made it through slush mile at a good clip. This section of trail derives its name from the fact that it is not much more than funky mud and water that will suck a running shoe right off your foot. Anyway, I got through it in good shape.
A few days earlier, I had been reading old race reports from Mountain Mist that folks had been posting on FaceBook. When I saw that Rob Youngren had posted one, I knew I had to read it. Long story short, I was approaching the section of the race that climbs out of McKay Hollow up to the South Plateau Loop. It is a pretty steep climb and in his report, Rob mentioned that his wife Kathy, said that you can walk up the Rest Shelter Trail until you get to a certain bench and then you've got to run the rest of the way. Since then, that bench has been called, "Kathy's Bench."
That image was stuck in my mind and so when I came to a bench, I thought it's time to dig deep and start "running." I started chugging up the climb to Rest Shelter as best I could. At one point, I had to stop and so I started some seriously profane self talk to get me started again. Now, as I continued up the trail, I came across another bench that is much closer to the top. Now, I'm thinking, wait a minute. Is this Kathy's Bench?!? Did I start "running" at the wrong bench? I still don't know the answer, I only know at that point, I was about to cough up a lung.
I must have looked like death warmed over because when I made it to the Rest Shelter Aid Station Mona Parker asked me if I was okay? She said, "Can I get you some sugar or salt?" She said I looked really pale. She was nice enough to get me some Mountain Dew and some pretzels and walked me out of the Aid Station until I could start running again.
Rest Shelter to the Finish Line (31.13 miles)
The course from Rest Shelter over to the finish line is run on the South Plateau of Monte Sano -- a very flat and fast section. I got my second wind, and started flying.....Looking back, I was actually running at a 10:03 pace, but at the time, it felt like I was flying, so stick with me here.
As I rounded a turn, I saw them! The Tourism Board Tandem -- and they were walking! I knew I had to pass them for a moral victory. As I got closer, they started running, and I fell a little flat, until I noticed them take another walk break. That's when I knew I had them. They were going to walk/run the last two miles to the finish line and I was going to flat out FLY!!!!! (at a 10 minute pace).
I finally caught up with them and they moved over to the side of the trail and said something super snide like, "Congratulations! You're looking strong!" Oh, they were very nice, with those big smiles and kind words, but I knew what they were really thinking. Okay, okay, they were nice people, but every good story needs a villain or two. So, for our purposes, we will assume they wished me ill.
I crossed the finish line at 6:43:39, a 33 minute improvement over my previous PR at Mountain Mist.
So, I was very happy.
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Parting Thoughts
I joined a larger group of runners for the Huntsville Track Club/Fleet Feet Grand Slam. The Grand Slam consisted of the Dizzy 50K in November, the Rocket City Marathon in December, Recover from the Holidays 50K on the morning of New Year's Eve, and finally the Mountain Mist 50K. A few of those that signed up made it through all of the runs, only to DNF (Did Not Finish) Mountain Mist. I know that was a terrible disappointment, but know this: Mountain Mist can humble the most experienced trail runner. It is not your garden variety 50K. I've DNF'd Mountain Mist twice. It happened the first time I tried, because I didn't know what I was getting into, and it happened the third time I tried because after one finish, I thought I had it nailed down and didn't properly train. It was so bad at that point, that my brother gave me some tough love and told me if I didn't pull it together, at the pace I was on, it would take me 20 years to get my 10 year jacket.
That was the motivation I needed. For those in the Grand Slam group and others that didn't finish this year, you will conquer this race if you set your mind to it, and find the thing that will motivate you. I've now finished my 6th Mountain Mist, but I will never take this course, these trails, or this race for granted. Happy running!
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