Gate City Striders

And you say, "where is Rothrock Forest?"  Well, it is a little southeast of State College halfway across Pennsylvania.  The event: USATF National 50 Mile Road Championship held in mid-October.  The course: almost all in the state forest on service roads consisting of about 12-13 miles paved and the balance on varying states of gravel road.  But as most ultras do, the chosen courses are not flat and this one has 5000 feet of climb and descent.

The day began in the dark as participants arrived at the Tussey Mountain Ski area.  Was I nervous?  A little....having not "raced" over 26 miles since 2002, and completed only two training runs of 31 miles.  My goals: 1st, to just  finish and 2nd, try to come in under 8 1/2 hours. Thirdly, I was hoping that a finish under 8:45 would yield me a USATF top 3 placing in my age group of 55-59.  The day was also greeted with the coldest temperatures of the season producing a hard frost.

I did not have a support crew who were allowed to drive along the course and carry and provide whatever their runner needed, stopping at designated spots. I made use of 5 of the 6 "drop" zones by leaving marked bags with my anticipated needs at race registration the night before.  Being cold at the start, I had gloves, ear band and long sleeve tee over a short sleeve tee.  But the day's forecast was to be near perfect for running, mostly sunny with highs reaching 60.  Therefore, I planned to drop my "warm" gear at the 3rd aid station at 11 miles and not carry a fluid bottle until then, as I didn't anticipate a lot of fluid loss due to the cool temp.

The sun was still only "thinking" of coming up when we were called to assemble for the 7 am start.  There was about 10 minutes of pre-race race director chatter along with the national anthem.  I had to keep bouncing and wiggling around to try to stay warm, all the while scoping out the "old man division" competition.  Finally we were off down a half mile of paved section before entering the forest and moving onto the first of the gravel sections. The day before, I had driven the first 3.2 miles to AS 1, and found the gravel surface a bit less desirable than I had hoped for.   It was basically a lot of old "hard pack" type stone, alternating between loose and packed, and crowned or rutted in spots.  I have "tissue paper thick" skin on my feet, soft as a
baby's butt, you might say.  I was not looking forward to this many miles on this type of road surface.  But I am here, the course is what it is, I have to suck it up and do it.

As in most races, the pre-race nervousness passes quickly after the start, and after about a mile of running, I start to get feeling coming back into my cold toes. The first segment to AS (aid station) 1 was almost all uphill which I did not mind. I prefer running the ups versus the downs.  I was trying to make sure I did not start out too fast and did pretty well to stay at about 10 minute pace for that leg.  I noticed that the guy (Keith Straw)  I pegged as being the best of my age group was right behind me at that point, so I was thinking my effort was about right on.  

The next leg was all down and Keith cruised by me and I just watched him pull away on the mainly single lane road.  The runners had to pull to the side as needed to let support cars and relay runner cars go by.    Yes...a relay...which I really do not enjoy having blended in with a longer race.   But.... I understand that many longer events might not survive financially without their numbers.  The relay started an hour after us, so the actual physical presence of the relay runners was less intrusive than having the same start or closer start time.

I knew that for me, the best thing was to run my race and not focus on pacing with anyone else.  In a long event, you go through a lot of highs and lows of energy and abilities due to terrain and fitness.  If I focused on trying to stay with someone, I could end up going too fast....or too slow than what would be most effective for me. I basically focused on keeping a pace where I was not breathing hard, but at a point not far from that....after all, it is a race. After the long 4 miles of gradual down, I had settled into about a nine minute pace to AS 3 , 11 miles in.

There are 11 aid stations in all, stocked with both liquids and solids.  At AS 3 , I wasted far too much time fumbling with my first drop zone bag (ie fingers were cold), where I changed my short sleeve tee, grabbed my "carry" water bottle and left my long sleeve tee and gloves.   I hit the aid table for Heed drink, filled my bottle which had Heed Sustained Energy powder (contains protein), then took off again.  The end of leg 3 had you running  west past AS 3 which was in a lake parking lot parallel to the road.  You then went into the lot and headed back east in the direction you came, and then looped back west onto the road and redoing the stretch you had just done. This was a good spot to see how those close in front and behind you were doing.

Leg 4 was the longest of the day being 6.2 miles.  It also included some good hills in the latter half of it.   I was about 10 minutes ahead of my planned 10 minute per mile, so I had decided (or maybe the distance and terrain decided for me) to back off to that 10 minute pace.  The sun finally started warming things up to a more comfortable tee shirt temperature and there was only a minor breeze all day. It was on this leg that I started a back and forth thing with a grizzled older fellow named Frank.  At one point we chatted and I found out that he was from Nevada and that he was also a veteran of many ultras.  He was not in my age group, so I felt no competitive threat.  I thought because of his ultra experience, he would be a good one just to keep an eye on for pacing.

I have been told that the best way to tackle an ultra is to just focus from aid station to aid station, making smaller events within the big one.  That seemed to work for me as I made my way pass the 25 mile point just before 4 hours of running.  For most of us mortal runners, this is where you start to really mentally compare how you may have felt in a marathon....and realize, you are only half way in this event.   But since you have trained at slower, easier pace and are running at that planned pace, it indeed, does not hurt like a marathon would at this point.   Yes, you are starting to
get some fatigue in the muscles and joints....but wait.....focus... think about the next aid station coming up instead.

Upon arriving at AS 7, I am thinking "hey, I'm at the 50 KM mark....yay!". Leg 8 takes the runners onto the only main road stretch of the day for about a 1/2 mile. We then swing back into the forest and I come upon an ambulance, a cruiser, and a few cars with some people standing around.  I had only thought a vehicular accident had occurred.   Unfortunately, I latter learned on the race web site, that a relay participant had died of a heart attack.   After AS 8, I start thinking about what I plan to do at AS 9 which is where I sent my last drop bag.  I know that after AS 9. not only do I have 14 miles to go, the next  9 are some of the toughest hills of the course.   I also know that there is actually only 1 aid station left (it serves double duty) which is AS 10 and AS 11.  I felt that once I got there....I had it made, even if I had to walk the rest of the way.  On the day previous, I had toured the last 6 mile section and would hopefully kind of feel on familiar territory.

The 10th leg was tough with a lot of uphill.  At this point, it took less and less steepness to convince me to take a walk break.   At about mile 38, I came to a mile long uphill that was probably the  toughest mile of the course.  But being a pretty good uphill walker, I gave in to the fact that trying to run it would waste more energy than walking. I actually gained ground on 2 runners in front of me.  I was bolstered by the fact that they were also walking....and were relay runners!   But when we hit the crest, I did not see them again as they took off.  Look...parked cars... people...a sign AS 10 is coming.

I think I had an energy gel at AS 10 and partly filled my bottle to gear up for the out and back segment ...up and down a major climb....both ways.  The good part, I guess, if you like down hills, is that the last 5 miles of the course are down.   I went up and over fairly easily, but going down the steep hill on the out segment, I had a hamstring freak out on me.  I had to stop and massage it a bit and try and stretch it.  Great...only a little more than 7 miles to go...and my freaking hamstring doesn't want to run downhill!  Well, who's the boss here?  So I started slowly walking ...downhill..then a slow jog...then just a little faster than a jog, but not much.  I make it to the flatter section of  rough jeep road and just keep plodding to the turnaround pumpkin (well...it is close to Halloween).   On the way back, I see old Frank heading out.  I cheer him on.  All day, he would fly by me on the downhills and I would reel him back in on the ups.  I only had 8/10ths of an uphill mile left....then 5 down.  I anxiously await Frank's re-emergence on the down.

Top of the hill, I see the mile 45 marker.  I can do this.   But its all downhill....I'd rather go up. At least I could walk up and not feel bad about it.  But its down, so suck it up and keep moving. I am restrained on pushing it at all on the downhill due to what happened just a short while earlier with my hamstring.  Choices:  try to pick up pace and risk walking to finish or maintain a slower, but faster than walk slog.   I choose the slog.  Yes, I am approaching AS 11, the final stop.  I grab a gel and quick drink and I'm off.  Leaving the AS is one final short uphill which I walk as it will be my last opportunity for non-guilt walking.   At about 3 miles to go, the course offers the final bit on pavement....thank you.   A 40ish ultra guy blows by, one that I had put a lot of distance on during the uphill parts.  Ok, he younger, let him go.  Not that I could do much about fending him off anyway.  Finally, I see the road junction of where we entered forest, and then shortly thereafter, a sign that says 1/2 mile to go.

What do I hear? slap...slap...slap.   The footsteps of Frank's unmistakeable running style. I yell "come on, Frank".  I ease up and wait for his catching me so we can run in together.   Or so I thought.  Aren't ultra runners supposed to be friendly, less competitive....creating a bond over hours of running together?  He blows right by me. Hey, we're not the same age group.  There's no money on the line.   I instinctively pick up the pace and shoulder him for a bit.   Now it's only a hundred yards or so to the finish.  What the hell?  What do I prove by trying to out kick an old man (sorry...an older man). Boy, I could brag about that for years. Coming to reason, I back off and figure he has more to gain out of this nonsense. But with all these last 1/2 mile antics, I forgot..I'm there.  I made it.  I'm done. I congratulate Frank and wander off toward my car.   A lady run over to me and offers me a bottle of water
and gives me my "survivor's" award.  I get a rush of accomplishment, one that I don't usually get from other races finisher medals.  

I walk to my car, slowly winding down, now that the required forward movement (on foot) is done for the day.  I change my clothes and check out the finish area amenities and cheer a few sporadic runners coming in.  I eventually make my way to get some solid food and maybe find out some results.  I had seen Keith (the known guy in my age group) on the out and back section where he had an almost 3 mile lead over me with his only having the 5 downhill miles to go.   Is he a USATF member?  A requirement for medaling in the USATF Nationals.  I gather my returned drop bags and head out as the race director would not have the USATF results until much later.  If a medal was earned, it would be mailed.  So I leave feeling good about the day.  

Over the next few days, I anxiously keep checking the race web site for results.  The first is just an overall list, but it contains only names, places, times and open or masters (40+) categories.  There are only the 2 age categories for the race, in general.   Eventually, the USATF age group results appear and I scroll down to my age group.  I see that Keith Straw is listed as first with a USATF number and yes.,....I made it to the medals, listed as 2nd.   No title, but a National medal.  Maybe I will have to go back when I turn 60 and try again for a title.  Well, a couple weeks later, a packet arrives in the mail.  I open it and surprise, out drops a medal that does not appear as being silver... it is the first place medal.  Great, now I have to contact the race director and find out how to swap it out with the winner, Keith.  I fire off an e-mail and the next day I receive a reply.   The race director says, yes, Keith indeed did come in first for the age group and he is , in fact, a USATF member.   But....he is not a US citizen which is a requirement to score in the National's.  What a surprise!   I garnered the age group 50 Mile National title.   With that title....and a $1.09, I can get a Newman's coffee at McDonald's.

Len Hall

So I check off this distance for my "runner's" bucket list of sorts for National titles as I captured 2 in 2009...1/2 marathon and mountain running.  There is an advantage to the getting older thing, it's called attrition.  Sometimes it pays to just show up and finish.  Next stop: National 50 Km in New York in March.

For tons more info on the event, go to the Tussey Mountain Back web site here.