MS50 race report!!

I just checked downstairs at the desk and they assured me I was not getting charged for internet access...so here goes the race report!!

Michael, Patrick, and I arrived in Laurel, MS around 3:00 and we went straight to the start/finish line at Desoto State Park where we set up our tents (I have pictures, but no cord to hook my camera up with, so I'll post pics when I get home). Then we went back into town for the packet pickup and pasta dinner. There were all kinds of people there walking around and it was somewhat intimidating. We saw a member of Team Invo8, people wearing Western States t-shirts and numerous Boston marathon qualifiers. I felt honored to be around people who have run some of the races that I would eventually like to do. We hung around after the dinner for a bit, then headed back to our campsite and we were asleep by about 9:15.

Our wakeup call came at 4am in the form of the race director and volunteers showing up to get ready for the race. The 50M and 50K started at 6am and the 20K started at 8am. So Michael and Patrick and another guy John got ready and were off at exactly 6am and then I started taking down camp and getting ready for my start at 8...after a few instructions we were off. Going into this race I thought a doable goal for me was under 2:00, so set off rather quickly. Here is a pic of me from the website of the start:

The course is a 12.5 mile loop run on some single-track, gravel road, and fire roads. When they say fire roads, they literally mean fire roads. The park rangers had been doing some controlled burning the last two weeks, so until about 10am we could smell smoke and for part of the race we ran through an area that had been burned the week before!!

I carried a water bottle and one gel so I wouldn't have to use many aid stations. For the most part the race was uneventful. I ran the first 4.5 miles with a few folks in sight either behind me or in front of me, but from that point to mile 8.5 I ran by myself...I saw absolutely no one and for a little bit I got freaked that I was lost, but luckily I wasn't. I just trucked along trying to go as fast as I could - I wasn't feeling all that great due to a cold I had been fighting all week. I made it to mile 8.5 which is not a fun part of the race. There is an aid station there, but you have to turn left and run an out and back on a gravel road. I think it is about 1.3ish miles and it was here that I finally starting seeing some folks. I stopped at the aid station briefly where the volunteer filled my water bottle up with what I thought was water, but it was Heed!! I drank a bit of it and it was nasty! It tasted like watered down cough medicine. So I did the out and back and I had to stop again and get water put into my bottle, so that cost me a bit of time. At this point I had about 2 miles left and the next couple of girls were not that far in front of me, so I took off after them. I ended up catching one of the girls and a couple of guys and I came in at 2:01 - 10th place female and 29th overall. It wasn't my best race, but I had fun!!

I sat down and took off my socks and shoes to let them dry out, changed my shirt, and got something to eat. I was now waiting on Michael and Patrick to come in because I was going to run another loop with them. The 50 milers had to run the 12.5 mile loop 4 times! They came after their 2nd loop not too long after me and I talked to Michael and decided to run his 4th loop with him because he would be alone that loop - Patrick was slowing up a bit due to an injury. So I took a brief nap in the car and then Michael came in and we were off for his last loop. He looked really strong, so I just let him set the pace and bugged him about eating and drinking. For the most part we were doing 12-13 minute miles. We would walk most of the hills and when Michael ran, he was running fast! I was sprinting at some points to keep up with him! He probably passed 14 people on that last loop!! I got ahead of him on the last couple of miles so I could get back and get the camera out so I could get a picture of him finishing. He came in looking really strong and his official time was 10:43:21!! I was so proud of him and amazed at this accomplishment! Then we started waiting on Patrick and he came in at 11:35:02!! We were all super pumped about the races!! It was a really good day all around for everyone.

Here are pictures of Michael, Patrick, and John coming into an aid station:


After the excitement died down a bit we packed everything up and start headed back to Memphis. We left around 6:30 and I was driving. Michael and Patrick slept part of the way back and we didn't get home until after midnight. I got home around 12:30 and I had laundry and packing to do for my trip to DC!! I didn't get to sleep until around 2:30 and then I woke up at 5am to get to the airport in time for my flight to DC. Needless to say I was exhausted and I crashed early last night and slept in today.

The weather here is beautiful, so I plan on getting in a few good runs here plus doing some sightseeing. It should be a good week...hopefully I'm fully recovered from the weekend. I'm trying to heal up a few blisters and get over this cold!!

Happy running!!