Stage One: 18 Miles / Raccoon Mountain
After preparing all of my things and checking with the race staff I counted down until the race start. Before long all of the runners began to congregate around the starting area and I made my way to the back as usual and waited. We were soon off onto the first stage. Most runners seemed to hammering down hard but I was apprehensive choosing instead to intentionally slow down and not go out too hard. This proved beneficial. The first half of the race flew by, the terrain consisted of rolling hills, which is tame according to my standards. After the half way point I decided to slow my run to a walk. Before long I caught up to a fellow runner who identified himself as Mike and his son, who I was able to get to know throughout the series. Mike and I casually made our way through the last half of the race to finish in 3 hours and 52 minutes.
Stage Two: 22 Miles / Lookout Mountain
Another night went by and I found myself at another starting line in quite a different location than the previous day (one of the largest challenges of this race.) I checked in with the race staff again, grabbed another bib number and pinned it on. I meandered to the starting area and waited. Yet again the participants gathered around the starting area anticipating the race director's call to start. Once again the start was announced and we were off. After a mile of flat packed dirt, I questioned aloud whether the race was going to increase the difficulty, and as I turned the corner I ate the words I had spoken. Immediately I came upon a section that could barely be described as switchbacks. Back and forth I went up the side of this hill at one point grabbing the rope provided for support to balance while climbing still further. Eventually the top was reached and straight back flat for a while and then down a small hill to further flat running. Near the start of the second day I was fortunate enough to meet Mike from the previous day and we were able to talk and exchange thoughts about the trail. As we progressed past the hill and down the hill Mike twisted his ankle, although I felt terrible about leaving him I felt that I needed to finish even if he wouldn't (although he ended up pulling it together and finishing that day.) Up and down the hills seemed larger on day two and fatigued although small, loomed over me. After a while my run became a run/walk and I progressed the best I could over the terrain. After a while the large loop was complete 15.5 miles down 6.5 miles to go. At the end of the first loop my run/walk became mainly walk and seldom run. Although I could have run I decided it would help me on the third day since I was easily going to make my time cut-off for the second day. Towards the end of the final 6.5 miles I approached a couple of other familiar faces that I had seen the first day. We exchanged kind words and a few conversation pieces and I began to run with them. Before I knew it I was descending down the first large climb and I could tell I was reaching the end. With an extra piece of trail between the finish of the second day and the descending of the hill completed it and I finished in 4 hours and 41 minutes.
Stage Three: Signal Mountain
After another night of rest and relaxation I made it to the start of the last and final day. I had been told throughout the race that each day was going to be harder than the last. I blew it off thinking that I had to see it for myself. I can agree with whoever told me that. I grabbed my bib number, stretched and prepared for the last and final day. It didn't take much to tell that everyone was ready to get started. Minutes passed and the runners began to lineup. The race director briefed the field just as the days previous. Soon the word was given to start the race. The trail immediately descended and there were rolling hills. I was breathing a sigh of relief thinking to myself that it the race goes on like this that it would be a piece of cake. The rolling hills continued until after a few miles the trail began to descend. Farther and farther we descended until I began to feel as if a climb like this would be detrimental to any effort that I would have to beat the previous day. Finally we reached a point that flattened out. We crossed a small foot bridge and ascended stairs that lead to an aid station. This meant that we had reached the 3 and a half mile mark. Unfortunately this also meant that the next aid station would be another six miles away. This was not comforting but I remembered the relentless forward progress idea. With a little bit of run/walk and a game of tag with a few participants I made it to the 9.5 mile aid station. The mere two miles between this aid station and the next would nearly end my race. I quickly moved through the aid station and knew that it would be a small portion of time that I would see the next aid station. This idea kept me going for a while in which time I caught up with a few fellow runners. We casually talked and joked about the race. As we neared a hilly section I began to have trouble catching my breath. This was not much of a problem until I reached the hill I needed to climb to reach the mile 11.5 aid station. That's when it happened I was out of breath and I could not manage to catch it. I was clutching my chest. I managed to continue pushing my way up the stairs, with the feeling that I couldn't breathe. I was so queasy and I felt like I was going to collapse. I walked over to the aid station now with my breath caught but feeling ever more uneasy. The amazing aid station personnel took amazing care of me, providing a cold towel and popsicles.
I told them of my uneasy stomach and they provided me with a glass of Pepsi, and ginger gum. I sat feeling this way for almost a half an hour before I felt in the condition to move on. This next section would be easier than the last and I was able to regain much of my vigor. The rest of my race consisted of much persistent walking and minimal running. As I moved on I through the rest of the course I never forget the feeling that I had and knew that any wrong move could result in the duplication of those symptoms. I crawled a long way back physically and mentally from that hole I was in. Eventually I finished the section and crossed the finish line. Although I was far beyond the time allowed for this segment I was impressed with my ability to transcend the depths of my anguish arrive on the other side prepared to do what it takes to finish. I finished in 6 hours and 35 minutes.
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