Seashore Nature Trail 50K - Running an Ultra

I ran the Seashore Nature Trail 50K with friends. Well, we
were on the same course at the same time.



After finishing the Marine Corps Marathon, I remember thinking - "how much tougher would another five miles be?" Turns out, pretty tough. This was my first ultra and I need a bit of time to process it. I do want to reflect upon it, however, while some things are fresh in my mind.

This was a hard race for me. After the marathon in October, I continued my long runs and even doubled up on the weekends to try to push the total up toward the 31 miles I would need for the ultra. Most of the training articles I read indicated that running two long runs in a 24-hour period would simulate the endurance needed for the ultra. Perhaps this is true, but every race brings unexpected challenges and the Seashore 50K was no exception.

Our Cornerstone Striders crew. Front row: Jeff Fitch and Danny West.
Back row: Andrea McHugh, George Nelsen, Brian Burke and me. We were later
joined by two other CS'ers, Hank Stieh and Kelly Fernanders, who ran support.

First, let me say that this race was well run by the Tidewater Striders. Well organized and the volunteers were terrific. As with most long distances, when you get into those upper miles, having someone to cheer you on means more than you can imagine. At more than one point, volunteers shaking cowbells and yelling encouragement put some spring back in my step. Nice work Tidewater Striders! Also, the course was challenging, but beautiful! First Landing State Park is a real gem. If you have never been there, go. You don't have to run.

Second, the weather conditions. I am notorious for looking at long range forecasts and watching the weather evolve approaching race day. One thing is true, you cannot plan the weather. In this case, December 21 was unseasonably warm reaching the mid-70's by early afternoon. Not helpful. The best that can be said is that it was dry and the trails were not sloppy. There is plenty to trip over at First Landing, including roots, pinecones, sticks, etc. Doing that in the rain would have been a bit much. The warm weather had the same effect on me that it always does, it makes me cramp. In this case, the cramp was in my upper back and no matter what I did I couldn't seem to shake it. I finally had to walk. I walked a lot more than I planned and watched my mile splits get slower and slower. I was dismayed, but determined not to DNF.

Actually, my first loop of the park went relatively well. I was running with George Nelsen, who was a member of our Colonial 200 Relay team and is an experienced ultra marathoner. George and I stayed together until the beginning of the second loop. He kept us at a steady pace, being careful to walk all the hills and run all the flats and down hills. As an ultra running strategy, I think this was a good plan. However, by about Mile 18 as we headed back down Cape Henry Trail for the second loop, I could tell that the warmth of the day was beginning take its toll. I had been careful to hydrate at each aid station.

By Mile 20, my pace was slowing and I was beginning to feel the cramp. It felt like someone pushing their fist into my upper back and it was making it harder to run and breathe. By Mile 22, the cramp was in full force and I basically had to walk the next six miles with intermittent runs. That was where I had to fight the mental battle. As other runners, who I had been ahead of, ran past, it was hard not to let doubt creep in and to begin to feel sorry for myself. I've been there before and I was not giving up, even if I had to walk the rest of the race.



This little sign along the Kingfisher Trail says it all. When you
see this sign, you know you can finish and what you have accomplished.

As I reached Mile 25, where you get back on the Kingfisher/White Hill Lake Trail for the last time, I was greeted by a terrific volunteer, who was ringing her bell and yelling "only six miles left". Not sure why, but that got me going again. The cramp had eased and I started to run again. I went back to running the flats and down hills and walking any hill. Oddly enough, I met and talked to more people during this phase of the race than the prior 25 miles. I began to feel the finish line pulling me along. I began to hit milestones: the last aid station, crossing the Narrows, the sandy part of the Cape Henry Trail along Broad Bay.

At Mile 30, I caught up to two Cornerstone friends, Danny and Hank. I mistakenly thought they had already finished and were walking back on the trail. I ran past them and said something like "I'm ready for this to be over!" Finally, I saw the exit from the trail and turned left toward the finish. My last mile split was my fastest since Mile 16. I crossed the finish line to cheers and got my first ultra medal. I became an ultra marathoner at 7:03:26.

I had wanted to finish my first 50K in six hours. It took me seven, but I finished. It was a challenge, but I did it. Not sure I will run another 50K, but I'm glad I ran this one.