An Ole' Friend: 32x19

It's been a real longtime, oh yes it has. As it hung in the garage for over three years. I just could not bring myself to clean the caked on Pisgah soil from it's last adventure at PMBAR. So the time has come to dust the ole' Rig off! Happy Father's Day to me with a ride around Harbison. It's been bitter sweet this year for many reasons but we have to move on. Sometimes it just takes an old friend to help clear your head.

Harbison 50k

Local flavor in the inaugural Harbison 50k & 10k trail race taking place in the Harbison State Forrest here in Columbia SC. It sure was nice to have a short drive before and after. Perfect day with clear blue skies and a chilly breeze for a run in the woods.

Where to begin? Well from the start I knew it would be best to go out slow. Take the opening Lost Creek trail very easy. Strike one! It happens every time I pin a number on. Take off too fast. What felt like a nice stroll through L.C. but in following Todd and the eventual female winner, it would turn out to be a disaster in the making. All the while every thing seemed to be clicking well. Through Spider Women, Mid Mountain, Fire Break back to the S/F area. Look at my watch 2:25. Oh no! At the halfway point I was 35 minutes ahead of my anticipated pace of 5:45-6:00 finish time. If I were to hold this pace and finish sub 5 hours. What was I thinking.

Onto lap two, as the lactic acid begins to fill my weary body. Slow down and just make the best of it. As I mentally start to wonder off heading back to Lost Creek, BAM! Rolling around on the ground. What just happened? I just hit the deck on the easiest section of trail out here. This action just intensified all the lactic build up. Back up and now limping down the trail. It will be fine just another 15 miles to go. Fast forward to the second pass on Spider Woman. As Jim C. and Bill J. come right on by with the steady pace they have had all day. It just looked effortless as I struggled to put one foot in front of the other. Lesson 2 - find a good feasible pace that can be maintained the entire distance. This is my 3rd ultra so it's about time to figure this one out. thanks Jim.

As the miles just slowly ticked by. Bribing myself at every incline to just to keep jogging up to that next ridge. After the Bluffs the ability to move at a steady clip surprised me. Going through the motions and shoulder checking at every turn. No one wants to get passed so close to the end. Finished in 5:33, a PR for the 50k.

Oh my hip flexers are on fire!!!!!! As I wonder how to load myself into the car as not to embarrass my wife with the shriek of CRAMP. Next up Mt. Mitchell Challenge.

Photo credit top pic to Ray K.,

Rudolph's Rampage

Trail 1/2 Marathon held in Harbison State Forrest on a chilly and damp Saturday morning. A much anticipated event promoted by Friends of Harbison, Cycle Center & Fleet Feet. As a spin off from the April 10k event. A longer event was a test to see the response. So the trail 1/2 marathon has evolved. Nearly 50 local runners came together to kick off the inaugural Rudolph's Rampage Trail 1/2 Marathon.

An easy to follow and straight forward loop.
Start Gazebo area
R > Forrest Road to parking area 4
L > Fire Break Trail
R > Stewardship Trail
R > Harder - Easier Spur
L > Midlands Mtn up the switch backs
R > @ trail junction above Spider Woman
R > Fire Break
L > Eagle Trail
L > Kids Trial
F > Field around Gazebo, then repeat


So my plan for the day was no plan at all. To start fueled on coffee alone. I arrived at HSF with about 30 min till the start. Register, meet and say hello to everyone I laid eyes on. A short warm up later (3 min). All started to line up so I followed suit. Line up at the front - of course.

In a blast all runners were hauling it up the gravel road. Quick head count (top 10) a good start. Trying to hold back at the same time and stay close to the front. How quick the gaps form and the front runners disappear. No worries here, just staying patient is something I've been working on. Tagged up with Anthony from Fleet Feet and kept pace for pace. We just ticked off the miles. All the same from here till the second time up the switchbacks. I decided to see if the pace could be picked up.

Well what-a you know. Picking up my pace slowly waiting till the crest of the hill, then turned it up a bit more. Steady on the flat section then attacked the decent across the road and another surge. It's now or never. A quick breather. Then another surge on the fire break to the last section of single track. As fast as I could go. Tricky single at top speed. Two near miss steps but manged to stay upright. Taking it to the finish in 6th place overall. Good times.

Overall happy with the effort and glad I took the time and competed. Hopefully this will become an annual event. A bonus was the regional Montrail rep showing up with some 2010 goodies to look at. Soup and massages for all runners plus a long sleeve tech shirt.

13+ miles 1:42ish
6th overall
1st in age group (even departed with a tub of Endurox)