Susan Donnelly

 

What can I say?  I followed the maps Rob had painstakingly printed and we still went the long way ’round and got there late.  You know that nightmare where you miss the start of the race?  We’re now two for two at that.

15 minutes late to the Chattooga 50k.  On the bright side, we knew where we were and by the time we pulled in, we found a primo parking spot left by a departing crew.  On top of that, we had the trail free and clear. None of those frustrating trailhead traffic jams that drive me insane.  Hmm…we must do this late thing more often.

 

Start to 1st Aid Station (10 miles) – The Amusement Park

If you’ve never tried it, starting late entitles you to designate the day as a “play day.”  It removes all reasonable expectations, which was fine for us.  We’ve raced almost solid all spring so play days are welcome.  Besides, this was a Terry Hayes (the RD) run – out-and-back course, no cutoffs, everyone have fun and finish. An absolutely great day just to be out.

We started with two guys from Spartanburg who were also late, each party saving the other from any late-start-embarrassment.  One was a first-time ultrarunner and if I remember correctly, a first time trail-runner?  Anyway, good company.  We also yo-yo’ed in this section with Ed, finally able to run an ultra that didn’t conflict with the Saturday work schedule of a Harley dealer.  This was his longest run in a loooong time.

A short way in, we passed a runner going the other way to get medical help for a runner with a broken ankle.  We reached him a mile later – another runner from Tennessee.  He was surrounded by Terry, who was sweeping the course, and a few other runners.  Terry formulated a plan and we left them to it.  Heard later that Search and Rescue got him out, safe and sound.

Injury potential aside, I adore this section.  It’s a contender for the prettiest section of any race I’ve ever run and a big part of why it’s my favorite 50k.  Every view is pure postcard.  Looking down the river, you’d swear you were in the Rockies or Washington state.  Looking up through the woods, you’d swear you were in the Smokies.

Welcome to an amusement park designed to my exact specifications.  It clings tightly along the banks of the Chattooga River, taking short ups and down through thick rhododendron, mountain laurel, hemlock, ferns, and tons of flowers – thick patches of blooming galax everywhere.  The air has that rhododendron-y smell, mountain smell.  The early part is especially filled with roots and a few rocks that are all just tons of fun to play through.  When your feet find dirt, it’s that rich, peaty, spongy stuff that springs back underneath your step like a trampoline.  Stuff I’d love to garden with. The final flourish is the mountain laurel in peak bloom dropping pools of white, cup-shaped confetti along the way, just to celebrate our passage.

My only regret?  We didn’t bring the camera!

 

Aid Station 1 to Turnaround (5.6 miles) – Friends and Yellowjackets

At the first AS, we see the first runner on his way back.  We may be slow today but are clearly having more fun.

More important, it’s time to start seeing friends, the best part of any out-and-back course.

This section diverges from the river and generally has two downhills on the way out (which amazingly become uphills on the way back).  It’s mostly dry upland forest with occasional patches of rhodies around several small creeks.  We finally found some ripe blueberries in the sunny spots.  The smell here is pine heating up in the late morning sun.

Friends start appearing on their way back.  First, it’s Byron Backer, followed quickly by Larry Hall. It’s good to see Larry’s having a good time.  He got lost and is enjoying catching others along the way. After a while, we see Kathleen Cusick, Bill Keane (one in a million), Mike Montgomery (a dear friend of many years), and Christian Griffith.   All of them will make it.

Then the first bridge…and the yellow jackets.  We’d been warned and sure enough, you could see a few buzzing around.  Rob and I split up to make less of a target but I got stuck behind a girl who was trying to summon the courage to run across.  She eventually made it and I bolted after, almost pulling a hamstring in the process.  A sting would have been less painful.

 

Turnaround back to 2nd Aid Station (5.6 mile section) – Climbing

There were  few runners behind us but not enough to sufficiently soothe our egos.  Oh well, all we could do now was enjoy the return.  Besides, we had a 4-hour drive home and I had an early morning at work the next day.

And the climbing on this section felt great.  Nothing epic, just steady and very solid.  A good workout.  

Along the way, saw an extremely shiny black.  It was draped half across the trail and in no mood to move, so it might have just shed it’s skin. We felt a bit guilty at disturbing it and bid it farewell.

 

 2nd Aid Station to Finish (10 miles) – Rolling In

What is there to add?  it’s still as gorgeous a section of trail as you could ask for and somehow the views are completely different, yet equally as breath-taking, on the way back.

We savored it as much as we could while trying to finish in time to get home early (to pack for our next race…overseas).  Before we knew it, we were done. We’d probably have to wait another year to do this again.  I’m torn between being grateful to be able to play on this trail and resenting a year’s wait to do it again.

 

P.S. – Basking in the Glow

We stayed way too long at the finish, chatting with fellow runners, Terry, and Chef Paul (Terry’s son-in-law) who cooked our veggie burgers for us and supplied the awesome barbeque sauce and soup (yes…believe me, awesome soup).  Ed and one of our Spartanburg guys finished, then the rest of the runners.  Everyone was smiling.

Later that night, I put my Terry’s homemade finishers award among my other ultra medals and trophies.  I love the other awards and memories that they represent but the Chattooga award brings the whole experience back faster than the rest.  She took the pictures on the plaques herself and it’s fun to pick out your favorite photo.

More than the course, as gorgeous as it is, it’s the race director and the people sharing the race that make this the renewing day that it is.  Even running as late as we were, we couldn’t have bagged it and gone home.  This race is something hard to find.  That’s why we stayed late in spite of all the pressing demands at home, and why we’ll keep coming back.

Posted: Tuesday, June 9, 2009, 10:24 pm | Tags: Blog | Respond | Trackback