Night trail marathon report

Well . . . first of all - let me make an observation and you can quote me on this.

A trail NIGHT running event is not just another trail run that just happens to be at night. It is an altogether different animal - VERY different. But also a fun and new experience as well.

The skinny - I dropped down to the half around 11 PM last night with a time of 3:46.
For reference, I ran my first road HM at Indy last May in 2:16.

The full meal deal version:

We ran up to Indy after lunch and checked into our lovely Motel 6 and took naps.
It was a very sketchy kind of place - when we got back after the race, 2 police cars were parked in the back side of the hotel. I think that get business there routinely. Somewhere below us at night and in the early AM, it seemed that some sort of commerce was taking place. Perhaps drugs being sold or perhaps shady human interaction or both - just saying.

Anyway - I digress. We got to Eagle Creek around 4:45 and I got my bib and we waited. It was really cold with some very strong winds. Fortunately, they died down a LOT after sunset. Planet Adventure is best known for trail bike events, but they had this very well organized. Kudos to them.

Nice cotton long-sleeved shirts, very nice heated and well lit aid stations around mile 2, 4 and the start/finish. Water, Heed, trail mix, salty potatoes and super nice and encouraging volunteers.
It was a wave start - after some announcements the quarter marathoners were off at 6PM with a little over 200 runners. Ten minutes later, the half folks were sent on their way. Then at 6:20, I would guess there were 50 or so marathoners (out of 70 that signed up), including me that started our unique little journey.

I was in the back half to begin with and after a short chute, we were in the woods on single track. The RD announced that the course was indeed slick and that we should be extra careful. Slick from icy spots (that you could not always safely predict) and some serious muddy areas. I turned on my headlight after a couple of minutes and before too long, darkness set in. It was very cool seeing a row of lights threading through the woods. We hit our first mud very quickly and some of these type spots could be almost avoided by zipping around them. Later on the course, it would not be a choice to avoid getting wet and very muddy feet.

Having never run at night on trails, it at first was fun to be looking down and seeing where to step. You REALLY had to be looking down carefully all the time to avoid getting wiped out by a root, icy spot or mud. And therein lies a real issue one must get acclimated to, in order to do this kind of running successfully. Before too long, I (not sure about anyone else), felt like I had goggles on and I was running through this tunnel of light - not unlike the cone of shame feeling dogs have with their . . . . sorry, I digress.

After a while, this constant staring down can really wear on you and you have to do it.
In daylight running - obviously - you can scan ahead on the trail and you don't have to stare down for each and every step. You can look around sometimes and not be in a tunnel. Also, after you have slipped a time or two on ice or suddenly run into a mud bog, it TOTALLY changes how you run - true for inexperienced night trail runners I would say. You can be overly cautious, stiff, not relaxed - sort of feel very restricted - which does not lend itself to good trail running form. That tenseness accumulates and is tiring.

Now don't get me wrong - I really enjoyed my time out there - but it such a different animal in just about every way in comparison to my limited running career of one year. It simply was a challenging and interesting way of moving your body. With practice, anyone could become more fluid while running at night on trails, just like any new skill.

I was pleased with my performance, but right before aid station 1 @ mile 2, you have a short - root filled downhill that turned about to be icy. It was the trail equivalent of "black ice" on the highway. It had just a little snow and did not appear to be dangerous, but was very icy, slick and fear-inducing to night trail virgins. I slipped quite a bit and that then sets the stage for tense and timid running whenever I would see some snow. Other places looked the same, but were not slick and others spots looked clean and safe - but they were not. I told myself to be careful there whenever I got back to this spot on the 6.5 mile loop.

Before long we were on the manmade strip of land that went across the lake. Now it is plenty wide and mainly heavy gravel and OK to run. There, on lap one, I looked across the lake and saw the very cool sight of a very long line of headlights wending through the woods. I would love to have that on video.You hit mile 3 after going around that end of the lake and head back to the woods, after a stretch of blacktopped road that was very slick and icy. And back to trails with the aforementioned safety issues - at times. The trails were pretty well marked, but could have been a little better here and there. By now I am pretty much alone. Around mile 5 or so, the muddy spots increase and THEN it just seemed to go on and on for what felt like .5 to .75 miles. Thick and very suction-filled creamy mud that could pull your shoes off. You just had to go through and get muddy and cold wet feet. My wool toe socks did great though and my feet were not cold for long. My Brooks Trailblades drained well.

So . . . I get back to the start/finish in 1:44 - see my wife and go out again. All is well until the icy spot before AS #1. Probably because I was anxious and tense, I took a big time fall. I just was down with no warning and really hit my elbow and then shoulder. I was stunned and just laid there for 30 seconds and thought I had broken my elbow. I got up and I was good, but shook up a little. And no Jerry, I did not cry like a little girl I will have you know!

Mud alley did not seem as bad on the second lap for some reason. I zoned out - like being hypnotized - before the mud and found myself off the trail. I realized it within 10 - 15 feet and turned around - went back and promptly got turned around and went backwards for 30 seconds. It just felt wrong, but I was not sure. Luckily for me, a runner came along and got me straightened out. I heard later that a group did the same thing, but ran the wrong way for 5 minutes. I did lap 2 in 2:01. That mud, the light tunnel and my cautious running "style" slowed me down a lot. I met Susie and thought about stopping there. I talked to a race official and asked if I would be declared a DNF. He said yes, but thought I might be listed for my half time. My pride kicked in and I wanted my AG award and off I went. I ran faster to make up for lost time, but all of a sudden, both knees really hurt - never happened in a race or training - never. I got to AS#1 again - without falling - and told them I needed to stop. BY now it was approaching 11 PM and I had 4.5 miles to go and I felt I needed to get to the start/finish by midnight in order to be able to get lap 4 in before 2 AM. Two others were dropping then too - half my age and we got a ride back.

I reported in so they would not be out looking for me. I found out later that maybe 8 had already dropped down to the HM and left the course and they were all much younger than me - as if that really makes any difference. We left - slept for the night and got up at 5:30 - headed back south and stopped at a Denny's for a great breakfast and got to church on time for praise band rehearsal. Funny thing - my knees did not hurt at all today. At AS # 1, they told me that many many runners reported that their knees were tweaked and hurt because of the unsure footing and the mud sucking.

Sorry for being so long-winded.
All in all, it was a fun and educational night. I will make a short video tomorrow and post it.







My brother-in-law, Doug, ran the quarter.

Yeah, your report is up! I was really curious how things were going to go for you given that the weather was sooooo windy. Glad to hear that it died down some. I'm with you on the mud spots that at first crossing are just okay, later to become a total quagmire by the time everyone tromps through them a few times. You made a smart move in stopping when you did. Hey, you went out there and experienced the event...that's what's important. Your knees are fine and you're good to race another day.

Sorry to see that you will not be at the Mini this year. Oh, have you checked out any of the SLUG trail races? I did the Double Chubb some years back...out by St. Louis.

As usual, looking forward to the video! Congratulations and lucky you....awesome!

Congrats, Charles on a job well done. I can tell you that I've run road races at night, but never a trail race of any type (at night), and well I'm not going to start now - so major kudos to you!

great race report. was anxious to read it and you didn't disappoint. Sounds..............interesting. Congrats on the race though.

That sounds like quite the adventure weekend for you, Charles. At least, a weekend of the unexpected.

From the, er, industrious downstairs neighbors at Motel 6 to a weird mix of black ice, grabby roots and thick mud, I don't think you could have done much more to push yourself out of the ordinary. Well, except running it in the dark. Which, of course, you did.

I've spent a lot of time in that little cone of light, but only on roads and bike paths. Doing it on a technical trail is something else altogether.

Congratulations on the half, and good on you for heeding your body's warning signals and knowing it was time to wrap it up. And I hope you aren't feeling any lingering effects from that tumble you took. That sounded nasty!

I can't wait to read about your next foray into extreme running. Hm. How about something that involves, say, timed spelunking?

Excellent race report Charles!! It sound like you had a really great experience with your first night trail race. It's too bad that you were unable to continue on, but you gained boat loads of experience that will make your next one that much better!!

Thanks for getting the video up so soon, Charles. Susie did an excellent job reporting, as usual.

Mud is tough no matter what and will definitely slow you down. I agree with your statement about doing the full without the mud, but January in Indiana, in the woods....what are the chances of that ever happening?

Keep the adventures coming!

Great video Charles. Thanks for sharing!!

Pause the video at 5:04-5:05.

Looks like a fun time. I can only imagine once you turn onto that single track, the music fades away, and you realize "oh, shit, now I have to run a (quarter/half/full) marathon."

Awesome job Charles, thanks for the report.

Great report! I love the pics and video!

The more you run at night the easier it gets. I like to position the light a few feet ahead. That means I have to remember what I saw in the light a couple of steps prior. But I like being able to see further ahead. It also helps if you've run the trail a few times in the day time. Then your mind can fill in what you are not able to see. Somehow this makes the run more enjoyable. Don't ask me how to run in the mud though. I remember a short muddy spot in the Wasatch 100 that was uphill. For a minute I wasn't sure if I was going to get past it standing up or any other way for that matter.

Mike MacLellan wrote:Pause the video at 5:04-5:05.

Funny!

5:04!

I am known for making strange faces - especially when I was teaching.
I don't think I traumatized too many kids over the years.

There is a point in my current school presentations that I do, when I make a crazy face during a song from my musical "Pets!" that just sets the kids and teachers free. I am always willing to be silly to make a point when teaching or any other time too.