Norris Dam Trail 50K

This was one tough race. But I loved every step of it. Beautiful single track along a lake, steep rocky climbs and descents, picturesque streams, and I even got close enough to a deer to almost touch it. Just wow. This picture from the course is just one of many reasons I love trail running. It doesn't get much better than that.

Summer, Kevin, and I arrived in Norris, TN in complete blackness. It felt like the middle of the night but was actually only 40 minutes before the race started. Race start/finish was at a campground area in the Norris Dam State Park. Kevin was running the 25K option while Summer and I elected to run the full 50. It was a loopish course with the 50K runners going back out to run the course in reverse. 2 aid station about 5 miles apart out on the course. I opted to wear my Nathan pack but only filled the bladder up half way. Thought I had packed everything else I'd need for the race but forgot a couple things that would impact me on the 2nd loop.

I didn't know what to expect as far as the course was concerned. I had read on a message board that there was 5200 ft. of elevation changes in the 50K. Considering my lack of any kind of training after the Landsford Canal 50K I knew I was probably going to be close to the 8 hour cut-off time. I gave myself a self imposed cut-off of 3.5 hours at the turn around just to make sure I had enough time to finish the race. Other than that, no goals except to enjoy the day.

There were about 100 runners milling about, most of which were running the 25K. We listened to some last minute instructions from the race director and then headed out onto a single track trail that was still shrouded in half darkness. It was quite beautiful in the early morning stillness. Temps were in the low 50's so just perfect running conditions. I was in my usual back of the pack placement and could see the congo line of runners moving off effortless along the trail. We hit an extremely steep, graveled drop and it was quite comical watching runners sliding on their rears, crashing through trees to try and break their speed, and just the overall general mayhem. I made it down safely unscathed and continued trotting on. It wasn't more than a mile later tho that I caught a rock or root or something and fell crashing down on a gravelly part of the trail. Lots of elbow and lower leg blood. Also broke my fall with my left hand. Did the same thing later in the race so my left hand is a bruised mess today. Other than that, no real damage. Some pride maybe as the 2nd time I fell it was right in front of a guy. That must of been quite entertaining from his perspective.

The course was really divided into 3 sections. The first 5 or so miles was single track along the lake. At some points you could see the lake but mostly you were too deep in the trees. Very runnable trail with a couple steeper hills that I would walk. At the end of this section you came out on a gravel road and this was where the 1st aid station was. It was do it yourself but well stocked with pretzels, trail mix, fruit, and PB&J sandwhiches. There was also a forestry guy there to make sure you went the right way up the road.

So, you ran about a half mile up a gravel road and then back into the woods on a logging road. Not sure how many miles we ran through that area. Maybe 5? It had many long climbs and descents but I was able to run most of them. This is where I got too complacent tho and took my 2nd fall. We hit the end of this section and back out onto the gravel road. I had been hearing gun shots for awhile which was making me very nervous but as I ran down the gravel road found out why. There was a rifle range. Was hoping that the shooters were good and no stray bullets would come my way:-) Nice long downhill on the gravel road and then back into the woods. This time we ran along a pretty stream. Very enjoyable section. At the end of this section was the 2nd aid station. Unmanned but again well stocked. I later found out that it was at 12.3 miles. So, 3.2 miles to the finish from that point.

The last section was in a word....HELL. First you "ran" up a never ending hill. It was a pretty single track but it was at least a mile long. It was along here that the leading 50K runner came back the other way. He was flying of course but managed a "good job" shout out to my pathetic struggling self. You got to the top and thought, man I'm glad that is over. HA! Some nice downhill which got pretty steepish and gravelly. Had to be careful not to fall again. Then BAM! Another long, even steeper hill. This one felt like it was about a mile long too. I just kept trudging along. Started seeing more and more of the 50K runners going the other way. Finally go to the top of that hill and then it was a gradual downhill back to the start/finish area. Met Summer going back out on the course along here too. She looked strong and was in 4th place.

Finished that first loop in 3:35. Close enough to my cut-off time to head back out. Quick pitstop, Kevin helped fill my Nathan back up, grabbed some food and back on the road. I was 7th woman by my calculations and it didn't look like there were many, if any, behind me that were doing the full 50.

Was interesting running the course in reverse. Knew what to expect but thought many times "did I run this before". Looked different going the other way I guess. By the time I hit about 20 miles I was running on empty. I wasn't fueling properly with only the 2 aid stations. Started worrying about electrolyte imbalance when my hands started getting puffy. One of the things I had forgotten to put in my Nathan were my S-caps. At both aid stations I grabbed handfulls of pretzels and just stood there and licked the salt off. Plus tried to drink as much gatoraid as I could stomach but it was all gone at the 2nd aid station.

So, the reverse trip was not so much fun but I kept moving as quickly as I could. It was starting to get warmish on the return trip and I ran out of water before I hit the last aid station. I was so thirsty. Just absolutely parched. Luckily most of the course was well shaded or I could have been in serious trouble. I remember running along and after every curve thinking surely this is where we hit the gravel road? And then total dejection when all I could see was more woods stretching out in front of me.

Eventually the road appeared and I mustered some energy to run down into the aid station. Not much left but there was water and pretzels. That was all I really needed anyway. Filled my Nathan, sucked salt off a bunch of pretzels and hit the trail for the last 5 miles. Did manage to pass one runner in the final stretch so I wasn't the only one hurting out there. Got to the hellish uphill near the end and basically crawled up it. Had also forgotten about the lovely steps we so blithly trip trapped down at the beginning of the race. Not so much fun going back up them 31 miles later with dead legs.

Did manage to run across the finish line. 7:38 was my time. Can't complain when you don't actually train:-)

Showing off my boo boo's.

The 3 amigos. When we checked in the RD asked us what was up with our little contingent from NC? Just crazy we replied :-)

Not my greatest performance but no where close to my worst. With the amount of elevation changes I actually did pretty good for me. 3 weeks until Hinson Lake. The legs (especially my quads) are screaming today so will take some time off for recovery.