The Ouachita 50K

The Ouachita 50K / 50 Mile
4/21/2007

That was about the hardest thing I have ever done.

The morning started with Craig waking me at 4:40 am (we were to be leaving at 5:30 for the 6:00 am start) – I had set my alarm for 4:15. Why did it not go off? Oh, I set it for 4:15…pm.

A shower, some quick coffee, oatmeal and we were off. I looked at Craigs shirt – somehow we had picked matching shirts for the race – we were damn twinkies – shirt, Garmin 305 and all. At the start we got there JUST in time to pick up our race numbers, they were doing ‘last call’ for anyone who had not picked up their number…

After the race directed denounced Texas (she said ‘and oh by the way… TEXAS SUCKS!!!) the run started on the road promptly at 6:00 – on pavement for about 2.5 miles up to the Pinnacle Mountain Visitor center – quite a bit of uphill so we started slow (or so I thought – I did not know the real meaning of slow until much later in the race.

Once at the VC, we veered into the woods and you could tell everyone had a little spring in their step – ahhh, off the pavement. A nice downhill and some flat section to the base of Pinnacle Mountain – first aid station at 3.9 miles. I blew by that one.

Back up hill we go, first on a trail, then a little rocky, then, (gulp) about ½ a mile of STRAIGHT UP climbing – I mean climbing boulders. Hand to rock, lift a leg, push up, hand to next rock, leg up, push. You get the picture. 30 minutes, ½ mile. Then we started down, big step down, big step down, another ½ mile – 15 minutes. My legs were already toasted and we have not hit mile 6 yet… I was NOT ready for that.

Around the base of the mountain, back into the woods, back to the aid station at the base (I picked up some beef jerky) and we’re off again. Nice rolling trail. The next aid station was at mile 8. I stopped, stretched my back, and the lady got me some water. A minute later she said ‘Come on, get going!’. She wanted me to keep moving so I did not risk a time cutoff. Tough love…

Then came the fun stuff. Up, down, up down. Not too steep, but VERY rocky. I stubbed my toe and tripped MANY times, twisted my ankles a few times. My back was aching. My feet were hurting. But my lungs, heart, stomach and legs felt OK. About 1.3 miles from the turnaround point at North Shore, there was an aid station. I thought that’s odd, only 1.3 miles from the turn around? That 1.3 miles was the toughest –Then I saw Craig. He was on his way back, looking good as usual. We chatted, shared our pain stories (his feet and hip flexor) and parted ways. I was seriously thinking I should call it quits and get in the car with Mary…

When I got to the turn-around aid station, Mary was there. They told me to I still had to run .75 miles out and back to pick up a ticket. Then I could turn around and go back. A ticket? For what? What I found out was that this was simply to get an additional 1.5 miles to make up for us not doing the Pinnacle Mountain loop on the way back.. I dropped my fanny pack while Mary got my bag ready for a little pit stop. I trudged down the path to get the damn ticket – along the way there was the nastiest mud crossing – the mud even stank to high heaven – I got a little on my shoe and cussed. When I got back, a guy took my ticket, said thanks, and threw it in the trash. Grrr!

A little pit stop was good – some food (Mmm – pimento cheese sandwiches, red potatoes and salt, a Slim-Fast, four Aleve, and some water) They were handing out ham and cheese biscuits cooked in a dutch oven – I thought I’d throw up if I ate one, so I resisted. A little stretch, some fresh socks, and I was feeling MUCH better.

I took off, and the next few miles I figured something out – while I was still hurting, my lower back, my feet, and my calf was tightening up – it was not getting any worse. I could simply walk the rocky sections, and hills, (at about 18-20 minutes per mile) and trudge at pace of about 12-13 minutes per mile on the flat / down hill sections. So I settled into a rhythm walk, trudge, walk, trudge, walk, trudge. Before I knew it the miles were clicking off again.

Back through the station 1.3 miles away (12 miles to finish). About 4 miles later something happened – two guys came up behind me and passed me like I was standing still. Then I realized – they were the lead guys for the 50 MILE run… They had an additional 20 miles on me. How demoralizing! Right about then came the aid station with 8 miles left – all three of us hit it together. By the time I could re-fill my bottles and choke down some cheese crackers, they were in and gone… 10 minutes later going down the trail, here came #3 in the 50 miler. I was thinking shit – how many of these guys are going to go by me? (Luckily, only one more did. In the last mile.)

8 Miles left and I was still in a groove. Albeit a slow one, I knew I’d finish this run. My legs were really hurting by now, and I knew it was going to be a TOUGH recovery. Back to the 3.9 mile aid station, 1.5 miles through the woods, then came a moment of truth – some large (tall) railroad tie steps – each one was a test in itself. It was all I had to get up each one. From there a little traverse and short climb into the Visitor Center parking lot, and then 2.5 miles of pavement to the finish. I picked up the pace, (and my heart rate) and all of a sudden it got very hot. I pouared water on my ball cap a few times. Another 50 miler passed me and said ‘Good job man, keep going!’ His words, and passing speed made me speed up a bit more. 1 mile left. I was in a trance – all I could think of is something to drink to recover, a shower, a nap and THEN some food.

At the finish there was an angel who guided me from the parking lot entrance to the finish line (which I almost blew by – headed for the pavilion…) It was Jenny, our long lost friend who moved to Little Rock several years ago, and who is a fantastic ultra runner, and adventure racer. She guided me in the last 50 feet. 9 hours, 27 minutes and some seconds. Whew. Then I picked my medallion from a variety of colors. I got the aquamarine one. Jenny gave me a big hug – sweat, grime and all.

We chatted a bit, and I walked back to the campsite – almost did not make it as I came down a little hill to the campsite, my legs almost buckled. I had taken them to their limit and then some. I learned the once you push past the point of no return, things get a little better. That once you find a threshold of pain, as long as you stay hydrated, and fed, you CAN keep going. Jenny said this race is TOUGHER than the 100 mille race called the Traveler. The trail will beat you up and spit you out.

Back at the trailer, I was chatting with Craig (he on the bed with Mary rubbing his feet) and I looked over on the table. I’ll be damn - he had picked the same color medallion – twinkies again!

Will I do a 50 miler next? Who knows. 100 miler? (30 hour cutoff) probably not. But either way, today I am elated with my accomplishment, and ready to take on the next challenge – whatever it is. Bring it on!

Bruce ‘got the Juice’ Adib-Yazdi