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Grasslands Run 50 Mile 2002 Report(TX): Scott Barclay

Intro To Trail Running 101:

You know how sometimes you don't quite put enough thought into things
before finding yourself in a position with very few options...the 2002
Grasslands Run!

My current training plan for a scheduled June Ironman said 16 mile run
on Saturday, 70 mile bike on Sunday.

This is how the thinking went. March 14 did first ever trail run at
Rockledge park on a whim and completed 12 miles in 2 hours, had a blast
(side note: longest run since white rock marathon 12/01). Following week see 
note on RAW message board about Grasslands Run...think to myself, "sounds better 
then 16 miles on the road and that trail running sure was fun.  I did just 
complete a marathon in December in pretty good shape. A little extra running 
distance would be a great mental test to get ready for Ironman day. Trails are 
a lot easier on the legs then roads." Drop a quick note on the RAW message 
board just to confirm that Grasslands is a nice rolling, scenic course and get a 
semi-positive confirmation.  That seems good enough, sign me up for the 25! As a 
final touch decided I probably needed new trail shoes and some sort of hydration 
belt to become an official trail runner (yes, I have been running for 6 years 
now and know the rule to never try something new for the first time in a 25 mile 
'race'...I did run 5 miles in the shoes before the race). In the back of my mind 
I am pretty sure I acknowledged I might be getting into this a tad over my head, 
but it all sounded to fun to think much about that possibility.

Fast Forward to race day. Don't get much sleep due to thunderstorms rolling 
through town the entire night, decide to get up around 5:00am and get ready. The 
thought crosses my mind that it might be a bit wet and muddy at the race...sure
am glad I bought those trail shoes with the great traction. Arrive at race site, 
park, get out of car and step into mud up to my ankles.  Bummer its red mud and 
my car might get dirty, what a pain.  Anyhow, lets go pick up the packet and get
ready to go.  I sure hope this doesn't take more then 4 hours or so, got lots of 
things to do this afternoon.  Run into Rick, Tim, Curtis, Mike and K2. Its not 
really raining at this point but everyone is thinking it could be a little sloppy 
and inconvenient out there on the trails. The race is afoot...two loops, first 
10 miles and change, second loop 14 and change..total approximately 25.

Within the first quarter mile it becomes pretty evident that I might possibly 
have underestimated course conditions.  If I wasn't slipping, I was sliding. If 
I wasn't jumping back and forth across the trail to avoid the 'puddles', I was 
sloshing through them.  Going up any kind of incline was like a cartoon with your
legs spinning and little progress being made. Within the first mile, my ankles 
and calves are screaming at me from fighting the conditions. Welcome to trail 
running initiation 101.  OK...quick change of plan...speed is irrelevant, time 
is irrelevant, getting very muddy and wet is not an option, walking is an 
option...quitting is not an option.  With the new mind set, I am able to relax 
and begin to find a groove...walking some, jogging some, running some...slogging 
a lot.  Spend some time with Rick, Tim, Mike and Tom...very veteran group with 1 
official trail run between the 5 of us.  Progress is not speedy but steady. We 
have finally found something for Tom to really hate...trail running in the 
rain...he just didn't have a lot of positive comments for us at this point. We
hit the aid station at somewhere around 5 miles and regroup...amazingly we are 
on about a 10min/mile pace..if only that could have continued.  Somewhere soon 
after this point, it became pretty evident that Mike had recalibrated his sanity
level and opted to shorten his day and opt for the 10 mile plan.  While no 
official announcement was made, all of a sudden he was gone, full speed ahead, 
don't need to pace self any longer, get this over with, he was gone!  Tim, Rick, 
and I are left to survive on our own.  Around the 8 mile mark, we start a little 
discussion about Mike's abandonment. Tim "I can't believe Mike isn't going to 
the do 25"; Rick - "What else does he have to do today"; Scott - "Might not be a 
bad idea to think about just 10"; Rick - "What's Mike going to say on Monday, 
'I quit because it was too muddy'...Scott did you say something?";  Scott - "No 
I didn't say anything".

The end of the first loop was highlighted by three stream crossings...doesn't 
that sound peaceful and quaint. Definition of stream crossing:  Slide down 20 
foot wall of mud, try not to twist any major body part trying to keep your 
balance as you descend completely out of control, stand in creek for 20-30 
seconds with hope of some of the mud washing off, stare at 20 foot wall of mud 
on other side of creek which you must now climb up, using every technique 
imaginable scale the other side, pause to bring heart rate back below 200. The 
really good news was that at this point in the race loop 1 and 2 overlapped so 
we would have the chance to perfect 'stream crossing' on the second loop with 
about 20 miles under our belts. As we climbed out of the third stream crossing, 
being somewhat oxygen deprived we decided to go for a little scenic detour. 
Despite really clear trail markings..we went the other way. Now granted the 
trail we decided to follow was nice and seemed to not be nearly as muddy, but it 
just really wasn't necessary to add mileage to the day...not sure how much we 
added but we definitely over achieved the 25 miles by the end of the day. As 
loop one came to an end...the rain returned.

Definition of Mental Toughness:  Two loop course, 2 hours for 10 miles, first 
trail run ever, pouring rain and thunder, legs hurting, blisters starting, 
hamburgers and gumbo cooking....start second loop.

My wife's Definition of Stupidity:  see Metal Toughness.

Apparently Rick opted to shower, change clothes, and reapply his makeup after 
loop 1.  So following a significant break Tim, Rick, and I set out on 
loop 2...14+ miles to go. A little bit of moaning but overall we are not feeling 
horrible and set out in pretty good spirits. The rain is coming down hard enough 
at this point that the only choice is to basically run/slog down the middle of 
the path and not even attempt to avoid the 'bad spots'. Water and mud is over the 
shoes at all times with each step representing a real possibility of sucking your 
shoes right off. Amazingly we collectively decide we are still having fun. It 
also occurred to us at this point that not only did we have mud on our shoes and 
legs, but it was also inside our shoes and inside our socks. It was creating a 
nice, custom, mud and sand orthodic. At the first rest stop on loop 2, we all 
decide to sit down and take off our shoes so we could remove the mud that had 
built up.  Ok..it might have just been an excuse to sit down and take our shoes 
off. I making a shocking discovery...somehow the combination of brand new shoes, 
mud, water, and small pebbles have created a tremendous pair of blisters on my 
heals...thankfully I can't really feel my feet at this point so no problem.

Somewhere around mile 4-5 on the second loop, the combination of cookies, 
brownies, pretzels, m&m's, gu, potato chips, Succeed, water, peanut butter
crackers...must have kicked in and I decided enough was enough..it was time to 
get this over with.  Earning significant team demerits, I turned up the speed 
from slow slog to fast slog and without even saying goodbye to my companions
cranked it up. Time seemed to just kind of stand still for the next hour or two 
as I ground it out. Two nice things about longer trail running...the pace is 
such that you never really feel that you are about to go anaerobic and it is
impossible to tell how far you have gone so you don't know when to crash into 
the 20 mile wall.  To my surprise, I was all of a sudden at the mile 21.5 aid 
station. All I had left were some nice, quaint 'stream crossings' and I was done.  
Ok small confession, I did give the last 'stream crossing' the old single finger 
salute after crawling out of the mud on my hands and knees. Slogged it in from 
this point and finished in a world class 5 hours and change...

Aftermath...not anywhere as physically painful as a marathon but mentally 
stretched the envelop.  Some real nice blisters and new PR for 'crotch chaffing'.  
Did manage to get in a 40 mile bike ride on Sunday and training was back on track
this week for Ironman. Started searching on the Internet this morning for 
'Ultras' later in the year. Many thanks to volunteers and NTTR for sponsoring 
the race...tough day for the runners had to be nearly horrible for the 
volunteers. See you next year - would be interested in the non-mud/rain version 
please.

Scott