Pinhoti 100 Heflin Al To Sylacauga Al. My crew and travel people for the weekend: My wife(Christy), Close Friend( Benji), Running partner/Close friend (Mitch, also running)and his wife( Jess). Pacer: Bobby. Miles 55-100.
We arrived at the start around 0500 for a 0600 start(Pine Glen Camp Ground)Temps around 45 no wind dry. The race director arrived about 20 minutes before go time, he had to navigate 2 buses loaded with races that opted to ride from the finish. Not much of a prerace talk "sign in line up, we are starting on time" the RD said. And at 0600 we were off. Straight out of the secluded camp ground and in 50 yards onto some nice single track. I positioned myself in the front/mid pack which put me in a single file trot for the first 5 miles or so. The pace was moving quick but the runners ahead started slowing down and the single file line started to get big gaps in it. I would pass someone every chance I could, trying not to speed up to much. I figured I would keep moving like this until the first aid station. High Rock Aid 1.Coming into the 1st aid I had picked up the pace and paced a few other runners. When I arrived I was greeted for the first of many times by my spectacular crew. Not much happened here i dropped my jacket, gloves, and hat and I was off. As I hit the trail again the guy checking the runners off told me I was in 25th place. I thought that was cool and from that point I was going to find out how many spots I could pick off. Going through the next 6.57 miles I passed a few more runners but mostly ran alone. Coming into the 2nd Aid station there was a good size crowd and my crew ready to help with whatever I needed. But I was'nt really sure what I needed I felt good, I was eating 2 gels an hour and drinking plenty of water. So I just refilled my 1 Handlheld, stocked up on more Gels and headed off. My goal was to get in and out of each aid ASAP.(5 minutes or less) Straight back on the Pinhoti trail. I was cruising some nice rolling single track and ran up on a familiar runner (Dane). We hooked up and ran for a while together. We had got into conversation and next thing we knew we had come up on a group of runners some being very fast runners. So we decided to slow it down a bit and let them go on. Coming into Aid 3 (Horseblock) 18.27 miles I was feeling really good. No major problems. At this point I grabbed my Ultimate Direction Race Vest with an extra bottle loaded with more gels. i was rolling out again. My guys where doing great job getting me in and out. I left the aid and headed straight back out on the trail. I was in the company of a 100 mile specialist(Bruce) and a girl that would go on to take 7th overall. I stayed with these guys for maybe a mile or 2 and they were gone and I would not see them again for the rest of the race. I had a bit of climbing through this section over Horseblock MTN. The trail dropped us out on a Hwy, which we crossed and turned left up a dirt road and about 200 yards into aid 4.(22.71). This was a no crew aid and also it was being ran by the GUTS crew from Georgia. I was in and of here 2 minutes tops. Back on the Pinhoti. It was just under 5 miles to the next aid and I would get to see my crew. I was already planning to dump the vest and go with 2 handhelds. The temps at this point was reaching 80. We had a good breeze but it was starting to get hot. I'm pretty sure I ran this section alone. The aid was an out and back aid beside a lake. Aid 5 27.66. I grabbed some coke, redbull and power aid. loaded my bottles with water and gels and I was out. I wouldnt see my crew again for 13 miles. After crossing CR 24 I was right back on the Pinhoti. This was a low lying section with the biggest creek crossing of the race, well over knee deep, it actually felt great and was very welcomed. The trails are starting to have a bit more climbing because we are headed to the biggest climb of the day. Aid 6 34.56. These guys where super nice and was ready when I came in but again I didn't stay long. I actually left 2 other runners sitting there which I had no problem with. I was thinking to myself that I was in the top 20. Out of Aid 6 Was pretty much all climbing for the next 6.38 miles. Nothing was straight up just a few switch backs. the closer we got to the top the rockier it was. I felt like I moved fairly quickly through this section mixing in hiking and running. I started hearing people so I knew I was close to the top. sure enough about 5 more minutes and I would see the best view of the day Bald Rock. the trail ran us up on a board walk that went on for about .25 miles, it ran straight in to Aid 7. 40.94. This aid was Packed first time all day you actually felt like you where back in civilization. I headed straight for my crew and found a seat for a second. It was cool to see that Bobby had arrived and to know that we would be running together in 15 miles. I was starting to get a little hungry but I didn't want to over due so I munched on some deli turkey and a few bites of a nuttela wrap. I knew I only had just under 4.5 miles to the next aid and it was mostly down hill, so I headed out pretty quick. Leaving this aid I was at about 9hrs and in my mind just on pace. Pace for what? I'm not sure, I just felt like everything was going smooth. This area of the race was familiar to me as I ran 50k here earlier in the year but going in the opposite direction. Out of the aid we would follow some paved roads for just a little bit until we dropped back on the trail and down "blue Hell". Its almost a mile of trail basically on a rock face going straight down.( not so easy to manage). This is when I ran into Ryan for the first time of many through out the rest of the race. Somehow Ryan had managed to miss 2 turns coming down "blue hell" in les than a mile. I got him back on track and down the Mountain I went. Once you get off the mountain you are dropped out into a recreation area with a lake, picnic tables, and play grounds. I saw a few families enjoying the day and I also saw some people that looked really familiar. My mind was a little slow but I finally realized that it was my 2 boy Bryant and Max with my mom and aunt. They all came running, my Max my 3yr old hugged me and I about fell to the ground. This was a great moment for me I felt like a new man. Hugs, kisses and some pictures and i was off again. I had 3 miles of dirt road until the next section, just enough time for me to realize what was starting to hurt. Aid 8 Silent rock Mile 45.25 came pretty quick. At this point my hamstrings were starting to tighten up and my left ankle and both knees had started hurting pretty regularly. I had a seat and ate some of a subway sandwich. I drank a red bull, coke and some ginger ale. Bobby asked how I was feeling and also told me that there was a few runners ahead that were not looking so good and I should be able to catch in the next section. After he said that i popped up and got out of there. 9hrs 45 min 10 miles before I would see my crew again. This next section must be very popular for day hikers because people were everywhere. I'l be honest, what Bobby had told me about passing people was stuck in my head and I was rolling through here. About 2 miles down the trail I ran into Willie, another local runner from my area. He was going through a bad spell so I said my hellos and goodbyes. We dropped down to another creek crossing where I stopped and soaked my towel and poured cold water over my head. I passed another runner or so before reaching the next aid. I arrived at aid 9 Hubbard Creek at 11hrs25 min or so. This aid was pretty cool Younger people sitting around drinking beer and lots of people ready to help. But the first thing I noticed was 3 runners sitting. I never sat I refueled and got the heck out of there. I was pretty sure I was in the top 15 leaving there. By now my knees were hurting extremely bad, but I was pushing through the pain. I was still running mostly everything hiking anything with any big incline. I caught one more runner before reaching the next aid, this guy is an extremely fast runner having a bad day. But bad day or not it felt good to roll by him. I pushed until he was out of site. I rolled into aid 10 Adams gap mile 55.34 12hrs10min. I actually sat down here for the longest time of the race. I changed socks, shirts, refueled, and grabbed my head lamp. After noticing a few more runners coming into the aid station decided it was time for Bobby and I to head out. The next 5 miles was all dirt roads, and this was not so good for me. The harder surfaces put a lot of stress on my knees and the pain increased rapidly.
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