For certain activities, lasting longer than expected is considered a good thing. However, a long run in cold, wet, and windy weather (LRiCWaWW) is probably not one of those. Maybe if you are a glutton for punishment, you tend to bite more than you can chew - but that does not make it a good thing. One might argue that such physical punishment is good for supporting eating binges. However, ultimately, such binges themselves are not good - even if they involve extremely healthy foods such as steak dipped in coconut oil.
I digress. Gastronomical failings are not the point of this post. Rather, the fleetingly mentioned LRiCWaWW is. To train for upcoming Cruel Jewel in northern Georgia (think elevation profiles that make one just laugh in fear), I decided to go for a "fun" run on a loop that combines part of the Appalachian Trail (AT), Benton McKaye Trail (BMT), and Duncan Ridge Trail (DRT). The loop itself is about 55 miles (or, somewhere between 53 and 58 miles - depending on who you ask and how much you trust them) and an elevation profile that indeed did make me laugh in fear. The total gain/loss has been estimated to be +/- 16K to 17K ft by some. But, no one really knows - it is just hard. I had a few runs on parts of the loop in the past few weeks, so kind of knew what I was getting into.
I got to the trailhead early and started by run/hike on the AT (going south/west). It was about 50 and raining. The trail was quite slippery and there were quite a few puddles). This section on the AT is about 16 miles and goes from ~3100 ft to 2500 ft (with only about a million big hills thrown in between), and is a schizophrenic concoction of very runnable (when dry) to substantially rocky (about 2/3 to 1/3 ratio). I ran into several people backpacking and the size of their backpacks made me shudder. The slippery nature of the trail made me go a bit slower than I had planned. I had estimated it taking a bit over 3 hours to do this segment, but I ended up taking half an hour longer. Oh well - now I can just enjoy the run rather have 12:35 (FKT) on the back of my mind. And, "enjoy" I did - for over 16 hours.
Leaving the AT for the BMT was actually quite pleasant - no crowds and overall more runnable trail for the next 12 miles - although with a bit more elevation change thrown in. However, I had my first "Oh f***" moment of the day soon after I started on the BMT. I had forgotten to take half my food! This will be fun - let the rationing begin. Instead of 100-150 cal per hour, I will have that amount every two hours. What is even more fun than LRiCWaWW? LRiCWaWW with food rationing.
Everything was still fun and games on this section of the BMT (runs with DRT too - but don't be fooled by this section on what DRT actually is). I was still maintaining a reasonable pace with feeling like I was pushing - and was looking at a 14 hour finish.
At the end of this section, BMT/DRT crosses Highway 60 and the trail begins a steep climb of almost 1500 ft to Licklog Mountain. Steep by BMT standards, that is (i.e., there are even switchbacks). A bit after that, BMT splits off of DRT and my first thought at seeing the trail arrows was a beseeching cry - "BMT, please don't leave me at DRT's mercy!".
Ah, the DRT - straight up and down mountains. What the trail lacks in elevation change stature for the first part of DRT, it more than makes up in terms of steepness and lack of switchbacks. "Well, I am doing you a favor - if I had switchbacks, you'd be looking at a 70 mile run! Ingrate!" So, when they say a "ridge" trail - they take is very seriously. Also, the wind picked up - it was just waiting for me to be on the ridge. Forecast had made it sound as if I would have slightly cross to tail wind on this section. Liars. If anything, it was slightly tail-cross to mostly front/front-cross. And, yes, it was still raining and not that much warmer than when I started. A hard slog, lack of enough food, body working overtime to keep me from getting seriously hypothermic all combined to make is quite taxing. The first half of DRT-only still went well, but things started to fall apart on the second half. Accordingly, I updated my finish time to 15 hours.
Just before I got to Mulky Gap, I had the best part of my day. Things like that make me like trails that people backpack. Someone had left a large packet of trail mix on the side of the trail! With my numb fingers, it was hard to open the packet. So, I gleefully used my teeth on the packet that had been lying on a muddy ground next to the trail for who knows how long. Once I had the packet opened, I filled both my fists with the trail mix. For those who know how large my hands are, you can imagine how much trail mix I inhaled in less than a minute. With a full belly (actually too full - but I did not care), I felt a lot better and marched on with a smile.
Now, after Mulky Gap, the climbs on DRT grew much bigger (slightly less steep - but still plenty steep). I was happy to reach Wolfpen Gap - not only 2.5 miles on the DRT (though with a huge uphill to Slaughter Mountain) and I meet up with the AT for home stretch (another 8 miles - but overall a drop of about 900 ft on the AT). The part to the trail intersection went quite well - I kept the slog and started singing the appropriate Iron Maiden song ("Bringing your daughter to the slaughter").
When I got to the AT, I still thought that 15 hours would be the total time. Little I knew how much hypothermia and the body struggling to keep the core warm(ish) takes out. It was dark by now and it got windier and colder. I started shivering. So, the body was wasting a lot of energy trying to keep itself warm - and it made it harder to run. That, in turn, made me further cold. As much as I wanted to stop and eat and drink, my numb fingers were taking too long to do anything and I was afraid to stop for too long.
In my slightly discombobulated state, I even went off the trail for about 100 vertical feet at one point. When I sort of came to, I realized that I am definitely not on any kind of trail, the AT blaze is nowhere to be seen. I thrashed around a bit to find the trail, and, finally, after about half an hour of getting colder and colder, I heaved a sigh of relief when I saw the familiar white blaze. But now the question - "which way do I go?". It would have sucked to backtrack, fortunately, I saw some lights in the distance and realized that must be way I should head.
Finally, after a bit over 16 hours, I stumbled back to the car. Thoroughly shagged and dreading the thought of doing the hard part of DRT *twice* in Cruel Jewel. I guess I am not dead after this LRiCWaWW - so, must be stronger. I'll take that.
I digress. Gastronomical failings are not the point of this post. Rather, the fleetingly mentioned LRiCWaWW is. To train for upcoming Cruel Jewel in northern Georgia (think elevation profiles that make one just laugh in fear), I decided to go for a "fun" run on a loop that combines part of the Appalachian Trail (AT), Benton McKaye Trail (BMT), and Duncan Ridge Trail (DRT). The loop itself is about 55 miles (or, somewhere between 53 and 58 miles - depending on who you ask and how much you trust them) and an elevation profile that indeed did make me laugh in fear. The total gain/loss has been estimated to be +/- 16K to 17K ft by some. But, no one really knows - it is just hard. I had a few runs on parts of the loop in the past few weeks, so kind of knew what I was getting into.
I got to the trailhead early and started by run/hike on the AT (going south/west). It was about 50 and raining. The trail was quite slippery and there were quite a few puddles). This section on the AT is about 16 miles and goes from ~3100 ft to 2500 ft (with only about a million big hills thrown in between), and is a schizophrenic concoction of very runnable (when dry) to substantially rocky (about 2/3 to 1/3 ratio). I ran into several people backpacking and the size of their backpacks made me shudder. The slippery nature of the trail made me go a bit slower than I had planned. I had estimated it taking a bit over 3 hours to do this segment, but I ended up taking half an hour longer. Oh well - now I can just enjoy the run rather have 12:35 (FKT) on the back of my mind. And, "enjoy" I did - for over 16 hours.
Leaving the AT for the BMT was actually quite pleasant - no crowds and overall more runnable trail for the next 12 miles - although with a bit more elevation change thrown in. However, I had my first "Oh f***" moment of the day soon after I started on the BMT. I had forgotten to take half my food! This will be fun - let the rationing begin. Instead of 100-150 cal per hour, I will have that amount every two hours. What is even more fun than LRiCWaWW? LRiCWaWW with food rationing.
Everything was still fun and games on this section of the BMT (runs with DRT too - but don't be fooled by this section on what DRT actually is). I was still maintaining a reasonable pace with feeling like I was pushing - and was looking at a 14 hour finish.
At the end of this section, BMT/DRT crosses Highway 60 and the trail begins a steep climb of almost 1500 ft to Licklog Mountain. Steep by BMT standards, that is (i.e., there are even switchbacks). A bit after that, BMT splits off of DRT and my first thought at seeing the trail arrows was a beseeching cry - "BMT, please don't leave me at DRT's mercy!".
Ah, the DRT - straight up and down mountains. What the trail lacks in elevation change stature for the first part of DRT, it more than makes up in terms of steepness and lack of switchbacks. "Well, I am doing you a favor - if I had switchbacks, you'd be looking at a 70 mile run! Ingrate!" So, when they say a "ridge" trail - they take is very seriously. Also, the wind picked up - it was just waiting for me to be on the ridge. Forecast had made it sound as if I would have slightly cross to tail wind on this section. Liars. If anything, it was slightly tail-cross to mostly front/front-cross. And, yes, it was still raining and not that much warmer than when I started. A hard slog, lack of enough food, body working overtime to keep me from getting seriously hypothermic all combined to make is quite taxing. The first half of DRT-only still went well, but things started to fall apart on the second half. Accordingly, I updated my finish time to 15 hours.
Just before I got to Mulky Gap, I had the best part of my day. Things like that make me like trails that people backpack. Someone had left a large packet of trail mix on the side of the trail! With my numb fingers, it was hard to open the packet. So, I gleefully used my teeth on the packet that had been lying on a muddy ground next to the trail for who knows how long. Once I had the packet opened, I filled both my fists with the trail mix. For those who know how large my hands are, you can imagine how much trail mix I inhaled in less than a minute. With a full belly (actually too full - but I did not care), I felt a lot better and marched on with a smile.
Now, after Mulky Gap, the climbs on DRT grew much bigger (slightly less steep - but still plenty steep). I was happy to reach Wolfpen Gap - not only 2.5 miles on the DRT (though with a huge uphill to Slaughter Mountain) and I meet up with the AT for home stretch (another 8 miles - but overall a drop of about 900 ft on the AT). The part to the trail intersection went quite well - I kept the slog and started singing the appropriate Iron Maiden song ("Bringing your daughter to the slaughter").
When I got to the AT, I still thought that 15 hours would be the total time. Little I knew how much hypothermia and the body struggling to keep the core warm(ish) takes out. It was dark by now and it got windier and colder. I started shivering. So, the body was wasting a lot of energy trying to keep itself warm - and it made it harder to run. That, in turn, made me further cold. As much as I wanted to stop and eat and drink, my numb fingers were taking too long to do anything and I was afraid to stop for too long.
In my slightly discombobulated state, I even went off the trail for about 100 vertical feet at one point. When I sort of came to, I realized that I am definitely not on any kind of trail, the AT blaze is nowhere to be seen. I thrashed around a bit to find the trail, and, finally, after about half an hour of getting colder and colder, I heaved a sigh of relief when I saw the familiar white blaze. But now the question - "which way do I go?". It would have sucked to backtrack, fortunately, I saw some lights in the distance and realized that must be way I should head.
Finally, after a bit over 16 hours, I stumbled back to the car. Thoroughly shagged and dreading the thought of doing the hard part of DRT *twice* in Cruel Jewel. I guess I am not dead after this LRiCWaWW - so, must be stronger. I'll take that.
This was just an incredible read! Do you carry a water filter to drink water from the streams? Is it meditative to run for so many hours by yourself? Do you allow yourself to panic when you realize you've a food shortage? Lastly, do you carry a satellite phone or an SOS device in the event of an injury leaving you unable to walk? It is just unbelievable what you guys do.
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