Bimblers Bluff 50K, Guilford, CT

This was one of the most beautiful trail runs I have ever experienced, just enough variety to keep things interesting; rolling hills, single track, rocky climbs, dirt roads and amazing views. The first 10 miles were not very technical and the running was on smooth single track. Then we came to our first series of steep, rocky, strenuous climbs to the bluff. The spectacular views at the top made the effort well worth it.

The view from the Bluff

Around mile 14 I caught up with two graduate students from New Hampshire who were a pleasure to run with. After several miles of solitude,  I appreciated coming across these friendly, outgoing runners. Trail running seems to attract the lone wolf and striking up a conversation is not always easy. The one runner explained how he was an athlete but had never run a race before. In fact, he just took up running a few weeks before. He explained to me how this was totally ok since he was young and in pretty good shape. We also talked about how privileged we felt to have discovered trail running and to have the opportunity to be out in the woods doing what we love. We talked about John Muir and his writing and how the guy "got it".

Time to fuel up
As we came upon the mile 16 aid station (always a welcome site) there were a few runners refueling. The volunteers at the aid station were extremely friendly and very willing to help with anything runners needed, from band-aids to filling your water bottle.  It is not easy to ingest much food while running (without GI issues) but it is a necessity to keep your body moving. I managed to get down 1/4 pbj, a couple of potato chips dipped in salt and a few M&Ms. This fuel along with some Nunn Electrolyte tabs and Perpetuem Solids kept me going for the next 6 miles.

 "Someone will get lost, don't let it be you"
After passing through the 22 mile aid station, consumed with the thought of eating my handful of Swedish fish, I missed a turn and ended up running for about 15 minutes in the wrong direction. The course was well marked in most areas but there were several times during the day where I questioned if I was going in the right direction. A few times, I was not. Definitely not fun to run any extra distance at this point. I was upset about this until I came across another runner ahead of me. He told me not to feel too bad as he had gotten lost once at mile 93 during a 100 mile ultra run for over 1 hour. I had nothing to complain about.

Keep your eyes on the trail markings

The runner's I meet on the trails are as tough as nails

Nobody ever complains in these distance trail runs. Around mile 26 I passed a couple, the guy was puking and bent over looking really weak. I asked if I could do anything to help. He quickly shot his head up, cheerfully saying, "No, I'm fine, but thanks for asking!".In another race last year, I passed a guy limping along with a badly sprained ankle, we were 8 miles from the nearest aid station and he was still smiling. Then there is my friend and one of the best runners in the area who wore traditional Mexican running sandals (handmade)...but that is another story. You can see more about barefoot running sandals here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Upb2fDz1J-s


I'm just an average runner who runs long
I have to admit, the distance between mile 25 through 31+ felt like a really long time and most of my steps were painful. Yes, I found myself using expletives at times but luckily out in the woods, there was nobody around to hear them. Running long distances is like running many different races in the same day, you might feel fantastic at mile 5, want to quit at mile 15, feel like death at mile 22 and elated at mile 30. The human body is a an amazing thing and it wants to survive.

Running long can be a great way to find time to think
My 82 year old father was at the finish waiting for me. I knew this at mile 30 when he called me on my cell phone to ask if I was still running. I assured him I was only a few miles out and would be there as soon as possible. I had been thinking of my my dad a lot during  my 7 hours of running, trying to come up with some new ideas to make his late life more comfortable.  When I saw his face and felt his proud embrace it was everything a daughter could ask for. He brought a small fishing cooler with him that was filled with a couple of cans of good old Black Label beer to celebrate my accomplishment. As we sat on his bumper drinking a beer, ecstatic from post race endorphins, feeling the warmth of the sun on my face, I recognized that this moment was very special and I felt like the luckiest person alive.