Swamp Stomper 50K

Swamp Stomper 50k Recap 1/20/2019

GDR is 10 weeks out. 

  Going into this race I still needed a 50k for a prerequisite for the Georgia Death Race. I like to add races into my training block for the longer runs. I really didn’t plan to taper at all for this race since it’s basically just another long run. With my ankle giving me issues for the previous two weeks I ended up tapering anyways. So I went Into the race pretty fresh, or so I thought. 

   My previous 50k PR was around 7 hours and 50 minutes. Even with my ankle still bothering me, I thought I should be able to run faster than that pretty easy. I had some really good long runs leading up to the race and felt my fitness level was good. 

   The forecast for the race had been changing all week prior and it started to look like we might catch a break for race day. It was going to rain all week, the temperature was going to drop the day before the race, and race day was going to be cold, but sunny. 

   23 degrees was the temperature at the start of the race. With my ankle wrapped up, the gun went off and we were running. Knowing how Candy struggles with trails, and my tendency to start too fast, I hung back with her and just took it easy.  The race course is a 25k out and back with a side loop added on the way out. Run the course twice for the 50k. 

   After a short road section at the start to separate the runners a little, we drop Into the trail for a nice single track downhill. Quickly I realized my ankle wasn’t going to be able to handle me hammering the downhills so i continued cautiously. 

    The first few miles were pretty flat and easy running with very few muddy spots. After the 3 mile aid station there is a steep downhill and then we headed out on the red loop. The Red Loop is the side loop that you only do once on each 25k lap. It is also the loop where a lot of the elevation and technical trail comes in. The climbs aren’t very long but they are very steep and technical, and they were a lot steeper the second time around. At about 6 miles in, Candy and I finish the Red Loop still having fun and this is the first time we see Stephanie. She is third female at this point for the 25k. 

  After the Red Loop the course heads north to the turn around. This is what the locals call the swamp and where the race gets its name. About 80% of the next 3-1/2 miles was a sloppy, muddy mess. Ankle deep in most spots and occasionally you would hit a spot that would go mid shin. The kind of mud where you have to run on your toes to keep your shoe from getting sucked off. 

   Still early in the race this section was a little annoying but interesting. There was no avoiding the mud so the best bet was to just run right through the middle. After about 45 minutes of fighting through the mud with frozen toes there is a steep climb to the north aid station and turn around. I make to the aid station just as the first 25k runner does. (They started an hour after I did) I take my time at the aid station, drink some tailwind and a little bit of soda. Then head back Into the 3-1/2 miles of swamp. Candy wasn’t too far behind me as i see her coming up the hill to the turn around. She is still smiling but said she isn’t doing the second lap. On the way back through the swamp I really start to notice the toll it’s taking on my legs as the muscles really start to burn. I also can tell i have some crud in my shoes but can’t tell how much because my feet are frozen and I start to question my decision to not bring any extra socks. Then I realized it wouldn’t have mattered because my shoe laces are frozen and my hands are too cold to handle the simple task of changes socks. 

   Almost through the swamp I see more and more 25k runners heading into the swamp and towards the turn around. I know I should be seeing Stephanie soon. It’s not too long and there she is. First place female at this point. Fist bump and keep moving. Now I know i have to hustle so she doesn’t catch me since I had an hour head start. In another mile or so I see Sarah Brennfleck. A hug and a few words of encouragement and we are both on our separate ways. 

   Still feeling decent at this point I try to hold a steady pace back to the start/finish and hope i get there before Stephanie, and I do. Knowing she had to be close I was hoping to see her cross the finish and hopefully still be the first place female. I eat some snacks and drink a couple glasses of water and not wanting to wast too much time I head out for the next 25k. Before I even make it to the trail head, there’s Stephanie, first place female and still looking fresh. 

  14:32. That’s my average pace as i head out on my second lap. I start to think that I might be able to negative split the race. So I start plugging away. The plan works for a whole 2 miles and I hit the wall. From mile 19-25 my fastest mile is 16:27 and 3 miles were around 20 minute pace. This low point in the race consisted of the red loop and the outbound portion of the swamp. It’s these miles that I start to wonder why I do this. I feel miserable, I’m not able to run like I thought I could. I start to think there is no way in hell I will be able to finish GDR. Fuck this fucking mud. I know Candy is all warm and laughing because I’m still out there slogging through the mud. Plus the mud is much worse this time because of all the people that have ran through it already. I’m just miserable as I make it up the climb to the aid station and turn around. I drink a few cups of water, some soda and eat some M&Ms. I tell myself 6 miles to go and head back into the swamp. 

   I’m not sure if it was the soda, the m&ms or what. But as i force myself to start jogging, I get a second wind. This has never happened to me before. On the way back through the swamp I am able to run through the mud and this section goes by much faster this time. I even manage to pass a couple people that are struggling with the mud. This second wind actually carries me all the way to the finish and my 31st mile was my fastest of the day. I cross the finish line still feeling a little frustrated. This race was a real struggle and left me questioning myself. Yeah the mud was tough and I wasn’t completely healthy, but I though I would do better than that. 

   Knowing I at least got the required 50k out of the way for GDR I chug a bunch of water and eat a burger. Before we leave I talk to a guy named Les who said he has ran the race 11 times and that’s the muddiest he has seen it. That was a little comforting to think about as we drove back to our hotel. Swamp Stomper, the course lived up to it’s name. 

   Despite the handful of sand and mud that was in my shoes, the skin on my feet was in ok shape. My legs feel relatively good. It’s my feet and ankles that are killing me. Might have to take a week off from running and spend some time on the elliptical and stair master.