Bull Mountain Epic is a three loop course where 50K runners do each loop once and 100K runners repeat the series after completing the three loops. There is also a half marathon that uses a modified version of the first loop.
With the nearest town a seemingly 30 minute drive from the start/finish area, I debated camping versus a hotel. I ended up camping, in part because hotels were $150/night and I'd barely be using it given my Ultrasignup-estimated finish time of 1:00 a.m. Sunday. So, I loaded all my camping gear in the Jeep and set out for Georgia around 1:30 p.m. Without a street address, I selected "GEO Coordinates" from my navigation screen and proceeded westward on I-40. The drive went well and took me through the scenic Nantahala Gorge ----blighted only by dilapidated buildings along the roadside--but after about four hours, it told me I had arrived at my destination which obviously was not the start/finish area. I re-entered the coordinates and it said the same thing. I tried my cell phone navigation and it said I was 60 miles away and the map tellingly showed my destination as being off Nimblewill Church Road, a name I recognized from other race communications. Frustrated, I used my cell phone to get me the rest of the way.
I got my tarp down, tent set up, and ate a quick dinner of pizza that I'd brought from home. The race day weather promised to be in the low 70s but it was still in the 80s at this point and a bit humid. The sun sets around 7:30 p.m. so I didn't have a lot of time once I'd gotten everything set up and put in the tent. Once in the tent, I sorted through all my race stuff, separating what I'd start with from what I'd put in a chair by my car. The nice part about this loop course was that I'd pass my car every time I either entered or left the start/finish. With little left to do once I'd sorted everything, I read some of a book I'd brought (Wyatt Earp) and fell asleep around 9:00 p.m.
I set my chair up by the Jeep and put a duffle bag with anything I might need during the race: USB battery & cables (in case my watch battery got low,) food, packets of Tailwind, different shoes and socks, two extra shirts, a backup race vest (the one they gave me at Western States,) my poles, and my first aid kit--just in case. Once that was all prepared, I just sat in the Jeep and waited until closer to start time.
The half marathon started at 8:00 after a brief informational presentation by the RDs. Once they were off, the 50K and 100K lined up behind the arch and heard their version of the presentation. Shortly after that, we were off.
I fell in behind a small pack of two guys and a girl. I couldn't tell what race they were in (500-series bibs were the 50K and we were 600-series bibs) but just listened as we went along. The trail was quickly recognizable as a part I'd been on during the Georgia Death Race. I even recognized the spot where one guy tried to fist-bump me as I let him by and he tripped and tumbled into briars right before our fists made contact. The temperature was probably in the 60s and the sky was overcast. There was a slight breeze that would stay with us throughout the day. I heated up pretty quickly, but was thankful that the prior days temperatures in the upper 80s would not happen today.
After a bit, I fell in with a guy (Kevin) from Salt Lake City who had family in the area. His wife went to school at Gardner Webb and he was familiar with the Linville Gorge. We talked quite a bit as we went along and it really helped make the lap go by quickly. The ten mile loop itself reminded me a lot of the bike trails at Lake James State Park. It was very runnable in most places. The aid station was at mile 7, but I'd made very little dent in my water and Tailwind so I checked in and continued on toward the start/finish area. Though it was October, there was very little color on the trees, mostly yellow. There was little mud on the course, but there were a number of patches of sand that I couldn't determine if they were naturally occurring or if the sand was put there to maintain the trail.
My first ten mile loop took 1:43:34. I refilled my bottle with one of my Tailwind baggies and grabbed some Pringles from the aid station. There was a cone we were supposed to run around but I'm not sure I ever did. It was right at the aid station and I definitely went past it each time I came in during the day, but I doubt I ever actually went around it. Not spending much time at the start/finish, I headed out for the second loop alone.
Roughly 1/4 mile above the start/finish area, there is an intersection of trails used in the race. I knew we were following the white flags on this loop but at this junction, they went in two directions. Knowing that this loop was 13 miles, I figured this is where the half-marathoners went. In one direction, we (a guy was there with me trying to figure it out) noted that we were looking at the back of the signs--as if you were to read them coming from that direction. So, we decided to head down the other direction. We passed a few half-marathoners coming toward us and they said that they had seen other people going the same direction as us. The guy I was running with stopped for some reason and I continued on my own. After a couple miles, I came out at a junction where I saw a 50K/100K sign on my left, but also flagging to my right. Behind me, I noticed a sign that said "13.1 only." I realized I had done something wrong. About that time, a young guy in a blue shirt that looked like it came from Flashdance came toward me. We'd both made the same mistake and now we had to decide what to do about it. I didn't want to run all the way back to that early intersection and head up the trail I had skipped so I decided to just run the loop backwards and tell the RD at the end of the loop.
It was only about 1/2 mile from where I met the guy to the aid station (had I run it correctly, it was nine miles to the aid station) and we told them what had happened. They really didn't know what to do and didn't have a signal to communicate with "home base" so we continued on the loop backwards. Post-race, I was able to correct my watch's map to reflect the correct route and it looked like I'd added about a mile or two to my run. This loop had much more climb and was more technical than the first loop. I/we (though the guy I had met up with ran on ahead eventually) kept meeting runners going the correct way and had to assure them that they were indeed on the right course. Somewhere toward the end of the loop, I realized that it was a "lollipop" and that where I'd had the trouble with the early intersection, we ran that section in both directions. I came into the aid station at 4:11:53, meaning that loop took 2:45. I reported my error (as had the guy in the "Flashdance" shirt, and they acknowledged the problem, but didn't say anything about disqualifying me. With my priority being on the UTMB points, I'd have been fine with a time penalty or something, but I really wanted to avoid being disqualified.
So, onto the third loop. This time, I grabbed my poles, thinking they might come in handy as I got more tired--especially should my foot catch on a root or rock along the trail. I also changed to my pack I got from Western States. My U/D vest is comfortable but it was bouncing on me and rubbing "double hickies" on my neck. This one was much more comfortable and I immediately noticed the difference. I didn't need the storage offered by the U/D vest anyway. The third loop shared the same first couple miles with the first loop. It also felt similar to the first loop in terms of terrain and runability. I was alone for much of this loop and it really seemed to stretch on forever. The aid station came at mile 3 of the loop and it was the same aid station we visited in the first loop. So, the next seven miles really felt long. I wasn't terribly tired or in a low period, it was just a grind. This was the only time I'd run this loop in the daylight and I remember little of it. The part that stands out the most was a spot where I came out on the road and came upon a 50K runner moving very slowly. So slowly, that I assumed he had cramped up. He hadn't, it was his normal run. What confused me was how did he get ahead of me? Even accounting for my extra miles on lap two, I should have been well ahead of him. Oh well, I had my own race to worry about. I had hoped this road section was taking us straight back to the start/finish, but it went back into the woods for another couple miles of windy trail that roughly paralleled the road, though I couldn't see or hear it. After what seemed like an eternity, I popped out back onto the road, just above the start/finish. A short stretch of trail would take me down and under the arch where we started, but not before I came upon a group of three guys with four horses heading up the trail.
My first 50K (plus bonus miles) was done in 6:24:10. I was hopeful I wouldn't add too much time onto that for the second 50K, but fatigue and darkness would play a factor. Despite the cool weather, I'd noticed my urine getting darker, so I made sure I kept drinking and didn't arrive at an aid station with too much still in the bottles. So, off on a second set of the loops, knowing a little better what to expect, but certainly carrying some fatigue and soreness from the first three loops
I was alone heading out for the fourth loop, which was fine, though it does make me more prone to walk sections I should run. The continued overcast conditions made it really difficult to gauge the time of day and part of me wondered if I should be taking my headlamp out on this loop. I then realized it was only about 2:30 in the afternoon and surely I'd finish this ten miles in under five hours...
I realized I had hardly been eating anything besides some Pringles at the aid stations. I was, however, drinking heavily on the Tailwind. If they'd had oranges or maybe bananas, I'd have gotten some of that at an aid station, but they only had watermelon which I don't particularly care for. My knee was getting a little sore as the lap went on so I walked whenever it began to get beyond "uncomfortable." Eventually, I caught back up to the guy from Salt Lake City and we stayed together for a while. He told me his sister was going to pace him the last two laps and we talked about Mont Blanc since I had run over there and he had skied out of Chamonix. He seemed to be interested in all adventure sports and was new to ultramarathons. Some of his inexperience was apparent but he was doing well. As we came into the start/finish area together, he met up with his sister and wife (who had done the 50K) and I went on to the table. The clock showed 8:48:51 at this point. I was doing much better than the 17 hour finish time Ultrasignup had predicted, but there were plenty of miles remaining.
I headed out before Kevin, knowing with a pacer, he'd probably catch up to me. I grabbed my headlamps from my stuff before leaving and took off on the lap I had run backwards earlier in the day, realizing that it would all be somewhat new to me. The longer the race went on, the more time I was spending alone. Many of the 50K runners had finished and they had all completed their second loop, so it was just a handful of 100K people within a mile ahead or behind me. This might have slowed me down as it became a bit of a jog in the woods rather than a race, but with my knee aching off and on, I didn't need to be pushing that hard.
Parts of the loop were familiar, even coming from the opposite direction, especially the old rusty truck parked randomly off the trail at one point. It reminded me of the trailside truck at Amicalola Falls. About halfway through the loop, I heard a "whoo" and it lifted my spirits as it meant I was either close to the aid station (they were cheering in a runner) or Ric Flair was ahead of me somewhere. After I kept hearing it, I realized it was just an owl. It was probably another two or three miles before I finally reached the aid station. The volunteers who had been here earlier had changed. As I checked in, they asked me to tell the people at the finish line that there was a runner who pulled out and they didn't know how to get him back. I don't know why one of them didn't just take him, but maybe they were required to have two people at the aid station at all times. Anyway, as I was about to leave on my mission, Kevin and his sister showed up and then another runner came into the aid station.
I put on my headlamp (it was time) and headed across the creek and up the trail back toward the finish, some three miles away. I kind of didn't care if anyone caught up, but I used them being so close as motivation to push the pace a little bit. In looking at the splits, it must have worked as I got back to the start/finish area over thirty minutes ahead of Kevin. Maybe he had stayed at the aid station a while or maybe he had an issue. The other guy who was at that aid station came into the start/finish just behind me and I had seen his headlamp off and on during the last mile or so. I reported on the guy at the aid station and his friend happened to be standing beside me while I was talking. I suppose/hope they got him out ok. It was now 11:57:13. It didn't help that a guy near me as I refilled my bottle had finished, but between getting off course and walking due to a sore knee, I was ok with that.
Just up the hill from the start/finish area I had to use the bathroom and was frightened to see blood red urine coming out of me. I have never been scared during a race, even alone in the middle of nowhere in the middle of the night, but this scared me. It wasn't like a cut or a sprained ankle or even a broken bone. This was scary because I had no idea what had happened. Was it some form of kidney failure? Note: I don't use advil. Was it something else? It seemed serious, but the rest of me felt fine. I decided to walk the entire last ten mile loop. Maybe it would go away. Maybe it was something to do with dehydration (though I really didn't think I was dehydrated.) The decision to go forward was possibly not wise, but it was based on my needing the finish points for my UTMB qualifying points and the lack of available options after this day to get those points. Without the points, I couldn't register for the 2020 race.
The aid station was only three miles in so I figured I could ask them and if anyone caught up to me, I'd ask them for their advice. So, I walked, fully expecting someone (at the time I thought it would be Kevin and his sister) to catch up to me. But I made it to the aid station without seeing another runner. Admittedly, I was walking quickly, but I really thought someone behind would be moving significantly faster than me.
At the aid station, they helped fill my bottles and asked if I needed anything. Not wanting to insult them by asking if anyone was a doctor, I asked if anyone knew much about runner health--or something to that effect. One of the volunteers was a physical therapist. I figured that was close enough and I described the problem and that I felt fine otherwise. She asked about dehydration and Advil, which were easy to rule out. Then she suggested it might be "Rhabdo," a term I had never heard before. She talked about muscles breaking down, etc... but I mostly just wanted to know if I should stop or not. She said it would be ok but to take it easy. I told her I'd already planned to just walk it in and she felt like that was the prudent thing to do. She also suggested I eat some protein and offered me some of her Chik-Fil-A sandwich. I opted for PB&J, which I oddly had not had up until this point in the race. I probably spent a good ten minutes at the aid station, before heading out for the final seven miles.
I continued to walk quickly and resisted the temptation to take advantage of stretches of runnable terrain, just focused on finishing. I realized it would easily be two more hours to cover this seven miles at a walk pace, so I tried not to get too impatient about getting to the familiar section toward the end of the loop. The first person to pass me was a woman I hadn't even seen before. She actually stopped and said that the aid station asked her to check on me. I don't remember if I said why I was walking, but I did say I was fine and thanked her for checking. Next was the guy who came into the loop five aid station while I was there--the one that wasn't Kevin. He also asked if I was ok, but I didn't get the impression the aid station requested it. Finally, I saw two headlamps coming toward me and could tell by their voices it was Kevin and his sister. Again, I explained my situation but assured them I was ok, just walking it in.
So, I dropped three spots that I wouldn't have had I been able to run. It bothered me a little bit, but I was buoyed by the thought that I would actually finish and get my UTMB points. I had to remind myself that was what was important. Eventually, I came out on the same section of road where I had seen the older 50K finisher earlier in the race. I was alone this time and remembered from the previous time on this loop that after this short road section, the final stretch back in the woods dragged on forever.
I didn't check my watch both times to see which was quicker, but this time in the final two(ish) mile stretch did seem to go by quicker. Maybe it was because I was finishing and not running into the halfway point. So, I wound around, hopeful no more runners would come by me and listening for cars coming down the gravel road that I would once again cross a few hundred feet from the finish.
I could faintly hear voices and music just before I crossed that gravel road. When I was close enough to the finish, they could see my headlamp and began with the cowbell and some well-intentioned cheering, but there weren't a lot of people there. I crossed under the arch at 14:54:24 and saw Kevin and his family. The RD came and spoke to me and handed me the finisher's award (which I honestly hadn't even thought about, I was so focused on getting my points.) She told me about all the food options they had, but at the moment I just wanted to get cleaned up. I should have spoken longer to Kevin but I knew I would get chilled if I didn't get changed. It had drizzled off and on after the sun went down and while I wasn't cold now, that could change quickly.
It was a little after 11:00 pm when I got in my tent to change. I'd wiped off with a wet towel under the tailgate of the Jeep, but I soon realized I really needed some soap. I still felt sticky. I had briefly considered driving out to get a hotel room but really didn't feel like taking the tent down in the rain, so I settled down and read a little bit, hoping that the bloody urine issue would resolve itself with rest. It was a bit of a fitful night of sleep with cars coming into the start/finish area--their headlights illuminating my tent, and the occasional finisher coming through. My sticky/grimy skin wasn't comfortable in the sleeping bag but as it was getting colder, I opened it up into more of a blanket, with a towel between me and my Thermarest pad. Ultimately, I probably got about six hours of sleep in two long stretches.
The next morning, the rain had passed and when I emerged from the tent, the parking lot was practically empty. Since I had spoken to the RDs only briefly the prior night, I went up to thank them for putting on the race and making it a UTMB qualifier. I also asked them to let the physical therapist at the last aid station know that I was blood free this morning, so whatever it was must have passed. The tent came down quickly and I just threw everything loosely in the back of the Jeep. It was all wet, so I'd be airing it out at home anyway. All things considered, I enjoyed the race. The course was mostly fun trails to run on and the camping was convenient. If I return, maybe it will be with the "Ultrashack." If I'm needing UTMB points in the future, I will definitely have this race on my short list.
Strangely, despite walking the entire final loop and spending quite a bit of time talking to the people at the aid station, the second time through loop three took "only" 44:13 longer than the first time around that loop. In comparison, my second time around the first loop was 40:57 slower and the second loop was 40:13 slower (but I ran the correct loop this time.) So, I was right around my goal of slowing down no more than two hours on the second 50K. On a better day, I know I could have gotten a better time. I'm not sure what the weather conditions were in the prior two years, but the 2019 running claimed seven of the ten fastest male finish times in the three years of the race. Surprisingly, despite my issues, my time would have been good for eleventh fastest if they listed that many.
So, I have my necessary points to register for the 2020 UTMB 100, which I will do. I don't care strongly if I get in because I have a deferred entry into the Kodiak 100 I could use and knock out a few more National Parks during the trip. I'd probably seriously consider returning to Bull Mountain Epic. The people were great and camping was pretty convenient (though I might change a few things if I go back.)
Oh, and the guy I just beat to the 50K point? Well, a little digging into the lap splits and I see that he was almost last after the first loop but then "ran" an incredible 1:20 second loop (nearly a half marathon) that would have been age group world record caliber on a flat, paved course. So, somehow he cheated or just honestly got off course. He surely realized something was wrong when he finished the loop so quickly?
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| Race Freebies (Skull Plaque is Finish Award) |
Strava Race Data (Not sure what happened to the elevation data but it stopped recording it after a while.)
Ultrasignup Race Results
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