Bull Run Run 50 Miler

4/13/19 Bull Run Run 50 - https://www.vhtrc.org/brr19/info

I've had my eye on this race for a long long time and it just never fit the schedule.  This year it fit the schedule and my training plan for the Bighorn 100 miler in mid June.

This would be my 55th ultra and I went into it with a conservative plan and a pretty good idea how the day would go.  My fitness is a bit behind the last few years and I've been dealing with a couple injuries but nothing that should have been a big problem.  So I thought.  The early mud did aggravate things and quickly had me reassessing the days goals. 

During the race, the focus quickly changed to the frustration and disappointment of a race that fell apart at mile 20 and having to suffer through the remaining 30 miles.  Today all that is left of the event are the memories of getting to spend a day in the woods on "new to me" trails with friends, early miles of slip sliding in muddy conditions, miles of blue bells and the sounds of 1000s of gunshots as we ran parallel to the shooting range across the river.

I knew this as the last 30 miles slowly passed by.  That the disappointment would quickly fade and I would be left with the good.  Yeah, it wasn't so bad.  And now maybe the mental sword will be a little sharper for the next race or the next challenge that surfaces.

The Virginia Happy Trails Running Club (VHTRC) are a great bunch of people and are seen at most races around Virginia.  It was a well run event along the Bull Run River.  It is almost all trail (98%) with a couple short sections of gravel and asphalt road.  Nothing about it is really difficult but the course has a few short technical sections and is rarely flat.  The out and back portions give you a chance to see other runners and the aid stations are numerous enough that you don't need to carry much with you.  I decided to carry a 20oz handheld and took some food that I had prepared and was able to keep that in my pack pocket.