AT100

I'll keep it short. Less than 30 minutes into the race I stepped on a rock and it still hurts today. Mile 30 my quads are already shot but I am running strong. Mile 50 and I'm 22 minutes under sub 24 hours. 20 miles later and I am now on a 25 hour pace and everything hurts. I have to run 3.5 miles over Smith Mountain and the mountain kicked my butt. I hit mile 85 at 4:00 am and die. My left groin is blown out to the point to where I can only drag my foot. My feet are so swollen that if I take off my shoes I will not be able to get them back on. The only that does not hurt is my stomach my head and my hands. I spent the next two hours trying to sleep and recover. At 6:15 I tell the group of people in the Aid Station to get me ready. Then I stand up out of the chair and I am unable to walk to the first aid tent without help. End of race! I'm not going back to try this one again, I am just going to accept that the mountain is better than me. They should rename the race the AT100 Rock Garden because 99% of the race is run on little, medium and big rocks.

Sorry to hear that, dirtrunner. Heal up.

Dirtrunner, I'm so sorry to hear you got hurt. I hope none of your injuries are long-term.

And I think you might say the mountain was better than you.. that day. It'm sure it's hard to think about getting back out there when you're in that much pain, but if you were running sub-24 that far into the race, it sounds like you could kick some serious rock garden butt if you were healthy.

Good luck with your recovery :-)

Dirtrunner, I'm sorry to hear things didn't work out. I'm not sure the mountain is better than you. One advantage you have over it is that you can change your mind and come back for a second try. Once you heal up you might decide that it's worth giving it another shot!

I just told my wife last night that I'm going back. Sometimes you just need some good luck or a lack of really bad luck to finish. You just can't train for your groin muscle not to blow out. Only my feet still hurt, everything else has started to feel normal.

Thanks for posting your report, Marcel. It sounded pretty grueling. Glad to hear you are giving it another try!

I was working that 85 mile aid station. I really felt for you and admired your determination. It's a hell of a sport when a guy can run 85 miles at that pace on that course and still feel disappointed! (At 85 miles, you've done Smith Mountain TWICE, folks.)
Knowing what you know now, you'll be breezing in '07. Glad you're coming back.

Thanks ajj to you and everyone at that aid station. I should see you sooner, I'm going to run the Ouachita 50.