GSER Race Report 2020

 My first experience with GSER was in 2018, I only signed up because I was trying to earn a stupid jacket and I needed a 100k.  It’s funny how one silly thing can lead you to finding something you truly enjoy (my 2018 race report is somewhere on this page).  I tell everyone I know that this race should be stocked full of participants, there should be a waiting list for this race, you need to run this race!!!

GSER kinda always starts out with a thud, there’s no pomp and circumstance, it’s almost as if someone or everyone doesn’t want anyone to know there is an accumulation of people setting off on a 62ish mile adventure; although for me, that usually means at least 65 miles.  With that said, it seemed this year people were even more laid back, strolling to the start with very little purpose, possibly trying to figure out if any new norms existed, possibly for spacing, could have been just that it was 5AM.

My plan was always to run light, start out with nothing more than my Ultimate Direction hand bottle sleeve wrapped around an empty dasani bottle, some cashews, and an emergency gel.  I had also decided to run in my Vapor Flys, still not certain that was a good choice.  I left the start fast (mid 7s for the first three miles).  I dropped my headlamp at my truck, then started moving towards Marietta square.  I was expecting to be trailing at least one or two individuals in the beginning, but instead found myself alone until finally finding friendly faces at Franco’s house.  Here I got a fresh water bottle and a granola bar.  I barely stopped and I don’t think I said much and then carried on into Sope Creek Park.  At Sope creek I found a buddy of mine Zac Wilson, he’s a GUTs card carrying member who lives at the entrance and runs there daily, so we connected and he decided to tag along.  It was nice to have company and conversation, especially since we took a few extra loops inside the spider web maze that is this park.  The next time I saw anyone associated with GSER was near Truist Park where we found a cooler, Trenna and another volunteer.  I love this course change, my family and I are big baseball fans, we live in Rome and have the Rome Braves, their single A franchise, but unfortunately have never been or seen the new stadium there in Cobb county.  I introduced strangers, took a fresh water bottle and fig newton and resumed running (now mostly mid 8s).  I kept wondering when he would ditch me, but he remained loyal all the way until we reconnected to the trail system after Truist Park.  That section on the trail down by the river is always nice and didn’t disappoint this year.  I continued on then exited that area and found the climb up to Rivergreen drive (walked the hill 10:52 mile).  However, the next section heading into Joy’s aid at the OK Cafe has a lot of down hill, so I picked the pace back up (next 6 miles was a mixture of high 7s and low 8s).  I found Joy, allowed for a photo, thanked her, took a new water bottle, fig newton (never ate, maybe will eat today), and the miracle ice bag and went on towards the Governor's mansion.  I had carried my homemade neckerchief made to hold ice, and the icing started at that very moment.  My first marathon split was 3:49 as I progressed toward the next new section.  This is where I got both a big surprise and also where I added some mileage.  The surprise came as I entered Morningside nature preserve.  I have never been close to this place and looked at google maps and all the strava and trails app stuff that was provided, but in my mind I saw a straight flat line, quick and easy.  Well two problems, it’s not straight (new fences prevent you from even trying) and it’s not flat, guess I should have known that because it followed a power line, it was probably more like RatJaw than the Comet trail, but I knew that it wasn’t long, so I trudged on (3rd slowest avg mile at 12:05, just a min slower than my assent up stone mountain).  After this I got moving again until I made a wrong turn and ended up on morningside drive.  So, I finally pulled out my directions and realized I was at least 0.75 miles off course.  So I went back and corrected, finally got to piedmont rd where I could enter piedmont park off of monroe.  This whole section cost me 1.5 miles and at least 15 mins; however the good news was that an aid station and another friend awaited just around the corner.  I stopped by Rachel’s aid station, picked up another water bottle, some peanuts, and some ice for my neckerchief.  Thanks Rachel for volunteering!!  As soon as I left this aid station, I picked up another friend who selflessly gave his time to help my efforts, Seth Bailey.  Here again our meeting was last minute and ad hoc, but in the end was perfect.  We ran the beltline, then we passed his car, then we passed another exit point, in the end he stuck by my side until the seminary, we averaged around 9 minute miles from mile 31ish to 47ish.  During our tenure together we kinda got ahead of the race, but I had planned on this, my family was ready with the minivan at Oakland Cemetery and at the seminary, so they provided me with funyuns, a bacon cheeseburger, water, some ice and a Quest Cookie.  Most of this was at Oakland Cemetery.  Seth and I had one fun part in trying to figure out how to traverse a detour without getting arrested or run an extra mile, we managed it with grace and nobody yelled at us, although an “older” lady did yell at mostly me about my spacing on the sidewalk near N.McDonough, Seth was in the road and I was on the curb, but apparently she wanted us on the other side of the road.  What’s amazing is that besides this episode, I mostly saw happy people, enjoying a beautiful day.  When we arrived at the seminary school, eating was becoming something I had no interest in.  Here was the last section, Seth had kept me honest and then handed me off to the punisher, Jonathan Newton.  Jonathan was the current record holder and who spoiled my party last year, so not sure he did this out of kindness or spite, either way it was appreciated.  I knew it was going to be hard, as this section is always hard, you are completely exposed and either the wind is blowing the wrong way, the sun is cooking you or both.  Today Jonathnan was going to try and keep me under 9 min miles until Stone Mountain.  I agreed and as always felt like I had wings leaving the seminary, only to feel dread coming out of avondale estates.

We did manage two fast miles (9th mile 7:56 and last mile 7:45).  The rest were all over the place as I apologised for walking up “slopes”, as he coined them.  We one stop on the path leading into Stone Mountain, a chevron (mile 58ish, 60 for me that day) I never pass up.  My secret recipe there is $5, no change back, providing me with two water bottles, one for my head, and an orange gatorade.  Jonathan, allowed for this detour, thanks Jonation for such liberties.  After this stop we got it back together and made it to the base of the mountain at around 2:30.  The mountain was crowded, but Jonathan ran offense and we conquered that thing in under 20 minutes.  At this point, I found no hope in making a 3PM (sub 10 hr) return to the finish, but at some point starting downhill I decided to give it a go and boy we were close.  The last mile, albeit down hill was 7:45, but still we missed it by 1 minute with a 10:01 finish.      

As to how GSER went specifically for me this year (2020), I would say it was great.  I had a plan and a mission, and I had many others excited about my ideas and eager to help.  With the weather forecast providing the catalyst for my timeline, the goal was to go out too fast and wait for the sun to reel me back in, I’ve had plenty of experience with this. 

The nice thing about running now is that I know so many more people.  I only started running ultras in 2016 because I wanted to run Barkley, it’s the only reason.  I had no idea as to what running a flat 50k required, much less a difficult 50 miler.  So now being able to address people on a first name basis and look for help from more qualified individuals is a blessing and makes the whole experience much more fulfilling.

I hope everyone else had a great time and that this race fulfilled their expectations.  I appreciate Trenna for both picking up the torch and also for making the decision to move forward with the race.  I think a lot of us needed something more than a training schedule for motivation.