My 2008 Tecumseh Trail Marathon Race Report...

2008 Tecumseh Trail Marathon Race Report

I remember last December thinking about racing the “Thingy” for my first trail marathon but thru early to mid-2008 I forgot about the race since I had a very fully race season scheduled already. But post-Chicago 2008 Tom M. reminded me that Tecumseh was filling up fast so I always listen to what Tom tells me :-) I forged ahead and signed up for the trail marathon. Since I ran Chicago and then New York I then was going to run Tecumseh as a “fun” marathon run with some friends to close out my 2008 racing season…sure brian…a fun run :-)

So on Friday 12.5.08 I headed out for the 4 hour drive to Bloomington, IN with plenty of time to spare before package p/u at the host (small) motel between the hours of 6 to 8pm. I decided to go out for a 3 mile easy run to loosen up my legs from the car travels and I was running out of the hotel parking lot another running was pulling the lot in their car as she smiled and waved to me. The hilly training run went fine so I cleaned up afterwards I drove out to the Yellowwood Forest finisher’s area to get a better idea of the region for which I noticed immediately entailed hills, hills and more hills! After seeing where the finishers area was and needed to be the next morning to pick-up the bus ride to the starting area I headed to the package p/u motel were I immediately spotted a group of serious looking racers and started to wonder what I had gotten myself into…I’m a rookie trail marathoner with no trail training…just some very basic thrown together, very simple maintenance training since Chicago & New York! I then remembered this was a “fun run” for which I was aiming to finish in the 4 to 4.5 hour time zone…

Afterwards I met up at Italian Restaurant in downtown Bloomington with fellow Tapirs Leann, GregC and DaveK for a much needed carbo dinner and strategy session on how to approach this technically challenging trail race. GregC ran this event back in 2005 and shared his wealth of knowledge about Tecumseh mainly telling us to take it easy up till mile 18 as all the major climbing is done in these early miles…walking up the steep hills were a must! Also Leann told me she was the one in the car pulling into the hotel lot that afternoon…a small world :-)

After a perfect night of sleep I finally decided on my race attire as I ate breakfast that early morning. I headed out early to the curvy, hilly country road luckily before the snow started to fall and as I parked at the finishline area the snow then started to fall. As I ate alittle more pre-race food and drank some more electrolyte drink I must have reviewed the elevation profile chart a hundred more times http://www.dinoseries.com/maps/TTMprofileB.gif and thinking about GregC’s words about taking it easy the first 18 miles before getting out of the car to get on the school bus at 8:45am to head to the starting area. I spotted Leann as we rode on the bus together to the start area which kept my mind off the race that we were about to take part in with 598 other runners. As the bus delivered us to the start I wished her well and I would she her at the finish area. I spotted GregC with his foot just millimeters behind the spray painted on two inches of fresh snow starting line and Tom M. spotted us both as Tim Miller was here also with us just weeks after his awesome Indy Marathon time. We all wished each other the best and after the race organizers finally got the led vehicle running the start horn went off at 10:20am…

As the race commenced I started near the front as I heard the trail pinches into single track close to mile two but I was running at a comfortable pace. The race is quite majestic in the especially as the lightly falling snow flakes were settling to earth. The ground was frozen icy due too the cold nights they had just the days before the race which suited me much better than mud. As we entered into the single track areas I was very glad I had chose to wear my Solomon Speed Cross 2 trail shoes http://www.sport-evasion.fr/catalog/images/speedcross2.jpg as I noticed alot of runners in front of me struggling with grip on the uphill and especially downtown switchback descents. They performed perfect traction over the 26.2 miles except on very icy layered large flat stone slab rocks which were very few and far between. The miles went by comfortably and in control as we approached the “infamous” mile 13 uphill fire road with large gravel rocks on it. As I walked up the 200 foot climb uphill with several other runners it kept my mind off the steepness of it. After the crest of the hill we all resumed running downhill to the slightly smaller uphill at mile 16 which required walking once again with conversation once more. Once again after the crest we resumed running downhill as the next uphill started at mile 17 but went till mile 18 at a slightly less steepness and then…

I exploded by hitting the marathon “wall” running along the long plateau zone just after mile 18 even with all the hydration & nutrition I was carrying and consuming up to this point…I didn’t listen to GregC’s words but it felt like I was before this situation dissolved upon me. To be honest I don’t remember much from just after mile 18 till about before mile 22 as I was delusional from this massive bonk scenario. I attempted to run the flats and the downhill’s but I was way out-of-balance so I choose to walk & slight jog when I could as I was consuming massive amounts of nutrition to attempt to reverse this trend. As I would step off the single track to let fellow runners by I provided words of encouragement to them as they ran by in packs of either 3 or 5 runners. Also everyone whom passed me provided encouragement to me also which was truly appreciated during these challenging times which is what finally kick started my return to running once again just around mile 22. Everyone whom was a volunteer, aid station working and spectator was great motivation to all us runners also …thank you folks!

As I ran now on the switchback downhill heading toward the lake near mile 23 I was feeling much better now as the singletrack then followed the ebbs and flows of the typography along the beautiful snow covered frozen lake my energy was coming back but at a reduced rate of speed which I was happy to have at this point. I could hear the speaker PA system announcing runners finishing the race from the other side of the frozen lake which meant the end was near. At about mile 24.5 I had my one & only fall for the day as ran up a short uphill out of a dry creek bed after a quick downhill …my left foot toe box hit right onto the face of a dark colored flat-top granite slab rock but I bounced up quite quickly since I was more embarrassed about that fall than anything else. Luckily no one was near to witness this as I pretty much ran the last 4.5 miles of the race solo anyways. The race then had one last uphill walking climb around mile 25.5 and then I found some reserve energy to kick-in the last half mile and I had finished with a big smile on my face…finish time was a marathon PW at 4:56:34 but a trail marathon PR since it was my first one!!!

After I ate the awesome post-race homemade vegetable soup, turkey panani style sandwich, chips & peanuts I headed back to the car to change out of my race clothing and into some warm, dry winter ski clothing as it really was quite cold outside at about 30 degrees now with flurries still falling. As I headed back to finish area Tom M. spotted me after he finished this challenging race. After Tom consumed his food we spotted Leann whom just finished as we talked alittle bit about this experience we all went through today. I then drove Tom back to the cabin his family had rented for the weekend as Tom & his family invited me over for homemade Italian Beef sandwiches, brew and family time. It was truly appreciated as ever, we shared race experiences as that race was completely exhausting. Thanks Martin family once again!!!

As I left the hotel the next day on Sunday to return home via car I had a lot of time to think about how much I really did enjoy this new experience. I had a fantastic time at the Tecumseh Trail Marathon and sharing it with friends also, I would highly recommend this race to anyone looking for a new challenge. This race took me back a couple decades ago when I went to school out in Gunnison, CO where outdoor sports were plentiful to participate in. Running this “Thingy” thing reminded me of those times and running Tecumseh was an absolute perfect way to cap off my racing 2008 season…

BTW…I will return in 2009 with a much wiser & seasoned approach towards Tecumseh :-)

Brian

also…here’s a link to my polar HR data from the event as you can clearly see my bonk zone… http://www.twodogzdesign.com/run08/ttm120608.JPG

and here are the 2008 results and Tecumseh info if interested… http://www.dinoseries.com/2008TTMresults.htm
http://www.dinoseries.com/marathon.html