Distance: 31 Miles
Time: 6.08.00
Pace:11.52
Place: 91st out of 409
The
StumpJump has come and gone and I'm already ready for next year. This race has brought me pain and discomfort that started around mile 20 and continues 3 days afterward. While I'm in this discomfort and can barely get out of a chair I still can't wait until next year to do it again. StumpJump will always be special to me since it was where I ran my first ultra 2 years ago. Also, Rock Creek puts on phenomenal races that just keep getting bigger and bigger which forces everyone to pay months in advance to be able to run in it.
- Cool Stuff
Going into this race I wasn't expecting much at all due to only getting in 75 miles in for the whole month of September (Could not shake the sickness, had to go to the doctors twice and was put on 2 different antibiotics). I honestly wasn't planning on even running the StumpJump until a week before at the last minute. Funny thing is I decided to run StumpJump while I was running (must have been a really nice day running on the Pinhoti to sway me to run). I figured I had put a lot of money on this and I wasn't going to let it go to waste, plus I knew I could beat 70 percent of the people running in it (I know that sounded cocky but I'm not trying to be I swear!! Just going on facts). My only concern was that my ultrasignup ranking would go down, but it's numbers/ranking are hear-say and I'm no elite athlete so why not just enjoy a day running in the woods I thought. By the way I said I would only run if it was a nice sunny day outside, and it ended up raining most of the day, and guess who still ran! Ha!
It was a wet, muddy, and slippery race! I'm not going to go into much detail about the race because I've already rambled on too much and I've already ran it before so I knew what I was getting myself into (read for
Vanessa Hills Blog for course details, she's a pro at this writing stuff), and only a few significant things happened to me on the run.
-Going into mile 19.5 into the the aid station
I started off putting myself into cruise control, but I ended up putting my cruise control a little higher than I should have to start. I knew I did but it's a hard thing to control and judge, and when you realize that you've messed up it's already too late, and the only thing to do is suffer and continue on. However, that is where you can improve your mental state of being and from mile 17 on I was working on it hardcore! I felt pretty normal for the first 17 miles and after mile 17 I started to cramp in my hamstrings and quads. Luckily I already knew in my mind what pain I was going to feel because it happened to me 2 years ago when I ran and I will never forget it. So I just trudged on and walked when I needed to and ran when I could. I almost was seriously injured running along the ridge around mile 11. My foot caught a rock and instead of falling I caught myself but my body continued to propel myself through thorn bushes towards the end of the cliff. Luckily God had placed a small tree for me to grab onto to stop me. If it hadn't been for that "so long Cody" I say. When it happened another runner shouted, "Are you OK?" and I replied after taking a breath. "oh yeah, fun stuff".
Once I started to cramp around mile 17 I slowed down tremendously, and I base that fact off of the numerous people that passed me from there until the end. It was just a slow go from then on. Around mile 29 I tripped and fell again and my legs locked up and there was no way I was able to get up on my own. Luckily 2 guys help me get up to which I am very thankful for. It was a sight to see I bet. One grabbed my hands and pulled and the other picked me up under my shoulders. One said, "take a deep breath" and boy did it hurt getting up. Then I trotted the last few miles to the finish.
Overall my time was really slow for me, but it was expected. I ran faster two years when I was younger, weaker, and inexperienced. However, I still had a great time. Before I got sick and was basically out for a month I was wanting to run around the low 5 hour mark, but that's what comes with the territory of life. I will say it was probably one of my favorites due to the fact I wasn't trying to beat anyone, finish in a certain time, or stress about it. I was able to run free and it was very enjoyable. My only complaint was the weather. I could have gone for a sunny day. Now I'm looking forward to November and running the
Duncan Ridge 50K on the 17th. I should be in better shape by then, however it's a very very tough course and will be expecting an even slower time. I say bring it though, it's all about running tough courses and challenging yourself and bringing your body to a breaking point and pushing past it to find out what you're made of.
One last thing I'd like to mention is that my friend
Josh Holloway, who runs for
Half Moon Outfitters Endurance Team, finished his first ultra and did it in a studly time of 4 hrs 54 minutes placing him 7th overall. He did a fantastic job and has a bright future in this I believe!! Others to mention that I know of locally:
Vanessa Hills (mentioned earlier) and George Kopcsak, both had unbelievable times for the 1st time running!!!!! Awesome Job!
Photo courtesy of Kenny Sheppard
- A BIG THANK YOU goes out to my dad for being there for me at the race and having my supplies at aid stations ready for me when I got there. Hopefully next year he will be back in the running game and able to participate in the future. He says he's finished with racing, but I don't believe him and I don't think he believes it himself!
I've had a very up and down racing season so far this year. When I've been hot I've been hot (3 Day Mountain Stage Race) and when I've been cold I've been cold (so cold I've had to drop out of a race, a puny half marathon at that). I will say I've probably brought a lot of it on myself due to being stressed to the max about my future, applying to physical therapy school, waiting to hear answers, and worrying about what I will do if I don't get in. (Kept me out of running for 3 and half weeks worrying about that). Now that I found out I've been accepted. I feel like I can relax and live a little easier. That is at least until school starts in May. Haha! Good thing running is my outlet.
