Free State Trail Marathon ~ Race Ratings KS (#29)

Tagline: "A Course from Hades with Angels for race directors!!"

Ratings...

2010 Free State Trail Marathon ~ April 24, 2010

Lawrence, KS ~ Clinton Lake Trails
Year Running: 4th!
Registration Fee: $60 ($80 late, $100 last minute, until they hit the 200 Participant Max)
Runners:  98 Completed,  37 Females (116 started)

Available Races: Marathon, 40 Miles, 100K
Average Finish Time: 5:56:01

BQ %: N/A

Overall Race Rating (weighted): 4.5/5.0

Average Calculated Rating: 4.45/5.0

~ This is a great race with wonderful organization-- a true trail marathon with wonderful runners and directors. The course would be equally as wonderful if it hadn't become my "course from hades" following rain storms all week. The course was slippery and muddy and very challenging. But the volunteers on the course with their wonderful stops full of goodies definitely helped to make up for it.

Race Director: Let's play race director...
~ The one controllable aspect of this race that could possibly be changed would be putting mile markers on the course. Marking a course is challenging, but it was nearly impossible to tell how far you had gone, even with a garmin (satellite pick-up is bad on trail races). I would mark out at least every few miles. There isn't much to do about the extremely muddy conditions, except possibly moving the race to  a less rainy month-- possibly March or June?

Event Organization: 4.8/5.0 (now broken into 2 parts, see below as well) As far as "event organization" we'll go ahead and include things like Host hotel, website use, ease of travel to the event and to the actual race, etc.
Distance from Airport to Expo/Race: 45 Min
Rental Car Required: YES!
~ This isn't the easiest race to get to, but the trail is definitely worth the trip. I felt very comfortable with the organization when I started receiving weather updates from a few days out before the race up until the night before. This is especially a concern because the race saw some crazy tornado-weather last year. They also let us know what to do when faced with dangerous weather. There was plenty of communication leading up to the race. The website and sign-up was very basic and easy. I was very happy to see that there are showers located near the race start/finish that are free to use... and HOT! YES!!! Following this sticky-clay mud, that was wonderful!

Race Organization: 4.8/5.0
Hydration Color/Type: Water and Electrolyte Drink (Succeed), and soda (mt dew), etc

Gel Type/Flavors:  Varied- GU/Hammer in Many flavors!
~ This race had wonderful organization. The hydration stops were FULLY stocked with water & electrolyte drink as well as candy, cookies, gu's, mnt. dew... anything you could need! Bathrooms weren't an issues, can hey! we're in the woods-- rest rooms are everywhere! This group is VERY dog friendly, going as far as giving the dogs their own bibs and results! (extra points in my book). There weren't any mile markers, which was a little bit of an issue because our garmins don't work very well in the woods. There were, however, very knowledgable staff working the water stops that would help you with anything you needed-- even cleaning the mud and gunk off your water bottles! If there wasn't room for a full water stops, there were water jugs available every few miles and the course was surprisingly VERY well marked for a trail race.
~Post Race Food: Upon finishing the race there is a crew of people to get you anything you need for food. They had a little bbq going on with burgers. They also had sliced potatoes, cookies, pretzels, candy, fruit... VERY well stocked! The aid stations were stocked VERY similarly with all sorts of cookies, candy, sliced potatoes (whats up with those??), soda, etc.

Course: 4.0/5.0

~MarathonGuide Rating

Garmin Distance: N/A

~ Umm did you not read the post race thoughts? Course from HADES! Ok, ok, to be fair, this would actually be an AMAZING course if it weren't for the rain! The course is an awesome single-track trail with no major hills, but a ton of switchbacks and a lot of roller-coaster type hills. There are also a few areas with slick rock as well as 2 places where we cross a stream that (for us < 5'3) came up over our knees. Beware here-- I actually saw a 100K runner-girl fall flat into the stream. The start of the race is ~ a 3M loop that brings you back to the start. The 3 miles is an open area cutting through a wide weedy lawn then onto a wide trail. This was a nice way to start a mostly single-track trail so we all didn't get caught up and have difficulty passing.

If this course was moved out of the rainy-months it would be absolutely amazing-- then again there is no way to guarantee a non-rainy week and these "Running Nerds" seem to LOVE their Mud!

Spectators: 3.5/5.0

~ There were very few places spectators could watch from this course! The few places spectators were able to get to, they were very excitable! They told me how far we had gone and how far to go (if they knew) and cheered like crazy!

Pace Group: /5.0
~ N/A

Runner/Corrals: 5.0/5.0

~ I'm always surprised at just HOW nice trail AND ultra runners are! I've only been in a few and every time the runners are so outgoing and so friendly on and off the course. Single track trails can be difficult to pass on (esp in a mud pit with little footing) but every runner I approached actually stopped and moved off the trail into weeds to let other runners pass. After the race, I had a chance to speak with another woman who I had seen during the race and had to drop out. During the race, the 3rd place woman and I went back and forth a bit and after she said good job!

Expo: 4.7/5.0

~ Garry Gribbles Running Spot was the location of the packet pick-up. At first site from outside it looks a little eaahhh, but once inside it's a great spot for running gear! ... or anything other running needs!

Swag: 4.3/5.0

~T-Shirts: This race had a nice blue short sleeve techt with the marathon logo on it. It fits and feels great. 4.5

~Medals: The medal also had the logo on it-- bright big and fun. 3.8
~ Goodie Bag: Our packets and T-shirts also came with a sweet mug and sticker/decal with the marathon logo. +.2

Results...
Stephanie
Time: 4:22:27
Place: Overall Teams 13/98~ Gender 2/37~ Division N/A

Results are IN!... and OK Post-Race Thoughts

The results are in for both marathons from this past weekend and even with the crazy-muddy trail course, I was able to pull of my best double-marathon combined time yet!

KS~ Free State Trail Marathon: 4:22:27
OK~ Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon: 4:09:18

Average Time: 4:15:52!

Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon~ Post-Race Thoughts
This Sunday was the 10th running of the OKC Memorial Marathon. When I woke up my toes felt like I had let somebody stamp on them and some of them look quite bruised broken and a little infected-- ewwww. I guess what what I get for stubbing them several times during the trail run and taking my socks off in hopes to lighten the load of mud-filled shoes and socks. So... with toes that don't want to go into shoes and 26.2 more miles to go, what is a crazy marathon-maniac to do? This!!...

I taped the tootsies up in hopes to pad them from too much more pounding. FYI-- this method wasn't overly helpful! I struggled with toes pain through most of the race but I had no choice and just ignored the stinging/bruising and continued on! I ran smart, walking the very steep uphills right from the beginning. Lucky for me, there weren't too many steep hills!

The Race!

This is a HUGE marathon both in size and support from the community. This is another one of those races that the community definitely embraces, which isn't a surprise considering the honor the races gives to the memorial. The support starts pre race with thousands of volunteers signing up and a FREE pancake breakfast put on my a downtown church. This continues throughout the race with TONS of themed neighborhoods and water stops including Southwest Airline "landing" water stop, "Under the Big Top" circus theme, and even some bands that looked to be organized on their own. At the end, you're met by many more volunteers as well as a local burger joint ready to give you a cheeseburger!!! Ummm-- THIS is my kind of race!!!                               

This marathon honors those lost in the OKC tragedy, bringing the runners past the memorial and holding 168 seconds of silence prior to the race. After, MB got a few shots of the chairs in front of the memorials with "in honor of..." bibs runners had left there.

Overall this race was very well organized and supported. It was a lot of fun a a pretty fast course!

Mud-Monsterrrr!!! Grrrrr

When I was describing the  KS Marathon Course- Des 7th Circle of hell , I don't think I had enough literary talent to truely describe, in words, just HOW muddy a muddy trail could be! Fortunately for you, the race has put up photos from 2 great photographers-- Dick Ross and Kyle Gerstner --- they truely capture the Muddiness!

Pic 1: Helloooo Mud-Monster. The second picture shows what my Nike-Free's USED to look like. Siiighhh. I've got MOST of the mud off, but I'm afraid they'll never be the same again :( You can't tell in this picture (too early in the race) but after a few falls, the mud extended to my torso as well as up and down my arms. Scratching my face became a serious challenge!

This was actually one of the few areas on the course that was pretty dry.

Pic 2: Remember the Marthon-Pup I stalked err-- mentioned in my last post? Well APPARENTLY this is a BLOGGING-Marathon pup! Check out Pavlov's view of the marathon from a doggie perspective! Too cute. Also, just in case her owner hasn't filed a restraining order quiet yet on me, I've attached a picture of Pavlov/Belle with her Dad during the marathon...  

You get a better image of just how 90% of the course looked!

For more post-race thoughts on the Free State Trail Marathon (KS) scroll down. My FULL race Ratings to come as well as my Post-race thoughts and ratings on Sunday's Marathon-- The Oklahoma Memorial Marathon!

Phew-- the last (cross my fingers) double of 2010 is over and pretty successful!

Free State Trail Marathon~ Post-Race Thoughts!

Today Marathon Highlights….

I took 2nd place for women today at the Free State Trail Marathon. Oh and I learned what it felt like to be a mud monster-- ending the race covered from head to toe in thick clay mud, including my eye lashes and up my nose. Also… I learned what a marathon course would look like if the 7th circle of hell held a marathon. I would assume most people’s hell would have a marathon, but incidentally I’m fairly certain my heaven would have one too and THIS would definitely not be my heavenly marathon course!!

(Pic Right: My New Hat!)

Pre-Race Fun Times
Ok let’s back track to 07:00 this morning. The marathon start/finish was a breeze to find, with signs starting at the high way and bringing you through the campground. I got there an hour before my race and watched the ultra marathoners (40M and 100K) take off. I noticed at this point-- a Marathon Puppy!!! I have an extreme love for puppies and often ask them if they want to go home with me. This usually leads to their parents slowly walking away from me, dragging their dogs they believe will be kidnapped by the crazy dog lady. Well a marathon running puppy? How could I resist??? I rolled around with it for a while and of course asked if she wanted to run AND go home with me!!! At this point, her dad decided it was time to go to the car. Sigh--- anyways, this marathon is pro-dog and even gives the pups a bib and results!
And we’re off…
Ben and Sophia (race directors) said a few words and then we were off. The first 3+ miles is a loop through weeds and a wide trail-- mostly flat, so a good way to warm up. Even though I said I wasn’t going to run hard, I found myself behind the fastest men and well in front of all women. Uh ohm

7th Circle of Hell
And then we were in hell. The course quickly turned into a single-treck trail from Hades! It started with a mud pit ~ every half mile. And not just any mud pit-- deep dark clay mud with no footing and slippery rocks hidden under the mud. Then the mud pits increased in size and duration until we got closer to a lake-- at which point (~mile 14) it was ENTIRELY a mud pit mixed with long stretches of slippery rock on the edge of ~an 8 ft drop. At which point I had to yell (Is this even SAFE??).

Trail Shoes? Pshhh I’d rather destroy my Nike Frees
Ok if I were smart I would have purchased a pair of trail shoes, or at least a pair of shoes with a little more grip than the extremely flat Nike Free’s! However, the mud was sooo deep and sooo slippery it really wouldn’t have mattered TOO much-- well enough for 1 woman to overtake me while I was gripping onto trees and swinging from branch to branch in order to stay vertical. Unfortunately I was never able to make up the distance after the mud pit (mostly) finished -- you know, around mile 23! I would lose my shoes several times in the mud … so many times, in fact, I had to throw my socks away mid-race because they were beyond ruined by being directly stepped into the mud with.

Racing
I was so unbelievable annoyed at the trail and myself. I had fallen into the mud, tripped on rocks, broken a few toe nails trying to grip with my toes and lost my shoes/socks in the mud and I just wanted to get the race over. That’s when an obviously experienced trail runner (I say this because she HAD trail shoes on and was very good at darting back and forth over rocks and mud) came up on me and passed me. Fortunately this was around mile 22/23 when the mud was starting to thin out, we started our long treck up hill and the footing was much better. I caught her and took off fast! I was so angry I decided I wasn’t giving up my position no matter what. This helped to catch about 5-8 more MEN! Woohoo--- girl power!

The Finish!

Before I knew it I was at the final aid station. Ps. If you want well-stocked aid stations go to trail marathons-- especially trail marathons that have ultras running at the same time. I’ve never seen so many candy cookie, gu, soda, etc options in any race! Anyways, a the last aid station one of the volunteers told me I only had 3 to go (garmin said 6, but it had gotten covered in mud several times and was being an overall nuisance trying to find satalite and detect my location while running on switch-back trails). This was VERY good news. Most of the last 3 was hard dirt/mud with very few mud pits.

(Pic Right: My winnings-- Mizuno Gear!)

I finished in 2nd and the race directors were SO nice-- they both came up and congratulated me and gave me presents!!!! (The one thing I like as much as puppies-- are presents!!) Ben gave me a running hat with “Kansas City Trail Nerds” on it. Sophia (a Mizuno Rep) gave me a pink Mizuno bag and water canteen. Oh I also got my finisher medal… and a few scrapes to remember the occasion. Shoot and my scars from the last trail marathon were JUST going away.

I also had a chance to chat with another woman who I had seen on the course. She was running the marathon and had to drop out. L She said that she was surprised I was able to go so fast on the wet muddy trail with the kind of shoes I had on…. Yeah, me too! The woman in 3rd came up and told me it was fun chasing me! Very nice runners and organizers all together.

The End & Marathon Ignorance

I was able to wash up in a HOT shower at a camp site near the start finish and literally scrape the mud that seemed to be embedded in my skin. I was also able to wash my (once white) sneakers as they were now caked black with mud and I need them for tomorrows marathon!

(Pic Right: My oh-so-lovely legs post-trail race)

On the way to the airport I stopped to get gas and food. A cop, eying my medal, asked what I won. This is when I REALLY like placing in a marathon, because it’s so hard to explain to somebody that you get the medals “just” for finishing. So when I actually place, it’s so much easier to say “2nd at a marathon”-- not mentioning that the finisher medal has nothing to do with my place. When I mentioned running a guy who obviously thought he was hilarious said “WHY?” chuckling to himself. I said I do them a lot. Then he yelled out “You run marathons and you eat hot dogs and donuts???” To which I promptly turned around and replied “yeah well I burn the calories so I can eat whatever I want” -- obviously implying that he needed to run a few miles before eating those hostess snacks in his hands. HA! That’s show him!

Drove to the airport and found lots of fun “Dorothy” and “Wizard of Oz” stuff… though I would share. Enjoy.

KS & OK Double this weekend!!

I’m in Lawrence, KS for (hopefully) my last double-marathon weekend of 2010. I’ll be running Oklahoma City Marathon on Sunday-- but before that I have to finish up The Free State Trail Marathon tomorrow here in Lawrence. The race headquarters-- Garry Gribbles Running Sports-- is located on Mass ave in Lawrence. Mass ave is a cute strip of stores, bars, and restaurants and screams “college town” from their low prices, hemptastic smelling stores and KU flags in every window!

The airport (MCI) is about 45 minutes away from Lawrence and driving in, you get the grand view of the mid-west. Noooo-- not cows in every yard, but lush green grass and trees everywhere and those low tumbling clouds that seem so close. Dorothy would be proud J

I’ve already checked in at Garry Gribbles and for a small race in a small college town, they had QUITE the selection of running gear and apparel. The store doesn’t look like much from the outside but they had some pretty cool stuff. I asked a recommendation for a place to eat and they suggested the Free State Brewhouse. WOW! The food there is amazing! I highly suggest going there if you’re ever in Lawrence, KS-- errr, you know-- probably for the marathon. The food is awesome and the prices are low! Yayy- I forgot why I loved college town… definitely the food!

Tomorrow is the first half of my 52.4 mile weekend. It was a little rainy this week in Lawrence, so that will likely mean slick, muddy, trails. The course is single track the whole way. Uh ohhhh… after my race I’m going to try and clean up the best I can then head back to the airport and hop a quick flight to Oklahoma City to meet up with MB and run the Oklahoma City Marathon.

Inspiration Points...
-If I finish both of these races I'll be at 30 states completed!!!
-This should be my LAST double in my 50-state quest!
-Over the next month I'll be running 5 marathons! This is the start of a crazy month.