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| Its Freezing! Let's get this thing started! |
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| Ron and I getting it done! |
As mentioned in previous blogs this event is one of my favorites. This is the run that Rob Powell, race director of Forget the PR 50K, lets the volunteers come out and run the course a weekend or two before the event. If completed we get the finisher buckle along with the other race schwag. Rob used the same course as he did last year and it was just as difficult as I remembered it to be. Pretty cool to think you can get over 5,600 feet of elevation gain for a 50K in central Ohio but Rob managed to find that and implement it into his course. This race and this year are very special to me. It was 5 years ago that I ran
my first ultra marathon which was a 50K at this event in the Mohican State Forrest. I have not missed the event since then and have gone on to run many more ultras at various distances including a few 100 milers. So, getting my five year Forget the PR finisher buckle was a great feeling. This race course really makes you earn the finisher award and every year I feel the burn of FPR but it hurts so good! This year a snow storm was sweeping across Ohio the night before the event. I am glad I drove down to the Columbus area to stay with some friends the night before. There was a small turnout for the volunteer run this year due to the severe weather.
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| Mountain man Don Baun trekking thru the weather |
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| Angela and Bree rocking our mobile aid station! |
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| Cheryl and Amy loving the weather |
Upon arriving at Mohican it was snowing and the wind was blowing hard as well. I think I was at a training run earlier in February at Mohican and the weather was nicer than this. Oh well, adverse weather makes for a much better story! Most of us were sitting in our running cars with the heaters on right up until it was time to start the run. Rob gave us some pre run instructions and the official "Go" to get us moving. Ron DeLozier was there and him and I stuck together for the entire 50K. He is a great guy to run with and we had a lot of fun. Some of that fun included going up Big Ass Hill twice, going up and down the North Rim Trail four times, and climbing up the roots at the end of the enchanted valley. The Gannon's were also around for the event and Rob Gannon was sick and coughing so bad we thought a demon was exiting his body on Big Ass Hill. The "young grasshopper" Chase Gannon completed his first 50K! Pretty awesome to see especially since he is only in high school! I wish I had found ultra running as a passion that early in life. My spring breaks in college might of been a little different. Angela Dripps-Chapple and Bree Gannon were driving around and providing us with a mobile aid station which was very nice of them to do in such crappy weather. So many other friends were there and that is the best part of this race, it feels like a big reunion every year.
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| Not sure what I am doing here. |
I was really glad they had the showers open for us after the run. The snow and mud left me very cold, soaked and dirty. I would have been miserable during the post race pizza and beer at Trails End Pizza if I was not able to get cleaned up. It was really great to see everyone and I was excited to receive my 5 year award. The pizza, beer, and camaraderie were awesome as usual. I love that feeling of heading home after something like this with a big smile on my face. I am already looking forward to next year.
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| Post Run Group Photo |
*Disclaimer* All pictures are not mine and were used from Facebook posts on the Forget The PR facebook page. If anyone who took the pictures disapproves of me using them please let me know and I will immediately take them down. I am not profiting from this blog.
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| Five Year Buckle Achieved! |
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| Chase leading our pack on his way to an ultra distance finish! |
