Yeti Snakebite 50K - Lithia Springs, Georgia

Elevation Gain: 2900'............ Elevation Range: 785' - 1212'

October 8, 2023 - It is nice this time of year to begin a race at the reasonable hour of 0800. I got a full night's sleep in a bed and was standing at the starting line after only an hour's drive. Sometimes I think my performance is affected by insufficient sleep the night before and/or a long drive to reach the venue.

This event has a party atmosphere derived from its zany organization and energetic race director Jason. There were smiles all around from the get-go at packet pick up, with little apparent seriousness or pre-race race jitters. Lots of first-timers with no cut-offs. Usually I am the oldest runner, so I wanted to meet the 81-year-old contestant from California who was signed up, and was not disappointed with what I found. Hayward and I yucked around in old-man fashion upon meeting, and then I saw him again when I lapped him during the race on what turned out to be a rough day and a dnf for him. I can only hope to still be out there doing it when I hit my eighties.

The course is a three-loop rolling circuit of a bit over ten miles with one aid station and mostly technical single-track trails that wind forever up and down the carved woodsy landscape, with frequent shoreline encounters with the rocky Sweetwater Creek from which the state park gets its name. Very technical in terms of gradient and roots and rocks, one was forced to measure steps so as not to tumble, which I only did once, without harm. It is a varied trail system for which I am skilled at, so I was able to find a rhythm of strength, finesse, power, and speed that carried me through the day comfortably to the best finish at the 50K distance that I have had in five years.

The loop begins on paved roads in the park before turning to gravel roads and then singletrack in the woods, finishing on another paved road, with nothing but single track trails in between. My first two laps saw me evenly averaging about 65 minutes per five miles, with relaxed effort, and taking more time than usual at the aid station. I made up my mind ahead of time to just relax and not push it. The result was a consistent 13-minutes average per mile tempo over the uneven terrain - which was very satisfying. Even on the final go-round I didn't give up much time to fatigue, finishing the course in 6:45:09 for 25th place of 79 finishers, a very pleasing result, all things considered.

My finish place of 25 was the same as my race number... a good omen in my book. I miss the days when I could race without reaching exhaustion, able to lift my legs and increase my speed toward the end without fatigue interferring. I finished evenly and walked away without being sore or overly tired. Even the day after, I know that I raced yesterday, but you would never guess by the spring in my step.

There were lots of nice people and I enjoyed conversation much of the time without being distracted from my focus on running. Being a perfect cool Sunday (temps at the start were 45 degrees with total sunshine) there were lots and lots of families and couples and fishermen hiking the trails and fishing the creek, offering even more opportunities for pleasant mixed exchanges. Finishing an hour and a half faster than my most recent two 50K's I had a good day and am optimistic that my training is going well. And it is the best time of year to carry it forward - I love running trails in the fall!