Pine Mountain 40M - Pine Mountain, Georgia

Elevation Gain: 6584' .................... Max Elevation: 1350'

December 3, 2023

Somewhere in the recesses of my crowded memories I seemed to remember that I enjoyed this event very much when I ran it a decade ago - because it consists of 100% single track undulating rocky and rooty woodsy trails, following mostly scenic ridges. Need I say more? It is a trail runner's dream.

I woke up too early, forgetting that I was sleeping in Central time and racing in Eastern time, so I had plenty of time to be ready for the 0600 start. The weather had been rainy for several days so the air was saturated with humidity with a continued chance of drizzle... but temps would hang between 60 and 64 degrees all day. Not bad for a December race.

I felt I was ready... rested and as fit as I could be at this point. Forty miles would be my longest effort in a year of rebuilding after coming off a two-year knee injury. It would be a good measure of fitness as well as hopefully a springboard for my next race in Texas - the Bandera 100K.

I started easy - at the back of the pack - with little ambition or expectation. I wore no watch and didn't come to socialize. My game plan was to stay focused on my own rhythm and not play the racing game, measuring myself against other runners. This seemed to work well, with no stumbles or falls and an average tempo of 15 minutes per mile out to about 15 miles, which is my target pace, given my current abilities. It wasn't until I took up a brief conversation and momentarily took my eyes off the trail that I tripped and fell hard. Only one other fall during the race happened under similar social circumstances; otherwise I kept my head down and mouth shut and fared well throughout the day.

Around 20 miles the course winds around a narrow stream, crossing perhaps twenty wooden bridges back and forth and up and down the steep banks. It was beautiful in the laurel thickets with several waterfalls, but I didn't come for pictures. This two-mile section chopped my tempo and it wasn't until I returned to climbing back up to the ridge that I got back to 15-minute pace.

I didn't waste time at the aid stations, taking in nutrition and fluids on my own schedule, and my body continued to respond well. I lost perhaps another half hour slowing for 7 miles out to the aid station at 31 miles to run with another guy and give a break to my sore toes from kicking too many rocks and roots.

The last nine miles were my best of the day, running with quicker tempo and disciplined control all the way to the finish. It was 1510 when I checked out of Mollyhugger AS, so I covered the last 9 miles or so in under two hours to finish at 1705 in 11:05 for 34th place (compared to my 2013 finish in 8:45 for 57th place).

Even with striding out toward the end, I knew I was still holding back a bit to not get too wreckless and to protect sore feet from the pounding they had taken all day on very technical terrain. I finished well within my comfort zone, without pushing it. Once I heal I can focus on what I need to do to maintain this level of fitness and up my game for my upcoming 100K in January.