Ultra-ROCK-thon August 2011

Ultra-ROCK-Thon

Troy “WJ” Pruett

Catoctin 50K in Frederick MD is TOUGH!  I apologize for the quality of the document; I’m still seeing ROCKS everywhere! Let’s set aside the upper 90’s temperature and the ridiculous humidity.  Let’s say I ran this ROCK ball buster on a cool 45 degree day.  Still a bruiser! 

All this time I thought the race director was being dramatic, just like the trackie book club ROCK.  I thought the website’s half-truths were funny.   It didn’t take long to figure out he ROCK writes with a poison quill.  There is a big sign when you arrive, “No hydration pack – No number.”  Uh-oh, sounds like trouble.  Then I get the shirt, “Rock the Rocks.”  Uh-oh, why does the shirt glorify rocks?  Before the race I have a nice chat with a guy running the event for the 12th time.  He says, “Be very cautious and conservative until you finish the ROCK climb after the turn.  This is a very difficult course.  Add at least 2 hours to your best 50K time.”   Hey, this is Maryland, how hard can it be.  After all I did ROCK Jemez.  

Can you find a ROCK in this picture?

Of the 31 plus miles, I’d put money on 25 of it being run on ROCKS.  Rocks of every shape, size, and sharpness.  So many many many rocks.  Rocks to the left, right, top, and bottom.  Before I left I grabbed a rock from the mountain.  If anyone decides they want to do this event come get my rock and beat yourself in the head with the darn thing.  Then stand on the rock in a sauna for 7 hours.  Only then should you register for the event.

Some advice to friends and enemies:  (1) If I’m doing an event under no ROCK circumstance should you register until you have fully researched the race.  I’m notorious for registering simply because, “I don’t have the state yet.”  As a result ROCK I’ve done a few really nasty trail runs.  (2) Never do a marathon in the summer, unless it is in the Arctic ROCK Circle or Antarctica.  (3) Do not make Catoctin your 3^rd ultra of the month.  When will I learn?

I must give props to the race director and support teams.  ROCK They were fantastic in all respects.  And the ROCK race fee is only $25 without the shirt.  So ROCK cheap I donated the normal fee difference to a local charity sponsored by the race.  These folks were truly appreciative of the runners and treated us like royalty ROCK.  You also get this cool card for officially approved bragging rights! 

You can start admiring me anytime now!  I ROCK!

I recently started ROCK posting runs on Daily Mile.  This is a really supportive online ROCK runner’s community.  I found a couple other runners that were doing the Catoctin 50K and we started posting encouraging feedback several times a week ROCK (I know, not like the WJ at all.  If it helps, the trackies that are on Daily Mile are not spared.)  It was a riot finally meeting  Lara and Erika ROCK at the race.

I can’t say where I placed and I really don’t care.  The time was 7 hours 15 minutes ROCK, give or take.  The vast amount of rocks makes the course extremely technical and challenging.  The heat, humidity and elevation changes (over 5200 feet of gain) add difficulty.  Easily a 9 on the hardness scale.  Over the ROCK summer I’ve improved greatly on my trail running skills.  A couple years ago I would slow at every challenging section and chop my stride.  Unsure of the best way to get past an obstacle or tricky passage.  These days I take a much ROCK more aggressive approach and speed through some of the toughest trail sections.  During the out-bound run at Catoctin I easily maneuvered over very difficult trail.  Once the effects of heat and dehydration kicked in on the return my mind would see the path but the legs could just not react quickly enough.  Being fatigued compounded the level of difficulty because I kept missing foot placements.  In the end I mostly walked the final 5-6 miles.  This flatlander finished very satisfied with his ROCK performance and pleased to add another confidence booster to the list.