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The Conquer – $10k Winner Take All. The Amateur’s Dream

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For those in the Ultrarunning community, The Conquer received a lot of notoriety and acclaim after its 1 st edition in January 2024. It originated as a 5k or 3.1-mile loop around Amicalola Falls State Park that included climbing the infamous 605 stairs up the waterfall to end each loop. The 2 nd Annual Conquer, uniquely held for the 2 nd time in 2024 due to park updates, brought out some of the best amateurs in the world. It was an international affair with athletes across the United States and multiple countries. I paid close attention to the 1 st event, being very interested in how a prize pool would affect the results. Single-digit temperatures radiated throughout the park and the combatants grinded out hour after hour in brutal conditions. I was injured and unable to compete, but I was impressed by how far the event went in freezing conditions. When the event rolled around to December, I was reluctant to sign up, to be honest. Climbing and elevation are not my strong suit in ru...
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Upchuck 50k - Type 2 Chattanooga Fun

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Upchuck is a Chattanooga Cult Classic type Ultra. No frills, just fun! This race has been kept a local treasure, allowing only 75 runners and registration lasting only minutes! I’ve always missed registration for one reason or another since I moved here and I really wanted to knock this race off the list. This year has a special nuance to it. Race registration was delayed when the website crashed. I was a part of multiple group chats checking to see if the website was back up. About 40 minutes later, everything was resolved, and I could register. Despite the gaffe, the race sold out in minutes.   The course is point-to-point along the Cumberland Trail from the Blue Hole in Sale Creek to Soddy Daisy. The early November time of year is in the middle of race season, the leaves have changed color, and the temperatures are typically mild. Another fun aspect of the race is the camaraderie. The bus trip from the finish to the start is filled with a lot of good energy and strong runn...
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Sky to Summit 50k – Know When to Empty the Tank

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 Sky to Summit has been a race on my radar for a long time! The original Run Bum race is in its 12 th year in Sky Valley, GA. It features Rabun Bald on the eastern border between Georgia and North Carolina. I remember signing up for this race on my way home from the Boston Marathon. I was looking for another running event with my friends Nathan and Rebecca. They are some of my favorite people in the community. We’ve become good friends since Forgotten Florida nearly 2 years ago and went out of their way to make sure my 1 st Boston trip was memorable.   They booked an Airbnb and offered to let me stay in the extra bedroom. It was a great place to stay off the beaten path. It was across the street from a Haunted Hayride and Graveyard. Proceeds went to assist those affected by Hurricane Helene. In all actuality, we were incredibly fortunate to run this event. The trails in the area were closed by the US Forest Service (USFS) due to damage, but Sean, Run Bum, and countless v...
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Hennepin Hundred – Fast and Flat… But Also, How Much Can You Endure?

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I admit I took Hennepin Hundred lightly. I’ve wanted to run this race for a couple years now. Especially after last year when my good friend, Chris Stayman, ran the course in a blazing 13:09. He didn’t even win with a sub-8-minute pace, taking 2 nd to Taggart Vanetten, who set the course record with a time of 12:46. I am nowhere near that but thought a sub-10-minute pace was achievable.   Due to scheduling conflicts, I had planned to defer to next year and go for the 100 Mile OMR Series Slam in 2025. Unfortunately, I had 3 unsuccessful attempts to earn a Western States qualifier this year due to injury and illness, so this was my last opportunity. Sometimes things fall into place. The Chicago Marathon is the weekend after, so I focused on that over Hennepin (I paid for that). However, Chicago qualifying has changed, which now guarantees me a spot for 2025, despite the tougher qualification times.   I struggled to mentally prepare and organize my gear for the race. I s...
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Barkley Fall Classic - A Beautiful Disaster!

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BFC last year was very disappointing. I tore my ATFL ligament in my right ankle at mile 4. It’s been a year long road of recovery and finally felt close to 100% going into this event. Leading up to the race I was nervous. I mentally prepared as much as possible, knowing this race is designed to test you mentally as much as physically. I felt calm but uneasy, but that could have also been the 3:30 alarm and being half asleep affecting me.    I got into the corral with about 7 minutes to go and saw some familiar faces. It was nice to catch up, but before you know it, Laz lit a cigarette, and everyone took off! It’s a short 1/4 mile until we hit the Chimney Top trailhead. I take off at a steady pace, but some people are going all out to get in an ideal position. I don’t think it’s a big deal based on the course (I’ll explain later).    It was an uneventful 2 hours to rat jaw along the chimney top trail and the water tower. I’m settling in as anxiety creeps up wi...
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Midwest States 100

 “Not Your Typical Ultra.” perfectly captures the Midwest States 100. This is a 100-mile race with approximately 5500 ft, located in Nicolet National Forest in North Central Wisconsin. I looked at the stats and the map and thought “I’ve done much harder!” I severely underestimated the difficulty of the course, with participants estimating the course to be approximately 103-105 miles and 11,000 ft of elevation. Everyone runs the same course and expects this race to be much tougher than advertised.   This course is filled primarily with single-track trails along the Ice Age Trails that follow along the glacial line with the low valley going through some marsh and swamp land. It was a mix of single-track trails that I fell in love with in Wisconsin, along with a Tennessee feel going up, down, and around the ridges and Kanes, with some swamps and marshes I grew up as a kid deer hunting, and my experiences of the Florida Trail. The area is filled with such beauty and reminds me...
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Incoherent Ramblings

It’s been a long time since I’ve taken the time to reflect and talk about running. Not just race reports, but the life journey observed and ran through running. The last time I reflected was High Lonesome 100 in July of 2023. This course captured my heart, deep in the Wasatch mountains in Colorado. I was surrounded by great people who became better friends, as they adjusted their summer schedule to support my dreams halfway across the country.   Since then, there have been a lot of trials and tribulations. Not just physically, but mentally and emotionally as well. I was fortunate early in my running journey not to have serious or lingering injuries. In August 2023, I injured myself during a tune-up race that still has lingering effects. It has been a long journey with highs and lows trying to get my issues properly diagnosed and come up with a treatment plan to fix and address issues while getting to experience unique opportunities.   Originally diagnosed as a sprained...
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