Firecracker 40 FA

Big thanks to Cyrus for forwarding the info for this run to me a week ago. I was aware of it's existence, but didn't know it was going to be this weekend. What it is, is a loosely organized group night training run on the last 40 miles of the Burning River course. Was it something I needed to do? Yes!

I was familiar with the BR course from just past Shadow Lake to the Perkins Loop with just a random hole here or there. Now I'm familiar with the entire course with the exception of the road section at the start and the trails (which I've heard are mild) leading up to Shadow Lake. And not only that, I've done the night sections in the dark. And they weren't too bad! Granted, the Perkins Loop is much more scenic and enjoyable by day, but I was expecting it to be a nightmare in the dark. And although I had company for the entire run, my concerns about what I might run into in the CVNP at night have been allayed. If it came down to it, I could push on down the trail by myself without hesitation.

Most of us met down near the finish line in a parking lot across the street from the Sheraton in Cuyahoga Falls. Thanks to Zack for offering me a lift to the start at Lock 29 in Peninsula. We had a large group, well over the 43 that were definitely attending, which made for an almost party-like atmosphere. There were a few people I knew, many faces I recognized, but mainly lots of new people to meet. We must have been some sight running down the street to 303 while everyone else was trying to either get to the Winking Lizard or returning home from a day at the Boston Mills Artfest.

On race day, there will be an aid station at the Pine Lane Trailhead, so that's were we ran to get onto the course. We take an old brick street to get there, paralleling 303, up and out of the Valley. Eventually it narrows down to a single wide path through the brush as nature reclaims another section of abandoned road in that area. A photo of the street is HERE from a previous run. Now, I've been through Pine Lane quite a few times, and I've never known there is another trail there. It's a section of the Valley Bridle Trail and it was awesome! Hilly, scenic ravines. It was great to run it with the sun still breaking through in spots. I will return there again for photos.

We followed the bridle trail until we hit an old section of Akron Peninsula Rd. Then it was some road miles until we joined up with the Bike and Hike Trial. While on the road section, I met a fellow named Mike. Our paces were very similar so we decided to stick together. From the Bike and Hike, we took a short path to join up with the Boston Run Trail, which we almost missed. Once on the Boston Run Trail, we had a decision to make: right or left. As that trail is a loop, it didn't really matter which direction we chose. We would eventually end up in the same spot. I suggested left because I had studied the map section earlier in the day and I thought we ran for a bit along 303, which would put us running clockwise.

The Happy Days aid station would be in the parking lot on race day. This night Dan B. was crewing us and had a roving aid station waiting for us. I was carrying much of what I needed on me, not wanting to have to depend on anyone else. All I would technically need was water, but I couldn't pass up a cookie or two. After Happy Days we looped around the east side of the Ledges, where the shadows were long and deep. Bats were already out and about in the darkness and I considered turning on my headlamp. We both waited on the additional light and enjoyed running in the restricted light that is sunset under a heavy tree canopy. There was one fork in the path where the Pine Grove Trail loop splits from the connector trail. Both Mike and I thought the loop was part of the course so we ran it. I'm not sure if everyone else ran it though. Once we were done and back on the main course we had a groups of runners "materialize" both in front and behind us.

Crossing Truxel Rd., we made our way around Kendall Lake and onto the Cross Country trail. I think it was along this section that we met up with the four other runners we would spend nearly the rest of the night with: Kyle, Mikaila, Suzanne, and Tim. A great group of runners! Every one's lights were on as we climbed the Sound of Music Hill on our way to Pine Hollow. Dan was there waiting for us with food, water, and Gatoraid. Good Gatoraid too! I'm usually leery of drinking sports drink that I don't mix myself, having had bad experiences doing so, but Dan did a good job mixing up something that was more than tolerable.

The Salt Run Trail loop was next on our journey. It's a hilly, rooty course by day, with long sections of steps going both up and down. By night, it really slowed us down. I could really understand how it defeated people so badly during BR as it falls around mile 70. We all made it through just fine. The Cleveland Orchestra concert (I think) at Blossom was just finishing and their fireworks going off as we wound our way through Salt Run. I'm curious if anything could be seen from up above because we could barely see the headlights of cars driving by on Akron Peninsula or Quick Rd the foliage was so thick.

After re-fueling again, we were off to find the Wetmore Trail to make our way to the Covered Bridge. I've gotten turned around on this section by day and was worried we might have problems in the dark, but Tim and Suzanne were up front leading us forward. It looked like the Lagnes Run trail was closed for re-building so that helped us have fewer decisions to make. I couldn't help but let my imagination do it's thing as we made our way back down into the Valley. My thoughts would range from what I would like to be eating, to how nice a margarita would taste, to "when will I see some coyotes", to "I wonder what would happen if a minotaur popped up in front of us". I was getting mildly delirious due to the late hour and that was just fine with me.

We reached the Covered Bridge and Dan was there, all set up. I've been around the Perkins Loop many times. It was the location of my first 50K just two years ago at Bills' Bad Ass. This would be my first time around in the dark. Surprisingly, I could recognize most of where we were, only getting disoriented in a couple spots. It definitely took longer to run at night, but we all made it through OK. Stubbed toes on tree roots being the worst injuries. When we returned to the Covered Bridge we learned the "sweeper" group had bypassed Perkins and was ahead of us. This was for the best as it allowed Dan to move on sooner and get set up for more runners. This also meant we were now the sweeper group. We would need to pick up anyone we might come upon and make sure no one got left behind. Safety first.

As we made our way down Oak Hill Rd at 2:30 in the morning, I would be on all new terrain, except for a couple sections of Towpath Trail. The road was deserted so we spread out. Mike even took his shoes off and ran barefoot, as he had done a little earlier on Akron Peninsula and Bolanz Roads. As the night wore on we took more walking breaks. Not everyone was feeling good either, so our progress slowed. The section of Buckeye Trail into O'neil Woods took it's toll. From that point we did a lot of walking. Stomachs were acting up and blisters forming. Things were really beginning to hurt.

Dan was again waiting with aid at Botzum. I had to use the restroom here. It just wasn't going to wait. I felt better but not everyone else did, so we still made slow progress. There was much humorous speculation as to why the City of Akron needed to build a barbed-wire-topped-ten-foot-tall-concrete-wall around their composting facility. Was it to keep people out or to keep something in?

As we kept moving south on the Towpath the birds began singing. 4 AM already? Sure was. And with that the sound of something moving toward us through the heavy vegetation to the side of the Towpath. My brain slowly tried to think of what it could be and decided upon a deer. I hoped it wouldn't hit one of us as runners seldom come out on the winning side of human VS. deer collisions. Fortunately or unfortunately, it was no animal. It was the sound of big ole fat rain drops beginning to fall. Just lovely. They let up but the lightning and thunder began. Something was brewing and I really began hoping we would be done before it hit. The only problem was I didn't know the remainder of the course or exactly how much further we had to go.

It was light out as we left Dan's aid station for the final time at Memorial Parkway. This is where we left the Towpath, following some streets to Cascade Valley Metropark. As the rain returned I was glad to be in the trees and on a trail. We followed the trail along the banks of a still small Cuyahoga River, making mostly correct course decisions. By this point our group had split with Mike, Tim, and Suzanne going ahead and Mikaila, Kyle, and I bringing up the rear. We missed only one turn, having to double back when the trail we were on ended.

Through slow but relentless progress we eventually made our way back to the parking lot across from the Sheraton. We had been out there for over 12 hours. Slow? Yes. But it was good training to just be on our feet for that long. We covered 43 miles by my Garmin. Data HERE. This will be the hardest part of the course due to it being the second half of the run. Hopefully I will be able to run that section at Burning River.

I did learn some things while out there. Like, I can't wear compression tights or calf sleeves for long runs. The lower elastic band rests right on my retinaculum, causing me swelling and pain. This is probably what caused my left leg problems earlier this year. My right leg was aggravated during this run. I combined bottles of my Gatoraid/Nuun mixture with a bottle of just Nuun and my hydration was not a problem. No dehydration. I ate three Clif Bars and could have used some more. I need to learn to eat before I get hungry. I ate most of the energy chews I brought with me. Not only were they beneficial nutritionally, but they gave me something to snack on. I like to think of them as "Energy Candy"! I think I've made the decision that I can't run long in the Brooks Cascadias. I wore less constricting socks, but my feet still got beat up. I think multiple shoe changes, including road shoes, will be a necessity on race day. And I still have an unanswered question: How the hell did I get ants in my gaiters? I couldn't feel it at all, but when I changed into clean socks and shoes for the drive home I saw ants and that they had decided to bite me all over my ankles. Stupid ants.

So, a fun time and a great run. I'm glad I went as I got to meet some new people. And most everyone there will be running the race, so I will get to see them again. HUGE thanks to Dan B. for crewing everyone all night long and for his concern that every runner be accounted for. I don't know how he fit all that gear into his Honda Fit! We're less than a month out now and I think that will be my last super long training run. Now it's time to heal up and taper down.