Race Recap: 2019 North Country Trail 50k

A year ago, I spent a day in the woods running the North Country Trail 50 mile race.  With huge finisher medals, wonderful single track, and exceptional aid station fare, these North Country races sell out very quickly.  It wasn't my first 50, and it was smack-dab in the middle of my 100 mile training.  Perfect, right?  Except it wasn't.  On that morning, the race was delayed due to thunderstorms and a slight hiccup with aid station food inspections, and we started the race nearly three hours later than planned.  It rained on and off for most of the day, I hadn't really clicked with anyone out on the trails, leaving me running solo, and at Mile 41 I called my family in tears.  It was a miserable day.  Despite coming away with a new 50 mile PR, I vowed that I wouldn't be running that race again.

In the months that followed, I ran another 50, attempted (and failed) my first 100, ran a few really long training runs with friends, ran a road marathon, ran a 50k, and ran another 50. Somewhere in there my friend, Tim, talked me into the 50k at North Country.  He was attempting the 50 mile on Saturday (his first) and the 50k on Sunday and was looking for a little Sunday support.  He had gotten me through a springtime 50k, so it was only fair that I returned the favor.  The 50k was a new distance this year, and I decided I could slog out 31 miles on those trails.  It had to better than last year, right?

Race day arrived with cool temps and clear skies.  As we gathered near the starting line in the near-darkness, the race director gave us some last minute information on this new course and expressed his gratitude to all of us for joining in on this new race distance.  As a huge bonus, he announced that every single runner who completed the 50k this year would receive a FREE entry to next year's 50k.  How awesome is that?!  Next up, a military gold star mom, Mrs. Baker, gave an inspiring speech on how she turned her life around after losing her son.  Then, I sang along to O, Canada and The Star-Spangled Banner, and it was time to go.

As we all slowly inched forward in the starting corral, a familiar face popped out at me!  It was my friend, Janene, who I met on our trip to Colorado over the winter.  She told me she wasn't sure how her race would go as she hadn't had much time or desire to run the last few weeks.  Hey! Me either!  Since Pikes Peak 50k last month, it has been a whirlwind of back to school events and work and just LIFE.  I just kept telling myself that maybe the low miles would be a good thing.

Then it was ready, set, GO, and off we went.  I was near the front of the pack, but we all settled in and no one really seemed to be in a hurry.  Within the first mile I settled in behind Janene and figured I'd stick with her for as long as I could without killing myself.  Within two miles, the pack had thinned so much that aside from an occasional glimpse from the runner in front of us, we were alone.  We were chatting and catching up on each other's busy lives, making quick stops at aid stations, and I kid you not, within a BLINK, ten miles had passed!  A third of the race!  Didn't we just start running?  I know I'm a picture freak, but this is literally the only photo I even thought about taking in the first ten miles, and it's blurry.

When we came through the next aid station, I spotted oranges, and managed to take my orange pic as we were heading out of there.

The miles were flying by and I was listening to her talk about her Quest for the Crest race when BAM.  Down I went.  I popped back up and brushed myself off, vowing to stay focused.  We kept going and then BAM!  Shit!  AGAIN?!  This time I hit a little harder and I'm pretty sure I gave myself a little bit of whiplash.  I once again got myself upright, brushed myself off, didn't see any blood, and kept going.  Janene had a runner waiting for her at Mile 16, and while I told them I'd stick with them as long as I could, I knew with his fresh legs, they'd soon be moving too quickly for me.  I ran with them for a bit, but soon let them carry on, excited for how well they were doing, and then I was alone.

I was still feeling really good and just continued to move at a steady pace.  It was so strange to not see anyone out on the trails.  At the aid stations it was just me, and I never caught a glimpse of anyone ahead of or behind me.

Around Mile 20 or so, there was a little out and back.  Finally on my way back, I saw a couple of runners about two miles behind me.  And then I was back on the single track and the woods were silent.

The last 1/3 of this loop is the hilliest, but I have to say, it is also the most beautiful part of the course.

There were several signs warning of steep hills, but honestly, after Pikes Peak, these were baby hills.

I was getting a little tired, but I knew that if I slowed down too much I'd get passed, and I didn't want that to happen at this point in the game!

I knew in the last mile I had to climb a sandy hill, but it was much smaller than I had remembered from the previous year, and I took a second to take in the view.

And then, it was literally all downhill from there.  Less than a mile to the finish.  The finish line at North Country has to be my favorite one of all of the ultras I've done.  It's loud and rowdy and everyone is cheering you all the way down the finishers chute.  Even people who have walked their entire race find the strength to run hard those last few yards.  It is definitely a celebration!

And then, when they hang that huge medal around your neck, you can feel the weight of your accomplishment.  Seriously.  That thing weighs 1.7 POUNDS.  I'm not exaggerating.

I really owe my race finish to Janene.  She kept me going for miles and miles and set me up for a great finish.  I came away with first in my age group, fifth female, and twelfth overall.

And my friend, Tim?  Well, he not only finished his first 50 miler on Saturday, but also battled through and finished the 50k on Sunday.  We all congratulated him and the burning question for him was, "WHEN ARE YOU DOING A 100?"

I'm so glad a took the chance to come back to North Country again.  The 50k was a great race and I will definitely be back.  I got to see so many old, familiar faces, and I got to meet several people I had only known through social media, and I met lots of new runners, too.  Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go reinforce my wall so I can hang that big, beefy medal up there!