Trail Dad Running Reports

I consider myself a trail runner, first and foremost. The end of 2018 and first half of 2019 really seemed to support that narrative, with Run Your Can Off , Back 40 Trail Run , Bandera 100K (at Camp Eagle), Ozark Highlands Endurance Run 50K , 3 Days of Syllamo , and Mt. Magazine Trail Run . It was fun times. Maybe the best of times, aside from injuries sustained in falls. Since then, though I run trails regularly, I haven't really raced or competed on any. There were the 51 miles of  The Eliminator  last August, run on flat rails-to-trails that I can't really count as a trail competition. Then in September there was Crest Fest , during which I put in 100K of paved loops up, down, and around Mt. Sequoyah. After that was Arkansas Traveller 100M  in October, some of which was on legit single track, but most of which was on jeep roads and such. Off road and in the woods, but not the trail I love. Yesterday I threw down in my last key workout befor e Athens Big Fork Tr...

This was my 100-mile debut. I had what I thought were ambitious but obtainable goals. Namely, finishing under 20 hours. But I was going to be happy with 22. I didn't know how ambitious to be. I mean, I'd never run 100 miles before. Was it better to be cautious? Hopefully optimistic? I arrived Friday afternoon for weigh in and to pick up race materials. After the pre-race meeting, with the excellent advice, "Don't be a dumbass!" (too late), I met NWA friends (Cassie, Lisa, Lauren, Mark, and Josiah) for dinner and headed back to my hotel to shower, prep, and sleep. (Photographer: Cassie Brown ) The race started off well enough. It was dark and cool, paved and downhill. I was moving a bit faster than I had planned, but friends (past AT finishers) told me that I should try to position myself toward the front before arriving at the single track, so I wasn't too concerned. Eventually we moved off the pavement and onto a dirt road: much more my style. ...