Sylamore 50k Race Report

I should have taken pictures, but I didn't carry a camera. With the snow, this was one of the most beautiful, memorable trail runs I've ever done. You should have been there. The race started and finished at Angler's hotel/fishing resort/restaurant/convenience store in Allison Arkansas a few miles north of Mt. View. Anglers was the only thing in Allison. The race filled up this year thanks to some media coverage in Trail Runner and Ultrarunner magazines. The 3 or so inches of snow that fell the night before the race seemed to have thinned the crowd quite a bit from the 250 racer limit. The folks who did show seemed game for the whole ordeal except for a couple of sponsored runners who seemed a little pouty about actually having to use the marvelous wicking properties of their sponsor's clothing.

Clothing issues seemed to dominate the pre-race activities. Snow was on the ground and temps were predicted to not get above the mid 20's the whole day. A hardy few chose shorts and long sleeves and others went full on gore tex and one guy sported a headlamp AND sunglasses. Beyond the weather, the infamous water crossing at 1 and 30 miles also caused concern. The course is out and back, the 1st mile (and last) on pavement and dirt roads to the trailhead which immediately crosses Sylamore creek. In 2000 you could cross on rocks and stay dry. In 2001, heavy rains did away with the rocks and it was a mandatory get-wet situation.

There were various approaches most hydrophobic folks carrying dry shoes and socks; a few carrying dry pants. Smart or stupid, I went with what I had on, not even a change of dry socks. I'd learned my lesson that you could run a long time in wet socks and my feet rarely get cold as long as I'm moving. This worked fine for me. The gun went off at Allison and we ran down the highway towards the trail head and a few bozo's running the highway tanget almost got hit by an oncoming truck plowing the road. No more excitement until the creek crossing except I dropped my gel flask a couple of times. Plastic clips don't work so well below freezing. You'd think research would have proved that out. I won't trust that thing again.

At the creek, a group has gathered to watch the carnage. Lots of pants rolling and pussyfooting. I'd come out the night before to scope out the shallowest part and waded across in knee deep water. It was cold but warmer than ambient temperature, so no big deal. I passed a lot of people at the creek and it was just as well that I hadn't messed with dry shoes as the next 2 miles of trail were wet and muddy and it wouldn't have made much difference. My lower legs warmed up and we began to see what the trail was going to be like. After the creek, the trail goes immediately to single track and traverses under some bluffs and is rolling until the first aid station at 5 miles at Blanchard Springs campground.

Central Arkansas doesn't suffer from the same affliction as NW Ark (Wal-Mart) and is truly beautiful. This is Buffalo River country and it was absolutely gorgeous covered by a blanket of snow. Even early in the race it was easy to sink into the silence of your surroundings and smell the freeze in the air and hear only the crunch of snow and your own breathing.

A group of 5 or so formed and we ran behind the eventual women's winner who was loafing on the way to the turnaround. It was surprisingly easy to run in the snow. Any dangerous rocks were usually exposed by the unfortunate slippage of someone faster. The fast shorts wearing guys usually chose racing flats which didn't seem to offer a lot of traction. At Blanchard Springs CG and the first aid station, a couple of things became clear. In a race with creek crossing and freezing weather, you're only going to tighten your shoes at the start. The laces were and would be frozen knots for the rest of the race. Also, the flat coke or mt. dew aid stations offer turns into delicious slushies when it's freezing cold. I had one at every aid staion.

After Blanchard Springs, there were two big climbs before the next aid staiton. I remembered the trail as being 'easy' but I was wrong. It wasn't awful but it was defenitley hilly. Most of the hills were walkers because of the snow and steepness. Each climb brought awesome views of the surrounding snow covered hills and usually a straight down view of the creek from the top of a bluff. Not a whole lot of time to look around though. There were a few extended flat sections where the trail followed the Sylamore Creek, but more hills than flat.

Nothing too exciting on the way to the 2nd aid station at Gunner Pool CG. Ran most of this alone and enjoyed my own company. Tried the boiled red potatoes at the aid station and they were tasty with a coke slushy.

The last 5 miles to the turn around were the roughest, the trail being narrow and usually on a hillside. Another big climb to a bluff and a descent before Barkshed Campground. A couple of miles from the turnaround, the fast guys were heading back. This was pretty exciting trying not just go get out of their way, but not to fall on them as they went by.

After the turn around, it was my turn to pass people. It was a difficult dance for both parties. Most folks gladly stopped and everyone seemed to be having a good time in spite of the conditions. The run back from Barkshed to Gunner Pool CG was easier as the trail had been packed down by many feet. The boiled potatoes that were warm on the way out were now a bit cruchy with ice crystals. Cold, but still tasty.

The distance was taking it's toll and I began running with a guy from Little Rock who I think slowed down to wait for me just so he'd have some company. We chatted from mile 20 to the Blanchard Springs cg aid station. We both had sore hamstrings from the stomping stride that we'd been using in the snow. The flat sections were better, but I was liking the hills since it was an excuse to walk.

Kyle caught his 2nd wind after the last aid station and took off and finished a good bit ahead of me. I just wanted to finish, wondering about how smart trying the 3 days of Syllamo was going to be. I noticed that five hours of sweat had accumulated in the cuffs of my jacket and formed pretty good sized chunks of ice. I had dressed a bit too warm and stayed pretty sweaty the entire race. Anyone with facial hair had those neat icicles hanging down. It was during the last few miles that some of the shorts people finally lost their battle with the elements. They all looked very cold with very bright red legs and weren't moving too fast.

As I approached the creek crossing I saw some of the dropped tights and shoes from the way out. Everything was frozen solid. At least my wet socks were warm and flexible. I waded back across to face the last mile of road and the finish. The guy from Little Rock told me he'd found a crotch deep hole on his 2nd crossing. Good for him.

The finish had been moved inside the store at the start/finish line, once again making the point that finishing is more the point than the Finish. I checked in at 5:36 more than happy. Now the tough part. I warmed up the car and changed into dry clothes. Becasue of the snow, the drive back to Tulsa took about 7 hours instead of 4 and a half. I was just glad to get back home and not spend the night in a ditch some where. Not that I've been known to sleep in a ditch or anything...