Lori Donnell's Staging Area

This was my first attempt at a 50 miler and about 18 miles in, I knew they would sweep me. I made it to the Fountainhead aid station at 29 miles and was swept. It took me about 8 hours to get there running much slower almost right from the start. I’m used to running in Florida and we don’t have terrain like this to practice in. Just keep in mind that “rolling hills” are pretty steep with roots and rocks both up and down. There’s a small section at around 4-7 miles that’s relatively flat where the bluebell flowers bloom. Very pretty. Other than that, there’s a constant up and down. I think if you’re used to running in this area, you know what to do, it’s good. For me, I was tripping a lot and was frustrated that I couldn’t even run down the hills. This course is very challenging. I believe that for a lot of us, this is better for a more seasoned ultra trail runner.
That all said, the aid stations were fully stocked. Very helpful volunteers! Thank you! And the race director, Lauren is a true gem. Wonderful people altogether.