The Sylamore Trail 25k

I had been viewing this race for some time on the internet and I decided about 3 weeks before the scheduled date to sign up for it. I wanted to do the 50k but I did not have the guts to get that done. Looking back, I could have done it, but I am glad that I did not.



I headed out on Friday afternoon, and after about a three hour drive I ended up in Allison, AR. I got my sweatshirt for entering and proceeded to find a campground for the night. I was going to sleep in my truck and then later decided to get a campsite and pitch a tent. I built a fire in a fire ring with old scrap lumber from the addition to the office at the Sylamore Creek Campground. I sat around the fire for a couple of hours reading and eating peanuts and drinking Gatorade.



I turned in about nine o'clock and slept well until about one. I was a little cold. I dozed until three and nature called. I was in and out until 4:19 and I decided to get on up because my alarm was set at 4:30. I was cold as I laid on the ground in my sleeping bag. I expected the weather to turn colder that morning according to the news. As cold as I was laying on the ground I really figured that I was in for a cold race. As it turned out I figured out that the ground was cold, but the air was not nearly as cold. I could not even see my breath as I came out of the tent.



I proceeded to drive to the Angler's resort where the race started. We were supposed to check in at 6:00 a.m. I was there at 5:00. I love being early. I had my choice of parking spots. I knew it would get crowded and boy did it.



The 50k started at 7:00 and the 25k started at 7:15. We were off. We encountered the creek crossing at just over a mile. This was not wading. This was crossing the Sylamore Creek which was up to my titties. There was no rope and it was slippery. One miscue and you were swimming. One lady was swimming in front of me. It really would not have been that big a deal had I fallen because I was pretty deep already.



Anyway, out of the water and on with the run. It was beautiful. It completely blows away anything that I have ever ran before as far as beauty. There was over 6,000 feet of ascent and descent. There was one aid station for the 25k'ers at about six miles. I stopped long enough to get a peanut butter and syrup sandwich square and a quarter of a banana. We then proceeded up a million stairs. This began the major climbing portion of the race.



After climbing forever, I distanced myself from two girls that I had been trailing for some time on the downhill. I made it to the halfway point and punched my bib number and began the journey back. I met a guy named Ryan and he trailed me the rest of the way. He ran when I ran and walked the hills when I walked the hills.



We came back to the same aid station and I refueled with the same food as before and I filled my Camelbak with Gatorade and was off again. Ryan and I talked a little here and there. I heard the girls talking behind me and it inspired me to run harder. They caught me at the creek crossing. This crossing was very cold. The adrenaline was not surging like the first time and my legs ached. The girls passed me in the creek and they began running as soon as they exited the water. I was not able to start the running engines immediately. It took me a hundred yards or so before I could begin to jog again.



I walked up a steep, short climb and then began to run the rest of the way in. I crossed the finish and asked if I was the first 50k'er. It got a chuckle from the race director's wife. I was chilly very quickly after stopping. I drove back to the campground and took a wonderfully hot shower and began my drive back home.

It was a wonderful trip. I plan on doing it again next year. I encourage anyone to. I am now preparing for what I was glad that I did not do on this one.........the 50k at the 3 days of Syllamo. This will be ran on March 13th on a lot of the same trails as this one. I am very excited about this next challenge.

This post is by Marc.