Rockledge Rumble 50K Race Report
November 13, 2010
Grapevine, Texas

I was excited about coming up to the Dallas/Fort Worth area to run the Rockledge Rumble trails at Lake Grapevine. I'd heard that the Northshore trails were the best for trail running in the Metroplex, and the race fit pretty well into my calendar, two weeks after the Cactus Rose 50 Miler.

Dawn Banka, Jon Wicks, Elizabeth Comer, her brother, and me before the start

Not knowing too much about the trail, but having heard it was easier than the Cross Timbers Trail Run where I did the marathon in about 6 hours, I thought I would go for a "fly and die" strategy on this race! My plan was to shoot for 1 hour splits between aid stations, which were 5 miles, 5.6 miles, 5.7 miles, and then 5 miles apart on the first loop, and then two 5 mile stretches on the second loop. I figured I could probably hold onto this for the first loop, and then try and finish out the last ten miles. If the plan didn't work, I planned to just relax, drop any time goals, and just finish the race.

On the way back in to the stairs!

The first five miles of trails were smooth and runnable, there was only one part where I had to think about the trail - either go down a steep hill, or around it on a side trail. Of course, that's where the photographer was! I ran the first five miles with David Johnson, the 'Running Preacher' from Odessa, who we'd just seen at the Rocky Raccoon 50K. He was going on to do the Fort Worth Marathon the next day. We hit the first aid station (Murrell Park) at right around an hour. The NTTR crew was there, including Fred and Char Thompson and Deborah Sexton. David Hanenburg of Endurance Buzz was there taking pictures and video of all the runners! Finally got a chance to meet him at packet pickup that morning.

David Johnson walked out of the aid station to eat something, and I decided to take off down the trail to get to the next aid station in about an hour.

It's 5.6 miles to the second aid station, but the trail is much more rocky, going up and down some ledges along the way. The best part is the bamboo forest near the MADD shelter around mile 6. It's also a two-way trail, with runners coming back at you. I saw Matt Crownover, the eventual winner, out here about 4 miles ahead of me or so. I got to the turnaround point at 10.5 miles in about 2:03, which I was happy with. I saw Cheri there, and then turned around and walked back to the trail start and took off down the trail. I saw David Johnson, Elizabeth Johnston Comer and Dawn Banka all heading into the turn around, a few minutes behind me at this point.

My camelback was way too heavy, filled with water, which I think started to slow me down a little. The biggest problem is that my calves and hamstrings were extremely sore, and my knees started to bother me. This was all causing me to want to slow down, but I really wanted to keep at my pace. Unfortunately, I got to the 3rd aid station (mile 16 or so) at about 3:17, falling pretty far off my pace. With the water-only aid station in only 2.5 miles, I decided to drop my camelback with Cheri and run "free" of anything to carry, but I was done. Making my way back to the start/finish, I walked/ran all the way in. Along the way on this part of the Northshore Trail, you get to see a lot of the lake from along the path, and you also get to run a lot if you want to.

The stretch along the cliff and the picnic sites at the end of the first loop seemed to take forever, even though it's only half a mile or so. I just wanted to be done with the first loop! I went up the stairs into the aid station, got some coke and sugar cookies and my water bottle, and then the RD kicked me out! I went out for the last loop at about 4:40 into the race, and Cheri and I walked out to the picnic area, where we saw Dawn Banka - she'd passed me, then picked up some bonus miles and no one knew where she was. Cheri went in to the start/finish with her, and I took off.

Me after the first loop and a change of shirt

Dawn after we "found" her on the trails

Kay Scott tried to get me to run with her, and I tried for a little while, but then backed off. I just wanted to make it out to the Murrell Park aid station. Once I got there, my spirits lifted, and I headed on back to the start/finish. Lots of people passed me, but it wasn't a big deal. It was a really nice day to be outside, and I was going to finish under the cut-off, so I was fine with all of that.

On the way back in, I made sure to save enough energy to run up the stairs at the end of the race!

Finishers got a neat hand-crafted ceramic medal and an NTTR custom-made beer, along with all the red beans and rice they could eat.

Cheri and Rocky and I hung out until the last runner finished, and then we went out to the trailhead and too Rocky on a 3 mile run on the course. It was a great day!