Run 100 Miles

Race reports, gear reviews, and ultramarathon trail running stories simply for the love of it

“Trotting Hotties”, A Hot 2 Trot Race Report

I mean, come on …who wouldn’t want to run in eighty+ degree temps?

…with extreme humidity?

…around a one mile loop?

…for eight hours straight?

As ultrarunners, we call this a “fun day”.

And, we even pay to do it.

2009 Hot 2 Trot 8-hour Race, Decatur, Georgia

Waking up at 6:00 a.m., I rushed to the computer to check the weather. All week the high temperature reports, the humidity and the possibilities of rain were all over the board. No one really knew what to expect for this year’s Hot 2 Trot race; but one thing was for sure – it’s the first week of August, in Georgia, so you can pretty much count on hot temperatures, extreme humidity, and a collection of insane runners milling about at the Clyde Shepherd Nature Preserve in Decatur, Georgia.

The Hot 2 Trot race is a timed running event. Runners are given eight hours to run around and around a 1.12 mile trail loop in an effort to collect as many miles as possible.

I’ll break the loop down for ya like this:

• Section 1: the bridges: this first section begins with a cedar covered trail entrance that takes runners across a series of very slippery wooden bridges. Stepping up onto the bridges becomes a challenge after about 25 loops. This section also contains the one and only hill that ascends about 12 feet – but that’s a tough ascent, again, after about 25 loops and more.
• Section 2: the straight-away: This is a long, straight and super lush trail section that has both deep cover-up and sun-exposed portions. For the first couple of loops, this portion feels short and sweet – but somehow gets longer and longer as the race progresses. After 36, one-mile loops, I have this entire section burned into my skull.
• Section 3: the punisher: After a mile of heavenly trail, runners are dumped out onto the road for a short trot back to the start. Lots of runners walked this section – but I chose to run it every single time – not because I’m cool, but because I wanted to get it over with…

1.12 makes for a short race report

So, what can I say? It’s not like most ultramarathons where I get to travel long distances, across a wide variety of terrains and environments. This was mostly a test of mental resolve.

Personally, having just completed the White River 50-mile Trail Championships near Mt. Rainier in Washington, I was tentative about doing Hot 2 Trot. I had almost resolved to just showing up, running one loop, and then watching the front runners beast it up.

But as usual, by Wednesday, I had talked myself (with a little helped from some other GUTS members) into running 40 miles. For one, race day was my birthday, turning 39 years old, and every ultrarunner knows that you must run your age in miles on your birthday. Plus, local runner “Three-kids-Tony” offered to pay my next year’s Mountain Mist 50K entry if I nailed 40 miles.

It was on.

A race report in bullet points

So, as this year’s race report, I’m just going to try to remember some cool and interesting tidbits that made the Hot 2 Trot a fun way to spend my 39th birthday. *Beware – this might only be interesting to local runners and GUTS members, but here goes:

• Team Beth, dressed in matching outfits.
• The constant screaming as runners would belt out loud screams, usually resulting in a string of various hootin’ and hollarin’ to keep every one fired up and stoked.
• The slick bridges made for some challenging obstacles. I busted my ass a good 2-3 or times on that first slick bridge, plus I tripped over the exact same root section, near the bridges, about 4 or 5 times. One dude saw me do it twice in a row. {sigh}
• Watching the leader {name drawing a blank}, and John Obst, Kate Brun, Bryce and Matt Kahrs loop the field over and over and over. This crowd, minus a hurt Matt Kahrs, all clocked 50+ miles.
• GUTS leaders Janice Anderson and Sally Brookings took time out from volunteer/aid station duties to run a few laps with runners during the heat of the day.
• Matt Silva’s tremendous support lap after lap after lap – Matt recently ran the Vermont 100-miler where he kicked some serious butt and rep’d Georgia proud.
• Lane, Sally, Janice, cold-water-dude (I need to know this guy’s name), big Rahn and so many others were all over the place ensuring that runners had everything they needed for each loop. Especially during the later hours. when things start to get ugly – or comical, depending on your perspective.
• Social stuff – seeing the same people loop after loop allows for lots of catch-up time with other local ultrarunners – although after about 25 laps, I wasn’t much for chattin’.
• The HTFU temporary tatoos were mighty popular. Love me some HTFU.
• David Ray’s great attitude every time you see him. …(and thanks to David for my HTFU button birthday present)
• Andrew Edwards rocking the yellow and black, bumble-bee tights – Tights? in the summer? Trip dog.
• Jeff Bryan and Gary Griffin coming up from Florida an taking a chunk out of the course themselves.
• Colt and Matt hanging around to watch me complete my forty miles even though I know they wanted to go home.
• Li’l Wayne loggin’ a phat 34 miles, adding to his confidence going into Laurel Valley next weekend.
• Vikena – perhaps 2009′s most improved ultraunner.
• My wife showing up to catch my last lap, and getting to shoot me finishing my 40th mile.

…and so much more (but my bullets are getting really long and very “local”)

It’s a wrap

At seven hours, five minutes (7:05) I achieved the day’s goal and finished up 40 miles. It was a real struggle fighting that heat, and more so the humidity. During the noon time portions of the day, you could actually see the steam on the trail – like running in the steam room at the gym. Hot, man.

Really hot.

But as I pushed it up the road for my last lap, my friends Colt, Matt, Tony (I think) and my wife were all standing there yellin’ for me and taking photos. I gots some good ol’ peeps in my crew.

Congrats to all the runners for incredible performances all around, but especially the top five-ish who all pushed into 50 miles and more.

The Hot 2 Trot is a great local event, and driving home from the race I couldn’t help but feel all stoked and proud at being part of this unique club of insane runners.

Rock on.

or should I say, “Get some!”

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