Terrapin Mountain 50k Race Report

This was my first time racing the Terrapin Mountain 50k in Sedalia, Virginia northwest of Lynchburg around Terrapin Mountain. The course had about 7,000 ft of elevation gain and loss with a mix of single track, fire roads, and a short paved section. Held on March 16, 2024, I ran it as part of my training build for the UTMB Canyons 100 mile race at the end of April. Terrapin was my fourth 50k and second mountain 50k, counting the Martha Moats Baker Memorial 60k.

I didn't have a solid grasp of what performance goals to set with the course vert and decided to aim for an A goal of a sub-6 hour finish. Fortunately, my coach had run Terrapin four times before and shared some helpful course information ahead of time that helped my mental preparation and race execution. During training runs leading up to Terrapin, I had been dealing with a lower leg issue that causes extreme cramping in my calf muscles during the initial 40 minutes of a run beginning with an incline. I knew that the first 4 miles of Terrapin climbed 1,879 ft and therefore I anticipated and visualized working through the issue on race day.

After observing the national anthem, the race began from the Sedalia Center and runners flowed out onto the paved road leading to the trailhead. Within the first half mile, we were climbing up singletrack. Gradually, I felt my calf muscles constricting uncomfortably with the effort of running uphill and the pain blossomed. I briefly ran with a father coaching his young daughter through one of her first trail races, which was uplifting.

By mile 3, the sensation brought some peripheral tears to my eyes and I had to pull over to the side of the trail to stretch and massage my calf muscles, which bulged in anger. As runners poured past me, no fewer than 10 people kindly stopped to ask if I was ok and if I had water. It was stressful, humbling, and frustrating. I reminded myself that the majority of runners on the course were racing the half marathon, tried not to get too discouraged, and focused on my process goal of nutrition intake. I pressed on.

I knew that if I could make it to mile four, I would have five miles of runnable descent to shake out my calf tightness and make up time. By the time I crested the end of the initial climb, I had decided to accept the risk of running the next five miles harder than I normally would have. I pushed and things started feeling better. I passed five women. I PR'ed in the 5k. I reached the third aid station and handed two flasks to two volunteers. They were efficient and kind and informed me that I was first female. I grabbed a PB&J square and started on the next 10 mile climb.

For the next ascent, I ran by effort and kept it fairly conservative. I thought of my friend Sam, an accomplished weightlifter, who talked about selecting his weights at meets based on the order and capabilities of the competition. I also sought to absorb some of the risk I had extended during the initial descent by managing my effort through the middle section of the race. I focused on perceived effort, form, fueling, and stuck to my plan.

Miles 22 through 25 were steep and technical, including a climb to the summit of Terrapin Mountain. I slowed substantially during this section and was passed by one male. Parts of the ridgeline trail included a couple of hands and feet sections, although no rock scrambles. The second half of the descent down the mountain included loose rock scree with up to a 30% grade that was challenging to navigate.

The last aid station at the end of the descent from Terrapin Mountain included a quarter mile out and back which allowed me to see where my competition was. Concerningly, they were less than a quarter mile behind me. I saw the second and third place women running down to the aid station as I hiked back up. That knowledge inspired me to pick up the pace for the last five miles of the course, which was mostly runnable and rolling hills with a couple of creek crossings. I aimed to put as many deposits of distance between myself and the two women behind me as possible, viewing my hiking breaks as interruptions to the deposits and fighting the fatigue. Once I hit the paved road, I increased my speed and cadence and ran to secure my win in the women's race. I finished in 5:48:01, 16th overall. The cameras caught a big smile on my face approaching the finish line.

Lessons Learned

I was very happy with my race execution and sticking to the plan with process goals and aid stations throughout Terrapin. Talking through the course and race logistics with my coach ahead of time helped me refine and later visualize my race plan. Besides slight GI discomfort in the last third of the race, nutrition and hydration went smoothly and my energy levels felt stable throughout the event. Aid station transitions were quick and carrying replacement flasks prepared with my carbohydrate drink powder worked well.

I was also proud of my ability to turn my discouragement during the first 4 miles of the race around and move forward from a position of courage, optimism, and heart. Negative thoughts had entered my head, including wondering if I should DNF since I had fallen so far behind and was experiencing intense pain. I acknowledged and then pushed those thoughts aside and reminded myself that I would need to do a long training run anyway this weekend to stay on track for Canyons. I told myself that it was ok to finish whenever as long as I got my training in.

Areas for Improvement

Ahead of Canyons 100M and the Matterhorn Ultraks Sky 49k this summer, I want to build my capacity for running sustained climbs and improving my hiking speed on inclines so I can increase efficiency when alternating between running and hiking.

While I am becoming more comfortable with fast downhill running on mildly technical terrain, I would like to practice steep technical descents and increase my skill, confidence, and speed moving over this terrain so I can capitalize on gravity and a lower heart rate to save time going down mountains. Spending time training on more technical terrain including some mild scrambling will help prepare me for the Swiss alps as well.

Conclusion

The Terrapin Mountain 50k was a well organized event, staffed with friendly and efficient volunteers with a well marked course. In its inaugural year under new management by Winding Way Run Co., Terrapin provided a challenging race, an enjoyable atmosphere, and bolstered the regional running community. I was happy with my race execution and the result that ensued.