Barkley Challenge Loop run report

    This past Saturday I made a stop into Frozen Head to run the Challenge Loop. Let me preface by saying - in 2017 I ran BFC with no real trail running experience, and definitely not in BFC shape, yet managed a marathon "finish" because I had been running a lot of miles. 2018, same scenario, got in off the waitlist, not trained up, marathon finish after spending about 2.5 hours on Rat Jaw from 1:00 - 3:30. 2019, got in again, trained for lots of elevation and forgot how to run, after a great start ended with a DNF at the prison. I have made a few trips to the park for training runs as well, so I know the park trails well enough that I knew what to expect. Since I didn't get to run BFC this year, I planned a little detour as part of our travel from Michigan to North Carolina. We sold our house at the end of August and bought an RV to live in full time with our family of 6, for at least the next year (kids doing virtual school, and I work remotely). 

    After boondocking at the Oak Ridge Walmart Friday night, we hit to road to FHSP and I started my loop just after 10:00am. I am running Quest for the Crest 50k on October 17th, so this was going to be my last big training week for that. I wasn't exactly rested with fresh legs, but still felt pretty good overall. I made the first climb up Bird and down to the creek just over an hour, about equivalent to what I did at BFC 2019. The next part of the course up Jury Ridge and Bald Knob is what always kills me. I'm glad I don't know how many switchbacks are on that section, but it feels like about four thousand. I enjoyed the few short sections that are runnable, to give my legs a break from the power hiking. I managed to avoid the temptation at Bald Knob to cut over to the jeep road and call it a day, and continued on to Garden Spot. I got there (what I consider the half way point) just over 3 hours.

    With a steady supply of fun size Snickers and a Honey Bun, I got up to the jeep road to take back to Coffin Springs and on up to the Fire Tower. I was thinking 5hrs 30mins might be doable, but wasn't sure how my legs would hold up for the more runnable second half. Right around Coffin Springs I had my first problem - some cramping in my left hamstring. I knew this was because my leg strength wasn't there to be able to handle very well the 4,000+ feet of climbing to that point. I took a short break - a minute or less - to do some stretching and popped a few more Vitamin-S (Snickers) and continued on to the lookout tower. Once there, I spent a few minutes taking in the view from the top, and also admiring the path through Rat Jaw, happy that I didn't have to go that way today, and also that I will never be a leader responsible for breaking briars to clear the path up the hill.

    All I had left was an easy run down Chimney Top. I was right at 4 hours so I thought 5:30 might still be possible. My cramp kept coming back every time I had to climb, but legs still felt strong enough to run the downhill parts that aren't ridiculously steep themselves. And of course I forgot how many false summits there are on CTT. I have only been on Chimney once before - 2019 BFC - but it was in the opposite direction. I knew Rough Ridge was the last climb, but wasn't sure exactly where it was on the trail. I'm pretty sure I climbed it 4 or 5 times. After I got a little lost around one of the capstones, and my 18th mile took 27 minutes (according to my most likely inaccurate GPS). I knew 5:30 wasn't going to happen. I told myself it was ok to just hike it in and finish with whatever time I get. 

        Then I thought about BFC and my desire to get a finish, and how you have to run when you don't want to. So I kicked my sorry butt into gear and started running down the switchbacks, and wouldn't you know it, I saw a sign for Rough Ridge and still have one more climb to do! Suffered through that and started the last descent to the visitor center. As I was "running hard" (13 minute mile downhill) the only other runner I saw all day flew past me and out of site in a matter of 30 seconds. We did shout some words of encouragement to each other as he passed, and that kept me running to the end. I ran through the parking lot, touched the sign, and finished my run in 6:03:41. Not the time I expected, but all things considered I am still very proud about my performance for the day. I questioned if a similar effort on BFC race day would have ended in a 50k finish this year, but it's better not to waste my time wondering what could have been. I've signed up for the waitlist for BFC 2021 and will be training hard during the next year to make it happen.

Here is a link to my run - https://www.strava.com/activities/4147325434

Here is a link to my amateur GoPro video (only my 2nd time using it) - https://youtu.be/twImYDxScuI