Georgia Death Race After Action

Why GDR?  Why not. I had certainly heard of it before but having done Cruel Jewell in 2021 I really had no interest in re-running the North Georgia Mountains.  I mean once is enough and had already done 106 miles there.   Like with all things, there is one certain way to get me to do something…simply say it is really hard.  I realize potentially a character flaw!  I kept seeing over and over on social media that this race was just too hard and so many had failed to finish…so of course I signed up.  Maybe it was the “you are going to die,” “if you are not doing 15,000 feet a week of climbing you won’t make it,” the comments online about how hard it was, or the fact that you had to carry a railroad spike for the entire race that forced the decision, who knows. Not sure who I was trying to impress?  Having made that decision, I really didn’t think about it too much as I had Bigfoot 200 coming up and a few other events.  Once I went down hard at Bigfoot around mile 130 due to a bad ankle that my mind convinced me was being permanently damaged (It wasn’t), I knew that I had to finish GDR.

Training.  Really did not start training too hard for it until after Christmas.  I knew I had big miles and mountain weekends planned January through March, so I just worked on staying in good overall shape.  My training has always been a bit different, lots of gym/CrossFit type training but low weekly miles.  Of course, I had my long run weekends/or backpacking…good complimentary things.  The two biggest worries to me going into it was getting enough elevation training and potentially heat.  I had already met Duncan’s Ridge and Coosa Bald, so I knew what I was in for on the biggest climbs.  To prep for this, we did a lot of big climbs in VA to include the Priest, Three Ridges, etc.  I also put into practice something I call the “extra,” which is essentially doing something each day tailored to the race.  Step-ups, lunges, squats, and core were all included.  I had the added benefit of participating in the Taji Challenge in February and for some dumb reason I tried to finish in the top 10 nationally (I didn’t…was 12th  maybe, who knows with those loose accountability rules)…so I did essentially 15 miles a day for the entire month, or 440 miles.  Good base for sure and the timing was perfect. Lastly, I did some environmental training to prep for the potential heat and that included afternoon runs and sauna time.   I did taper a bit and started that about two weeks out.  In running GDR, I pretty much validated that I had done enough training and the right kind, but that does not make a race any less painful or eventful.  The big challenge of GDR is combing tough terrain with tight cut-offs.  For anyone mid to back of the pack it would always be a challenge…and as I have gotten a bit older that seems to be where I hang out on the longer events.   That challenge would be on my mind the entire race and because of this, your mind is reduced to endless mathematical calculations, to the point of driving you crazy.  More on that later.

Logistics.  Logistics for GDR were fairly tough as it is a nine-hour car ride away, so we planned to drive halfway on Thursday and arrive just in time for packet pick-up on Friday.  Always tough to solve the different start/finish logistics, so we stayed in Dahlonega to make the am drop off not so bad, and to avoid the 2 am shuttle.  I did not plan any drop bags and had Heather planning to be at the two aid stations that were allowed…note:  this is a really tough race to crew simply because of the distances, poor roads, and accessibility of aid stations.  She basically drove around for 24 hours just to be there for those 10 minutes total I needed her!

Starting.  After being dropped off at the start, now at Reece Farm and Heritage Center near Vogel State Park, we all waited around and did the typical sizing up of people…he won’t make it, why is she even running, etc.  I am always wrong, ultra-running (except at the elite level) is such a crap shoot.  Determination and grit cannot be assessed by looking at someone, we all have a story, and most do not know what it is.  This sport has humbled me beyond belief, and I have learned never to assume anything.  This does not stop those immature thoughts though at the start, I bet everyone has them.  Having done Moab 240 and a couple of eventful attempts at Bigfoot 200 (what a hard course), I was in a good place knowing that no matter what happened it would be over in 24 hours or so. I can do anything for 24 hours, right?  Or so I have always thought. Sadly, I also know that you can do most things right and still fail, when something minor becomes major and no matter what you do, you cannot overcome it (on the bright side its only happened four times over 24 years so…) I always hate the start, all the talking about races, really the crowds’ nervous energy flowing, the immature thoughts, etc.  You learn in combat that everyone prepares differently for something big…some joke, some brag, and some simply say nothing.  I am a say nothing person, so the others drive me a bit nuts, but I understand it.  I love it when the race spreads out, and even love it more when solo in the middle of the night.  So the start went…and time to move out.

To Skeenah Gap.  Like everyone else, I knew the first part of the race, to mile 21 was essentially the crux of the event (or would seem to be) as the major climbs were in this section.  Right out of the gate there are almost three miles of running, mainly downhill, which is nice as it spreads things out, and is a good way to ease into it.  Of course I ran a 8:45 mile as part of this, so dumb, but you get in a groove with the crowd and somehow it doesn’t seem like you are running that fast.  Once your three miles are down, you have Coosa Bald to climb, the highest point on the course and a tough long climb and a nasty downhill to Mulkey Gap and the first aid station.  Just never felt great on this section or the next couple, likely body wondering why we were doing this after taking it easy for two weeks.  But the weather was nice, and so I pushed fairly hard knowing that the challenge of this race was staying ahead of cutoffs.  The next section was also hard with some good climbs, but waiting after aid station two was Duncan’s Ridge.  Having done this section twice before, I knew it was unrelenting, climb after climb, some steeper than you think is possible.  It lived up to its reputation but fortunately it was early in the day and early in the race.  I was excited to be so far ahead of the next cutoff, plus Heather would be there to make sure I was in a good state of mind.  Felt good rolling into Skeenah Gap, though a bit troubled by the huge downhill to get there, as it is an out and back.  What you go down, you go back up.  Good aid station, she quickly got me fixed up and back on the trail quickly and with a lot of positive energy. 

Skeenah to Winding Stair.  I had never really heard anything about the next four sections (Point Bravo, Sapling Gap, Long Creek) that would take us to Winding Stair, where Heather would be with aid, etc.  To make it short, these three sections really sucked.  They also have climb after climb, but absent were the cool names like Duncan’s Ridge, Coosa Bald or Dragon’s Spine.  They were just no-named soul killing climbs in the heat of the day.  Although not hot by summer comparisons, early season heat is a killer for endurance sports.  Your body simply is not ready for this yet, acclimatization is a real thing, by the way.  I suffered quite a bit through these sections, definitely my low point.  Not to mention the mileages were starting to get in my head.  Tough to plan pace to make cut-offs when the race signs say 4.5 to next aid, and you are at 5.8 miles on watch and there is no aid in sight.  I started losing my buffer here, and each section got worse.  I rolled into (funny crawled would be a better description) the aid station before Winding Stai barely ahead of cutoff.  There were three or four others who were there, but with only 15 minutes to spare, I spent no time there.  Aid station guy says it’s all downhill to Winding Stair.  I am still laughing at that one.  It is all gravel road, but it is up and down and goes on seemingly forever.  I knew I was getting closer to the cutoff, and I ended up at Winding Stair with maybe 20 minutes to spare.  Heather was a bit shocked to see the difference in me 23 miles later.  She got my mind right, helped me change shoes (well kind-of)  and I left there with every intention of not failing despite the long odds at that point. 

Winding Stair to Nimblewill Aid.  In my mind, I knew that all I had to do was make two more aid stations and then go finish.  However, many were talking about a new cutoff at the bottom of the Amicalola climb, like four miles from the finish and this proved to be a mind blower for many.  I tried to ignore this but it was a negative thought that would not go away.   On the positive side, I also knew it was night, and that is my happier place in most races.  Leaving Winding Stair the course was actually road for three miles and downhill.  Made up a little time here but lost it once we hit the single track in the dark.  Seemed to wind on forever, clearly a race theme, and the mileage was way off again.  Started to think I wouldn’t make cutoff, but I did…barely, and rolled out of Jake Bull aid with nine minutes to spare.  I won’t lie, doubt was starting to work its way in.  Working my way to Jake Bull aid, I essentially fell in with another guy and we had some great conversations.  This took my mind off the worry and doubt a bit.  This section is a couple of miles of trail, then 7-8 miles of a steady uphill that everyone talks about and hates.  Going up the long hill, my friend slowed a bit and he told me to go ahead, though I did not really want to.  I have learned ultras are great but there are some things better, like meeting some interesting people.  But I did want to finish so I pushed ahead. Honestly, I felt great here and passed many folks on this climb.  It was all gravel road and I think the big road miles in February kicked in and I got a second wind.  This was to last all the way to finish.  One last mind screw, the top of the hill guy had some great music I could here miles away, but the “one mile to aid” that he told me was more like two.  I made it to Nimblewell and was easily now 30 minutes ahead of cutoff.  I had gone from thinking I won’t make it to I might be DFL, to I think I won’t be last. 

Nimblewell to Finish.  A year or two ago I started a new thing.  I took the last section, set, etc. out of the equation.  When I would reach round four of five I would tell myself, last one.  Then when the last one (round five) came, your mind says, “oh this is the last one, lets try hard.”  Somehow this has translated a bit to running, and I had tried to forget about this last section all day.  I was feeling strong but knew the last section is kind of mind blower, and this year they changed it up due to construction, so the jury was out about how hard it would be.  Was able to pass several out of the aid station and eventually ran into another guy I’d met earlier that day.  He asked if he could hang with me as I was going a good pace.  Of course, so we did the last nine miles or so together.  Lots of rambling trail with some minor climbs and descents.  Last one.  We passed several folks and eventually had a small group of four or five with us for part of it.  We finally made the lodge and began a very steep descent down the AT approach trail.  Super tough going down and it was wearing on us knowing we had to hit the bottom, punch our bibs, then turn around and go back up. Yikes.  But we did it, and you know what?  The climb back up was easier than the down, to me at least.  We then had a big downhill to get to the finish that included a ton of stairs, ouch, that hurt, but the different motion was a different variety of pain, so not too bad.  Started to hear the music and finish line, and that is all it takes for the mind.  Knowing the finish was coming and how close it had been during the day was so rewarding.  Down some super steep hill to the creek, and through it for everyone’s entertainment and boom, the finish.  Throw your spike you carried into a coffin and get an engraved one.  Heather was at finish, and I think quite relieved.  It was great to see her there and know I had represented myself well.  24 hours and 11 minutes or so, I can do anything for 24 hours, see?  I think it was a 61% finish rate, so nearly 100 who started didn’t make it, that is a tough race for sure.  At 58 was also like the second oldest to finish, never thought I would say that, and still laughing about it.

Thoughts.  This is a tough race.  The climbs, environmental factors (heat), and cutoffs make it a challenge.  The climbs are unrelenting, and it can wear you down mentally as much as physically.  You must be prepared in both areas.  Going in I truly thought a 22-hour finish or so was possible for me (still do), but you never know what your body is going to do.  Mine suffered much in the early spring heat, so I took what the race gave me.  A struggle to stay ahead of cutoff, doing math every minute, and just not allowing myself to quit.  A great learning experience for sure.   Much of the race lived up to the hype, some didn’t to me, such as the Nimblewell climb, but on a race like this you never know how your body and mind will respond.  Bigfoot had put some doubt in my mind, so overcoming that was important.  Run Bum puts on a good race with lots of great volunteers, challenges, and I appreciate how complex this event must be to organize.  I won’t do it again but am glad I took one chance to do it.  I simply am seeking new challenges and don’t need to repeat this specific beating again. 

Thanks!  First off, thanks Heather for giving up a weekend plus driving around those crappy roads for the ten minutes that mattered a lot to me.  Your positive energy at my low point made a huge difference.     Appreciate Ellen and Cam who beat me up a lot in HITT or Bootcamp.  And really appreciate the tailored training from Steph who has helped my agility and strength a lot.  Really appreciated the support from everyone just not on this event, but on all of them.  For older runners, the cross training is critical and makes a huge difference!  Starting to work on my ultrarunning coaching certification so I can give back to a sport that has meant a lot to me!