Rare Opportunity at Dizzy's 50

November 22, 2008, I had a rare opportunity. Not just to run in one of the best supported, lowest entry fee, most beautiful scenery ultra, but got to experience a once in a lifetime opportunity. I'm not going to tell you right off the bat, but instead I'm going to make you read my blog first to see what I'm talking about.
Dizzy 50 is a trail race sponsored by the Huntsville Track Club and supported by others like Fleet Feet in Huntsville, AL. It is run on Monte Sano Mountain overlooking Huntsville. Most folks don't even know of the beauty there. There are hiking trails, bike trails and cabins to be rented to sit and take in the vast beauty of the Tennessee Valley. The race is directed by Jeff Kyser. How he keeps the entry fee so low and offers so much, there has to be something illegal about it.
The race starts at 06:30 and has a 10 hour time limit. That's to keep folks out of the woods after dark. Park rules and also for the safety of the entrants. An early entry fee of $24 and late fee of $32 is among the best around. There are other races with lower fees, but not with the support that this one offers. This one has a great shirt ( wish it were long sleeve), great aid and post race meal and a finisher prize. Last year was a yellow drop (duffle) bag, this year a red drop bag. it does not get better than this. With only 108 entries, I'm surprised it doesn't fill up sooner. Great job Jeff! The runners have choices of running either a 50k (31 miles), 40 miles or 50 miles. The course is made up of a small loop in the beginning to even out the mileage, then a North loop and a South loop. You must run 3 loops for the 50k, 4 loops for the 40 mile and 5 loops for the 50 mile. That's why it's called Dizzy, you get dizzy trying to keep up with which way you need to go.
My wife and I spent the night my wife's sister and her husband in Scottsboro, AL. The morning came with a temperature in Scottsboro of 19 degrees F. As my wife and I drove towards Huntsville, along about Gurley, AL the temperatures dipped to 15 degrees. I just knew that the temperatures atop Monte Sano would be colder. As we drove up the mountain, the temperatures actually got warmer to a balmy 22 degrees. Man, what a relief, I thought it was going to be cold.
Most everyone checked in the race headquarters and pinned their numbers on in the cars. I guess this was to keep the competition in the dark as to who was actually going to compete. With 10 minutes to start I kissed my wife for luck and said the customary "I Love You" in case I dropped dead somewhere along the course, then exit the trusty M-1 Abrams ( my wife's Dodge Durango). 2 minutes later, I re-entered the M-1 to pick up some forgotten item. I'm not sure what it was at this point, but I know I needed it. With 6 minutes left, I exited for the final time. I met up with some fellow runners and bumped knuckles for luck to signify that we would run "with no regrets" today. That is one of the trademarks of "The Snake" when we toe the line, we bump knuckles and acknowledge that today we will have no regrets.
Prior to the race beginning, there is a word of prayer. If you are offended, then stay home! That is the way we do it in the SOUTH. Then Suddenly, we're off on the small starting loop. Man, I should have worn my mittens, instead of my gloves. My thumbs were numb. So I took them out of the gloves and held them in my palms. That was better. I was wearing shorts, a long sleeve technical shirt, a short sleeve technical shirt and a windbreaker. I had my 50 cent pair of cotton gloves on with my Asics Trail Attacks and a pair of Dirty Girl Gaiters. (Yeah, I'm a Dirty Girl). As we came back into the Start/Finish area to start the North loop, the wind was from the South. The wind on this day would not prove to be a factor, just a challenge to regulate what to wear to keep the cool South winds from chilling on the South Loop. I should have gotten rid of the wind breaker after the North loop, but made the mistake of keeping it on until the second loop. By this time, when I decided to get rid of it, I was too wet to take it off. So I ran with it the rest of the race. It was not really a problem, but I probably sweated more than I really needed to and lost more electrolytes. I compensated with S! caplets and Chicken and rice soup.
During the North loop of lap # 2, I was walking up the long incline ( I call it a mountain) when I heard foot steps. As I looked back, it was DeWayne Satterfield from Huntsville. He was on his third loop! This is where I experienced the "Rare Opportunity". DeWayne had ran the Pinhoti 100 mile Endurance Run two weeks prior and had placed 4th overall. Now He is leading the field in Dizzy 50k. Now for the amazing part. He was running the mountain, and talked to me and said, " Hey, SNAKE! this hill never gets easier". As he rounded the switchback, he looked back at me and told me he would see me at a future race and he would put in a good word for me. He was talking about a race where the entry is by invitation only.
Here is a true Champion, taking oxygen away from his effort to encourage a back of the packer. No doubt in my mind, if I was in trouble on this part of the course, he would stop and give assistance. He was raised on Sand Mountain. I knew his Uncle, years before I had even heard of DeWayne. Dewayne is the reason I started running ultras in the first place. He talked me into running Strolling Jim 40 miler in Wartrace, TN.
There I was, in the right place at the right time to observe Dewayne push himself up that hill, 2 weeks after running 100 miles. A day to remember.
When I finished 2 loops, I was feeling a low. For the ones who have not experienced a low, it is when your energy levels, your attitude, your drive your mojo or whatever you call it is at an all time low. You question, why you are there, what you are doing there, and if you can ever do the future races that you have signed up for. I went to the M-1 for a Coke, pimiento sandwich, chicken and rice soup. When I opened the door my wife said " I got something for you". She pulled out a plaque and showed it to me. My eyes welled up with tears. Probably the hormone imbalance, or the fact my brain was not getting enough oxygen. She has always supported me during my runs and has always given encouragement to me when I was down. We always have little jokes about not being a wimp and quit feeling sorry for yourself. She held up the plaque and new energy entered my body. If you haven't experienced this, then you are missing a treat.
I started the last loop with the idea that it may not be pretty, but I could do it. the plaque was a real motivator. I came into the aid station with only the South loop to go. I loaded up on chicken and rice soup, Coke, an S! cap and a couple of Bayer aspirin. Boy was I sloshing when I left out. After about 15 minutes, the sloshing quit and I started to clip off about 3 to 4 miles at 10 to 12 minutes per mile. The last 2 to 3 was filled with some intermittent running and walking. I finished in 6:37. Not really a PR for me but with a day full of new experiences and some new knowledge.
As I sat in the M-1 with my wife after the race, she turned to me and said, "Boy, I tell you, it sure was cold today". That's when I gave her the look that women usually gives to their husband. No words had to be spoken. We are still laughing at that one.
Ever get the chance to run Dizzy, give it a try. Dollar for dollar, can't be beat.