Saturday I will be attempting to complete a 50 mile race. Having never run that far, I am quite anxious to get started. Training has been strong and the taper has me rested and ready to go. The prospect of running a new distance is extremely exciting and intimidating at the same time. Anything can happen over the course of 50 miles, so my hope is to simply go out and run and deal with fatigue and soreness as they come. The course is relatively flat, but strong rain and thunderstorms are expected, which can cause creek crossings to swell to very high levels and deep mud to be abundant throughout the race. I anticipate the finish times will be slower due to the rain.
The Carl Touchstone Memorial Mississippi 50 Trail Race is held in De Soto National Forest, near Laurel and Hattiesburg, Mississippi. This race was my choice for a first 50 miler for several reasons. First, I grew up in South Mississippi, so racing there feels familiar. Second, relatives in Hattiesburg will make lodging easy and give us a chance to visit. Finally, Carl Touchstone was my orthodontist as a kid. For three years I saw him every month where he caused me severe pain by tightening braces and preaching about the dangers of chewing gum and popcorn with metal tracks on your teeth. Seems only fitting that a race named in his memory can also cause severe pain by testing the limits of my endurance. At some point I will chew gum on the course in his memory.
Well, enough said at this point. Full race report will be posted next week. Off to run!
Verse: "But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you." -1 Peter 4: 13-14
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