Badwater Cape Fear race report 2017

Badwater Cape Fear Race Report. (51.4 miles)

The race took place in Bald Head Island, North Carolina.  The island itself is beautiful and only allows people to drive by golf cart.  It’s a great vacation spot.  I was nervous about running because my legs were trashed from the Coyote Backbone 100 miler 6 days earlier. I got many massages and took it easy all week. Saturday I felt good with no real soreness and decided to see if I could push it.  We started at the lighthouse and did a couple loops through the island's road system (12 miles). I probably overdid it a bit on this section, as I was chasing the fast people. We then had 2 ten mile out and backs on the sand (40 total miles).  The first 10 miles wasn’t bad, I stayed as close to the water as possible and the sand was actually pretty firm.  I arrived at the aid station and turned around mile 22, this is when the suck started.  High tide had started and the firm sand I was running on was now gone.  I was forced to run in the loose deep sand.  Mixed with a 20 to 30 mph headwind I started to struggle.  I dropped back to 5th place, put my head down, and started to grind.  At the mile 31 aid station, I ate a ton and headed back up the beach.  This time the wind was at my back and the tide had started to go back out.  I felt great and really started to make up time.  Around mile 35 I took 3rd place.  Everything was feeling good and I was ready to kill the last 10 miles.  I hit the mile 42 aid station and turned around.  My resolve was quickly tested as the wind picked up to around 30mph.  I’m not sure I’ve ever run into the wind that strong for so long.  No matter how hard I pushed I could not break 10-minute miles.  It was hard.  I suffered.  I loved it.  Finished in 7 hours and 39 minutes, which is a 50 mile PR for me by 33 minutes.  I also got the course record for my age group!  Yay for being old.  So that’s 2 podiums in 6 days for me.  Still in shock about it.  Now to rest up and hit Gorge 100k hard in 3 weeks.

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