State 27 - Kentucky!

Number 27 was my most impromptu marathon yet! It was also my first trail marathon. I was feeling a bit desperate for some adventure after 2020 smashed all of our plans and I thought maybe my fitness from Arkansas would get me through this race.

I wasn't wrong. But it wasn't the greatest idea I've ever had. 

The Falls 100 is a one hundred mile trail race in the middle of nowhere Kentucky. The race starts Saturday morning at 7 AM, along with the 50 miler and marathon. Here's where it gets interesting though; they also have a night marathon that starts at 7 PM. So in my head, I could leave Saturday morning, drive the 10 hours to the race, run, sleep, and drive back in time for school on Monday. I wouldn't even have to take a day off! Sounds like fun, right?

Then my helpful travel agent (Drew) found me a room in an ice cream parlor/boutique hotel and I was sold. How can I not run a marathon in the middle of the night in the middle of nowhere Kentucky and also get to stay in an ice cream parlor??? 

So Saturday morning I set off for Kentucky. And that's really all I can say about that. I mean, it was a long, boring drive. 

Kentucky!

I packed lots of snacks and pre-race food so that I would be totally prepared and fueled for the race. I honestly think that might have been my biggest mistake. I showed up to the race full. Like really full.

Ready to run!

The night marathon started right on time, with all seven of us runners ready to go. We ran about a mile on pavement from the start through all of the camps of 100-miler crews to the trail. It was immediately uphill and I quickly overheated. I stopped to take my jacket off and shove it in my pack and by the time I was running again, I was alone. 

The course was fairly technical and super muddy. There were parts that I just had no choice but to walk because it was so slippery. I kept at it though and just kept moving forward. It was cool to see and talk to runners who were doing the 50 and 100 mile race. And I just love running in the dark. 

However, when I first tried taking a GU, I could barely get it down. My stomach was not happy with me. I kept trying to eat, but wasn't having much success. As I approached the big aid station half-way through the loop I was met with super helpful volunteers who asked what they could get me. I said my stomach wasn't feeling great and asked for ginger ale. The guy brought back a small cup of something light and clear and I drank. 

Not ginger ale. 

Pickle juice.

Yikes, that did not help my stomach. But I kept on moving. Each loop is 13.1 miles and I completed the first loop in about 3 hours. The second loop was much slower. It got very cold. I still wasn't having a lot of luck eating, and I was moving slow. But I was moving forward! By mile 25 it was so late, and I was so tired. I was just ready to be done. I might have cried. But kept going.

And finally finished. The finish line had a warming tent where they let me sit in front of a heater and drink veggie broth until I was ready to go. I was so happy to be done!

Crooked smile.

Fun fact about me; when I get really cold, the left side of my mouth stops working and when I smile it looks like I've had a stroke. See above. I was cold!

Now here's where things get interesting. The race was in the middle of nowhere and the ice cream parlor where I was sleeping was in a town about 20 minutes away, also in the middle of nowhere. I started driving but realized I didn't have service and couldn't get directions back. So I drove around middle-of-nowhere Kentucky for about 45 minutes in the middle of the night until my phone finally picked up service and I was able to get directions back. Not my favorite part of the trip.

I planned to sleep in on Sunday but my body wasn't having it. So I woke up and hit the road pretty early the next (same) morning. The race was fun and terrible. The trip was fun and terrible. It was exactly what I needed. Although I could have done without the lost-in-Kentucky part.

A few weeks after I ran, the race sent out an email letting everyone know that the park and trails had been sold and completely demolished and that the race was forever canceled. It was so heartbreaking but I'm so grateful that I took a chance and did this run when I could. It has been on my list for a long time and now it's gone.