Separating Winners from Wieners
The Barkley Fall Classic (BFC) sucks. The BFC is a near nonstop physical and mental test that continually taunts you before and during the race. Also, it will throw in enough hornets, bugs, briars, and poisonous plants to make sure everyone leaves some piece of themselves behind to satisfy the gods of Frozen Head State Park and goes home with several souvenirs that lasts at least a week. This race is not for everyone. If you have any doubts about if this race is for you, then it is not – go find a local 5K and run in costume. You will have a much better time.
2019 was my second year in a row running the BFC. After I completed the BFC 50K in 2018, I knew I had to go back. I signed up on the day they opened the lottery and ended up on the waitlist. I cleared my calendar for Sept 19-22 and waited patiently for my name to be pulled. The 2018 BFC kicked my ass. Starting this year, I had 3 big races that I cared about:
- Georgia Death Race – DNF – Race Report
- Bigfoot 200 – Finished in 20th Place (of 160) – Race Report
- Barkley Fall Classic 50K
At the start of the year, my goal for BFC was to finish faster than I did in 2018, ideally in under 12 hours. After my medical DNF at the Georgia Death Race and the amazing time I had at Bigfoot 200, my perspective and goals changed. Minimally, my goal was to finish BFC 50K, but my drive to beat last year’s time just wasn’t as strong as it had been months earlier. Of course, at a race like BFC, you won’t hit your goals unless your drive is strong and unwavering. I finished the Barkley Fall Classic 50K in 12h 29m 55s for 118 out of the 186 that finished the 50K. This year, less than 40% of those that started the BFC 50K finished it.
Pre-Race: I should probably prepare for Barkley
About 6 weeks before BFC, I completed the Bigfoot 200 – a 206 mile point to point race in the Washington Cascade Mountain Range. Between the recovery break from Bigfoot and the taper before BFC, I did not get much specific training in for BFC. I felt great physically, but I knew that I was not as prepared as I could have been for the BFC climbs.
BFC has several rules when it comes to what you can pack/bring including:
- No GPS
- No poles before the 50K/Marathon decision point
- No single use energy shot/gel/gu
- Only 1 drop bag at the 50K/Marathon decision point
- No on-course crew (only allowed at the start/finish)
Also, the race crew/volunteers are there to only provide you minimum help you need. For example, here is one of my favorite paragraphs from a pre-race email (direct copy/paste to include the formatting):
Special DietaryRequirements: If you have special nutrition needs, and would like the RaceAdministration to
fulfill those needs, please make a list on a piece of paper.Take that list, and put it in the toe of an old sock,
and bury the sock under atree in your back yard…
As an alternative (should you actually want to have thoseitems available during the race), dig up the sock,
remove the paper, and takeyour list to the grocery store. Purchase the items on the list and place themin
your backpack before the race.”
This can make planning/packing for the race either easy or difficult based on your perspective. For me, it makes it a little easier – I just load my pack with everything I would need for a 12 hour race. The hardest part for me is planning for the nutrition. In most races, I depend on Gu/Gel as my main source of fuel because it is easy on my stomach, small and light, and has many different flavors and caffeinated options. Not being allowed these really changes my plan, so I packed a bunch of different fuel – different flavors and textures.
I also made a couple of changes from last year. I planned to get into Wartburg earlier on Friday to visit the Frozen Head State Park visitor center to pick up a map and a mug. Picked out a different breakfast for the morning of the race since I had some stomach issues last year. Due to the previous year’s experience, I decided to camp at the American Legion again. Most importantly, I downloaded the park map onto my phone and iPad and planned time to mark up my race map with trail colors and other notes.
Everything went according to plan. I got to Wartburg early, had plenty of time to set up my camp, pick up my race packet, and mark up my map. As I went around gathering supplies, many of the locals asked if I was here for the race. They were very welcoming and wished me luck, although several of them told me to watch out for rattlesnakes. The multiple rattlesnake warnings made me a little nervous.
Same, yet Different
When I got this year’s map, I noticed that the course changed from the previous year. As Laz hinted at on Facebook, it looked to be longer with an additional climb – yet, it is somehow still 50K? It still had most of the memorial climbs/descents that I remembered such as North Bird Mountain, Chimney Top, Testicle Spectacle, Meth Lab, and Rat Jaw. Rat Jaw And Chimney Top almost beat me last year; this year, I knew what to expect from them.
This year, I actually had an informed strategy to approach the race. It was a simple plan:
- Run at the start to start of the trail (about 2 miles on road to the trail head). This is critical in order to not get stuck behind slower people on the first single track climb.
- Don’t push too hard on the first several climbs.
- Run as many of the flat and downhill sections as I could, especially the fireroad downhills.
- When climbing Testicle Spectacle and Rat Jaw, just keep moving and don’t look up. If I have to stop, only stop for 10 seconds before moving again. Definitely do not look up; every summit is a lie.
Dinner and a Movie
Like the previous year, I decided to participate in the pre-race dinner and movie. This was a fun time to catch up with friends, meet new people, etc. A couple first-timers asked me specific questions or for advice. My advice is pretty basic: Mark up your map with the actual trail names/markings, keep going, it will suck, and try to have fun. It is also fun to hear various strategies on how to approach the race and course, especially from first-time runners. My favorite one was from a runner that made velcro tear-away kevlar chaps decorated by his daughter to getting through the briars. They were awesome and completely silly at the same time.
Dinner was enjoyable. The movie was the Barkley Marathon documentary and our guest speaker was John Fegyveresi – 2012 Barkley Marathon Finisher. It was fun to learn more about John, his pre-Barkley preparations, his post Barkley finish life, and that he was running the BFC 50K with us. As soon as he was done speaking, I went back to my tent to sleep for the night. The temperature was ideal for sleeping and I got about as much sleep as I usually do the night before a big race.
Time to Run
I was one of the first ones up and moving at the American Legion. I took my time to get ready and eat. This year I changed up my breakfast, opting for yogurt, granola, rice cakes, and a banana. I was determined to get a lot of calories in before the race knowing how easy it was to forget to eat.
The morning was going well. I did not get to the starting corral as early as I would have liked and ended up in a bit further back than I wanted. Before I knew it, Laz lit his cigarette and we were off. I followed my plan, do a quick pace but do not over do it. I passed a bunch of runners and got into a pack that was running about the same pace. I kept thinking as we were running, this seems longer than it did last year. That was all in my mind; it was the same exact section as the previous year. When hit the single track climb up Bird Mountain, I took a conversative approach, keeping a steady pace. I passed a few groups and was passed by a few. I remained focused, “I am here to finish and not get hurt above all else.” Thankfully, I remembered to eat some fuel, even if it was a little later than I should have.
I made it to the first aid station feeling good, but I did not consume as much fuel as I should have. In fact, the thought of eating anything did not sound good to me. I opted to get some Sword – a sports drink that I have only come across at Barkley Fall Classic. I started with small cup of Sword. Since it was easy to drink. I did a 50/50 mix of Sword and water in my extra bottle and was on my way.
No More Course Details
The unspoken rule of the BFC is that you do not share the details or the course map of the race. In that fine tradition, there will be no more details about the course in this report.
As the race continued, I still could not eat anything. The thought of snacking on the fuel I brought or the snacks at the aid station did not sit well with me. I continued to rely on the Sword at the aid stations to get me through the race. The race was going well, but I knew that I was behind my pace from last year and that there was a risk of missing cut-offs.
Rat Jaw does not like you or any other runner
As I approached the Prison and Rat Jaw, I told myself, “You cannot repeat last year’s performance on Rat Jaw. Just keep moving and don’t look up.”
The previous year, Rat Jaw took a lot out of me. I has to stop several times to escape the heat. Not only did it drain all my strength and energy, but the continuous false summits did a number on me mentally.
This year, the plan was simple:
- Keep moving
- If I have to stop, only break for 10 seconds and there should me significant progress made between each stop.
- Don’t look up. Rat Jaw ends when it ends, everything else is a lie.
I am happy with my performance on Rat Jaw this year. Yes, I could have probably ascended it quicker, but it seemed to take less time and take less out of me than it did the previous year. I got to the top of Rat Jaw, climbed the fire tower, took a second to look back over the mountain, and was on my way.
Time to Decide: Are you a Winner or Wiener?
Before I knew it, I was at the decision point aid station. This is the only place where drop bags are allowed and the point where poles are allowed. As I entered the aid station, I briefly scanned for my drop bag. I did not see it, but since I still could eat anything solid I was not too concerned with finding it. Other than the probably warm Red Bull I packed for myself, nothing would be of use.
I continued through the aid station and went over to Laz. He was punching bibs and suggesting to each runner that he/she quit, pointing to the Marathon distance trail and saying something like, “If you go that way, you will be done a lot earlier. And that way is easier.”
For me, the decision was easy. I had enough time on the clock and I had conquered the hardest climbs on the course. “50K for me,” I told Laz. He punched my card and I was on my way.
I took off at an easy paced run, knowing there was still a climb ahead of me. I hit the last aid station and got my final bib punch. My bib punches spelled “I M A WINNER”. Now, all I have to do is finish.
As I began on the final climb, the fatigue was setting in. While my legs were very tired, I was really beginning to feel the lack of calories. I had not been able to eat anything solid since the first hour of the race, which was about 9 to 10 hours earlier. I was struggling. Sustained climbs are something I have trouble with, mainly due to inability to train on them. I can train for short, steep climbs, but there is nowhere close to me that has a long climb.
Determined to keep going, I found a good walking stick and keep pushing. After what felt like forever, I hit the summit of the climb. Since I was familiar with this section of the trail, I knew I had reached the summit.
I picked up my pace on the downhill. Soon I was running with another runner, who was also staying at the American Legion. We hit the final road section and I decided to slow down. I had more than enough time left on the clock to finish, I knew I was not going to hit my under 12 hour goal, and the thought of the 15 hour drive the next day all combined to have me slow my pace once I hit the pavement. I took it easy until I saw the bridge and turn to the finish. I picked up my pace to the finish, coming in at 12 hours 29 minutes 55 seconds. There were some high fives and congrats exchanged among the recent finishers.
I was happy to be done. Barkley Fall Classic 50K is a hard race. Finishing it feels good. I walked over to the medal table and received my 2x finisher award, the Croix de Barq with one star. I took a couple of pictures and caught up with several of the folks I knew at the race, before heading out to get cleaned up, drink some chocolate milk and sleep.
Final Thoughts
The Barkley Fall Classic 50K is a unique race. I am thrilled to have run and finished it twice. While I will probably go back again, I have decided to pass on the 2020 race in favor of some other races that I have not done. The BFC is not for everyone, but it is a race for me.
