TL;DR A Run in Atlanta. I had fun before tackling some more serious heavy races
Sometimes, we run to accomplish a goal. Sometimes, we just want to go from point A to point B. As to why? who knows.
Some might ask, why I am running in so many races. I just want to be out there.
Back in 2020, a lot of races were canceled due to the pandemic. Only thing that was available to me was run in my own backyard, and a lot of races were converted to virtual events. One of them I did was the Virtual Race Across Tennessee. An event that led into knowing, I can run everyday everwhere.
I remembered May 1st, 2020, I was working from home. Some friends on Facebook signed up and the event went viral. I signed up, FOMO, and by noon time, I was out in my neighborhood running, skipping my normal lunch period to run.
Running in all my spare hours became the norm. I ran before I sleep. I ran whenever possible. Mostly around my neighborhood day after day for the whole summer and then for the next three years.
Soon it became apparent I needed more places to run. So, not sure who gave me the idea to run across my city. It could have been a blogger. I started one early morning and followed the county parkway and reached the end of it then I turned around and came back home. That was I think about 100k. Distance was not a big thing. Running was. It was “fun”. It was epic to do something I never imagine I would. I did it again through out the summer, adjusting the route, such as going from west to east or north to south.
Soon things reopened. And my little adventure tucked away lost in the sand of time. I am sure I was not the first one who did this. Many runners across the world were in the same boat and we ran everywhere.
This brings us to this past weekend race. I call it a race but it is more of a fun run. What the different? To most nothing. 100k is a 100k no matter how you call it. It is a very long distance.
But to me, a run is more fun. A race gives the idea of running in a circle around a track but a run is when you want to go from point A to point B. Again why? I don’t know. It is more a curiosity to know what beyond next corner or the next block.
When I first signed up for GSER 100k, I too forgot why I was doing this. Yes, I wanted to go to Atlanta. Yes I love running. But ultimately it is to have fun. I have many more “serious” races coming up. If I were true to myself, I should not be distracted by other smaller races like this one, but I also would have missed out a lot.
This brings me back to why I want to run in the first place. It is not to get a time on a sheet of paper. Yes, we race for an experience.
Back on topic, why I wanted to run GSER is to in one day run across Atlanta as if I were to run across my own city like in 2020.
As for the timing, that was a bit iffy. Every year, I waited for the race to open but each year, I already signed up something (MMT, which blocked out any other big run in May). This run and MMT always crash. I was hoping for the date to change, but it never would. I later found out the reason was it is fixed to the RD’s birthday weekend (race director).
It came to a decision whether to continue to defer it for another year or suck it up and do it, to do what I like to call a one-two hit combo. As readers know, I did a lot of one-two punches this year already (that is running more races in a short span time than is wise). The Taiwan trip, the Roanoke, and the C&O. Basically, could I do one more, I asked myself.
Indeed. That was a question I didn’t know the answer to even the night before I flew to Atlanta. I just finished the C&O 100 feeling all good but two days later, my achy back threw a fit. I had been in subtle pain since (over two weeks). I could not walk or sit comfortably except when I was laying down. I was in a half crippled state. It seemed rather serious.
Thursday night after work, I tried to run about 100 yards to my car on the parking deck. My back seemed to hold up. It was a miracle. I am healed. So the trip was on. I would have gone there anyway since everything was paid for (I don’t buy travel/race insurance for my races and travel, so either I eat the lost, or go). It is a lot of money to give up if I don’t go. Pain did not come. There was slight discomfort of it being stiff. The feeling held throughout the weekend. I knew, I had the run in the bag. As long as it is not hurting, I would be able to continue.
There was no doubt I would be able to finish this run, the Great Southern Endurance Run as long as I was healthy.
I attempted it twice in summer 2020, GSER1, GSER2, both times I did not finish. Rereading the reports gave me a cringe. Yes they were valuable formative ultra experiences. They were miserable, frustrated runs, only later were surpassed by my experiences at the MMT and Devil Dog, equally frustrated, but all of which I now had redeemed.
It was only natural now I tackled the GSER. Note, I wrote more about both the Devil Dog and MMT than GSER. But GSER was my first DNF. It doesn’t quite hurt as deep as MMT did, but still it was a chip I needed to deal with.
Granted GSER in 2020 was a virtual run and 100 miler and not a 100k. I ran it solo and unsupported. What a difference it made when we had aid stations this time and with friends.
This year, it was an in-person event (100k always has been an in-person event). It was pretty low key, meaning we could get aids from stores and the goal was more to enjoy a run with a friend. Many ran with a buddy. We had 4-5 official aid stations and some random ones (called pop ups) from runners’ friends and families who showed up at various points on the course (roving aid stations). They may or may not be there, there was no guarantee, unless you run at the pace of the runners they were supporting.
There were no official course markings except for a few turns at couple parks and occasionally some chalks. I was not sure they were for our race or someone’s else and I didn’t trust them. RD said, if we get off course, there is no need to backtrack to where we first got lost to continue, just find the quickest way to get back on course. Cool. It is just a weekend fun run.
We used the gps and a turnsheet to get to where we needed to go. Back in 2020, I had problem with my phone (a Pixel), but not this time around. My phone (Galaxy S22) was reliable and I had longer battery than 4-5 years ago and it lasted through my entired race. I still carried a spare portable charger, just in case. What a difference!
There was no cutoff but the last one at the end, since Stone Mountain closes at midnight, we need to ascend and descend it before then. This gives a total of 19 hours, pretty much generous compares to other 100k, which usually allows 18 hours.
I truly had a great time. 100k is 62 miles, and to me it is like running just half of the 100 miler before the real suffering begins. So it was still all fun and game. I needed some “light” running before my season turns serious.
I flew in Friday evening. I had some personal issue with the car rental place. They ran out of cars and refused to refund me back the money. I had a fit, but I don’t want to talk about it any more. It was not a great start.
I spent the rest of the night sorting out the situation, in the end, I did not have a car and had to live with it. The reason I wanted a car was the cost of my ride share just for one trip equals to the cost of the entire day rental. Logically, getting the rental is more economic. I wanted to drive around town that Friday night. In the end, it did not happened.
By the time I arrived at the hotel it was 11 ish and close to midnight. I haven’t eaten dinner yet. I was not ready to bed until 2 ish. Luckily, I picked the hotel near the start. The race was going to start at 5 am. I arrived at 4:55. I overslept. This was one of those rare moment I did not arrive to a race an hour beforehand. Before I slept, I already had everything ready. So even it was just, 5 mins, I was ready to go.
We started off the run to the beats from Star War, since it was May 4th, an unofficial Star War day. Was it Darth Vader theme? It was a cool experience. The two RDs (mother-daughter team) were being silly waving light sabers at us as we headed out.
Cool story, my uber driver who dropped me off were surprised so many people were there in the desolate industrial park. Before, he dropped me off, he turned and asked me if it was the right place, and then lo and below, the whole group of runners with their light appeared, light sabers and all. I said, those are my people.
I was not fast, so I tried to keep up at least with the slower runners so that I didn’t have to look at the turnsheet to find when I needed to turn.
Initially, I kept behind two women, Catiana and Michelle. We stopped at a big tree to hug it. She has done this race before. She said if you hug it, you would finish. I did. So I knew I was in good hand. I don’t believe in those jazz but hey, it was fun. I finished and they also finished! It worked.
Later, I was able to run a bit faster, so I joined another group of 5 runners. Also the women veered off to use the restroom and I felt bad standing around to wait for them. If I go, I knew they wouldn’t be able to catch up to me, which I also felt bad about. Catch-22. It was time to tag along with a new team. There were the husband and wife team and two older gentlemen. They talked of local history as we passed some of the landmarks. They were interesting tipbits. We passed the Big Chicken (KFC) a local landmark. We were told the eyes and the beak could move. Wow! Fancy. Indeed, they moved! I love the Big Chicken.
I would stay with them but a few miles later, I found their pace unsatisfying. It was not slow but it just did not feel right. I was able to join three faster guys in the front (Richard’s party). I better tag along with another team for the long haul. There were no more people ahead of us as far as my eyes could see, but these three. We went by the first aid station at Franco’s house. There I grabbed some bacons. I was not sure who Franco is but I was sure I love the bacons. It written on the turnsheet to steal his beer and pee on his lawn and eat his bacons. I only ate his bacons. The station is known as Franco’s Bacons.
I stayed with these three runners for the next 20 miles or so. We passed some other runners, I think Alec and gang, who seemed to get lost from time to time.
My runners were local runners who had done it before, so they did not need to look at the turnsheet. It saved us much time, through Sope Park and other parks. We went by the Braves stadium, Truist Park. I was glad the three of them led, otherwise, I would have gotten lost, since there was a reroute.
At the OK Cafe, third aid station, the guys went for either a bathroom break or lunch at starbucks, I chose not to stop. Allison caught up, and I ran with her for the next 10 miles through Buckhead. We passed the Governor’s house. I did not remember this place from my past runs. The house was huge.
At Morningside park, Allison was only 5 minutes behind the first female and she decided to give chase, so I dropped back. I stayed longer at the aid station to replenish my fluid. A runner, from Columbia, (Raphael) joined me for the next 5 miles. We ran along the Beltline together. Some runners decided to stop at Beltline for beer. I wanted too but seeing the crowd, I did not want to waste too much time.
I believed, we might have passed half the field here since I am guessing, many took a lunch break, but I did not.
At Beltline, our pace was slow and we got lost (at least I did) a couple times. Yes, how can you get lost on the Beltline, which was just one straight way. I missed the turn at Irvin because the street was unmarked. There afterward, I lost my Columbian friend too. Looking at his Strava, it seemed he followed me and missed the turn at Irvin too, but we got separated when I backtracked. He too backtracked, but we got separated in the process. Beltline is where there were a lot of people.
I was on my own after Beltline and ran through the city of Atlanta. Here many landmarks were familiar, since this was my third attempt. I passed the Georgia Tech., the University. The Olympic Rings and torch. I remembered the time when I gave up here in the middle of the night. Passing the spot, gave me the chill and also a thrill that today I was not stopping here.
Running through Grant Park was new for me. Last time, I did not go through it but stay on the road. From there, we went to the Oakland Cemetery. It never gave me the spooky feeling. I took time to walk through it. Then to Krog St tunnel and beyond. There was a long stretch where people paint on walls. Mural art. I am not a big fan of graffiti art. I felt it is like desacration. To each their own.
Then there were series of parks before we get to Sherwin-Williams aid station. Probably it was around 3 pm. I was hot. At Ponce Ave, a car ran a red night and did not realized it as I was crossing the street. There was a car behind me making a left turn (on green), so the car blew through the intersection with his horn blaring. They kept honking the other car thinking the car cut in front for no reason. Anyway, I was safe. I was expecting a crash at the time, but the car blew through the interection had slowed just enough. That was first rate Atlanta driving. People were speeding on Ponce.
I got a bit lost in the park (not sure the name) afterward here. There was a volunteer/crew waiting for her runner. She offered me a can of Coca~Cola, and I was revived a bit and was able to reach mile 50 because of it. I love the generosity of the running community to share aids. There were several (unofficial) crew stops where they offerred me aids without regard that I was not their runners.
I did not remember this long stretch from Ponce the firat couple time I attempted this race, passing the Columbia Theological Seminary and all, were new to me this time around. I was too sleep deprived the last time to notice it. So today, the whole section to the very end was new.
I ran through Decatur. It was not bad. It was just long and hot. There were a few high school graduation celebrations. One of the runners’ son was graduating, and we were looking for his name (Callan), this was earlier in the day before Sope Park when I was still running with people around me. Just mentioning here because, it was exciting to see young people reaching their milestone and taking their first step into adulthood.
Now we were on the “Path” – Stone path mountain trail. It was uneventful, we followed it for maybe 8-10 miles before reaching the town (Mountain Village) at the mountain foot. It was dull and boring run, and mostly slightly uphill. I remembered to eat and drink to prepared myself for the final big climb. The first time I did this, I took an hour nap at the gate of Stone Mountain because I was so exhausted. Eventually, we could see Stone Mountain at far away, about 3 miles. The sun came out. It was 5 pm ish. I knew I had two more hours before finishing. It was the last stretch. I came to the sign Stone Mountain Village!
I finally caught up to a runner, Scott as we were half mile before reaching town. Scott and I ascended Stone Mountain. We saw several runners (5+6 runners) descending as we were ascending. I know they were at least an hour ahead.
They gave encouraging words. The sunset was amazing on top. I stayed a bit looking around and then descended. Scott was trying to beat his previous time. He said he was an hour ahead. For me, I already beaten my old time, which was 24-27 hours last time, by a huge shot. There is really no check point at the top except an honor system that we reached it. I felt satisfied. A finish was not in doubt, I had about 5 hours left to make it down and I only needed about 45 minutes. When I saw my friend Franco-Ralphael, I wanted to climb a second time with him, but I did not want to slow him down. Instead, it was better for me to wait for him at the finish.
I could run down on the mountain like everyone else before me, but chose to play it safe. The race in my mind was over once I reached top of the mountain. My quads too were about to give out. I knew we had to get back to the Out Run Brewery where everyone was waiting before being considered a finish. I took my sweet time on the descent. Finished just before 8 pm.
I was happy to do a 100k. It was my first 100k and the course was not hard, but because of failed previous attempts, I had expected to not finish until 9 or 10 pm. The computer predicted me at 18-19 hours. I finished in 15 hours. Finishing early was a plus. It meant I could go back to the hotel early. Several runners had their air bnb rear the finish. It was not a bad idea. I thought about it too but had preferred my hotel nearer to the start than at the finish. I also had considered Buckhead and near the airport as alternatives.
After the past several races, the one in Taiwan, the C&O, the Roanoke Marathon, this one was much more fun. I know I took other races as a fun run too, but some of them I always had to work to avoid cutoffs or I just was trying to run faster. This one did not have a cutoff, at least one that I’d feel being pressured by. I was not in a rush. So it was just a long day of running and sight seeing.
I was still nervous about finishing late and did not stop at all along the way to eat. I passed by many stores, where if I really believed in myself, I would have stopped to have a beer or a meal along the way. It ended up being fun regardless. The supports I got from the minimalist aid stations were adaquate. They were better than not having one (note, not a complaint, but this is a reality of these kinds of small scale races, for runners by runner – noting here for future gser’s runners). I was just happy there were volunteers out there for us.
As with most races, it was like a fairy tale. We went there, ran it, and all the memories captured. It might not be the same next time. The next race will be different. Some runners I will see again, maybe, some I will not.
My journey this year will bring me to many places, because I am doing the grand slam, and all. I am no hulk. Just feeling so grateful I could do it. Some races will have a lot of pomps, and some will be low key. I don’t know what the next one will bring.
Races do take a toll. I finished this race like any other races at a very high point. The highest of high also means everything else is very low. Some knows the phase of the first day back to workweek as “Monday”. My everyday is like a Monday morning, when everything is bland and “normal”. We don’t write about those, unfortunately. Thus, it has been taking me a while to post this.
If you ask me which weekend is best one so far. I don’t have an answer. The answer will probably the one at the present. I do think a lot about this too. Giving my limited ability, some races I will forget entirely and some I will remember forever. If years from now as I look back at 2024, I wish, the run in Atlanta, GSER will be one I can recall.
In awe 