The Tanawha trail is the corridor to some of my favorite single-track in The High Country so when Ashley submitted this route originally, I knew a speedy attempt was in the future. Having run this route (point to point) multiple times, I knew there was sufficient water access and decided to go it "Unsupported" about a week before the attempt. This ended up being a smart plan since the morning I showed up to Price Lake, the Parkway was closed from Holloway Mountain to Beacon Heights and I wouldn't have been able to receive aid until 12 miles in.
Training: While training for this I reduced my typical running volume (preferencing quality miles over quantity) , increased my strength training (lots of shoulder, back and core work) and kept my running specific to my goal (technical single track, long tempo efforts, non-pavement speed). I usually only ran three days a week giving myself a rest day between workouts. This helped me reduce mental and physical fatigue associated with higher volume and helped keep things from getting mundane.
Weather: I wanted cooler temps for this which is why I put this run off until December. 45F was my sweet spot and I was fortunate enough to get a 38F-53F range with very little humidity and wind. The two days after my attempt produced several inches of rain and would have been a cold, wet run.
Nutrition/Water: I maxed out my running belt with mostly chews, a couple gels, a Bobo bar, and a hydration concentrate made from Skratch. Water was collected/filtered with my Salomon XA bottle around every 4-5 miles, and there was more than enough with 8 stream crossings each way.
Trail Conditions: In the first few miles (and last), snow lightly coated the trail, however this section became slick and sticky once it warmed up, making for a less aggressive finish. The other 20ish miles were what you'd expect from a trail built on Grandfather: lots of roots, rocks, uneven ground and leaf coverage. Although a lot of people moan at a leaf covered trail, I appreciated the slight padding it provided and had no issues with slippage or ankle rolls.
Gear: I don't feel it necessary to go over my entire kit but I will highlight two items, shoes and storage. My shoe choice was the Nnormal Kjerag (big surprise). Not because its the only pair I run in, no matter the terrain or distance, but because it has amazing grip (Vibram), reduces foot slip (no insole), the upper is breathable and bulletproof (Kevlar yarn), and the shoes weigh almost nothing (less than a pound). All the qualities needed for fast, technical running. For storage, I used the Naked running band. It was able to carry one 500ml bottle in the back, my filter, all of my nutrition, a pair of gloves, and my emergency kit. Not only does it have great storage capacity but I tend to sweat twice as much with a vest on and don't find it particular comfortable for faster efforts.
High Points: Finishing is the obvious one here. It's been a while since I put a tempo effort together for that long (if ever), over that type of terrain. The other notable high point was when I checked my watch at Beacon Heights and saw that I was just over 2 hours running. A couple years ago I ran the Beacon to Price section in under 2 hours but didn't think I could come close to that on the southbound. It was at this moment I knew I could get close to the 4hr mark, which encouraged me to keep moving swiftly.
Low Points: Although there were several dry heave moments as I was trying to dislodge the Skratch sugar loogie from my esophagus, I only had one big low moment. As I passed Boone Scout trail on the return (20ish miles in) I was thinking about how fast I needed to finish to break 4 hours. It was in this moment my momentum got ahead of me and I tripped downhill on a rocky section. I have never crashed so hard running. Blood was dripping from my left hand. I had egg size contusions on my right forearm, right quad, and left shin bone. After a few seconds of shock, I got up and kept moving while I assessed my injuries. Although it was physically a lot harder to move, it gave me a huge shot of adrenaline that kept me focused for the final miles.
I had set out to complete this with a 4h 45m goal, however I ignored my pace chart and focused on perceived effort. I couldn't be happier with that decision. I don't think I will be putting too much emphasis into pace charts for the future. I'll opt to put more focus into understanding effort (Heart Rate/Muscle Fatigue) and energy use (Hydration/Nutrition). I finished this run with everything I could give it and am really glad I didn't finish thinking "what ifs". Not sure there is another effort I'm more proud of on a trail I'm so fond of.