After running the Mesa Marathon two weeks before, I just felt that 26 wasn't enough miles. One random day in class, I made this route and sent it to my good friend Rocio. I jokingly said that we should do this as a "casual" 50k, as neither of us was training for any big races at the time. Unfortunately for me, she said she was in, so off we went. We started relatively early in the dark from the Vanderbilt campus and set off for Ashland. The route was 1/3 through Nashville, 1/3 through back road woods, and 1/3 on the side of River Road, which is a pretty major road. It started off quite cold as it was only the first day of March, but we made good time through the first 15 miles. At mile 16, we had some assistance from our good friends who brought us much-needed fuel in the form of a gallon box of Goldfish and Body Armour. After a quick 10-minute pit stop for our halfway mark, we set off and planned to see them for a second refuel at mile 26. We continued through the winding backroads and farms until we made a left on River Road. This was a little bit heavier traffic than I expected, so we ended up running in the grass shoulder for around 8 miles. After about 6 hours, we made it to the Ashland City bridge and eventually the end of the route, which ends right before Main Street in Ashland City. Overall, we had a great time, and I have challenged a few friends to beat our time. I know that I will absolutely try this route again in a few months to try and go sub 5:30. Anyone in Nashville should try!