Then there were the potatoes: Greenbrier Ultras Race Report

The Greenbrier Ultras on March 25-26, 2023 were a trail running treat – a challenging but manageable course, well-stocked aid station, and excellent volunteers (don’t even get me started on how much I love all the volunteers).

Race Director Kevin Sayers describes it as “[catering] to the first-time ultra marathon runner who have put in their training miles.” While this wasn’t my first ultra marathon, I appreciate that it would have been an ideal first-time experience for the following reasons:

Course markings: You need to pay attention on the first loop, but it’s well-marked and once you get one loop down… then you just follow your own steps for the subsequent loops. Heads up that there are a few sharp turns, and it may be helpful for you to check out the course map so you know approximately where they are located.

Race strategy/cadence: You can establish a race strategy after your first loop by setting a target timeframe for the remaining loops, and deciding how you will manage the once per loop aid station stop. The ability to stop at your car after each loop to re-stock and grab any gear you need is a big benefit, but the downside is that you have to be careful that you don’t lolly-gag too long. Efficiency is key in this race and with this format (loops). Plus, there is a legitimate bathroom near the main aid station, complete with lights, running water, plumbing. The whole 9 yards.

Aid Station: The big tent is where all the magic happens at the Greenbrier. Runners have their own designated areas (first come, first served) for a few necessities so that everything they need is one place if that is their preference. The aid station is fully stocked with all the yummy ultra options. At one point, I was eating a pancake-bacon-pringles-brownie sandwich and it might have been the greatest thing I’ve ever tasted. Ever. But I was down a few thousand calories so that may have had something to do with it. The potato offerings are on-point: Mashed potatoes, tator tots, pierogis… if potatoes were food groups then you’d have the whole pyramid, basically.

Night start: Obviously this only applies to the 50-mile run, but the night start is a benefit to any runner who is getting ready for a more challenging race and wants night time running experience. While I have done night races before (AEI’s OSS CIA 50-Miler), the 12:01am Sat start is particularly brutal. I underestimated how difficult it would be to not have any fresh miles from the beginning since it was late and I was already sluggish. RD Kevin emphasized in his race briefing that this race is exceptionally hard because it throws off the circadian rhythm, and he was right.

Time cutoffs: No real cutoffs may be the biggest benefit of all, since the fear of cutoffs may be worse than the cutoffs themselves for many of us (looking at me). A solid hustle with running and walking from beginning to end will get you there, regardless of the distance you are running. Technically, there are cutoffs but they are mainly for the 100-mile runners so they are extremely generous for the other race distances.

Personally, my goal was consistency, and I made decisions throughout the race on which sections of the trail I needed to mostly walk (downhills), run (flats), and run/walk (climbs). While I had a couple of slower loops, for the most part I committed to this strategy from the beginning and kept it going through to the finish and the Groundhog Day nature of my approach made it more comfortable and manageable.

I had a few fun miles with friends John Hord and Charlene Howard (#TeamZagnut), and got lucky when a “fresh” runner – Kyle – jumped in to pace me for the last few miles. I also got to briefly say hi to friends Tom Simonds and Carl Bligan (25k first place finish!), and although I was sad that I missed seeing Paul Encarnacion… his photo of the beach below captures the magic of this race.

I also got to run it in with another 50-mile runner who asked me about a mile out if I wanted to run ahead and finish in front of him. I gave him a hard NO and pointed out that if anyone told me to finish strong I’d probably punch them in the face (Recall: No sleep the night before).

The other runner stopped at his car just before the finish to have a pre-celebration with his crew and fur baby and as I ran past him he shouted “finish strong!” at me. Of course, I was now obligated to turn quickly and come after him as though I was going to punch him in the face but my sad, weak punch would probably have resulted in giggles more than anything so I restrained myself and we both got a good laugh out of it.

Since there was no one waiting for me at the finish line, bonding with Kyle and my finish line friend (and his pacer) was special. I love making impromptu friends on the trail. Everyone just seems happier “out there” and regardless of how tough it gets (the sky opened up at some point and dumped buckets on us), when I am on the trails I am the best person I can be.

I am most human when I am running in the woods. As hard as it gets, I remind myself that the only thing that matters in the moment is this trail and this race. The opportunity to be at my best – even if I may seem like a dumpster fire rolling down the trail – because I am the most authentic and real version of me when I am broken down to my core by the tough challenges that I take on.

And while I may not be the toughest or the fastest or even the most efficient, I may be the one who enjoys my time on the trails more than anyone else – especially at races like this one. Homegrown races like the Greenbrier remind me why it’s so important to stay true to our roots as trail runners, and keep the focus on our love of the sport. I am so grateful for all these experiences with my friends and tribe. Because of trail maintenance, next year’s race has already been cancelled, which is why I wrote this Race Report – so I can promote the race when registration opens for the 2025 race!

Thank you, RD Kevin, John and Charlene, Tom, Carl, Paul, Kyle and my new friends at the finish line, and all the amazing volunteers who lost lots of sleep for our sake but never lost patience for our crazy antics.