NFEC Bear Mountain 50 Mile Trail Run

This was my first ultramarathon, and it won't be my last. This race was one where the only results that I wanted were to finish this 50 mile trail run. The furthest I had run prior to this event was 26.3 miles, so this race required a leap of faith that I was not accustomed to in my training. It gave me butterflies thinking about running almost twice the distance I ever had before.
I started way back in the pack with Paul, who I happened to see minutes before the start. We ran/walked together for about the first 2 miles and then he took off, never to be seen until after the finish line. It's every man for himself in this event... well, sort of. There was a camaraderie on the trails unlike any race I've done before. The people were friendly, optimistic, and willing to share their stories of past feats. The conversations and occasional witty remarks made the my 10.75 hours less painful than it otherwise would have been.

SSAP 2012

SSAP is a beautiful race. All the bicycles are mountain bikes, and all the mountain bikes are single speed, which means you just pedal and steer. Some riders dream of victory, and some laugh at the notion that there can be only one who is victorious when all are riding the same sweet singletrack.
Lessons learned:
1. Long distance running does not make you a fast mountain biker. You probably have to ride with fast    mountain bikers.
2. Don't believe the hype (#1).
3. Long Trail Pale Ale is delicious on tap.
4. Don't roll 33 x 18 if you haven't been training to be a fast mountain biker.
5. MRC mantra: HARDEN THE F UP.