2024 Sugg Farm Ultra

Sugg Farm Ultra. Sept.14th, 2024. This date had been circled on my calendar since November of 2023.

I was coming off a successful return to running and just completed my second marathon. I was tired of road running and wanted a new challenge. It was time to explore trail running and Ultra distances. I researched local races and stumbled upon the Sugg. I saw that they had a 20-40-50 mile option, so I went all in and I couldn’t wait for January 1st to sign up. I may have been one of the first ones to do so. I was in for the 50 miler. I started training right away.

I went to the first of many group training runs, which is where I first met Wes Claytor - the race director. Super guy, very down to earth and supportive. I was gonna pick his brain on ultras until he was tired of me lol. It’s also the first time I met runners from the TUFF Run Club, a Facebook running group that I immediately joined. My first time ever on the trails. I was hooked from day one. But man, that hill.

In the months leading up to the race, I made it to almost all of the training runs. I also ran one road marathon and two 50k’s. I needed to know that I could stretch further than 26.2, and I was successful at both 50ks. I ran all the time at Sugg Farm. I wanted to be prepared and I wanted to know every rock, root, twist, and turn like the back of my hand. I also ran two 30-mile training runs there. I was ready. At least I hoped I was.

Race day arrived and even though I was a little nervous, I was super excited. I got my bib and a fist bump from Wes, and it was time to go. There were 59 runners for the 50 and a whole lot more for the 20 & 40 mile options. The horn sounded right at 7 am and the 50 miler was under way. I had a plan and was sticking to it. Run the flats, power hike the hills. Fuel every 30 minutes. Drink fluids all the time.

Loop one was a little faster than I wanted (5 miles) and took 1 hour. It was to be expected with adrenaline kicking in. But I needed to go slower, so I slowed it down. I had noticed quite a few runners really pushing the pace and running the steep hills. But by loops 3 & 4, I could see those runners fading. I kept with my plan to pace slowly. Don’t give in to temptation.

At the end of loop 5 (25 miles), I saw my wife Nicky waiting for me, and I stopped for a quick photo op. I told her I was halfway home, and it was back out.

At loop 6 (30 miles), I was feeling great. But I was entering uncharted territory as I have never gone past 50k. But here I was.

Loop 7 came and went, back out for loop 8. I made it back from loop 8 (40 miles) and Wes was there to greet me. He said “Jim, 2 more loops… plenty of time!”. I asked what time it was and he said I was 9 hours in. I had 3 hours to run the last 10 miles. My confidence was high.

Loop 9 was slow, but I made it back. And again, Wes was there to greet me. He yelled, “Jim, it’s in the bag!! You got this!!”. I gave a thumbs-up and headed out for my last loop.

I had 1 hour and 40 minutes left to run the final 5 miles. I felt good about it. I made it to the turnaround aid station and asked them how much time I had, they told me 1 hour left before the cutoff. I headed for home, but then something happened...

I was starting to either get delirious or was starting to hallucinate. Hiking up the first hill had me going sideways. It felt like the woods were trying to eat me. Dread kicked in as I thought, ‘This can’t be happening.. not now.. please not now’. I made it to the top of the hill, took a deep breath, and told myself, “Start running, maybe you will feel better running”, and it worked. I guess concentrating on my foot placement kept my mind occupied so I wouldn’t drift off. I was almost home. But that treacherous last hill stood in my way. I just did all I could to power hike it. I made it. I was home.

Coming around the corner I saw my beautiful wife waiting for me. She never looked more beautiful. And as I headed to the finish the crowd was cheering, just like they were for the other 9 loops prior. This time. the cowbells we’re going off. I had done it. 50 frigging miles. Wes was there to greet me with a hug and my medal. 11 hrs 44 min 42 sec.

Out of 59 runners who entered the 50 miler, only 19 finished. I was 18th. But to me it might as well have been first place. It was a great day.

I can’t thank Wes and Christa Claytor enough for putting on an absolutely great event. I also need to thank TUFF Run Club for their support, I couldn’t do it without them as well. And of course my wife Nicky who stuck it out with me and is always my biggest supporter. And to all the fellow runners out there that I met during this race. The thumbs ups, the ‘how you feeling’, the ‘you need anything?’… all those mini chats along the way. It meant so much to me out there.

Now it’s on to my first attempt at 100 miles in January, in Florida for the Long Haul 100.

Back to training.