8hr & 4hr
Ornery Mule Racing Chestnut Mountain Resort
Galena, IL
May 18th, 2019
I first heard of the Galena Sky Trail Race, as most of us probably do, scrolling through the endless pages of races on the interwebs. Looking to see which race tickles our fancy or to see which race is going to satisfy our inner masochist.
After the Ozark Foothills 50 in April I was kind of in a post race funk and really didn't know where to go from there. I was just maintaining fitness with no real future goal in mind. I first decided to sign up for the Howl at the Moon 8hr Ultra in Kennekuk State Park near Danville IL on August 10th. After that I was on the hunt for a race somewhere in between and the Galena Sky Trail Race 4 hour was screaming my name. I knew Galena was a beautiful area right on the bluffs of the Mississippi River. So I figured the race venue, being on a ski resort, would be a perfect place for a race. Also, the fact that it was a 4 hour race would be a good medium to gauge for an 8 hour race in August. Coupled with the fact that it was a noon start; I clicked the register button.
With just under a 4 hour drive from Springfield IL I left the house right before 7am. This would give me plenty of time to get up there and get settled in and warm up. I had checked the weather forecast a couple days ago and it looked promising. Yet as I got closer to the Quad Cities I saw some dark clouds to the West so I checked the forecast again. Thunderstorms were moving in for the next couple hours. Pulled into the resort around 10:30 and it was pouring, as I watched some of the 8 hour runners powering up a hill. Killed some time in the resort watching the weather radar update. Looked like skies would clear right around noon, perfect.I found a nice spot to warm up a bit in the ski rental area. Headed out to the start line with 60 other like minded people ready to join the 8 hour runners in the suffering. Got going on the first loop, not knowing anything about the course layout. I was just going to feel it out as I went. The loops were advertised on the website as 2.75 but were told they were closer to 2.99 with a .68 mile out and towards the end. I thought the loops were going to be monotonous but the course layout and views made it just fine. Each loop was around 21-22 minutes early on and 23-24 later on.
Loop Splits: 20:39, 21:28, 21:06, 21:08, 21:56, 21:04, 22:05, 22:47, 23:52, 24:37, 2x.68 out/backs
I did like how the timing company made you aware of what your previous loop was so you could
gauge yourself for that last loop. With each loop you got to go through the main event area twice which really helped with moral. And not to mention the guy who screamed every, literally every time, someone ran by keeping spirits high. How he had a voice still by the end of the race amazes me. I got through the first hour feeling good and just continued the same pace, hovering around 7:30s, for the 2nd hour. The 3rd hour I was in and out a bit. I loved the constant flow of energy throughout the race from the volunteers and other runners. There was constant encouragement the entire time. The course had a good flow to it and was broken up by two really cool views of the Mississippi 900' below. With the rain that came in early on it made the course a bit muddy but turned tacky real quick with the warming temps and mugginess. I knew the course would be hilly but it ended up being a bit hillier than I imagined. Just enough punchy hills to tax you during the end. I told myself no walking though, and I stuck to that promise. Got to the 4th hour and was midway through a loop. Got in my last full loop right at 3:40 and since the out and back had opened at 3:30, I went straight into the .68 mile out and backs. Here I found a new energy with all the people coming and going. It also helped that it was packed rock and much flatter than the looped course. Got in a couple out and backs and finished with 30.66 on my watch. Timers had me at 32. something (which I think they added on a .68 section I didn't do) With all the wooded switch backs it was probably somewhere in between around 31.25 ish. 
Congrats to all those who finished and battled out the elements. Ornery Mule Racing does it again. They always put on top notch events.
https://www.ornerymuleracing.com
Strava: https://www.strava.com/activities/2378377358
Results: https://ultrasignup.com/register.aspx?did=59208
