BIG Backyard Ultra 2016

October 15, 2016   

Bedford County, Tennessee.

The BIG Backyard Ultra is a trail run on private property.  Runners complete one 4.16666 mile loop each hour, starting on the hour, until you either voluntarily stop or don’t make the hour cutoff.  The last person standing is the winner.  There was a tie in 2014 when two guys ran for 48 hours.

All of my plans, training and positive thinking couldn’t overcome the rocky trail that slowed my pace to the point of completing just 20 miles of what I hoped would be at least 48 miles.  Big disappointment that my best at this event wasn’t nearly what I wanted.  What was advertised as a generally ‘easy’ trail was very difficult for me.  It was the rocks.  Large, small, loose, ancient slabs, rocks on top of rocks, dry stream beds of rocks, a grassy meadow concealing rocks, small caves leading beneath the earth, short walls of rocks, rocks up and down gradual elevation changes.  I didn’t take my eyes off the trail for more than one second fearing I would trip and fall. Sure, there were soft easy sections where I could relax, run and look up at the scenery occasionally, but more rocks were coming right up.  On the long ride home, I heard an interview with Norman Lear.  He thinks the two most important words in our language are ‘over’ and ‘next’. The Big Backyard Ultra is now over and I can focus on whatever comes next.  Thanks, BIG, for including me.

Lisa and BIG