I have been training to run an ultra since January, but was not sure which race I would run. Well, I ended up signing up for the Walking Talk 50k back in April 2020. There are many reason that I chose this race. First, it is only a 3 hour drive from Nashville. Originally, I thought I was the only one going in the family and I wanted to be close to home. The whole family is now going, and will become a camping adventure. Next, was the challenge of the wooden walkway and the fire tower. Finally, following the race on Facebook, the race director and prior participants spoke of the great organization, the scenery, the swag and how 100% of the profits went to Big Hill Pond State Park and the park rangers. Also in October it is not too hot or too cold. The weather is actually looking perfect and the family is excited about sitting by a campfire.
As I noted earlier, I have been training since January and when I signed up, it became serious. I bought a running vest, new lamp for running in the dark, new shoes a few times over, but always Mizuno Wave Rider and learned about running with fuel and hydration. The race is less than 1 week away and I feel like I am ready, and that I can finish before the cutoff.
I took other steps to ensure I was ready for the ultra such as joining the Franklin Road Runners. They meet on Saturdays at various locations and I was always able to find a group going my distance and my pace. Usually there were between 5 and 8 in our group. I also joined The Run Experience. This is a group of trainers from California that has an App with numerous training tools and a community to share progress and ask for advice.
Below are some picture over the last several months.
Here are a few pictures that the race director has provided to us as we get ready for the race.
Country Road Runner 