Wambaw Swamp Stomp 50k

 
 Location: Swamp Fox Passage of the Palmetto Trail, Witherbee Ranger Station in Francis Marion NF, SC (north of Charleston)
Date Run: 5/7/2016, 0730 start
Duration: 4:19:58
Place: 1 out of 30
Average Pace: 8:20
Elevation: Sea Level (South Carolina Low Country)
Weather: 55-75F, clear
Race Website: https://ultrasignup.com/register.aspx?did=33694

My mother retired to north-central Florida. In the course of planning a visit, I found an ultra within a 6 hour drive in a state I had yet to run one knowing nothing else about the race. The 'Low Country' of South Carolina is a region along the coast south and east of the Sandhills marking the ancient sea coast as well as a distinct cultural line. So I guess this race report is bringing some Low Country Beta. Honestly, I was not overly concerned with the history of the area. I had visited Charleston prior and was focused on quickly knocking out one more state in my pursuit of running a marathon or better in every state.

I hustled into the town of Goose Creek in the middle of rush hour traffic after charging all day along I-95. Sitting and stretching in bumper to bumper traffic along the capillaries of the GC gave me a great opportunity to take in the sites immediately viewable from my vehicle: congested strip malls filled with Bojangles, boarded up Blockbusters, and pawn shops offering pay day loans. I pulled into my cheap airbnb in a row of shoddy townhomes and settled in for the night.

The Witherbee Ranger Station is located on the western edge of the Francis Marion National Forest. In my 40 minute drive from Goose Creek, the strip malls mercifully gave way to open roads through shallow swamps and a young pine forested landscape.

Ranger Lookout Tower at the Start

The location was ideal for hosting an ultra. In its fourth year, the race was still rather small. I don't think there were more than 60 people there running in the two distances offered - 50k and 50mi (and relays of each distance).

Pre-race Registration

At the start, the 50k course immediately split from the 50mi so as to add on an extra mile along a dirt road to make the 15 mi course a full 31 miles with the out and back along the Swamp Fox Passage of the Palmetto Trail.

This made for a chase scenario with the 50k runners pursuing the 50 milers. I rather enjoyed this setup. I ran with another competitor, Todd, at the front for the first 1/8 of the race. Despite chatting we were still putting in 7:15/miles from the outset. We had picked off all but three of the 50 milers by the time we reached the first aid station 6 miles in. I knew I couldn't maintain that pace. When Todd stopped to pee at the first aid station I continued on. While I enjoyed the conversation, my competitive nature kicked in and I wanted to focus more on breathing and pacing. I figured if Todd caught up he would either win with ease or be so gassed that he would bonk later.

The course followed mostly single track through sparse new growth pines with a forest floor covered in ferns for the first half and thicker swamp vegetation through the second. Occasionally the trail gave way to boardwalks to traverse the marshy landscape as well as several dirt road crossings. Most of the course was well shaded. Aid stations were roughly 5 miles apart making a single handheld bottle carry adequate. Just before the second aid station at 11 miles, the course emerged from the woods and went along an open paved road for a mile. It ducked back into the forest at the aid station. By this point I had passed all the 50 milers and I was alone at the front. I fell into a rhythm and ran off course around mile 13. Instead of turning sharp right after a foot bridge I ran straight into a swamp for a 1/4 mi. Not until I climbed atop a dead log and viewed a landscape of a hundred more fallen soldiers did I realize my mistake and backtrack.

Photo courtesy of Brian Fancher Photography

I thought for sure Todd had caught me with the blunder but at the turnaround aid station I was informed I was the first one through. Not until I had started back a couple miles did I run into Todd. He turned around on the spot and started running with me. He had taken a wrong turn as well, but instead of realizing his mistake he proceeded down an old fire road for a couple miles and lost a lot of time. Rather than tacking on another 5 miles to his 50k he decided just to turn around with me. After running together for a few miles, the temperature continued to climb into the 70s and Todd fell back along the open road section of the course. I was alone again for the remainder of the race. My steady 7:45/mi pace gave way to a 9:30/mi pace for the last 5 miles of the race. Coming from the mountains, I don't adapt well to heat and humidity.

Nonetheless, I crossed the finish line first before noon. The Witherbee Ranger Station was completely devoid of human activity outside of a lone volunteer recording finishers and one woman off to the side sunbathing patiently waiting for her husband to finish running. I had to confirm that that was in fact the official finish line. After several minutes, the lead 50 miler rolled in and other racers started showing up, as did the race director Chad Haffa.  He unceremoniously distributed finisher coins and schwag to the three of us 50k finishers standing around. It was a beautiful day so I hung out at the finish line for another twenty minutes chatting with Chad. He organizes a lot of races and really seemed to pour his heart and soul into putting on a (relatively) well marked quality event. You can find out about the other races he directs here.

Ratings

Race Organization (5=phenomenal, 1=atrocious): 3/5
The good: The RD gave out his personal number a few days before the race and was responsive. Plenty of time was available race morning for packet pickup. The race was mostly well marked. The bad: The website lacked a course map and profile. Only 2 hours available for packet pickup the mid-day before the race.

Course Difficulty (5=Pikes Peak Ascent, 1=a flat dirt road): 2/5
It was so flat and so dry. There were a few holes leftover from rotted stumps that required dodging. The hardest part of the course was leaving the shady trail to run on pavement. Having said that, the lack of diversity in terrain really wore on my legs.

Course Scenery (5=engagement proposal backdrop, 1=concrete walls): 3/5
Enjoyed running through ferns and shady swamplands but missed those scenes you can only find with changes in elevation.

Schwag (5=a tech T, embroidered towel & warmup pants, 1=a cotton shirt): 3/5
Instead of a medal there was a coin but it was not personalized to the year or the 50k distance. For winning, I received arm warmers, a balaclava and some runner's goo. Some kind of hardware commemorating a 1st place finish would have been nice. No beer permitted at the finish but each of a beer mug and a beer glass given out to registrants along with a tech T.

Overall: 3/5

Enjoyed the backdrop and the RD's commitment but races with some elevation change I find more rewarding.