As I drove to Greensfelder County Park on September 14, it hit me that this would be my 10th year running in the Rockin’ Rockwoods 53k & Half Marathon. I couldn’t help but think to myself, I get to do this year after year.
I thought back to the very first time I completed this race back in October 2015 and, at the time, I was a novice ultrarunner with limited understanding of the course and its difficulty.
Despite this fact, I managed to complete all 33 miles. Did I mention the route includes 5,200 feet of elevation gain? While I might have felt beat up and exhausted when crossing the finish line, I managed to do so. I’ll never forget the euphoric feeling I experienced in that moment, and it is one of my motivators for continuing to partake in this race 10 years later.
The race begins at Muckerman Shelter at Greensfelder County Park in Wildwood, Missouri. While some may find it hard to believe, Missouri has some excellent technical trail systems with significant elevation included in the Rockin’ Rockwoods course. The first 4–5 miles are runnable, so I kept an even pace as I made my way to the first aid station at Rockwoods Range Conservation Area. I felt good going into the second aid station, Screaming Eagle, at mile 10, but in hindsight I realized I should have grabbed water. In typical Missouri fashion, it was extremely humid, and this contributed to me going through fluids quicker than anticipated, making the 5–6 miles between aid stations a challenge. Despite this fact, I kept a steady pace while putting one foot in front of the other, eventually rolling into Scenic Loop, the third aid station. Since I had completed this race years prior, I knew this is where the wheels tend to come off, so I made sure to refuel with electrolytes, carbs and sodium, as well as refill fluids before leaving.
The next section of the course is undoubtedly the toughest with relentless climbs and roots, rocks and technical sections. I took my time climbing the hills, but also ran when I could. Given my history with this race, I know how time can slip away on those climbs going into Rockwoods Reservation aid station, which also happens to be the turn-around point.
I made it into Rockwoods Reservation around 20–21 miles in over 4 hours. I knew my chances of a sub-7-hour finish were dwindling. I just had to refuel again and ensure I received plenty of fluids for the next section.
I did get passed by the third-place female in that portion, but I knew there were runnable trails ahead once I got to mile 26. From there, I was able to push the pace back to Screaming Eagle aid station at mile 32. After that, it’s basically a mile uphill to the finish. I pushed and managed to finish in 7:03, and admittedly I was slightly disappointed but took solace in the fact that despite the hurdles thrown my way, I was able to earn second-place female.
I had just completed my 10th year running of Rockin’ Rockwoods 53k. If you’ve never run a race in St. Louis, Missouri, then I would highly encourage any trail runners out there to experience these incredible trails at Greensfelder County Park, Rockwoods Reservation and Rockwoods Range, that sit just outside the city.