My Grandpa always said : “I “rang” a lot of “bells” on Omaha Beach.”
Setup: The Bell Ringer 25k and 50k take place in Montgomery Bell State Park, Burns TN. The Park is well suited for a quiet, cold, early morning trail race, and that’s what the 2017 Bell Ringer was. The area serves up the wet woodland beauty that TN natives take for granted, and non-natives drive passed, thoroughly unimpressed.
Rather than stay at the park Lodge the night before, I drove from Nashville the morning of the race, well before sunrise. Miles of dark tree-tunnelled roads deposited me in a sparse gravel lot, lit by those harsh white flood lights, generators audible but well hidden. That cold white light and huge puffs of breath from the other arrivals got me revved. Packet pickup involved a dark walk up and down a hill, back-and-forth between the lodge and my car.
I was sufficiently warmed up after the packet-hike despite it being well below freezing. Most runners opted to huddle in the comfy lodge until the last possible minute, but few of us paced and chatted around the start. Eventually a couple cute lady rangers rounded up runners and gave the preliminary pep talk. I remember paying more attention to their “badges” than their words. Suddenly, a buff 8’ Raccoon was literally ringing a bell and we went.
Race: The first mile was paved road and I settled between a couple 50k bibs, about 8 runners back. Miles 2-4 used some dirt/gravel park road that was a little washed out but still fast. Around here the 50k runners settled in, dropped back, and I didn’t see another runner for ten miles.
Miles ~4-10 went by fast on good, rooty-ish, leafy single track; occasionally swapped for washed out dirt road. Near one Backcountry campsite, 4 hikers looked unconcerned that they might be going against a current of runners. Equipped with some liquid calories, I left the aid station goods for the 50kers. The volunteers and spectators, throughout the park, could be heard in the distance cheering and cowbelling every runner.
So far quiet, cold, pretty miles lapsed; Memorable if unremarkable.
The last ~5 miles borrowed the Park mountain bike course. It began with a stream crossing that donated some icy-cold wet feel-good. The course undulated and doubled-back in the beginning, before the middle section where it began to double-back then undulate, which made for a nice contrast at the end where it undulated then doubled-back again. They weren’t big hills, rather like running up and down half-pipes. I caught up to guy who looked wiped and was walking. He said:
“Last year I was done by now. I wonder if this is the right course.”
Twas!
About a mile later, with feet re-baptised in the stream, a volunteer said there was 0.5 miles left before finishing at the lodge. Across a neat little bridge, up some stairs, and up a single switchback to kill any momentum, I finished with a pack of kids in the mile fun run who delighted to fly by me in the last 50 feet. I rang the same Bell that started the race, ending mine.
I’d do it again.
After:
Warm cozy Lodge party
Hot soup
Hot pancakes
Cobbler
Cold Beer
Coffee
Live music
Petting a bald eagle