Zumbro Midnight 50 Mile
In October of 2016 I trained for and completed my first ultra-marathon event. The Newton Hills 50k had completely changed my perception of my physical and mental boundaries and I was hungry for another challenge. I heard about the Zumbro Midnight 50 from my good friend Tyler Fluth who was considering the race himself. At that time the date of the race, April 8th, was the most appealing aspect. I would have a goal to keep me running through the South Dakota winter.
I ran in the mornings Tuesday-Friday and utilized the extra time on the weekends for my long runs. I stayed true to my mileage goals each week as I slowly built to my final blocks of 65 mile weeks. The treadmill was used sparingly for days when snow dashed any chance of a productive run as I remained stubborn in my resolve to run outside all winter.
Being completely new to this type of event I purchased a 50 mile training plan for $10 from Sage running. This would be the template that I would base my 16 week training effort off of.
As race day began to approach I started to question the complete lack of elevation gain in my training. The 3 loops at Zumbro would require me to put 9,294 feet of elevation gain in, a figure that I did not eclipse over the course of 242 miles during the month of February .
Thankfully the trails at Newton Hills cleared early and allowed for three solid long training runs that gave me confidence (although misplaced) that I was prepared for what Zumbro would throw my way.
With much anticipation race week finally arrived. Tyler and I planned to take work off on Friday so that we could travel to Zumbro on the evening of the 6th. We spent the 4 ½ hour drive from Sioux Falls catching up, talking about summer plans, and Tyler answering all of my questions about the course (he had made the drive the previous weekend to scout things out). We pitched our tents upon arrival and enjoyed a beer before the chilly 20 degree temp regulated us into our sleeping bags for the night.
Attempts to sleep in the next morning proved to be futile so coffee was made as we waited for the sun warm up the camp ground. Finally seeing Zumbro in person was an eye opener. This would be nothing like the 50k at Newton Hills. After watching the 100 mile start at 8:00am a hike to the top of the first big climb confirmed it.
With this new information my mind bounced back and forth between excitement and nervousness as we passed the day lounging around camp and chatting with some of the volunteers at the start/finish awaiting the midnight start.
I finished the second loop in 4:17:37 and began to prepare for myself the best I could for the last 16.7 miles. The encouragement from Tyler and Nicole gave me another bump and it was great to know that they would be able to let Kelsey know how the race was going.
I knew without a doubt that I was going to have to suffer through the last loop. At this point I had accepted the fact that despite the 750 miles of running I had done over the past 16 weeks I was woefully under trained for what my expectations were. My goal now was to simply finish. I thought back to various experiences on Colorado’s 14er's and tried draw some confidence from the times when my limits had been tested.
Focusing in I ran when I could, walked more than I wanted, and did my best to beat back the feeling of just wanting to complete the race. If the portions of the second loop seemed to drag on I was now moving in slow motion. I forced myself to keep eating the GU’s and take in water. The last thing I wanted was a nutrition or hydration issue to keep me from the finish.
Finally, mercifully, the single track spit me back out onto the final portion of the trail. Completely wrecked I allowed myself a small smile. I was going to finish the deal. Tyler was waiting for me before I entered the campground. As I continued my run/shuffle towards the finish line a woman, who I later learned was the only 9 time finisher at Zumbro, told me to straighten my posture and finish strong. With my second big smile and I did my best to follow her advice.
My last big smile was reserved for Kelsey and Sylvie who were waiting for me at the finish line. Sylvie seemed very confused while Kelsey’s expression was a mix of concern and excitement for me. She knew better than anyone how much I had put into this getting prepared for this.
The last loop took me 4:42:44 to complete for a total time of 12:10:58 to finish the Zumbro Midnight 50 Mile. It took a bit after the race to ratchet my intensity down but a Dales Pale Ale back at our campsite definitely helped.
Plenty of lessons learned in this race to reflect upon and apply in future ultras but with this chapter closed it was time for a chicken strip basket from DQ and mine and Sylvie's afternoon nap!
 |
| 2017 Race Poster |
I ran in the mornings Tuesday-Friday and utilized the extra time on the weekends for my long runs. I stayed true to my mileage goals each week as I slowly built to my final blocks of 65 mile weeks. The treadmill was used sparingly for days when snow dashed any chance of a productive run as I remained stubborn in my resolve to run outside all winter.
Being completely new to this type of event I purchased a 50 mile training plan for $10 from Sage running. This would be the template that I would base my 16 week training effort off of.
Thankfully the trails at Newton Hills cleared early and allowed for three solid long training runs that gave me confidence (although misplaced) that I was prepared for what Zumbro would throw my way.
 |
| The hills of Newton |
With much anticipation race week finally arrived. Tyler and I planned to take work off on Friday so that we could travel to Zumbro on the evening of the 6th. We spent the 4 ½ hour drive from Sioux Falls catching up, talking about summer plans, and Tyler answering all of my questions about the course (he had made the drive the previous weekend to scout things out). We pitched our tents upon arrival and enjoyed a beer before the chilly 20 degree temp regulated us into our sleeping bags for the night.
 |
| Camp at Zumbro |
Attempts to sleep in the next morning proved to be futile so coffee was made as we waited for the sun warm up the camp ground. Finally seeing Zumbro in person was an eye opener. This would be nothing like the 50k at Newton Hills. After watching the 100 mile start at 8:00am a hike to the top of the first big climb confirmed it.
 |
| Over looking the camp ground |
With this new information my mind bounced back and forth between excitement and nervousness as we passed the day lounging around camp and chatting with some of the volunteers at the start/finish awaiting the midnight start.
During the day I made the final decision on the clothing that I thought would serve me best for the race.
Our wives had started the trip to Zumbro that afternoon. After dropping Kelsey and my two year old daughter Sylvie off in Lake City, Tyler's wife Nicole arrived shortly before race start. She planned to be up for the end of each of our loops to crew the two of us at the start/finish.
A few words from the race director and we were off. I planned to run a decent pace for the start to avoid what I anticipated would be a bottleneck point before the first climb. From there my plan was to walk efficiently on the big climbs, run fast on the downhills, and maintain a comfortable pace during any flat sections. I committed myself to one GU every 30 minutes and taking in 50-60oz of fluid per hour.
With clear skies and a nearly full moon the darkness did not seem to be a factor. I was excited to finally be out running and in retrospect maybe should have eased up on the descents. By mile 10 going into the fourth big climb up Scenic Overlook I knew that my 1st loop effort would not be repeatable. 3:10:37 into Zumbro with 16.7 miles done I came into camp feeling good but knowing full well the challenge that lay ahead. Nicole stocked me with 6 more gels and a full bottle of nuun. I asked how Tyler looked and she let me know he had finished his first loop ~20 minutes earlier but had gotten sick and seemed to be unable to keep anything down.
With a better understanding of the course I set off on the second loop with a more conservative approach.
Coming into the first aid station I heard someone call out my name. Confused at first I soon realized it was Tyler. He let me know that the stomach issue had forced him to drop. He wished me luck and told me would see me at the end of loop 2.
I found myself running alone for majority of the second loop and began to really appreciate each aid station as the miles added up. Eating real food started to become a habit at each station. I couldn’t hold back a huge smile as I devoured a second chocolate chip pancake coming out of the second aid station.
As the morning wore on the moonlight wayned. Through the darkness I finished my second round with the 3rd big climb and descend back into an area where the trail deteriorated into sand. Here I found my first low point. The sand was incredibly frustrating to run through and my pace slowed to a virtual walk.
Temporary relief came as the sun began to rise at the top of the Scenic Overlook trail. I soaked in the fact that I had run through the night. My mind wandered to the people running the 100 mile race and how they had seen the sunset on Friday. I wondered how good this sunrise felt for them.
The boost from the sunrise was short lived. I again found myself frustrated by my slow pace and sections of the trail that seemed to whiz by on the first loop now seemed last an eternity.
- Buff
- Black Diamond Storm Headlamp (should go without saying with a mid-night start)
- Outdoor Research Long Sleeve (tight fit)
- Stoic Long Sleeve (loose fit)
- Outdoor Research Ferrosi Hooded Jacket
- Black Diamond Midweight Gloves
- Ultimate Direction Fastdraw 20 (6 GU gels + 20oz water with 2 nuuns)
- Outdoor Research Hybrid Tights
- Hoka One One Challenger ATR 3’s
 |
| Minutes before the start |
Our wives had started the trip to Zumbro that afternoon. After dropping Kelsey and my two year old daughter Sylvie off in Lake City, Tyler's wife Nicole arrived shortly before race start. She planned to be up for the end of each of our loops to crew the two of us at the start/finish.
A few words from the race director and we were off. I planned to run a decent pace for the start to avoid what I anticipated would be a bottleneck point before the first climb. From there my plan was to walk efficiently on the big climbs, run fast on the downhills, and maintain a comfortable pace during any flat sections. I committed myself to one GU every 30 minutes and taking in 50-60oz of fluid per hour.
With clear skies and a nearly full moon the darkness did not seem to be a factor. I was excited to finally be out running and in retrospect maybe should have eased up on the descents. By mile 10 going into the fourth big climb up Scenic Overlook I knew that my 1st loop effort would not be repeatable. 3:10:37 into Zumbro with 16.7 miles done I came into camp feeling good but knowing full well the challenge that lay ahead. Nicole stocked me with 6 more gels and a full bottle of nuun. I asked how Tyler looked and she let me know he had finished his first loop ~20 minutes earlier but had gotten sick and seemed to be unable to keep anything down.
With a better understanding of the course I set off on the second loop with a more conservative approach.
Coming into the first aid station I heard someone call out my name. Confused at first I soon realized it was Tyler. He let me know that the stomach issue had forced him to drop. He wished me luck and told me would see me at the end of loop 2.
I found myself running alone for majority of the second loop and began to really appreciate each aid station as the miles added up. Eating real food started to become a habit at each station. I couldn’t hold back a huge smile as I devoured a second chocolate chip pancake coming out of the second aid station.
As the morning wore on the moonlight wayned. Through the darkness I finished my second round with the 3rd big climb and descend back into an area where the trail deteriorated into sand. Here I found my first low point. The sand was incredibly frustrating to run through and my pace slowed to a virtual walk.
Temporary relief came as the sun began to rise at the top of the Scenic Overlook trail. I soaked in the fact that I had run through the night. My mind wandered to the people running the 100 mile race and how they had seen the sunset on Friday. I wondered how good this sunrise felt for them.
 |
| Sunrise |
The boost from the sunrise was short lived. I again found myself frustrated by my slow pace and sections of the trail that seemed to whiz by on the first loop now seemed last an eternity.
 |
| Grinding out miles |
I finished the second loop in 4:17:37 and began to prepare for myself the best I could for the last 16.7 miles. The encouragement from Tyler and Nicole gave me another bump and it was great to know that they would be able to let Kelsey know how the race was going.
I knew without a doubt that I was going to have to suffer through the last loop. At this point I had accepted the fact that despite the 750 miles of running I had done over the past 16 weeks I was woefully under trained for what my expectations were. My goal now was to simply finish. I thought back to various experiences on Colorado’s 14er's and tried draw some confidence from the times when my limits had been tested.
Focusing in I ran when I could, walked more than I wanted, and did my best to beat back the feeling of just wanting to complete the race. If the portions of the second loop seemed to drag on I was now moving in slow motion. I forced myself to keep eating the GU’s and take in water. The last thing I wanted was a nutrition or hydration issue to keep me from the finish.
 |
| Back up Scenic |
Finally, mercifully, the single track spit me back out onto the final portion of the trail. Completely wrecked I allowed myself a small smile. I was going to finish the deal. Tyler was waiting for me before I entered the campground. As I continued my run/shuffle towards the finish line a woman, who I later learned was the only 9 time finisher at Zumbro, told me to straighten my posture and finish strong. With my second big smile and I did my best to follow her advice.
My last big smile was reserved for Kelsey and Sylvie who were waiting for me at the finish line. Sylvie seemed very confused while Kelsey’s expression was a mix of concern and excitement for me. She knew better than anyone how much I had put into this getting prepared for this.
 |
| Mission accomplished |
The last loop took me 4:42:44 to complete for a total time of 12:10:58 to finish the Zumbro Midnight 50 Mile. It took a bit after the race to ratchet my intensity down but a Dales Pale Ale back at our campsite definitely helped.
Plenty of lessons learned in this race to reflect upon and apply in future ultras but with this chapter closed it was time for a chicken strip basket from DQ and mine and Sylvie's afternoon nap!
“You can't really tell how much you can do until you try to do something that's...more.”
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