On November 23, I ran the Harpeth Hills Flying Monkey Marathon. This race is held in Percy Warner Park, which is on the southwest edge of Nashville. It’s a challenging race with a hilly course. Here’s how Trent, the race director, describes the philosophy of the event on the race website:
“Ours has become an age of flat and fast marathons on city streets and in urban jungles, with more focus on times, course certification, gadgets, charities and putting on a big show than on running. Many modern marathons have become spectacles rather than athletic events. But it was not always this way. Marathons used to be about running for the sake of running. They were about pushing oneself beyond the physiologic limits of the human body. While running.
The Harpeth Hills Flying Monkey Marathon is meant to be an antidote. Featured in Marathon & Beyond and in Runners' World magazines, it is a marathon that is about running. Running hard. Running over big and memorable and painful rolling hills through dense woods. Running with other like-minded athletes. The Harpeth Hills Flying Monkey Marathon is about the joy and pain of running a unique, and uniquely challenging--some would say beastly--26.2 mile course in the beautiful and historic Percy Warner Park, nestled among the Middle Tennessee Harpeth Hills.
We will time and measure the distance, but the course will not be certified and it will not be a Boston qualifying event. If you get to the end and you (or your gadget) believe the route to be long, we won't charge you extra; if you believe it to be short, just keep running. There will be no bands, cheerleaders, wave starts or crowds. We promise no marathon Personal Records, but we guarantee every runner a PR - a Permanent Remembrance of a well-earned marathon finish. We promise to give you approximately 26.2 tough and memorable miles, with a total of over 3600 feet each of elevation gain and loss, or over 7200 feet of overall elevation change.
Sure, there are other road marathons out there claiming to be America's toughest. But they are no Monkey. Come out and join us in Nashville. We look forward to seeing you.”
This race is a somewhat
whimsical event. Trent has a sense of
humor, as illustrated by this brief history of flying monkeys in Percy Warner
Park, which can also be found on the race website:
“Nashville's Percy Warner Park is home to a legendary breed of flying monkeys, named the Harpeth Hills Flying Monkeys after the geologic region where they reside. The Harpeth Hills Flying Monkeys, classified as an endangered species, are only rarely seen by humans. The monkeys are most active during low light, before dawn and around dusk. Sightings of flying monkeys are uncommon, and most witnesses confuse them with large owls, hawks or flying piglets. While flying monkeys are reputed to carry away small dogs and lost runners, they are generally harmless. Nobody has ever successfully photographed a flying monkey, and flying monkeys are in no way related to or affiliated with the ivory-billed woodpecker.
Percy Warner Park is one of the last known natural flying monkey habitats. Before 1939, such monkeys were seen throughout the Southeast, with concentrations in middle Tennessee and Appalachia, with smaller communities outside Chattanooga and Natchez. Flying Monkeys were rarely seen as far west as Kansas. The monkeys have always been very shy and have kept to themselves, although they have been reported to live in creepy dank castles with green-skinned human outcasts. As a result of their isolationism, the flying monkeys have evoked fear and revulsion among people. Some hunt them for sport. Others have blamed the monkeys for society's ills. Yet others simply refuse to believe that they exist.
As a result of years of over-hunting, destruction of their natural habitats, and simple human ignorance, flying monkeys no longer fill the skies. Only a few tribes remain, mostly relegated to dark hollows and dense woods. From the years of neglect and conflict, the monkeys now generally hide from humans whenever possible. However, when attacked, a flying monkey can defend itself. Its greatest weapon is its wings, which it can use to blind or to carry away any predators.
Runners in Percy Warner Park should keep ever vigilant for the native wildlife. Herds of deer, woodpeckers, skunks, true owls and eagles constantly roam the hills and woods. They will usually stand and watch runners go by. Occasionally, a flying monkey can be spotted perched high up among tree branches in the predawn light. A very fortunate few will witness the monkeys take flight, wings spread beneath the setting full moon, enjoying a few moments of a lost freedom.
An important notice for your safety - many of you will see what you believe are different owl breeds when spending time in the woods in and around the parks. Please be aware that you may be seeing a flying monkey. Flying monkeys are so horrific to witness, your brain cannot properly process the vision and instead presents to your conscious something less frightening. When you see an owl, know then that it may well be a flying monkey, and it may be the last thing you ever see.”
I’ve run or walked this
race three times before, but it’s been several years since I was last
here. It falls on the same weekend as
other popular events, such as the Philadelphia Marathon and the Route 66
Marathon. As I was working on completing
circuits of 50 states, I found myself needing to do other races on this
weekend. Now that I’m done with that, it
was finally time to return to Nashville.
My last three trips to
Nashville were solo trips. This year,
Deb came with me. Deb likes it when I do
races that are fun or whimsical. This
was her opportunity to experience the race as a volunteer.
Saturday, November 22
We flew to Nashville
Saturday morning. Our first stop was the
Nashville Flea Market, which was held at the Nashville Fairgrounds. Deb loves browsing at flea markets, and this
is one of the largest flea markets in the country. The Nashville Flea Market is only held on the
fourth weekend of each month, so we were lucky to be there on the right
weekend.
When we were done at the
flea market, we went to the Nashville Farmers Market, which is just west of
downtown. While we were there, we had
lunch.
After lunch, we went to
Percy Warner Park. The marathon route
includes both paved roads and paved trails.
We couldn’t drive the whole thing, but we drove enough of it to give Deb
a sense of the scenery (and hills) that I would see during the race.
We stayed at a hotel in
Brentwood. We weren’t close to the
downtown area, but we were only a few miles from the park. After checking in and unpacking, we went
grocery shopping.
Deb’s knee has been
gradually improving, but we did more walking than she’s done since her
surgery. By the time we got back from
grocery shopping, Deb needed to stay off her feet for the rest of the day. Deb had dinner in our room. I had my pre-race pizza at a restaurant that
was a short walk from our hotel.
We got to bed early. Deb slept well that night. I slept like I usually do before a race. I got enough sleep to get by.
Sunday, November 23
Sunday was race day. There was a group start at 8:00 for runners
who wanted to be eligible for awards. For
runners who didn’t care about awards, there was a rolling start. You could start any time from 7:00 to
8:30. Finally, runners who needed extra
time could start at 6:00, but the aid stations wouldn’t be staffed until 7:00.
Packet pickup was before
the race, so Deb and I arrived at the park shortly after 7:00. That gave me plenty of time to pick up my
race packet, bring stuff back to the car, and make a bathroom stop.
Every year, Trent chooses
a different theme. Past themes have
included “The 10th Annual Monkey Games,” “Year of the Monkey,” “12 Monkeys,”
and “The Good, the Bad, and the Monkey.”
This year’s theme was “My Circus.
My Monkeys.”
The first time I did this
race, it was my 300th marathon, so Trent gave me bib number 300. He always gives returning runners the same
number they’ve had in the past, so I always get number 300.
The temperature at the
start was in the upper 40s, so I opted for tights. Since this is a festive event, it was an
opportunity to wear the cheetah gear. I
was willing to risk getting warm later in the race.
My usual training routes
are relatively flat. For the past few
weeks, I’ve been incorporating more hills into my runs, but it’s wasn’t enough
to prepare me for a course as hilly as this one. I knew I wouldn’t be able to run a fast time
here, so I didn’t set any time goals. My
plan was to run a slow but steady pace and enjoy the scenery.
I was thinking of
starting at 8:00, but I was ready by 7:30.
When I saw a few other runners getting ready to start, I decided to
start right after they did. That way, I
had a few people I could follow in the early miles.
The start/finish area was
in a large field. We ran over grass for
the first few minutes to get to the road.
After that, we were on pavement until the end of the race.
Most of the course was on
the 11.2-mile main loop through the park, but we started out on the Shell Hill
connector, which cuts across the park.
As you might guess from the name, this road took us up and over a hill.
This hill starts out
fairly gradual, but it’s long, and it gets more tiring near the top. As I was about to crest the hill, I saw a
reminder from Trent that there were many more hills to come.
After that hill, there
was a long downhill section. Just before
the end of the second mile, we turned onto the main loop. For the next 11.2 miles, we ran this loop
counterclockwise.
There were 15 aid
stations on the course. They all had
water and a sports drink called Sword. A
few of the aid stations had other beverages, such as Coke, beer, or Fireball.
Near the end of the third
mile, there was a tiring uphill section.
Farther up the hill. I saw people walking. I decided to follow their lead.
I ran the first half of
the hill, but walked most of the rest of it.
That set the tone for most of the race.
When I saw other runners walking on a hill, I gave myself permission to
walk the same section. Rather than wear
myself out, I conserved my energy.
In the early miles, I
stopped a few times to take pictures of the course. We were surrounded by trees, although many of
the leaves had fallen.
There were mile markers,
but their placement was only approximate.
I didn’t have a target pace, so I didn’t need to know the distance
precisely. I just wanted to have a
general idea of how far I had run.
Occasionally, we passed a scenic viewpoint. We were on high ground. Where there was a clearing, we could see other parts of the city.
I kept up a surprisingly
good pace through the first four miles, but my pace slowed down as I
encountered more hills. Miles five
through eight were pretty hilly. By the
time I reached the eight-mile sign, it felt like I had been running forever.
In mile nine, I reached a
nice long downhill section. I ran that
whole mile without a walking break.
This was a cupless race,
so I was using a small cup that I could clip to my fanny pack. Shortly after leaving one of the aid
stations, I heard something hitting the ground.
I looked back and saw my cup on the ground. It had slipped out of the rubber sleeve that
was clipped to my pack. I had to
backtrack a short distance up a hill to retrieve it. After that, I was careful to make sure it was
secure when I was leaving an aid station.
In mile 13, I encountered
a tiring hill, and I wanted to take a walking break. Everyone in front of me was running this
hill, so I did too. That set the tone
for the second half. If the people in
front of me ran a hill, I did too, even if I wanted to walk. That happened on three straight hills.
Roughly halfway through
the race, we finished our first lap of the “11.2.” By now, we had run every hill on the course
once. Next, we ran back across the park
on the Shell Hill connector. When we
reached the other side of the main loop, we began running it in the clockwise
direction. We were running all the same
hills again, but from the opposite side.
I thought about the places where there were long or steep downhills
sections in the first half. Those
sections would be uphill in the second half.
As I got back onto the
“11.2,” there was a particularly long hill.
On this hill, I saw people who were walking the whole way. I ran portions of this hill, but I walked
most of it.
Besides being physically
tiring, this race is also mentally tiring.
You need to be constantly vigilant, watching the trees for flying
monkeys. I’ve never encountered one
myself, but I saw one runner who has some experience with monkey attacks.
On the backs of the mile markers,
Trent puts other messages. Some of them
had to do with this year’s theme.
Other signs had inspirational
messages taunts.
With about nine miles to
go, I noticed a scenic overlook that I had somehow missed when I ran by there
in the other direction.
In the last eight miles,
I tried harder to keep running on the hills.
Eventually, I saw people walking on a hill that had some steep
switchbacks. When I saw how much higher
I would need to climb, I realized I would need to walk the steepest sections.
With about seven miles to
go, I came to an aid station at a junction I didn’t remember. I saw the runners ahead of me turning right
after the aid station. I saw other
runners coming from that direction and turning back onto the main loop. After making the turn myself, I finally
realized where I was. On the second
loop, there’s a place where we leave the main loop to do a short loop around an
area with scenic views. As I came up a
hill, I realized this was probably the highest ground on the course. From here, I could look forward to having
much more downhill than uphill the rest of the way.
Most of the pavement was
smooth, but there were a few sections of rough pavement. The road was covered with leaves, so you
couldn’t always see the pavement clearly.
With about five miles to go, my foot caught on a patch of rough
pavement, and I tumbled onto the road. I
was running downhill, so I hit the pavement pretty hard.
The runner who was just
ahead of me stopped and asked me if I was OK.
On the pavement, I could see small pieces of plastic. It was my drinking cup. I landed on it, and it shattered into dozens
of small pieces. I told him I was OK,
but my cup wasn’t.
I wasn’t badly hurt, but
my right elbow was bleeding, and I had a few small scrapes on my left
hand. I had two wet naps with me, so I
used one of them to clean my elbow as best I could.
This is the third time
this year that I’ve fallen during a race.
All three of those races were in Tennessee. I’m starting to think that Tennessee races
are dangerous.
Although this was
advertised as a cupless race, they did have some paper cups at the aid
stations. At the next two aid stations,
I drank a cup of Sword and poured a cup of water over my elbow, to keep it
clean.
In the late miles, I made
more of an effort to run the hills, even if I was slow. Then, with less than three miles to go, I saw
several people ahead of me walking. I
saw what looked like a steep hill, so I started walking too. Then I saw this sign. Obviously, we were all mistaken. This wasn’t a hill.
After that, when I saw
people ahead of me walking, I told myself, “This isn’t a hill either,” and I
kept running.
In the last two miles, we
reached high ground overlooking the Harpeth Hills Golf Course. I knew we were about to start a nice downhill
section. I saw two guys walking and
tried to encourage them to run where it was downhill, but they kept walking.
When I finished the road
loop, I still had to run over grass for a few minutes to get back to where I
started. I finished in 4:37:43. That’s about what I expected.
Shortly after I got my
finisher medal, Deb found me. I took out
my remaining wet nap and tried to clean my elbow again, but there was too much
blood. Deb wanted me to see one of the
EMTs, but I went to the beer tent first.
I had to get my free Yazoo beer.
While I was drinking my
beer, one of the EMTs spotted me. I
finished my beer, told Deb where I was going, and accompanied the EMT to his
vehicle. Two EMTs cleaned and bandaged
my right elbow. Besides the bleeding, it
was also badly swollen. It didn’t hurt,
but I probably had an inflamed bursa.
I’ve banged that elbow before with the same result.
Because of the swelling,
the EMTs wondered if I broke a bone or had ligament damage. When they asked me if it hurt, I told them I
only felt the scrapes. In fact, I only
noticed the scrapes on my left hand.
Because of that, I really didn’t notice any pain from my right elbow.
While I was running, Deb
was volunteering at the merchandise tent.
She saw this map of the course and knew I would want one, so she made a
point of buying one before they ran out.
Both of us were
hungry. They had food trucks in the
finish area, so we each got an egg and cheese sandwich before leaving.
Getting cleaned up after
the race, I had to be careful not to get my bandage wet. A shower was out of the question. I could take a bath, but I had to keep my
right elbow away from the water.
While I was getting
cleaned up, Deb went grocery shopping. I
was out of commission until dinner.
By evening, I was
noticing my elbow much more. It was
stiff, and I felt some discomfort when I bent it. I took some Tylenol so it wouldn’t keep me
awake at night, but I put off getting X-rays until I got home.
I also noticed some scrapes on the side of my right knee. I didn't notice them right after the race, because I was wearing tights. Those scrapes probably would've been much worse if I had been wearing shorts.
The Tylenol helped for a
while, but I woke up during the night and had trouble getting back to
sleep. Deb had trouble sleeping for
different reasons. She spent a long time
on her feet, walking on uneven ground.
Monday, November 24
We didn’t fly home until
Tuesday, so Monday was an extra day for sightseeing. We drove to Centennial Park, which is home to
Nashville’s full-scale replica of the Parthenon.
Centennial Park is one of
the places where you can board the Old Town Trolley. The trolley is a hop-on-hop-off bus with 13
stops around Nashville. Between stops,
our driver gave us commentary about the sights around us. Among other things, he pointed out the homes
and recording studios of several well-known recording artists, and he played
relevant samples of their music.
We got off the trolley at
one of the downtown stops and spent the next couple of hours downtown. One of our stops was Goo Goo Chocolate
Company, where you can design your own candy bar.
After having lunch
downtown and walking up and down Broadway, we got back on the trolley,
eventually riding it back to Centennial Park, where our car was parked.
After our sightseeing, we
stopped at a CVS Minute Clinic, so I could have the dressing changed on my
elbow.
Deb’s dinner on Sunday
was so big that she had enough leftovers for her dinner on Monday. I was on my own for dinner, so I walked to a
nearby restaurant.
Tuesday, November 25
We flew home Tuesday
morning. I have a doctor appointment on
Wednesday to have my elbow examined. Perhaps, I should also have me head examined.
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