Frozen Heart was my gateway race into ultras. It was my “practice” run for North Face and I remembered it so fondly that I had to go back and do it again.  This year I talked two of my training partners in crime into doing their first 50K and we decided to do it in matching Sparkle Athletic skirts and purple shirts because…why the hell not?

For the second year running, the Frozen Heart 50K was decidedly not frozen (thanks global warming) but the course was much drier then last year’s when we had scads of mud from the melting of last year’s snow storm.

The Chesapeake Bay Running Club puts together a great event. The course is looped with the 50K doing 3, but you have the option to bump down or up during the race if you want. Lots of pretty scenery, a great bunch of folks to chat with on course, and super snacks. This is definitely one of my favorite low key races. While not my fastest finish yet, I did manage to beat last year’s time so it ended up being my 2nd fastest 50K out of the 4 I’ve done in the past year.

Things I learned during this race:

1. Sparkle Athletic skirts are not only super shiny…they also are great for modesty when you pull over to pee mid race. What? I’m a trail runner, I’m not housebroken.
2. Tri-Slide is the greatest invention in the world. No chaffing was had.
3. I’m not meant to have toe-nails. I lost my big toe nail again when I kicked a root…a few times.
4. I have a definite progression to race food. Sweet, salty, and fruit and just liquids. If I get too hot, I skip the salty and can only seem to down fluids.
5. NEVER wear brand new booty shorts that haven’t been run tested. I went through a few pairs because I didn’t have time to test them due to a last minute temperature change. I changed after the first loop because the shorts I bought were a nightmare. I ended up running with backup shorts in my pack during each loop just in case.
6. Don’t ever discount gaiters. I had to swap my Carson Zombie Racers after the first loop, just because I forgot to put velcro on the back to attach my gaiters. I finished the race in Altra Lone Peaks just so I could keep debris out of my shoes. Gaiters matter people. LOL.

It was a great start to 2017 and my 7th ultra finish since I started doing these last year at Frozen Heart 2016. I love this event and will come back for sure.