The morning of March 19, 2005 woke up with 43 degrees and a bit of a breeze and cloudy skies warming up to 57. Much better than last year when the temps
started at 45 and heated up to 65. Forecast was calling for scattered showers. We had off/on sprinkles in the parking lot. Runners said that they didn't have any rain while on the course.

Approximately eighty ultra runners met up at the starting line for the Oak Mountain 50k Trail Run in Birmingham, AL. The website warns that it isn't the usual 31.2 mile distance, but it is about 33 miles (distances are approximate, course is NOT certified). Vertical climb 3500 ft. This is a very beautiful and challenging course. Among the runners was Randy Saxon of Laurel, MS. He finished the Carl Touchstone Memorial 50 Mile run only a week before. Having to spend a bit of time sidelined due to nausea and vomiting, he eventually finished. He didn't get enough of trail running and he has now shown up in Birmingham for more. He leaves his home in the wee hours of Saturday morning and drives to
Birmingham to arrive about an hour before race start. He claims that he's
going to run this course slow. (I've heard that before from a mutual friend whom we call Poison Iva.) The word go is yelled and Randy is gone. He disappears in a matter of minutes.

I was expecting Randy to come to the last road crossing to the finish around 6.5 hours later. I found a great spot to get a picture of him and other runners that I'm acquainted with about 5.5 hours after the start. To my great surprise, I recognize a red shirt and a goateed face. What??? Can't be! Yes, it is! It's Randy Saxon speeding toward me. I barely had time to turn on the digital camera and snap a picture. He goes flying by. I look at my watch and I see that he's going to break six hours!! Yesssss! He finishes in 5:59:16. What an accomplishment! Great job!
Randy should be, if he isn't, very proud of this accomplishment. Not many people can do a 50 miler one weekend and suffer with nausea and all the stuff that goes with it and then a week later do a 50K that fast if at all. This is not a day-in-the-park-stroll kind of course. It not only has it's challenging moments, but it is long.
Overall winner was Dink Taylor in 4:25:45 followed by DeWayne Satterfield in
4:31:20. They are from Huntsville, AL and have the privilege of training on
mountains.

The overall female winner was Ragan Petrie of Decatur, GA with a finish time
of 5:14:24. Race director, Scott Parker and all of his volunteers did a fine job. Thanks go to all of them and their efforts.

Last but not least, Rob Apple of Murfreesboro, TN finished his 407th ultra. His time was 7:27:25. He is the only person I know that can do an ultra weekend after weekend and run ten miles and sometimes more a day in between ultras. He ain't human.

Congratulations again to Randy Saxon! Ready to sign up for Mohican 100 Mile???
Raz
Murfreesboro, TN     See Results