Skydive Ultra 50k in Clewiston, Florida. A looped course around an airfield and sugarcane fields just south of Lake Okeechobee. A few words about logistics because that was something I had a lot of difficulty understanding until I had shown up today: each distance on offer (200 miles, 150 mile, 100 miles, 50 mile, 50 K, marathon, half marathon, 10 K) has an associated buddy race that also includes a skydive. Officially everyone starts at the same time: the hundred miler at 7 AM today, the 50 miler at eight, 50 K at nine, the half marathon at 10 and so on. But the logistics of incorporating skydive means that you may be in the midst of your jump when the official start of your race begins (as I was). Chip timing to the rescue! So while my gun time is half an hour late I was able to jump, leave the drop zone, get kitted up to run and do the race. Now the unfortunate part, as I see it there are three reasons to enter a race (it is competitive, it is challenging, or it is beautiful) 7 and change mile loops around cane fields is frankly dull, particularly when juxtaposed with having falling out of the sky. As a result, I found myself very bored and in that way it was challenging. It was also exceptionally long (35 1/4 miles) which just meant free bonus miles but meh. I love the volunteers and the race director, but I wouldn’t do this race again. And I wouldn’t recommend it. Go skydive, or go do a 50 K, or even a 35 miler. Putting them together is like a rock concert and a zen garden. Cool stuff that just doesn’t really mesh well.
