About three or four months ago, Sara Gibson decided she wanted to give trail running a try. A longtime road and cross-country runner, dating to high school, Gibson figured trails would be a fun alternative.
Good choice. The 38-year-old mother of two smashed the Mountain Mist 50K course Saturday morning to win the women’s title in her first ultramarathon. Gibson, of Chattanooga, finished in 5:31:51, well ahead of her closest pursuer and 34th overall. Race director Dink Taylor called her time “really, really good” and fellow Scenic City runner Nathan Holland, the men’s Mist champion Saturday morning, said he wasn’t surprised.
“We run some rough roads at home that really aren’t good for trail running but it’s just something we do, and Sara wanted to run with us last fall,” Holland said. “She crushed it. I didn’t know who she was but I found out quickly. She’s very good and did a great job today.”
Team Cha, a group of runners competing in the Mist against runners from four other cities (it’s an internal, fun competition), swept top honors. Gibson and Holland claimed the overall titles, and three other Chattanooga runners finished 2-3-5 in the men’s division.
“It’s definitely challenging, especially that back half,” Gibson said. “I think the toughest part was going down that Natural Well trail and on into the hollow. Pretty challenging, for sure.”
Gibson said she never saw any other women and didn’t know for sure her standing in the field.
“I ran a little with some guys who during the really technical parts would jump ahead, and in some of the flatter or runnable parts I’d jump ahead,” she said. “We kind of did that all day, which was nice, to be honest.”
The Mountain Mist 50K is sponsored by Yellowhammer Brewing, which contributed 800 cans of locally-brewed beer, and Gold Strike Coffee. Huntsville Track Club facilitated the scoring and course management.
See all the results of the 2023 Mountain Mist 50K here.
