Mountain Mist 50K Results: Doane, Stern Win in the Slop

For the first time in 30 years, the annual Mountain Mist 50K lived up to its name Saturday morning at Monte Sano State Park.

At the 7 a.m. starting line, 452 runners jumped at the sound of the shotgun cannon start. Battleship gray skies spit rain for almost three hours, adding to the early-morning rain that fell. From the start, runners headed to the closed Bankhead Avenue before diving into the Sinks and Mountain Mist trails to begin 31 miles of fun in the slippery mud and water.

Never had the state’s first trail ultramarathon had such conditions. Ankle deep mud and water in some areas. Runoff on the slopes creating never-seen and beautiful waterfalls. Creeks often dry or trickling, such as the infamous Waterline or deep in McKay Hollow, were roaring beautifully. Several hundred runners finished; many were DNFs, missing cutoffs or waving the white flag beforehand.

Jeffrey Stern of Mill Valley, Calif., and Deanna Doane of Jacksonville Beach, Fla., weren’t phased. Both claimed their first Mountain Mist titles. The event’s Top 10 times weren’t under threat due to the sloppy conditions.

Stern, 36, won in a time of 4:13:58, more than 13 minutes ahead of runner-up Michael Loutzenheise, 23, of Homewood, Ala. He finished in 4:27:26. Jack Martin, 19, of White Bluff, Tenn., was third in 4:30.

Doane, 25, won the women’s title in 5:52:02. She was 37th overall, a solid showing amid a stout field. Defending champ Sara Gibson, 39, of Chattanooga was second (46th) in 5:58:51, while Kimberley Friberg, 40, of Chattanooga, was third (72nd) in 6:24:12.

Day of Survival

Exhausted faces, scratches, mud and more were the norm at the finish. It was a test of survival — physically and mentally.

“The conditions were some of the sloppiest I’ve ever faced,” Stern told TVO. “Thigh-high water crossings and running down trails that appeared to be more akin to small streams made for a challenging day. I was hoping to break four hours, but all the extra work my stabilizers did to keep me upright in the slop cost me a lot of time on the harder second half.

“I was content with my fast first half and will be back again to chase a more complete race,” he added. “Thanks to Dink and all the incredible volunteers for a fantastic 30th celebration. It definitely did not disappoint.”

“For the first time, Mountain Mist lived up to its name with all this fog,” said race director and Mist founder Dink Taylor. “We’ve never had conditions like this, ever. Rain during the event, all the mud on the trails. They’ll be OK. But it sure was messy out there. More of a day of surviving.”

That sentiment was expressed in various ways. Some years, it’s sunny and cool or cold. Others, icy. This year, yucky.

“Man, that sucked.”

“Never been in anything like that before.”

“No way you can train for anything like this.”

“That was sloppy and gross.”

Hard to Describe

Unless you were out there, it’s difficult to describe. Almost impossible, actually. Taylor, in his pre-race meeting Friday night, described the Waterline climb as “soul-sucking” after almost 25 miles. The conditions only added to that.

“Those conditions definitely were challenging. Holy Moses,” said Shannon Rae Dye of Chattanooga, the women’s third-place Grand Master finisher. “One step forward, two steps to the side, and one back. It was like skiing all day. I think my feet went sideways and backward, more than they went forward.”

Nine-time finisher Lindsey Shady of Huntsville said in a Facebook post that prayer helped, a little.

“In a dozen years of running Monte Sano’s trails, I can honestly say I’ve never seen that much mud, water, or the kind of muck that prys the shoes right off of your feet. “Jesus take the wheel” came out of my mouth multiple times,” she said. “It was also a far more beautiful day than a dry, hot one. The creek below Crybaby looked like the Grizzly River Rampage with water up above my knees, where all summer it sat stagnant and bone dry. Waterline, my favorite, had never looked so glorious in my eyes with water cascading down from heights that felt like that of a skyscraper. Had it not been a race, I would’ve paused a few moments to take it all in. At times it was dangerous, it was always exciting, and I savored every minute of this one.”

It was what it was. The Mountain Mist 50K conditions affected everyone. No one got a pass, from Stern and the speedsters to those in the rear.

(MAIN PHOTO: Deanna Doane of Jacksonville Beach, Fla., crosses the finish line to win the women’s Mountain Mist 50K title in 5:52. Photo by Alan Clemons/TVO)

STANDINGS — We will add the link to official standings once they’re posted.

Masters Winners

Awards for the Masters divisions, age 40-49:

Female Masters
1. Jennifer Raby, 40, Decatur, Ga., 6:29, 76th overall
2. Jennifer Wenneker, 41, Lewisberg, Tenn., 6:40, 89th
3. Shannon Dye, 44, Chattanooga., 6:59, 110th overall

Male Masters
1. Bob Adams, 43, Ooltewah, Tenn., 4:44, 5th
2. Lee Wilson, 47, Nashville, 5:05, 7th
3. Jason Teitloff, 42, Clarkesville, Tenn., 5:07, 8th