Temptations Race Report

Do you love the beach, but could do without that pesky view of the ocean? Well have I got the race for you!

This weekend, September 6th 2020, I participated in Temptations at Sand Ridge State Forest in Illinois. The Temptations 200k has an intriguing race format. The course is a 25k loop. Every 50k runners have the opportunity to finish but are tempted by the promises of fame and glory (or bigger better shiny objects) to go out for another 50k. The kicker is, if a runner goes out for the next 50k but doesn’t finish it, they get a DNF. This year a 50k only option was also offered with a Sunday start. I chose this as my first “live” 50k after completing my first 50k this June.

So. Much. Sand.

When I signed up for the race, I was warned about the sandy course. This was no exaggeration! The race is themed around the Devil’s temptation, with aid stations named Purgatory and Highway to Hell, and a segment of the course aptly named the Devil’s Colon.

In preparation for the big day, I made up a drop bag for my car and one for the 6.66 Devil’s Aid Station. On Saturday I packed up my car with way more stuff than a person could possibly use in 24 hours, set up the back of my Prius for car camping, and drove south.

On arrival, the area surrounding the start/finish was surrounded by cars and small tents. I walked up to the Start/Finish to sign in. I was greeted by the race directors, both with face covers as a sign of the times, and told I was the first to sign in for the 50k the next morning. The 200k racers had started at 4 am that morning. I was given my swag bag and they explained the race basics to me, emphasizing the safety rules for COVID. I was then given directions to the aid station run by Ornery Mule Racing as they had put out a call for aid station volunteers. I spent the evening helping runners, making new friends, and absorbing information about the challenges facing me the next day.

Cacti in Illinois!

Later in the evening I headed back to the campground and found a spot to park my car and sleep for the night. As I got settled, I realized to my horror that I had left the plug out of my cooler which was tucked in between the layers of my bedding. The under layer of the bottom half of my bedding was soaked with cold water! I grabbed a couple of trash bags and was able to keep the water at bay for the night by putting them on top of the wet layers. I slept ok for being in the back of Prius and having the pre-race jitters.

The race start at 8 AM was unceremonious. Race instructions were reviewed and the dozen or so runners were off! The sky was overcast and my mom had already texted me asking if the race was cancelled due to storms. No storms here, Mom! I started walking to warm up, chatting a little with another runner that was walking and running. She picked up speed as we approached the first aid station, Purgatory, and I put on my headphones to pass some miles. I said hi at Purgatory, was greeted enthusiastically, and moved on, not needing anything quite so early in the race.

Stormy skies

Soon, thunder was rolling in the distance. I hoped that the storm would miss us but was soon disappointed as lightening and thunder came in closer and the rain overtook me. I passed a runner in a green shirt, announcing myself so I wouldn’t startle him, and we commented on the scary lightening. Within a few minutes, the rain became torrential and it started to hail. I ducked under a couple of trees that would barely suffice at Charlie Brown’s Christmas and hunkered down until the worst had passed. Once the hail was done and the rain slowed slightly, I got back out on the trail. A short time later I heard my friend in the green shirt behind me and we shared some miles to the next aid station at mile 6.66, the Devil’s Aid Station. They had kindly stashed my drop bag beneath a tarp to keep it dry. I changed my socks and applied Trail Toes, grabbed a couple Muir gels, and was on my way.

This was the biggest stretch between aid stations, with about 5 miles that included the toughest part of the course, the Devil’s colon. The race course was decorated with informational signs letting runners know what fun they are about to endure. “Now Entering…The Devil’s Colon (it’s about to get really shitty)”. Deep sand and hills certainly seemed the creation of Satan himself. But that led to the Stairway to Heaven Aid Station (also known as the Highway to Hell in the opposite direction). I was greeted by my friends from the night before, grabbed some snacks, and was on my way to completing my first loop!

At the start/finish I was greeted with cheers then I swung by my car to change my wet shorts, socks, and shoes and restock my vest.

Shortly after starting my first loop, the sun came out to play and it got hot! The number of runners remaining on the course was few and I didn’t see anybody coming in the opposite direction. The only runner behind me was the final 200k finisher, Mr. Green shirt. The heat really got to me by the time I reached the Devil’s aid station, so we packed my water bladder and sleeves with ice. Shortly after leaving the aid station, I started suffering from some painful chafing in my girly bits and couldn’t run without irritating it. As I reached the Purgatory aid station, they were just packing up to leave, but luckily, they had some Vaseline packed in the car. I shoved some fruit in my pockets and ran to find a place to duck into the woods and apply my relief. Now I was able to start running again. My feet really started hurting during the last few miles, my swollen pinky toes crammed into the sides of my shoes and the muscles in the bottoms of my feet throbbing. I was able to alternate a shuffled jog with a walk until I reached the end.

Where there wasn't sand, there were beautiful pine trees

The race directors congratulated me and gave me my finishers coin, explaining that for each year a runner returns and finishes they get another year’s coin. Soon, the final 200k finisher crossed the finish line and they presented him with his DFL prize, a shiny shovel with the race logo engraved. I stretched, changed, and chatted with a few people before climbing in my car for a long drive home to a hot Epsom salt bath. Maybe next year I’ll be tempted to go for that shovel. Maybe.