The 2017 DMZ 50k. This race was bound to be great, and it was the day before Kent’s birthday! Featuring a mountain we’d never met followed by a run-able course on rolling dirt roads, we were really stoked for this one!
Actually, this 50k was part of a weekend of running events, with some racers opting to do a 100k stage race! We didn’t have the time off required for that, but we were very excited to try a new race, in a remote and seldom visited area of the country!
The road to this race
As usual, getting to the starting line wasn’t as simple as we would have liked. After the our redemption at the Korea 50k, we maintained our high mileage, running on lots of our favorite local trails. We also did several epic, self-supported adventures in Seoraksan National Park and another to the secretly spectacular (but closed) Daeamsan. So we were feeling great, as we ran from a monochromatic spring into the summer’s heat!
But we also had a lot of other commitments, and some of those took us away from our regular training schedule. In May, the luckiest string of public holidays that Korea has ever seen gave us a surprise ten day holiday! We took full advantage of it, zipping off for a trip to Myanmar! During our summer vacation at the end of July, we set off for a whirlwind tour of China! And after trying and failing to make it to Ulleungdo & Dokdo over one long weekend in June, we finally had our chance during another long weekend in mid-August!
After all of these adventures, wonderful as they were, we were eager to get back to a regular running schedule! Then, the unthinkable happened: an injury. It was plantar fasciitis! This was my second injury of the year, and it was just as bad as the first. I hobbled around the house and frantically contacted everyone I knew, trying to find a foot specialist. A friend helped me to rediscover the amazing ultra-running doctor I’d met way back in my first year in Seoul, when a dance floor injury dislocated my knee (don’t ask).
It shouldn’t have been as surprising to me as it was. I know that consistency is the key to success. As a very cautious and careful person, I always try to have a plan and stick to it! But we had been so busy, and our weekly mileage had been up and down for months. Plus, I’d actually known something was up with my foot for weeks. Every morning, my left foot complained about my first steps of the day. But it wasn’t a pain I recognized, and as it usually dissipated throughout the day, I thought it was safe to ignore. Crucially, and unlike my groin injury earlier in 2017, it didn’t hurt at all while I ran, so it didn’t sideline me…until it did.
Luckily, I was able to get some help. The running doctor did an amazing electric shock therapy on my foot that made a noticeable difference every session (and I went in for four of these sessions). It was an expensive, time-consuming process that took us into Seoul every Saturday for a month, but I would have gladly done much more to be back on my feet! I can’t say it fully cured me, but it definitely helped. Talking to the doctor, an accomplished ultra-runner himself, was another kind of therapy. I didn’t know too many other ultra athletes in person, and just hearing about the common injuries and recoveries of his patients was reassuring.
It would take me many more months to be completely pain-free. But with a little help and support, I was ready to stand at the starting line of the 2017 DMZ 50k! And I was all the more grateful to be there!
The 2017 DMZ 50k
We’d never been to this race course before! It was roughly between the Korea 50k course in Dongducheon, and Cheorwon, the site of one of our first half-marathons together 5 years prior! Although we would have loved to train on the course, time constraints and my injury dictated that, this time, we did not. So we went in blind! Luckily, the elevation profile wasn’t extreme, and we felt good about the distance. The terrain seemed similar to some of the runs we knew and loved at home.
The night before the race, we opted to stay in Dongducheon, surrounded by familiar comforts. The race website promised a train the next morning that we planned to take to the site.
September 2nd, 2017: In the wee hours of the morning before the race, we hit the train station. But, the train wasn’t running! It seemed to be a commuter train that only operated its early trains on weekdays. So, after a short sit outside the station, we got into a taxi, and drove all the way there! It was a bit of a journey, about 40 minutes. But, it got us there a lot faster than the train would have, so we were early!
In fact, we were the very first racers on site! As we lurked, the organizers began setting up the scene and the stage. After about an hour or so, some volunteers arrived to staff the check-in tables, and our first fellow 50k-ers began to arrive in cars and buses from Seoul. The stage racers emerged from their overnight accommodations, and the scene became recognizable: a bustling, energetic place of bright colors and high hopes.
We started to see some familiar faces! And then, while we waited for some of the later buses from Seoul to arrive, a ROK army marching band took the stage and entertained us until it was go time!
After a little bit of a late start, it was finally time to start running! We were so excited to run, and so eager to climb Godaesan, that all those thoughts of starting slowly that we’d entertained previously flew out the window. We dashed up the mountain trail leading to Godaesan’s summit.
A clearing on the first peak was host to our celebrations. One of the draws of this race is its remote location, and the chance to run so close to the demilitarized zone (hence the DMZ name). With clear air on this gorgeous fall day, we had amazing views over the border. We’d brought the GoPro for the first time for these very moments! After capturing and taking in the scene, we kept running. There was a short section along the ridge taking in two more peaks, then we were back into the forest, this time to descend.
At the foot of the mountain, we stopped at the first aid station for our usual refreshments of bananas and Pocari Sweat! Then we set off down a friendly, rolling dirt road. The road was still in deep shadow, keeping us cool through this second section of the run. We blazed downhill, running all the while, delighted that we could!
We absolutely sped down the overgrown access road, reaching the second aid station in what felt like no time. Once again, after refilling on bananas and water, we raced off. This time, the road was climbing, and we were going to be in some sun. I’d worn shorts and a sleeveless top, and it was a good test if this new race gear could keep me cool. Every step I took I felt incredibly grateful for how healthy and happy I was. My foot did not give me any trouble, and I just felt fantastic the whole time.
We found the third and final checkpoint before we even expected it, and there greeted that same friend who had helped me find the ultra-running doctor! Her positive energy and some more snacks fueled our way forwards, up the road a bit further before descending back all the way to the race start.
We merged onto pavement and ran through a campground. There, a lone man with a baseball bat and helmet saw us and began a slow, heartfelt clap that stirred my emotions. Kent and I raced for the finish line, hand in hand: happy, healthy and fast!
Would you believe we ran the 2017 DMZ 50k in 8 hours?! It’s true! Our time was 8:06! I felt like we absolutely tore it up! Sure, it helped that it was mainly on the gentle slopes of mountain roads rather than tremendously technical trails. But that fact didn’t make our speedy time any less fantastic. We were delighted by our accomplishment!
After commandeering a couple of plastic chairs under the shade of a tent, we stretched, ate and drank – aiming to take the best care of our bodies possible. We waited to see if we’d spot anyone we knew. As we were resting, we heard an announcement about a bus leaving for Seoul. Suddenly, we were in a rush! We tossed all of our things together quickly and threw on sweaters. A friendly, English-speaking volunteer listened while we explained that we had not taken a bus from Seoul, but would like to know if it might be possible to take one back! She said that she thought there might be some spaces available, and that we should just go to the bus to find out!
We were in luck: at the bus, we met the winner of the 50k who helped find us some seats. It was a bit of a tough ride back in traffic with slowly stiffening muscles, but we were grateful for it! And grateful to have had such a wonderful day!
Lessons Learned
The 2017 DMZ 50k race was a bit of a gift to us. We didn’t suffer any major problems. Our refueling strategy was on point, and we stayed adequately hydrated even in the heat. My hot weather gear had been tested and was now tried and true. My foot was happy, and my husband was fast. We got to stand atop a new mountain and zip along friendly forest roads. All in all, a super successful day! I wouldn’t have changed a thing!
Afterwards, I described it in my journal like this: ‘It was a perfect fall day, a perfect overall race with a strong and glorious finish. It was a perfect new mountain adventure that felt like it had been curated just for us!’
It wasn’t the most challenging course, and both Kent and I love a big challenge. But, not everything has to be extreme. Sometimes, it can just be a lovely run on a lovely course on a lovely day. And that was just what this race was for us! It was wonderful to be able to focus on the beauty of the scenery, on good conversation, and the pure, simple joy of healthy running.
So, what I learned was…I loved this race!
Interested in running the DMZ 50k yourself? Check out this year’s edition!