Rainy Trail Run - Cruel Jewel 50 miles Ultra Marathon (2023)

[@BackyardWesternStates]

Thanks for sharing your adventure!

[@runningwithsimon]

And thanks for watching! I'll have to check out your videos - I've never been in the area!

[@joannarodriguez326]

As soon as I saw a new video was up I couldn't click fast enough to watch. Keep up the great work!

[@runningwithsimon]

Thanks :) Glad they are appreciated!

[@eubanksendurance]

That’s me about 6 minutes in the video climbing, unfortunately I had to drop at Skeenah with knee inflammation. Great job!

[@runningwithsimon]

Bummer! Hope the knee is healing well

[@SeeChadRun]

"Fresh like a potato". LOL! I don't know how fresh that is, but I'm guessing it's super fresh! Beautiful area/race/trails! I like what you said about those who run 100 miles and that running 50 miles isn't necessarily easy for them either. Gives me hope that I could run 100 miles some day soon (looking at UTE 100). Great tips to make the experience more enjoyable and meaningful.

[@runningwithsimon]

On a scale from flat coca cola to a subway footlong, being fresh like a potato means you are just below a green gummy bear!

[@afewmominutes]

The rain in the dark looked like fun... great job!

[@runningwithsimon]

At least it makes for a good story!

[@Gator35]

Love the newer content, also - the channel just keeps getting better. Fun working back through all the content I haven’t seen. This is the most fun, educational and comprehensive ultra channel out there. Simon, you are just so darn lovable! Keep going and going!

[@runningwithsimon]

Thanks! It's fun putting those together, and great to know I can pass some trail wisdom along the way!

[@samraley]

Hey Simon, thanks for the shout out! It was great to see you and good luck at Bad Water!!

[@runningwithsimon]

How did the rest of the race go?!

[@samraley]

@@runningwithsimon Pretty good. Finished in 45:45. Not quite the time I was shooting for, but developed a nasty blister on the bottom of my right foot that really slowed me down. Had a blast, rain and all. Just gotta keep moving!!

[@sklawford]

Great video! Hope to see you next year for the buckle 🙌🏽🤘🏽🐉 Sean

[@runningwithsimon]

Thanks - and thanks for such a great race, I'll be back!

[@jonrichpen]

Thanks for the video! Running this one in 3 and a half weeks and it's great to get some footage of the trails.

[@runningwithsimon]

Good luck! Quite an epic race with all those climbs!

[@JulieNagazina-Einhorn]

Go Simon! Another wonderful video. Rain, trees and lots of roots on the trail. It feels like home to me.

[@runningwithsimon]

Feels exactly the same for me! Can’t wait to show you the San Juan!

[@runningwithsimon]

I heard Badwater may be drier than this one...

[@richardeinhorn5476]

As usual, a great video - lots of fun to watch. Now I am off to drink a beer and sit on the couch to watch baseball. Ahhhhhh!

[@runningwithsimon]

Merci! Now I can't help wondering if my movies are a) more b) less, or c) equally entertaining as baseball...

[@chrisasmussen]

My calves are featured a lot in this 😜 Thanks for catching the race on film! Glad to have run some of the midday miles with ya.

[@runningwithsimon]

lol thanks for modeling for my video!

[@pushtherun]

Awesome run Simon. I've been watching several of your videos the past couple months. Just saw the Cruel Jewel this morning and watched it first thing. This race is on my list for next year for sure. Keep Pushing The Run Brother!!!

[@runningwithsimon]

Sweet, thanks for your nice words! I guess we'll see each other there next year!

[@pushtherun]

@@runningwithsimon It's a Date!!! Will you be doing the 50 or 100 miler?

[@runningwithsimon]

@@pushtherun 100 !

[@dailyjamrunner]

Just found this video, nice job! I am the guy at the end that ran with you to the finish line to get in under 16 hours! That was my longest race so far! I definitely learned a lot during that race.

[@runningwithsimon]

Sweet! Nice finishing the race together! "If we hurry, we'll make it sub16" gave me hope. My watch had us too far from it but I guess it was off!

[@DevRunner]

I had a friend who ran the 100 miler there this year! The 50 miler is more my speed I think, having jusr run my first ultra! Thanks for sharing the experience and making it so much fun! Keep pushing Simon!

[@runningwithsimon]

Congrats to your friend! That's a tough one for sure! And 100 miles is intimidating for sure! But if the 50 milers went well, honestly the step up is not THAT bad, especially if you have no issue fueling

[@Kelly_Ben]

Congratulations on another well earned finish! It sounds like you met your goal of finishing strong but tired. I hope your Achilles heals up quickly! That race was closer to a 100k than a 50 mile. Gotta love ultra distances! 😂 Your whole tone and attitude at Mile 44 had me cackling. "Well THAT sucks. " The mile check-ins are so cool, a way to encapsulate the ups and downs of the races.

[@runningwithsimon]

I won't complain about bonus mile - pay for 50, get 58! And it really sucked then lol! The mud very bad - so much so that I couldn't film it! A guy told me he had to go on all 4 for a short segment (he didn't have poles)!

[@lizzypicardi]

Thanks 4 the share, getting into ultra marathon running

[@runningwithsimon]

Good luck - feel free to reach out if you have any question. I'll probably start doing some tips / how - to video so hopefully that'll be helpful!

[@lizzypicardi]

@@runningwithsimon THat sounds lovely!

[@DevRunner]

@@runningwithsimon That would be greatly appreciated as I'm a road guy just starting to explore ultras and trails!

[@runningwithsimon]

@@lizzypicardi Alright first one of those is out. I know heat adaptation is niche, but I'll expand to other topics soon! Curious - what subject do you think would be particularly helpful?

[@runningwithsimon]

@@DevRunner Alright first one of those is out. I know heat adaptation is niche, but I'll expand to other topics soon! Curious - what subject do you think would be particularly helpful?

[@robertclarkson6064]

Great job 💪💪💪

[@runningwithsimon]

Thanks!

[@mikes7654]

Hey Simon 🙂 I just subscribed to your KZbin channel 🙂👍. I really like your videos….. especially when you do the races and film it 👍. Inspires me as well…. Thanks, and keep ‘em coming!

[@runningwithsimon]

Thanks Mike! Hope you can hit the trail some with summer coming!

[@mikes7654]

@@runningwithsimon Absolutely will 😀🏃‍♂️👍

[@MangoRunner]

Great work! I actually did the 100 miler in 2023. You probably pass me early on when you started.

[@runningwithsimon]

Difficult one - congratulations! I'll be back some day for the 100 - just too busy this year. But maybe next!

[@zachkirschner5137]

I ran this with you, congrats on awesome finish you killed it!

[@runningwithsimon]

Thanks! Congrats to you too :) Saw you signed up for Georgia Jewel 100 this fall, good luck!

[@monicarose8714]

Love your videos! I've wanted to do this one and for me, I know the 50 mile is the one for me.

[@runningwithsimon]

It makes sense for an in and out. It's also good to know that it's closer to what, 56-58 than actual 50 (so basically, it's almost 100 k)

[@rachelko96]

So, I swept the Deep Gap loop -- it was dry when I did it.... I can only imagine what ya'll had (a river?!?) during the race when it rained hardcore. Way to go!!

[@runningwithsimon]

Thanks for volunteering! Yup it was bad there, but the worse was going back up from weaver... slick mud and all...

[@toddboucher3302]

Planning on this for 2024 then the CJ 100 in 2025

[@runningwithsimon]

Such a "must" for East Coast race! I'll definitely be back for the 100 some day (but not 2024). Good luck!

[@banksburke2530]

Great race brotha.. how’s the course? Visually? Comparing it to a lot of the NC stuff it seems pretty boring? Respectfully? Lol I mainly ask because it was on my radar for either ‘24 or ‘25

[@runningwithsimon]

I don't know races in NC, so it's hard for me to compare. But the video is pretty representative - there is not much in terms of "open landscape scenery", but it's a very lush forest. The course was not nearly as technical as I feared. I feel it's more of a bucket list item for being one of the toughest east coast race, with a ton of elevation gain, harsh humid heat, but great support for the race organization. It's good enough for me to plan a come back for the 100, most probably next year.

[@mikeenjoyberryfarm6249]

Hi Simon. How did you recover your achilles? How do you maintain it? Thanks love your videos!

[@runningwithsimon]

It was going much better this summer despite all the races, but I'm actually just off The Bear this weekend and it's really bad...

[@runningwithsimon]

Ah sorry maybe misunderstood the question. So it's a lot of PT - all sorts of toe raises basically to strenghten the calf. And rest.

[@mikeenjoyberryfarm6249]

Thanks for the reply. I'm doing a lot of calf work too. I hope yours works out.

[@saraservant]

What's with your kit? Sometimes black shorts, other times red.

[@runningwithsimon]

Red short was the day before - getting some 3rd person footage. I'm was one man show for this race - no crew, no pacer. So it wouldn't be possible on race day to have any shots of me. It's annoying to have to run the day before the race, but makes for a better movie

[@saraservant]

@@runningwithsimon Tricks of the trade...