This was the 4th Annual Mowdy Ranch Mustang Run held in Coalgate, OK. This trail race consists of a 5k, 10k, half marathon, full marathon, and 50k.
What is Mowdy Ranch?
Mowdy Ranch is Oklahoma's only and the Bureau of Land Management's second wild mustang eco-sanctuary dedicated to tourism. Located in Southeastern OK, the 4000 acre wooded hill and valley ranch hosts tours, lodging, a horse camp, and the Mustang Run.
Transportation:
This was an easy 2 1/2 hour drive from Oklahoma City. There is not much to see on the drive there besides farms and cows, but I took the long route and stopped in Tishomingo where Blake Shelton has his restaurant Ole Red. Dallas would be your other airport option.
WHATS INCLUDED?:
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| A WELL MARKED COURSE COMPLETE WITH FUNNY SIGNS |
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| A UNISEX SHIRT, WATER BOTTLE, AND BANDANNA (HAT WAS ADDITIONAL) |
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| A UNIQUE BOTTLE OPENER MEDAL |
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| COMPLIMENTARY SPAGHETTI DINNER WITH THE MUSTANGS |
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| FREE CAMPING ON THE RANCH WITH FREE PARKING |
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| QUALITY OUTHOUSES |
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| BEAUTIFUL SUNSET WITH THE HORSES |
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| THE BIGGEST BONFIRE YOU WILL EVER SEE |
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| A CHANCE TO MINGLE AND SLEEP WITH THE WILD MUSTANGS |
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| FRESHLY MADE COFFEE AND DONUTS FOR BREAKFAST |
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| BEAUTIFUL RANCH SUNRISE |
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| FULLY STOCKED AID STATIONS WITH AWESOME VOLUNTEERS |
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| COMPLIMENTARY BEER AND COOKED ON SITE BBQ |
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| FREE (REALLY) OUTDOOR SHOWER (AKA HOSE, BUT BETTER THAN NOTHING) |
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| FREE RACE PHOTOS POSTED ON FACEBOOK |
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| A CHANCE TO BECOME ONE WITH NATURE-MAKE SURE TO READ THE WAIVER! THERE ARE DEFINITELY BUGS, FLIES, SPIDERS, SNAKES, BIRDS, FIRE ANTS, WILD MUSTANGS (DUH), AND TARANTULAS?! |
Weather:
Who knew Oklahoma could get hotter than Florida the first week of June? Temps rose into the 80s throughout the day with pure sun and I heard that one year it was up towards 100 degrees. I would suggest being an experienced heat runner and even with the fully stocked stations, carrying your own hydration pack.
Camping:
The ranch has a lodge area with shared rooms for a price, or you can primitive camp for free based on first come first serve.
I opted to go for the least expensive route for my airline ticket, which meant only a backpack as my bag in which I could only fit my hammock. There is plenty of field to chose space and spread out but it seemed a lot of people wanted to mingle. There is a tree line for a bit of shade so come early if you want to grab that. Some even brought their RV.
Course Terrain:
sand/dirt/rock/grass/mud/tree roots/flat open prairie fields/thick forest/hills/switchbacks/creek crossings/pond views...you name it, this course has it! This is a circle course starting and finishing at camp.
All throughout the course you have an opportunity for wildlife viewing. Unfortunately I did not see any but the 5 horses that sent us off at Start. I heard other runners saw deer and snakes. I think it was too hot for most animals and they were hiding in the shade. But I did get to see the mustangs scouting the course the evening before!
Packet Pick up:
Packet pick up is available race morning if you opted not to stay on the Ranch. Otherwise your packet was available with the spaghetti dinner
Start:
The marathon and 50k started at 530a. Camping right next to the Start, I woke to the bull horn making their announcements. The half marathon did not start until 730a so I had plenty of time to enjoy the sunrise and enjoy fresh coffee and donuts!
Result:
I arrived around 4p to the ranch. I was advised the best spots are taken between 3-5p. Having only a hammock I was extremely limited on my options of space. Unfortunately I went into panic mode when I saw how few trees there where and of course because of the heat, all the tents were popped up under them. Thankfully, I found the perfect spot! Across the way from all the tents, there was a set of trees next to a pond and also next to the bonfire! It was perfect, away from the crowd and had a scenic view!
There was a small lodge area at the front of the ranch where most of the mustangs were corralled (they corral them for the race. There were about 5 that were still wild; roaming all night in the camp).
Spaghetti dinner was served at the lodge until late, so I decided to wait for the sun to start going down. You had an option of eating inside or they had tables set up next to the horses outside. I opted for out, but quickly remembered, where there are horses, there are flies! Dinner was great with conversation with a 100 miler!
Leaving dinner, there was a magical sunset with the horses! Camp was a little higher than the lodge, so there was a nice breeze. There was a group of horses at camp that just hung around for the longest time and watched us. They started the biggest bonfire I have ever seen in my life as soon as it was dark. It was so relaxing to just hang out and watch.
There were a handful of porta potties, but also real out houses that were pristine with a real seat!
Sleeping in a hammock was a first for me, and it actually turned out better than expected, despite the wind storm. I fell asleep as the bonfire started to dwindle, but the winds started to pick up. The gradual rocking of the hammock was great, but the extra fabric ruffled in the wind causing noise and vibration. Thankfully I was able to clamp the extra fabric together and made somewhat of a cocoon. However, I still woke up about 3 times throughout the night.
I woke when the 100miler and marathoners started. I took my time and was surprised to see they were serving fresh coffee and fresh donuts! I got to enjoy it while watching the sunrise. It was an easy start and the 5 wild mustangs sent us on our way!
I felt really good the first half of the course. The woods were fun and the terrain and scenery was constantly changing. But it was the long stretches of pure sun in the prairie fields that threw me off. As the temps rose, I realized I was no longer sweating. I knew right away this was bad and made sure I was walking a lot, and grabbing ice, cold rags, popsicles, spraying misters on myself, dumping water on my head, everything to bring down my core temp. I did not have any other symptoms, so I knew I had caught it early enough.
Surprisingly I finished the same time as my last summer trail run (which was flat and this one had hills). After finishing I witnessed at least two people throwing up, and then an ambulance had come for someone with heat exhaustion. I later looked up the symptom of 'no longer sweating' and found that it is a sign of a heat stroke! It really is eye opening and a great reminder to never ignore what your body is telling you! If it is hot outside, the body temperature is even hotter. Running already raises the bodys temperature, so the hotter it is, the slower we must run and probably the more walk breaks we must take.
I am extremely thankful for the aid stations. Each one really had concerned volunteers watching us and making sure we were okay and cooling down. I am also thankful for the cowboys/girls that were riding the horses on the trail and passed out water to us.
Signs to watch out for for heat exhaustion/stroke: goose bumps, headache, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, disorientation, fatigue
Running a race there obviously is going to be fatigue, so sometimes you can not tell if you are just pushing yourself or if there is a true concern. If temperatures are over 80 degrees, just take it easy. No race is ever worth injuring yourself over something you can control. You can still enjoy every aspect of the race, finish at a slower time, and stay healthy!
Finish:
After the race, fresh bbq sandwich and beer was provided. They had a canopy set up to sit under and enjoy, but I had a plane to catch. Thankfully I found they had an outdoor 'shower' to use, which was basically a hanging hose in the open, but it worked! They even placed out bottles of soap/shampoo for us!
Oklahoma Suggestions:
-Plaza District-I spent the night at an Airbnb in Oklahoma City which ended up being a gem located in the Plaza District full of unique restaurants
-Carey Place, a street listed on the National Registrar of Historic Places was also just one block from my Airbnb
-Bricktown was unique area on a canal. You can take a boat tour, or even just walk the long sidewalk all along the canal to the river. Its a beautiful evening stroll!
-Myraid Botanical Garden is worth the admittance fee for a magical escape in the middle of the city!
-Route 66 has the longest stretch in Oklahoma. Pops Soda is pretty close as well as the Red Barn for some photo opps!
Overall Thoughts
The race is definitely one of my favorite experiences with everything they included! They really thought of every detail and made this a unique experience! If you love running in the heat and are an outdoorsy trail runner and want to help the wild mustangs, this race is a bucket list must do!
13.1-3:14
State #37
Half Marathon #86
Pink Feet is on Year 8 of running a half marathon a month, while also completing the 50 states, with the final race each year being The DONNA Marathon in February! Funds raised benefit The Mayo Clinic and Donna Foundation. My mission is to help spread the word of breast cancer prevention, early detection, and living a healthy lifestyle including running and walking. My overall goal is to raise $100,000 for breast cancer charities in which over $66,000 is currently raised. Donations are currently being accepted HERE
Or you can mail a check to:
Donna Foundation
11762 Marco Beach Dr Ste 6
Jacksonville FL 32224
Memo-PinkFeet
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