So this is where the challenge factor of the course starts. From the 8th mile to the 12th the elevation ascends and doesn't let up. It's not terribly steep but it's long and is a silent assassin of your energy if you're not careful.
When you get to the top - approximately mile 11 - the views of the surrounding mountaintops (including Sugarloaf) are beautiful. On a nice day - or even a more dreary day - you can't beat the scenery on this course, especially at this point. Enjoy it while you can. After the 11 mile mark, things go downhill, and fast.
The image above is deceptive (courtesy Google Maps) - after the 11 mile marker, it really does drop fast. It's one thing a lot of long-distane runners know: downhills can kill a runner's legs just as badly as an uphill climb. It's much harder to slow down which makes your quadriceps work and burn as it tries to keep the brakes on. Often it's how this downhill is handled that determines how you'll feel the rest of the race.
When the nose-dive into the Carrabassett valley finally levels out, the entrance to Sugarloaf looms ahead. At this point, small crowds have formed and are cheering you on. Civilization once again, if but for a brief time. Once the small village disappears behind view, the trees crowd in again, broken only by the occasinal building and glimpses of the river on the left.
Half way there.
