Mountain Masochist Trail Run: Tests Soldier's mind, body, spirit

Courtesy Photo | Lt. Col. J. Matthew Lissner runs on a treadmill training for a 50-mile ultra marathon. He ran this marathon while he was on Rest and Relaxation in Virginia.  

11.18.2005

Courtesy Story

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Finishing in 11:03, one Soldier's goal of completing his very first 50-mile ultra marathon along the Blue Ridge Mountains in Lynchburg, Va., at the 23rd Annual Mountain Masochist Trail Run was completed Oct. 15.

Unlike most Soldiers who use their rest and relaxation time to take a break from the rigors of work, Lt. Col. J. Matthew Lissner, Coalition Forces Land Component Command, Army Reserve Affairs deputy assistant chief of staff, chose to push his body to the limits.

After several months of training in Kuwait on the treadmill and in the hot desert sun, running an average of 60 miles a week, Lissner felt he was prepared for what lay before him.

When he arrived at the starting point of the race, he found himself in the midst of a crowd of approximately 300 people. He felt himself getting pushed along in the pack as everyone began to sprint from the start point.

As the sun started to rise, the paved road slowly began to turn into a smaller trail and that turned into an even smaller trail that eventually put the pack of runners into one long snake-like ranger file, said the Newport News, Va. native.

There were aid stations along the way at about every third mile. Each aid station was named after one of the many terrain features that surrounded the race, like Cashaw Creek, Appalachian Trail, Mount Pleasant and Porter's Ridge.

Lissner took advantage of every aid station, stopping for two to three minutes to re-hydrate, take in a snack for energy or just show the volunteers that he appreciated what they were doing for him and the other runners during the race.

Lissner, found himself facing severe challenges mid-way through the race due to the difficult terrain that he had to maneuver and the severity of the cramps he was experiencing.

Between the 30 and 40 mile marker, he realized that this was one of the most mentally challenging things he had ever done. He said he thought about his Ranger training and how people would get delirious and compared that to the challenges he faced in the marathon.

However, he knew he had to keep going.

"There were times where â?¦ I'm like, "why am I doing this,"" said the 48-year-old.
As he continued to talk about his race experience at the MMTR, which is a part of the Lynchburg Ultra Series and also is considered the Montrail Ultra Cup Championship race, he knew that the race was a gut-check.

The race was more than just a competition to Lissner. It was not about rivalry between him and the other participants. It was not about winning. In the end it was about self-determination and will power. It was mind over matter or, in this case, mind over pain.

As he ran the ultra he continuously asked himself, "Who am I going to disappoint? What am I going to tell my kids?"

He would tell himself, "It will quit hurting as soon as I get to the finish."

With that in mind Lissner said, when he did get cramps he would not push himself so hard to where he acquired an injury. Little old ladies and old guys would pass him, but he was not trying to compete with anybody. He looked at the watch and didn't want to get hurt, which would cause him to get pulled from the course.

It was basically Lissner, nature and the watch. His physical and mental stamina to continue the race, his ability to adept to the weather and his drive to meet the 12 hour time requirements were the challenges that he had accepted for himself and determined to meet.

As the last aid station was passed, heading for the finish, Lissner told himself, "I'm close." He said as he got closer to the finish line the thought of relaxing and having a beer crossed his mind.

He could see the country store on one side of the road and the finish line on the other side, and he said that was a really great sight. "To see that store and the finish line from a half of mile away that was an emotional charge but it wasn't like this great big adrenaline rush where I started sprinting for the finish either."

"I just kept on trucking along, nice and easy."

After finishing Lissner said if he had it to do over again the only thing he would do different is run with an Ipod because he felt that would have moved some of the miles away a little easier.

However, in the end he did not need an Ipod. All he needed was the self-discipline to keep going. Even today some troops ask Lissner why he did the race and his reply is "It seemed like a pretty good idea at the time."

• Date Taken: 11.18.2005
• Date Posted: 11.18.2005 14:35
• Story ID: 3788