This race was the 12-Hour Mooser Madness Endurance Run in Pennsburg, PA. The course was primarily single-track technical trail, with a few double-track sections mixed in. Think roots, rocks, dirt, mud, shade — all the fun things that come with trail running.
It was a loop course: the same 6.2-mile circle, over and over, with one aid station at the start/finish. You could either grab something there or from your own stash. I like to bring all my own food so I know the carbs and avoid stomach surprises. Trail distances are always “approximate,” so you just roll with it. Each lap had about 900 feet of climbing. Multiple event options were available — 12-hour, 6-hour, 3-hour, 6-mile hike, and even a virtual event.
Pre-Race & Setup
I woke at 4 a.m. and had my usual oatmeal with raisins, making sure to bolus early so I wouldn’t have extra insulin on board at the start.
The race was held at an old Boy Scout camp, which meant plenty of space and huge tents at the start/finish area. The weather was cool in the low 60s but was supposed to be sunny and climb into the low 80s.
Early Miles
The race started smoothly, and I linked up with two runners doing the 6-hour option. The first loop was rough — we had to backtrack several times, even checking with the leaders after they also went off course. But sticking together made it manageable.
I stayed with them for three loops, keeping the pace easy. My blood sugars were perfect — I started around 80 mg/dL and hovered under 100mg/dl for the most of the day. The Gatorade they supplied was really watered down, but that’s not the first time I’ve run into that. I brought my own for just such an emergency.
During the run itself, I barely needed any insulin. I fueled the body and let the pump manage the rest — it felt like a dream.
The aid station at the start/finish was top notch: cookies, fruit, soda, pancakes, bacon, quesadillas, grilled cheese, and PB&Nutella sandwiches. My go-to became a bacon-pancake sandwich on nearly every loop.
Mid-Race Math
My goals were to:
- Run the full 12 hours.
- Cover at least 42 miles.
By lap 5, I realized it would be tight. I had finished two laps in about 90 minutes each, but the slower earlier loops made the math tricky. At first I thought I wouldn’t have enough time to fit in two more laps — but then the organizer reminded me the start had been delayed, which gave us about 10 bonus minutes. Suddenly, it was back on the table.
Unfortunately, I got overexcited and rushed out of transition without eating enough, drinking enough, or getting enough electrolytes. Rookie mistake.
Hitting the Wall
Halfway through lap 6, everything fell apart. Not from blood sugar at first — just from poor prep. I hadn’t refilled my ice bandana, and I overheated. I hadn’t refueled properly and just ran out of gas.
I told myself I’d walk for a few minutes, but restarting after walking is always hard. The walk that was supposed to last a few minutes turned into 10, and because I wasn’t running as planned, my insulin strategy no longer matched the effort. My blood sugar spiked to around 250 mg/dL — which felt brutal after 10 hours of steady running.
I tried small correction boluses, but I was still on the course and didn’t want to risk crashing low. That loop dragged on for nearly two hours. By the time I finished, it was past 6 p.m., and the rule was clear: no new laps after 6.
Wrapping Up
I ended with about 37 miles total, nearly the same as my last 12-hour event, but for the opposite reason: last time I stopped because of low blood sugars, this time it was the spike.
The winner finished seven loops (about 43 miles), just one more than I did. After packing up, I got home, blood sugars back in range, and had the post-race food tsunami before finally crashing into bed, using my Sugar Pixel to ensure I did not have any post-activity lows.
I totaled 5,400 feet of elevation gain, which was even more than my last 12-hour event. Not too shabby.
Diabetes Takeaways
It always amazes me how little insulin I need for these events. I took only 8 units total for the day, compared to my usual 20–22 units. Keep in mind the day was 24 hours long, with 12 hours spent running — so most of those 8 units were simply my normal basal insulin for the other 12 hours when I wasn’t running.
During the run itself, I barely needed any insulin. I focused on fueling the body and let the pump manage the rest. Coming from years on injections and older pumps, this feels like a dream.
Final Thoughts
This race reinforced a couple of lessons:
- Never start a new lap unless you’re fully prepped with fuel, hydration, and electrolytes.
- Perspective matters — even though I didn’t hit my “perfect” plan, I still learned and grew.
Trail racing is a whole different beast compared to the roads, but I’m enjoying the challenge. I know I can do more, and I’m proud of how I handled this one — even when it didn’t go according to plan.
