Grindstone 100k 2025 -- A UTMB Race

September 20

Ready for the Challenge

It is 5:25am when Caleb (my crew) and I pull into the race parking lot.  The race is scheduled to start at 6am.  It is about a 10-minute walk to the start.  I savor five minutes sitting in the car, mentally preparing myself for the effort that will be required.  I have never run this race, but it is known as a tough race in the Appalachian Mountains of western Virginia.  This race started many years ago with only one distance—100 mile.  Then UTMB bought out the race and introduced three other distances—21k, 50k, and 100k to go along with the 100-mile race.  I chose the 100k distance because it wasn’t 100 miles, yet it still provided a Western States qualifier race for anyone that finishes in less than 18 hours.  I do not yet have a qualifier for this year’s lottery because a) I finished the Hellgate 100k last December over the 17-hour qualifying time (but under the finishing time of 18 hours), b) I dropped out of the Kettle Moraine 100-miler at mile 64, and c) I got timed out of the Twisted Branch 100k last month—a mere seven minutes over the cut-off time at mile 51.

This race has a required gear list that every runner has to carry with them.  It includes a pack with water carrying capacity, cell phone, collapsible cup, headlamp with extra batteries, food (recommended 800 calories), hooded jacket, and head gear (e.g., hat, buff, beanie).  Given all of this gear, one might think that there are no aid stations.  No, not really, there are nine aid stations with the largest gap between aid stations around 10 miles.  Right after the race handbook says we have to carry a cell phone, it says that crews are advised to download the local maps as cell coverage is very spotty on the course.  It all makes sense to me!

Mile 5.7      1:08:51 (12:05 avg./mile) Lick Run 1

The race starts on time at the top of the hour, sort of.  The 30 or so elite runners get to start at 6am.  The rest of us peasants get to file through a narrow gate opening one at a time.  This might have made sense if the course started on a single-tracked trail.  However, this is not the case as the first section is either on a gravel or paved road.  We have almost six miles to get ourselves all spread out before the tighter trail running begins.  I spend this time running easy, but focused.  I walk the uphill sections making good time to this first check point.  At this aid station, crews are not allowed, and I walk straight through without stopping.

Mile 11.4    1:23:37 (14:40 avg./mile) Wolf Ridge

A steep climb greets us as we leave the first aid station.  The single-track trail goes up steeply, and we are bunched in a conga line.  After the climb, the trail becomes the nicest, gradual downhill.  I make good time on this section with the clean trail.  I hope the trail remains this nice.  Near the end of this section, the lead 50k runners start passing us.  They started one hour after us.  At this aid station, I get my Camelbak refilled with chlorinated city water (why would I hope/expect that my $394 entry fee might get us bottled drinking water?) and grab a PB&J rollup wrap.

Mile 21.0    2:36:48 (16:20 avg./mile) Sand Spring

The serious climbing begins as I leave the Wolf Ridge aid station.  The climb is not too steep.  The climb is over 2,000 feet, but it is spread over six miles.  There isn’t much breeze this morning, but it is still relatively cool, probably no more than 70 degrees at this point.  I make the climb in great shape and run downhill for over 2,000 feet to arrive at this third aid station.  Along the way, I strike up a conversation with the runner behind me, Brendan, who is from Charlottesville.  Since he is from Charlottesville, I ask him if he knows Sophie Speidel.  Of course he knows her; all of the ultrarunners in town know her.  This is another crews aren’t allowed aid station.  I drink a small cup of pickle juice—wait I thought the reason I was required to carry a collapsible cup was because it was a cup less race.  Then I eat a handful of potato chips.  I also refill my Camelbak to about half full to ensure I don’t run out of water before the next aid station.

Mile 25.2    1:05:41 (15:38 avg./mile) North River Gap 1

This section is on a gravel road and the majority of it is actually downhill.  I had predicted that I would get to this aid station where I would see Caleb for the first time between 12:20pm and 12:45pm.  With the nice road on the first section, and now this gravel road section, I arrive at 12:08pm.  Caleb was planning on getting here at 11:30am, but miscalculated how long it would take and how far he would have to park from where the aid station is.  Therefore, he had just gotten to the aid station a couple of minutes before me.  The table and chair were set up, so I sat down on the chair and look over to see if he has a grilled egg, bacon, and cheese ready for me.  That would be a big no.  No problem, there is a nice aid station worker who offers to go fetch me some food.  He comes back with French toast sticks, bacon, and syrup.  I eat the four or five sticks, but only one of the several slices of bacon and wash it down with some chocolate milk.  While he was gone, I transferred my cell phone and headlamp to the other Camelbak that Caleb had expertly made ready for me, and I also change my shoes and socks.  I had a rock in one of the shoes and I figured it couldn’t hurt to change shoes and socks at this point.  I also add the ice bandana to my load, and the ice feels very cold, but that is the point after all.  I leave the aid station at 12:15pm giving me 45 minutes on the cut-off to this point.

Mile 30.9    1:51:51 (19:37 avg./mile) Lookout Mountain

The day is warming up quickly and is well into the 70s at this point.  It is supposed to top out around 80 degrees.  The ice keeps me cool, but I want to make sure I keep my pace smooth and steady.  This section has about 1,600 feet of climb with only 500 feet of descent.  Needless to say, my pace is slower on this section.  At the crewless aid station, I am looking for a porta john but there isn’t one.  I grab a few chips and proceed forward.  I figure I might have to squat in the woods someplace at some point, but for now, I am okay.  There is no cut-off at this aid station as it really is in the middle of nowhere.

Mile 38.1    2:13:43 (18:34 avg./mile) Magic Moss

Leaving the aid station, I ask a volunteer how far it is to the next one.  He gives me a full breakdown—it is about 1,100 feet up and then over 1,400 feet down with a total distance of 7.2 miles.  Perfect, let’s get down to Magic Moss so that I can then get to Camp Todd where the real work begins.  During this section, I chat some with Miles who is running his first ultramarathon today.  I make it over this section without having to dive into the woods, but upon arriving at the aid station, I proceed immediately into the porta john.  It takes me a few minutes to address that issue before returning to my Camelbak.  I refill the Camelbak with a little help from the nice aid station workers, but I don’t eat much as I know I want to eat solid food at the next aid station. 

Mile 43.1    1:26:24 (17:17 avg./mile) Camp Todd

Miles and I traverse this section together.  It is all on a gravel road, and we are content to walk most of it since only a little bit is downhill.  Miles is 33 years old and his wife is pregnant with their first child, who is due near the end of October.  His wife insisted that he had a crew person so that they could whisk him to the hospital quickly if she happened to go into labor early.  At this aid station, Caleb is well prepared.  He has a grilled ham and cheese sandwich wrapped in tin foil for me along with a perfectly prepared Camelbak.  I swapped out the phone and the headlamp.  I drink a little CR02 and about a cup of Coke.  This is the first caffeine I have taken in today, and I am counting on it to give me a boost for this next section.  I leave the aid station several minutes before Miles.

Filling up at Camp Todd

Mile 52.8    3:39:29 (22:38 avg./mile) North River Gap 2

The air is still and humid as I leave the aid station and make my way across a mostly dried up riverbed.  This is the only time so far that there was even a chance of getting my shoes wet.  On the other side, the trail begins its ascent.  The trail will rise almost 2,500 feet before I will see anything going down.  I left the last aid station at 5:46pm, which was over 13 minutes ahead of the cut-off time.  I have 3 hours and 13 minutes to complete these almost 10 miles.  The elevation gain occurs in the first three miles of this section.  Near the end of the climb, Miles catches up to me, and I figure we are in good shape.  It is now over 3,000 feet down and about seven miles.  Thunderstorms have been rumbling around us off and on for the last several hours.  As we get to the top in an hour and a half, the thunder is getting closer.  I turn on my headlamp and start the downhill portion.  I think I am making good time, but Miles is worried about making the cut-off so he presses on ahead as the rain begins to fall.  The rain started slowly, but picked up quickly.  Soon, the lightning is illuminated the trail and the thunder is shaking the ground beneath my feet.  A few 100 milers and their paces catch up to me, and they follow me down the trail that is now a creek.  Splashing through the water, I manage to keep myself upright somehow, but my feet do slide across and down a few rocks along the way.  As my watch nears the three-hour mark on this section, I am expecting (hoping?) that the aid station is just around the next corner.  At one point, I see several lights up ahead, but it is just other runners.  My hopes begin to fade as I see my watch tick towards the 9pm cut-off time for this next aid station.  I don’t look at my watch for several minutes hoping that the race official will be a little lenient on the cut-off time.  Finally, at 9:26pm I finally make it to the aid station.  The nice race official asks me how I am doing.  My response is that I am okay, just too slow.  He confirms that I am well over the cut-off.  I unpin my bib number and hand it to him, and he asks if I need a ride.  Nope, Caleb is standing right next to me with a cup of Ramen ready for me.

My drop point

Total Time 15:26:24—26 minutes over the cut-off time

263 starters (147 finishers under 18 hours)

Nothing wagered, nothing gained.  This attempt was all about trying to get a qualifier for the Western States lottery in December.  I have failed on my fourth attempt to get a qualifier, so I will not be in the lottery this year.  The good news is that I don’t lose my ticket status.  So, when I run a qualifier next year, I will have 128 tickets in the lottery.  I thought I had a good chance of getting it done today, but obviously I didn’t.  I learned more about my current physical condition at age 56, and I plan to apply that knowledge when I toe the start line at Hellgate at 12:01am on December 13.  This is the 23^rd year for the Hellgate 100k, and I will be going for my 23^rd finish!  Until then…

Never stop running,

Darin

Twisted Branch 100k 2025 - Hot, but Dry

 August 16

Ready for the Start of the Race

This year has not been my best year for my ultrarunning results.  It started well with a good finish at the Mountain Mist 50k in January with a time of 6:57.  It is always good to finish a 50k under seven hours.  But then I dropped out of the Bull Run Run 50 Miler in April with a twisted left ankle.  In June, I dropped out of the Kettle Moraine 100 Miler when the temperature got warm and I was unable to maintain a fast enough pace.

So here I am in western New York looking for a finish, not just to regain my racing form, but also to get a Western States qualifier.  I am very well trained, and the only issue is that the weather forecast is calling for hot weather, possibly topping 90 degrees.

I have a new person crewing for me for this race.  Stuart has graciously volunteered to crew for me, and we plan to play a little golf on Sunday morning before we fly back to Alabama.  I brief Stuart on all of my plans, and we review the notes that Peter sent as he crewed for me the last three years at this race.  We eat an early dinner at the VRBO house and turn in early just after 8pm.  The race starts at 4:00am, so I have my alarm set for 2:00am.  We leave the house at 3:00am, arriving at the start at 3:35am.  The race starts promptly on time, and 192 other runners and I head into the dark woods.  The temperature is in the mid-60s.

Mile 6.1      1:23:59 (13:46 avg./mile) Cutler

With almost 200 runners in a conga line with no breeze, the air is warm and humid.  My plan is to take advantage of the cool morning before it gets warm, but early on, this feels warm already.  Last year, I ran the race very conservatively in much cooler weather.  I am doing well until about four miles in I trip over a rock and scrape my right knee, but manage to catch myself with my hands.  The knee hurts a little bit, but my big left toe caught the rock and it is throbbing.  My big left toe has been a chronic issue for 2.5 years now.  About a mile after that, I get stung by a wasp.  It hurts, but it is on the back of my left shoulder.  I arrive at the first aid station avoiding any more damage.  My time is almost two minutes faster than last year, and I am right where I want to be.

Mile 10.6    1:03:54 (14:12 avg./mile) Naples Creek

This section was changed last year to mostly road going downhill into Naples.  There was a landowner that no longer wanted us running on their land, so they shortened this section and lengthens the next.  Last year I ran this conservatively in 52 minutes.  This year, I plan to run the downhill quickly to build some time for the afternoon heat.  However, unbeknownst to any of us runners, the course has been changed again.  The fortunate part is that in the open air, it is nice and cool.  We start down the paved road and turn left onto a gravel road, but soon we turn off of that onto a single-track trail.  This feels different, and I realize it is different when we come into town next to the school, instead of Bob’s and Ruth’s café.  Okay, I guess we are taking a different route to the park where the aid station is.  It is definitely a different route, and it is longer.  We come into the park from almost the opposite direction after an extra 1.5 to 2 miles tacked onto this section.  So, despite running this section hard, it takes me over 11 minutes longer than last year.  Okay, I will have to roll with the punches.  I meet Stuart, trade out my Camelbak, drink a cup of chocolate milk, and take a croissant to eat on the climb.  What I don’t know is that I am only 13 minutes ahead of the cut-off time at this aid station.

Mile 18.0    2:19:39 (18:52 avg./mile) The Sneaker

The climb out of Naples is the hardest of this race, and this race has some tough climbs!  About a third of the way up, a female runner lays down beside the trail, just exhausted, asking how much farther is this climb.  I press on and manage to eat most of my croissant.  I would have eaten all of it, but I got tired of carrying it on the climb.  After the super steep and long climb, it is then several miles of gradual rolling hills.  A guy named Alex passes me for the second time in the race.  He says he had to visit the porta john at the aid station.  I learn he is from Cincinnati, and we chat about Ohio for a few minutes until he presses on ahead of me.  I make it to the aid station in decent time as I was just trying to average better than 20-minute miles.  Someone asks what the cut-off time is and the answer is 9:00am.  As I leave the aid station the time is 8:47am, so I only have a 13-minute cushion.  I eat a few potato chips at this non-crew aid station.

Mile 22.3    1:08:10 (15:51 avg./mile) Italy Valley

The course goes uphill after the aid station, but on a paved road.  Despite the pavement, I choose to walk, conserve my energy, and keep myself relatively cool.  After about a mile, John Rynders catches up to me.  He is the only person in the race that I knew before the race started.  He has run this race two of the three times I have run it.  We catch up on things as we make our way down the road.  When the hill flattens out, we run until the course turns back onto a single-track trail.  At this juncture, I take my first leak which tells me I am doing okay sucking down the water.  The course now heads downhill on the single-track, and John leads us to the aid station, making quick work of the distance.  This is another non-crew aid station.  I sit down, take a rock out of my shoe, and then get a couple of swigs of pickle juice.  I leave before John, figuring he will catch up to me at some point.  With the fast split on this section, I am 19 minutes ahead of the cut-off.

Mile 28.9    2:08:36 (19:29 avg./mile) The Lab

It is warming up significantly now.  The high temperature today will top out at 91 degrees.  I take the long climb from Italy Valley nice and steady.  Eventually, John catches up to me, and we chat a bit more on the climb.  However, when the trail flattens out and I begin to run, I leave John behind.  He had been saying that his ankle was hurting him even though he hadn’t twisted it or anything.  I run the downhills smoothly and walk the uphill sections trying to survive the heat.  There is a little bit of the breeze, and it feels nice when it blows on me.  I make it into the aid station, and Stuart has a grilled bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich ready for me.  I eat half of it, washing it down with several ounces of CR02.  We get the iced cap and ice bandana all loaded up with ice.  As I am leaving the aid station, I ask the volunteer what the cut-off at this aid station is and the answer is 12:15pm.  I look down at my watch and it reads 12:04pm.  So, I have given back eight minutes to the cut-off.

Mile 35.3    1:50:04 (17:12 avg./mile) Patch

The ice cools me down, and I start to run with purpose.  I realize that I forgot to take the wash cloth with me that I was planning on.  With the iced cap, the melting ice and sweat drips into my eyes.  Oh well, I guess I will have to suffer, but then right on the trail is a small towel that someone has dropped.  I pick it up, it looks clean, so I use it to wipe the sweat and water from my eyes for the next few sections.  I catch one runner and he says it is going to be close getting to the next aid station before the cut-off.  With all of the ice I am carrying, I am confident I can get there.  I continue to push the pace, passing 12 runners on this section.  About an hour and a half into this section, though, all of my ice is melted.  The ice in the cap lasted about 50 minutes, and the ice in the bandana lasted 90 minutes.  The last 20 minutes into the aid station are really tough with the heat and now no ice, and I expend quite a bit of effort getting into the aid station.  I grab only a few potato chips, but get my cap and bandana refilled with plenty of ice.  I leave the aid station less than six minutes under the cut-off.

Mile 39.8    1:35:05 (21:08 avg./mile) Finger Lakes Camp Ground

Leaving the aid station, I walk a fair bit waiting for the ice to take effect and cool down my body.  After several minutes it works, and I am again able to move with purpose.  There are about a dozen runners around me, and we are all chasing the cut-off times.  When we get to the paved road, I know we have 0.7 mile on the road downhill.  I run with a guy whose wife is also running but is behind us.  He figures she isn’t going to make the cut-off.  After the downhill, it is a steep little climb.  I take my second S-cap of the race as I begin the climb, and it takes me two tries to gag down the capsule.  While I am gagging a little bit, someone else is heaving.  I make it up the climb and move with purpose to the next road crossing.  Now, it is another short up and down and then I run down a dirt road to the aid station.  Stuart has a grilled ham and cheese sandwich for me.  I eat half of it and drink a good amount of CR02.  We get my cap and bandana topped off with ice, and I leave the aid station with only a minute on the cut-off time.  I gained two more spots on this section, and five spots in the aid station.

Coming into the Campground Aid Station

Mile 46.8    2:26:21 (20:54 avg./mile) Glenbrook

This section starts with a steady uphill for over a mile.  Some of the uphill is in a creek bed with all of the rocks and such.  I find myself beside a young guy, named Steve, who is from Brooklyn.  We chat all the way up the climb.  As we approach the top, I am not feeling fresh.  I tell Steve that if he is feeling okay, he needs to run to stay under the cut-offs.  So, he runs off, and then I start to jog.  I am able to run and keep him in sight.  There is a lady in our vicinity, who picked up a pacer at the last aid station who happens to be her husband.  She and I trade places back and forth a couple of times, but never catch up with Steve.  I am thinking I probably won’t make the next cut-off.  About 1:40 into this section, I pass a guy who is looking at his watch.  I ask him if he has determined if we will make the cut-off, and he says he thinks we are within two miles of the aid station.  I question this as it is almost 30 minutes to the aid station after we pass the twisted trees, and we haven’t seen them yet.  I pass the guy and press forward walking with purpose.  Just then, around the next turn, there are the twisted trees!  My thoughts of getting timed out turn to, I’m going to finish this thing.  My watch says 1:55 on this section as I go by the twisted trees.  I had 2:30 to cover this section.  I get to the aid station in 2:19 and spend seven minutes eating another grilled ham and cheese half sandwich.  While I didn’t see Steve, I learn later that he dropped out at this aid station.  I decide to take off the iced cap at this point as I have to take a headlamp with me.  I put a dry Buff on and tie the bandana full of ice around my neck.  I leave this aid station with more than four minutes on the cut-off giving me almost 1:40 to get to the next aid station.  On this last section I passed another nine runners on the trail and in the aid station.

Mile 51.6    1:47:50 (22:28 avg./mile) Lake David

Last year, I ran this section in 1:54.  Two years ago, I ran it in 1:42.  So, 1:40 is possible.  This section is longer than the 4.8 miles that is advertised, possibly close to a mile longer.  Regardless, I am determined to get under the cut-off.  I drank a cup of Coke at the last aid station, and I plan to ride that kick for about an hour.  At the hour mark, I will pop my first caffeine pill.  This should give me the kick I need to get into Lake David under the cut-off and continue on towards the last three sections.  I hold my own with the runners around me for the first hour.  When I get the additional caffeine in my system, I start running hard, passing several other runners.  This coincides with a gentle downhill section.  The last mile into the aid station is a steep climb and then a traverse around the lake.  I know from past experience, it would be good if I had 20 minutes to complete this part, but maybe I can do it in 15.  Regardless, despite my best efforts, I cross the road to begin the climb with only 10 minutes left.  I power up the hill and run hard around the lake.  The aid station volunteers are cheering and clapping for us, as we are past the time limit and done with our race.

Total Time 15:43:38—eight minutes over the cut-off time

193 starters (122 finishers under 20 hours)

In most years this is a hard race.  Last year on a shorter course, I finished with only 34 minutes to spare.  This year with a couple of bonus miles combined with the high heat, it just is not meant to be for me.  My only regret was not moving with more purpose on the section into The Lab.  However, it was very hot at that point, and I didn’t yet have ice on me.  Perhaps I should have taken the bandana with me leaving Naples Creek, and then I could have had it filled at The Sneaker aid station.

I am now in the position of not having a qualifier for the Western States lottery in December.  Initially, I am resigned to this fact and will focus on getting one next year.  Then I take a look at the races in September that are qualifiers, and I notice that one of them is Grindstone on September 20.  And at Grindstone there are multiple distance options.  I can run the 100k and get a qualifier.  So, that is my plan.  Until then…

Never stop running,

Darin

Kettle Moraine 100 Miler - Dry Track, Warm Weather

 June 14

For the sixth time, I am in Wisconsin to run the Kettle Moraine 100 miler.  I dropped in 2010, 2018, and 2021.  I have finished in 2022 and 2024.  So, this year’s race will determine if I get my finishing rate to 50%.  Overall, my 100-mile race finishing stats are 14 finishes and 12 drops.

James is with me again this year to crew and pace me.  The plan is for him to start pacing me at mile 64.  The weather forecast has now settled on decent weather with no rain and a high temperature in the mid to high 70s.  A week ago it looked like it was going to be a rain event, but now it looks like the trails will be dry.

I start with a short-sleeve shirt and a buff for my head.  I have slathered sunscreen on my upper torso for when I decide to take off the shirt.  I feel good, and my training has gone well the past two months.

Ready for the Start

Mile 5.1      53:18 (10:27 avg./mile) Tamarack

I have decided to try to gently push the pace.  My legs feel fresh and springy like they should be well tapered for a 100-mile race.  I don’t have any extended conversations with anyone during this section.  The weather so far is overcast with temperatures in the high 50s.  I feel like it could be a fast day for me.  I drink a cup of water at the aid station.  Note, this is not a cup-less race so I don’t need to carry my own cup.

Mile 7.4      30:27 (13:14 avg./mile) Bluff

I settle into my pace nicely after the first quick section.  On this section I talk with Katherine from NC who is also 56 years old.  On the outbound leg, crews cannot come to this aid station as parking is rather limited.  Later this evening, crews will be allowed, but not this first time.  I grab a PB&J sandwich quarter and move on up the trail.

Mile 11.2    48:44 (12:49 avg./mile) North Tam

I pass through the last aid station much quicker than Katherine so I find myself around other runners.  One of them lives in central Ohio, so we have plenty to chat about.  After a couple of miles, I let her press on ahead as the sun has now burnt off the clouds, and the temperature is rising.  At this aid station, I grab a couple of cookies to eat.  

Mile 15.5    54:25 (12:39 avg./mile) Natalie’s

Katherine catches back up to me early in this section.  We run together for a mile or so before I let her go on ahead.  I am still running pretty quickly, and I don’t need to run any faster.  This aid station is run by a lady named Natalie, and her family helps her run it.  It is interesting to see how her kids are growing up.  I grab a handful of potato chips at this aid station and douse my head with cold water from an ice bucket with a sponge.

Mile 19.5    59:07 (14:47 avg./mile) McMiller

I think McMiller is at the highest point on the course and the climb up to the aid station slows my pace somewhat.  All of the morning clouds are gone, and the sun is really warming up the temperature.  So far, there is a light breeze, so I don’t feel too warm yet.  On this section I talk with Shane who is from Indiana and attempting to run his first 100 miler.  Last year, he said he ran the 50-mile race at Mohican and said that was hard.  I hope he is better prepared for this race and distance.  At the aid station, I get to see my crew for the first time since the start.  James is ready and waiting for me with a grilled egg, bacon, and cheese sandwich.  I eat the whole thing, which is unusual for me these days, and wash it down with a cup of chocolate milk and a few swigs of CR02.  CR02 is my homemade electrolyte drink that I have been using for the past two years.  With the rising temperatures, I decide to remove my shirt, but I stay with the buff for now and don’t go to the Iced Cap.

Mile 23.8    58:00 (13:29 avg./mile) Wilton Road

Initially taking my sweating shirt off feels really good.  The light breeze feels very nice on my exposed back and chest.  As I start across the prairie section, though, the sun is heating up the atmosphere and all of the ground water.  It doesn’t feel too warm yet, so I continue to maintain my nice and quick pace.  I just drink a cup of water as it feels like the sandwich I ate an hour ago is still in my stomach.

Mile 27.1    46:12 (14:00 avg./mile) Highway 67

I maintain my steady effort, but I am running conservatively in order to keep my core temperature from rising too much.  I am sweating quite a bit and drinking water every time I take a walk break.  I estimate the temperature is now in the 70s so it is going to be warm for many hours as it is not yet Noon.  I still feel good, and I like my pace at this point.  I just need to continue to run 15 minutes a mile or better until the sun goes down.  I take off the buff and put on the Iced Cap.  The aid station has plenty of ice, and James and an aid station volunteer pack my hat full.

Mile 29.4    34:54 (15:10 avg./mile) County Road ZZ

The immediate feeling with a head packed with ice is brain freeze!  Then I usually feel cool.  I guess I felt a little cooler, but not too much.  On this section, I banged my sore left toe not once but twice.  This hurt of course, but not as bad as it did last year when I would bang that toe.  I originally hurt my big left toe over two years ago, and it is still letting me know about it.  When I get to this aid station, James is just hanging out expecting that he missed seeing me.  I eat some potato chips and get my Iced Cap refilled before starting the Scuppernong loop.

Mile 34.5    1:31:52 (18:01 avg./mile) County Road ZZ

This loop comes right back to the same point so the elevation change is zero.  However, it feels like 70% of this section is uphill.  Now before you think that it is all in my head, it could be.  It is just a matter of the downhill sections being steeper and shorter than the gradual uphill portions.  I don’t know if this is true or not, but I mentioned it to a few other runners, and none of them disputed my view.  The good part is that starting in 2021 when the McMiller section was added, we only have to run this loop once.  Previously, it was run counter-clockwise and then back the other direction clockwise.  It is officially very warm—I won’t say hot because it is still in the 70s, but given the cool, wet spring that most of the eastern half of the US has experienced this year, this is quite warm.  I think I only got one good day of heat acclimation and that was only a week ago.  Thus, my pace is definitely slowing.  It is usually slower on this tough loop anyway so hopefully I can pick things back up heading back south.  At this aid station, James has some Ramen and a hash brown for me.  I eat the hash brown and about three spoonsful of the Ramen.  Then I get my Iced Cap refilled before heading out of the aid station.

Mile 36.8    34:14 (14:53 avg./mile) Highway 67

This section is more downhill than up going this direction, and I am able to run it 40 seconds faster.  This gets me back under 15-minute miles so perhaps I can hang on through the afternoon heat.  I get half of a bagel at this aid station and of course get the Iced Cap repacked.  Everyone has never seen an Iced Cap before, and they marvel at the design.  I saw these on the Western States livestream last year and ordered one.

Mile 40.1    57:07 (17:18 avg./mile) Wilton Road

Across the heart of the prairie, I am content to let the pace slow some.  I don’t feel overly hot, but I have lost a ton of fluids.  I have been drinking water liberally from my Camelbak and have refilled it several times.  I have also been taking an S-Cap every few hours.  In between S-Caps, I take a couple of antacid tablets.  At this aid station, I get four or five club crackers to eat as my stomach is not great.  The Iced Cap is again refilled, and I press on to the next aid station where I can see James again.

Mile 44.4    1:23:41 (19:28 avg./mile) McMiller

The climb back up to McMiller is tough, but I am happy to keep my pace under 20-minute miles.  Now I just need to wait to make back a little time once the sun starts going down.  I make a point of drinking a lot of water on this section, draining my Camelbak just as I am getting to the aid station.  I sit down and eat about half of the grilled ham and cheese sandwich that James has made.  It is good, but I don’t want to push my stomach.  Even though it is almost 5pm, I leave the shirt off and get the Iced Cap refilled once more.

Mile 48.4    1:19:30 (19:52 avg./mile) Natalie’s

I make slow and steady progress across the last prairie sections.  Coming down from McMiller I was hoping to make better time, but the culmination of the heat is taking its toll on me.  I grab a few more club crackers at this aid station after getting my Iced Cap refilled.

Mile 52.7    1:29:02 (20:42 avg./mile) North Tam

My slow and steady progress continues, albeit at an even slower pace.  I am leapfrogging with a couple of other runners who are struggling as well.  They start quickly from an aid station thus passing me, but then I have been repassing them later in the section.  As I near the horseriders parking lot, two volunteers are coming towards me on the trail.  They ask if I just left the aid station, and I tell them no it is the other side of the parking lot.  Actually, it is about a mile on the other side of the parking lot.  They hang with me for a few minutes before we get to the parking area where their car is.  They are supposed to go to North Tam to pick up a few runners that have dropped out of the race.  When I finally get to the aid station myself, I sit down and eat a bag of Doritos.  My thinking is that I need to keep eating, and I am ready to pick up the pace a little as it is starting to cool down slightly.

Mile 56.5    1:21:45 (21:31 avg./mile) Bluff

When I leave North Tam, I am moving slow and I know I need to pick back up the pace a little.  My original goal was to get back to Nordic and mile 64 before 10pm.  Now, my goal is to get there before 11pm, which will give me about an hour buffer on the cut-offs.  Given this, I decide to go to the whip—a caffeine pill to give me a little boost.  The caffeine does the trick (or at least it felt like it did) as I pass a few other runners.  I make it into Bluff just as dusk is falling.  James is ready for me with another bowl of Ramen and a hash brown.  I sit down and eat about half of the hash brown, and I don’t think I even touched the Ramen.  There is other good food at this aid station, but I can’t stomach any of it.  I trade out my Camelbak for a full one, put a shirt back on, and strap on a headlamp.  I also trade out the Iced Cap for a buff.  The time is now 9pm, and I need to make great time to cover the 7.4 miles back to Nordic if I am to get there around 11pm.  James reminds me that the cut-off isn’t until 12:30am, but that cut-off is very generous.  I need to be at or really close to 11pm if I have any chance to finish under 30 hours.

Mile 58.8    59:32 (25:53 avg./mile) Tamarack

I feel like a dead man walking at this point.  I can still shuffle the down hills, but obviously I am moving rather slowly.  There are dozens of runners coming towards me heading outbound for the last 36+ miles.  When I finally get to this aid station, I grab a cup of Coke and a few more club crackers.  While I haven’t thrown up, I know I cannot push the pace hard.  The time on this section basically seals my fate, but I cannot drop here as this is a non-crewed aid station.  So, onward I trudge.

Mile 63.9    1:53:56 (22:20 avg./mile) Nordic

The last five miles are a slog, but as the clock nears midnight, I know that I will be dropping out.  A few of the slow 50k runners that I passed earlier are now passing me back, and they are walking as well!  My overall time reads 17:55 when I get to Nordic.  I tell James and the race officials that I am dropping, but first they give me a 100k finisher belt buckle since I made it this far.

While I didn’t get any real heat training in for this race, I thought with the temperatures remaining below 80 that I could get it done.  Obviously, on this day, I could not.  The two times I have finished this race were both over 29 hours, so there really was not any time to spare.  Also, the forecast for tomorrow is a high of 82 degrees.  Last year, when it was in the mid 70s on Sunday morning, it felt extremely hot to both me and James as we made our way over the last couple of miles.  So, I will chalk this race up to needing more heat training and begin working on that as my next race is the Twisted Branch 100k in upstate New York in August.  I will need to finish that one for my qualifier for the Western States lottery in December.  Until then…

Never stop running,

Darin

Bull Run Run 50 Miler - A Father and Son Event, part 2

April 5

Last year, my son, Nathan, and I ran a majority of the race together.  He finished his first 50-mile race, and I was able to come in ahead of him.  Last year the temperature was very nice in the mid-50s.  This year, the forecast says it will be warm and humid with the temperature climbing into the high-70s, but the chance of rain is low so the trail should be mostly mud free.

Mile 7.2      1:24:15 (11:42 avg./mile) Centreville Road

The race starts, and I set out on a brisk pace.  The temperature is close to 60 degrees with near 100 percent humidity.  Before the clouds thin out and the temperature rises, I plan to run quickly to make hay while the sun isn’t shining.  Nathan hangs back a little, and I wonder if he will catch back up to me.  My legs feel very good so far, and I begin thinking if this is going to be a great day.  It probably won’t because of the warm temperatures, but so far, I feel great.  No worries about Nathan as he catches up to me as we approach the first aid station.  We are about six minutes slower on this section.  I guess it isn’t going to be a personal record setting day!  I grab a PB&J sandwich quarter and hurry through the aid station with Nathan right behind me.

Mile 9.7      26:34 (10:38 avg./mile) Bluebell Loop

Nathan and I run this section together with me in the lead.  The bluebells are in full bloom!  The fields of bluebells are extraordinary.  The field of runners this year seems very quiet compared to some previous years.  The overcast skies may be contributing to this, but I am not sure.  We get to the aid station, and I click my watch as we say hi to the volunteers as we don’t even break stride.

Mile 12.5    29:53 (10:40 avg./mile) Centreville Road

I let Nathan take the lead for this section, and we continue to roll along at a nice comfortable pace.  Unlike last year, we didn’t have to get our feet wet at the one stream crossing.  There were some strategically placed rocks that allowed a runner to keep their feet mostly dry.  However, there was one muddy section where my left toe got a little damp.  Kevin Sayers is still here at the foot of the steps welcoming us back to Centreville Road.  So many things change, but one thing remains constant—Kevin at this aid station.  I grab a few Pringles this time as Nathan stops to use the facilities.

Mile 17.6    1:03:59 (12:33 avg./mile) Hemlock Overlook

Once again, I have a little bit of a gap on Nathan.  I try to run quickly with a mind towards saving myself for the length of this race.  At some point, I twist my left (good) ankle.  It doesn’t hurt at all and I thank my good fortunes that I avoided doing any damage (or so I think).  Nathan catches back up to me near the end of this section.  I managed to keep my feet dry in the muddy section where I got a toe damp on the way out, but at another point, I got the left foot wet again.  All is good, but I can feel the ball of my left foot warming up as my left sock is damp.  Martha is here at this aid station, but she doesn’t have my shoe bag.  Instead, I drink some chocolate milk and CR02 and take a croissant to eat on the run.

Mile 21.9    1:05:32 (15:14 avg./mile) Bull Run Marina

I get out of the aid station before Nathan, but he quickly catches up to me before I even get back down to the river.  He passes me, and I decide to run conservatively to see how things shake out.  I don’t want to overheat the ball of my left foot.  I meet and chat with a few runners along the way, helping one of them from making a wrong turn.  I come into this aid station and everyone is here—Martha, Amy, Gabby, Seb, Charlie, and Oliver.  Amy says that Nathan is less than five minutes ahead of me.  I sit down and change my shoes.  The fresh socks and shoes feel great, and I am hopeful that I can run smoothly with the rising temperatures.

Charlie, Oliver, and Sebastian

Mile 26.1    1:27:44 (20:53 avg./mile) Wolf Run Shoals

Leaving the Marina, I find myself running with two other runners.  One of them ran the Western States 100 last year.  So, we spend a mile or two talking about that.  He had 64 tickets when he got in.  I ask where they stayed, and he said Tahoe City as it is only about 15 minutes from the start and an hour and a half from the finish.  I ask him about heat and altitude training, and he said he didn’t focus on those too much.  He said it didn’t cool off much at night although he was prepared with long-sleeve shirts in his drop bags.  After my Western conversation diversion, I let these two guys go as they are running up the hills and I prefer to power hike.  Then on the down hills, I am passing them.  So, we play leapfrog a couple of times before my ankle starts complaining.  By complaining, I mean the pain started at 4-5, and then all of a sudden, the pain pegs at 10.  Okay, maybe I should walk more.  Well walking is all I am able to do, and I am now in extreme pain.  Sometimes things hurt because nothing else hurts worse.  In this case, the ankle hurts bad, and I don’t feel any pain anywhere else, not because nothing else hurts, but because the left ankle REALLY HURTS!  Well, I guess I will take a caffeine pill to see if that reduces the pain level.  (I don’t carry any pain killers with me.)  In 10-15 minutes, I feel the caffeine kick in and the left ankle pain reduces to 9.5, for several minutes.  But that lasts for about 10 minutes, and the left ankle pain goes through the roof.  I can’t walk; I am hobbling just to move forward and get to the aid station.  At the aid station, which is not accessible by the crews, Quattro, Alex, and several other old friends are there.  I sit down, and the pain doesn’t get any better.  After about 10 minutes, I switch to a more comfortable chair and the pain stays pegged at 10.  At some point, I get some elastic tape and tape the ankle with the thought that compression on it will help.  Nope, the pain stays pegged.  I try to stand and think about hobbling the 2.8 miles to the next aid station.  No, that isn’t going to happen.  The pain is too intense.  So, after close to an hour, I decide to pull the plug on my race.  I borrow someone phone and call Martha.  Of course, she has never been to this aid station, so the guy with the phone has to email her the directions as this aid station is literally in the middle of nowhere and the road it is off of there are actually three versions of it.

Official Finishing Time DNF

214 starters (149 official finishers)

My ankle pain remains pegged at 10 for the next several hours.  Even after showering, eating lunch, and going to the Marina aid station to see Nathan, I am unable to walk without limping.  Fortunately, after 5-6 hours the pain lessens enough to allow me to walk, almost normally with significant pain.  We cheer Nathan through the last aid station, and then drive to see his finish.  He ends up crossing the line in 12:02, which is good enough for 93^rd place.

Before the ankle injury, I was planning on pacing James for one night on his FKT attempt of the Pinhoti Trail.  Now, my plans for that are scrapped, but he should have plenty of support.  So, my next race will be the Kettle Moraine 100 miler in June in Wisconsin.  Until then…

Never stop running,

Darin

Mountain Mist 50k - Fast Times on a Cool Day

January 25

The temperature this morning when I left my house in Meridianville was 17 degrees.  The challenge in today’s race will be about the temperature swing.  The forecast is for a high temperature of 49 degrees.  I am dressed a little on the cool side, but I hope it will be warmer up on the mountain, and that it will warm up quickly.  When I get into Huntsville, the temperature is 20 degrees, and as I drive up the mountain, the temperature continues to climb.  It is 26 degrees at the top, so I think I am dressed correctly for the start—thin tights, two long-sleeve technical shirts, thick hat and gloves.

When we line up for the start, I talk with Olly and James, who are both dressed much lighter than I am.  They both have shorts on, and James is wearing a short-sleeve shirt.  He thinks I am over dressed, but I think I am fine, and I have another friend, Caleb, meeting me at mile 14 with lighter clothing.

Mile 4.3      45:45 (10:38 avg./mile) O’Shaughnessy Point

I start quickly, and my hands are a little chilly, but not too cold.  Thus, I am dressed well for the early chill in the air.  In the first mile, I see Sally Brookings, and chat with her for a minute.  This is her 25^th time at this race, and she says it will probably be her last.  When we join the single-tracked trail, she follows me most of the way to this first aid station.  I don’t get anything at this aid station, and thus I manage to sneak by a handful of runners who pause at the aid station.

Coming through The Cuts

Mile 11.4    1:23:17 (11:44 avg./mile) Bankhead

On the technical downhill leaving O’Shaughnessy Point, I am following a couple of ladies.  Listening to their conversation, I hear one of them mention Sophie, and ask if they are referring to Sophie Speidel.  They are and then we figure out that I know one of the ladies.  It is Michelle Gray.  Her husband, Rick, and I have run many ultras together as I have run Hellgate 22 times, and he has run it 14 times.  Michelle says he is slower due to aging health issues, so he is quite a bit back.  I stick with Michelle and Liane for this whole section, which is good for my time.  They are running a quick pace, and I am almost comfortably keeping up with them.  When we get to this aid station, I grab half of a PB&J sandwich and eat it on the road down to the trailhead.  It tastes really good!  Just the right amount of jelly and PB on nicely soft bread.

Mile 14.0    30:27 (11:43 avg./mile) Oak Park

At the Bankhead aid station, I got out before Michelle and Liane.  I am running quickly down the hill trying to get to Oak Park before 9:45am, which was my time last year.  I hang most of the way with a man and women who are making good time, and we pass several runners on the way down the hill.  As I approach the aid station, I spot Caleb with my bag.  I change out both shirts for a lighter long-sleeve and short-sleeve shirts.  I also change my hat and gloves out for lighter ones.  Next, I swap my Camelbak.  The Camelbak I started the race had the thermal sleeve on the drinking tube and cover on the bite valve.  This fresh Camelbak doesn’t have that, but it is now definitely above freezing.  Finally, I drink most of a pint of chocolate milk that Caleb has for me.  I thank Caleb, and press on.  What I didn’t know at the time was the Michelle and Liane passed me while I was changing clothes.  My time is now 2:39, which is a full six minutes faster than I was last year, when the trail was in significantly worse shape with water and mud.  So far, the trail is dry with only minimal ice in places.

Mile 20.0    1:27:18 (14:33 avg./mile) Old Railroad Bed

The climb up the hill from Oak Park is much easier this year than last year due to the better trail conditions.  I have lost my pacers, but I am still moving well.  There are plenty of other runners moving quickly, and I try to latch onto those that are making good time.  The second half of this race is much harder than the first half.  The trail is much more technical, and the three big climbs are on this back half.  I manage to keep moving nicely, but I have obviously slowed down some.  As I finally approach this aid station, I see Michelle and Liane coming out of it.  Maybe I can catch back up to them.  At the aid station, I eat a handful of potato chips, an orange slice, and drink a cup of water.

Rolling down Bluff Line

Mile 25.0    1:19:40 (15:56 avg./mile) Trough Springs

Leaving the aid station, I meet Lanier Greenhaw heading into the aid station.  As I make my way onto the Old Railroad Bed trail, a guy passes me, and then he slows down.  When an opportunity on the trail presents itself to pass him back, he speeds back up.  It takes me about a quarter of a mile to get back by him, and I never see him again, thankfully!  When the course finishes the Old Railroad Bed trail and turns onto the Alms House trail, a lady comes up behind me.  I tell her to let me know when she wants to pass, and she says she is fine for now.  So, we start chatting, and this is her first 50k.  She says she just wants to finish, and I tell her she better slow down then if all she wants to do is finish, as our current pace is about 2.5 hours ahead of the cut-off finishing time.  Karen stays with me all the way up the Waterline trail.  At the top, she asks me if I am going to start running (it is still somewhat uphill).  When I say I am going to walk a little more, she passes me and leaves me in the dust—I won’t see her again until after the finish.  I manage to run most of the way to the aid station once I started running.  The last mile on this section is gently uphill, and after the brutal waterline trail, running anything uphill is not pleasant.  At the aid station, I eat half of a PB&J and drink two cups of Coke.

A Smoother Section on Old Railroad Bed

Mile 29.5    1:12:24 (16:05 avg./mile) Rest Shelter

I start this section trying to stay motivated to finish under seven hours.  I walk and run a little until the course goes down the natural well trail.  This part is very tricky and technical, and thus there are runners taking it rather slowly.  I pick my spots and work my way around most of them.  Then I power hike up a short climb before dropping into McKay Hollow.  It is time to put up or accept a slower finish.  I push the pace, passing a few runners.  I know I have to make it to the last climb with at least 35 minutes to spare.  The climb last year took me 17 minutes, and then the last section usually takes me about 16 minutes.  My watch reads 6:21 as I make the turn to start the last climb.  I have enough time; now I just need to stay focused on this climb.  I am breathing as hard as I can while I power hike with purpose up and up and up some more.  Finally, I hear the music at the aid station.  I grab another cup of Coke at the aid station and thank the volunteers before heading to the finish.

Mile 31.1    18:55 (11:49 avg./mile) FINISH – Lodge

In my younger days (like last year), I would be able to get into a good rhythm and run hard this last mile and half.  This year, my legs don’t feel like they have it, but I push forward anyway.  A couple of runners pass me, but I am still running decently.  When I finally make the final turn and cross over the last foot bridge, a younger runner sprints up behind me.  Now, with the finish line in sight, I am ready to race this young whipper snapper.  As I raise my knees to shift into a higher gear, my right hamstring says, Not So Fast!  So, I kick it back into the lower gear, let the guy pass me, and settle for a finish under seven hours.

Official Finishing Time  6:57:46

Another Finish on the Mountain

155^th out of 426 finishers under the 9.5-hour cut-off (517 starters)

It was a good day on the trails.  The weather was cold and warmed up gradually.  The trails were as dry as they can be for January.  I had fun, met some old friends, and met some new ones.  When I finished, Rick Gray comes running over to congratulate me.  He had to drop just after halfway.  My primary goal of finishing under seven hours was achieved.

The next race I have planned is the Bull Run Run 50 Miler on April 5.  Before then I plan to pace James at the Southern States 200, where he will be defending his win from last year.  Until then…

Never stop running,

Darin

Hellgate 100k 2024 - Nice and Cold Hellgate Weather

Keeping Warm before the Start

 December 14

It is the second Saturday in December, so that means that I am in Virginia getting ready to start this race for the 22^nd year in a row.  Not even the
pandemic could stop this race.  And so far, nothing has been able to stop the Fearsome Five—Aaron Schwartzbard, Jerry Turk, Jeff Garstecki, Ryan Henry, and yours truly.  All five of us have toed the line 21 times and finished the race under the 18-hour cutoff.  Will this trend remain for at least one more time?  Keep reading to see if there are less than five still standing at the end of the day.

My training has been decent this fall, but not great.  I tweaked my right hamstring on the 1^st of October.  I spent the next three weeks babying it.  Then at a 5k Turkey Trot, I tweaked it again, but not as badly.  So, it is still talking to me, but so far, it has not limited me in the last two weeks.

My son, Nathan, is here crewing for me again.  This is the 10^th time that he has been part of my crew at this race.  The first five times he was helping my wife.  He was a mere eight years old when I ran this race the first time.

The weather forecast is clear and cold with a full moon.  The low tonight is projected to approach 20 degrees.  It is in the high 20s for the start.  I am wearing a short-sleeve shirt, two long-sleeve shirts, medium weight tights, hat, and gloves.  We sing the National Anthem together, and then we are off at about 12:01am.

Mile 3.5      46:23 (13:15 avg./mile) FSR 35

140 Runners Start

I am determined to start out quickly as I have run this section in 46 minutes the last three years.  The early pace feels very fast as I adjust to running on uneven ground in the middle of the night.  The crowd of runners thins out quickly, and I run most of this section with Dan Broom, who I know from past Hellgate races.  I feel a little warm, but I know it will get colder as the night proceeds and we climb to higher elevations.  The stream crossing at mile 3 isn’t quite as deep as advertised, but it is still deep enough that we all get our feet wet.  Despite my efforts, I still get to this first aid station in 46 minutes.  Well, at least I know how to proceed from here, and this was the time I projected for my splits.  This first aid station is non-crewed, and there is only water, so I drink a cup of water and head up the gravel road.

Mile 7.5      1:03:19 (15:50 avg./mile) Petites Gap

I run most of the road until the tight right turn.  Lanier catches up to me early in this section, and we chat a little bit before I let him go ahead.  The moon is nearly full and with no clouds it is a beautiful night.  As we climb higher and higher, the wind picks up a little bit, and I am thankful that I have as many layers on as I do.  About five minutes before reaching the aid station, Jeff Garstecki catches up to me.  True to his word, he is taking it slowly this year as he didn’t get in much training this fall.  It is almost 60 minutes before I see Nathan at the aid station.  I sit down and quickly change my shoes and socks, taking care to get the socks on cleanly.  Then I take a few swigs of chocolate milk and then take half of a bagel to eat on the run.  It has been six years since I was slower than an hour on this section, and I am now over seven minutes behind my goal pace.

Mile 13.1    1:37:01 (17:19 avg./mile) Camping Gap

I start this section with the motivation of being behind pace.  I push the pace as much as I dare as I make my way down a rocky, technical single-track trail.  After making the right tricky turn after about a mile, I am right behind two other runners that I pass on the next climb.  I am feeling good so far despite the slow pace on the last section.  The wind on this section is perfectly calm, and the view off to the south is beautiful on this cold, clear night.  I manage to keep my feet dry on both stream crossings and then pass two other runners on leafy trails before getting down to the jeep trail that climbs three miles to the aid station.  The last two runners I pass are Emily and Dan.  Emily joins me on the hike up to the aid station.  She is running this race for her seventh time.  The climb goes quickly with conversation, and we are soon at the aid station.  I check my watch and am pleasantly surprised that I have gained back a minute on my goal pace.  This is a non-crew aid station.  I grab a cup of broth, a cheese quesadilla, and two cookies.

Mile 21.9    2:30:18 (17:05 avg./mile) Headforemost Mountain

I stay with Emily the whole way on the 5-6 miles on the grassy road.  One of the things we talked about was that she had a root canal Friday afternoon, that is, a mere 12 hours ago!  She and her husband drove down from Baltimore Friday evening in time to start the race at midnight.  She says her only concern is eating something that will break her temporary.  I think we are making good, but not great time.  The air is completely calm, which is very unusual.  The only other time I can remember it being this calm was in 2013 when it was lightly snowing and 2021 when we had very thick fog.  When we exit the grassy road onto the single-track trail that takes us through Apple Orchard and down to Overstreet Falls, I feel an urge to squat in the woods.  However, I just stop for a pee break, and the need to squat dissipates.  Emily gaps me on this section, but I am moving well nonetheless as I catch and pass two other runners.  I make it down to Overstreet Falls unscathed, and quickly make the hike up to the top of the mountain.  As I near the top, Dan Broom catches back up to me.  At the original location of the aid station, I stop to get a piece of debris out of my left shoe and click my watch.  The time is 5:57, which is okay, but probably not good enough to get me a sub-17-hour finish.  I am 12 minutes behind my goal pace at this point.

Mile 27.6    1:34:24 (16:34 avg./mile) Jennings Creek

The new aid station location is at Floyd’s Field which is about a half mile further than where it originally was.  I have learned to not have my crew stop at this aid station because it is the coldest part of the course, and it is mostly all downhill to Jennings Creek.  I drink a small cup of pickle juice and grab two PB&J sandwich quarters before crossing the Parkway.  I am now following Helen MacDermott and her pacer.  Helen has been here often, but hasn’t finished since 2013.  When the course starts going downhill, I pass them and leave them behind.  I also pass Dan Broom and Lanier again.  I start to stretch out my stride, when the other Dan passes me.  I stay with Dan the rest of the way on the grassy road before passing him when he takes a pee break.  I navigate another stream crossing while keeping my feet dry, and press the pace.  It seems there is a solid group of runners not far behind me, and when I drop back out on a grassy road for the last mile to the aid station, Dan Broom catches back up to me.  The sunrise this morning was beautiful, and I make it into the aid station in good shape.  Nathan has a grilled egg, bacon, and cheese sandwich ready for me.  I eat almost three-quarters of it and wash it down with CR02 and chocolate milk.  I change out all three shirts for just two dry ones (one short-sleeve and one long-sleeve) as well as my hat and gloves for thinner versions.  It is still in the low 20s, but I know it will warm up some, and I won’t see Nathan again for 15 miles.  It is 7:31 when I leave the aid station at the same time as Lanier.  I gained a minute back on my goal pace and now am only 11 minutes behind.

Mile 34.5    1:53:46 (16:29 avg./mile) Little Cove Mountain

Lanier and I leave Jennings Creek together and spend the next couple of miles talking about cholesterol and statins and such things that most 50-somethings are dealing with.  After we crest the climb and drop back down to the dirt road, I stop to take a pee and let him get ahead.  Then about a mile later, I catch back up to him as he is taking a pee break.  Lanier and I stay together to the aid station where crews are not allowed.  However, Rosie is here manning this aid station, and there is some solid food.  I grab two wrapped little doggies and a small stack of Pringles.  The time is now 9:25, and I have gained back another minute towards my goal pace.  If I am going to have a realistic chance at sub-17, I need to finish the next section by 11:45.

Mile 42.5    2:33:20 (19:10 avg./mile) Bearwallow Gap

Nathan with Signs from his Sons

I leave the aid station a little before Lanier and run the first couple of miles with Dan
Broom.  I am running fairly well, but my legs are tight and hurting in a few places.  My right hamstring, actually the whole backside of my right leg is talking to me.  My right quad is also not happy either.  Regardless, I know I have to keep pushing the pace.  After the grassy road turns back into a single-track trail, my energy fades.  The leaves are deep on the trail, and there is a tree down that I have to navigate around and through.  Along this stretch, Helen MacDermott and her pacer catch back up to me.  I decide to take my first electrolyte capsule of the race, and that seems to help things a little.  I have found that I just don’t need to take as much sodium in as I used to when I was younger.  Then Lanier and Dan are back with me.  I keep them behind me though as I push a little running downhill before we make the left turn onto the devil trail.  On the devil trail, Lanier and I just try to keep from busting anything.  We catch up to Jess as we near a stream crossing that is about a mile from the aid station.  We all rock hop across without getting our feet wet, and then shuffle on into the aid station.  Nathan has a perfectly cooked grilled ham and cheese ready for me.  He tells me the word is that the parkway is now closed so he won’t see me again until the last aid station.  At first, I think I have to take a light with me, but then I realize I don’t as he will definitely see me at Day Creek.  I switch out my Camelback for a full one and keep everything else the same.

Heading out for the last 20 Miles

Mile 49.5    1:56:25 (16:38 avg./mile) Bobblets Gap

I have held off taking any caffeine for as long as I could, but I had already decided to take a caffeine pill at Noon.  Since it was 11:58 when I left Bearwallow, I pop one as Lanier and I are making the climb back up to the ridge line.  The effect is not extreme, but is effective nonetheless.  Near the top of the climb, I gap Lanier and catch back up to Jess and Dan.  I had seen them in front of me for quite a distance and didn’t realize it was them.  Jess has her hat off, and I thought Dan was her pacer.  I pass them on the low steady downhill, but Dan stays with me.  I gap him on the next climb, but both of them pass me about a mile later.  I am moving steady and smooth, and I know exactly what is in front of me.  I carefully navigate the descent down to the dirt road that is the last mile into this aid station.  I hike the last mile as it is all uphill.  At the aid station, there is just a pickup truck with some stuff in the back.  They had to take down all of the hot food when the parkway was closing, and then they had to drive all the way around and come back up the dirt road we are now on.  Chelsea is working this aid station and starts running down the list of food items they have—brownies-no thanks, gummies-no thanks, pretzels-yes, and finally, little ham and cheese rolls-yes!  I eat one of them after a handful of pretzels and wash it down with two cups of broth.  The time is now 13:54, so my chances for a sub-17 are slim to none with slim running away from me.  Right as I am finishing eating, Lanier is coming into the aid station.  Chelsea tells me that Aaron Schwartzbard has “just” left, and is injured and walking.  Wow, I hope he is able to finish, but it would be nice to pass one of the other fearsome five.

Mile 56.1    2:26:37 (22:13 avg./mile) Day Creek

I start running down the hill, and I quickly pass Dan and then Jess.  As I near the 2.5 mile make on the gravel road, there are a few crews waiting on runners where we make the turn back onto the trail.  And, there is Nathan!  It is great to see him, but I tell him I am fine since they found the ham and cheese rolls.  He then wishes me good luck and says that his sister, Amy, and her son, Charlie, should be at the aid station.  This is great.  I might not be able to finish under 17 hours, but I am in good shape and feeling pretty good.  I power hike the next hill with Helen and her pacer, but they leave me near the top of the climb.  Then I am by myself for most of the rest of the section.  This is the forever section for a good reason.  I have taken antacid tablets twice so far in the race, and an electrolyte capsule once.  As the clock rolls past 15:00, I take my second caffeine pill of the race.  And then about 45 minutes later, I decide to take my second electrolyte capsule of the race.  I decided on the electrolyte because I only have two more antacid tablets, so if the salt doesn’t work, then I will have the antacid to take.  Unfortunately, as I am juggling everything, dropped the little bag with the antacid tablets in it, and I didn’t realize it until it had been a couple of hundred yards.  Well, I am not turning back to get that.  As I make it down to the evergreen bush section, I know I am less than a mile from the aid station.

Charlie and Amy

Warning:  the next paragraph has a little TMI, so if you don’t want to read this then skip to the next section.

Okay I warned you.  Now, the problem is that my bowels are wanting to move.  Okay, I pull off the trail, find the right tree to lean against, drop the pants, and do what bears do in the woods.  I am prepared with TP and after dropping a couple of logs, wipe and pull back up the pants.  However, I no more than get the pants pulled up when I realize that there is more that needs to come out.  So, I drop the pants again, squeeze out another log and then wipe with the one remaining square of TP I have left.  Then I pull up the pants, put back on my Camelbak and start to head back to the trail.  But before I can get to the trail, I realize that my bowels aren’t ready to stop moving yet, so I find another tree, and repeat except this time I wipe with just leaves as I am out of TP.  Finally, I think I can continue.  During all of this I guess about half a dozen runners, including Lanier pass me.  I shuffle into the aid station where Nathan, Amy, and Charlie are waiting for me with slightly worried looks on their faces.  This is my slowest time ever on this section, and I now only have 1:38 to get to the finish before 18 hours, which is the cut-off for official finishers.  Nathan asks if I want company up to the parkway, and I accept his offer.  As my GI tract is not exactly happy, I pass on eating any food, and only take a few small sips of Coke.

Mile 62.4    1:37:51 (15:32 avg./mile) FINISH

Almost to the Parkway!

Nathan and I power hike up the climb to the parkway.  He has gone with me on this section several times before, and it very good to have the company to distract me from my issues.  I pass the gate in 16 minutes, and then I pass another runner and her pacer.  I make it to the parkway in 43:44 and see on my watch that it is only 17:05; so, I have almost 55 minutes to run 3.5 miles downhill.  I tell Nathan I have it from here, and he turns around to run back down to his car at the last aid station.  I start my trot down the hill and figure I should at least be running 13-minute miles, 14 at the slowest.  However, it takes me 33 minutes to get to the gate, which is two miles from the parkway.  Okay, now I only have about 22 minutes to run the last 1.5 miles.  No problem, I pick up the pace a little and cover the next half mile in 5:59 to give me a comfortable 16 minutes for the last mile.  A few runners have passed me on this last part, but I don’t care; the only thing I care about now is getting in before 18 hours.  As I near the entrance Camp Bethel, a guy is running towards me and calls out my name.  I answer him, and he says that Dr. Horton sent him out to bring me in as he wanted all of the fearsome five to finish.  I tell him I have plenty of time.  As I round the last bend and the finish clock is in sight, it says 17:58:xx.  So, I pick my knees up a little and finish with David Horton congratulations.  He assists me into the building and announces to the remaining crowd, “Darin Dunham, 22 starts, 22 finishes, and the last of the fearsome five!”

Unofficial Finishing Time       17:58:35 (see below for the official time)

119^th out of 140 starters (119 finishers under 18 hours)

It is determined later that an error was made when the finish line clock was set.  It was set with an extra minute.  Before the results are posted, this is realized, and my official time is 17:57:35.  As people are offering their congratulations, I am trying to decide where to sit.  I see an opening on one of the couches and I plop down.  I do not move to get off that couch for an hour and a half.  My stomach is on edge, and I am not sure I can do anything without some bad outcome.  So, I just sit there.  Amy and Charlie say goodbye and leave to drive back to Ashland, and Nathan patiently waits for me to feel well enough to stagger to the car.  Meanwhile, there are many stories to tell and listen to from several other runners.  The best is Martha Nelson, who tells of seeing her husband, Aaron Schwartzbard at aid station 4, injured and moving slowly.  She throws up sympathetically for him before leaving him behind and finishing Hellgate for her third time.  In the end, all five of the fearsome five finish, although, Jeff, Aaron, and I all finish in the last hour this year.  How many more times can we finish?  I don’t know, but I plan to be here next year to find out if I can do it at least one more time.  Until next time…

Never stop running,

Darin