We left the room and went quickly to Smoke Rise Farm where the race headquarters, start, and finish is for this race. I checked in around 3pm and passed through the medical check, which consisted of weight and blood pressure. The mandatory pre-race brief that was slated to start at 3:45pm didn't get going until 4:30pm. This would be a trend for the weekend.
Saturday morning, Martha and I showed up at 3:30am in order to "check-in" before the start of the race. Unfortunately, the race director was the only person checking in the almost 300 runners. So, I waited in line until 3:50am, and there were about 100 runners behind me. Somehow, though the race managed to get started by 4:06am. It was obviously dark, but I didn't need a flashlight because 300 of my "closest friends" each had a flashlight, and there was more than enough light for me to see for the first hour.
I started the race with a cotton t-shirt, shorts, Nandi Asics trail shoes, and my Camelbak with a half strength mixture of gatorade. The temperature at the start was around 55 degrees.
18 miles 3:24 (11:20 avg./mile)
I am rolling well. Vermont seems to be set up very nice for the novice runner. It is obvious that you should walk up these hills, run going down the other side, and there are very few spots where you have to decide whether you should be running or walking--i.e., flat portions. I was thinking that I should average between 12 and 15 minutes per mile. This first segment is a little quick, but it is good to put the miles away while the temperature is still cool. I glide into the aid station meet Martha at our car. I take off the t-shirt as Martha re-loads my Camelbak, and then I down 7 ounces of Sustain. I grab a bagel, and I am out of the pit stop in less than a minute.27.7 miles 1:45 / 5:09 (10:49 avg./mile)
Just before the 18 mile aid station, the horses had passed me. However, the horses were required to stop longer and therefore, I was back ahead of them after the aid station. So, soon after leaving the aid station, here come the horses again passing me. The horses couldn't pass quickly though because we were going uphill, and they couldn't go much faster than we could. This had the detrimental effect of making me think that I could compete with the beasts. Consequently, there I am really "hoofing it" up another trail, which happens to go straight up the side of terrain just like all of them. Anyway, this is all to explain why I covered the last 9.7 miles at a blazing 10:49 pace. Furthermore, this was no easy stretch of the course. At once point, we were wacking weeds and brush on our way to the top of one hill. Fortunately, the four legged "volunteers" (a.k.a. horses) had softened up the turf on the down side, and I flew down the other side. At this aid station, I change out of my Asics Nandis and into my Asics Trabacos because the Nandis were causing blisters on the inside of my heels. Even with the "tire change" and drinking Sustain and replenishing my load, I am still out of the pit stop in less than two minutes..30.8 miles 0:38 / 5:48 (12:15 avg./mile)
This short, three mile stretch has a significant climb of at least a mile. I am discovering that it is the longer climbs of a mile or more that are really taxing my quads. However, I seem to do well going uphill as compared to the people around me. When I get into the aid station, Martha hands me a Sustain, and I decide not to reload my Camelbak since it has only been three miles.44.2 miles 3:05 / 8:53 (13:48 avg./mile)
These last 13.4 miles were quite the roller coaster--both physically and mentally. Seeing as it was almost 10 o'clock in the morning when I left the 30 mile aid station, the temperature is quickly climbing into the 80s. I run out of fluid in my Camelbak before mile 38, but I am able to refill at mile 38.4. Around this point, my stomach starts to let me know that it has had enough of this running with a full stomach of food and fluids. I walk quite a bit at a couple of points and really try to take it easy when I am running. However, it is defiitely hot, and I am transitioning into survival mode. There were points during this section that I would think I better continue to walk until it cools off, but I keep moving forward and find myself more times than not running down hills. Although I have slowed some, I am still doing better than 15 minute miles, and I know that I only have to average 15 minute miles from here in order to finish under 24 hours. At this aid station is the first medical check. I tip the scales at 191 pounds, which is two pounds less than the day before. If I loose 7% of my body weight, I will be dropped. Obviously, I am not anywhere close to having to drop out for that reason. I again drink a Sustain, Martha reloads my Camelbak and gives me a couple of Access bars and hands me a bagel. I am out of the aid station in about two minutes again.54.9 miles 2:31 / 11:25 (14:07 avg./mile)
Things continue to get uglier as I proceed. I am walking more, but I am still able to keep my average under 15 minute miles. My legs have not cramped, but they are definitely strained. Many times during this stretch I decide I am going to walk the rest of the way, but then a few minutes later, I find myself shuffling down another hill. I mean, why should I not take advantage and use the downhill to my advantage? When I finally get into this aid station, I change my socks, but keep the Trabacos. Unfortunately, my camp stool is packed in storage with my household goods as we await our house being built. Therefore, I find myself sitting on the dirt/sandy road changing my socks. Therefore, when I stand up I find that there is sand sticking to my shorts and legs because I have covered myself from knees to shoulders in vaseline. As I was changing my socks and drinking my Sustain, I am complaining to Martha about something and so I ask her if I am complaining too much. Her answer: it lets her know that I am still mentally alert. With the sock change, I leave the aid station and head up the road, which seems to be going uphill.60 miles 1:31 / 12:56 (17:51 avg./mile)
I was not mistaken that the road was heading uphill. In fact, it headed straight up the hill for the next four miles! I learn that they actually call this four mile hill. So, for over an hour I am hiking up hill with several other friends as we all begin to hope for the last uphill, but we know that this doesn't stop until the finish. When I finally reach the top, I am not ready to run down the other side, so I walk. Unfortunately, walking this section shows me that I cannot walk and maintain 15 minute miles. Well, there is no reason to stop until I have to. Finishing, even in more than 24 hours is better than dropping out, I think.68.2 miles 2:56 / 15:52 (21:28 avg./mile)
Shortly, after leaving mile 60, Larry comes up behind me, and he is from Mechanicsville, Virginia. He is a retired Army officer, and he has done many of these 100 milers--too many to be able to tell me straight away how many he has done. I decide to stick with him and see if I can make progess down the trail. We stay together until a food station at mile 62.8. There, I grab a couple of sandwich quarters and then start to head up the trail as Larry continues to chow. A minute later he is back beside me and when we crest the next hill he asks if I am ready to run again, and I realize that I am done. He moves on, and I find that I don't even have enough energy to walk.. It is like a switch has been turned off, and I now longer have any energy to stand up, not to mention walk quickly. However, I want to make it to the next aid station at mile 68.2 where Martha is. So, I walk very slowly, downhill towards my drop out point. Who knows, maybe the switch will get turned back on. Other runners come by me and encourage me to keep going. About two miles from the aid station, a race volunteer comes by me and asks me if I am okay, I say no, but I think I can make it to the aid station. A mile later, a couple of runners pass me and ask me the same question. I give the same answer. However, I know I am worse, and I think they are concerned. As I crest a small hill before the last quarter of a mile into the aid station, he comes the race doctor heading up the road towards me and asks me if I am okay. I am not of course, but I can now see the aid station and want to make it to my drop out point under my own power. This is the second medical check area, and I want to see how much I weigh. I tip the scales this time at 190 pounds, pretty good considering I have used probably close to 10,000 calories on todays journey. Martha when she sees me knows that I am finished and doesn't try to convince me to go any farther. I averaged less than three miles per hour over this stretch and most of it was downhill.Unofficial Drop out Time 15:52 (13:58 avg./mile)
Any doubts on whether I should have dropped out were erased by how I felt the rest of the night. It was right around 8pm when I dropped. Martha drove me back to our room and dropped me off, while she went to McDonald's to buy me a cheeseburger and french fries. I managed to drag/pull myself up the two flights of stairs to our room and deposit my sweaty, muddy, vaseline/sun screen/bug spray covered body horizontally on the bed. This is where I was when Martha returned. I ate the french fries but didn't yet have the stomach to eat the cheeseburger. So, after about 30 minutes or so, I decide I better clean off my before mentioned body before I pass out for the night. Therefore, I stood up and made my way into the bathroom. By the time I arrived in the bathroom, I was too nauseous so I layed down in the bath tub. Now I hadn't turned on the water or anything, and 10- 15 minutes later this is the position I was in when Martha looked in on me. I told her I was fine and just needed to rest before taking a shower. Well, I finally took my shower and managed to make it back to the bed. When I got there I got under all of the covers because I was chilled even though it was at least 80 degrees in our room. Martha was concerned until a couple of hours later I rolled over and pushed back the covers a little.
It is now five days later, and my body has recovered quite well. Less than 15 hours after I dropped out, I decided that my next attempt at running a 100 miler will be next year at Mohican on June 15, 2002. Until then I will run the JFK 50 Miler in November and maybe a marathon next spring. Until next time, take care, and God bless you.
Never stop running (or at least moving forward),
Darin
