It is Friday, the day before my third attempt to complete a 100 mile race. For those that don’t know (or can’t remember), I attempted the Vermont 100 two years ago and dropped at mile 68. Last year, here at Mohican, I dropped at 69.2 miles. I feel confident that this year will be different. My training has gone well. I ran a spring marathon in March and finished within five minutes of my personal best. Since then, I have run well, and I have done more trail running. No doubt about it, this year should be better than last year. The pre-race meal is good, and I get to see two friends, who I haven’t seen in over a year and a half—Phil Young and Janet Vincent. My nephew Zack is up here with me as well, and he is going to pace me from mile 63 to 76.
Since my parents live less than 25 minutes from the start of the race, I get to sleep in their house the night before the race. Some runners just camp out, but the thought of trying to get up and run 100 miles after sleeping on the ground just doesn’t excite me. They of course get to sleep a little later than me, but as it is I don’t have to get up until 3:30am.June 21
As soon as my alarm goes off, I am up out of bed. I take care of things in the bathroom, and then down a quick bowl of cereal. Zack had said the night before that he wasn’t going to waste any time eating breakfast, but he gets up to get a quick bite before we hop in the car at 4:05am. Half way there, my dad realizes that he has forgotten the chairs and camp stool. We quickly decide that he can go back and get them in between the first and second aid stations. I think I am ready to run. The morning is cool in the 50s, and the humidity is low. The forecast is calling for the high to be in the low to mid 70s. Unfortunately, I won’t have the weather to blame for any problems I might have.Mile 4.5 57:43 (12:50 avg./mile) Camp Walhonding
I start off very conservatively. I am near the back of the pack as most people are taking advantage of the cool weather, I guess. During this stretch I start talking with a guy named David Hughes from Indiana. He is a Christian, and we talk for awhile about our faith and our current churches.Mile 10.7 1:22:27 (13:18 avg./mile) Rock Point
This is going smoothly so far, and I am right about at the pace I want to be. During this segment I am mostly talking with Terry, a 60 year old lady from Hawaii. Since I was station in Hawaii for three years with the Marine Corps, we have a lot to talk about. Her last 100-miler was in 1997 at Vermont, and she said then that she wasn’t going to run another one. However, it is becoming harder and harder for her to make the cut-off times on 50-milers so she figures the cut-offs for a 100-miler are more generous. At this aid station, I switch my should Camelbak that rides in between my shoulder blades for my hip Camelbak that rides in the small of my back. This is one of the pictures that was in the article.Mile 15.0 58:26 (13:35 avg./mile) South Park
This is an interesting aid station because it is two-thirds of the way down a hill. So, I actually have to stop myself at this aid station or I will blow right by it. My mom is here, along with my dad and Zack. Last year, she tried to meet me at a couple of aid stations, but missed me. So far so good, but this is slightly slower than last year.Mile 19.3 50:35 (11:46 avg./mile) Fire Tower
This section of trail should be more uphill than down, but it never feels like it, and the fire tower always seems to get here before I know it. So, while this time looks quick, it isn’t really compared to my times for this section last year. We have crossed one stream so far, and of course my feet are wet, but I don’t think I will change shoes yet. I have four pairs of trail shoes, and two pairs of road shoes. I started with my Asics Eagles, which I am still wearing.Mile 21.7 35:22 (14:44 avg./mile) Covered Bridge
This little section goes quick and is mostly downhill, but I think the mileage is closer to “as the crow flies” than the trail I followed. Still my legs feel fresh, my body still feels pretty good, and I can’t say that anything is going wrong yet. This is the first of five times that we see the covered bridge. This is one of the three times that we get to run across it (one other time, we have to run through the river, and the other time we just come back to it for the aid station, but don’t actually cross the bridge).Mile 26.5 1:09:37 (14:30 avg./mile) Hickory Ridge
I feel good, and I pass and then run with Rita Barnes for awhile. She is from Columbus, Ohio and has run this race a couple of times. She also runs the JFK50 every year. My dad is somewhat surprised by the fact that I am in front of Rita when I get to Hickory Ridge, but he doesn’t know that she was eating her lunch the first part of this section. At this aid station, they don’t allow my dad to provide any help because it is technically not a handler access point. Last year, no one said anything, but I guess they have the rules for some reason.Mile 31.9 1:15:11 (13:55 avg./mile) Covered Bridge
This is the second time that I see the covered bridge, and this time we get to cross through the river. Last year, this really motivated me, but this year doesn’t quite have the same effect. I probably should have dunked my whole body in the water at this point, but I didn’t. It isn’t really hot, but my body is not cool either. I am doing a good job of replenishing liquids, but cooler body temperatures help to keep the sweat rate down. It also keeps the blood from pushing out to the extremities too much. Blood in the extremities causes two draw backs. First, the blood is cooling off instead of working for your muscles, and second, swelling in your feet causes more blisters.Mile 35.4 59:04 (16:53 avg./mile) Covered Bridge
This is called the blue loop, and I think I made pretty good time, but this time obviously doesn’t show it. Don is one of the two officials at the turn-around for this part (it is mostly an out and back loop) and notes that I have moved up in the field since sometime earlier. Of course, I was near the end for the first couple of aid stations. Coming back we have to make our way down a waterfall, or at least right next to it. I am passing people occasionally, and no one is passing me.Mile 38.1 47:50 (17:43 avg./mile) Bridle Staging Area
These 2.7 miles are a tough uphill section. Therefore, I am not concerned that my time is slow. Anything under an hour is okay. I finally change shoes, and I might have waited a little too long. However, the feet aren’t causing me any great pain, and the foot is just a means of making contact with the ground.Mile 45.4 1:48:49 (14:54 avg./mile) Rock Point
This section is the worst for me on the course. This time isn’t too bad because I am still in control of the situation, but I know things will be different in about 7-8 hours when I get here again. During this part, a guy says that I am walking too slow because on the uphills he walks past me, and then on the downhills, I run past him. He says that if I walked a little faster I would finish quicker (obviously a true rocket scientist!). Another guy says that I really look strong and asks me if I feel as good as I look. Then he proceeds to pass me. Thanks for the compliment. Anyway, my real goal for this section was to be able to use the restroom (sitting down) when I got to this aid station. I am successful, and I hope that I have eliminated one of the reasons I had to stop last year. I eat some pizza and then re-grease my body before heading on down the trail.Mile 49.7 1:09:43 (16:13 avg./mile) South Park
My mom is here again, and it is nice to see her. While I have been running since I saw her last she went home and painted and cleaned everything up and then came back. However, she doesn’t look tired at all to me. The reason this time is slow is that it includes my time at the last aid station. I mark my watch when I get into an aid station, not when I leave.Mile 54.0 56:26 (13:07 avg./mile) Fire Tower
This section from South Park to the Fire Tower is a gain in elevation, but for some reason I have always ran this part quickly. This time is no exception. I am tired, but everything still seems to be going okay. Another runner, Fred, decides that running a 100 miles is not enough, so while I am trying to eat and drink something, he climbs to the top of the fire tower.Mile 56.5 48:36 (19:26 avg./mile) Covered Bridge
This is not good. Last year, I blitzed this part of the course, and I was making a mental note not to take this part too quickly, but I just don’t seem to have the pop left in my legs.Mile 61.2 1:32:15 (19:38 avg./mile) Hickory Ridge
This isn’t a bad time considering the last section. I am staying focused and still running at times. However, on most of the flat sections, I am just walking. I am not sure exactly what the problem is.Mile 66.6 1:57:56 (21:50 avg./mile) Covered Bridge
At around mile 63 or so, I get to pick up my pacer. Zack is waiting for me, and I am trying to motivate myself for the night ahead. At the pacer point, I stop to change shoes and while I am doing this, Fred slides by me. He apparently has recovered from his fire tower climb. Zack and I set off and running is really no longer much of a question. I am not sure if it is the low energy level/exhaustion or the fact that my feet are hurting moderately.Mile 69.2 1:03:29 (24:25 avg./mile) Bridle Staging Area
Zack and I hoof it up to the Bridle Staging area, and I am excited because we cover this section four minutes faster than last year. There are times on this section that my mind is starting to want to think about dropping out. However, no one passes me on this section, so things can’t be all that bad. I drink a cup of soup and a cup of Pepsi, and Zack and I head down the trail, but first we have to find the trail. Thinking that I knew exactly where it is, I start off into the woods. Fortunately, the aid station worker quickly corrects me.Mile 76.6 3:17:25 (26:41 avg./mile) Bridle Staging Area
Well, last year I dropped at the Bridle Staging area, so I will at least make it farther than last year. During this stretch, the forward progress I am making should not really be classified as walking. I am hobbling for two reasons—lack of sleep and pain in the feet. About two hours since the last aid station, Janet Vincent and her pacer, Phil Young, pass me. She offers me some No-doze, but I decline. I probably should have tried some. Anyway, during the uphill section on a couple of occasions, I tell Zack that I just have to sit down. So, I plunk down and rest for a minute or two and then get back up. It is amazing what two minutes off of your feet can do for you. With about a mile and a half to go, my mind has finally come to a conclusion—I am going to drop out. However, I will straggle into the next aid station. About a half mile from the aid station, I am passed by another runner and his pacer, she is relentless in trying to talk me out of dropping, but her efforts do not convince me.It is 2:30am Sunday morning, and I hop into the car with Zack and my dad to head home. I am relieved to be done with the effort, but I am still wondering if I had it in me to finish this year. My cushion on the 30 hour cut-off has dwindled to 1.5 hours, and I was just too tired and needing sleep. Overall, my body doesn’t feel too bad. I wish I knew if I did something wrong or that it just wasn’t my day.
We get home around 3:30am. Zack and my dad are quickly asleep. I decided to take a shower and then I drink a coke. I had to search the house for a coke, but I eventually find one. It tastes so good! After four hours of sleep, I get up, and we go to church. Then I go to the awards ceremony and get to congratulate Janet on finishing. In the afternoon, I take a nap while I am watching the NASCAR race, and then in the evening we go waterskiing. It is always amazing that my recovery seems to occur quicker each time. It is the reason that I quickly start planning about coming back next year and trying to better this race.
Until next time, never stop running, or at least moving forward,
Darin
