Friday, May 10, 2013

Bull Run Run 2013

April 12

It is Friday afternoon, the day before I attempt to run my ninth Bull Run Run 50 mile race.  Rick Holloway is with me as he will be my crew tomorrow.  Rick has crewed for me several times, and I am grateful he is crewing for me at this race.  This year’s race is special as I missed last year’s race because of my knee.  In March of last year, I blew out my right ACL skiing in Montana.  Tomorrow will be one year exactly since my ACL reconstructive surgery.  This is my second ultra since the surgery.  The first one was the Hellgate 100k in December.

We arrive at Hemlock Overlook around 4:30pm, check-in for the race, and get our cabin assignment where we will be sleeping tonight.  After talking with Anstr Davidson (who is the race director), Gary Knipling, and Quatro Hubbard, Rick and I decide to head for the chow line.  The meal is straightforward and simple—spaghetti noodles, meat and meatless sauces, salad, and bread.

We talk with our cabin mates for a while about different races that we have run.  I champion for anyone to give Hellgate a try if they can get into the race.  I read my iPad for 10 or 15 minutes and then go to sleep.

April 13

I get up at 4:45am as I do not want to be pressured in the bathroom.  After taking care of business in the bathroom (which includes reading my morning devotional and solving a Sudoku puzzle), I head down to the chow hall to eat a couple of pastries.  There I find Frank Probst getting a bite to eat as well.  All of us have our routines, and Frank and I have seen each other at breakfast for a few years now.

After getting dressed and ready, I wander over to the start around 6:20am.  There are many old friends to see and greet before the start of the race.  David Snipes, Michele Harmon, and others are here, and it is great to see everyone.  The race starts promptly at 6:30am.

Mile 7.2      1:15:20 (10:28 avg./mile) Centreville Road (1st time)

Crossing Pope's Creek
I think I am starting conservatively, but this is a little quick.  I am feeling good so maybe I will still be able to run a good time today.  My training has gone well, but I don’t have the miles on my legs built all the way back up quite yet, although I am close.  Rick is here with Conquest and half of a bagel.

Mile 11.6    44:25 (10:06 avg./mile) Centreville Road (2nd time)

I continue to roll well.  I am in a good position.  The weather is cool for now (around 50 degrees), but is supposed to warm up to almost 70 degrees today.  I drink some more Conquest and take the other half of a bagel to eat on the run.

Mile 16.6    57:32 (11:30 avg./mile) Hemlock Overlook

I keep it conservative and make a better effort at not running too fast this early in the race.  This is a good group of us rolling along on this section.  I like my position and feel good so far.  At this aid station, Rick has some chocolate milk and another half of a bagel for me.  The course is dry enough that I don’t need to change my shoes.  I do switch out my Camelbak for a full one.

Mile 21.1    51:38 (11:28 avg./mile) Bull Run Marina

Somewhere along this section, I link up with Tim Stanley.  Tim has run all of the BRR races, but I have never really talked to him before.  It is great conversation about where we live, family, and such.  Both of us have family members running the Monument 10k today.  At the Marina, I drink some more Conquest and grab a couple of sandwich quarters from the aid station.

Mile 26.1    57:34 (11:31 avg./mile) Wolf Run Shoals

Tim and I continue to run well, but at some point he moves on as I start to fade a little.  I still make good time on this section, but my legs are starting to ache quite a bit.  This is non-crew access aid station, but they have good food here.  I grab a couple more sandwich quarters and then drag myself out of the aid station and back on the trail.

Mile 28.1    32:46 (16:23 avg./mile) Fountainhead

The legs are killing me, and my pace slows considerably.  I am not sure what the problem is, but most everything from the waist down is hurting me.  I have a long way to go, and this isn’t going to be fun if it doesn’t turn around.  At the aid station, I drink some chocolate milk, trade out my Camelbak, and take a bagel with me.  Here’s hoping the pain dissipates somewhat!

Mile 32.5    58:32 (13:18 avg./mile) Do Loop (start)

Struggling through the Do Loop
I find a decent pace that allows me to run without as much pain.  It is slower than I would like, but my legs are covering some.  The white loop goes quickly, and before too long I make it to the infamous “do loop”.  This is another non-crew aid station.  I get several sandwich quarters, drink a small cup of Coke, and continue running.

Mile 35.5    41:51 (13:57 avg./mile) Do Loop (end)

The do loop is the same hard section as usual.  It is a struggle to keep running the portions that I need to run.  When the up and down short hills come, I have no rhythm.  However, I continue to keep plodding.  When I get to the aid station, David Snipes is there sitting in a chair.  He is still heading out, so I am now 3 miles ahead of him.  He is doing worse than me and mentions that he is thinking about dropping out of the race.  I dissuade him of that notion, but he is still sitting in the chair when I leave.  I grab some more food, and then get a Popsicle for the trail.

Mile 37.9    34:16 (14:17 avg./mile) Fountainhead

Leaving the last aid station, Michele Harmon passes me.  We talk briefly about pace and possible finish times.  I mention that with some good running a sub 10-hour finish is still possible.  This seems to motivate her, and she quickly leaves me behind.  I would love to run well in from here, but more importantly, I need to run within myself.  Coming into the aid station, a lady is directing the runners, and when she sees me, she says, “I know you.”  This is not surprising as a lot of people know me from my Hellgate streak or have seen me at other races.  However, she continues and says, “You are Rick’s runner.”  Now, this is a new one for me.  I have been known by many things, but never as Rick’s runner.  It is pretty cool, and I mention it to him at the aid station.  I drink some more chocolate milk, followed by some Coke and Conquest, and then take a bagel for the trail.

Mile 39.9    29:23 (14:41 avg./mile) Wolf Run Shoals

My relatively slow pace continues, but I am now joined by Stephen Cooper from Maryland.  The addition of new conversation keeps my mind off of trying to push too hard.  Ironically, I feel better this time at Wolf Run Shoals than I did over 13 miles ago when I was here last.

Mile 44.9    1:02:08 (12:26 avg./mile) Bull Run Marina

Stephen and I put a little push in to see if we can get in under 10 hours, but the time at this last aid station is already past 9 hours, so a sub-10 is not going to be this year.  I grab a couple of cups of Coke and move on through the aid station.  I wave at Rick and head on towards the finish.

Mile 50.4    1:14:42 (13:35 avg./mile) FINISH!

After realizing that a sub-10 wasn’t going to happen, Stephen and I stop trying to kill ourselves.  I am comfortable and happy with my return to this race after missing last year.  I am also comforted by the full recovery from my ACL reconstruction.  The past year seems like a blur, but I remember all of the hard rehab that I put in during that time.

Official Finishing Time          10:20:07

137th out of 322 starters (295 finishers)

This is my ninth Bull Run Run, and next year I will get my 10 year award.  This is such a fun event even when I don’t finish under 10-hours.  After my finish, I talk with Kathleen Cusack and then some others before heading for the showers.  My final goal of the day is to get showered and dressed before Gary Knipling finishes.  However, as I am just finishing getting dressed after my shower, I hear a big roar from the finish line and am quite certain that indicates that Gary has finished.  It indeed is the case, and I talk with him a little before Rick and I head for home.

Once again the rest of my spring will be consumed with watching Nathan and Amy run track meets.  I am signed up for the Black Hills 100 miler in late June, and Rick has already agreed to crew for me.  Until then…

Never stop running,

Darin