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
 |
| 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
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
Return to Darin’s Running Page.
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