Hellgate 100k 2013 -- Fearful weather

December 14

Fear is always present at some level in most of our daily lives.  A good amount of fear is driven by the unknown of what is going to happen in the future; this creates worry to go along with the fear.  This race imparts a healthy portion of fear as it starts a minute after midnight in December in the Virginia Blue Ridge Mountains.  The first year in 2003, the 71 of us who lined up for the start didn’t know enough to be appropriately fearful.  Now, everyone knows what to expect (as far as the course is concerned), but there is still the unknown.  The typical ultra-run questions are here to be answered:  Have I trained enough?  Am I well rested?  Am I mentally ready for this challenge?  But, this year at this race, there is another HUGE question—what will the weather be?  The forecast calls for precipitation and temperatures between 31 and 33 degrees.  It appears some will be frozen, and some will be liquid.  How much?  When?  Who knows!



In the ten previous editions there has never really been any precipitation during the race.  Sure there were some stray flurries in 2004, and a couple of rain drops near the end another year.  There has also been snow and ice on the course, but never has it been fallen during the race.  It seems like odds have finally caught up with Hellgate.  I start the race for my 11^th attempt with tights, two long sleeve shirts, Patagonia Houdini jacket, watch cap, and gloves.  Of course, I have my Flash Flo Camelbak and Black Diamond headlamp.  The bank thermometer in Natural Bridge Station said 28 degrees, so it appears to be a little colder than predicted.

David Snipes and Mike Donahue ride with us to the start.  My son is crewing for me this year for the first time by himself.  His winter break from Georgia Tech worked out perfectly as he came home yesterday.  It is cold at the start.  I wear an extra jacket to walk over to the start.  Then I hand it to Nathan after he takes my picture.

Waiting for the start

Mile 3.5      45:42 (13:03 avg./mile) FSR 35

Fear of wearing too much clothing wasn’t in the forefront of my mind before the start.  However, I have unzipped my jacket within the first mile, and then I take my gloves off in the second mile.  It is cold but with no wind, it is quite comfortable.  Of course, it will cool down in the next section when we climb higher.  The creek crossing is deep and everyone gets their feet wet.  This is my slowest time ever on this first section, although it is not too slow.

 

Mile 7.5      1:03:18 (15:49 avg./mile) Petites Gap

After leaving the first aid station, where I didn’t take anything as they only had water and Gu, I remove the jacket completely and tie it around my waist.  I spend the majority of this section with David Snipes.  We are reminiscing about past years and just enjoying the night.  When I get to the aid station, Nathan is all setup.  I change out my wet shoes and socks and get a full Camelbak.  I give my jacket to Nathan deciding that I will be fine without it for tonight.  When I get up, I leave my gloves lying on the ground.  As I am walking out of the aid station, Nathan catches up to me and asks if I want the gloves.  YES!  Thank you so much!

Mile 13.1    1:43:11 (18:26 avg./mile) Camping Gap

 

About a mile out of Petites Gap, it begins to sleet.  It isn’t heavy, but boy am I glad that I have my gloves with me.  I took a bagel with me from the last aid station, and as I begin to eat the majority of it, my heart burn flares up.  It is severe enough to cause me some good pain, but I can’t stop.  What would I do?  It is sleeting, and I can’t spare any time, so I press through.  Drinking water makes the problem worse, but eventually it relaxes some, and I no longer feel like I am going to pass out.  The rest of the section goes fairly well.  The sleet isn’t too heavy, but the dirt road leading into Camping Gap is starting to get covered.  Just before reaching the aid station, the sleet begins to turn to snow.  This is much better!  At the aid station, I drink a cup of ginger ale, and then eat a cup of soup.  I also take a few cookies with me to eat as I walk. At the aid station, there are several runners standing around the fire.  Many of them will drop out.  Snipes is standing here talking with Bob Hiltebridle, who is going to sweep the course with his wife.  I yell at him to come with me, but he stands there talking away.  My time isn’t as fast as I wanted, but I am doing okay.

Mile 21.9    2:33:17 (17:25 avg./mile) Headforemost Mountain

The snow picks up and the level of fear increases in some runners.  The flakes are very big and fluffy.  It is hard to see at times with my headlamp shining through the flakes, but I am enjoying myself.  I know I am probably not making really fast time, but it is slower running through the snow.  I am nicely warm, and I don’t miss my Houdini jacket at all.  The aid station is down at Overstreet Falls, and I get there in 2:07:05.  I managed to negotiate the tricky, rocky portion leading down to the falls successfully, and I am rewarded with more ginger ale and grilled cheese sandwich quarters.  The cut-off at Overstreet Falls is 6:10, and I am here at 5:39am, so I have about a half an hour on the cut-off.  As I am climbing up Headforemost Mountain, I slow down some relative to the runners around me.  I am getting sleepy.  It is way too early for this, so I take a No-Doze tablet around 6am, just before I get to the place where the original aid station was.  It is 6:05am when I pass this point, which is my second slowest ever to this point in the race.  Here’s hoping that the caffeine will liven things up.

Mile 27.6    1:38:46 (17:20 avg./mile) Jennings Creek

The parkway at Floyd’s Field is covered with snow.  It is very pretty up here, not windy at all.  But, there is no time to admire the view and besides I really can’t see anything except what my headlamp is shining on.  The moon is almost full, but you wouldn’t know it as the clouds prevent seeing the moon.  I start running down the hill, and I quickly pass a couple of runners.  It feels like I am making better time now.  As daylight begins to break, the wind picks up a little, but just for a few minutes.  As I crest the last little uphill going down to Jennings Creek, I can see the low clouds in the valley below.  What a neat scene!  If only the sun was out, it would really be awesome.  I pass one more runner before I reach the aid station.  It will be 7:44am when I leave here, which isn’t great, but isn’t too bad either.  I have been here twice slower than this.  I sit down to devour a most excellent English muffin with egg, bacon, and cheese on it.  I wash it down with a little chocolate milk, trade out my Camelbak, and head back out on the trail.

Mile 34.5    1:44:34 (15:09 avg./mile) Little Cove Mountain

Just as I am leaving Jennings Creek aid station, I see Charlie Hesse driving the van in with dropped runners.  What I don’t see is David Snipes in the van, although I find out later that he was in there.  He dropped at Overstreet Falls after slipping and straining his back.  I don’t know why, but I am feeling really good at this point.  I rocket up the first climb, passing a few other runners.  When I get to the top, I stop to relieve some liquid from my bladder, and a guy named Dan catches up to me.  We start rocking the downhill section and don’t stop until we bottom out onto another dirt road.  He was really flying; I was feeling good; and I had to work fairly hard to stay up with him.  We talk as we hike into the aid station in a new record time for me on this section.  Maybe I can ride this high to a sub-16:30.  At the aid station, the crews are now not allowed here, and the only thing available is potato cubes, Bugles chips, M&Ms, and chocolate chip cookies.  I eat a few potato cubes and grab a few cookies for the next section. They really need more substantial food at this aid station before one of the toughest sections of the race.

Mile 42.5    2:20:51 (17:36 avg./mile) Bearwallow Gap

I leave the aid station ahead of Dan, but he isn’t far behind me.  I pass a lady early in the section, and then Dan catches up to me as we finish up the grassy road section.  I am pushing moderately, but it feels great to be making really good time.  However, my high ends rather abruptly as I think my energy drops from not getting enough food at Little Cove Mountain.  I tell Dan he should go on ahead as he appears to still be in a good groove.  I manage to still run the downhill okay, and turn the corner onto the devil trail at 1:30 since leaving the last aid station.  The lady I passed earlier passes me.  Just after crossing the creek a lone hardy sole hiking out from the aid station approaches and tells me I will have 6-8 minutes after crossing the road.  It is now raining lightly, and he has to be cold.  I get into the aid station without bonking too badly.  Nathan has my grilled ham and cheese ready, and I sit down to eat it.  I drink a little Conquest to try to help wash it down.  I am not feeling great anymore, but maybe the sandwich will help get my energy back.  The good news is that it is 11:49am when I leave.  I have over 40 minutes on the cut-off at this point.  On my way out of the aid station, I grab a pancake.

Mile 49.5    1:59:38 (17:05 avg./mile) Bobblets Gap

The key to this section is staying focused and letting the course come to you.  I hike up the first climb watching runners just ahead of me leave me behind.  I still don’t have much energy, but when it comes time to run I manage to do okay.  When I finally turn the corner and head down to the dirt road leading into the aid station, my mood improves greatly.  Dr. Wortley drives by me as I crawl into the aid station.  My time on this section isn’t horrible, but it is my second slowest ever.  I sit down and wolf down a piping hot bowl of Ramen soup that Nathan has cooked up.  This really tastes good.  Then I do something that I should have been doing more often.  I drink a full pint of chocolate milk.  This is typically what I do in races, but for whatever reason I haven’t been.  It must be my stomach and heart burn because there are not many better calorie sources during an ultra than chocolate milk.  I grab a few pretzels from the aid station table on my way out.

 

Mile 56.1    2:09:17 (19:35 avg./mile) Day Creek

It has been raining all afternoon, but now it is starting to pour.  I catch up to Mike Burr on this section, and we spend the majority of the time talking about running various races.  He has attempted Barkley’s several times, and I am fascinated by the event.  There are 13 creek crossings on this section, and I think I get my feet wet on all of them.  Of course it doesn’t matter at all with the rain coming down.  We are making good time, and I am feeling much better.  I guess it is the Ramen and chocolate milk.  I really wanted to do well on this section as I hadn’t done very well on it the past four years.  This time is my fastest since 2008.  At the aid station, I trade out my hat and gloves for dry ones.  Then I drink a can of Coke and head out of the aid station.  Mike is just ahead of me, and I am hoping to stay with him.

Mile 62.4    1:41:16 (16:04 avg./mile) FINISH

Fear in this race has many causes.  The midnight start is one.  Another is the length between aid stations.  A runner really has to fuel up to make it to the next aid.  Finally, the weather is another cause of fear.  Typically, the weather on the last section is not a fearful thing.  However, as the rain continues down, and my energy is dropping (again!), I feel the cold penetrating my tired, hurting body.  My hands are now frozen (not literally as it must be above freezing since it is raining).  My feet are sopping wet, and I just want to finish this race for the 11^th time.  This last climb is one of the longest and hardest on the course.  Usually I do very well with it as I can smell the finish line.  This year is different; I can’t pick up any scent of the finish line as I struggle up this final climb.  Did another bend get inserted into this climb?  I know better, but it is taking me a long time this year to get up the hill.  I finally cross the parkway for the last time in 47:46 since leaving the aid station.  I think this might be my slowest climb ever for this section.  My fastest is 35 minutes.  Well, now it is time to run downhill.  This should warm me up.  I start trotting down the hill, but my legs are dead, and my motivation is low.  Adding to issues is that I don’t have a headlamp with me.  With the clouds and mist, it is getting very dark.  My hands and feet are still really cold, but I have a mission to complete.  I make my way along, hoping that the gate, which will tell me I have about 1.5 miles to go, will be around the next bend.  It is completely dark before I reach the gate, but I have managed not to trip and fall.  Now, I have a nice smooth gravel road to the finish.  The turn into Camp Bethel is a beautiful sight, and I continue my steady trot to the finish.

Official Finishing Time          17:39:50

102^nd out of 135 starters (108 finishers under 18 hours)

 

I have conquered the Hellgate course one more time.  How many more times will I succeed?  I don’t know?  Thoughts of not entering next year are quickly pushed out of my mind before they take hold.  I feel absolutely terrible as I am cold, hungry, and thoroughly exhausted.  A can of Coke does wonders for me, and I manage to get cleaned up and dressed.  I speak with several other runners at the finish.  Many of them tell me I should have stopped after 10.  This is one of the best finish atmospheres as it is small and everyone understands what we have been through since last night.

Despite training hard, running Masochist for the first time in three years, and trying to motivate myself to get back under 17 hours, it is not to be this year.  However, the best part is that I finished!  I can now rest, recuperate, and enjoy Christmas.  I hope you enjoyed reading this.  Merry Christmas!

Never stop running,

Darin

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