Sunday, December 21, 2014

Hellgate 100k 2014 - Easy weather?


December 13

For the past 11 years, I have made my annual pilgrimage to Camp Bethel is southwest Virginia.  This year, I am making my 12th straight, attempting to be one of five men to finish all 12 editions of this special race.  One difference this year is that I made the trip from Huntsville, Alabama as opposed to Glen Allen, Virginia.  The weather was good for flying, so I flew to Roanoke, rented a car, and drove to Camp Bethel with my son, Nathan, who is serving as my crew.

We arrived around 5:30pm, checked in, and then ate the pre-race meal.  It is quite an experience to meet up with old friends and be in the cozy confines of this camp.  The pre-race briefing is all David Horton.  He is in his element, embarrassing most, joking with many, and giving a little bit of important information.  The weather this year has been classified as “sissy” weather since it is only forecasted to drop to around 30 degrees tonight and is supposed to climb into the low 50s during the day.

The start is pleasant with very little wind and temperatures around 40.  I am going with shorts, and two thin shirts—one long and one short sleeve.  I also start with a watch cap and gloves as my hands get cold much more easily than they used to.

Mile 3.5      45:39 (13:03 avg./mile) FSR 35

Cruising the first section is fun, but this race with 150 starters is crowded for the first couple of miles.  The creek crossing at mile 3 is uneventful for me, but some lady close to me nearly goes for a complete swim.  Fortunately for her, I am close by to grab onto.  The water is a little chilly, but not bad.  I grab a cup of water at the aid station, and begin the climb.

Mile 7.5      57:36 (14:24 avg./mile) Petites Gap

I run about half of this section trying to strike the proper balance between making good time, but not expending too much this early in the race.  As the altitude increases on the climb, the wind picks up, and the temperature drops some.  By the time I reach the aid station, I estimate the wind is blowing 20-30 miles per hour with some gusts more than that.  The moon is about half full and doesn’t quite provide enough light to turn my headlamp off.  I change shoes when I meet Nathan, drink some chocolate milk, and take a bagel with me for the trail.

Mile 13.1    1:35:46 (17:06 avg./mile) Camping Gap

The rocks going downhill in the first mile are treacherous as always, but I do well with them.  After the rocks comes a rolling section of single track trail that I truly enjoy.  Running it in the dark is challenging, but I pass a few people and feel like I am moving quickly.  The climb up to the aid station is as hard as usual, but I like my time.  I know where I am by feel and time on a section.  The wind is still gusty.  At the aid station, I grab a couple of sandwich quarters, a cup of soup, and a stack of Pringles for the trail.

Mile 21.9    2:32:26 (17:19 avg./mile) Headforemost Mountain

I run the majority of this section with a lady named Stephanie.  However, when it comes time to turn off of the grassy road, I put a little surge in and never see her again.  I think she dropped out as she is not listed as a finisher.  The running is going well, but the rocky, technical downhill towards Overstreet Falls really slows me down.  I twisted my right ankle five weeks ago, and it is still really tender.  I taped it for this race.  The tape is helping, but it can only help so much.  My time is okay, but slightly slower than I would have liked.  At the aid station, I grab a couple of more sandwich quarters and a cup of cold soup.  It isn’t the aid station’s fault as it is pretty cold out here, especially with the wind.  Did I mention that the wind is blowing about 30 miles per hour?  My hands go numb for the last 45 minutes of this section.

Mile 27.6    1:51:10 (19:30 avg./mile) Jennings Creek

With numb hands, but warm enough otherwise, I head down the hill towards Jennings Creek and breakfast.  Initially, I feel like I am moving well enough, but when the trail turns very rocky, my pace slows on the downhill portions.  I used to really like this section, but now it is a pain in the rear slowing me down getting to breakfast.  My ankle is very tender, but I am doing okay.  I think 7-8 people pass me on this section as daylight finally dawns.  This time is terribly slow, but I am still okay as I was 40 minutes ahead of the cut-off at Headforemost.  When I finally arrive at the aid station, Nathan has an English muffin with egg, bacon, and cheese all ready for me.  He also informs me that many people are dropping at this aid station.  Zsuzanna Carlson, who passed me coming down the hill, calls it quits, citing multiple nagging injuries.  Before leaving the aid station, I grab a paper towel for later.

Mile 34.5    1:59:03 (17:15 avg./mile) Little Cove Mountain

Later is only a couple of minutes away from the aid station.  I find the proper tree off of the trail to unload behind.  It was a wonderful and very quick (all in one smooth push) evacuation of my large intestine.  I think it only cost me five minutes total off of the trail.  With that bit of business taken care of, I can again focus on making good time.  Climbing is going well, and I make good time on the downhill section.  A lady passes me running up the hill towards the aid station.  At the aid station, the food is outstanding!  I eat half of a grilled ham and cheese, and drink a small cup of Coke.  It is a bit early to start the caffeine, but I don’t want to push close to the cut-off.

Mile 42.5    2:14:05 (16:46 avg./mile) Bearwallow Gap

Leaving Little Cove Mountain, I link up with Kelly Golden.  He has run this race four times and is going for his fifth finish and the coveted Eagle trophy.  We push the pace a little, and I guarantee to him that we will run this in less than 2:20.  It takes us almost an hour to catch the lady who passed us on the last section.  Her name is Tammy Godin, although I only know this from the finisher list.  She hangs with us for a little while.  Turning onto the wonderfully rocky devil trail, I let Kelly know that we have 45 minutes to the aid station.  These intermediate checkpoints are a great help to my mental outlook.  This part is especially useful as I know I can endure this ankle buster for 45 minutes.  We end up taking 46 minutes, but we are still thrilled to see the aid station.  Joining Nathan is David Snipes, who dropped out at Camping Gap.  It is good to see them both, but I am disappointed that David won’t be getting his 10th finish this year.  I drink a chocolate milk, change to just a short sleeve shirt, and trade in the hat for a buff.  I take a grilled ham and cheese sandwich for the trail, leaving slightly ahead of Kelly.

Mile 49.5    2:00:13 (17:10 avg./mile) Bobblets Gap

Ten minutes out of the Bearwallow Gap, Kelly catches back up to me.  We talk a lot, which might be slowing us down slightly, but it is making the course pass easily.  In hindsight, I probably could have pushed this a little faster, but I am still making decent time.  When we dump out onto a dirt road that is the last mile into the aid station, Kelly’s wife and friend meet us and walk with us up to Bobblets Gap.  His friend will now pace him, and they are out of the aid station very quickly.  I sit down and eat some soup while taking my time.  I leave with a bagel in my hand to ensure I have enough food to power me through the next section.

Mile 56.1    2:15:36 (20:33 avg./mile) Day Creek

Losing contact with Kelly seems to hurt my pace a little.  He must be feeling great because he will go on to finish 28 minutes ahead of me.  So, I spend my time trying to stay in front of Tammy.  She is behind me by about 100 yards on most of this section.  No matter how many times I do this section, it still takes forever.  This section has the most “Horton miles” in it of any section in this race.  About a half mile from the aid station, Tammy finally passes me again.  At the aid station, Snipes tells me he will pace me for the last section.  I drink some Coke and take half of a bagel to eat on the climb.

Mile 62.4    1:21:25 (12:55 avg./mile) FINISH

I begin the climb by making it my goal to catch Tammy as quickly as possible.  Just before halfway up the climb, I pass her and then spot three more runners to pass.  I quickly pass them before the final stretch of the climb.  Then Al Eder is up in front of me, so I pass him as well just before the gate and crossing the Blue Ridge Parkway for the last time.  Snipes keeps telling me to pace myself.  He will complain later that I tried to kill him by pushing the pace too fast on this climb.  Across the BRP, and it is time to run 3.5 miles downhill to the finish.  I run the whole way, but it is not fast.  The 2.8 mile climb took 38 minutes, and the downhill 3.5 miles takes me 43 minutes this year.  Tammy almost catches me before the last gate and a mile and a half to go, but after the gate, we are on a smooth gravel road, and I pick up the pace enough to stay ahead of her.

Official Finishing Time          17:32:59

114th out of 148 starters (122 finishers under 18 hours)

The finish at Camp Bethel is always nice, and I am glad that I have survived another year.  How many more will I finish?  I don’t know, but I plan to be back next year.  The other four streakers—Aaron, Jerry, Jeff, and Ryan—all finish long before me, but I am still grouped together with them.

Nothing starts the Christmas season like running and finishing Hellgate!  I wanted a sub 17-hour finish this year, but it isn’t to be.  However, I have a renewed motivation to train hard and try again next year.  Who knows, I might even run another 100 miler in 2015.  But first my next scheduled race is the Mountain Mist 50k in Huntsville in January.  Until then,

Never stop running,
Darin