Hellgate 100k 2020 - The Year of COVID

 

December 12

Due to the environment we are in, I have only run two races so far this year.  The first was the Mountain Mist 50k in January, and the second was the Stump Jump 50k in October.  I was scheduled to run a 50 miler in November, but life intervened, and I went to my aunt’s funeral instead.  I started the year slightly damaged from last year’s Hellgate.  There was nothing acutely wrong, just a few lingering, nagging issues.  With the race cancellations in the spring and summer, I took a few back-to-back easy weeks that brought me into May back to full running health.

My training this year (after April) went well, but several times, work curtailed some of my long runs.  Many times, I shortened my long run to only 20 miles so that I could get on a morning conference call.  I have perfected being on a conference call while playing golf, but I have yet to do this while running.

A pre-race nap

So, here I am at Hellgate for the 18^th time!  My daughter, Amy, is crewing for me.  We get to Camp Bethel and check in, but it is definitely going to be a different year.  For starters, the check-in and pre-race briefing are going to be in the gym instead of the Heritage Lodge.  And, of course, we are all wearing masks and keeping our distance from each other.  I fist bump a few other runners, but that is the extent of physical greetings.  I chat with Lanier Greenhaw, who is from Athens, Alabama.  He is rather reserved in his prediction for this year and doesn’t think there is any chance he will see me as he is starting in the last wave, and I am in the first.  I suggested to David Horton that the fearsome five should start in the first wave with the top 10 men and top 10 women.  Each wave has 25 runners, and the waves are spaced every five minutes so that we can abide by the Virginia governor’s order.

Dinner is not bad as I eat a large piece of lasagna along with green beans, salad, rolls, and one cookie.  At the pre-race briefing, I am the only one from the fearsome five in attendance.  I don’t know what the rest of the guys were doing, but they were all at the starting line a few minutes before midnight.  David says a prayer, and we sing the national anthem before he sends us off at 12:01am.

Before the start

Mile 3.5      45:44 (13:04 avg./mile) FSR 35

The weather this year is downright sissy-gate this year.  The temperature at the start is in the low 40s and if anything it is supposed to rise slightly during the rest of the night.  I start with shorts and short-sleeve and long-sleeve shirts—no hat or gloves—just a buff on my head.  The top 10 men are gone within the first quarter mile, and then there are us fearsome five and the top 10 women running in the same vicinity.  I settle into my usual pace and before the first aid station everyone else from the first wave as left me behind.  Then the faster runners from wave two catch me before the stream crossing.  A few of them pass me before the aid station.  The creek crossing was typical depth with no way of keeping my feet dry.  My pace on this section is spot on my goal pace, which I have planned to get me in just less than 17 hours.  Okay, so maybe my pace is a minute slow as I wanted to be at or below 45 minutes for this first section.  Regardless, section one is now complete.  I grab a cup of water and start the climb up to Petites Gap.

Mile 7.5      56:44 (14:11 avg./mile) Petites Gap

I run a fair bit of this section when the road is not too steep.  The men from the second wave passed me just before or soon after the first aid station, but the women from the second wave do not catch up to me until about three-quarters of the way up the mountain.  Sophie Speidel comes by me, and we chat about running her 11^th Hellgate.  It was only a couple of years ago that she said she was content with 10.  Her excuse is COVID as this is the first race she has run in over a year.  My goal on this section was less than an hour, and I am thrilled that I am back on pace.  Actually, I am now 2.5 minutes under my goal pace at this point.  My crew is not allowed to come to this aid station due to the staggered start, so I will get no dry shoes, no chocolate milk, and no bagel from Amy.  Instead, I grab two PB&J sandwich quarters and a small bag of potato chips.  The wonderful aid station workers have these all pre-packaged in small Ziploc bags.

Mile 13.1    1:32:36 (16:32 avg./mile) Camping Gap

The warm-up is now over, and it is time for some night-time technical trail!  I make good progress down the rocky trail and then continue to run well until the course comes out onto Hunting Camp Road, which is a dirt jeep trail that takes us back up, up, up to the next aid station.  During the climb, I talk with Janet Hausken, who is from Minnesota.  I only run a couple of times going up the hill, and I am pleasantly surprised to find myself at the aid station so quickly.  I guess good conversation does make the effort easier.  Rosie is working this aid station, so I know there will be some good food.  He does not disappoint as he has little cheese and sausage poppers each wrapped in tin foil.  I grab one of those along with a bag of Fritos and head down the trail.  My goal on this section was 1:35, so I am now five minutes ahead of my pace.

Mile 21.9    2:28:08 (16:50 avg./mile) Headforemost Mountain

I run conservatively on this section as I want to ensure I don’t press the pace too quickly.  Janet and I play leap frog a couple of times, but then she gets ahead of me for good when I take a squat in the woods.  Now, ordinarily this is not a critical event, and I have only had to do this at most one time during a Hellgate race, but this year I have been afflicted with hemorrhoids—there it is out there for everyone to know.  Therefore, I have to be careful not to over exert myself and cause bleeding.  That’s right:  my hemorrhoids like to bleed often.  For this dump, I complete it successfully with no bleeding.  I have not bled since November 13^th.  For most of this year my hemorrhoids have bled every week or two.  So, not bleeding for a month (insert jokes here) has been a true accomplishment leading up to this race.  I finish this section in great shape.  My run down to Overstreet Falls goes quickly as I led a bunch of runners through this tricky, rocky, downhill scramble.  My time at the spot of the original aid station is two minutes faster than my goal pace.  So far, this race is going as planned.  I grab some more PB&J sandwich quarters at this aid station, which is now a half mile further than the original location.

Mile 27.6    1:47:43 (18:54 avg./mile) Jennings Creek

Eating breakfast

Leaving the top of Headforemost Mountain, I get attacked by a huge sleep monster.  It is all I can do to keep from laying down and taking a nap.  Eventually, I take another squat in the woods (blood-free) and then link up with a couple of runners in order to get into some semblance of a flow.  As dawn emerges from the night darkness, my sleepiness subsides, and I roll into this aid station ready to really attack this race.  I finally get to see my crew, which means I get to eat a scrumptious, grilled bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich.  I wash it down with chocolate milk and in between bites and gulps I change into dry socks and shoes.  Life is grand!  My pace is seven minutes slower than my goal for this section, but this just puts me right back on my number overall.

Mile 34.5    1:54:47 (16:38 avg./mile) Little Cove Mountain

As I begin the climb out of the Jennings Creek valley, I catch up to Anne Pike, who lives in Crozet, but clearly started out her life in England.  We chat some as we move up and over the first climb on this section.  When we get to the downhill single track, I push it out a little, but Anne eventually catches up to me on the climb up to the aid station.  I am feeling pretty good at this point, but my time is not as quick as I would like.  My goal pace for this section was 1:50, so I am now a few minutes behind schedule.  At the aid station where Rosie is again working, I grab two of his sausage and cheese poppers and decide to give the Tailwind beverage (raspberry flavor) a try.  The raspberry flavor has caffeine in it, and that is the only caffeine choice other than Mountain Dew, Code Red. 

Mile 42.5    2:17:47 (17:13 avg./mile) Bearwallow Gap

Coming into Bearwallow Gap

Leaving Little Cove Mountain, I find myself running next to Justin Peake.  He is also trying to get in less than 17 hours, but he started 20 minutes after me.  So, he has a healthy 15+ minute cushion, whereas I am a few minutes behind.  Such is the reality of the wave start.  I am going to lose to every runner that I finish close to because almost all of them started after me.  The caffeine kicks in nicely, and I start rolling.  I am careful once again not to push the pace too hard.  Caffeine is awesome and has a definite effect on me since I rarely consume any.  The drawback is that I can only use it so much before the effects start to diminish.  I make my way through the devil trail unscathed and roll into the aid station having gained back a couple of minutes on my goal pace.  At the aid station, my wonderful crew has a grilled ham and cheese sandwich ready for me.  I wash it down with some more chocolate milk along with some CR01 (my own recipe from Infinit).  Then I make my way over to the aid station food table trying to find some more of the caffeinated Tailwind.  The aid station workers find a mostly empty pitcher that they pour into a small cup.  I hope this continues to work as well on the next section as it did on this one.

Mile 49.5    2:05:43 (17:58 avg./mile) Bobblets Gap

Soup at Bobblets Gap

Justin and Anne are just ahead of me as we leave Bearwallow Gap, but quickly they pull away from me.  I figure I just need to let me stomach digest a bit and allow some time for the caffeine to kick back in.  Unfortunately, it is a slow process for both the food and the drink.  I get to the top of the climb, and I feel like I need to squat in the woods again.  As it is now daylight with no foliage on the trees, I have to go farther from the trail.  My effort this time is fruitless, and that is not good at all.  Oh well, it is time to slug this section out and see where I am when I get to Bobblets Gap.  While I try to keep moving at a respectable pace, I catch my toe and hit the ground pretty hard.  I don’t think I have drawn any blood despite smacking the side of my face on the dirt.  I had caught my toe several times today, but was always able to save it.  Several minutes later, I roll my right ankle for the first time in this race, and I find myself on the ground again.  It hurts a fair bit since I haven’t rolled it in several weeks.  Picking myself up, I manage to finish the rest of this section without hurting myself anymore.  This section was not good, and I lost 10 minutes to my goal pace.  At the aid station as I eat the Ramen Amy has cooked for me, I lament that 17 hours is no longer in reach.  Amy tries to convince me not to give up hope, saying it is still possible even if it isn’t likely.

Mile 56.1    2:11:08 (19:52 avg./mile) Day Creek

I run all of the way down the 2.5 miles leaving Bobblets Gap.  I make this section in 31:12, which isn’t a bad time, but isn’t blazing either.  As I leave the nice dirt road and get back on a single track trail, I realize that I am leaking—blood of course and not from anything other than my rear end!  The back of my shorts are completely soaked in blood at this point.  Hemorrhoids are a literal pain in the rear, but that is not my main problem.  My main problem would be getting to the finish line before I lose too much blood.  Fortunately, as I hike and run through the forever section, the bleeding seems to not be getting worse as none of it is running down my legs and my shorts are not getting any wetter.  Also, it is nice to be wearing black shorts.  I struggle into the Day Creek aid station in not too bad of shape.  I actually ran this section only six minutes slower than my goal pace.  I sit down and let my rear end calm down a little while I drink some Coke and empty a rock out of my left shoe.  Now, I have exactly two hours before the 18 hour cut-off.  It is time to practice mind over matter—if I don’t mind, it doesn’t matter.  That is a great mantra, but everything still does matter!

Mile 62.4    1:39:33 (15:48 avg./mile) FINISH

Congratulations from Dr. Horton

I make the climb for the last crossing of the Blue Ridge Parkway in a decent time of 47:25—not bad for 2.8 miles up a steep climb.  As I cross the parkway, I start to trot down the hill, but my body and legs are not going to let me run freely at a good clip.  Instead, I am in a survival shuffle that is barely faster than a brisk walk.  It takes me 52:08 to “run” the last 3.5 miles!  However, that is good enough to get me across the line, under the cut-off for the 18^th time in 18 tries in the 18^th edition of this classically epic race.

Official Finishing Time          17:39:53

115^th out of 134 starters (118 finishers under 18 hours)

This year was almost ideal weather, although I like it a little cooler.  Despite the weather, my race this year provided a few other challenges.  First, I was not in as good of shape as I would have liked, and second, the hemorrhoids.  When I finish, I am in absolute pain.  Even after showering and changing into clean clothes, the pain is still rather intense as Amy and I drive to our hotel for the night.  I make it through the night without losing too much more blood.  I will ooze blood for two more days.  Yes, I did see a doctor on Tuesday so I have finally sought medical attention for the malady.

Given that health issue, I am not sure when I will race next.  The Mountain Mist 50k is in January, and the Mt. Cheaha 50k is in February—both in Alabama.  After that, I hope that Kettle Moraine is going to happen in 2021.  I have rolled over my 2020 entry to 2021.  So, maybe I will run a 50k or two or even a 50 miler this winter and spring.  Until then…

Never stop running,

Darin

Stump Jump 50k - A beautiful day without a crew

October 3

What a difference a year makes!  Last year, I ran this race for the first time with my son, Nathan.  He is a Navy helicopter pilot, and he drove through the night from Jacksonville, FL to run the race.  He was able to catch an hour or two of sleep in the back of his vehicle before the start, but his tiredness may have helped me finish in front of him by about 30 minutes.  This year, I haven’t run a race since January because of COVID, and Nathan is deployed on the USS Philippine Sea somewhere in the Middle East.

I have trained well this year, but there is no substitute for actually racing.  Initially in March I kept training, but due to nagging issues I took a few easy weeks.  Since May I have trained well, but I haven’t done many very long runs (30+ miles) this summer. I still feel good, and I have done a little taper for this race.  Of course, the taper was going well until my hockey game six days ago found my team with only eight skaters.  So, I skated very hard that night, and my legs might not be as fresh as they could be.  Regardless, the point of this race is training for future races.

The start is staggered—every minute 10 runners begin the race.  I am in the 11^th group of 10 runners, and we start at 7:41am.  The weather is cool in the 40s with clear skies.  I think it should be a great day!

Mile 4.9      59:35 (12:08 avg./mile) Edwards Point

I wear my mask for the first 20 yards and then stick it in my pack.  I am in the vicinity of a couple of runners, but never for long.  The start is actually nice as last year there was a lot of jostling during the first couple of miles.  Not so this year as I settle into a good pace.  I hit this first aid station right on time.  There is nothing except water and PowerAde at this aid station, so I don’t even pause as I pass through and continue on down the trail.

Mile 8.2      49:15 (14:55 avg./mile) Mushroom Rock #1

This section is more technical than the opening section, and as mentioned above, my legs are not as fresh as they could be.  It seems that my race rust is showing in my slower pace through this section than last year.  I am over three minutes slower than last year.  This aid station has pre-packaged food—mostly small bags of chips.  I grab a bag of potato chips and proceed to run down the hill out of the aid station.

Mile 14.2    1:40:13 (16:42 avg./mile) Indian Rock House

My slower pace on the technical trail continues for this section.  Actually this section is one of the hardest (if not the hardest) of the course.  There are a couple of climbs and two stream crossings.  Usually, there are bridges across both of these streams, but the bridge over the second stream was washed away a couple of weeks ago.  However, the water in the stream is low enough that I am able to cross the stream without getting my feet wet.  Regardless, my time for this section is almost eight minutes slower than last year.  Still, I am enjoying the day on the trails and getting a great workout in for my legs!  I grab another bag of chips at this aid station—this time Fritos as I quickly pass through the aid station.

Mile 16.7    38:15 (15:18 avg./mile) Snoopers Rock

I eat my bag of chips and make my way quickly to this next aid station.  This section is not too technical, and it is more downhill than up.  This is roughly the same time I had last year, and I hope this loop back to the Indian Rock House goes quickly.  I don’t grab any food at this aid station as I didn’t finish the bags of Fritos very long ago.

Mile 19.4    59:05 (21:53 avg./mile) Haley Road

Unlike the last section, this section of trail is definitely more uphill than down.  I am working hard to try and keep people from passing me.  Last year, I ran this section six minutes faster.  So, it is a hard, slow section, made even slower this year.  My lower legs are really feeling the fatigue.  I do manage to pass a runner or two on the last uphill section leading to the aid station.  I refill my Camelbak at this aid station.  The aid station worker has a pitcher in his hand that looks like water, but it has a little blue tint to it.  Apparently, the pitcher had just a little bit of PowerAde in it. 

Mile 22.8    50:10 (14:45 avg./mile) Mullins Cove Parking

Leaving the Haley Road aid station, I try to keep pace with a couple of other runners around me.  I am still running okay and am mostly keeping up with two of the runners around me.  However, when we enter the rock garden section, I slow down more than my fellow runners, and they leave me behind.  I focus hard on my foot work and keeping upright.  My goal is to not roll my ankle.  I do well in that regard, and soon another runner and I reach the Mullins Cove parking area.  I grab another bag of chips and drink a small cup of Coke.  I am hoping a little caffeine will help me keep the pace going.  My pace on this section was only 31 seconds slower than last year, so this was a good section for me.

Mile 29.3    2:12:22 (20:22 avg./mile) Mushroom Rock #2

Leaving Mullins Cove parking area, I smoothly and quickly get back to the Indian Rock House.  Now, it is a straight shot back towards the finish—I just have to retrace my steps from this morning.  A routine for this section occurs:  a few runners catch up to me.  I listen to their conversation until they pass me.  Then they quickly leave me behind.  I don’t think I caught any runners on this section.  Rather, it feels like I am drifting backwards in the field of runners.  While I am struggling to make good time, I am enjoying myself out here on this trail on such a beautiful day.  It is peaceful, and I am working hard.  My legs start to think about cramping before I make this final climb back up to Mushroom Rock.  I relax and steadily push each foot in front of the other.  I get to the aid station just before another lady coming up behind me.  I grab a cup of Coke and push out of the aid station quickly before she does.

Mile 31.2    16:17 (8:34 avg./mile) FINISH

I walk out of the last aid station and get about a minute of walking in before I hear the lady starting to run behind me.  I am not going to let her pass me without a fight.  I start my running and push the pace as much as my cramping legs will allow me.  In my effort to prevent her from passing me, I catch and pass three other runners.  By the time I make the final turn onto the paved road for the last few hundred yards to the finish, the lady is nowhere to be seen.  I push hard to the finish, not to improve my time, but rather to look good.

Official Finishing Time          8:25:12

138^th out of 223 starters (4^th of M50-59)

Last year when I finished, Martha was waiting for me, and I figured Nathan would only be about 15 minutes behind me.  It turned out that he was 32 minutes behind me.  This year, Nathan is deployed somewhere in the Middle East, and Martha stayed home as she wouldn’t have been able to go to any aid stations.  I manage to collect my complimentary beer and burrito, and then find a nice patch of grass to sit down and eat.  My final time is 32 minutes slower than my time last year, and it is 45 seconds slower than Nathan’s time last year.  It would have been a fun race if he were here.

I definitely had a lot of trail racing rust to knock off my legs.  My hockey game last week also didn’t help anything either.  However, this was still some great training.  Other than a few bumps, abrasions, and sore muscles, I am no worse for wear.  Hellgate is going to occur, and I need to focus on getting myself ready for that annual tradition.  In preparation for it, I am going to run the Natchez Trace 50 miler on November 7^th.  Until then…

Never stop running,

Darin

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Mountain Mist 50k – Plenty of Mud

January 25

2020 has gotten off to a varied start for me.  For the first week of January, I skied in Big Sky, Montana for five straight days.  I came back from there expecting to bounce back quickly.  Unfortunately, the bounce back wasn’t very quick, and I still have some lingering issues.  The issues are:  my right knee feels a little off, my left hip is talking to me some, and my shoulders are continually sore.  Nothing that rises to the level of true pain, but enough discomfort to make me a little worried.  I am looking forward to this race today to find out if any of these issues are something about which to be concerned.

This winter has been another wet one.  The past year plus has been wetter than normal with the only exception being the month of September.  The past few weeks have really been wet.  Fortunately, it is not going to rain on us today, but we did get a good soaking the past two days, so the course will be muddy.  The temperatures are supposed to be rather nice starting out in the mid-30s and possibly climbing into the low 40s.  I start the race with shorts, long and short sleeve shirts, hat, and light gloves.

Mile 5.9      1:00:09 (10:12 avg./mile) O’Shaughnessy Point

The course has been modified this year to remove Warpath, K2, and the Powerline section.  In place of this, we get to go down to Oak Park.  This first section, though, is basically the same as always.  I get off to a good start with no issues.  I am in a good position in the pack and have settled into a fairly comfortable pace.  The mud so far is not too bad.  At this aid station, I grab a handful of potato chips.  My hands were cold early on, but they are doing well now.

Mile 12.7    1:25:12 (12:32 avg./mile) Bankhead

This section is where the difference from previous years begins.  I am running well with my energy level still really high.  I am maintaining a good pace and managing (mostly) not to get caught behind slower runners.  We are still relatively bunched together as we go through the stone cuts.  However, there is no reason to hurry through this section.  About a mile out of the aid station, I find myself running with a lady named Kim.  One interesting bit of information about her is that she got into the Western States 100 on her first try in the lottery.  At this aid station, I am looking at the sandwich options when a worker offers to spread peanut butter on one of the jelly sandwich quarters.  I agree, picking up two sandwich quarters, and he spreads the peanut butter.  It isn’t exactly clean and neat, but most of the peanut butter gets eaten by me.

Mile 15.6    36:06 (12:27 avg./mile) Oak Park

After the aid station, it is nearly all downhill to Oak Park.  Kim and I chat about races we have run and ones that we want to run this year.  We are in a bunch of runners so the pace is not overly quick.  But, since is it still the first half of the race, I patiently bide my time.  At this aid station, my daughter, Amy is waiting for me with chocolate milk.  It is Promised Land Diary brand, and it is truly outstanding.  I drink about half of the quart bottle before thanking Amy and heading back onto the trail.  This aid station is interesting because it is beside a little league baseball field and in a neighborhood.  For the record, my halfway split time is 3:00:31.

Mile 21.7    1:28:42 (14:32 avg./mile) Old Railroad Bed

Kim hurried through the aid station ahead of me, and I find a new running partner to chat with as we climb up, up, and up some more from Oak Park.  Joe is from Tennessee, and he has only run a handful of ultras.  He asks me what my goal finishing time is, and I reply that I want to finish before 7 hours.  I then tell him that I think we are in excellent shape to make this happen since we made it through halfway in only 3 hours.  Joe and I run about half of the uphill, and then we are on the old Toll Bridge road.  It is nicely rocky.  Although we climbed up, there is more mud and water on the High Trail as we make our way to the next aid station.  I tell Joe that the mud will be worse in McKay’s Hollow.  He finds this hard to believe as we are sliding all over the place with the mud.  We get into this aid station in reasonable shape—that is not falling in the mud at any point.  I grab a couple of PB&J sandwich quarters along with a handful of potato chips.

Mile 25.5    1:03:40 (16:45 avg./mile) Trough Springs

Running the old railroad bed is ever so slightly downhill, but the problem is that it is extremely rocky as the rocks were left behind when the rails were removed.  I continue on a manageable pace telling Joe stories of races past.  When we finally make the left turn onto Waterline, it is time to start to push.  I pass a several people as I make my way up the waterfall on this trail.  When I get to the top, I start a slow shuffle to the aid station.  I am not sure where Joe is, but I suppose he will catch up.  At the aid station, I grab two cups of Coke and some potato chips.

Mile 29.7    1:09:10 (16:28 avg./mile) Rest Shelter

Soon after leaving the last aid station, Joe does indeed catch up, but then I trip and catch myself with my hands in the mud.  I do not yet feel the effects from the caffeine, so I encourage Joe to push on ahead.  I tell him to keep pushing at this point if he wants to get in before the 7 hour mark.  Several people pass me at this point before we start going down.  Once the downhill starts, I warm up to the task.  However, there are plenty of other runners in front of me, and I am not able to pass most of them until we get into McKay’s Hollow.  I get into a really good rhythm and start passing people at every turn.  I spy a gray-haired lady ahead of me and wonder if it is Sally Brookings.  Indeed it is, and soon thereafter, I catch back up to and pass, Joe.  He asks if we are still on pace, and my response is that I am.  When I start the last uphill climb, Joe is right behind me.  We get to the last aid station with about 17 minutes to reach our goal.  I grab only a cup of Coke before starting the final push to the finish.

Mile 31.3    16:58 (10:36 avg./mile) FINISH – Lodge

Joe and I start out the final section running together, but then he pushes a little ahead.  I am working very hard to keep a fast pace going.  Will it be fast enough?  Last year I did this final section in 16 minutes flat.  I don’t feel like I am going quite as fast this year.  I have my eye on the clock as I make one last scramble across a small wooden bridge.  Coming up the other side of the bridge, I trip one last time, but quickly scramble up and manage to get across the finish line in the nick of time!

Official Finishing Time          6:59:57

151^st out of 397 starters

This is my fourth finish at this race, and it is my slowest to date.  However, with the change in the course making it a little slower, combined with the healthy dose of mud, I am completely happy with my time and especially my effort.  It was a fun day to be out in the woods running with almost 400 of my closest friends.  Joe managed to get in with over a minute to spare, and we share our congratulations and thanks with each other.

Typically, my next race would be Mt. Cheaha 50k in February, but I have decided not to do that one this year as my adult hockey league playoffs may conflict.  I also want to ensure I fully recover and am able to get in some hard training before I go skiing for another week in March.  So, my next race is going to be the Cooter Creek 50 miler near Charleston, South Carolina on April 11.  This is the inaugural running of this race, and it is already advertised as a bit long at 52.69 miles.  Hopefully, it will go well and be a great workup for my 100 miler in June at Kettle Moraine.  Until then…

Never stop running,

Darin

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