August 19
Last year I attempted this race for the first time. The weather was warm, and I wasn’t prepared,
mentally or physically, for the steep climbs and descents. My buddy, James, ran the race as well and
finished in 13 hours and change.
Unfortunately, I dropped 
Ready to go
out at 50 miles. My stomach had gone south after mile 29, and
I was truly struggling on the climbs.
This year, I am considerably more prepared. Peter is back with me to crew again, and I
have done extensive climbing in the heat to prepare for this event. Three weeks ago, I ran the Priest and Three
Ridges in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia with the temperature topping out
at 95 degrees. The other change for this
race is that I am trying out a new electrolyte drink. After trying most of the products on the
market since I ran out of my supply of Conquest, I am now mixing my own. This will be the first race I am trying this,
but I have been using it for the past couple of months.
Today’s weather starts with temperatures in the mid-50s with strong
winds. It is rather chilly with the
wind-chill probably in the 40s. I bear
the coolness, starting the race with just a short-sleeve shirt, shorts, and a
buff on my head. After a scare with my
headlamp not turning on, I roll the batteries and get the thing to turn
on. It is just after 4am when the race
director gives the start command, and 191 of us are off and running!
Mile
6.2 1:29:26 (14:25 avg./mile) Cutler,
141st place
I
run this first section in the dark following along with many other runners, who
are just settling in for this long day.
The cut-off is 20 hours so we have to finish before midnight. About four miles into the race, I stop to
take a leak. When I resume running, I am
by myself, and it is very dark without any other runners and their lights. I quickly catch back up to the tail of a line
of runners and then we are to this first aid station. There is only water and drinks so I pass
right through after ensuring my number is recorded.
Sunrise!
Mile
12.6 1:27:51 (13:44 avg./mile) Naples
Creek, 139th place
 |
| Coming into Naples Creek |
Mile
16.7 1:19:49 (19:28 avg./mile) The
Sneaker, 149h place
Leaving
Naples Creek begins the steepest, toughest, and longest climb of the
course. It starts with some reasonable
switchbacks before the switchbacks end and the trail proceeds straight up the
mountain beside a gulch. It seems like
the makers of this trail don’t really believe in switchbacks. A climb will start with a few, but then toss
the idea of switchbacks to the side like an old t-shirt. On this section, I meet a lady running her
first ultra. Her name is Jackie, and she
is from Pittsburgh, but now lives in Colorado Springs. She is a good climber, but I usually get
ahead of her on the descents, but we stick together for most of this
section. Meanwhile, John leaves us
behind on the climb to the no-crew aid station.
My time was slow on this section, and I lost some places, but I am
satisfied with how I feel so far.
Mile 21.1 1:00:20 (13:43 avg./mile) Italy Valley, 150th place
Jackie and I make our way along the trail, and she learns about my ultra-history. I introduce her to each runner we encounter along the way making sure that I mention that she decided to pick a nice, smooth, easy race for her first ultra (not!). There is a fair bit of road on this section, and I am able to make very good time. I lose Jackie on the last descent to the aid station. I grab some potato chips at the aid station as they don’t have any PB&J sandwich quarters.
Mile 27.8 1:46:29 (15:54 avg./mile) The Lab, 147th place
This
section starts with a long climb, but fortunately it isn’t too steep. Jackie catches back up to me before the climb
ends, and we stick together for the rest of the section. At some point on a road portion, there is a
person in a blow-up dinosaur suit. They
were here last year, and I guess a little humor doesn’t hurt even though I am
not sure why they come out in that outfit to cheer us on. The weather is just perfect. There isn’t a cloud in the sky and the breeze
is steady and cool. It feels like I am
missing a college football game somewhere.
I get into the aid station, and Peter is waiting for me with a grilled
egg, bacon, and cheese sandwich. I eat
about 80% of it and wash it down with my new drink that I am calling CR02. I am slightly ahead of last year’s pace to
this aid station, but the course is apparently a little shorter to this point. The course changes slightly each year based
on the availability of the private lands that some of the course uses. Last year at this point, it was getting quite
warm, and I took off my shirt at this aid station. This year, I think it is still in the 60s so
the shirt stays on for now.
Coming into The Lab
Mile
34.2 1:47:30 (16:48 avg./mile) Patch,
143rd place
I
find myself alone for the start of this section. I am not sure if Jackie is ahead or behind
me. I am still running conservatively as
I know there are plenty of tough climbs and sections come. Also, I am not quite yet to halfway, although
I am approaching it quickly. About
halfway through this section, I catch up to Jackie. She stays with me for a little bit, but then
I gap her on a downhill. This is the
last time I will see her in this race. I
am still feeling good as I get into this no-crew aid station. I am looking for something to eat and grab
some more potato chips. They had some
candy and such, but nothing more than that.
I have picked up a few places, and I am now nine minutes ahead of my
pace from last year. At this point last
year, my stomach was heading south quickly at this point.
Mile
38.8 1:17:12 (16:47 avg./mile) Bud
Valley, 136th place
I
leave the Patch feeling good even if I am a little hungry. My pace is remaining smooth and steady while
I start to catch and pass other runners.
There is another paved road section that is gently downhill for the
better part of a mile. I catch up to a
couple that lives in New York City, but are originally from Poland. Their names are Marcin and Joanna. I talk with them a little bit as we are
working hard up another steep climb.
After besting that climb, we descend quite a bit to the aid
station. Last year, I walked down the
hill, but this year I am rolling along nicely.
Peter is again ready for me, this time with a grilled ham and cheese
sandwich. Well, actually it is more
toasted as he made the sandwich three hours ago in the house we are renting for
the weekend. In order to keep it from
getting soggy, he didn’t grill it with butter and didn’t wrap it. It is still edible, and I eat about
three-quarters of it while washing it down with chocolate milk. I trade out my Camelbak, change my shoes and
socks, and forget to drink some CR02.
Mile
45.9 1:58:59 (16:45 avg./mile)
Glenbrook, ? place
This
section is the first place that runners can pick up a pacer. So, many runners with their fresh pacer pass
me initially. After a couple of miles, I
pass all of them back as their excitement of running with their pacer
fades. This section starts with a stupid
climb up a dried up creek bed. There is
a jeep trail offset from the trail by about 20-30 yards, but I guess we need to
struggle with the rocks and uneven footing in the creek bed. When Peter gave me my fresh Camelbak, he
comments that it is damp, but he thinks it is just from condensation as he says
he checked to ensure the lid on the bladder isn’t leaking. Unfortunately, I think there is a slow leak
as it is dripping continually down onto my shorts, which are now drenched. This section would be quicker, but there is a
long portion in a low area that makes its way across several creek crossings
with uneven footing. About a mile and a
half from the aid station I catch up to John for the first time in hours. He has a pacer with them, and they are making
good time power hiking. But, I am making
better time as I am running the flats and downhills. There will be plenty of time to run hard
later I am sure. I have been taking a
salt tablet every four hours as the weather is relatively cool. Thus, I am just taking my third salt tablet
about 30 minutes before I get to this aid station. I also drain my Camelbak just before I get to
the aid station, confirming that it was leaking. Peter is ready for me with a full, dry
Camelbak, and I take a croissant washing it down with several ounces of
CR02. As I am leaving Peter asks me
twice if I want my headlamp, but I am confident I will see him again before
darkness.
Mile
50.7 1:42:16 (21:18 avg./mile) Lake
David, 120th place
My thinking on not taking the headlamp was that it was only 10 miles to when I will see Peter again. However, upon further review, it is actually 12.5 miles. I still feel reasonably sure that I will make it to Urbana before darkness sets in as it is 4:07pm. That gives me over four hours to traverse the distance. Soon after departing Glenbrook, I catch up to Dave Sayers. He is having a rough time, and I slow down to chat with him a bit. He said he started out running with one of the top three women for the first 19 miles. Then he slowed down and began throwing up, which he says has continued until now. Dave is trying to qualify for the Western State 100 lottery, but he doesn’t know much about the lottery, so I fill him in on the details. I still run the downhills, but keep a steady pace and walk the flats (and uphill sections, of course). Dave and I stay together most of this section until the course makes the final downhill portion before a stupid steep uphill trek that figuratively killed me last year. I gap Dave on the downhill, leaving him with a few other runners that had caught up to the back of our train. When I get the road crossing, there are two runners coming back towards me on the road as they missed picking up the trail on the other side of the road. I power into the stupid steep climb, topping it in about 10 minutes. Then it is a nice loop around the lake to the aid station. I eat a dried out cheese quesadilla at this no-crew aid station and top off my Camelbak.
Mile
55.9 1:51:03 (21:21 avg./mile)
Mitchellsville, 124th place
Leaving the aid station, there are a handful of runners in my vicinity. Before too long, Dave catches back up to me. I wasn’t expecting any more tough climbs until the last section, but there are two more stupid steep climbs on this section. Neither is very long, but these things are getting rather old. Dave is ahead of me when we begin a stupid steep descent leading to the aid station. About two-thirds the way down the hill, there is a runner walking down backwards using a stick as a hiking pole. Three or four of the runners in front of me, including Dave, stop to ask the guy if he needs help. I pass right on by as I hear him say his IT band has flared up. There isn’t anything we can do for him, and he is less than a quarter of a mile from the aid station. I get into this no-crew aid station and sit down. I decide to start with a cup of Coke and a couple of small potatoes. I eat the first one, but then one of the aid station workers offers me a chocolate chip muffin. I toss the second potato, gobble down the muffin, and then rise from the chair to go finish this race.
Mile
58.4 0:51:00 (20:24 avg./mile) Urbana,
125th place
Sitting for a few minutes gives me a slight chill, but the chill fades quickly as I start moving. The sun is setting and I have to make these next 2.5 miles quickly before darkness descends completely. This section is mostly downhill on mostly smooth trail, although there are some roots on the trail, and most of the way there is a deep canyon to the left. One good trip on a root could send a runner careening in the wrong direction! After exiting from the trees, the course traverses a vineyard and then enters the town of Urbana. It is mostly dark as I make my way into town, but I find Peter waiting on me at the aid station. It is 8:30pm, and it is pretty dark. I guess New York is nearer the east side of the Eastern Time zone than the west. I drink plenty of CR02 and eat another croissant, while I get a full Camelbak and get my headlamp rigged up.
The last mountain to climb in the background
Mile
64.0 2:16:33 (24:23 avg./mile) FINISH
Beginning the climb, I catch up with Kim who is from Wisconsin. She has her whole family out here crewing for her—husband, son, and daughter. We had seen each other at various times today, but had never had a chance to talk. As she is comfortable following my lead in the dark, we stay together for the majority of the climb. When we get on top and begin a series of PUDs (Pointless Ups and Downs), Marcin and Joanna catch up to us. They are content to stay behind us for a while, but then ask to pass. When they pass, Kim decides to tag along with them, and I am left to stumble through the darkness by myself. I don’t mind being by myself in the dark, but I do consider taking a caffeine pill that would give me more pep to probably keep up with the three in front of me. However, I decide not to as my stomach isn’t feeling great, and I don’t see much purpose. I am going to finish under 19 hours, and it doesn’t really matter to me if it is 10 minutes quicker. Finally, I reach a dirt road that goes downhill that I think is going to lead me to the finish, but after less than a mile the course turns back onto a single-track trail. And, this section is the most technical part of the race. It is rocky and muddy, and there are more than one mostly dry creek beds that have to be traversed. All of this time, we can see the finish area down below us! Finally, I get to the last couple of switchbacks that then lead to the road crossing. On the other side of the road is the finish after we run a wide loop through a grass field.
131st
out of 191 starters (158 finishers under 20 hours)
In case
anyone reading this is wondering, this race is hard. With near perfect weather this year, it was
still a hard race that wore me out with the plethora of stupid steep
climbs. I was well prepared for the race
this year after dropping out at mile 50 last year, but there were still some
surprise stupid steep climbs that I wasn’t expecting. I am nicely satisfied with my time. Finishing this race in under 20 hours is a
Western States qualifier. I already had
a qualifier from Hellgate last year, but I still feel good about finishing this
one with over an hour to spare. My next
race is The Stump Jump 50k in Chattanooga on October 7. Until then…
Never stop
running,
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