December 9
Another
year is coming to an end, and for at least one more time, I am competing in the
Hellgate 100k on the second Saturday in December. This is my 21st
Hellgate. My times have ranged from 15:53 in 2007 to 17:50 in 2003.
Last year I was able to finish under 17 hours and get an early qualifier in my
pocket for the Western States 100 lottery. Speaking of which, I had 32
tickets in the WS lottery last weekend and did not get drawn.
I
flew my plane up from Huntsville, Alabama this morning to Orange, Virginia
where my son, Nathan, picked me up. He is crewing for me for the fourth
time, but the first time since 2015. At the pre-race briefing, Horton has
me give a weather report. I talk about how this is not going to be real
Hellgate weather and might be the most sissy-gate weather Hellgate has ever
had. The low tonight is forecasted to be around 35 and the high tomorrow
is supposed to exceed 60. There is a minimal chance of fog. What I
failed to mention in my report was that there was only a slight chance of rain
before the end of the race. The rain is forecasted to develop after
midnight on Sunday morning, which may be an issue for me flying back to Alabama,
but will not affect the race.
Ready for the Midnight Start
A
good weather forecaster seems to be wrong 50% of the time. The
temperature at the start is 30. I am concerned that it may get colder,
but the forecasts are still saying that the low is only going to be 35.
So, the forecast is wrong, but they are sticking to it! Given all of my
available information, I decide to stick with my clothing plan for the
start—shorts, long & short sleeve shirts, thin hat, and thin gloves.
Surprisingly, I don’t feel too cold standing around at the start. We sing
the National Anthem, Horton says a prayer, and we are off for the 21st time!
Mile 3.5 46:44 (13:21 avg./mile) FSR 35
I
run all of this first section with Jeff Garstecki. He is one of us five
that have finished all 20 Hellgate races. His dad passed away on Tuesday,
and he said it was looking doubtful that he would make it to the race.
However, due to scheduling conflicts that the cemetery, the burial had to be
done Thursday. We talk the whole section, mostly about the last few months
with him being the primary caretaker for his dad in hospice care.
There was a fire around these first two sections, and Horton had great concern
that the course would have to be changed for this year, but a week ago the
forest service allowed the race to proceed on the original course.
Because of the fire, the fire break that the course follows for most of these
first 3.5 miles has been regraded, and it is much smoother. Jeff and I
run comfortably, and I figure that we are making good time since the trail is
so smooth. When we get to the creek crossing around mile 3, I manage to
rock hop across without getting my feet wet. The water is still low and
there is no ice on the rocks. This is only the fourth time in 21 years
that I haven’t gotten my feet wet. I thought my time would be quicker,
but this is the same time I have had the last couple of years.
Mile
7.5 55:12 (13:48 avg./mile) Petites
Gap
I
continue to run with Jeff as we start the climb to Petites. We run the
first half and then I take a walk break. Jeff continues on, and I wish
him well. I see Lanier Greenhaw, who is also from Alabama, and we catch
up a bit. I power hike and shuffle into the aid station in great
time. Nathan is ready, but I only need some chocolate milk and half of a
bagel. The temperature is remaining in the 30s, and I am dressed
perfectly.
Mile
13.1 1:39:41 (17:48 avg./mile) Camping
Gap
I
cross the parkway and begin the initial descent with half of a bagel in my
hand. The course is dry and the leaves are not too deep so I am able to
run well. My ankles seem to be stronger this year, and I don’t think I
have twisted my ankle in the last couple of months. Lanier passed me when
I stopped to pee. Then I returned the favor when he stopped just before
we make the right turn off of the grassy, rocky road. From here to the
jeep road there are two stream crossings, which are usually challenging to
navigate without getting my feet wet, but this isn’t the case this year.
There is no mud and little water. At some point I do take my first fall
of the race, but fortunately, I land in some soft leaves. I make it
safely the rest of the way to the jeep road that will take me 3 miles up to the
next aid station. There are several people in my vicinity as I start
(mostly) power hiking up the road. One of the runners is Jesse Meadows,
who I had not met before today. Other runners that I remember from this
section are Dan Broom and Sheryl Wheeler. I enjoy some conversation and
before I know it we are passing through the gap and at the aid station. I
get some cheesy tots from Rosie, and they are awesome! I scarf them down,
and then grab a pancake as I leave the aid station. My time on this
section is a few minutes slower than my goal as I wanted this section time to
be 1:35.
Mile
21.9 2:31:03 (17:10 avg./mile)
Headforemost Mountain
I
am munching on a pancake as I begin the grassy road section, which is part of
the Promise Land 50k. This section rolls up and down and goes on for a
long time. I am moving along with Lanier again when we see the moon
rising off to our left. The moon is only a thin crescent, but since it is
just rising, it is a deep red. It feels like I am making good time as I
feel good. I got a lot of good sleep this week, and I am not sleepy at
all. Most of the way through the grassy road section, we pass a lady that
is running the race, but she is sitting on the side of the trail. I think
she is trying to take a catnap, but clearly she doesn’t have much experience
doing this during a race as I have learned you need to get off the trail so
each runner that comes along doesn’t ask you if you are okay. When I
passed her I was slightly distracted, stepped in a hole, and fall once
more. Fortunately, there is no harm done, and I am quickly back up and
moving forward. Around 1:31 into this section, I finally finish the
grassy road section and begin the Apple Orchard section. There are a
couple of guys following me at this point. I lead them up and over the
Apple Orchard and then begin the technical downhill to Overstreet Falls.
I am moving very well, and I pass a few runners. When I get to Overstreet
Falls, I start the hike up to Headforemost, and Lanier catches up to me within
a couple of minutes. Dan is with me as well as I press the pace to the
top. I mark my time on this section at the location of the original aid
station at the top as opposed to where it is now down the road less than a mile
at Floyd’s Field. I was really hoping to be under 2:30 for this section,
but instead I have given up another few minutes to my goal pace.
Fortunately, I sketched out my goal pace at 16:34, so I have some wiggle room
to still be able to finish before 17 hours.
Mile
27.6 1:38:19 (17:15 avg./mile) Jennings
Creek
 |
| Breakfast at Jennings Creek |
Mile
34.5 1:52:06 (16:15 avg./mile) Little
Cove Mountain
Hiking
out of Jennings Creek, I join up with Don Knight, who along with 4-5 others
(including Sarah) are from Pittsburgh. I always enjoy meeting people from
Pittsburgh as I went to college there at Carnegie Mellon. He says Sarah
is insane with all of the 100+ runs she has done. We power hike together to
the top and then I let Don lead going down the hill. I catch back up to
him on the way to the Little Cove Mountain aid station. I feel slightly
sleepy, but not bad. The weather continues to be cool, probably in the
40s with clouds gently moving into the area. At the aid station, I eat
two PB&J sandwich quarters and grab a bag of Doritos to eat on the
run. I wash it down with a cup of sweet tea. This is the first
caffeine I have had during the race, and I figure I need to keep the sleepiness
away and pick the pace up a little if I am going to finish within 17
hours. On the other side of aid station, Rosie has some hot food, but I
already ate so I pass on anything more.
Mile
42.5 2:21:38 (17:42 avg./mile)
Bearwallow Gap
The
sweet tea takes effect, and I am running very well on the rolling grassy road
section. For the first 30 minutes or so, I see no one at all. Then
near the end of the grassy road section before it becomes single track again, I
spy a runner ahead of me and two coming up behind me. The two behind me
are a surprise because I thought I was moving really well. As the single
track starts, the two behind me (I think they were Anne Pike and Sheryl
Wheeler) get ahead of me, but then I stay with them for a while before I pass
them back. Around 10:00, rain begins to fall. The forecast had rain
developing after midnight, so this is only 14 hours early. I left Little
Cove Mountain at 9:23. So that is when my caffeine intake began.
Now, an hour later, I decide to pop a caffeine pill as I want to maintain the
pace I am on. It is 10:27. I leave the two ladies behind (for now)
and press forward through the new section and towards the devil trail. As
I reach the devil trail, I catch Chad Cato. He follows me through the terribly
rocky section. At times I can hear the other runners behind me, but I
keep the pace as well as I can. When I cross the creek at the end of the
devil trail portion, there is no one close behind me. I run most of the
last mile from there into the aid station. Nathan has a hot grilled
cheese sandwich ready and waiting for me. I sit down to eat it and drink
a healthy amount of CR02. Charlie Hesse comes over to chat, and we talk
about the weather mostly. He says it is supposed to stop at 1:00pm.
I hope this forecast is correct. My goal pace was to get here before
11:30, so I am about 15 minutes behind schedule. I am going to have to
have a good last third to finish before 17 hours. I keep the same shoes
on since it is raining. I haven’t gotten my feet wet during any stream
crossings, but the rain has made them damp. Before I leave the aid
station, I see Lanier arrive.
Mile
49.5 1:56:09 (16:24 avg./mile) Bobblets
Gap
There
is a healthy climb leaving Bearwallow, and I conquer it well. This is a
great indication that my legs are strong and should be up for the
challenge. I encounter only a few runners on this section. They
include Chad and Dan Broom and a lady runner with a pacer. Near the end
of this section before dropping down to the road that leads into the aid
station, I catch up with Kathleen Cusick. She is struggling, but working
hard. Usually, Kathleen is far ahead of me. I think this is the
first time I have chatted with her during a race. I stay with her into
the aid station. The rain does indeed stop at 1pm, and the sun even peeks
through the clouds at times. On the climb on the road into the aid
station, there are several other runners in my vicinity, and I pop my second
caffeine pill to keep the heart rate up. At the aid station, Nathan has
Ramen ready for me. I sit down and eat the whole serving. I leave
the aid station, grabbing a donut hole from the table. I am now 26
minutes behind my goal pace, and now have zero margin for getting under 17
hours. It is going to be close, but only if I can run the next section
faster than I have in years.
Mile
56.1 2:00:07 (19:02 avg./mile) Day
Creek
With
a full belly, I start the trotting down the hill on the dirt road. I
quickly catch and pass a few runners that snuck ahead of me while I was sitting
in the aid station eating Ramen. Then I really get the legs turning over
as I try to catch back up to Chad. It takes me most of this 2.5 mile
section to catch up to Chad. I cover this section in 27 minutes, which is
as fast as I have ever run this portion. After 50 miles, I can still run
miles faster than 11 minutes when I have gravity helping me! Chad follows
me closely on the single track trail as we chat a little. We pass Larry
Huffman on the first climb and then roll through the in and outs, small stream
crossings, and ups and downs. We drop down into the little
evergreen portion which tells me we are really close to the end of this
section, so I pop one more caffeine pill hoping to fend off any
slowdowns. We meet someone walking out from the aid station, and she
tells us we are 0.2 miles away. Heck, I can see the aid station at this
point. I finish this section faster than I have since 2008. I strip
off my two shirts and put on a short-sleeve thin gray shirt. I pushed
hard on the last section, and I will have to push really hard on this last
section. I leave the aid station at 3:41pm. I have 78 minutes for
the last 6.3 miles. Last year I covered this section in 83 minutes.
But, my best time on this last section came in 2010 as I was paced by my
daughter, Amy, in 64 minutes.
Mile
62.4 1:37:51 (15:32 avg./mile) FINISH
I
drink several ounces of Coke and eat a handful of potato chips at the aid
station. I start the last climb power hiking, catching and passing four
other runners on my way to the top at the parkway. I hit the gate in 15
minutes flat. This is about a third of the way to the top so I know I am
moving well. I continue moving well, but feel a slight fade as I approach
the top. I cross the parkway in 43 minutes, which is 3 minutes faster
than last year, and now just have to run downhill at 10 minutes per mile.
Somehow I was able to do that last year. I try to start running, but all
I can manage is a slow shuffle. Darn it! There is no response from
my body. I shuffle the two miles to the gate in 32 minutes and know that
under 17 hours isn’t going to happen this year. At the gate with 1.5
miles to go, I am but a couple of minutes before 17 hours. The four
runners I passed on the climb pass me back on the descent. However, I
manage to keep running slowly all the way to Camp Bethel. Even though I
won’t have a qualifier for WS, I am easily under the cut-off for finishing this
race in under 18 hours. Horton does his usual announcements about 21
times starting, and 21 times finishing. All 5 of the Fearsome Five have
finished for at least one more year.
Official
Finishing Time 17:18:50
106th
out of 140 starters (118 finishers under 18 hours)
21st Hellgate Finish
Before my ACL
injury in 2012, I rarely took any caffeine at this race before Day Creek.
Since then I have found that caffeine does very well at keeping my energy
up. Unfortunately, there is a limit to how many times I can go to the
“well.” In hindsight, I went to the well too early and too often.
My legs stayed strong throughout, but I lost my edge at the end. My
training and racing were good this year, but I think I need to be more
disciplined with the caffeine during races.
Despite not
hitting my top goal, I am still very satisfied to finish this race once
again. I now turn my focus to getting my WS qualifier for 2024 at another
race. My targets are Kettle Moraine in June and Twisted Branch in
August. Before then I plan to run the Red Eye on January 1, Mountain Mist
near the end of January, Mount Cheaha in February, and Bull Run Run with Nathan
in April. Here’s hoping my soon to be 55 year old body holds up! Until next time…
Never stop
running,
Darin
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