September 20
 |
| Ready for the Challenge |
This race has a required gear list that every runner has to carry with
them. It includes a pack with water
carrying capacity, cell phone, collapsible cup, headlamp with extra batteries,
food (recommended 800 calories), hooded jacket, and head gear (e.g., hat, buff,
beanie). Given all of this gear, one
might think that there are no aid stations.
No, not really, there are nine aid stations with the largest gap between
aid stations around 10 miles. Right
after the race handbook says we have to carry a cell phone, it says that crews
are advised to download the local maps as cell coverage is very spotty on the
course. It all makes sense to me!
Mile
5.7 1:08:51 (12:05 avg./mile) Lick
Run 1
The
race starts on time at the top of the hour, sort of. The 30 or so elite runners get to start at 6am. The rest of us peasants get to file through a
narrow gate opening one at a time. This
might have made sense if the course started on a single-tracked trail. However, this is not the case as the first
section is either on a gravel or paved road.
We have almost six miles to get ourselves all spread out before the tighter
trail running begins. I spend this time
running easy, but focused. I walk the
uphill sections making good time to this first check point. At this aid station, crews are not allowed,
and I walk straight through without stopping.
Mile
11.4 1:23:37 (14:40 avg./mile) Wolf
Ridge
A
steep climb greets us as we leave the first aid station. The single-track trail goes up steeply, and we
are bunched in a conga line. After the
climb, the trail becomes the nicest, gradual downhill. I make good time on this section with the
clean trail. I hope the trail remains
this nice. Near the end of this section,
the lead 50k runners start passing us.
They started one hour after us.
At this aid station, I get my Camelbak refilled with chlorinated city
water (why would I hope/expect that my $394 entry fee might get us bottled
drinking water?) and grab a PB&J rollup wrap.
Mile
21.0 2:36:48 (16:20 avg./mile) Sand
Spring
The
serious climbing begins as I leave the Wolf Ridge aid station. The climb is not too steep. The climb is over 2,000 feet, but it is
spread over six miles. There isn’t much
breeze this morning, but it is still relatively cool, probably no more than 70
degrees at this point. I make the climb
in great shape and run downhill for over 2,000 feet to arrive at this third aid
station. Along the way, I strike up a
conversation with the runner behind me, Brendan, who is from
Charlottesville. Since he is from Charlottesville,
I ask him if he knows Sophie Speidel. Of
course he knows her; all of the ultrarunners in town know her. This is another crews aren’t allowed aid
station. I drink a small cup of pickle juice—wait
I thought the reason I was required to carry a collapsible cup was because it
was a cup less race. Then I eat a
handful of potato chips. I also refill
my Camelbak to about half full to ensure I don’t run out of water before the
next aid station.
Mile
25.2 1:05:41 (15:38 avg./mile) North
River Gap 1
This section is on a gravel road and the majority of it is actually downhill. I had predicted that I would get to this aid station where I would see Caleb for the first time between 12:20pm and 12:45pm. With the nice road on the first section, and now this gravel road section, I arrive at 12:08pm. Caleb was planning on getting here at 11:30am, but miscalculated how long it would take and how far he would have to park from where the aid station is. Therefore, he had just gotten to the aid station a couple of minutes before me. The table and chair were set up, so I sat down on the chair and look over to see if he has a grilled egg, bacon, and cheese ready for me. That would be a big no. No problem, there is a nice aid station worker who offers to go fetch me some food. He comes back with French toast sticks, bacon, and syrup. I eat the four or five sticks, but only one of the several slices of bacon and wash it down with some chocolate milk. While he was gone, I transferred my cell phone and headlamp to the other Camelbak that Caleb had expertly made ready for me, and I also change my shoes and socks. I had a rock in one of the shoes and I figured it couldn’t hurt to change shoes and socks at this point. I also add the ice bandana to my load, and the ice feels very cold, but that is the point after all. I leave the aid station at 12:15pm giving me 45 minutes on the cut-off to this point.
Mile
30.9 1:51:51 (19:37 avg./mile) Lookout
Mountain
The
day is warming up quickly and is well into the 70s at this point. It is supposed to top out around 80
degrees. The ice keeps me cool, but I
want to make sure I keep my pace smooth and steady. This section has about 1,600 feet of climb
with only 500 feet of descent. Needless
to say, my pace is slower on this section.
At the crewless aid station, I am looking for a porta john but there isn’t
one. I grab a few chips and proceed
forward. I figure I might have to squat
in the woods someplace at some point, but for now, I am okay. There is no cut-off at this aid station as it
really is in the middle of nowhere.
Mile
38.1 2:13:43 (18:34 avg./mile) Magic
Moss
Leaving
the aid station, I ask a volunteer how far it is to the next one. He gives me a full breakdown—it is about 1,100
feet up and then over 1,400 feet down with a total distance of 7.2 miles. Perfect, let’s get down to Magic Moss so that
I can then get to Camp Todd where the real work begins. During this section, I chat some with Miles who
is running his first ultramarathon today.
I make it over this section without having to dive into the woods, but upon
arriving at the aid station, I proceed immediately into the porta john. It takes me a few minutes to address that
issue before returning to my Camelbak. I
refill the Camelbak with a little help from the nice aid station workers, but I
don’t eat much as I know I want to eat solid food at the next aid station.
Mile
43.1 1:26:24 (17:17 avg./mile) Camp
Todd
Miles
and I traverse this section together. It
is all on a gravel road, and we are content to walk most of it since only a
little bit is downhill. Miles is 33
years old and his wife is pregnant with their first child, who is due near the
end of October. His wife insisted that
he had a crew person so that they could whisk him to the hospital quickly if
she happened to go into labor early. At
this aid station, Caleb is well prepared.
He has a grilled ham and cheese sandwich wrapped in tin foil for me
along with a perfectly prepared Camelbak.
I swapped out the phone and the headlamp. I drink a little CR02 and about a cup of
Coke. This is the first caffeine I have
taken in today, and I am counting on it to give me a boost for this next
section. I leave the aid station several
minutes before Miles.
Filling up at Camp Todd
Mile
52.8 3:39:29 (22:38 avg./mile) North
River Gap 2
The
air is still and humid as I leave the aid station and make my way across a mostly
dried up riverbed. This is the only time
so far that there was even a chance of getting my shoes wet. On the other side, the trail begins its
ascent. The trail will rise almost 2,500
feet before I will see anything going down.
I left the last aid station at 5:46pm, which was over 13 minutes ahead
of the cut-off time. I have 3 hours and
13 minutes to complete these almost 10 miles.
The elevation gain occurs in the first three miles of this section. Near the end of the climb, Miles catches up
to me, and I figure we are in good shape.
It is now over 3,000 feet down and about seven miles. Thunderstorms have been rumbling around us off
and on for the last several hours. As we
get to the top in an hour and a half, the thunder is getting closer. I turn on my headlamp and start the downhill
portion. I think I am making good time,
but Miles is worried about making the cut-off so he presses on ahead as the
rain begins to fall. The rain started
slowly, but picked up quickly. Soon, the
lightning is illuminated the trail and the thunder is shaking the ground
beneath my feet. A few 100 milers and
their paces catch up to me, and they follow me down the trail that is now a
creek. Splashing through the water, I
manage to keep myself upright somehow, but my feet do slide across and down a
few rocks along the way. As my watch nears
the three-hour mark on this section, I am expecting (hoping?) that the aid
station is just around the next corner. At
one point, I see several lights up ahead, but it is just other runners. My hopes begin to fade as I see my watch tick
towards the 9pm cut-off time for this next aid station. I don’t look at my watch for several minutes
hoping that the race official will be a little lenient on the cut-off
time. Finally, at 9:26pm I finally make
it to the aid station. The nice race official
asks me how I am doing. My response is
that I am okay, just too slow. He
confirms that I am well over the cut-off.
I unpin my bib number and hand it to him, and he asks if I need a
ride. Nope, Caleb is standing right next
to me with a cup of Ramen ready for me.
My drop point
Total
Time 15:26:24—26 minutes over the cut-off
time
263 starters (147
finishers under 18 hours)
Nothing
wagered, nothing gained. This attempt
was all about trying to get a qualifier for the Western States lottery in December. I have failed on my fourth attempt to get a
qualifier, so I will not be in the lottery this year. The good news is that I don’t lose my ticket
status. So, when I run a qualifier next
year, I will have 128 tickets in the lottery.
I thought I had a good chance of getting it done today, but obviously I
didn’t. I learned more about my current
physical condition at age 56, and I plan to apply that knowledge when I toe the
start line at Hellgate at 12:01am on December 13. This is the 23rd year for the
Hellgate 100k, and I will be going for my 23rd finish! Until then…
Never stop
running,
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