A Race for The Ages

Pulling into the parking lot at Fred Deadman park, the familiar doubt and hesitation started to bubble up. This was my third attempt at the 100 mile distance, and my confidence was shaky. It had been an 11 hour drive to Manchester, Tennessee, broken up by an overnight stay in Roanoke, but we still arrived at A Race For The Ages 12 hours before my 5 am start time.  I thought that meant an eternity of second guessing and worry about my decision to  impulsively enter a 100  mile race just weeks before the event.  It didn't get any better when I went to the timing table to "sign in" and was told by the race director (in a very slow, unconcerned, yet knowing manner with a classic southern drawl) "well, the beauty of having starts every hour is that you just have to come back an hour before your start to check in."  Um, that would be 4 am??  "Yup", Laz nodded,  then went back to smoking his cigarette.  Ok.  That exchange, and another approving head nod as I finished my 80th lap were the only interactions I had with the infamous race director of the Barkley Marathons. Definitely lives up to his somewhat mysterious reputation. This was going to be interesting.

The next few hours were busy - setting up camp along the river, making sure what I needed was somewhat organized.  I would pass this spot 99 times throughout my 100 mile attempt so that provided at least a glimmer of relief.  Even as we set up, runners were already on the one mile loop, plugging away.  The sun was  hot - very hot, and that only added to my list of things to obsessively worry about. After eating and dressing in my clothes for  my run, I settled into my tent to try and sleep - time: about 8 pm and just dark.

Surprisingly, I was able to sleep pretty well, although runners continued to pass the tents set up along the  path all night.  In fact, many runners had used the heat of the day to rest, so there were probably more on the course during the night than when we first arrived.  I didn't need the alarm to wake me, and for the first time  ever, I only woke one hour before my race start!  Put me outside to sleep and I am out cold.  Happy to feel well rested, I made  my way to the race start.  No Laz now  - he was probably taking one of his power naps in a chair somewhere.  The race timer, Mike, signed me in, gave me a bib with chip and another ankle chip and had me sit in the "staging area" while the other 55 year olds assembled. There were just 6 of us, all men and me, until another  women joined who got a late start.  At 5 am we made the very short walk up the hill to the starting mats, and "GO".

And so it began.  I was strangely calm and used Coach's mantra from the start.  "Stay in the  moment."  I don't even know how many times I repeated that to myself over the course of the next 33 hours.  I tried very hard to never think of how far I had to go, or even how far I had gone.  With a one mile loop on paved concrete and blacktop, I thought this course would be my worse nightmare, but it really wasn't.  I ran at a very even 11 minute mile for the first several miles while it was cool and dark and then into the dawn of a beautiful day.  I kept running and running and felt so good.  The stars were out, the conversation was great.

I had no real "race strategy" other than to run when I could, walk when I wanted.  As the hours ticked by, and the sun heated up, I walked more and ran less.  But I never took a break.   Meals were served at intervals in the air-conditioned hall, but it took me a while to figure this out, so when I would pop in to grab  something, there wasn't a lot left.  I sent Steve on a food run at  some point, since what I did see was not really appealing - a lot of meat and rice, and cheese ball and crackers?  Not sure if this is running fare in the south but not for me. Steve took excellent care of me and made sure I had whatever sounded good to eat.

Around and around I  went, and the time passed so quickly.  A lot of runners again  came off the course during the heat of the day, but I just couldn't do it.  First, I knew we couldn't stay for the whole race, since we had to be at JMU by dinnertime on Monday,  and second, stopping really scared me!  Not sure how folks get started again after a several hour break.  I would sit in my camp chair to grab a bite to eat, or reapply sun block, but I was so itchy to get back out there.

 Around and around.  Again and again. I listened to all the stories, mostly told by men who had some great stories to tell. I  ran briefly with  the eventual women's winner(she ran 173 miles!!!!) and asked for advice or strategy and she wisely told me to run my own race - find my own rhythm that would surely be different from everyone else's.  It took her over 3 hours last year to develop a strategy.  I was told I had a nice "gait" and that "I made it look easy" which boosted my resolve, as it took me a long time to feel like I should be here with all these "real" runners!  Funny how sharing the laps broke all that down.  We were all just doing the best we could to get in the miles.  Some of the nicest, kindest people who helped at every turn.

Into the night I ran and walked, ate and body glided my feet.  I felt awesome.  At 1:30 or 2:00 am Sunday morning I decided to change out of my wet clothes into fresh running gear.  Peeling off wet clothes in a tent in the middle of the night after running for 20+ hours while trying not to make too much noise was hysterical.  I was so exhausted after that feat, I fell on the air mattress.  Steve suggested setting the alarm for 2 hours and just trying to rest so I  could go out fresh.  And I tried.  I laid there listening to the sounds of the night and breathing the air, and did doze off for about 15 minutes, but the sounds of the runners passing the tent pulled me back out.  I felt good still, so I pulled my shoes and light jacket on and took off again.  After a couple laps I left my jacket as the night air was refreshing and helped me run faster.  Each time I came around I tried to stay  quiet so  Steve could get some sleep - he had been crewing all day and I knew I would need him later in the race.  These night hours were as magical as I knew they would be.  The sounds of footfalls and quiet talking and laughing as we made our way  around and around the loop.  It wasn't long before light began to appear and the course became a  ghost town as many runners went in for breakfast.  I grabbed a granola bar and refilled my sweet tea and kept going.  By  now, I was sure I would finish and was getting anxious.  I ran for a while with the second place woman, who asked me about my marathon time and was surprised I wasn't a sub 4 hour runner!  Ha!  She told me I could be if I concentrated and trained, but I said "life" and she understood.  I enjoyed listening to her accomplishments, like how she made the 20  year old qualifying time for Boston when she was 60.  Wow.  There was some talent here.

I finally had to wake Steve around 7:30 am because my brain was getting fuzzy and I couldn't remember where anything was.  My feet had a few hot spots and I wanted to take care of that in short order.  I tried to go fast as the sun came up and it was already hot.  This part seemed to go much slower.  I only had 15 miles or so to get to 100, but each mile felt long. I ran (walked) with James for a bit and and enjoyed his conversation and pleasant nature.  He also was feeling the heat and  the miles.

I had to stop more often now to cool off, as I was cooking.  Steve took me into the icy hall once and  had me sit to just get my core temp down as my skin was hot and I was moving slowly. That felt good, as did the ice in my running bra and an icy cold towel on my head.  The loop had very minimal shade so every mile after 10 am  was  just so hot at close to 90 degrees.  The miles between 85 and 95 were the hardest for me.  I was hot, and suddenly didn't want to  eat anything.  This is when most of the folks staying for the next day went into their tents or even back to their hotels to sleep.  Not me.  I was "on a mission" and so close to the end. 

Miles 95-99 I ran/walked without stopping and mile 100 I pretty much ran again at a 12 mile pace. I knew I wouldn't go on, as my feet were just on the point of needing attention and it was the absolutely hottest part of the day.  But Steve and I did one victory lap so I wouldn't just have the 100 but 101 miles for my buckle.

 And then I was done.  And I felt amazing.  All I could think was "this really wasn't that bad!!"  And then I tried to get out of my chair and had a whole new respect for those folks who would be out there for the 22 hours left until  the race ended.    33 hours, 3rd woman to reach 100 miles, I couldn't have been happier with my race, but I still wished I was staying, if just to prolong the experience and spend more time with the amazing people I met.

 I have been trying to earn a buckle now for 4 years.  I've had training, support, coaching and family and friends who sacrificed right along with me to try and get me there.  But maybe I wasn't ready.  Maybe I needed this time to really have a reason for being out there and doing this. Maybe being in the moment is advice that I needed to actually believe.  If nothing else, the last four years have taught me this:

What worked:
s-caps every two hours
ice...lots and lots of ice
eating whatever tasted good - freezing cold especially grapes and watermelon
granola bars, english muffins, pretzels, trail mix
sweet tea - a big diluted ice cold drink every 5 miles or so and a bottle for breakfast
body glided my feet 5 times and changed shoes 4 times
aquafor...enough said
ice cold washcloth under my visor
bug spray
listening and remembering everything Coach said (and using most of it!)

What didn't work: 
music - I took it but would have hated to miss the conversation!
Hokas
sleeping
meat - so much meat there
getting in the river - I planned to do this but then snakes
changing more than once
food the last few hours
any planned run/walk ratio - just too hot to stick with it well

We're Going Streaking!

Well that title brings back fond and zany memories - but its not that kind of streak.

 I finished my 6th Hashawha Hills 50K in February, and that makes me one of two (one male, one female) with the most finishes.  I have a rich history with Hashawha, and even more so with the fantastic race director, his wife,  and all my Hashawha friends.  In so many ways, on so many levels, Hashawha is my happy place. 

I learned of "Coach" (the HH race director) long before I ever met him.  Another runner friend would tell wild tales about a trail running guru who was training her to take on a 50 miler - the JFK no less, and she would have me mesmerized with her training, her ability and her fearlessness.  At that point, some time in 2008 or so, the idea of running 31 miles seemed ridiculous, and 50 was just full out crazy.  She told stories of eating while running - real food, not gu or gel, and falling hard, but continuing on with bandages and blood.  She talked about blisters and gallons of water and baths between the doors of the car.  And she spoke with such fondness, such respect for this Coach, who was carefully guiding her to success. 

The first time I actually met him, he wasn't even running.  He had torn a muscle in his leg and would have to bike, or hike while the rest of us ran.  What??  Wait, he had a TORN muscle and still was going to be out there.  Doing something?  And then just a few weeks later, he was back out there and this time he was running, leading a pack of us through Hashawha.  I just remember the switchback trail, covered in a fresh layer of ice and snow, with crystals everywhere, and looking exactly as if it could serve as the background for a beautiful fairy wedding.  I don't think I have ever seen something so beautifully extraordinary.  And running through it - the stillness, the quiet, it was truly magical.  And all the while, Coach ran silent, just far enough ahead to lead but occasionally stopping to share a trail memory or suggestion.  And, as he always does at the end of every run I have ever done with him, he asked if I had fun.  Afterall, isn't that why we are doing this?

doesn't it LOOK like fun???

I did have fun at this year's iteration of the Hashawha 50K.  In fact, I was enjoying it so much, I had to remind myself more than once this was a RACE - I was trying to go fast, not just meander on the trail I loved so much.  There is so much to enjoy at Hashawha.  So many different kinds of trails, each part affected differently by the weather, the season, the users.  There are places where horses leave deep hoofprints, and when the ground is frozen, these small holes are wickedly tricky to run through. The lower trail can be icy, damp, or comically muddy, as was the case this year.  The mud had a thin glass-like covering of ice, but after numerous runners cracked through, the thick sludge underneath was a shoe sucking mess.  Then the trek up the hill and the trail becomes dry as can be with thick piles of leaves and assorted branches and roots ready to trip up an unsuspecting runner. Gravel road sections can be run full out fast, especially down hill sections and the creek crossing is refreshingly cold and playful.  There is just no part of this trail that I do not love, even the windswept fields, where on a clear day, the view of the surrounding countryside goes on forever.

And the section through the pine rows signasl the end of each lap and and offers a padded surface for tired feet before the final push to the finish.
I didn't start out to make Hashwaha a streak race, but after 6 finishes, I would love to be able continuing running it for as long as I can.  And if I ever stop ultra running, it would be fitting to stop at the place where I started.

Phunt Times in Elkton

I can't believe I ever had time to post timely blogs.  Whenever I think of sitting down and writing a race report, so many other computer chores take priority (dang online bill pay).

In the interest of time, I will set a goal to recap a couple races, with the added  bonus of an awesome training run. That sounds like fun...or PHUNT, which was my first race for 2016.  This is actually the third or fourth time I have signed up for this early-mid January race, but the first time I actually made it there.  Earlier on this blog I chronicled waking up at some obscenely early hour, laying in bad and listening the wind howl, picturing getting lost on this somewhat obscure trail, and rolling right back over.

That was a couple years ago, and although I tell myself I will run it every year, it just never happened until this year.  I'll blame it on my ERR friend Chad, whom I coerced into not only running with me, but driving AND waiting for me to finish!

You have to love a race where the RD sends you off while perched on a 12 foot ladder screaming in a bullhorn as Highway to Hell is blaring over speakers. 
This race used to be run as a "fat ass" but it has become much more legitimate in the last two years, and was full out professional this year!  There were logo embroidered items to buy at the start, give-a-ways from Gore-tex, and pretty damn good swag for finishing.  The course is a double loop, and  from the chatter among frequent Phunters, the course was extremely well marked compared to its former days of a low key "you're on your own" kind of race.  About 3/4 of the field of 400 decided to only go out for the first loop, which, of course none of the 50K runners knew until we saw all their celebratory whoops and high fives at the end of the first 25k!  Uhhh, maybe we should not have tried to keep up with them all on the first loop (whoops).

Oh well, it was nice and serene on the second loop (read: didn't see a soul) but luckily the pithy signs kept my spirits up.

The weather was incredible for the first loop, and only as I got further into the second did the temperature start dropping and wind start to pick up.  I had been running with just a light shirt, but had to stop and put my jacket on for the last 6 miles or so.   The race had a cut off of 8 hours, and I made sure I was going to make that.  I wasn't rushing, just running comfortably, and had a really nice day out there.  With about 3 miles to go I decided to give it an extra push, and finished in 7:49 or so. Chad was waiting for me to finish, and broke the news gently about the lack of lentil soup left.  Oh well, incentive to go faster next time.  He was a swell race buddy, and that became more evident when only about a mile into the drive home, I had to make him pull over so I could puke.  Luckily we were close to a rest stop, and even more lucky, we actually made it there.  So a not so great finish to a great race, but a fun day none-the-less.  Not sure I will risk the January weather again, but for this year, it was a winner.

And Then It Came Crashing Down....Stone Mill Recap

Ultra distance race directors and their teams are generally a pretty chill bunch, but I could tell that there was some anxiety when one of the volunteers offered to do a car pool to the McDonalds just minutes before the start of the Stone Mill 50 Miler.  And when she announced that is was "only for those who had to do number two" I could actually FEEL the stress they were going through.

Seems the custodian from the host school decided he had time to sleep in and then get a coffee before heading to the race start to unlock the bathrooms.  Not sure when he arrived, but it was after the crowd of  runners had either taken a short walk behind a tree or hopped the carpool to the nearest bathroom.  Still, everyone was cheery and ready when we were sent off into the darkness of the morning. 
The road to the trail was a nice way to thin out the group and we established a nice line heading into the woods. We weren't on the trail for long when there was a HUGE crashing sound behind me.  I was sure it was a tree falling just feet away, but it turned out to be a deer trying to get away from the runners.  Unfortunately, the poor deer chose the wrong direction and ended up plowing into one of the runners not two miles into this 50 mile run.  And then, the deer sort of half rolled, half ran down the rest of the hill. Remarkably, the resilient runner dusted herself off and kept right on going!

Since all this took place before 7:00 am, I knew we were in for a great day!  Excitement, adventure, all of the things you sign up for when you run an ultra.  I was hoping that my new found "speed" would really shine on this day, and it did for a while.  I was hitting the aid stations ahead of my last year's time, which was ahead of the year before that.   The trail was perfect - very runnable and well marked. The aid stations had a great variety of food and amazing volunteers who offered to do everything but chew the food for me.  I settled into a good pace and just kept moving along, sharing the trails with folks I see often at races, and others who I only see once a year at Stone Mill. 

After a while, the lack of "facilities" at the start had an impact, and I was counting down the miles until the aid with the port-a-pot.  As I came out, I heard a volunteer shouting for me to hurry and catch the guy in front of me.  I could only hope I didn't have toilet paper hanging out anywhere!  But I listened and got a move on. Coming into the 28 mile aid station, I decided to change my shoes, since I had a hot spot developing.  Getting down on the ground was a lot easier than getting up again, but once I was on my way, I was fine!


There are no mountains, or river crossings, or rocks at Stone Mill, and it is very easy to just settle into a rhythm of running that that leads you to believe it is an easy run.  But 50 miles of relentless bouncing has its consequences and all that uninterrupted running might have been a bad thing for me since it started to do a number on my stomach at about the 40 mile mark. I was having trouble eating and after a while, even keeping fluid where it belongs was an effort, despite using every trick I knew.  Where last year, I was saved by ice chips and Ramon noodle soup, they didn't work their magic this time.  I made it to the final aid station right at the cut-off and was hurriedly sent on my way, even though I would have liked to linger.  Those aid workers know what they are doing for sure, since if I had even stopped for a moment, I probably would not have gone on.

 But I did, and was lucky to partner up with a youngish dude who was struggling as well.  We kept each other company for the last painful 4 miles of winding trails taking us towards, then away from the finish for what seemed like hours!!  In the end I crossed the line, but well behind my time from last year.  Not the stellar performance I was  hoping for after my awesome fall, but the gracious race director gave me a finish, my 5th at Stone Mill, so I am grateful for that.

congratulations....or pity (I'll take it!)

No Reasonable Explanation (aka Catching Up: Pt. 2)

After a couple long runs, a couple of 50Ks, and some shorter runs, I was ready for my fall marathons.  I discovered Freedom's Run  a few years ago, and it has really become one of my favorites.  Some years it has coincided with the Baltimore Running Festival, and that leaves me in a quandary, as I have a streak going at Baltimore.  Well, sort of a streak, since I have done 12/15 of the marathons.  Because it is the hometown race, I feel somewhat compelled to support it. 

Luckily, this year both marathons were on different weekends. Yeah!  Of course they were only one week apart, and I was also signed up for a 50K on the next weekend, but is there REALLY too much of a good thing??


I just can't

Freedom's Run is just so beautiful.  Starting in Harper's Ferry, this run has some of every  kind of scenery imaginable. And despite my hate/hate relationship with the canal towpath, I ran every step of it this year.  It was as if I switched on autopilot and just cruised the full 10 or so miles.  Coming off the canal, there are some killer hills, and I continued my plugging along until I got to the Antietam Battlefields.  There are also some serious hills here, but the "downs" really balance the "ups".  It was here that I looked at my watch for the first time and had a "WTF??" moment.  Anyone who knows me as a runner knows that I don't much focus on time, rather run by feel and effort.  This run was feeling pretty comfortable, so when I saw I might finish in under 5 hours, I had to focus on that!  It would be my first sub-5 hour marathon in 7 years, and I have NO IDEA how that happened!  But I wasn't going to let it slip away so I really pushed the final few miles and came in at 4:58.  No one was more surprised than me!

sunrise over Harper's Ferry Visitor Center

such beautiful views

Of course after running a good race at Freedom's Run, my expectations for Baltimore were somewhat muted.  It was only 6 days later after all.  The weather looked to be perfect, and I was feeling pretty good.  And that is the way the race started, and continued until about 22 miles in.  At that point, my legs hurt so badly I just wanted to get to the finish.  Again, I looked at my watch and saw I could do a sub 5, but every step was agony and running fast was impossible.  I alternated walking and running for a little while, then fell in with some folks and tried to hold their pace.  I knew I would be okay if I could just stay ahead of the 5 hour pace group. 

Guess what didn't happen???  Yeah, they passed me and try as I did, I finished in 5:05, with my legs screaming in agony.  The good news is that for the first time in 3 years, and even with a faster time by 15 minutes or so, I didn't throw up, so there is that.  Still, Baltimore is a great race, and I will most likely always be tempted by the siren song of the run through Charm City.

I actually won a free massage from Geiko, but had to wear their shirt!

A week later I was at the starting line for the 2nd annual Patapsco Valley 50K.  Again, my expectations were not that high - last year it had taken me 8:24 to finish the deceptively hard course, and I was beginning to feel the cumulative effects of so many races in so few weeks!  But the day was gorgeous as was the course, and I came over the line in 7:59!

So three races, three weeks apart, with three best times in a long time.  Not even sure what happened there, but I'll take it!  Sometimes it is better to not question, just go with it!