Escape Into the Woods: Three Days at the Fair 2021

Three Days at the Fair

May 13-16, 2021

My breath came out as smoke, and Steve and I giggled as we pretended, we were smoking cigarettes like we did when we were 5. May mornings were not supposed to be 34 degrees, and this race should not require hot hands chemical warmers tucked in my gloves, but today, both were true. I took one final look around the tent to make sure I had everything (even though I would pass by here every mile for the next three days) and felt secure enough to head to the start. This was the beginning of 3 Days at the Fair, a race I impulsively signed up for as soon as I got my ticket for Vol State. I needed a race to assure myself that I could run endlessly for days, and 3 Day at the Fair could do that.

We arrived at the Sussex Fairgrounds in New Jersey late afternoon on Wednesday. Our plan was to set up camp and then spend the night in a hotel, but after getting a great tent sight where our car could be parked right behind, we changed plans and decided to start our camping adventure a day early. After speaking with the race directors and getting my chip, swag, and instructions, we started unloading the car and setting up. This was all pretty uneventful, but I am sure glad we brought that propane heater. I knew, with the forecast for the next few days, we were going to need it. Steve slipped off to the store, after doing the famous Baltimore trick of saving the parking space with a folding chair. I snuggled under the covers in the tent and just lied there and listened to the 144-hour runners going past again and again until I drifted off to sleep.

Thursday morning, the 72-hour race didn’t start until 9 am! This was 5 hours after I normally wake up, so I was just about twitching when it came time to head down the hill to the start. Rules were simple – a one-mile loop – do it as many times as you can. Never take your timing strap off and make sure you cross the mat each time. Perfect for me! I can’t get lost, can’t forget anything, just put one foot in front of the other for 3 days. There was a small incline at the beginning that led to a short out and back. This is where our tent was set up, so I would always do the out, and then pass the tent on the ‘back” side. I knew I had to have a good plan to NOT go in every time (I am hearing Alan say, “It’s not camp for Christ’s sake” – but this time, it actually was…). I had read somewhere that stopping every 20 miles was the absolute earliest you should stop, so I went with that. Steve had put a chair right outside, so if I had to drop of a jacket, or grab a new bottle, I could do that without breaking stride. And really, that first day was smooth as silk. I ran, I took off layers, I drank, I ate, and I made good, consistent times each split.

I think I changed my shoes once, but more because I felt like I was slipping rather than a hot spot developing. As day progressed into night though, I felt my rhythm was off – I was getting tired and felt like I had not made it far enough. I am so used to starting races/runs at 6 or 7 am, this 9 am start really threw me. I wanted to get to 60-70 miles, and then take a little rest, so I continued until it was just so cold, I had to stop and make some decisions. Either power on or take a little rest and come back fully prepared for the 38-degree night. I decided to stop, change clothes, and close my eyes for a little while, and I am so glad I did. After 2 hours and going through one whole sleep cycle, I felt amazing. I got up, had a cup of coffee, and put on all my warm gear to go out and let me tell you the night was magical. Where just two hours earlier I felt like each step took forever, I now felt like I was gliding over the course and before I knew it, and before Steve even was awake, I had completed another 20 miles. I was anxious to get that 101-mile monkey off my back, because I was not leaving without a buckle. For as cold as it was during the night, it sure became warm on the second day. The course was in full sun, and the air was so dry and warm. Sunblock was a major necessity, as well as a visor or hat. You could tell people who were veterans of this race because they had the full-on desert-style hats that kept them well protected!

It is typically my habit to get really cranky towards the end of a 100-miler but knowing exactly how far I had to go and what the course was like was really helpful to carry me over that number. Poor Steve usually takes the brunt of my temper tantrum, but he was pleasantly surprised! After hitting 101, I decided to rest again, just the second of the race. This time, I gave myself the luxury of taking a camp bathhouse shower, and as I came out of the dressing area, all the women were commenting on how good I smelled! (Some of these runners were on their 4^th day running, with or without showers!) I laughed and said that it was time well spent (it took me less than 10 minutes) and gave me time to doctor my feet. Plus, since my goal was 50 more miles, the hot water felt like a nice treat for my muscles! I crawled into my sleeping bag and tried to sleep. To my surprise, there was a concert venue across from the fairgrounds, and they had just cranked up their feature: Disco Biscuit. The band was just as loud and metallic as the name sounds, but I was so tired, the heavy bass lulled me to sleep.

I woke at 2 a.m. and Steve made me a cup of coffee while I brushed my teeth and bundled up. I told him I would walk the first lap with my coffee so he could go back to sleep and ended up walking two miles with it because I refilled at the aid station. It was so cold, and that hot coffee felt so good, but I couldn’t run with it, so I left it on the chair outside my tent.

Around and around again, running, walking, talking. I met some incredible people and heard incredible stories. At one point, animals appeared on the course, and every lap they had been moved to another place. It was almost comical to imagine someone picking up a dog or pig and carrying it with them, but at that moment, it seemed perfectly right. As morning came, I stopped for some French toast which was sweet and delicious. So keep track…two cups of coffee, French toast (I generally never eat bread, and not sweet bread). At around 1, I stopped at the tent for lunch, more suntan lotion, and to pop a very big blister that I had gotten on my heal. The rest of my feet were fine, but this had to be taken care of – that was clear to see. While I was doing all that, Steve made me a turkey and cheese sandwich and gave me a Dr. Pepper because he was doing his best to make sure I stayed hydrated. This was on top of bottle after bottle of Scratch, an electrolyte drink. When I was ready to go again, I stood up and started down the road, but my watch alerted me that my pulse was extremely high. I felt so jittery, and really weird, so I made my way back to the tent and sat down. Steve listened to my heart and said he wasn’t worried, but my pulse was over 100 (after resting) and I normally am in the 50’s. It occurred to me that in the last few hours I had drank 3 cups of caffeinated coffee, a bunch of bread, full sugar soda, and probably 4 bottles of Scratch, and my body was in full WTF with the sugar mode!!! I never take in that much sugar and it was pretty obvious that there was a war going on inside of me. I practiced deep breathing and then decided to lay down for a half hour to see if it subsided. And sure enough, after about 15 minutes, pulse was back down to a reasonable number and I felt totally better. But that was crazy, and the reason I don’t take much caffeine or sugar!

By this time, I had done over 130 miles and was feeling good. I knew there were two girls ahead of me who were both aiming for 202 miles, but there was no way I could catch them. However, since you could run the race any days you wanted during the week, the current first place girl had 159 miles from Monday to Wednesday (and she was done running), and I was pretty sure I could get there. My original goal was just to get to 150, since I have never done more than a 100-miler and had no idea how this would turn out. But around 3 pm, I decided I had plenty of time to just keep going, and that is what I did. (Thanks, Sisou!)

Lucky for me there was another concert Saturday night, not sure of this group’s name, and that meant no sleep anyway. So I powered through to 150, 155, and 160 by about 11:30 pm. Steve walked with me from 159-160, so he could capture the lap counter change me from 4^th place to 3^rd. At one time I was back in 13^th, so I was pretty happy with this.

On that last loop, we ran into Trishul, a former monk, and finisher of The Sri Chinmoy 3100-mile race 3 times. He was somewhere near 378 miles and was pretty out of it. When we went to pass him, he literally “woke up” and then began to give us all this wisdom about marriage and staying in the moment. When Steve ran ahead to get a picture of the lap timer, he told me “Men want control, but it is really women who have control. Never forget that!" It definitely was a “grasshopper/master” moment. Mad respect for him though, and he literally was sound asleep in his chair at the awards ceremony!

After hitting 160, I decided to shower again. My legs and feet were kind of achy– figured the warm water would help. I was so clean and cozy, and tried to take a little nap, knowing that I had taken 3^rd place and it was unlikely anyone would catch me. But laying there listening to everyone on the course, I wanted to be back out there, so I got another cup of coffee (just one this time) and took off again. I went pretty slow, because 1) I was tired, and 2) I was really enjoying being out here in the middle of the night with all these people. This race had multiple “classes” of races that went off at varying times, and the last class started at 9:00 pm for a 12-hour race. All races had to be completed by 9:00 am Sunday morning. I was starting to hallucinate, and as two very fast 12-hour runners went by me, I thought they were streaking with just black tape on their boobs. It turns out that they had uniforms on with black stripes, but I was entertained for a few minutes. There was also a man who was just talking to the stars (probably a 144-hour runner) and chanting to himself. I remember helping a friend finish the Ring on the Massanutten Mountain, and she said she would also chant to keep herself awake. I thought it must be funny for the 12-hour runners to be zooming along while the 144-hour and 72-hour runners are like zombies chasing them.

I didn’t feel tired at all until I hit that 165 and decided to pop in the very warm tent and sit for a minute. It was about 5:30 am, so I had plenty of time to go back out, but I actually fell asleep in the zero-gravity chair and since Steve was also sleeping, there was no one to kick me out!! I wish I would have woken and got to 170 or beyond, since I probably had another 90 minutes, but my feet had enough and I have other races coming up, so I was satisfied. And now I have a goal for next year!!

The awards were awesome – I have won age groups before, but someone congratulated me for a “podium” win, and it felt oddly strange and amazing at the same time. Besides the 101-belt buckle, I got a hand-made suncatcher with a rooster (race logo) for third place female, and a 100-mile coin. I didn’t realize how tired I was until I saw the pictures and it looks like I am doing everything in my power to keep my eyes open at the awards! So funny!