Three of my favorite races in 4 weekends - something old, something new

Duncan Ridge 50K, November 23rd

The first time I heard about the DRT50 from James and Mike, I thought it (and they) were crazy.  They finished and confirmed that it was, indeed, a ridiculous race that took 2-3 hours more than a typical 50k...So the 3 of us signed up last year.  I survived, in part because I had no idea what I was getting myself into.  Ignorance is bliss!  This year, Mike and I registered again to continue the tradition, and James would have if he wasn't off having adventures of his own with his wife Rachel in Taiwan.  I was excited!  When I told my friend Leigh about it, she looked at me rather confused and asked, "don't you remember what you said last year when you walked into the hostel?"  "No," I said.  She reminded me that I said "that was the stupidest thing I've ever done."  The race amnesia is strong with this race...

This year I knew what to expect - 10 to 12,000 feet of elevation gain (give or take a few hundred feet) over 33 miles (give or take a mile or 2).  In addition to the steep climbing and descending, the terrain was challenging in sections because of leaf-covered rocks that were slippery due to heavy overnight rains.  I knew it was going to be a long day of hiking over some of the most difficult (and beautiful!) terrain GA has to offer - why do this again?

Most simply, I love the challenge of this race.  I was excited to participate with so many others who love this area - and hear what first timers Marty and Sally thought.  As typical, I saw them at the start and then not again until I finished and they were already looking refreshed and enjoying well-earned adult refreshments.  I ran mostly alone, but spent a few great miles with Tom who told me his story of how he got into trail running, how much this trail meant to him and how he was looking forward to his first 100 miler in a few weeks.

The finish embodies one of the things I love about ultrarunning - RD Bobby greeted every runner as he or she finished.  The look of relief, amazement, exhaustion and accomplishment as people finished speaks to what a unique race this is.  The Coosa and Duncan Ridge trails are humbling and demand respect - they can completely break you down.  I saw some of the most physically and mentally strongest runners not finish that day.  I look forward to the challenge next year and will do my best to be capable of another finish. I hope I'm worthy of petting Ricky Bobbcat at the end again.

Pine Mountain 40 miler, December 2nd

PM40 was my second ever ultra three years ago.  I love the atmosphere at GUTS events and the views at FDR state park are beautiful.  Again the race amnesia is strong because I always end up cursing the rocks at the end, but keep signing up.  After 3 times running PM40, I wondered what would be new or different this time - while I'd love to win this race, I didn't think I could run much faster than the previous year and there's always someone faster!  I even told Kena at the start that I wasn't really feeling it and just wasn't excited.

We walked to the dam, the race started, and I realized what would be different - running with Holly and Harley!  We volunteered at packet pick up the afternoon before and got along swimmingly.  They're cat people and trail runners - what's not to love?  I've never run an entire race with anyone - it's usually a few miles here and there but mostly solo.  From the start, the 3 of us stuck together.  Any time I was thinking I might complain about the rocks, Holly would remark about how this was one of her favorite sections of the trail - it was a great reminder what a gorgeous place it is to run.  Around mile 14 we picked up another runner who was in a great deal of pain.  For the next 26 miles, he was never more than a few paces behind us.  After the race, he found us and said that our constant chatting and relaxed running helped distract him from the pain.  Awesome!  Glad it wasn't annoying chatter. :-)  We also picked up my friend Kerry who finished strongly with us.  Finishing together embodies another aspect that I love about ultrarunning - sometimes, it really is a team sport.  We ran together, supported each other and finished faster than any of us could have done solo.  I'd like to think we had more fun too! 

Although the speed part is debatable - I took a wrong turn at mile 38 (38??!??) - there are only 2 turns on the course and I missed one.  Harley officially finished before Kerry, Holly and I, however we decided that the 3 of us were the official winners of the unofficial PM42 mile race (no, it's not on ultrasignup.com).  We'll be making our own running shoe birdhouses one weekend soon.

Lookout Mountain 50 miler, December 8th

I love running in Chattanooga, I love Rock/Creek events, many of my friends would be running, but I just couldn't get excited about this race either.  Maybe the forecast for rain at the start had something to do with it.  Texting with Brooke kept me positive while we waited in cars before the start - it would have been so easy to decide I had nothing to prove and go in search of a delicious Chattanooga brunch instead of running.  It was my third year running LM50 and I was trying to think of what would be new or different this time (besides the rain).  Holly gave me a great idea so I took the liberty of borrowing it (thank you!).  Holly and Harley were running Bartram 100 that weekend (after a stellar 40 or 42 mile taper!) which is 16 laps of a 10k course.  To keep herself motivated, Holly said she'd dedicate each lap to someone.  So I decided to dedicate each section between aid stations to someone.

The first 6 mile section was dedicated to Holly and Harley of course!  I thought of all their positive energy from the last race and how they were embarking on a great 100 mile adventure together.  I couldn't wait to hear about it and was so thrilled for them both when I read about their finishes!!

The next section I thought about Tom from DRT50, who was supposed to be running Bartram as well, but stepped down to the 100K as he was battling the flu.  He was prepared to push his body for as many miles as he could though.  I was healthy, had a great rain jacket and awesome volunteers at the aid stations - I was inspired by his commitment and stubbornness.  No complaining - just keep running.

Running back up to Covenant College, I thought of my friend Brooke, who was also running LM50.  She's busy like all of us - job, awesome kids, awesome husband and stays positive and encouraging and fits in running.  She even broke a treadmill - that's dedication!  It was great to see Travis at the aid stations - he was cheering and helping out.  They make a great team and set a great example for their kids!

First loop done, now onto Lula Lake land trust.  The rain stopped, but the damage had already been done.  Slippery, peanut butter mud awaited us.  I thought of my fit momma friends Katie and Kat - they have stayed active and inspired others during pregnancy.  

Next we arrived at the waterfall - I love this section of the race!  The roaring waterfall, the climb up the ropes using rocks, the long runnable section at the top, although the fog would deprive runners of the gorgeous views.  I've run some of the most beautiful places with Kena and Perry - Kena always takes time to notice the views, flowers, trees. 

The sixth section is a 4 - 5 mile loop that I wasn't looking forward to.  The trail is pretty, I'm just not a fan of running in loops.  So I dedicated this to my friend Ray, who is better than almost anyone I know at running in loops.  I hit a bit of a low, ate some, and then asked what would Ray do.  Ray would sing!  So I sang..."obla di, obla dah, life goes on..." Singing and thinking of Ray made me smile.  And before I knew it, the loop was done.

Time for my favorite section of the course again, this time in reverse.  I dedicated it to my family and thought of so many runners who get inspiration and support from their families.  After 14 years, my parents are used to me running - my mom no longer worries about me giving myself a heart attack from the long distances.  She's even walked a half marathon and one sister has run multiple half marathons.  I'm proud of them and appreciate their support from miles away.

The last 7 or 8 miles if any race always seems long to me.  Fellow runners are trail angels - so I dedicated the last section to friends I've (safety) paced and those who have (safety) paced me.  I've witnessed runners who were completely spent somehow dig deep into unknown reserves and finish grueling races.  I've cried and wanted to curl up in a ball on the side of the road and be left for dead - but pacers wouldn't leave me.  I've been blessed with crew who have given me avocados, potion no. 9 gels, ginger ale, and knew exactly what to say to make me laugh and get me back on the trail.

And then there was music, lights, smoke from the campfire, burgers, a medal, a pint glass, a warm fuzzy fleece and my favorite Rock/Creek volunteer Michael waiting for me at the end.  Well, Kris is my favorite too.  I love my trail family and feel so fortunate.

Bryce Canyon - A hell of a place to lose a cow...

Bryce 100, May 31 - June 1

It took me less than a day after finishing my first 100 mile run to decide that I wanted to do another one, but over 6 months to decide which one.  I was pretty set on returning to San Diego 100, but came across Bryce 100, a first year race just outside of Bryce Canyon National Park. The time of the year was good, the elevation gain wasn’t too ridiculous (although that would possibly change), the weather looked ideal (dry and 30s – 70s) and southern UT was someplace I really wanted to visit.  

Training started back in February as did planning for the race.  After a couple of months of solid running (thanks, Kyle!), the wheels started to come off – I ran too many miles too fast on a flat course, which I was unprepared to do and got severe tendonitis.  Thanks to an amazing PT (Pam rocks!) and an equally amazing massage therapist (thanks Patrick!), I only missed out on 3 weeks of running.  They were important weeks, but allowed me to volunteer at some races and enjoy a few rare weekends in Atlanta.  I eased back into running as gently as I could, hoping I’d have fresh legs on race day.  As much as I wanted to cram in the month before Bryce 100, I focused on improving my running form and staying injury free.

Soon, Memorial Day arrived and Andrea and I were off to SLC!  I convinced a long-time friend, Andrea, and fellow runner, scientist and foodie to make the journey with me and volunteer her time as a crew member.   

Normally renting a car is a very onerous and disappointing experience – not this time.  I reserved a small SUV expecting something standard.  We were treated with a Toyota FJ Cruiser – orange!  That car rocked and set the tone for the adventure.  

Our culinary tour of SLC started with a stop at the Red Iguana for the best mole on the planet and continued with chocolates from Hatch Family chocolates and breakfast Wednesday morning from the Blue Plate Diner. 

We also made a crucial stop at Target.  Last year, my pacer and I were mildly hypothermic due to being unprepared to walk in cold temps.  We were passed in the early morning hours by a woman wearing flannel PJ bottoms.  Silly?  Possibly, but I thought it was brilliant so looked for something similar and ended up with pepto bismal pink pants.  Best $10 I ever spent – I stayed warm AND my sisters were super-excited to see me wearing pink.  

We took a leisurely drive across UT, along Hwy 12 through the Grand Staircase Escalande National Monument (GSENM) en route to Bryce.  It was nothing short of spectacular.  If there is a more gorgeous stretch of road than Hwy 12, I am not aware of it.  Every bend revealed a new landscape.  The view was expansive and would change from pine forest to red rocks to moon rocks to rocks that looked like stacks of pancakes to aspen forest, usually abruptly. 

We stopped at many of the turnoffs, but I just soaked up the views – my photos couldn’t do it justice.  Our culinary tour continued with dinner at Hell's Backbone Grill in Boulder, UT, a village of 250 people with rocks, Buddhist monks, breath taking views and one of the best restaurants I’ve ever eaten at. 

The pot of chili chocolate and apricot & cherry bread pudding left us speechless.  It has occurred to me that I could get by with running less if I didn’t enjoy food so much!  The rest of the drive got even more amazing and we arrived in Bryce just before sunset to meet up with Hoa (from last year’s R2R2R adventure in the Grand Canyon), his awesome dog Stormy, and check in at Ruby’s Lodge, our home-away-from-home for the next few days.  

We spent Thursday exploring Bryce Canyon National Park, starting with watching the sunrise as the aptly named, Sunrise Point.  The views were even more spectacular than the pictures I’d seen and well-worth getting up early for.  

The 3 of us did a short run / hike loop to loosen up – legs were fine, but lungs could feel the 7,000+ft elevation. 

We proceeded to the end of the scenic road and then stopped at every scenic vista, even meeting and chatting with a few other runners, including Eric (from Ultrarunner Podcast fame) so Andrea and Hoa had more friends to cheer for on Friday.  A few of the turn offs had maps naming the features we could see – including distances to the landmarks.  The plateaus that were 45 miles away looked far and put the next day’s daunting journey into perspective.

By Thursday afternoon, the race vortex began in earnest – instead of taking a nap, I was filling drop bags and figuring out what I would want from Andrea at which Aid Station (AS).  After Pete (fellow-Atlantan) arrived, we all piled into the FJ cruiser to first check out the race start and then to packet pickup at King’s Creek Campground.  Initially, this was supposed to be the staging area for the start and finish of the race.  Due to logistical challenges, the race start/finish was changed multiple times in the last 2 weeks.  It turned out to be a great place to congregate, eat pizza made in a nifty brick-oven-on-wheels, and would eventually be AS 13 at mile 89.  We met Matt, the RD (race director) – super-nice, super-conscientious, super-enthusiastic guy, who seemed a bit stressed with only a few hours before the start of the race.  I just wanted to give him a big hug!  Pete and I thanked him for all of his hard work and said we were looking forward to the views & challenging course he had put together.

A bit about the race course itself…The race would take place between 7,000 and 9,000 just outside of the park.  I have been at that altitude numerous times and felt fine, but running is different.  The total advertised elevation gain for the race was 18,500 feet.  In the 2 weeks leading up to the race, last minute course changes made estimating this difficult – the total gain would be somewhere between 18,500 and 26,000 feet (hopefully much closer to the initial estimate!!).  The race was an out and back course but with different starting and finishing points.  The first 20 miles were on gorgeous single track, the next 30 miles was a mix of trails and dirt roads before reaching the turnaround point, but the last 20 miles would be new.

The alarm went off at 3:45am.  Pete and I really wanted waffle house!  I ate instant oatmeal, a Hoa cookie and clever-brewed coffee.  Temps were in the low-40s and fires were set up in barrels with “Bryce 100” cut out so runners could stay warm.  I love the start of a race!  Everyone was excited and optimistic about the day (and night!) ahead.  We had one last surprise – shuttles to the start to ease congestion, but there must have been a delay, because instead of a school bus delivering the last group of runners, about 50 people spilled out of a U-Haul!  It was only a 2mile ride, but definitely a unique way for some runners to begin their journey.

With little fanfare, we were off at 5:45am, straight into the single-track.  I stayed towards the back, walking early and often (I couldn’t breath!).  I was going to be on my feet for a looong time and wanted to ease into the day.  I started with my now-favorite pink pants so I was cozy.  The views were instantly incredible – we ran past hoodoos and along steep ridges and through panoramic vistas.  

I saw Andrea, Hoa and Stormy at AS1 (10.5mi) and AS2 (20mi) quite a few minutes behind Pete, but ahead of my 27hr predicted pace.  Hmm…I did my best to take it easy, ate and drank well, walked the hills and stopped to take pics.  As the day warmed up, Andrea had cold bubbly drinks and avocados waiting for me!  Much of the trail wasn’t too technical (by East coast standards), although long stretches were quite sandy, which took a great deal of physical and mental energy.  The technical parts were broken up with long road stretches – not exciting, but still amazing views and a nice mental break from the sand. 

According to the race profile, there would be a steep climb up to mile 45 at Pink Cliffs – I took my time and was rewarded with the most spectacular view right before AS6.  I felt so incredibly fortunate to be outside and part of this amazing event.  Multiple times, Matt made sure a trail took us off the main road, close to the cliffs for better views.  From Pink Cliffs it was (mostly) downhill to AS7, the midway point at Crawford Pass where I would pick up Hoa to keep me company for the next 50 miles.  I started seeing runners (including Pete!) heading back – so much fun to cheer them on and hear their encouragement.  I arrived in good spirits, ahead of schedule so took advantage of the opportunity to sit for a few minutes, enjoy strong ginger ale, another avocado and any other food I could make myself eat.

Despite meeting the day before the race, Hoa and Andrea got along swimmingly and made a stellar team.  Once again, I felt utterly spoiled – and my spirits always picked up due to their cheers and support.  Andrea was a great crew member because a) she yelled “vermin!” every time we saw vermin (and we saw lots of them); b) she could identify most of the various kinds of scat we saw; c) she was a great driver; d) wherever we were, she would look around and point “see, that’s higher!” e) all of the above

And then we were off for the second half of the journey, facing a tough climb back to Pink Cliffs.  Because the course was (mostly) out and back, I (mostly) paid attention to the trail and knew what hills & terrain to expect on the return journey.  After Pink Cliffs, I knew it would be mostly non-technical trails back to Andrea at mile 60, lots more rolling non-technical trails to mile 74, and then a stretch to mile 80 that I was a bit nervous about.  Those technical 6 miles would be even more challenging in the dark (happy to have 2 headlamps) and at a (usual) low-point in the night for me.  Thankfully I would have Hoa for company!!  We continued to make good time, running much of the course, and walking the hills.  The course was extremely well-marked and in the night, the flagging also had lights so it looked like we were chasing fireflies.  Fortunately, that was the closest I would get to hallucinating!  

A bit about the AS workers – they were FANTASTIC!  It is not easy getting to remote aid stations, helping out smelly, cranky, tired runners, making grilled cheese and pancakes, often during the wee (and cold!!) hours of the morning.  Many volunteers camped out for a night or 2 and for most, this was their first experience helping with an event like this.  They were friendly, encouraging and super-helpful.  My fellow runners and I couldn’t do ultraraces without their support.  I don’t think anyone was more excited about raman at the aid stations than Hoa!!  

Somehow, there was a 900ft climb at mile 78 that I had forgotten about.  By this point, I was starting to get mentally fatigued, although thanks to Starbucks double-shot, a 5-hr energy, and coffee at an AS, I was awake.  It still took lots of concentration during this section as some of the trail was eroded and very close to cliffs and shear drop offs.  I took my time – it would kind of suck to fall off a cliff this close to the end!   Finally, the climb ended and we saw cars, people and a fire.  Many runners were shivering near the fire, attempting to warm up.  Not me – loved my pink pants!!!  Hoa grabbed more raman, I ate some grilled cheese sandwiches and we asked the AS volunteers about the last 20 miles.  They said it was gravel roads to the end, a long climb out of this AS, but then mostly flat and downhill to the end.  Sweet!  I saw Eric’s parents again and they said he was doing well, just a bit cold.

Hoa and I headed for a brisk walk up the long, gravel road climb.  It wasn’t horrible and when it flattened out, I could still manage running for 20 – 30 seconds at a time.  So I settled into brief bursts of running, between short walk breaks.  If I could keep this up, a sub-28hr finish was still very much in reach.  Yay!  The sun came up which also helped the spirits.  The miles seemed to be going a little slowly and then, almost to the Campground, the course veered off the road.  On a trail.  Up hill.  A STEEP LONG HILL.  Abby, a woman who finished in front of me, described it as a SOUL-CRUSHING HILL.  Yup, that about sums it up.  Switch back after switch back.  I yelled ahead to Hoa “is this a joke?” as we passed a wooden sign pointing to the campground and another arrow towards the Keyhole arch.  The course markings went towards the arch – in my not-too-clear-state-of-mind, I was convinced a trail gremlin had moved the course markings!  A combination of not expecting the hill and bonking made me a not-very-pleasant person during this section.  Hoa wisely stayed quite a few paces ahead of me.  Finally, we could see people (including Andrea and Stormy and Pete) and cars at AS 13, but I was too crabby and my spirit broken to be happy – which should have been an obvious sign to myself that I was bonking.  Pete had slowed down quite a bit at night – we weren’t expecting to see him before the finish, but were now looking forward to his company.  I tried to eat and should have forced food down, but I didn’t.  Instead of being excited at being only 11 or 12 miles from the finish, I felt disheartened at knowing I would be on my feet for 4 more hours.  I am normally a pretty positive person during events like this and feel fortunate to be able to do what I do – but I am sorry to say, that at that moment, I was not.

We knew we had a climb out of the last AS so Pete, Hoa and I headed up the gravel road.  And up.  And up.  And up.  It felt like an 8 mile climb.  It just wouldn’t end.  And I remained crabby (ultra bonk, but not an excuse!) and started to slow down.  Even when the road flattened out again, I couldn’t make myself run for 30 second bursts like before.  I was unfortunately, sadly resigned to a death march (but still forward progress!) in order to finish – exactly what I was hoping to avoid.  I was unpleasant to be around (that’s an understatement!), but Hoa kept encouraging Pete and I.  I don’t think the 3 of us have ever walked so slow.  I was reminded that 100 miles is not twice as hard as a 50 miler – the last miles are exponentially harder than the earlier miles.  Even when we saw the parking lot where the race ended, I wasn’t convinced I was going to finish.

Finally, the finish line was in sight.  Hoa encouraged us to run the last tenth of a mile, ok just 100 yards.  I said no.  He tried again and again – I managed about 10 steps of shuffling, before finally laying down in the fetal position on the side of the road like I’d wanted to do for the last 4 hours.  After 29 hours and 20 minutes, I could finally stop moving.  Ahhh… Andrea was there to cheer us on and tell us how proud she was!  Stormy too. J  Matt the RD was there to greet every finisher too.  Pete and I chatted with other runners and exchanged stories of shock and bewilderment at finishing.  I kept hacking – it sounded like I picked up a smoking habit, but I inhaled so much dust.  I wanted to scrub my lungs with a toothbrush!  The pizza guys were there again!  Perfect post-race food.  And I got my cherished belt buckle.  Another last-minute change was that Matt’s wife learned a craft technique to make the buckles – it was a picture of the canyon covered with epoxy.  Matt said some of them turned out better than others – I picked one that wasn’t perfect.  Because the race wasn’t perfect.  But I finished.  And sometimes not being perfect is perfect.

Nearly 2 weeks later…I’ve recovered from the bonk (and I keep eating more, just to be safe!).  My lungs feel clean again, although I hope I don’t develop Valley Fever in a few weeks.  I’m even more grateful for Andrea, Hoa and Pete’s friendship and support – and all the positive emails, texts, calls and FB posts.  I’m still disappointed I wasn’t smiling at the finish, but next time I’ll write “DON’T BONK” in black marker on my arm to help me remember to eat.  And yes, there will be a next time.  Bryce was an epic, destination 100 miler.  Maybe something less epic next time – San Diego again?  There’s still so much room for improvement and I have more to learn about myself and ultrarunning.  And I need to finish with a smile on my face!

Across the Years 2012

For New Year’s this year, I had the opportunity to do something I don’t do often enough – crew for others running a race.  I was looking forward to NOT racing and doing what I could to help 8 runners from GA meet their goals at Across The Years 72 hour race in Glendale, AZ.  I’d also be doing my best to support Perry.  For a 3 day race with so many runners, the crew needs crew.

A bit about the race…I first heard of ATY from Kena and was in awe to read that she ran 209 miles.  But she was very modest and said that she knew she could do more.  The course is a 1.05mi loop at Camelback Ranch, a mix of pavement and dirt that was actually quite hard and unforgiving.  In addition to the 72-hr race, 24- and 48-hour races would start each day at 9am.  The weather forecast this year sounded near perfect – 50s/60s during the days and 30s in the evenings, almost no chance of rain.  Cold, but tolerable – at least that’s what I initially thought.

The plan on Friday was to shop for supplies, check in, set up camp, and sleep!  I had the pleasure of meeting the famous Ray the K and immediately had a conversation about PRs and American Records.  The man is an encyclopedia, computer and living legend.  Between the race venue and the host hotel, Kena, Perry and Willy kept running into people they knew.  The race promotes a family-type atmosphere that is unlike any other race I’d been a part of.  At the breakfast buffet Saturday morning, a fellow-racer warned me Kena will get cranky 2.5 days into the race – really, only family could say something like that. :-)  At the race start, I saw a guy in a jester outfit who I recognized from SD100 – turns out everybody knows Ed!  He stands out. :-) He was one of the most gracious and appreciative racers I’ve ever met.

A few minutes before 9am, the racers started lining up.  There were a few last minute announcements and then go!  A few people took off right away.  Um…it’s a long day (or days?) to start off fast, but everyone is different!  It was time for the crew to settle in and “hurry up and wait.”  I went for a run at a nearby park - love the saguaro catci!  Runners didn’t need much early on – the biggest concern was getting electricity to our tent area.  Perry had an elaborate set up with a laptop to track our runners, charge iPhones and iPads and light up the tent like a Christmas tree at night.  We also had numerous battery powered devices to ensure we were the most noticeable (obnoxious?)  tent area.  The only drawback was getting the van close enough to the tent so that the extension cord would stretch.  Thankfully wally-world was close and a few hundred feet of cord later, we had power!  Our crew area evolved over 3 days – every few hours, we added more tarps, lights, heaters, sleeping bags, food (thanks Hoa!), beer and even crew members.  Tom showed up and surprised everyone.  Other friends from AZ came out too – our tent area was definitely THE place to be, for many reasons, but maybe most notably because of the help fellow crew-member Ryan provided in terms of adjustments to our racers, the massage table (thanks Angela!), and the PODIUM PANTS (shhh!!!).  Between visitors stopping by and our racers politely requesting food, drinks, clothing items, etc…it was a struggle to keep the area and especially the table clean and orderly.  It seems like it should be a boring 3 days with lots of downtime, but there was always something to do – buy more cords, buy more lights, buy more tarps, run to McDonald’s for McRibs and In ‘n Out for animal-style burgers…

So rather than go day-by-day, I’d like to highlight the accomplishments of each of the runners, in no particular order.

Phillip – 160.621miles.  I had seen Phillip at numerous GUTS races, but hadn’t formally met him or his wife Rhonda before ATY.  Phillip has completed numerous 24hr and 100mi races before, but a multi-day event was a new beast altogether – he had a big mileage goal, positive attitude, and his wife Rhonda racing herself and cheering him on.  I walked with Phillip on a few late night laps – it was tough to hear him struggling.  How can a (nearly) pancake flat race in nice temps beat someone up so badly?  The enormity of what he was attempting was hitting him and he was concerned about Rhonda.  I listened and encouraged him as best I could and also was fortunate to spend quite a few laps with Rhonda.  Being able to share how she was overcoming obstacles and pushing on was awesome and motivating.  He reached a point where each lap was a mileage PR, re-adjusted his goals, maintained a positive and determined attitude – seeing Phillip and Rhonda cross the finish line hand in hand was one of the highlights of the race!

Rhonda – 100.782 miles.  She’s my hero.  She’s usually supporting Phillip but has done a few times lap races before, although admittedly doesn’t train.  She wanted to do 100 miles and nothing was going to stop her.  She completed 40 miles the first day!  One the 2^nd and 3^rd days, I ended up being the “mean” crew member – when she wanted to stop at the comfy, cozy tent, I said “no” and made her do one more lap.  We started walking together and bargaining.  Two more laps and you can stop for coffee, 2 more laps and you can sit for 2 minutes…by the time fewer than 10 laps remained, she didn’t want to stop – she knew she was going to reach her goal of 100 miles.  She made this amazing transition during the race of breaking down each day into laps, each lap into milestones, setting small goals and embracing that she was capable of such an incredible achievement.

Leigh – 123.878 miles.  She’s tough and always up for a new challenge.  An experienced hiker, cyclist and ironman finisher, a multi-day running event was new territory though.  She had a goal and a plan for reaching that goal and started off strong.  Unfortunately, as it often the case, things don’t go as planned.  Like the tough competitor she is, she re-adjusted goals, didn’t complain and gutted out a tough last 2 days.  The crew teased her that she was the quietest, most low-maintenance racer – we kept missing her laps because she would sneak by.

Josh – 56.69 miles.  Leigh’s husband is primarily a cyclist and I’m not sure his cycling friends knew what he had signed up for and if they did, probably thought he was crazy.  But he’s open to new adventures and was great at supporting and encouraging Leigh and everyone else.  The crud / flu claimed him early on, but re-adjusting goals (there’s a theme here!) he and Leigh got a hotel room for the next few nights and graciously shared the warm room and shower with the crew.  Everybody was appreciative of having a clean-smelling crew!

Willy “Natureboy” – 164.82 miles.  This was Willy’s second year competing in ATY.  He’d completed a 500mi race earlier in the year, so what’s a few hundred more miles in a couple of days?  Somehow Willy escaped me being the “mean” crew member – he would stop, I would get him blankets, McRibs, let him sleep… At the risk of ruining his reputation for being mean, he was a guardian angel to numerous racers on the course – whenever someone needed company or motivation on a few laps, running or walking, he was there.

Ed – 200.514 miles.  I didn’t get to hang out with Ed until after the race.  But it was always nice to be able to cheer on a GA runner and he always appreciated the cheers and support.  He had such a positive attitude and perspective and I look forward to seeing him on trails in the future.

Joe – 329.64 miles.  I don’t really need to say anything else.  It’s difficult to comprehend that number.  Especially given impressive distances he covered in 24 hour races in the previous weeks leading up to the race.  We had numerous friends in common but didn’t meet until the morning of the race.  He’s humble, down to earth, and just likes to run (and keep running).  For someone to cover that many miles, he was pretty-low key and self-sufficient, taking advantage of race food, and stopping by our tent occasionally for iPod charging, naps and morale boosts.  He did a good job of shutting off his brain and listening to what Perry and Ray told him (when to sleep, how long to sleep, etc…) and staying in continual forward motion.  When he broke the record at 324 miles, we were careful to tell him it was the record-setting lap, NOT the last lap.  Afterall, Ray reminded him it’s a 72-hour race, not a 70 hour race.  Another highlight for me was watching him complete the last few laps with Ray – legend and one in the making.

Kena – 254.054 miles.  Again, I don’t really need to say much else – that number speaks for itself and is equally difficult for me to comprehend.  She set a high mileage goal before the race and everybody had complete confidence in her.  She is one of the most positive, encouraging people I know.  She made me promise that I would still like her if / when she got crabby at night.  I don’t know how one keeps moving continuously for 3 days straight and doesn’t have minor breakdowns.  She doesn’t let other people quit in races she’s volunteering at or in charge of and that kind of determination was going to get her through 72 hours with record-setting mileage.  Each time there was a low, Perry or Willy or Ray or Ed or one of the other ATY runners would know what to say and she’d be back running, smiling and focused.  And she had positive words of encouragement for everyone on the course, especially her closest competitor Charlotte.  Seeing the 2 of them race against each other for 3 days and then push each other to achieve personal bests was the ultimate display of sportsmanship.  It was a struggle at times – and it could seem that friendship and competitiveness and the desire to win were at odds.  But it worked out beautifully.  Charlotte set a Canadian record, Kena set the course (and American?  or world?) record and they couldn’t have done it without motivating each other the last few hours.  A week after the race, I asked for a race report.  Kena’s response was “I wouldn’t know what to say except that I felt more loved than ever and I am forever grateful for all of the support that I had.  Thank you!!!”  Another legend in the making.

I can’t wrap this up without a few words about Perry.  His MacGuyver skills made sure we could land planes at night, if need be, in addition to staying warm and dry.  But more importantly, he understands the logistics of multi-day racing, the stress the runners are under, and what to tell them about food, sleep and competitors to keep them motivated and moving forward.  And he’s able to do this while remaining (relatively) coherent on 4 hours of sleep in 3 days.  He could still read – the same couldn’t be said for some of the ultrarunners… ;-)

I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to be a part of ATY2012 – it was amazing to witness all 8 runners from GA setting personal mileage bests, including 2 course records.  Will there be a next year?  As a crew – definitely!  Records were made to be broken and I’d like to see a few more fall. :-)

For the record, I don't like driving 100 miles...

San Diego 100, June 9 – 10, Laguna, CA

Many of you have seen the move about the Leadville 100 bike race “Race Across the Sky.”   During the pre-race briefing, the advice of the race director to the racers is “One word:  dig deep.”  That was helpful last weekend and was expanded to include dig deeper, dig deeper than that, scrape the bottom and keep digging.  The race was humbling, challenging, inspiring, amazing, difficult, epic, breathtaking, exhilarating, and 100 other adjectives.

I chose SD100 because I wanted something epic, but not too epic, i.e. not Leadville.  I also didn’t want to run loops (Umstead) or run something in my backyard (Pinhotti).  This was at a good time of the year, near one of my best friends, and the terrain sounded challenging, but not demoralizing.  The elevation gain was around 16,000ft.  Temps would be warm, but it’s a dry heat.  The chatter on the interwebs about the RD, Scott Mills, was incredibly positive.  I ran a qualifying 50 miler in December and signed up for SD100 in February.  At least 6 months of training had gone into this race – I knew I would finish, but also thought a sub-24hr time was within reach.  I reminded myself numerous times over the months and during the race that the journey is more important than the destination – I had no idea how true that would be.

I arrived in San Diego on Thursday and picked up my pacer, David, at the airport.  David and I have been friends for years and when I sent out an email asking (begging) for friends to crew and/or pace, David said “yes” almost immediately and booked a flight from SLC, UT.  He’s a fast runner over a variety of distances and this would be his first unofficial ultra (distance over 26.2mi) and exposure to trail racing.  He assured me repeatedly he’d do whatever he could to help me finish and was super-excited to be part of this experience.  I tried to give him as much information as I could about what the race was going to be like, what I would need, but I think it completely exceeded his expectations and even restored his faith in humanity.

Friday we had a leisurely morning drinking coffee and chatting with Siri, who was moving to Hawaii in a week.  Perfect timing!  After an easy run to work out any cobwebs, I started packing my drop bags and planning out what I anticipated that I would need / want along the way, including Infinit (powdered drinks), gels, pop tarts and Bonk Breaker bars.  It was starting to seem real and my nerves were getting to me.  It was also about that time that I realized the race was going to be at elevation (relatively speaking – David lives in SLC so it felt normal) starting at 5600 feet, going up to 6,000ft.

The drive east towards Julian, CA and Cuyamaca State Park was gorgeous – big mountains, wide vistas, few trees.  The high desert looks nothing like GA!  We checked in at the Eaglenest B&B, our home for the next 3 days.  Jim and Julie truly made us feel special.  We met their awesome golden retrievers and noticed slices of apple pie (that Julian is famous for!) in our rooms – delicious bed time snacks. J  The race site at Al Bahr lodge was 25mins away along more gorgeous roads.  I picked up my race packet and waited for the pre-race meeting to start.  Loved the sign that read “moderation has its place – it ain’t here!”  The sense of possibility and positive energy was awesome!  At that moment (and the next morning) everyone was going to have a great race – no one could anticipate the various struggles we’d encounter on the trail.  The pre-race briefing helped to calm my nerves and confirmed that Scott was an exceptional RD.  The only question David and I still had was how he was going to meet me along the trail.  There were 15 aid stations, 5 to 8 miles apart, some accessible by crews.  I could pick up my pacer after mile 50.3 – but I thought we’d try to meet at mile 59 or 64.  We only had the 1 rental car so his job on Saturday was to be chatty and hopefully arrange a ride.  After the traditional pre-race pasta meal, we went back to the B&B for final preparations.  The race vortex was winding down.

The 4am alarm wasn’t too painful – I was still on Atlanta time and had slept well, thankfully.  David knocked on the door with coffee and we grabbed the awesome breakfast to-go from our hosts.  I ate as much as I could knowing how important it was to start well-fueled.  Once at Al Bahr, it was time to hurry up and wait – but I wasn’t nervous, just calm, excited and looking forward to the adventure.  196 people lined up at the start – I met Gerri, a fellow runner who had paced an acquaintance last year so was excited to meet her.  She would go on to have an awesome race!

And then at 7am, we were off!  I did my best to start conservatively.  Scott had warned us that this course can easily fool runners due to the relatively easy terrain and gentle elevation change in the first 30 miles.  The first 25 miles passed easily – we ran through meadows and I was well-within my time goals, eating and drinking regularly.  The field spread out, but I got to chat with runners as we ran the same pace or passed each other, including Gerri.  Most were from CA, many first timers and many experienced 100 mile runners too.  I took pictures and ran with a smile on my face.  We started a long, gradual downhill into Aid station 4 – the last 2 miles very pretty technical and rocky, not too different than GA trails.  It took lots of concentration not to fall.

Aid station 4 to 5 (mile 31 – 36) was a lollipop loop that was tougher than I was expecting – about 3 miles uphill and 2 miles down, all on exposed trails (no more shade like the morning!).  I power-walked the climbs and kept enjoying myself.  Before I left, the amazing volunteers loaded me up with ice in my camel back, sports bra and in my hat – that saved me! 

Aid station 5 to 6 (mile 36 – 44) was going to be brutal – Scott warned us that this section is the hardest for most people.  It was an 8mi climb, 2mi on pavement with some steep pitches, almost no shade.  And the temps were well in the 80s at this point!  I love sections like this and Scott was right – it was tough.  He also said we’d have a surprise waiting for us – part way up, we were blessed by a trail angel handing out POPSICLES.

Aid station 6 was the first time I got to see David.  I was still looking and feeling good and it was so helpful to see a friendly face.  He met some awesome people, Doris and Rick, who were going to help him out with a ride later in the day.  He said he was having a great time.  Eventhough I had written out what was in my drop bags and when I’d get them, I got confused – I was thrown off when my bag wasn’t there and improvised with water and gu.  David assured me everything would be OK.  More ice and I was off!  The run to section 7 was WINDY – tail winds (loved that!), head winds and cross winds.

Aid station 7 to 8 (miles 51.3 – 58) was at sunset.  I saw David again at mile 51 and knew I’d see him again at 59 and at 64 we’d start running together.  The sunset was gorgeous!  I was struggling the last few miles up a gravel road and caught up with a fellow runner, Ali from OR.  He was awesome – told me about his previous 100mile run and had lots of positive energy.  We really helped each other get to the next aid station in good spirits!

I started to slow down from aid station 8 to 9 (mile 59 to 64).  The sun had set and I needed my headlamp – but very quickly, the batteries were failing.  The temps were dropping to the 40s too.  There was a bit of a climb, which I walked, but then ended up walking the downhill too – I just couldn’t see and wasn’t confident in my footing.  The trail at this point was large boulders and kind of sandy.  I really was not keen on falling!  Better to be safe and slow, I thought, even if I was getting passed by many others.

Aid station 9 at Paso Picacho was where I would meet David and have company for the rest of this journey.  I was still feeling good, but really looking forward to having someone to tell stories, make jokes and pass the time. I switched to new shoes and finally figured out where all my drop bags were – so easy to get confused!   We put on the layers we had and left, mostly walking.  David put in new batteries in my headlamp – that made a huge difference!

By Aid station 10 (mile 72) I was not in good shape.  I couldn’t run due to what I thought was tendonitis at the top of my quad / hip.  I was in pain. We just crossed a stream and my feet, socks and shoes were wet.  And it was really getting cold – someone said it was 36.  I was prepared for 40s, but I didn’t have gloves and neither David nor I had a wind breaker.  The volunteers were busy helping a runner who was violently shivering under blankets – I did not want to end up like him!  But I did not want to DNF either.  A crew member who’d earlier DNFd offered a ride if I wanted to stop – she didn’t encourage quitting, but was concerned.  But I’m stubborn so reluctantly left the warmth of the heaters.  The next section was 8 miles – the car was there.  If I could just get to the car, we’d be OK.  Think warm thoughts!

Aid station 10 to 11 was the most difficult section of the race.  My first few steps were agonizing – I realized I couldn’t run, but I was worried we wouldn’t be able to walk fast enough to stay warm.  We prayed for uphills.  8 miles…the mind plays with you – on the road, that should take 1hr10min or less, earlier in this race, 2 hours or less.  We were looking at 3 hours, and it would be cold, dark and windy.  The temps kept dropping and we were shivering.  We kept checking on each other, doing our best to keep moving and stay warm.  My quad/hip was killing me.  With about 2 miles before the next aid station, we were walking through a warmer pocket of air.  That saved us!  Although, with a mile to go, my walking had slowed to a crawl – it probably took us 25 minutes or more.

Aid station 11 was both the lowest and the highest point of the race.  I walked in and held out my wrist so they could cut off my bracelet.  I didn’t think I could finish.  I was crying and in pain.  What did I do wrong?  Why did this hurt so much?  How could I disappoint all of my friends?  How could I let myself down?  The volunteers are experienced at seeing runners in this mental and physical state and staged an intervention.  Thankfully, they did not cut my bracelet off, but helped me over to the medical tent and another trail angel, Anna.  Anna is an experienced trail runner and was convinced that my race was not over.  I lay down, warmed up, she massaged my quad some, gave me advil, helped me stretch and most importantly, gave me a pep talk.  She was the California Kena!!  It never occurred to me that I would DNF – looking back, I’m disappointed that I considered it, but I also remember how much pain I was in.  The mind is powerful.  One of the many lessons I learned is how much of ultrarunning is mental.  Some of the pain was most certainly from being cold and having tendonitis, but also from being scared – I’d never run/walked 80 miles before, doubt was manifesting itself pretty severely in that tendon.  In addition to Anna, 2 other “miracles” happened that gave me the strength to leave – coffee and sunrise.  David and I thanked Anna profusely.  I was still hurting, but determined to get to the next aid station and then re-evaluate.  David gets choked up explaining how Anna brought me back from death (that’s an exaggeration, Mom!!), but I wasn’t her only miracle of the night.  Just before we left, a guy looking extremely fresh thanked Anna and started moving.  He had walked in 2.5hrs earlier, incoherent and unable to eat – after sleeping he woke a new person, ate and finished.  Anna said many other runners before me had chosen to DNF and weren’t able or willing to work through their issues.  I owe my finish to Anna, her positive energy, and her belief in me that I could finish when I was doubting myself.

Aid station 11 to 12 was 7miles, with some climbing.  If I could get to aid station 12, then there were only 3 more aid stations and the finish.  One aid station at a time.  And there was still plenty of time if I kept moving so I wouldn’t get time cut.  Gradually, the pain was a bit less, I was walking faster and before we knew it, it was hot again.  It was great for David to see some of the amazing views that I had enjoyed the day before.

By Aid station 12 (mile 87), I knew I was going to live and finish.  I was even able to run for the first time in over 25 miles.  Run might be an exaggeration – maybe shuffle?  And at first, only for 10 seconds at a time.  But gradually it was 30 seconds, a minute – run to the next rock, the next ribbon, the next bend.  Run with the rolling terrain, use that to my advantage.  David was constantly encouraging and telling me how awesome I was doing.  I said he was a good liar!  But I was incredibly thankful for his company.  I owe my finish to his support too.

Aid stations 12 to 15 are sort of a blur.  Someone actually said “it’s mostly downhill from here.” I wish people wouldn’t say that!  We still had 2 or 3 power walking climbs that seemed to take forever.  We caught up to other runners and got passed – some were looking rough, but everyone offered encouragement and we knew we would all finish.  I started doing math – could I finish in sub-28?  Sub-29?  Sub-30?  Just keep moving and don’t worry about that was David’s response.  At the last aid station (Badger Hole), we saw Doris again – great to see a friendly face and another trail angel.  We loaded up on ice and cookies so we could make it to the finish.

5 miles – FIVE MILES.  Longest 5 miles ever.  And then the terrain looked familiar, running through meadows.  And there were people cheering runners in.  Someone said we had less than a mile to go – I started running.  I was determined to run the entire last mile.  The 11mn/mi pace felt like we were sprinting!  And then there was the bridge and cars and the finishing banner and clock – sub-29!  I burst into tears.  I couldn’t believe I had finished.  And that I was alive.  I congratulated fellow runners who had just finished and they shared the same sentiments.  It was an indescribable feeling of accomplishment.  Who knew I would be so excited about a belt buckle?  And a hoodie and coffee mug!  Over 50 people DNFd during the race – I was so close to being one of them and so incredibly thankful my friend and strangers for pulling me through.

Some answers to common questions…yes, I have all of my toenails – it’s a miracle.  Yes, I would do this again – it didn’t go so badly or so well that I don’t want to do this again.  I definitely think I can improve – it’s tempting to do this course again, but I know it will be a different experience and a different (even better?) race.  I drank most of my calories – I brought Infinit with me and left it in drop bags.  I love my customized formulas and wouldn’t have finished without it.  Probably half of runners coming through aid stations were having stomach problems and I thankfully never had any issues.  I did supplement with grilled cheese, quesadillas and chicken soup at night. J  I wasn’t tired (or sleepy!) but did temporarily lose wakefulness for 5 minutes at aid station 11 while Anna was helping get warm.  And no, I don’t know what’s next – not a 200 mile race or badwater for sure!  Probably some other fall ultras (50k, 40miler, 50miler) and lots more mountain biking this summer / fall.  I will continue enjoying the journey – running new trails, getting faster, being outside and meeting incredible people – instead of focusing solely on one race.  The SD100 was an amazing experience, but it’s not the end point, just a stop along the way.

A week out from the race, the whole experience seems surreal.  Thanks everyone for your emails and words of encouragement – you’ve all been incredibly patient over the months asking questions during training and checking in during and after the race.  I truly could not have completed the race without you and felt your positive energy on the trails.