We started across the field, through the cones, out the entrance to the Lutheran Camp, and onto the road. There was a man sitting on the tailgate of his truck playing an accordion when we exited the camp. I have no idea who he was, but he made my day! I was experiencing many emotions all at once - nervousness, fear, excitement - but that guy relaxed me so much I was able to mentally float up Short Mountain. Thank you, Sir, whoever you were.
The 3.7 mile stretch of road to the trail went by very quickly. I had music but didn't listen to it - far too early. Dave Snipes and I spoke for a brief moment, but he was the only person I talked to until the trailhead. AS #1 was located at the trailhead, so I pulled off to the side to give them my bib number. Afterall, those were the directions and I didn't want Carter to come looking for me. (She tracked all the runners throughout the race and enforced cut-off times. She also acted as the on course RN - I heard she patched up multiple runners. Basically, she is a jack-of-all-trades, or rather a jill-of-all-trades.) It turned out they didn't need my bib at AS #1 so they waved the magic glowing wand toward the trail and said "better hurry!" "Ok, have a great day guys, thank you" and I was off. Many thanks to the crew at Moreland AS for being in such a great mood @ 0430 in the morning. Best AS in the whole race!
Heading up Short Mountain I linked up with a guy from Massachusetts for about 10 minutes - that was his first time on the course. We talked about our training regimen for the race while we meandered our way up the rocky terrain. I wanted to start the race slow and intended to walk up Short Mountain anyway, but I had to run my race and nobody else's, so I bid him good luck and trotted around him. Two female runners followed me. I would leap frog both of them multiple times for the next 50 miles. Kathleen, who I met that day, would turn out to be an awesome companion throughout the race! The other had clearly mastered the art of speed hiking because I had to jog to keep up with her while she hiked the remainder of Short Mountain.
Once we reached the ridge we were able to start running - sort of - it was still dark. Luckily, the course was marked so well we were able to see shiny things hanging from trees 30 yards ahead of us. Confidence streamers! A HUGE thanks to the volunteers who wandered over 100 miles of trails the week before the race. Cutting strips of ribbon, assembling reflective streamers, driving around the mountains, then covering the trails by foot...very time consuming, but VERY necessary for a successful race. I never felt lost and was able to focus solely on putting one foot in front of the other due to the hard work by the trail marking team. And, let's not forget the informative pre-race brief with Gary as the demonstrator!
Around mile 10 I linked up with a group of runners being led by Jim Harris, a 5-time finisher of MMT100 (now a 6-time finisher, congrats Jim). The sun was also coming up which made foot placement easier. In the group of about 10 runners were my friends Robin, with whom I ran Chocolate Bunny, and Mike, who I met last year at the Iron Mountain 50 Mile Trail Run. Mike and I also competed together in the ICY-8 and Holiday Lake 50k. The pack stayed together along the ridge and down the other side of Short Mountain. The trail dumped us off onto a service road @ mile 12, we took a left, and jogged the last stretch to AS #2 located at the 12.1 mile marker.
Dad, Kari, Tristin and Ryan were waiting for me, along with a stellar AS crew. I didn't need much - just dropped off my head lamp, picked up my hat, and chugged some Gatorade. Phil came over and talked me through the upcoming 8-mile section, which was a good refresher - a big climb, followed by 6 miles along the ridge to the Woodstock aid station. Kari told me that I was about 20 minutes ahead of my projected pace. Yikes. I better slow down. One of the volunteers at the aid station said "You have all day." Phew...thanks to Phil and the Edinburg AS crew for some very useful advice! I was feeling good at that point and may have pushed myself too hard through that next section, but you guys helped me stick to my race strategy. Kudos to the Edinburg crew - you were all having fun and it rubbed off on the runners. Best AS in the whole race!
From Edinburg to Woodstock I lost Robin and Mike. They were both right behind me leaving E-burg, but somewhere going up the next hill they played it smart and slowed their pace to ensure they had something left in the tank later in the race. The next time I saw Robin was around mile 102, but that story will come later.
Around mile 13 I came across my buddy Ryan (not my crew) who was chugging it up the last part of the climb. We exchanged pleasantries and I continued on my way. Miles 14-20 were on a relatively flat ridge and went fast. A few boulders and downed trees slowed me momentarily, but runners are able to make up some time on that portion of the course.
I strolled into the Woodstock AS still way ahead of pace. I wasn't sure if I was pushing the pace too much or if I had drastically over-estimated the travel times between each AS during the pre-race planning session with Kari. Since I still felt like I was holding back I decided my pace was good and that I could use an extra cushion for the night miles - I planned all my times around a 24-hour finish, probably a little overzealous. Matt Bugin was also in the AS with me, who I have never officially met.
"Matt, right?"
"Yeah, how's it going?"
"Good, man! We haven't met but I follow you online."
Insert the term "creep" here. He is one of the faster and more well-known runners in the area, so I imagine he encountered similar experiences previously.
Woodstock was packed with good chow. I grabbed some Gatorade, orange slices, and cantaloupe while the amazing volunteers refilled my Nathan's hydration pack. Hands down, that was the best cantaloupe all day! Must have been from Wegmans (inside joke). I thanked the Woodstock crew, who were incredibly helpful and motivated. I noticed Alisa Springman was volunteering, who I unorthodxly introduced myself to during the initial climb in Terrapin Mountain 50k. Just seeing her motivated me to want to finish - she is a 2-time finisher of the Badwater Ultramarathon and is tough as nails. Best AS in the whole race!
From Woodstock to the Powell's AS was 5.6 miles. It was during that stint that I ran into Kathleen again. We talked about the birds and the bees until she ran away from me. That wouldn't be the last time we talked during the race, nor would it be the last time she left me in her dust trail.
Honestly, I don't remember too much of the stretch to Powell's AS. After Kathleen and I parted ways I turned on my music and zoned out.
Much like the approach to E-burg the trail dumped me off onto a service road, I took a left, and entered Powell's AS. I passed a woman sitting in a lawn chair at the entrance and said "Number 42!" "Thanks, darling." I love being young, and those comments never get old :) Again, the volunteers picked me up and re-filled my pack while I snacked on some red potatoes w/salt, orange slices and cookies. Kathleen ran in a few seconds behind me with her friend Tom, who exited the AS ahead of us. The AS crew was cracking some jokes while I enjoyed their refreshments, and we all got a kick out of Kathleen and her extraordinary sense of humor. I was really starting to enjoy having such a happy-go-lucky runner on the course with me! As always, I thanked the AS volunteers on my way out. Best AS in the whole race! Lastly, I had to apologize to the woman in the lawn chair:
"Excuse me, I forgot to tell you how beautiful you are on the way in, so I am telling you now."
"Oh, how sweet, thank you darling. But you're not going to run any faster saying those things."
"I just want to stay here with you all day. Is that allowed?"
"You better get running, mister."
"You have yourself a great day, beautiful."
Kathleen and I left together - I turned left, she turned right...
"Kathleen, I'm going this way, see you later alligator."
"Oh, jeeeeeeez...."
We ran together for the next 7.5 miles to Elizabeth's Furnace AS. Since we had some time and were both starting to feel a bit jello-legged, we listen to each other's gripes and shared running stories. Her quads were tiring and I was starting to cramp already from the humidity. I doubled up on the S-Caps until the next AS and fully recovered. She talked herself through the issue with her quads and we both felt alive again soon enough. I found out she was already a 4-time finisher of MMT100 and I never doubted she would tough it out for her 5th. There was a tough climb with multiple switchbacks going up and over the moutain to Elizabeth's Furnace, but Kathleen knocked it out of the park as I struggled to keep up.
Finally, we made it to Elizabeth's Furnace AS at mile 33.3:
Apparently, I ate something I didn't like
The last time I saw my crew was @ E-burg AS @ mile 12.1, so I was pretty excited to see everyone and eat some of the tasty treats they brought along. The problem was I wasn't hungry. That would continue until very late in the race when I finally got an appetite. But for now, I only wanted to drink calories. The only food I could really stomach were oranges. Maybe the humidity was getting to me afterall... I decided to run shirtless with a hand bottle for the next stint of 4.7 miles. Kari grabbed my shirt and hydration pack while Tristin passed me my Nathan hand bottle. The AS crew and my dad got me some orange slices, chocolate covered coffee beans, and some Gatorade. I had never been pampered like that before. Having a 3-man crew, combined with the AS volunteers, was like having 10 personal assistants. Literally, I worried about nothing. All I had to do was chew-chew-swallow, and repeat. And again, we all shared a laugh at Kathleen's uncanny ability to lighten the mood around her and keep us all laughing throughout the day. A BIG thumbs up to the Elizabeth's Furnace crew for your solid performance all day. I heard many good things about the crew and how helpful they were. I also heard some people entered the AS with some bumps and bruises (Snipes...) that needed tended to, and the crew held their own. Doogie Howser would have been proud. Best AS in the whole race!
The next 4.7 miles up and over the mountain to Shawl Gap AS @ mile 38 were my favorite miles of the race. I felt so free and unrestricted without my heavy pack and shirt. I wanted to drastically pick up the pace but I remembered the race strategy and wanted to stick to it. Ok, maybe I did pump out a 9-minute mile coming into Shawl Gap AS, but I still felt like I was holding back.
The Bacon Station!
Those guys rocked! I'm a vegetarian but still, the AS was hopping! Oranges were fresh, Gatorade was fresh, there was a large and motivated crowd... what more could a runner ask for? I headed straight to the water jug as a volunteer reached out for my bottle and executed the re-fill - I gorged in the fruit aisle. Kari and Tristin ran over with a shirt and my hydration pack, but I quickly denied both. They thought I was nuts. I wouldn't see them for another 16 miles until Habron AS @ mile 54, and there was a 9-mile leg in there somewhere I would have to do on a single water bottle during the hottest part of the day. Didn't care. I was alive! Free! Mobile! Agile! Hostile! (Denzel moment...) My crew thought I was nuts but trusted my judgment regardless. "You're flying, Buddy. Are you sure you don't want your pack?" Tristin said to me. "I'm good man, way too hot." After a few more words and some high fives (and one of Kari's good luck kisses) I peaced out. "Best aid station in the whole race!" I shouted as I headed down the road.
All 3.1 miles to the next AS were on service roads and concrete. It would have been easy to get carried away take that 5k much too fast, which would certainly come with negative consequences later in the night. I heard my Dad's voice saying "You're way ahead of schedule, you don't need to go faster." Being so early in the race I decided not to push it, so I held my pace until Veach Gap AS.
If I remember correctly, I think I heard a cow bell going into Veach Gap AS. Wow. Wow. Wow. What a FANTASTIC crew @ Veach Gap. Motivated, helpful, vigilant, creative. I checked in @ 1221 and yelled "Number 42." Immediately, I saw one of the crew members jump up and run over to the drop bags. To save her some time I yelled "No drop bag!" The temperature was high and the humidity was increasing - I wished I had sent a bag with a second hand bottle. The AS crew saw I was hurting a bit from the heat and had exactly what I needed to get the cylinders firing again: a bucket of towels in ice water. One of the guy draped a towel over my head and said "Here man, make sure you get your stomach too." A shock went through my body and I got the chills. Immediately I felt a rush of energy and just wanted to crank out some more miles! The next stretch of 9-miles had the potential to break me off for good since I only had about 16 oz of water to take with me. The crew offered me a bag-o-water. What a great idea! But I didn't want to fumble around with a ziploc for 9-miles. They offered many ideas but in the end I decided to tough it out since I was the moron who dropped his pack in the mid-afternoon before one of the longest gaps between aid stations. After the usual - oranges, Gatorade, and two cookies - I was out. Thank you, Veach Gap crew, for saving my day with the ice water and towel. Best AS in the whole race!
I started walking out of the AS as I munched on the last piece of my second cookie and I caught up with my friend Brad, who I met during one of Tom's MMT100 training runs. We talked about the upcoming climb and how difficult it would be if someone only had 16 oz of water... then, we both heard some heavy breathing sounds from behind us:
"Phhhoooo. Phhhoooo. Phhhoooo. Do I sound like a train, or what?"
Brad and I turned around to see Kathleen, power-walking and pumping her arms wildly as she conquered yet another one of MMT100's climbs.
"Why yes, you do," I said.
"I know! I practiced. Excuse me, I'm just going to swing by your left here. Ok, here I come. Phhhoooo. Phhhoooo. You guys are looking sooooo great!!! Phhhoooo. Phhhoooo. Is this a big hill? Phhhoooo. I don't remember? Phhhoooo. Phhhoooo."
"Um..."
"Do you think it'll rain today? I know you were hoping for it, AJ. Phhhoooo. Where'd your shirt go, buddy? Man, these bugs are everywhere!"
Brad and I just laughed. She was really moving and went ahead of us by about 20 yards. A few more questions were fired our way but soon she was around the corner and out of sight. About a mile later Brad and I saw Aaron with his camera along the side of the trail. He was at the top of the climb where most of us looked exhausted and were still walking. His location was strategically scouted. Naturally, Brad started running and smiling at the camera to make for a good photo. I was laughing so hard I couldn't run when my turn came to pass in front of the lense.
Along the ridgeline Brad and I traded places a few times - he would stop to fix something with his bottles, I would stop to empty the rocks out of my shoes, and so forth. Kathleen, meanwhile, was so far in front we couldn't see her, or hear her. The last two miles to the AS were downhill, and I surprisingly still had some water left in my bottle, so I picked it up a tad. Brad and I entered Indian Grave AS @ mile 50.1 only a few minutes apart with me leading. Kevin was there to greet us! It was awesome to see the RD out on the course. I believe he was with Bill Sublett, the "on the course" RD as Kevin explained to me. That was the truth. I later learned that Bill covered the entire course a few times in his truck, dropping off supplies where needed, motivating the volunteers, and cheering on the runners. I will get back to Bill in a moment...
Indian Grave AS had some awesome chow and drinks: ginger ale, Ensure, Pedialyte, pickles...Pickles! I indulged. They were all excited to see runners. Everyone was offering me goodies. Someone actually started to make me a sandwich and I felt bad when I asked her not to. I was still feeling very good but there was another guy struggling on the picnic table. I suggested she help him instead so I could get out of their way. One of the volunteers re-filled my hand bottle for me while I ate a few orange slices. I thanked everyone and yelled "Best aid station of the race!" They cheered loudly.
Now back to Mr. Sublett. The course from Indian Grave AS to Habron Gap AS was 3.9 miles of concrete. About two miles into it a truck drove by - it was Bill and Kevin. They kindly slowed down as they passed. Bill yelled out "Looking good" and kept going. That was awesome! Something as simple as "looking good" or "keep it up" has a huge affect on the morale of a runner late in a long race. I started thinking, "Maybe I am looking good."
Another mile down the road I turned a corner and there was Kathleen, swinging her arms in every direction and bouncing her head from left to right. I caught up to her said "Howdy." I could hear her music over mine. She gave me a thumbs up and a head nod, and continued singing and dancing. I didn't want to interrupt to so carried on. A couple minutes later there was a stream running along the right side of the road - I helped myself to a few handfuls over my head and arms. On the left there were some folks kayaking and fishing on the creek and I really wanted to cut left and swim out to them. The fish wouldn't like that very much. I rounded one final corner and saw the Habron AS in the distance. My crew was there waiting for me with a dry shirt and my hydration pack - I would certainly need it for the next 9.8 mile leg to Camp Roosevelt.
I can't say enough about the aid stations and the volunteers. These guys were totally awesome. I was 54 miles into the race and my arms were starting to go numb when I reached for anything on the ground. One of the AS volunteers saw me having trouble with my pack, and that I couldn't reach back to get it on my body, so he rushed over to help me. One of the straps was crooked so he quickly went to work correcting it for me. Meanwhile, another volunteer was getting me Gatorade and oranges. Tristin was re-filling my bag of S-Caps. Kari was making me a veggie burrito. Ryan was filming/taking pictures and my Dad was letting me know how I was doing and mentally preparing me for the next leg. Another AS volunteer asked me if I needed anything and re-filled my cup with more Gatorade. I was in awe. So many people, so many moving parts, and all focused on the runners. What an operation! My spirits were completely lifted and I was super motivated all over again. Mentally and physically, and 54 miles in, I was now prepared for the longest leg of the race. I owe it to the Habron Gap AS crew for their preparedness and positive attitudes! Best AS in the whole race!
Between Habron Gap and Camp Roosevelt the crew made a stop for some coffee and to take some photos:
What a crew vehicle looks like after a few aid stations
The whole crew: Kari, Tristin, Ryan, and Papa Cillo
Somehow, I lost Brad and Kathleen, so the majority of the 9.8 miles I spent alone listening to music. Frankly, I don't remember the climb after Habron Gap AS. The next thing I do remember is coming across Luann with her hiking poles coming towards me. I met her once before at an aid station and I have seen her at a few other races. I specifically remember seeing her atop the highest point during Terrapin Mountain 50k. She stopped me and I took out my headphones to hear her.
"Be careful because there is a bear about 0.2 miles ahead of you."
"Really? No crap?"
"Yep. Look up on your left at the hard right turn, you'll see him sitting there."
"Ok, thanks. Hey, I think I saw you hiking around during Terrapin Mountain. Was that you?"
"Yes, it was. Would you like a cookie?"
"Cookies???"
"Yes, here..."
"No really, that's ok. Are there some at the aid station up ahead?"
"Oh, yes! I dropped off walnut and chocolate chip!"
"Perfect! I will get some there. Thank you so much. You look so beautiful today!"
"Thank you sweetie, good luck today."
She actually started to pull out a cookie from her fanny pack!!! I was dazed. One second I am cruising downhill listening to tunes, the next there is a beautiful woman on the trail with cookies in her fanny pack. I really needed to get to Camp Roosevelt and have my crew check my pupils or something.
I turned my music off and switched my mindset to the combat hunter as I scanned hillsides and crevices for a bear. Nothing. Drats! Before long I was flying down the dirt road to the concrete, took a right, and entered the Camp Roosevelt AS. There were a ton of AS volunteers, families, friends...and they were all cheering like crazy. What a pick-me-up! Mike Campbell was one of the first one's to see me, along with my crew. Tristin was already geared up and ready to start pacing, but I needed a few minutes to change my compression shorts. I started towards the bathrooms with Papa Cillo simply to use the building to hide behind while I stripped down. It turned out the bathrooms at Camp Roosevelt AS were closed, but all I needed to do was change my underpants, so I snuck behind and completed the mission.
The crew was always at the ready
Everybody was so awesome and gave me the confidence I needed for the next climb
Now, with fresh briefs covering my rumpus, I was ready for some chow. Mike brought me some Gatorade, Tristin brought me some oranges, my Dad fished out the chocolate covered coffee beans and some of the energy balls Kari made, Ryan captured the moment on the camera, and the AS volunteers asked me what I needed and offered to bring me things from the table. Really, I was good with a fresh pair of shorts, but my crew and the AS volunteers were determined to make me as comfortable as possible. I shoved a few more coffee beans and oranges into my mouth, grabbed my veggie burrito from Kari, took the Clif bar and honeystinger waffle Dad handed me and shoved them into my pack. I threw on my hat, got high fives and a kiss (and I think a pat on the rumpus), then headed back down the trail. Again, AS volunteers cheered loudly and motivated us! Thanks guys! Best AS in the whole race!
We were in such a hurry to get running that we forgot the baby wipes. I stopped on the road while Tristin returned. We stepped off again and realized I didn't have a headlamp. We didn't return again since it wouldn't be dark for another two hours or so.
Immediately I had to pull off to the side and go to the bathroom. Let's just say I was very grateful Tristin went back for the baby wipes.
"How you doing out there, Buddy?"
"Not well."
"Take as long as you need man, I'm feeling fresh. Not like we're in a race or anything..."
"Right..."
When we started moving again I realized I had a massive stomach ache, which would creep up randomly throughout the night.
The climb to the climb was what I thought to be the climb we had to climb. Got that? So when we reached the 0.8 mile "climb" I was somewhat demoralized by how big it was. I looked up and saw a runner, almost directly above me. Then I remembered the training run and it all came back to me - very steep, very long, and a ton of switchbacks...pretty much like every hill in MMT100. Tristin was able to humor me all the way up and all the way down the other side though, so the stomach ache slipped my mind. He and I have been friends since, well...our mom's put their stomachs together (even though he is 2 years older than me...you get the point). Our discussions get deep into the weeds. We used to go on night runs until 0300 and talk the entire time. Sometimes new topics, sometimes we re-visit old ones. Life. Running. Wives (he is getting married in September). Cars. School. Work. Christmas tree farms. Adopting kids. You name it. Therefore, the run to Gap Creek went fairly quickly but I was starting to feel the miles.
Coming down into Gap Creek really started wearing down my ankles and joints, and I started to feel sick again.
I began feeling very sorry for myself and had to choke back tears. Tristin ran the Pine Creek 100 Mile Run last year and warned me about emotions creeping up later in the race. The Gap Creek AS crew was phenomenal. They immediately started asking for ways to help. Someone brought me Gatorade and orange slices. Someone else offered me some S-Caps and a cup of ginger ale. Dad offered me a dry shirt and socks, neither of which I accepted. Tristin wanted me to eat a Clif bar but I wasn't craving that at all. Kari made a veggie burrito in preparation for the first climb up Jawbone but I just wasn't in the mood to eat anything. Ryan just looked scared, and for good reason.
I was in a huge slump. I couldn't think of anything I wanted to eat, so I didn't. Gatorade and oranges lost their zazz, so I put them down too. I love Kari's energy balls but almost threw up looking at them. My arms were chafed and going numb again. Stomach acid was creeping up my throat. All I wanted to do was cry and go lay in the poison ivy. My ankles and knees were screaming at me to sit down, but I vowed to NOT sit AT ALL in the aid stations. The straw that broke the camels back was when Tristin said he was sending me out on my own for the next 8.5 miles so he could rest enough to finish out the race with me from the Visitor's Center AS. At that point I gave up. I shut down. No more food, no more water, nothing. I started walking towards Jawbone for some reason. I guess I was ready to tackle it without water or electrolytes, because Kari and my Dad called me back and reminded me I was empty on both. So I moped back and bent over while they took my pack off. AS volunteers were getting worried. I knew what I needed. I just needed to cry and get it all out. Needed to suck it up and keep moving. I didn't train for 5 months to drop out because of a stomach ache, or sore ankles, or sore knees, or because I felt like getting poison ivy.
Then Tristin said he was going with me.
"That's it, I'm coming on this one with you. Ryan will take over after me."
"No man, I need some alone time with the woods."
"That's bull shit, I'm coming with you."
"Fine..."
We started walking towards the road, took a left, crossed over the gate, and started up the mountain. After a few steps I stopped, put my face in my hands, and stood there and cried for as long as Tristin would let me. Turns out his patience ran thin after 4 seconds and he grabbed my arm and threw me towards the mountain. And that was that..........
Part III coming soon...
How you can remember enough to recount the experience is beyond me. . . I sometimes take the wrong route to the grocery store and end up at your mom's place.
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