Since I didn't get into this race via the lottery last year, I tried my luck again this year and got a spot!
My photographer and I thought about scooping up spaces in the bunkhouse at the start/finish the night before, but we thought it might be better to get a comfortable night of sleep in our own bed instead. Thus, we rolled out of the house around 0430 on Saturday morning to get to packet pickup by 0530. Thankfully, 95 North was practically empty that early on a weekend, so we had no issues getting there on time.
When we entered the parking lot at the race, the volunteers were already upbeat and happy to be part of the festivities. Tom waved us into a spot with his moonbeam as I shouted at him through my open window. VHTRC events always provide such a great environment!
From the parking lot, the walk to the start/finish for packet pickup was only about 1/4 of a mile, but I knew we wouldn't be back to the car so I brought everything with me for the race. Before we even got out of the parking lot I was seeing friends and fellow runners, including Danny R., one of my favorite trail running partners. Initially, we made eye contact in the dark but didn't recognize each other.
"What's up..."
"How's it going...wait a second...Dan?"
"Hey brother!!!"
And we hugged. Then hugged again. Kari understands. And I'm totally comfortable hugging a man in public, but only if he deserves it. I hadn't seen Dan in a few months, so he rated a hug. He still had a few things to arrange for the race, so we decided to meet up at the camp after I picked up my race packet.
At the camp, we immediately ran into Toni, the co-race director of the race, who began screaming our names before we even entered the light from the bathrooms. Her and Kari began catching up while I grabbed my BIB. Afterwards, we hung around outside and said hello to everyone. We saw fellow runners that we hadn't seen in months. I even got to stand in line in the bathroom for 15 minutes with another friend who I hadn't seen since last Spring. VHTRC events bring us together unlike any other races. Kari, as always, had her camera out before the race started:
Just waiting for the gong to sound. Yes, I cut the sleeves off a t-shirt to make this one.
Dan jumped in for a photo
As the sun slowly crested the Virginia mountains to the east, we gathered in the cool morning air for a final race brief and the singing of the National Anthem:
The race field, awaiting the General's orders as the sun came up to the east
Goofing off during the race brief
But, lucky for me, I have friends that take away some of the attention. (That guy in the white on the left is also named Dan - I waited in line in the bathroom with him)
Afterwards, a trumpet sent us off with a loud CHARGE to start the battle:You might notice in the video that I said goodbye to my good friend Morgan, Scott's son, and not my wife. You might also remember my race recount from the 2012 ICY-8 Hour, where I met Morgan as he joined me in the woods for my final loop of the race. He's one of a kind, that's for sure. In fact, he heckled me throughout the remainder of the day and constantly reminded me that I wasn't winning the race. Also, the fact that Scott was ahead of me gave Morgan more ammunition.
The first mile or so consisted of a smaller loop which funneled us back through the start/finish. There, Morgan once again commenced his heckling.
"AJ, you know you're almost in last, right?"
"Yes, thank you Morgan. That's very inspiring."
"My Dad is beating you! Keep running slow, AJ! See you at the next aid station."
Kari would volunteer at an aid station all day, but she waited to take a few more pictures before she left:
My buddy Jack, who finished 7th overall
Scott, in the green. He gave life to Morgan roughly 15 years ago.
The man, the myth, the legend...Dave Snipes, in the white...so fast that the picture came out blurry
Then came the back of the pack, as Morgan pointed out numerous times...Ian, me, and Dan
Ian in the white, me in the gray, and Dan in the blue...bringing up the rear
Trying to plead my case to Morgan...
The first aid station we hit was at Centreville Road at mile 7.2. There, the three of us didn't need anything other than quick water refills. Ian and I re-filled our bottles while Dan literally ran multiple, tiny little circles around the orange cone in the center of the aid station, screaming "WOOOO!!!" the whole time. Then, we headed back down the steps and continued north.
The turnaround was at mile 9.4, so shortly after we left the aid station we began seeing the lead runners. Since that section of the course was an out-and-back, we had the awesome opportunity to see everyone during the race. EVERYONE! Naturally, we yelled motivational slurs:
"HEYYYYY! Great job guys! Looking good! Alright Alright!! Looking good fellas! Hey maaaaannn! Mike, what's up dude? Doing great!!!"
About 125-ish runners were ahead of us and passed us going the other direction until we reached the turnaround point ourselves. For the next mile or so after that, we got to pass the rest of the field and yell more motivational slurs! Seeing so many runners throughout the race proved to be a great way to take our minds off the pain in the latter miles of the race. It also allowed us to motivate each other and keep each other moving.
We hit the Centreville Road aid station again at mile 11.6 and quickly re-filled our bottles before continuing south. We were still passing some of the other runners, so motivational slurs were still spewing from our mouths...mostly mine. In fact, since we are all military dudes, we actually started singing some motivational cadence along the way.
At mile 16.6, we again circled through the start/finish line again before continuing south on the trail. It was starting to get hot, so I took my shirt off. That stirred up other conversations, stemming off the fact that my nipples were scabbing over but that my hairy chest would take the focus away from them. Actually, we determined that the ladies wouldn't be looking at me at all during the race, so the whole bloody and scabby nipple thing didn't much matter at all. I agreed and the conversation moved on.
Around mile 18, Dan and I lost Ian. His hamstring was starting to really irritate him and he started to fall behind. Unfortunately, I checked the results yesterday and I don't think he finished. Ian - sorry brother, I hope you recover.
Around mile 20, Dan twisted his ankle on a root. I hung with him for a mile or so, but started to pull ahead after he slowed. For some reason, though, he ran about 100 yards behind me for 2 or 3 miles. I would turn around once in awhile to check on him:
"You good?"
"I'm good, brother."
"You gonna make it?"
"Absolutely!"
As we crossed the soccer fields just before the Marina aid station, around mile 20, I started to feel really good. I wanted to run with Dan - for weeks we had been planning to start and finish this race together, just like old times. I mean, Snipes even calls him my "running husband". Although I felt somewhat guilty and felt that I was abandoning my running partner as he fought a twisted ankle, I decided to press on ahead of him. It is a common feeling amongst ultrarunners to have feelings of guilt and shame when/if they leave a friend behind, even more so during a race. In the end, I knew he wouldn't hold it against me and that he would do the same thing if the tables were turned.
Shortly after I abandoned my battle buddy on the battlefield, I ran across Scott. He was looking fresh and motivated. We exchanged some words of motivation and I urged him to run with me. The temperature had been steadily climbing all morning, and I think he was feeling the effects of the sun and heat. He returned that invitation to sender, and insisted that I press on without him.
At the Marina aid station, I quickly grabbed a few orange slices and re-filled my bottle. Altogether, I spent only about 20 seconds in the aid station. I noticed that Tammie was meticulously arranging the snacks and drinks for the runners to quickly grab-and-go. The other volunteers positioned themselves in the middle of the trail to check on us, re-fill bottles, and bring us chow. As much as I wanted to hang around to eat and chat, I was feeling very good and knew it wouldn't last forever, so I left in a hurry.
The next stretch was a long 5 miles of rolling hills along the river. By then, it was around 1000 and the temperature was probably near 70 degrees already. Furthermore, the sun was shining high and bright. This winter and spring have been so strange...To break it all down: this winter was brutally cold and snowy, Saturday was by far the hottest day of the spring by about 10 degrees, and there was no transition from winter temperatures to summer temperatures. Last week, I was running in a jacket and gloves. On Saturday, my shirt was off before 1000. There was no time in between to acclimate to warmer weather. I'm sure that contributed to the 49 drops from the race.
The next aid station was at Wolf Run Shoals Road at mile 26.1. My buddy Alex P. was the Captain of the aid station, so I knew there would be pierogies! Also, Kari was volunteering at this aid station, so I would get to see her. I thought, however, that the pierogies would steal the show. I was so wrong...
I knew I was close to the aid station when I saw a wooden reindeer leaning against a bush along the trail. After 26 miles, your brain starts to wander a bit, and things that are wildly unorthodox to the average passersby seem pretty normal to an ultrarunner. For instance...after the race I would see an older, slightly overweight man walk out of the showers at the camp wearing only shorts and sandals with a pink towels draped over his right shoulder...and another man in his underwear in the parking lot, having a conversation with another man in his underwear in the parking lot...and this was completely normal in our environment...nobody looked twice...where else is this behavior acceptable? But, hmmm, a wooden reindeer in the middle of the woods was definitely strange. Then I saw Christmas balls hanging from the trees a few more feet up the trail. Then a wooden Santa Clause. Then another reindeer. Then a Santa Clause in a sleigh. Then a real Santa Clause! Eventually, I made it to the aid station and found this:
That's Alex in the Santa suit, handing out pickles in one hand and olives in the other
The Elves of Wolf Run Shoals
One very special Elf, reaching for the camera
And an Elf Photographer
This all blew my mind. Again, I wanted to stay and hang out, but I was still feeling good and needed to use my time wisely. After I filled my bottle with water and ice, I continued on towards the infamous Do Loop at Fountainhead Regional Park. It was only 2 miles away, so I dumped most of the water in my bottle on my head and back during that stretch. The trails were really heating up and the trees hadn't yet filled in with leaves, so the sun was beating down on us throughout the day.
Before long, I arrived at the Fountainhead aid station at mile 28.1. Toni was there with a megaphone, yelling our names and keeping us motivated as we exited the trails and headed across the small field to the aid station. There, my friend Sara filled my bottle and shoved me out of the aid station. By then, I was catching the front pack. I had slowly been ticking off runners throughout the morning, about 90-100 at that point, and I positioned myself in the top 20 or so heading into the Do Loop.
I headed down the White trail for about 4.4 miles to the Do Loop aid station. During that stretch, I managed to pass two more runners. Again, I was dumping the majority of my water on my head and back to stay cool. That was my first time on the White trail, which was full of quick ups and downs with plenty of switchbacks.
Entering the Do Loop, I ran into Jack at the aid station. The Do Loop is 3 miles long and Jack was on his way back to Fountainhead, thus he was 3 miles ahead of me. Jack is quick! He had his shirt off as well, and one of the volunteers was dumping water on his head. Even the front runners were feeling the effects of the heat.
I shoved a few gummy bears and orange slices in my mouth, re-filled my bottle, and took off down the trail. Kathleen was right in front of me - another opportunity to chat with Kathleen? I got excited! After running with her for about 15 miles last year at Massanutten, I couldn't wait for an opportunity to hear some more of her stories. She informed me, however, that she was turning on her music in order to push through the Do Loop. Therefore, I asked for the open trail to get around her and pressed on...
About half a mile later I ran across Megan, who I later realized was leading the women's race. We exchanged pleasantries and I informed her that other females were not too far behind me.
Now, it is important for me to tell you that this was also my first time on the notorious Do Loop. Also, I did not study the list of aid stations before the race, so I had no clue where or how spread out they were. That is critical to the next part of this story.
After I saw Megan, the next mile ticked by rather quickly and with nothing of interest. But then, I saw flashy colors up ahead. I was in the middle of nowhere and wondered who would lug a bunch of water and chow that far into the woods to set up an aid station. As I got closer, I saw a pair of legs next to a rusted-up vehicle. Those legs had a face. I also saw a table and I heard music - Beach Boys, I think. Holy crap - someone actually set up an aid station way out here. I turned off my music and started to twist off the lid to my water bottle. But as I got closer, I couldn't believe what I saw...The legs belonged to a blow up doll. The face was a printed picture of Gary K., fastened to a paper plate and taped on the doll's head. The music was definitely the Beach Boys. What the f........
I couldn't believe my eyes. As I passed I yelled aloud, "Haha, GARYYY!!!"
To the person(s) who did this...thank you dearly, from the bottom of my heart. This made my day!
Needless to say, I finished the rest of the Do Loop with the thought of Gary in my head and a smile on my face. Wait, that came out wrong...
My second time through the Do Loop aid station was quick, but not too quick to deny a bath from the beautiful young lady holding a bucket of water. I remembered her from the ICY-8 Hour race this past year. She dumped water over my head and down my back. It felt amazing. Another volunteer offered me an S-Cap to replenish my salt levels, so I took two for the road.
Heading back to Fountainhead on the White trail, I passed a few runners heading the other direction to complete their Loops of Do. Some looked energetic, others looked beat. It was no surprise anymore that the sun was taking its toll on everyone. I can't imagine how Alex felt in that Santa Clause suit...
Once I got back to Fountainhead, my friend Stan told me that I was closing in on the top 10 runners. After some quick math, we determined that I was in 16th. To be honest, I hadn't thought about my position the entire day and I didn't realize that I had worked my way that far to the front. Like everyone else, I was simply trying to outsmart the heat, the sun, and the course.
From Fountainhead, we started back towards the start/finish at Hemlock. The next aid station was Wolf Run Shoals again, this time at mile 39.9. During that short stretch of 2 miles, I was able to pass another two runners - up to 14th place. Surprisingly, I was still feeling really good and was keeping my pace in the mid-9:00's each mile. I was cruising on the downhill sections and still motoring up the hills. I also ran into plenty of day-hikers on this short stretch. There is a large parking lot at Fountainhead, which serves as an excellent meeting place for friends to link up and head out for a hike on the trails together.
I ran strong into Wolf Run Shoals for another round of battle with the Elves. This time, I took a minute or two to visit Kari and eat some food.
Alex gave me those beads at mile 26.1 when I came through the aid station the first time, I wore them all the way to the finish
Taking a minute to enjoy ultrarunning and everything it offers
I wanted to hold off those two runners I passed en route to Wolf Run Shoals, so I left the aid station in a hurry. There was only one more aid station at the Marina, but it was a long 5 miles away. The sun was getting hotter and hotter by the minute. Around mile 43, my runner's high had officially expired and I finally started to crash. There were some relatively big, long hills during that 5-mile section, and I felt like I was burning up as I climbed each one. I recovered on the backside of each hill, but the climbs were starting to add up. My legs felt fine, but I started feeling really sluggish from the inside out. I knew exactly what was happening - heat exhaustion. I had been there two times in the past, and neither time ended well. I started to get worried. And to boot, I was guzzling down water about three times faster than I was in the morning. Somehow, I kept my pace under 10:00 minute miles and passed one more runner - 13th place - on my way to the Marina.
I ran into the Marina aid station with an empty water bottle. After popping salt caps like they were M&Ms, I filled my bottle all the way to the top with ice and water. On my way out, there was a young man who sprayed me down with a hose - head to toe. The water was cold. He probably used the "Shower" setting on the hose. Smart man. All that cold water, however, evaporated in about 5 minutes.
From the Marina to the start/finish was another long 5 miles. Right after I left the Marina, around mile 46, I started to crash even more. I trained hard throughout the winter and spring, and I knew I had lots of miles left in my legs. But the heat was really bearing down on my internals. I would drink two sips of water, then squirt two sips onto my head. I did that for two miles until I ran out, which meant I would run the final 3 miles on empty. Not good. I stopped at every creek and stream crossing and dipped my hat into the water. That helped, but I was burning up inside.
I hit my lowest part of the race just before the soccer fields - I kicked a root with my left foot and hit the ground hard. I rolled across some rocks and finished sitting on my ass, covered in dirt. The worst part, though, was that the effort I put towards stopping myself caused both of my hamstrings to tighten. I knew my legs weren't out of gas, so when both my legs straightened with cramps I knew I was one step away from having another heat stroke. I winced in severe pain as I forced myself to stand up. I tried stretching, but once your legs seize up like that it takes some time to properly recover. I knew I needed salt, but I didn't have any water left. So, I tried to swallow a salt cap without water, which never worked in the past and certainly didn't work this time either. It was stuck in my throat for a solid mile until I managed to get it down the rest of the way.
Running across the soccer fields was pure torcher - no shade, no water, my hamstrings were tremendously achy, and I had a salt cap lodged in my throat. To make things more insulting, the guy I had passed before the Marina got me back - 14th place. He probably laughed to himself when he saw all the dirt and grass stuck to my sweaty backside. To be frank, I was suffering from heat exhaustion pretty bad when he passed me and I wasn't quite sure where I was anyway. I even meandered off the trail a few times, which is hard considering there is a trail paved through tall grass, which clearly delineates a line of travel. At one point, I was curious just how dehydrated I was, so I made a pit stop behind a tree...a few squirts of brown stuff, another really bad sign. I was forced to walk/run the last mile to prevent myself from overheating too much to where I couldn't finish on my own. I only had one thing on my mind - get to the finish line.
Finally, after 3 long and waterless miles, I crested the final hill and jogged across the finish line in 7:51:08 - good for 14th place. Kari had left the North Pole and headed to meet me at the finish line - she took these pictures:
I was pretty much half dead here
Toni ran out to congratulate every runner as they finished - that takes dedication
I didn't just get a hand shake, I got a hug :) Unfortunately, I was so out of it that I don't remember this too well. But, just before I really zoned out, I laid her with those purple beads
Toni and the gang funneled me through the finish line to a shaded area and sat me in a chair. I was sort of in-and-out of consciousness, if you will, and I remember bits and pieces of this. I remember a gentlemen bringing me a Gatorade, which I drank quickly as it quenched my built up thirst from the last 3 miles. He also offered me a beer, and I said "Hell yes!" Before it even got to my lips, things went south in a hurry...
Up to that point, I knew I was suffering from heat exhaustion, which I have had twice before. One of those incidents led to heat stroke, which landed me in a tub of ice at the base clinic. But when my lips started to get tingly I knew I had bigger issues. Then, my teeth starting going numb. My face felt stuck in the frowning position. Then, I got the cold sweats. Uh oh, this is getting worse...Kari was right next to me, so I told her what was happening. Kari is so awesome. She knows me too well. She asked if I wanted to see a doctor, and I said that I just needed an IV bag. She grabbed the Doc, who came over to check on me. I told him my symptoms and my history of heat-related illnesses. Since I wasn't thinking clearly, I didn't realize that I needed to start loading my body with ice in different places. Luckily, I had smart people around me who cared - the Doc filled some rags with ice and shoved them in my armpits, the General tossed some down the back of my shorts, and Kari put more on the back of my neck. The Doc strongly suggested that I head to the hospital at Fort Belvoir, so Kari went to get the car. But just as I got up and started walking to the car the ice started to work. I felt better all of a sudden. I asked Kari to check my pupils, and she said they had tripled in size since I first sat down after the race. My legs felt good and I wasn't shivering anymore. We didn't even get out of the parking lot before I decided that I wasn't going to the hospital. Instead, we headed to the North Pole and hung out with Alex and the Elves for the next 2 hours until they closed up shop.
Doc - I still have those rags, let me know if you need them back. They have been laundered.
To the volunteers who took care of me - thank you very much, and I apologize for not drinking that Blue Moon right away.
(We returned to the start/finish later on with Alex and the gang, and I paid my respects to those folks. In fact, they still had beer left, so the gentlemen who took care of me earlier hooked me up with another beer. This time, I actually drank it.)
Bob and Toni - thanks for the support. You guys were extremely busy with race operations, but you both stopped what you were doing to ensure I didn't croak on your battlefield. To that, many thanks. Also, BRR was the most fun race I have ever been a part of - from the packet pickup, to the race brief, the aid stations and their crews, trail marking, and the best finish line festival ever! Ultrarunners from across the country will surely hear about this 2014 edition of BRR and should be begging to be a part of it next year. No matter where I get stationed in the future, this is the race that I will try to come back for - as a runner or as a volunteer.
To Tom and the platoon of chefs - the food was awesome! You guys have an underappreciated job and I recognize that, so this is my attempt to publicly thank you for your superb efforts at making Bull Run Run the fantastic race that it is (even though all of just 6 people might actually read this blog...).
To the rest of the volunteers - you all make the BRR 50 one of the best races in the country. From start to finish, the race was well-coordinated and a ton of fun for the runners. Give yourselves a pat on the back. I hope to return the favor in the future.
To Gary K. - simply put, you're the man.
To Frank P. and Thomas G. - you gentlemen have a certain determination and dedication to the sport that we all strive to reach.
To Alex P. - thanks for making this sport part of something bigger than just ourselves.
To Dan and Ian - it was a pleasure sharing the trails and breaking bread with you fine warriors.
And to Kari - as always, you're a trooper. If I were you, I wouldn't put up with me. Sometimes, you are more dedicated to this stuff than I am. Thanks for giving me the opportunity to run half-naked through the woods.
End of recount...
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