FKT on the DEST

This post explains how I ended up running the Down East Sunrise Trail.  If you are looking for the meat and potatoes of that report, scroll down.


It was about two years ago I mentioned to my friend Erik Johnson that I wanted to run the Eastern Trail from South Portland, Maine to Portsmouth, New Hampshire.  It would be just over 100 kilometres, no significant elevation gain, and half the route would be off-road.  It was a wonderful idea, but it never came to fruition since I spent as much of my time in the spring snowboarding at Sugarloaf, leading right into Spring ultra race season.  There were too many races in my calendar to justify a very long "fun run."

Fast forward to March 8, 2020:
I just completed my AIARE avalanche training and was ready for a long season of back country snow adventures with friends.

March 15, 2020
I met up with some friends from out of state at Sunday River mountain for a day of riding and skiing.  Sometime in the afternoon, we were getting on a chairlift and the liftie said "Enjoy the last day of the season."  I thought that was weird and Google told me that Boyne Resorts had made the decision to suspend operations at the end of the day due to COVID-19.  We enjoyed the rest of the day, but I knew everything would be different from that point on.

So, resort skiing is done, exploring the Chic-Choc Mountains in Canada wasn't deemed essential travel, the conditions around here were subpar, and there was no chance I would be caught at Tuckerman's Ravine with every inexperienced skier in New England since the resorts were closed.  With the realization that I was done snowboarding for the season, I packed away my gear and focused my energy and efforts on running.

I was optimistic that my two "A" races would still somehow carry on.  I had Riverlands 100 miler slated for Mother's day weekend in May and Vermont 100 miler on July 17th.  I also had time to explore the Eastern Trail since I wasn't up in the mountains.  At this point, I felt inconvenienced but thought normalcy would return shortly.

March 29, 2020
Riverlands 100 postponed until 2021

April 14, 2020
Vermont 100 postponed until 2021

At this point I was running to run.  I had been doing so much trail running on the Riverlands course before the cancellation, but now it no longer made sense to travel far from home to run.  So, I embraced what I had in my backyard.  I spent a couple months checking out different sections of the Eastern Trail from Bug Light to Kennebunk, on the current route and future route.  I knew this would be the season to do the whole thing in one push and that I could do it responsibly.

June 7, 2020
I set out on my longest run since November.  I parked my car in Saco, Maine and ran to South Portland Bug Light and back via the Eastern Trail.  This 34 mile route gave me an opt-out option halfway through if things weren't going too well with my apartment only 1 mile away from Bug Light.  Thankfully, it went very well and managed my 3rd fastest 50k time (4:51:30) during the training run.

June 21, 2020
OKT/FKT Maine Eastern Trail
I knew the route and even programmed it into my watch just in case.  The plan was to take off from Bug light and head south.  I started at 4am with enough fuel (Thanks Tailwind Nutrition!) to make it through the first 50k (5 hours) without any support.  I would then be periodically meeting up with my partner Catalina and my van to refuel along the route.  It was a hot day and ran out of liquid a few times, but got it done and set the OKT/FKT on the Eastern Trail in 13:21:02.
https://fastestknowntime.com/fkt/todd-reutlinger-eastern-trail-me-2020-06-21

I enjoyed the run and thoroughly enjoyed the trail.  However, the "what's next" monster started creeping into my thoughts.  I started researching more on the East Coast Greenway (https://www.greenway.org/)  and how awesome of a project it is to connect Florida to Maine.  The next thing I learned was the longest off-road section of the entire Greenway was the the 87 mile Down East Sunrise Trail in Maine (https://www.sunrisetrail.org/) !!!  Well, this was an easy decision to make.  It is there, so I should do it!

June 24, 2020
I reached out to my friend Gary Allen who is the co-event organizer for the Down East Sunrise Trail Relay which uses MOST of the DEST (plus some "bonus miles") and he told me no one had done it solo, yet.  I entertained the idea of running the relay course solo ending in Ellsworth and had full intentions of doing so, but the OKT/FKT on the DEST was always the top priority

July 7, 2020
Preview of the DEST and logistics
At this point, I knew I was going to run the entire length of the trail at some point soon.  I did my due diligence to find out if anyone else had ever covered the trail on foot in one push and could not find any information anywhere I looked.   I drove up to Ellsworth to preview a few miles of the trail and I'm glad I did or else I would've used road shoes on the big day!  The trail is a wide multi use path, but is definitely catered to ATVs.  The footing is crushed limestone on an old rail trail.  The bugs are big and nasty, but the landscape is vibrant and alive!

I bargained with my partner, Catalina, to crew me for another selfish endeavor.  Essentially asking her to give up a weekend of white water kayaking to sleep in a van in a parking lot the night before the run, drive to remote locations and wait up to an hour for me to just so I could exchange sweaty clothes for Tailwind Nutrition and water.  As repayment, I would be her personal driver for her next few kayaking adventures.  I am very thankful to have such a supportive partner to help me accomplish these goals.

I also reached out to my photographer friend Greg O'Connor to take pictures on the route.  Greg was originally planning on being a race photographer for Riverlands 100 miler until that event was postponed until 2021.  He managed to somehow make time for me and went above and beyond.  I cannot express how much it means to me to have someone document this experience.

The pieces were coming together.  I had the training.  I had a crew.  I had mapped out the logistics.  Now all I needed was a date.

I remember in January while on vacation in Chile, being glued to my phone.  The Vermont 100 lottery was live and my fingers were crossed that I would be going back to Silver Hill on July 17th to run! I was ecstatic when I got in!  I was equally dejected when the race was postponed.  The DEST Relay is also held on that same weekend every year (except this year due to COVID) and so I've never been able to participate in Gary's event.  So, it only made sense that I run the Down East Sunrise Trail plus the 18 mile continuation to Easport via the DEST Relay course for a total of 105ish miles.  That way I can get an OKT on the DEST and complete the DEST Relay Course solo on the same weekend I was signed up to run a 100 miles.

I know, that's some strange justification to run 100 miles.  I also had a lofty plan to run the East Coast Greenway from Calais to Ayers Junction, roughly 20 miles, the next day.  I know realize that was a dumb idea.

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THE DOWN EAST SUNRISE TRAIL OKT/FKT REPORT

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July 16, 2020

After work, I picked up Catalina from home and headed to Ellsworth.  Thankfully, I had a few days off from work before the run to get everything super organized and sorted out.  SHOUT OUT TO MY FRIENDS AND COWORKERS AT FLEET FEET MAINE RUNNING FOR SUPPORTING MY GOALS!

 I was using my 2018 NV200 compact cargo van as a temporary home and mobile aid station, as I've done before.

We arrived at the parking lot at Mile Post 2 (which is where the relay starts) around 9:30pm and met up with Greg to fill him in on the plan for the next day along with maps and documents for my expected times at each location.  His responsibility was to document the event and Catalina's was to crew me.  I tried to make things as straight forward for my crew as possible, which is what every runner who has a crew should do!  I planned on only 3 big stops along the entire 100+mile route; mile 30, 60, and 87.  The rest of the times I saw them I would be "bonus aid" and just be getting more fuel.  I had pre-filled all my bottles and bladders with tailwind and had almost all my gear in a single bag.  This allowed me to be able to be get the things I need and do the things I needed to do, even if I couldn't communicate that effeciently later in the run when things got mentally foggy.  We established a simple routine for when I rolled into the big aid station stops: get my butt in a chair, chug a packet of Tailwind Rebuild (I have found it important to get some protein in on runs over 12 hours), change out needed bottles and/or bladder, and then assess things like socks, shoes, chafing, blisters, equipment, etc.  Having this routine proved to be very helpful.

The plan was to start at 4am at the terminus of DEST about 2ish miles away.  It starts right off the sidewalk of Main St., right behind the Comfort Inn Parking lot.  The trail open 24 hours and camping is allowed.  The upgraded bed situation in the van was much more comfortable than the metal bar futon previously used, but 3am wakeup still came too early.

July 17, 2020
3AM my alarm goes off and I'm filled with groggy excitement.  I'm excited to start my adventure!  I throw a Clif bar down my throat and proceed to get my gear ready at a relaxed and leisurely pace, which doesn't take long since everything was prepped already. I double and triple check that I have all the things I need and we leave the parking lot and drive to the start of the trail. It's just before 4am. I say my goodbyes and start my watch and tracker and head out with enough gear and fuel to get me through the first 30 miles on this cool morning.

Mile 0.0 4am

Starting Gear List:

• Shoes-Salomon Sense ride 3 - I used the sense ride 2 for most of my trail miles last year
• Socks-Feetures crew sock- not a picky sock guy, just wanted a higher cut for the dust
• Shorts- Patagonia Strider pro 5"- VT 100 finisher shorts, they work and have good pockets
• Shirt- Tailwind Nutrition Singlet- My most comfortable running top ever
• Neck gaiter - tailwind-I almost always run with a gaiter, even pre-covid- they are super useful
• Hat-hi-visibility brooks reflective running hat- to be seen!
• Headphones- Trekz Air by Aftershokz-super light open ear headphones that last 8 hours
• Headlamp- Petzel Actik Core- 450 lumens and has rechargeable battery packs
• Watch- Garmin forerunner 945- bought this after my forerunner 35 died during VT100 in 2018, love the ability to upload a route directly to the watch and the long battery life
• Hydration Vest- Salomon ADV SKIN 12 SET- I love this vest! It stores everything I need and more with very little bounce! So what did I carry in my vest?

• Garmin inReach mini- small tracking device with an emergency SOS button which gives me piece of mind when out doing longer training runs solo, plus it allows people to watch my progress on runs like this.
• iPhone- safety, communication with crew, and videos!
• Waterproof First Aid Kit- plus emergency gel, backup headlamp and contact lenses
• Wallet- just in case I get in trouble
• Maps and pace sheet - became super important around miles 30-35
• Travel bug spray - used all of it
• Sunglasses- ended up not using at all
• Squirrel's Nut Butter - for emergency chaffing
• Hand Trowel and wipes- when nature calls
• Small knife- Been carrying it on long solo runs just in case since 2015
• Instago camera- tiny camera to record video of moose that were too close
• 1.5L bladder- filled with 600 calories caffeinated tailwind
• Three .5L soft flasks with 200 calories non-caffeinated tailwind each

Here I was, starting the 87+ mile journey on the Down East Sunrise Trail.  Tunes were cranking and I was focusing on how much I would enjoy the day.  Not more than 1 mile in, I see a skunk in the middle of the trail.  I caught him in my headlamp and slowed down enough for him to get out of the way without frightening him and getting myself sprayed.  For the next mile all I was thinking about was how much that would have stunk (haha) to have my run start with a skunk spraying.  What would I have done? Continued on for the next 18 hours reeking of skunk?  Have Catalina get a bunch of tomato juice and pour it over me?  Luckily, this wasn't something I had to worry about.

I fly through the parking lot (probably too fast at this point) at Mile 2 and give a quick wave to Greg and Cat knowing that they will be going back to sleep for the next few hours while I get to have this trail to myself in the pre-sunrise hours.

Mile 16 2hr 20min 6:20am
Sunrise!
Things are feeling great!  I'm smiling and so happy as I'm watching the sun rise up above a clearing after being in a dark green tunnel for the last 2 hours.  I pull over to pee and find an iPhone on the ground, which I can only assume fell out of someone's ATV.  I grab it and will deal with that later.

Mile 21 3hr 15min 7:15am
Too Close for Comfort!
Moose! Two moose pop out on the trail in front of me from the right hand side.  They are about 20 yards ahead and I freeze.  I instantly start recording on my camera and start backing away slowly.  Thankfully, they pay me no mind.  However, one moose heads to the left of the trail and the other heads to the right.  I wait a few seconds and start walking forward.  I am terrified at this point.  I don't know if there are more moose or if these moose are sticking around.  All I know is that I have a whistle and a knife which will not help me with these big beasts in the middle of nowhere.  I keep my head on a swivel as I approach where they crossed the trail.  I am walking very slowly and cautiously at this point.  No sign of them.  Good.  I continue back to running knowing that I will be on vigilant moose patrol for the next 12+ hours.

Mile 26.2 4hrs 7min 8:07am
Marathon!
Right over 4 hours.  I was on pace for a perfect day!

Mile 29 4 hr 33min 8:33am
Where you at?
Staying positive is super important in long efforts like this.
I was sharing my location to the whole world on my Garmin inReach mini with updates every 5 minutes.  I also had location sharing enabled for google maps on my phone for both Greg and Catalina, along with being able to see Catalina's location.  Before the run we had laid out a few places we would meet up, but knowing things might change.
I pulled out my phone to see how far away I was from my crew who I assumed would just be finishing up breakfast at the North Cafe, which is accessible from both the trail and road.  Google told me they weren't at North Cafe and in fact they were nowhere close to me!  I call Catalina and tell her I'm about to roll into North Cafe. I was a bit ahead of schedule and they weren't prepared for that.  We created a plan on the fly to meet along one of the side roads a bit farther along where route 1 and DEST run side by side.  This is where experience helped me tremendously.  I have the amount of nutrition and fluid I need for a 50k pretty dialed in: 2.5L of water with 1000cal of tailwind which gives me 200cal/hr for a 5 hour 50k.  I made the decision that morning to carry one extra .5L bottle with 200cal, just in case.  That decision saved me and allowed me to be a bit more relaxed about my crew not being where I expected.

Mile 34  5hr 45min 9:45am
Aid Station #1
My people!  I had time to be grumpy for a few minutes and get over it before seeing my crew.  I had seen nothing but moose, skunk, and deer for the last 6 hours! So, It was nice to see people!  I popped down in the chair, Catalina handed me some Tailwind Rebuild protein (which I chugged) and we started assessing.  I told her I needed fresh socks.  I could feel a hot spot on a toe and wanted to sort it before it got worse.  I took off my socks and shoes to see that my feet were a mess!  My feet have never gotten so many blisters at this distance before.  (I must credit the terrain for this.  The crushed limestone was almost sand like in some spots and super rocky in others.  The trail is mainly used by ATV's and creates some nice crowning and deep grooves on the trail.)  I popped a couple of blisters, threw some gold bond on my wet feet and let those dry out as I took care of emptying my pack of headlamps and blinky lights that I won't need during the daylight and getting a new bladder and soft flasks into my pack. I also handed my headphones over to get charged up for when I needed them next.  I taped over the worst blister, threw on new socks, and decided different shoes would be the way to go.  I threw on my HOKA Evo Mafates and used the Addaday Trigger Point massage gun to work out some tightness in my hamstring.  I was up and moving and my buddy Greg was going to bike with me for some miles while taking some photos.  At this point, things still looked good and the weather and my body were cooperating.

I walked the next mile or so to allow my body some time to digest the 240cal of protein I chugged and was back into the running groove chatting with Greg until about mile 40.  At this point things started to just feel tighter and harder so I started walking a bit, but still averaging a 11min pace.

Mile 44 7hr 45 min 11:45am
Unexpected Early Aid
I look down at my watch and look back up the trail.  "This can't be right."  I wasn't expecting to see Catalina and my Aid Van until mile 47 and my watch is telling me I'm at mile 44ish.  Is my watch wrong?

I walk to the van and rudely tell Catalina that she's not supposed to be here, but she assures me she's in the right spot and this is mile 47.  I'm not assured, but I don't have time to discuss it.  I change out my socks, use the massage gun on my legs for 30 seconds, grab my Salomon poles, 2 500ml bottles of tailwind, and continued on.

I knew I was in trouble at this point.  Everything was heavy and I started feeling tired and drained.  The next few miles were power hikes averaging about 15 minute miles.

Mile 47 8hr 40 min 12:40pm
Todd Becomes Cranky
Catalina was there waiting.  She wanted to let me know she was wrong about the location earlier and didn't want me to think I had the mileage wrong.  It was very thoughtful and crucial for her to tell me, but the elegant thought out sentence I could muster was "I know I was right."  I can be a jerk when I'm suffering.

The next couple miles I started to get some more running in and less hiking.  Until I hit mile 51 and everything slowed down.  This is also the time I started getting into my own head a bit and assessing how the rest of the run was going to go.  I knew the miles from here on were going to be tough.  Nothing in particular hurt, but my body just wasn't wanting to operate at the level I was expecting from it.  Something needed to change, but I didn't know what at this point.  I was still trying to stay positive.  There was no doubt about getting to the end of the trail, but there was some disappointment creeping in about knowing I would be falling short of my expectations that I set for myself.

I dug myself out of the negativity hole and started getting back into the "one mile at a time" mentality.  After returning back to a positive thinking mile, I had a joyful and unexpected mile when I saw Mary Ropp and Gary Allen down the trail from me!  They had come all the way out here just to cheer me on for 10 seconds while I did this silly solo run!  This gave me some fresh legs for a bit and I temporarily felt refreshed!  I was smiling big as I ran past and thanked them for coming out!  I felt euphoria.

Mile 54 10hr 5min 2:05pm

And then I bonked!  My next two miles were 19min pace.  That is slower than my average walking pace.  I knew I wouldn't be able to push all the way through without a hard reset at mile 60.  I was cranky.  Tired. Upset. Frustrated. It started to rain a bit and started to get cold. I was bickering to myself, in particular about how my feet hurt.  It was aggravating to choose my line on the trail.  I had three choices for lines on the trail:

1. Edge of the trail which was flat, but narrow and dropped off
2. ATV tracks which were firmer and wide, but concaved
3. Middle of the trail which was soft, but sometimes very convexed and narrow

None of these choices were ideal after 50ish miles and I stopped caring about what line my feet took and just worried about trudging forward.

I was cold, but too tired to move any faster.  I know the dangers if this continues too long.

Mile 60 11hr 30 min 3:30pm
Nap Time
I came in knowing I was in bad shape.  I saw Catalina and Greg at the other side of the road crossing and gave them a big thumbs down.  I told Cat that I needed to take a 20 minute nap and reset hard.  This nap thing is something I did at Great Cranberry Island 100 last year around mile 70 to recharge after having some thermal regulation issues and fatigue.  It worked out miraculously for me then, so I hoped it would work out for me now.

I chugged another tailwind rebuild drink and changed out of all my wet clothes and popped on some compression tights and calf sleeves along with fresh shirt and shorts and tried to get a nap in the van bed while charging the electronics that would die before I finished the run if I continued at this pace. 

LAZARUS

I wouldn't say I felt like a million bucks after my nap, but I felt better than I did before the nap.  My body still felt fatigued, but my head was clearer and less groggy.  I felt just a bit less tired.  It was raining and I know I was procrastinating getting back out there.  It was going to be hard and I just needed some minutes to mentally prepare for it.  I made the decision then that I would be calling it a day when I reached the terminus of the Down East Sunrise Trail at Ayers Junction and relayed that decision to my crew.

I ate some peanut butter sandwiches, loaded up my pack, including headlamp, threw on some fresh shoes, and hiked onward.  Nothing much to report on this section.  There were some beautiful views, but my head was mostly looking down trying to grind it out one mile at a time without falling or tripping on my poles.  I also spent a bit of time taking my jacket on and off with the rain and temperature.
I averaged a 15 minute pace over the next 11ish miles.

Mile 72 15hr 45min 7:45pm
Second Wind!
I threw on some dry clothes including a dry jacket, ate some peanut butter sandwiches that fell on the ground, grabbed some more tailwind.  I was fighting for every step at this point.  My feet were killing me and so I figured it would be worth trying a different pair of shoes so I threw on my Altra Escalantes.

I got my second wind! My body felt like it was moving better.  Things were still tight and achy.  I was still have some issues with the chilly rain, but moving forward didn't feel as much of a chore anymore! I ran a 10 minute mile for the first time in 24 miles!  I changed over the battery pack for my headlamp at some point as well.

Mile 78 17hours 9pm
Rookie Mistake
Hot Damn! I can smell the finish!
I was so determined to get this thing done!  I dropped my hydration vest, chugged some tailwind, and told my crew I would see them in a few miles.  Things were starting to get a bit foggy, but I was alert enough. 
Then my headlamp started dying, fast.  Shit! My extra batteries, emergency headlamp, and phone are in my pack which is now in the van and not on my body.  I have just my poles, shoes, and jacket.  At this point I think every shadow is a moose that is going to come out and chase me, so I push hard knowing that I am literally racing the clock before my headlamp dies and I'm stuck in darkness in the middle of nowhere.  This was my fastest mile since mile 49.

Mile 80.5 17hr 45min 9:45pm
Headlights!

I see my crew!  I didn't get stuck and I only have a few more miles!
I chug some more tailwind.  I change shirts again and choose to use an emergency poncho instead of my still soaking wet jackets.  I grab my secondary headlamp and my emergency headlamp and head back out!

The emergency poncho was amazing!  My core was staying dry and warm and my arms were able to be exposed and allow my body to breath much better than my two high end waterproof jackets.  This is something that I need to remember in the future.

I told Catalina to try and be at every road crossing from here on out.  I felt less safe and less sure of my body than I wanted to.

Mile 82 18hr 7min 10:07pm
I am the trail.
Short and sweet.  I chugged some fluid and kept on moving.  I felt like a machine.

Mile 86 19hr 11pm
I just need a coke!
I came into my crew and only wanted a coke.  I told them that when they get to the finish, I would be very appreciative if they could walk towards me.  I was done and I knew I was in a danger zone as far as mental and physical fatigue.  I was in and out with a coke in my hand on the trail. I finished the drink as fast as I would while walking, smashed the can and stashed it in my pocket and took off!

I spent the next mile thinking about how hard this thing was and how happy I am to be done shortly.

It was wonderful seeing Catalina and Greg for the last time and having them walk me in the last half mile or so.  I reached the terminus of the trail and touched the sign.  I was done.

Mile 88.84 19hr 38min 40sec 11:38pm
It took some time for everything to settle in and hit me.  There was a guy there that asked me if I was running the thing.  I said yes, kinda.  I'm not continuing on to Eastport, butIidid just do the DEST.  He showed up to see if I needed anything. He didn't know if I had a crew and wanted to make sure I would be safe on my way to Eastport.  Apparently, he lives local and saw my tracker from someone else's FB page.  Peter, thank you and I'm sorry I was short on words.  That was super thoughtful and tells you a lot about the community.  If anyone knows who this was, please pass along his information to me.

I was done.  I just did the damn thing!  No one else has done this before!  These feelings were fantastic!

I immediately wanted some warm dry clothes on and shoes off my feet.  After a few pictures, we loaded up the van and headed to the motel in Eastport for a warm shower and some much needed sleep.

This was the perfect end of the run.  I started the run with no fanfare and ended the run in the same way.  This was my Vermont 100.

Saturday July 18th
I thought I would be more upset than I was about not continuing on and completing the 18 "bonus miles."  I did the main thing I set out to do, even if it was slower than expected.  I was happy and proud of my accomplishment.

My body also didn't feel as terrible as I expected.  Things were very very tight, but once again, nothing in particular.  Just strong general soreness like I just traveled 88 miles :)

I got about 5 hours of sleep with the hope of catching the sunrise, but the ocean fog had other plans.  After some timing issues due to being right next to another time zone (thanks Canada), we got some breakfast by the ocean where I had two full meals.

The rest of the day we spent exploring and walking at Quoddy Head State Park and Acadia National Park before heading back to Portland.

Things I could have done differently:

1. I could have not gone on an 8 hour group run 5 days before
2. I could have sleep more then 5 hours the night before.
3. I could have run slower than an 8:30 pace for the first ten miles
4. I could have chosen a day with better weather.
5. I could have applied more lubrication around my pack.
6. I could have brought more warm clothes.
7. I could have stayed more positive.

Things I did well:

1. I was self-reliant from mile 0 to mile 34.
2. I wasn't too proud to take a nap or to adjust my plan.
3. I communicated with Catalina how I was feeling throughout the day.
4. I never had the thought of not getting the OKT/FKT.
5. I was able to grit it out.

Post-notes:

I am a Tailwind Trailblazer and I used almost exclusively Tailwind Nutrition for the run plus a couple peanut butter sandwiches, 2 blueberry crisp clif bars, and one 12oz coca-cola.  Due to my fatigue and fogginess, I think I could've have increased my hourly caloric intake a bit more.

I am also an ambassador for Squirrel's Nut Butter and ended up with no chafing in the usual spots on this run.  However, I did end up with a bit of chafing on my collarbones from my pack.  This is a new spot for me to get chafing and so I did not apply any lubrication on this spot before the run.  I assume this occurred for a few reasons: this was my longest run with this pack, my pack ended up getting soaked with rain and sweat, and my collar bones are a bit more prominent than they have been in past events.

My waterproof jackets worked well to keep the water out, but they weren't breathable enough given the ambient temperature. These are great jackets in the mountains or colder temps, but was the wrong choice for a run like this. I ended up feeling like I was wearing a long sleeve trash bag.  The dollar emergency poncho worked so well because it didn't cover the forearms and had big opening around the elbows and around the waist to breathe.

I used a plethora of shoes during this run.  For those that don't know, I work at Fleet Feet Maine Running which puts me in a position to try many different types of shoes.  I don't think any of the shoes I brought were the "perfect" pair.  I felt the Salomon Sense Ride was a bit too aggressive and ended up giving me blisters, but I had no real issues for 29ish miles on technical trails a few days before.  The Hoka Mafates were cushioned, but it allowed me to use poor form with no feedback.  The Altra Escalantes felt the best and I will even give them partial credit for me getting my second wind, but they didn't have enough traction underneath them.  I think I would have preferred a low stack flexible light trail shoe, such as the Altra Superior, if I were to do this trail again.

I owe it to myself to go back to Ayers Junction and finish up what are the 3 last legs of the Down East Sunrise Trail Relay course, at some point.

Big shout out to Greg O'Connor for documenting this experience.  He did a great job capturing my joy and pain during this event.  Photos of the event are  can be found HERE, on his instagram, @greg.oconnor or on my instagram, @toddrunswild.

If you like his work and are in need of a photographer, let him know!

Thank you for all that followed along on the tracker and on my stories on social media.

One last thank you to Danielle at Starting Line Run Studio in Portland, Maine for the Normatec Recovery session a few days later!  They are so great and inclusive to all runners whether you are taking your first steps, folks that run distances farther than people like to drive and everyone in between.

The time I set on this trail is made to be broken.  There will be few to no ultra races for the rest of the year.  I want the folks that enjoy this long distance running thing to have an opportunity to compete.  Here is a course.  Here is where I stopped for aid.  Below is the Strava data for you to go out and do it as well!

Feel free to reach out for any questions that may not have been answered here.

https://www.strava.com/activities/3778277724

-Run Wild-

Todd Reutlinger Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/toddrunswild/

Greg O'Connor DEST FKT album: https://photos.app.goo.gl/YBB1dzLpikxMixj86

Greg O'Connor Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/greg.oconnor/

Greg O'Connor Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoc7Sy151DSyCaqkbCjBMKw

Down East Sunrise Trail FKT:https://fastestknowntime.com/fkt/todd-reutlinger-down-east-sunrise-trail-me-2020-07-17

Eastern Trail FKT: https://fastestknowntime.com/fkt/todd-reutlinger-eastern-trail-me-2020-06-21

Strava: https://www.strava.com/athletes/25811964

East Coast Greenway: https://www.greenway.org/

Eastern Trail: https://www.easterntrail.org/

Down East Sunrise Trail: https://www.sunrisetrail.org/

Down East Sunrise Trail Relay: https://www.crowathletics.com/destrelay-race-overview/

Tailwind Nutrition: https://www.tailwindnutrition.com/

Squirrel's Nut Butter: https://squirrelsnutbutter.com/

Starting Line Run Studio: https://startinglinemaine.com/

Fleet Feet Maine Running: https://www.fleetfeetmainerunning.com

Vermont 100: https://vermont100.com/

Riverlands 100: http://www.riverlands100.com/

Great Cranberry Island 100 - Redemption and Victory

Alright, alright.  I know it has been awhile since I posted and there really isn't a good reason for that.  So, what have I been up to the past 6 months?  Well, after Bandera I took off the whole month of January from running and spent most of my free time up at Sugarloaf to get in the most days on the mountain.

January:
February: 50 miles for the month and long run of 8 miles
March: 20 miles for the month, long run of 9 miles, and dislocated my shoulder snowboarding
April: 100ish miles for the month, long run 14 miles, and 2 week vacation in Bahamas
May: 160 miles for the month, two 20 mile long runs leading up to Pinelands 50k which I Finished just over 6 hours for the 34 miles.  Also, paced Tanya at Riverlands
June: 110 miles for the month, three 13 mileish long runs, rolled my ankle pretty bad, paced an unsuccessful FKT of 100 mile Wilderness
July: 180 miles for the month. 20 mile long run, 6 mile trail race at Bradbury

I decided this year I didn't want a super strict plan like I had last year leading up to Vermont 100.  I wanted to spend my free time in other ways instead of just running all the time.  So I chose quality miles over quantity.  There were many runs I let off the gas or called it early due to a weird twinge or soreness, etc.  After dealing with an injury last year, I wanted to avoid dealing with it again.

So here we are in August.  This is where my season really starts for 2019.  Last year it started in April and I felt some burn out near the end of the season.  I wanted to have more time to train ahead of the races instead of going through the vicious race/recover cycle.

August started off with the Beach to Beacon 10k and I managed a PR of 42:40.  This was my evaluation of how training was going and it looked like I was headed in the right direction.  The next weekend was Bradbury Breaker 9 mile trail race.  I took the race super conservative the first half and let the legs fly on the second half.  Felt good and was happy with my finish.

After the breaker, I did a 60 min run and a 40 min run to stretch out the legs before the big race.

GREAT CRANBERRY ISLAND 100

Last year I pulled out of GCI less than 25 miles in.  I had just completed my first 100 mile race (VT100) and GCI was only 4 weeks later.  I thought I would still give it a shot, but an injury I had been dealing with all season prevented me from going any further and I received my first DNF.

This year, I had something to prove.  As soon as I found out Gary Allen was going to be hosting the race again, I applied.  I wasn't deterred by the distance or the monotony of a single road.  I had something to prove to myself and others.

Great Cranberry Island has a rich history of running which you can read about here:  http://www.crowathletics.com/great-cranberry-100/#history

The course is a 2 mile paved road with lightly rolling hills.  It's a very low key race with only 5 runners this year.  I wanted to run this race for the simplicity of it.  It's just pure running.

Race day: at 3:50am the alarm clock went off and by 4:30 me and my crew of Ian, Catalina, Matt, and Obie were on the road from Portland towards Southwest Harbor.  We grabbed the 9:30 ferry to the island and started setting up tents and getting all the gear sorted out for the 11am pre race briefing.  Gary had some nice encouraging words to say and then let us finish up getting ready.

Race Start:  A signal is heard and the race starts with a Firetruck escorting the runners down to the dock.  I started off smooth and fast and actually had to slow up a bit so I didn't run into the firetruck!!!

Mile 0-24
The first 24 miles were pretty much uneventful.  I had planned on starting out by finishing each 4 mile circuit in about 36min (9min/mile) as long as I could; however, I ended up going out a bit too fast and spent each circuit trying to slow it down a bit.  At this point everything felt easy.  I was taking in 150cal tailwind in 18oz water every single circuit.  No issues.

Mile 24-36
My pace slowed down closer to a 10min/mile, but I was happy to go farther than I did last year.  I was leading the race and knew the pressure was on to keep up the work. I was still taking in just tailwind and water at this point

Mile 36 Aid station
At this point I could feel my feet start to swell and knew it was time to change into my shoes that were a half size up.  I had planned on not stopping until mile 40, but needed to make a change now.  So I changed socks and shoes and shirt. total time in aid station 10 min.

Mile 36-44
At this point, I knew something wasn't right.  I was getting cold and couldn't figure out why.  Tanya was pacing me and helped me trouble shoot it.  I wasn't getting enough calories! 150cal/hour is usually just fine for normal conditions, but I was working so much harder then "normal conditions"
It had started to get foggy and the humidity hung in the air and made it hard for my sweat to evaporate.  I decided I needed to fix this now before it got any worse.

Mile 44 Aid Station
I came in cold and needed to change everything! New shirt, added a buff and jacket.  drank some hot coffee, vegetable soup, chicken tacos and some other foods, I think.  This was when I started to get frustrated, because my legs were still fine and cruising.  During this time, Bradford passed me which put me in 2nd place. A total of 36 min were spent at aid station

Mile 44-48

I was chasing Bradford at this point, just barely keeping him in sight.  He was my rabbit and reason for me to keep pushing even though things were going wrong.  Caught up to him at the aid station and I kept pressing to take my spot back.

Mile 48-64

Running became mechanical and fluid again.  Everything seemed to be better now.  The fog was difficult, but thankfully I had a waist light and a headlamp, so I wasn't just staring at light reflecting off the moisture.  Then I blinked.  Except, my blink lasted two seconds.  I was cold and tired.  I needed to wake up and warm up ASAP!

Mile 64 aid station
My crew was amazing!!! I changed shirts and ate close to 1000cal while seated and wrapped up in a sleeping bag trying to get warm. At this point I thought I may not be able to finish this race.  I told my crew I need a pacer every step until the finish line.  I can't risk falling asleep while running.  took some coffee and off I went.  25 min at aid station

Mile 64-68
These miles were not pretty.  Catalina was pacing me and I know I needed a hard reset somehow. I was having fun, but running had become tough.

Mile 68 Aid station
I took a nap.  I have never taken a nap before in a race, but I felt like I needed it.  I had been running for 14 hours at this point.  I convinced my crew that I needed 20 min to take a warm nap and be off my feet.  I laid down on the floor in the community center with my legs up against the wall over my head.  This felt so good!  I woke up to my legs falling off the wall and went back to sleep.  Catalina woke me up to tell me it had been 20 minutes.  I put on a new pair of shoes and told her I need 5 minutes with my head on the table.  That 5 minute nap was so much better than the 20 min nap! I felt like a new person! 50 min spent at aid station.

Mile 68-86
That nap was huge!  I got my legs back, I felt good. There were no complaints.  Still hanging out in 1st place. I ended up passing the 2nd place runner around mile 86 and he told me he was spent and was going to walk it in from here.  I believed him too since he had a coffee mug in his hands.  I was so happy knowing I was going to finish this thing despite the crazy evening.

Mile 88 Aid station
Taking Bradford's comments as truth and knowing I had another big race in two weeks, I was content walking it in.  I changed into fresh socks, a cotton t shirt and a hoodie.  I was going to stay warm.  I started off my walk with a hot coffee and stale vinegar chips.

Mile 88-92
Big smile on my face knowing this race is mine...until I saw Bradford behind me and running. Fuck!  So now I have to start running with a damn cotton shirt and hoodie on.  I put on the gas.  I know I'm still up 4 miles on him, but I wanted to guarantee my lead.

Mile 92 aid station
Took off my shirt.  Lets run!

mile 92-100

I wanted there to be no question: I am the one to beat today.  I put on the gas hard and ended up doing two miles at a 9:30 pace that late in the race.  It hurt, but it was almost over.

Finish time 20:41
 1st place
2nd fastest course time (behind Mike Wardian)

This was a fantastic race.  I loved the tiki torches that lit up the road at night.  I loved the lowkey vibe and encouragement from the residents and visitors.  Gary said this would be last organized race on the island, but this is still a beautiful place to visit and run your own miles on.  I never got bored or tired of the course.

Miscellaneous:
I was spitting up food/saliva/water from the point I consumed the vegetable broth and spicy chicken until the end of the race.
I had pacers for over half the race.  We were allowed bike pacers as well since the road was not closed off to regular traffic.
Only wore headphones for 8-16 miles

Shoes: Hoka Carbon x sixe 11.5 and 12
            Brooks Adrenaline 19 size 11.5

Nutrition: mostly tailwind, some maple untapped, and a few clif bars along with the aforementioned foods

Gear: Garmin forerunner 945- had 13 percent battery upon finish
         nathan insulated exodraw 18oz hand helds x2
        Squirrel's Nut Butter - NO CHAFFING in places I applied!

Bandera 100k Race Report

This past weekend I had an opportunity to run Bandera 100k in attempt to get a qualifier for the 2020 Western States lottery.

So why Bandera?

Getting into Western States is a goal of mine and I know it is going to be "long game" in attempting to get in since the race is so popular.  I applied this year with my single ticket from completing Vermont 100 this past summer.  I thankfully did not get into WS with my less than two percent chance from a single ticket, which I was very happy about since I wanted to take 2019 as a year to work on speed and shorter distances.

Bandera is one of the very few races less than 100 miles that qualify for a ticket for the lottery.  I knew I was going down to Texas for Christmas and I was already pretty well trained up from such a jam packed year in 2018.  The race was scheduled for January 5th, so I knew I could just stay an extra week with family and just drive down to Bandera for the race.  This made logistics very easy.  Just completing the race wasn't going to be good enough for a ticket, I had to complete the race under 17 hours.  Bandera is also a Golden Ticket race which means the top two men and women finishers get an automatic entry in Western States, no lottery required.

Back in early November, I had a fantasy of trying to attempt to get a Golden Ticket. HA!  I thought it would be neat to hang out with the elites for the first lap, just to see if I could.  But then Sugarloaf got dumped on with feet of snow and my focus and free time shifted from running to snowboarding.  In all honesty, I was getting pretty burned out from running after spending the last year training and racing with no real break and spending the last month on the treadmill.  As the race got closer and a DNF at Millinocket Marathon in early December, my new goal was just to finish under 17 hours so I could take some time off from running and not having to worry about getting a qualifier the rest of the year.

On December 25th, Catalina and I caught our flight down to Dallas to spend a week with family and to enjoy the warmth of Texas.  It was nice to see my family, especially my grandmother, for a week and just be able to relax before the race.  I got a couple of runs with my oldest brother and was feeling good about the race.

Everything was going great, until I received an email form the race director, five days before the race, informing me the location of the race had been changed!  Well, I already had all my gear with me and there wasn't anything I could do about it now.  I booked my lodging at the new race location, Camp Eagle in Rockland Springs, and that's all I could do about it.

Catalina left on New Years Day and it was now time to focus on the race.  I sorted out the few logistics that were left: pick up some Untapped maple syrup from a local running store and figure out what vehicle I was going to use to get down to the race.

Race Prep:

Bandera 100k is a two 50k loop race.  I was really hoping to have a pacer that could serve as my crew for the first loop and pace me for the second.  Unfortunately, things don't always go as planned and I ended up arriving at the venue with no crew and no pacer.  I took this as an opportunity to prove a couple things for myself.  I was going to treat this 100k race like two back to back 50k races.  During the first loop I would just use a handheld water bottle and take my hydration vest with more storage, fuel, and fluid on the second lap.

I attended the pre-race briefing Friday night to hear the changes and get an idea for the new course layout.  There would be less miles between aid stations, less aid stations that we would hit multiple times, and the elevation profile was unknown.  Tailwind would still be served on course which was a big thing for me since that's been my primary fuel during longer races.  One less thing to worry about.  I grabbed a black bean burger and fries from the food truck at the venue coupled with a miller lite and headed to my bed for the weekend in the hostel yurt on the venue.

Gear:
1st loop
Shoes: Hoka Speedgoat 2 (always my go to trail shoe)
Socks: CEP long compression (originally packed them for the cactus at original race location)
Shorts: Patagonia Strider Pro shorts (5 pockets to hold nutrition and trash)
Top: BM50k Crop top with long sleeve Maine Marathon over the top
Watch: Garmin Forerunner 35 (watch died after 11 hours)
Other: North face closefit goretex tricot glove, UV Buff, Salomon Bob Hat, Nathan exodraw softflask, Nike sunglasses

2nd Loop:
Shoes: Hoka EvoJawz (might have been a bit aggressive for this course)
Socks: CEP short compression socks
Shirt: NB Fleet Feet Singlet
Hat: Brooks running cap
Vest: Salomon S/lab 8 with 2 20oz soft flasks
in vest:
           hat: REDD beanie
           jacket: Brooks Hideout Jacket
           Headlamps: Black Diamond and Petzl

Nutrition: Tailwind, Untapped Maple Syrup, Blueberry Crisp Clif Bars,
                 2nd loop: quesadillas and ramen in addition


Race morning:

Woke up around 6:15am for the 8am start time and headed to the start/finish area.  I got my ankle timing chip and ran into my fellow Mainer, Chelsea Peterson!  Chelsea ran this race before, at the original location, and so I had been picking her brain about it leading up to the race.  We nervously chatted and got ready to run.  I checked in my single drop bag and she checked in hers.  We both were aiming for that sub-17 hours and we had discussed running the first loop with each other.  It was a nice and chilly 34 in the morning, but we knew it would heat up quick!

The race started and we were off like a conga line.  The first mile or so was on single track so things got backed up pretty quick, which was fine.  This was going to be a long race.  Things opened up a bit and I ended up in front of Chelsea and had the space to run a bit.  I soon realized how technical this course was going to be.  There were rocks everywhere.  Small rocks.  Big Rocks.  Small rocks on top of big rocks.  Big rocks on top of small rocks.  I rolled into the first aid station just over 5 miles.  The only thing I needed to do was top off my bottle with tailwind and take off that long sleeve shirt.  The sun was finally out and it was only going to get warmer!  Chelsea caught back up and we exited the aid station going uphill.  I knew it was early in the race, but I was feeling great and happy to be running in the warmth knowing back home was covered in snow and freezing temps!

And then the hills started.  I knew I had to take advantage of the downhills and I was confident in my ability to due so, even on technical terrain, especially with fresh legs.  I felt like a mountain goat tackling the rocky terrain!  I kept reminding myself that these sections were not going to be as easy the second time around!

I rolled into the next aid station at mile 10.32 at the same time the elites were coming through on the other side at mile 16.77.  It was awesome to see Chris Mocko and some other fast boys going in and out of the aid station so efficiently.  It was another quick aid stop for me as I just topped off on tailwind and sucked down another maple syrup packet.  I wanted to be as self sufficient as possible on the first 50k by carrying all the nutrition I needed on me, besides tailwind.

I left this aid station that was the highest point of the course and prepared for the downhill running.  Once again, it felt great flying down the technical rocky downhill.

Next 10 miles were pretty uneventful minus rolling my ankles a bit. The speedgoats just had to big of a footprint for the amount to small stepping that the course required.

At mile 21.72 I ended up running with a couple of guys from Kansas city for a bit.  We started talking about how technical this trail is and that we don't have anything this tough back where we are from.

I look down at my watch and realized I wasn't going to be able to finish the first 50k in 6.5 hours like I was hoping for.  It might sound soft, but I wanted to finish the first loop in enough time that I knew I would be able to walk it in the second loop if I needed.  It was going to be my safety net.

I rolled into the start/finish in 6:47:58.  The last few miles before rolling in I had already sorted out what needed to get done.  I knew I had some blisters and hot spots going on.  So, I grabbed my drop bag quickly, found a seat, and threw off my shoes and socks.  I used scissors to pop some blisters and rubbed some trail toes over my feet and put on some new socks.  I changed shirts into one that wasn't soaked in sweat.  I changed out buffs and but in a more appropriated hat knowing that nightfall would be coming soon.  I had to prepare for the next 31 miles.  I checked ton make sure everything I needed was in my pack: 2 headlamps, extra syrup and cliff bars, water bottles, beanie, and jacket.  A quick check that my gloves were still in my shorts pocket and an application of body glide and i was good to go!

The shoe change was definitely a big help!  The jawz were so much lighter and smaller than the over cushioned wide outsole speedgoats.  My heavy legs really appreciated the lighter shoe choice.

Over the next 10 miles my legs came back to me  I felt like a brand new me at mile 40ish!  This was also when I started seeing the elites pass me the other way on the single track.  The highlight was seeing Kaci Lickteig pass me looking very happy and bubbly.  It always amazes me to see elites running with such ease in ultras.

At dusk I threw on my headlamp and kept pushing.  I wanted to create that buffer for me to walk in if needed.  I kept rolling my left ankle and considered the possibility I might have to walk it in at some point.  At every aid station for the rest of the race I sat down for 2 minutes and lifted my legs up.  My ankle was taking a beating and the small reprieve every few miles was super helpful.

Downhill running was starting to get harder.  I was going to have to dig deep to keep my pace up.  Watch soon died after this thought entered my head.

I was exiting a section of single track with other runners coming the opposite way and there was a runner who stated something along the lines of "crap, my headlamp is dead."  I quickly stopped and gave him my backup and told him we can sort it out after the race.  I didn't have time to talk long.

I came into Windmill aid station at mile 47. Before this aid station there is a relatively steep and continuous uphill for .5-.75 miles.  By the time I got to the top, I needed a seat and some ramen.  I am so thankful for the volunteers at every aid station being great and positive and upbeat!  I knew I was sitting pretty good as far as time went, but would still need to push it a bit to make sure.

I rolled into the Wall Aid station at mile marker 52 and the first questions i had were "what mileage is this aid station" and "what time is it?"  I received my answers and knew I was good.  I took a bit longer at this aid station than any other.  I just needed a damn chair break for more than 2 minutes.  I ate 4 or 6 quesadilla pieces here and small talked with the guys there.  I got my butt moving knowing the next aid station was only 4 miles away.

I kept pushing knowing this is the last run for a long time for me.  There is a reason I'm running this race.  There is a point to prove to myself.  I chose to be doing this, so I need to keep pushing and giving it my all.

Less than a mile after leaving the aid station I hit my head on a low lying branch.  The branch had a reflective light on it and I even ducked to go under it.  Problem is I didn't duck enough. HA!  I felt foolish, but I was alright.

As I come into the next aid station I confirmed again on the time and mileage.  I was golden.  I could crawl in and still get a qualifier.  I was smiling like a fool and joked with the aid station volunteers.  I think I shocked one of the volunteers when I asked her if it was an uphill out of the aid station.  She said she believed it was.  I then promptly asked her for 8 quesadilla slices and hiked out of there with warm food in my hands.  Once I finished stuffing warm cheese and tortillas down my throat, I got back to running.  I came up behind a runner and her pacer.  I announced my presence and that I had no intention of passing.  My headlamp battery was pretty low and my eyes were tired.  The last thing I wanted was to take a wrong turn or not see a rock.  In the last mile I passed and pushed it across the finish line and grabbed my buckle.

I did it.  I finished the damn thing with time to spare. 15:38:38

The thing was, there was no one there when I was done.  I'm not talking about someone to high five or hug after I finish.  I could care less about that.  I'm talking about someone coming by to make sure I'm alright.  I just ran for damn near 16 hours.  What if I was severely dehydrated?  What if I was having thermal regulation issues?  I wasn't any of these things, but this has been the first race where I didn't have a volunteer or race staff check on me upon completion.  This was something that left a sour taste in my mouth and the only downside of the whole ordeal.

I went back to the yurt and showered and changed into fresh clothes.  I grabbed a Miller Lite and headed back to the start/finish.  I found Chelsea had just finished and made sure she was alright.  Her feet were wrecked and mentally she was pretty out of it.  But SHE DID IT!  She finished in 16:40ish and so she got her buckle and a qualifier as well!  We both did the damn thing!

The next day I rolled out of bed after a couple hours of sleep and started the drive back to Dallas.  I tried to get out of the car and stretch out as much as possible.  I was stiff.  I was tired.

This race was wayyyy more physically demanding than Vermont100 for me.  Mentally, it was so much easier than Vermont.  The course was so well marked and the distance wasn't daunting.

Once I got to my grandma's, I took a nap, woke up for dinner with the family, and went back to bed.  The next day I caught my flight back to Portland.  By Tuesday afternoon I was back at Sugarloaf snowboarding.  No matter how sore I was, I'm not going to miss a powder day!

Gear and Nutrition Recap: Vermont 100

Alright, so here's the boring technical information from the race.  I also attached the elvation profile from the VT100 website next to my elevation data before my watch died.  Included is also a link to my data on Strava's website.

  Some the details will not become as accurate as the miles go on.

Mile 0.0
Nutrition: Pre race, chugged a bottle with Nuun and ate a bagel with Peanut butter.
 in pack i had 2 soft flasks with 2 servings tailwind and 1 soft flask with water, extra packet of tailwind, cliff bar, untapped maple syrup
Nathan Exodraw handheld soft flask
Gear: Brooks Adrenaline GTS 18 (was told first 60ish were mostly on dirt/gravel roads)
CEP full length compression socks
NB 3" split short
Short sleeve tech shirt
Long sleeve tech shirt (which I took off and put in my pack about 10-15 miles in)
Buff
Solomon S/lab Speed Bob Hat
Solomon S/lab sense 5 hydration vest

Mile 21.3 Pretty House (missed crew)
Honey stinger gummies
Packet of tailwind

Mile 30.3 Stage Road
Used RB Roller
Dropped my pack
New Shoes- Saucony Koa TR
Changed into a "tech crop top"
New Socks - Short CEP compression
New Buff-soaked in ice
Nathan Exodraw 18oz handheld with 2 servings of flavored uncaffeinated tailwins
Nathan Hard flask 18oz handheld with 2 servings of naked tailwind
Blueberry Crisp Cliff Bar
Untapped Maple
small can of coke
Nuun
Bagel with peanut butter

Mile 40ish Lincoln Covered Bridge
Refilled water
Popsicle

Mile 47 Camp 10 Bear #1
New Socks
Nathan Exodraw 18oz handheld with 2 servings of flavored uncaffeinated tailwins
Nathan Hard flask 18oz handheld with 2 servings of naked tailwind
Blueberry Crisp Cliff Bar
Untapped Maple
small can of coke
Nuun
Grabbed a bite of a veggie burger from the aid station

Refilled with Base sports drink at an aid station along the way
also another popsicle

Mile 58.5
Used R8 roller
New inserts- Green Superfeet instead of Curex Medium Profile
Solomon hydration vest
2 soft flasks with uncaffeinated tailwindd
Blueberry Crisp Clif Bar
Untapped Maple
Nuun
Headlamp
sour patch kids
PB&J

refilled with Base along the way

Mile 69.4 Camp 10 Bear #2
Shrimp Ramen!
Hoka Speedgoats
New Socks
Short sleeve technical shirt
New Buff
Refilled soft flasks with caffeinated tailwind
blueberry crisp bar
untapped maple
Nuun
small can of coke
Took a hotdog with mustard on the climb out- took one bite and put it in my pack

Refilled with Base along the way
1 date at an aid station

Mile 76 Spirit of 76
Refilled flasks with Caffeinated tailwind
Blueberry crisp cliff bar
Untapped Maple Syrup

Mile 88.3 Bill's (missed crew)
Refilled flasks with tailwind (Can't remember which type)

Polly's 94.9
R8 Roller
New Socks
Refilled flasks with tailwind
small can of coke
Nuun

Mile 100
Oofos Clogs
Beer

Strava Data

Vermont 100 Race Report

Holy cow! What a race!

So 8 months ago I set forth a goal to train for my first 100 miler.  In January, registration opened for Vermont 100 and I ended up getting in.  I worked my but off, dealt with a nagging ankle injury, ran a few shorter ultras to fine tune some things (especially nutrition), and the day was finally here to do the damn thing.  One hundred miles definitely felt daunting, but then again, so did 50 miles only a year ago.  I knew I was going to need help on this journey and I received from a myriad of places.  So before I get into the thick of the race report, I want to give thanks to those that helped me out tremendously along the way:

1. Catalina Sposato - She is my partner in every facet of life.  She has always been there to listen when I have a good run, a bad run, when I'm in my head about a race, feeling low because of an injury, and is the best damn Crew Chief I have ever had!  Thanks for all the support babe!

2. Fleet Feet Maine Running - I have never had a job that has been this supportive of me pursuing my goals.  The ability to take off for training or races when needed has been a blessing.  To be in a position to have colleagues that have competed at a super high level, whether that's the 5k speedsters or triathletes, is something I'm so fortunate to have at my disposal to ask questions and get advice.  Knowing that they follow the race online when I'm running always gives me a bit of extra energy.  Plus, the free swag and perks of working at a running shop aren't bad either.

3. Tanya Holbrook - Tanya was the first ultrarunner I met when I moved to Maine.  She is so inspiring and so strong!  I was always asking her questions about what has worked for her, how she trains, and most importantly, she turned me on to Tailwind nutrition.  Seriously, check out Tailwind on your next long run!

4. Lori Emory - Lori came into the store in the Spring for shoes.  We chatted for a bit and found out we were both registered Pineland Farms 50 mile and Vermont 100.  A few days later we went on our first of many training runs together.  We discovered we had very similar race pace and same goals for Vermont.  We even spent the first 50ish miles running side by side at Vermont.

5.  My Crew - Ian Reutlinger, Kris Reutlinger, Jess Nomack, Matt Liskom, Mickey Clarisse - These folks decided to spend their weekend stuffed in a van, traveling aid station to aid station, just to make sure I had enough nutrition for each section.  They made race day so much easier!

We arrived at the venue Friday afternoon and went through my packet pickup, medical checkin, and the pre race briefing.  I was nervous and excited.  I kept thinking about all the hard work coming down to one day-tomorrow!  The last thing I needed to do was find my pacer!  I originally had a pacer and a back up pacer, but things happened and it didn't work out.  I reached out to the race about getting a pacer and luckily they found me one the Monday before the race.  So I met up with my pacer friend, Andy, and discussed with him my plan and that I believed I would be walking it in after mile 70ish.

I found my crew and had a short meeting about the plan for tomorrow (aka show them the binder that I had planned out with every aid station and what I might need).  Then it was just sitting around and drinking a couple of beers to get the nerves down.  I ended up going to bed in the van around 9ish and slept so well.

I woke up at 3am, got my gear on, and headed down to the tent to checkin and find Lori.  Lori and I decided that we were going to start the race together, but knowing neither one of us was going to slow down or wait for one another.  This is a race after all! 

I said my goodbyes and off I went!

This was my first race that started in the dark and was pretty exciting to start with hundreds of folks shoulder to shoulder with headlamps on.  The first two miles were a nice gradual downhill and uneventful, until I rolled my left ankle. Whoops!  Luckily, nothing bad.

As the sun rose and the temperature and elevation climbed I was so looking forward to meeting my crew at  Pretty House (mile 21.3) to change shirts, switch my hydration pack out for handhelds and grab more nutrition.  I knew Pretty House would be right after the first big climb of the race.  Unfortunately, MY CREW WASN'T THERE!!  I felt like now was a good time to use the bathroom.  So I finished my business and waited for 3 minutes for my crew.  They didn't show up and I had to get going.  So I grabbed a packet of tailwind and a package of honey stinger gummies and got on my way!  No time to worry about the crew, I'll see them at the next stop.  Long story short, they missed me because I arrived about 30 minutes earlier than expected and also learned many other crews missed their runners at Pretty House as well.

I spent the next 10 miles staying positive but venting and discussing the issues we had with our crew.  It was frustrating because we both knew so much has to go right in a race like this.  It ended up not being a big issue, but at the time it sucked.  Sometimes in a race you get caught up thinking its all "me! me! me!"  From my point of view it was me running for the first fifth of the race without seeing my crew and expecting to see them, then nothing!  From the Crew's point of view, I told them a time to meet me at the aid station at a certain time and they showed up at the time. I missed the time, not them.

I got over the missed connection and kept pushing.  Lori and I realized we needed to slow it down a bit, we went out way too fast!  The next 10 miles until Stage Road (30.3) had a few ups and downs.  We still spent most of the time on pavement, gravel, and hard packed dirt roads for this section so I was glad I started off with road shoes (Brooks Adrenaline), despite the awkward feeling of a high drop shoe on some parts that were a bit more rocky and rooty.

I came into Stage Road (30.3) happy, feeling great, and in good spirits.  I saw my crew and took care of business.  There wasn't a need to ask them why they missed me at the last spot--just had to keep working forward towards the goal.  I got my pack off and switched to 2 handhelds with tailwind, clif bar, and untapped maple.  I switched out socks and changed over to the Saucony Koa trail shoe.  This shoe has a lower drop and a broad base, but not super aggressive tread.  Perfect for a day like today.  I changed out my soak drenched shirt for a lighter bright pink crop top -- it was time to have some extra fun this race and bring some smiles to some folks.  I grabbed a bagel with PB (shout out to Union Bagel in Portland, Maine) and started the power hike forward.  I wouldn't see my crew again until mile 47 at Camp 10 Bear.

At this time Lori and I were still on pace to break 24 hours! so exciting!  Things were going perfectly!  It was also awesome having horses pass you while running and sometimes passing them while running downhill!

A couple more hills and we were headed downhill to Lincoln covered bridge at mile 40.  It isn't a crew aid station, but Trail Monsters were there giving all the support.  I refilled my water, made some more tailwind, grabbed a wet paper towel to put on my neck, and learned they had popsicles!!!!  I obviously asked if I could get one.  I was even picky and asked for any flavor besides orange (I'm assuming I asked that because the last flavor of tailwind I had at this point was orange flavored) and the volunteer laughed and complied.  I cannot stress enough how great the volunteers were!!!

Now we had a big climb out, but we had popsicles, so everything was great!

Camp 10 Bear  (mile 47) was the first medical check in location of the race.  After changing out socks refilling fluid and food, I swung by the med tent to get the okay from the staff and kept moving forward.  I was still feeling great, but could definitely feel like I was a little tired.  I came in an hour later than expected, but still felt like sub24 would be manageable.

Like almost every aid station, there was a big climb before and a big climb out!  The next crewed aid station would be at margaritaville at mile 58.5.  This 11 mile section was the hardest for me.  It is unrelenting rolling hills followed by a major climb for the last half.  This was the only time of the race I started to doubt myself and hit a low point.  My ankles felt trashed and I started getting pain in my hip flexor.  It was here that I decided sub24 was not going to happen, but I would be happy just finishing the race.  I never doubted whether I would finish, but just adjusting and creating a plan B.

I was so glad to see my crew at mile 58.5!  I ended up spending about 20 minutes at this aid station, which is double the amount of time I would have liked to spend.  I changed out socks and put in different inserts in my sauconys.  I had my brother do a cold compress on my ankle, just like he did at Camp 10 Bear along with spraying some biofreeze on it.  I rolled out my legs with the R8 roller and fell reinvigorated.  I also changed back into my Solomon hydration pack and headlamp on the off chance I didn't make it to the next aid station before nightfall.  This was all new to me, the longest I ever ran was 55ish miles.  I didn't know what my body would do after this point.  The things I did know: My nutrition was perfect, my hydration was perfect, and I kept a positive attitude.  This is where the race really started for me.  I was going into the unknown but having trust in the training process that my legs would take me to the finish.


What goes up, must come down!  After a couple of rolling elevation changes, it was a plunge back down to camp 10 Bear #2 at mile 69.4.  This is where I picked up my pacer, Andy.  After some ramen and a complete clothes change and throwing on the Hoka Speedgoats, I was ready to go.  It was starting to get dark and it was a hike up out of the aid station for a couple of miles.  After you hit the peak of the climb at 72, its almost all downhill the rest of the race.  When I say downhill, I mean no more climbs higher then the equivalent downhill.  We ended up back on some smoother road and kept pushing it.  By the time I got to 76, I was ready to race!  Spirit of 76 was a quick aid station stop.  I got the things I needed quickly and kept moving. 

This is where the single track started!  It was smooth and soft and downhill!  I got my legs back and I was flying!  It felt great to be passing folks and have my legs feeling great!  I assume most folks didnt trust their legs 76 miles in on downhill single track in the night, but this was my favorite part!  Guided only by headlamp I felt so fresh.  It was somewhere in this section where I ended up dropping my pacer and just cruised on autopilot.  After the single track, it turned into road gradual downhill road.  My watch had died at this point so I was running strictly on feel and it was so liberating. 

I got to Bill's (mile 88.3) in a state of flow.  I was feeling great, stomach was feeling great, mentally I was all there, and the race was almost over!  Unfortunately, I had made up so much time on the last section, that I beat my crew there!  As I came into the aid station, I was asked if I had a pacer earlier.  I responded that I did, but I dropped him around mile 77 or so.  They wanted to let me know that he was alright.  I jokingly asked the volunteer if he had seen my crew.  He responded no, but instantly asked if he could help me.  He refilled my tailwind for me and reminded me what time it was and how many more miles I had left.  This was such a big help for me!  I could make sub24 if I didn't mess up anything!

The next few miles are a blur.  I know I was running hard and constantly asking folks the time and distance.  I knew I could keep pushing, but I also knew the tank was pretty close to empty.  I know we went through some woods, on some road, and through some meadows.  My headlamp was getting pretty dim so I made friends fast with those that had a brighter headlamp and stayed close to them.  It seemed like there was a bunch of us wanting to hit under that 24 hour mark the last 10 miles.  I remember flying by Keatings aid station (92?) because at the point of leaving Bill's, it would just be a short 12 mile run to the finish.

I arrived at Polly's (94.9) with the biggest grin on my face.  I wanted this to be a quick stop, but also wanted to make sure everything I wasn't skipping over anything.  I drank a coffee, a cola, and was off with my caffeinated tailwind.

The last 5 miles were brutal.  Just ups and downs on the trail, and just when you think you are close, you get a steep incline, a false summit, and another steep incline to the finish.  I was tired and cursing the hills.  I was going to hit sub24, and I was so damn tired and sore.

I crossed the line, gave the RD, amy, a hug and told her she was a bad woman for all the hills at the end.  I immediately greeted my crew and sat down.  I was done.  I just did the hardest thing in my life.  I accomplished something that took 8 months of training.

Official finish time: 23:32:47

Stay Persistent and Run Wild

*a more tech specific post will follow this one in regards to gear and shoes used for VT100

Pineland Farms Trail Running Festival 50 Mile Race Report

The day was finally here!  I was ready to run and complete my first 50 mile trail race!  I had put in the time both with training and planning.  I had learned from my mistakes down in Georgia and I knew I had my nutrition dialed in for this event.  I have had many long runs at pineland, so I knew what to expect in regards to the terrain and rolling hills.  This would be my last "big" run before Vermont in July.

Race time was at 6am and I am lucky enough the start line is less than 40 minutes away from my front door.  So the travelling logistics were easy.  Catalina, my superstar crew chief and partner, and I arrived and got the drop bag set up at the "Final Mile" aid station (which I would end up passing by 6 times during the race).  I wasn't nervous and it was nice to see friends at the starting line.  I did my best to start behind EVERYONE and try to go slow.  Unfortunately, I still went out too fast.  At 13 miles in I was about 20 minutes ahead of pace.  I knew I might pay for it at the end (Spoiler alert: I did pay for it), but I felt so good and fresh at that point.  I was hammering down the downhills and walking the big uphills as planned, but I ended up going too fast on the flats.  At about mile 35 I could start feeling my left ankle start talking to me.  I was hoping this wasn't going to be a problem, but I knew it was still sore from rolling it at Riverlands a few weeks back and rolling it again a few days before the race on a training run.  I started slowing the pace I could maintain on the downhils and the pain in the left ankle started to spread to my knee and hip.  This is where I say I wasn't too proud to walk.  I knew this wasn't my "A" race for the year and there wasn't a sense of pushing it and injuring myself.  I continued run/walking for the remainder of the course but still finished strong.  I ended up being slower than my goal time of 8:45, but still finished in a respectable time of 9:37.

Alright, so that's the short version.  Here's the detailed version with all the extra information for anyone wondering:

Gear and clothing at race start:
Hoka Speedgoats 2
Injinji trail socks
New balance 3" impact short
NB singlet
Brooks cascadia Jacket
trucker hat
buff
Nathan Speeddraw plus insulated 18oz hard flask handheld
          (3 servings tailwind plus blueberry crisp cliff bar)
Nathan Exodraw 18oz soft flask handheld (3 servings tailwind plus untapped maple)
Garmin 35

The 50 mile racers start 2 hours before the 50k racers and then the 25k racers start sometime after that.
The course is a 25km loop with aid stations no more than a few miles away at any time.  This is why I decided against a vest and instead took two handhelds for the majority of the race.  If there would have been a chance of rain and changing weather, I might have reconsidered that choice.  Luckily, there was no rain, a bit of cloud cover, and tamps stayed between 48-55 degrees farenheit all day.  If I needed to change any gear or clothing it would have to be at my drop bag with Catalina at the "Final Mile" aid station.

The plan was to go the first 13.5 miles at a 12 minute pace.  I ended up completing those miles closer to a 10:30 pace.  When I saw Cat at 13.5, I dropped my flasks and grabbed a fresh one with tailwind and kept romping around oakhill.  I saw Cat 4.5 miles later on the otherside of Oakhill and grabbed two new handhelds with cliff bar and maple syrup and kept moving! I would see her again in 11 miles. I was having a blast on the well groomed wide rolling trails, having conversation when I could.  However, not the entire course was fun.  The second time around in the meadows I could not get comfortable footing.  The meadows have the cambered trails that the farmers had just mowed that provided a challenge to get footing on.  I persevered and kept hammering through.  After leaving the meadows, I stopped at the Yurt aid station to top off my bottles and deviated from the nutrition plan by grabbing a hand full of potato chips.

I found myself again at the "Final Mile" aid station around mile 30.  I knew the next 20 were going to be tough, so I took the time to change socks, put on a new pair of hoka speedgoats that are a half size up , rolled out my hamstrings and glutes with the R8 roller, had a few sips off coke, and completed the 4.5 mile section of oakhill before seeing Cat again.  I let her know I wasn't feeling a hundred percent, but everything was good,  It just wasn't worth the hard push and grit I know I had in me.  I chugged some of her coffee and kept going, now with only 1 loop left. 

The last loop was the hardest.  At this point, all the 50k and 25 runners have been on the course.  The areas of mud were much muddier.  The cambered meadows were now even more on a camber.  It got quite out there.  There were times I could run a 9min pace and deal with the pain and other times I walked knowing it wasn't worth the potential injury.  Throughout the race I didn't have any lows, which is definitely a first; however, I did get my first experience of tearing up while running. 

When you've been out there running for hours on end, you become raw and open.  I had a moment of uncontrollable bliss around mile 39.  All of a sudden it all hit me.  I have the ability and opportunity to run around some trails and not worry about anything else.  I have put in this hard work in preparation for today.  I have a tremendous amount of support for my ambitions.  It got too emotional for me and I started to dig deep a deal with the pain for a bit.  I really hope someone saw me crying while running, that must have been a sight.

After some run/walking I finally made it back to the drop bag.  I changed shoes for the last 5-6 miles.  I was getting tired of the weight and volume of the speedgoats and thought going to the Evojawz would be a good decision.  Well, it wasn't.  Going from all the cushion to a trail race shoe felt great, except when my feet hit the ground.  I could feel every lug underneath my foot.  This slowed me down and I am willing to admit it was a silly decision.  I should have just kept wearing the same shoes until the finish.  I got out of oak hill for the last time.  I dropped my handheld, kissed Catalina, and sprinted the last mile to the finish.

I was exhausted but so happy I made it happen.  I enjoyed my free pizza, beer and bbq and collected my finishers items: cowbell, pint glass, altra gaiters, and darn tough socks.  It was a learning experience, but I know I'll be back.

Stay tired and run wild.

Preparing for Pinelands 50 Miler

Tomorrow I will be running Pineland Farms 50 Mile Race in New Gloucester, Maine.  This will be my second 50 mile race and my third time running that distance.  After running 54 miles in Georgia last month and pacing 40 miles at Riverlands 100 two weekends ago, I am confident I can complete the distance.  It will be a test to see if I can beat my previous 50 mile time.  At Farm to Farm 50, I ended up getting lost and taking a 6 mile detour and finishing way behind my goal time.  This time around, I want it to be different.  I am shooting for a sub 9 hour finish.

Below is my race plan that I created to calm down the anxiety.  I took in calorie count, water consumption, expected check point times, and all while attempting to negative split.  I am very lucky to have such an amazing partner to crew me through these events; Shout out to Catalina for being awesome!


------------------
Pre-Race prep

In cooler:
Hard Flask #1 -3 total servings tailwind; 2 servings flavored, 1 serving naked
Hard Flask #2 - 2 total servings tailwind; 1 serving flavored, 1 serving naked
Hard Flask #3 - 3 total servings tailwind; 2 serving flavored, 1 serving naked
Soft Flask - 3 total servings tailwind; 2 servings flavored, 1 serving naked
Buffs
Ice
Cliff Bars
Untapped

In Drop Bag:
Bigger speedgoats
Evo jawz
2 pairs socks
1 tank
1 short sleeve
1 long sleeve
Light jacket
Extra pull caps
Rock tape
CEP sleeves
Ankle brace
Knee brace
Naked tailwind
Caf tailwind
Flavored tailwind
Tailwind recovery
Knife and lighter
R8 roller

6am: Start at the Grove

Soft flask - 3 servings tailwind + untapped
(2 servings flavored, 1 naked; already prepped)
Hard flask #1 - 3 servings tailwind + clif bar
(2 servings flavored, 1 naked; already prepped pre-race)
13.5 miles at a 12min pace = 2hr 40min
*will have to top off water at Valley Farm (12mi )aid station or before
Calories: 850 = 318/hr
Cat’s Responsibility:
Remind me to go slow and keep me updated on weather changes

8:40am: mile 13.5 Final Mile Aid Station
Drop the soft flask, and trade out hard flask
Hard Flask #2 - 2 servings tailwind
(1 serving flavored, 1 naked; already prepped pre-race)
4.5 miles @ 11min pace = 50min
Calories: 200 = 167/hr
Cat’s Responsibilities:
Refill soft flask when I leave with 3 servings tailwind (1 serving caffeinated, 2 servings naked)
Refill Hard Flask #1 when I leave with 2 servings tailwind (1 serving caffeinated and 1 serving naked)

9:30am mile 18 Final Mile Aid Station
Socks? Shoes? Layers? Knee? Ankle?
Chug water
Soft flask - 3 servings tailwind + untapped
(1 serving caffeinated, 2 naked; prepped at last stop (mile 13.5))
Hard flask #3 - 3 servings tailwind + clif bar
(2 serving flavored, 1 naked; prepped pre-race)
11 miles @ 11min pace = 2hr
Calories: 850 = 425/hr
Cat’s Responsibilities:
Ask me about socks, shoes, layers, knee, and ankle
Tell me to chug water! (especially if it’s hotter out)
Refill hard flask #2 when I leave with 2 servings of tailwind caffeinated

11:30am mile 29 Final Mile Aid Station
Quick stop; drop soft flask and trade out hard flask
Hard Flask #1 - 2 servings tailwind
(1 serving caffeinated, 1 serving naked; prepped at mile 13.5)
4.5 miles @ 10min pace = 45min
Calories: 200 = 150/hr
Cat’s Responsibilities:
Refill soft flask when I leave with 1 serving tailwind caffeinated

12:15pm mile 33.5 Final Mile Aid Station
Socks, Shoes, layers, knee, ankle
Eat and Drink!
Hard Flask #2 - 2 servings tailwind + clif + untapped
( 2 servings caffeinated; prepped mile 18)
11 miles @ 10min pace = 1hr 50min
*will need to top off water at Yurt the 3rd pass through (7mi) or sooner
Calories: 450 = 245/hr
Cat’s Responsibilities:
Make sure Soft Flask is prepped and ready, including maple syrup for when I come  back through!
Remind me I will have to top off water after winter field loop

2:05pm mile 44.5 Final Mile Aid Station
Last Chance for sock, shoe, or clothes change!
What do I need? Food? Water? How’s the stomach?
Soft Flask - 1 serving tailwind caffeinated + untapped (prepped at mile 29)
4.5 miles @ 9min pace =40min
Calories: 200 = 300/hr
Cat’s Responsibilities:
Ask me about socks, shoes, or clothes change-remind me its my last chance
Ask me about food, water, and stomach.
Remind me I have just over 5 miles left!!!!

2:45 mile 49 Really is the “Final Mile” Aid Station
Chug water!
Drop handheld and sprint!

3pm mile 50 Eat BBQ and drink beer!



Nutrition: 2750 calories = 305/hr
Tailwind: 19 servings= 1900 cal
Untapped 4 servings= 400 cal
Cliff bar 3 servings= 450 cal