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!
Friday, January 11, 2019
Tuesday, August 7, 2018
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
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
Wednesday, August 1, 2018
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
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
Monday, June 4, 2018
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.
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.
Saturday, May 26, 2018
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
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
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
Thursday, April 26, 2018
Dairy Farm Love 12 Hour Race Report
Getting There
On Wednesday morning the van was packed and ready to go. It was a short and uneventful 8 hour drive down to Philly to meet up with my brothers who would be joining me on this venture. My oldest brother, Kris, would be running the 3 hour event and Ian, my middle brother, was going to be crewing and taking pictures. Ian had never been to an ultra event, so I was excited for him to experience this part of my life. Kris and I had a little 2 mile run around Fishtown and everything felt great!
On Thursday morning we left Philly and headed towards Durham, North Carolina. I researched a nice rail trail (Eagle Spur Trail) that was a couple of miles long and ended up jutting out into Jordan Lake. It was a beautiful run and I even let the legs fly for a mile or so. We then met up with my friend Courtney and her fiance who live right outside durham in Apex. We did some much needed catching up and was a good way to relax before the race.
On Friday we finished the drive and ended up at the Dairy Farm in Savannah. Boy, was it hot! And buggy! The last real long runs were both had a reel feel that only got as high as the teens. I was now in the South with a real feel of 70+! Things were going to be interesting. On top of that, I learned I really did not like sand gnats! They must of heard that there were going to be a few dozen people all within close proximity this weekend, AKA a feast for them, because they were everywhere!
We ended up setting up camp next to two runners, Soleil and Jason (more about them later), and took a preview of the course. For only being a 2.02 mile loop, there was a ton of variety. The course starts off in a meadow that turns into a utility road through trees then turning into a sand marsh with plenty of wet marsh in the middle. It then loops back onto wide trail with a giant sycamore tree back into the meadow. It then ducks into a single track trail through the woods. This section was hard to get a rhythm with. There wasn't much as far as elevation change, but had plenty of tight winding turns, make-shift bridges, and small sand/dirt mounds. It then opened up into more sand marsh then shortly back into the woods before opening back up into prairie then by a horse barn, back into the meadow. Right before you past the aid station and finish your lap, there was the nicest outhouse I've ever seen in my life. The building had 2 restrooms with stone countertops and running water. This would mean more to me than I would thought as I spent almost an hour in here during the race (more on that later).
We mingled with our campsite friends and learned their stories. We actually relocated to their campsite since they had tiki torches and spray to keep the bugs away. I learned the Soleil was a badass and had been running and doing awesome things of the like for awhile. She brought a whole crew to help her through the 24 hour race. I also learned about Jason and that he was wanting to reach 100km for the first time during his 24 hour race the next day and that he came without a crew. After a night of joking and enjoying each others company, we decided it was time to get some shut eye. We had a big day ahead of us.
The Big Day!
It was wonderful waking up in the van and not being covered by bugs! For those that don't know, I have a futon in the back of my van and it has been nothing but clutch. I had all this space to spread out while Kris and Ian shared a small tent. I wasn't mad about it.
I ran through my nutrition plan with Ian and double checked I had all the things I needed. Kris had agreed to stay with my pace for the first 3 hours of the race aka his whole race. I wanted to start at 12ish min pace for the first few hours and then start speeding up. It was a warm morning, but I knew it would only get warmer. I started the race with a long sleeve shirt, but as the sun came out, it was quickly ditched. I decided I was going to run most of the race with a handheld water bottle and just swap them out every lap. I knew I wanted hydration on me, but knew i definitely didn't need a pack.
The first 2 hours went off without a problem. Kris and I were pounding out 11:15ish miles. At this point I was getting frustrated with the painfully slow pace and sped up a bit. This ended up costing my. About 2.5-3 hours in I started having stomach issues. My stomach was knotting up, bad, and I started to spend more and more time in the bathroom. After a lap or two in pain, I took some pepto and tried to keep chugging along. It was also at this time I hid the darkest part of the race. My knee started hurting bad and my head went to a bad spot. I started thinking about how my goals aren't going to be achieved today. I had doubts I would even be able to continue and fight through. I decided to do a full change: shoes, socks, shirt. I got another couple of laps done and got out of that funk! My stomach was feeling a bit better. I threw a compression sleeve on my knee and reminded myself I was out here to have fun and not have a pity party for myself. I took the time to readjust my goals and come to peace with not meeting my "A" goal of 70 miles and instead be happy with hitting 50 miles. I kept that positive attitude the rest of the race and so, in a way, I was happy I hit the dark patch early, because it was smooth sailing from then on.
Since my race plan got thrown out the window, I wanted to make sure I didn't take myself to seriously for the rest of the race. That's when I found out my brother, Kris, won the 3 hour race I knew we needed to celebrate. So, after I completed my 16th lap (32 miles) I took the opportunity to have a celebratory beer with my brother as I changed shoes and socks again. It was a nice break to the monotony. I kept cranking out the laps and at about 9 hours in I was at about 44 miles into the race. My core was the sorest it's ever been, but my legs felt great! I did the math in my head and decided to push it again! That push only lasted one lap before I decided it was not in my best interest to keep pushing since I was starting to have problems regulating my body temp. The clouds had been hiding the sun now for awhile and I wasn't moving fast enough to keep my heat up. I jumped in the van for 3 minutes as I blasted the heat and layered up. I was out on another loop!
It was around this time I really started to think about why I was doing this damn thing. It wasn't in a negative why, but in a wondering what the root was for this thing? Why did I want to push my body to these extremes? The answer was simple: why not? This body is the only known in this life. If I go through life not knowing what it is capable, what conditions it can withstand, then what is the point? I wanted to keep cranking out these loops.
After I hit 50 miles I was in pretty rough shape. My core was on fire, I felt weak, and I couldn't regulate my temperature. I took a long break and ate two bowls of chicken pho and got back on the course. I was struggling, but felt so much better after eating a bunch of food and sitting for a minute. I walked in miles 50-52 and when I came back through the aid station I was jogging. I finished the last two miles at a slow jog and could not be convinced to do another loop.
I completed 54.54 miles in less than 12 hours and walked away as the first place finisher, despite nutrition, hydration, and thermal regulation issues. For my efforts I was awarded a hand painted flower pot and parsley along with a wood carved medal.
The race directors were fantastic and I am so indebted to all the volunteers, other runners, and strangers that helped me through.
All in all, I would definitely run this race again, but maybe do a bit more heat training beforehand. It was a great race to start the season and I'm ready to take on the next challenge.
Run Wild and Adapt!
On Wednesday morning the van was packed and ready to go. It was a short and uneventful 8 hour drive down to Philly to meet up with my brothers who would be joining me on this venture. My oldest brother, Kris, would be running the 3 hour event and Ian, my middle brother, was going to be crewing and taking pictures. Ian had never been to an ultra event, so I was excited for him to experience this part of my life. Kris and I had a little 2 mile run around Fishtown and everything felt great!
On Thursday morning we left Philly and headed towards Durham, North Carolina. I researched a nice rail trail (Eagle Spur Trail) that was a couple of miles long and ended up jutting out into Jordan Lake. It was a beautiful run and I even let the legs fly for a mile or so. We then met up with my friend Courtney and her fiance who live right outside durham in Apex. We did some much needed catching up and was a good way to relax before the race.
On Friday we finished the drive and ended up at the Dairy Farm in Savannah. Boy, was it hot! And buggy! The last real long runs were both had a reel feel that only got as high as the teens. I was now in the South with a real feel of 70+! Things were going to be interesting. On top of that, I learned I really did not like sand gnats! They must of heard that there were going to be a few dozen people all within close proximity this weekend, AKA a feast for them, because they were everywhere!
We ended up setting up camp next to two runners, Soleil and Jason (more about them later), and took a preview of the course. For only being a 2.02 mile loop, there was a ton of variety. The course starts off in a meadow that turns into a utility road through trees then turning into a sand marsh with plenty of wet marsh in the middle. It then loops back onto wide trail with a giant sycamore tree back into the meadow. It then ducks into a single track trail through the woods. This section was hard to get a rhythm with. There wasn't much as far as elevation change, but had plenty of tight winding turns, make-shift bridges, and small sand/dirt mounds. It then opened up into more sand marsh then shortly back into the woods before opening back up into prairie then by a horse barn, back into the meadow. Right before you past the aid station and finish your lap, there was the nicest outhouse I've ever seen in my life. The building had 2 restrooms with stone countertops and running water. This would mean more to me than I would thought as I spent almost an hour in here during the race (more on that later).
We mingled with our campsite friends and learned their stories. We actually relocated to their campsite since they had tiki torches and spray to keep the bugs away. I learned the Soleil was a badass and had been running and doing awesome things of the like for awhile. She brought a whole crew to help her through the 24 hour race. I also learned about Jason and that he was wanting to reach 100km for the first time during his 24 hour race the next day and that he came without a crew. After a night of joking and enjoying each others company, we decided it was time to get some shut eye. We had a big day ahead of us.
The Big Day!
It was wonderful waking up in the van and not being covered by bugs! For those that don't know, I have a futon in the back of my van and it has been nothing but clutch. I had all this space to spread out while Kris and Ian shared a small tent. I wasn't mad about it.
I ran through my nutrition plan with Ian and double checked I had all the things I needed. Kris had agreed to stay with my pace for the first 3 hours of the race aka his whole race. I wanted to start at 12ish min pace for the first few hours and then start speeding up. It was a warm morning, but I knew it would only get warmer. I started the race with a long sleeve shirt, but as the sun came out, it was quickly ditched. I decided I was going to run most of the race with a handheld water bottle and just swap them out every lap. I knew I wanted hydration on me, but knew i definitely didn't need a pack.
The first 2 hours went off without a problem. Kris and I were pounding out 11:15ish miles. At this point I was getting frustrated with the painfully slow pace and sped up a bit. This ended up costing my. About 2.5-3 hours in I started having stomach issues. My stomach was knotting up, bad, and I started to spend more and more time in the bathroom. After a lap or two in pain, I took some pepto and tried to keep chugging along. It was also at this time I hid the darkest part of the race. My knee started hurting bad and my head went to a bad spot. I started thinking about how my goals aren't going to be achieved today. I had doubts I would even be able to continue and fight through. I decided to do a full change: shoes, socks, shirt. I got another couple of laps done and got out of that funk! My stomach was feeling a bit better. I threw a compression sleeve on my knee and reminded myself I was out here to have fun and not have a pity party for myself. I took the time to readjust my goals and come to peace with not meeting my "A" goal of 70 miles and instead be happy with hitting 50 miles. I kept that positive attitude the rest of the race and so, in a way, I was happy I hit the dark patch early, because it was smooth sailing from then on.
Since my race plan got thrown out the window, I wanted to make sure I didn't take myself to seriously for the rest of the race. That's when I found out my brother, Kris, won the 3 hour race I knew we needed to celebrate. So, after I completed my 16th lap (32 miles) I took the opportunity to have a celebratory beer with my brother as I changed shoes and socks again. It was a nice break to the monotony. I kept cranking out the laps and at about 9 hours in I was at about 44 miles into the race. My core was the sorest it's ever been, but my legs felt great! I did the math in my head and decided to push it again! That push only lasted one lap before I decided it was not in my best interest to keep pushing since I was starting to have problems regulating my body temp. The clouds had been hiding the sun now for awhile and I wasn't moving fast enough to keep my heat up. I jumped in the van for 3 minutes as I blasted the heat and layered up. I was out on another loop!
It was around this time I really started to think about why I was doing this damn thing. It wasn't in a negative why, but in a wondering what the root was for this thing? Why did I want to push my body to these extremes? The answer was simple: why not? This body is the only known in this life. If I go through life not knowing what it is capable, what conditions it can withstand, then what is the point? I wanted to keep cranking out these loops.
After I hit 50 miles I was in pretty rough shape. My core was on fire, I felt weak, and I couldn't regulate my temperature. I took a long break and ate two bowls of chicken pho and got back on the course. I was struggling, but felt so much better after eating a bunch of food and sitting for a minute. I walked in miles 50-52 and when I came back through the aid station I was jogging. I finished the last two miles at a slow jog and could not be convinced to do another loop.
I completed 54.54 miles in less than 12 hours and walked away as the first place finisher, despite nutrition, hydration, and thermal regulation issues. For my efforts I was awarded a hand painted flower pot and parsley along with a wood carved medal.
The race directors were fantastic and I am so indebted to all the volunteers, other runners, and strangers that helped me through.
All in all, I would definitely run this race again, but maybe do a bit more heat training beforehand. It was a great race to start the season and I'm ready to take on the next challenge.
Run Wild and Adapt!
Thursday, April 19, 2018
The Proverbial Hay is in the Barn
April 19, 2018
Snowboard season is officially over, for me at least. I am so thankful for being able to get close to 50 days on the board this season, but its time to switch focus and emphasis back to running. It was a really rough winter and early spring for running with only a handful of days that were pleasant. Thank goodness for treadmills!
And thank goodness for friends! Last month I organized a "fun run" around the back cove in Portland, Maine that measures just under 4 miles per loop. My plan was to run 6 hours around in circles in preparation for the DFL 12 Hour race on april 21st. I had friends join me from the first loop at 4am all the way until 10am. I am very blessed! This was the day after I ran 50k solo around the Portland and South Portland. These back to back runs were crucial to my training and gave me the confidence that my body was capable of such trying things.
My training Since mid february has been pretty consistent. There were a few weeks in which I didn't meet my weekly mileage goals, but that was supplemented by days snowboarding. I had an 80 mile week which is something I've never done before, but I'm sure I will be hitting again as I get closer to Vermont 100!
DFL 12 Hour Race Plan!
So this saturday is the 12 hour timed event down in Savannah. I drove down to Philadelphia last night from Portland and stayed with my brothers. We will be taking my van all the way down to Georgia for the event. My oldest brother, Kris, will be running the 3 hour event while my middle brother, Ian, will be crewing us for the duration of the races.
We plan on stopping outside Raleigh, North Carolina tonight and staying with my childhood friend, Courtney, and her fiance tonight after running some trails. Then it's off to the loop extravaganza!
The reason I signed up for this race is because I wanted to bridge the difference between the longest distance I have ran (54.56mi) and what I will run (100mi) in July. I'm looking to hit somewhere between 62 and 72 miles in the 12 hour time limit. I plan on starting out at a painfully slow 12 min pace for the first hour or two, then slowly speeding up to a 10min pace and maintaining that until I reach the 9 hour mark. At this point I should be around 50ish miles and this is where I want to push myself. I would like to run Sub 10min pace for the 10th hour, sub 9min pace for the 11th hour, and let the legs fly and push myself to my limit on the last hour. If I can successfully execute this plan it will be so beneficial to me in later races. To be able to start slow and maintain a reasonable pace for 50 miles and have the option to flip on another switch after completing that distance can be the difference between not making a cutoff and finishing. During my 50 miler last fall I ended up running 8:30 pace for 3 miles trying to catch up to the top finisher after running 50 miles (I took a detour early in the race). I feel much stronger than I did then. I just want to find my limits.
As far as nutrition goes, I'll be keeping it pretty simple. I plan on consuming 300 calories every hour via tailwind along with a random snack every hour, as long as I can stomach it. I've had great luck with tailwind in my training runs and being able to consume 300-400 calories every hour without a problem, at least for 6 hours. Let's hope my stomach doesn't rebel against me 8.5 hours in like it did at Farm to Farm.
I also found out my parents and grandma are coming to the race! It will be the first time they have seen me run! So, I'm pretty stoked about that!
I'll follow up this blog with a race report.
Stay warm and run wild!
Snowboard season is officially over, for me at least. I am so thankful for being able to get close to 50 days on the board this season, but its time to switch focus and emphasis back to running. It was a really rough winter and early spring for running with only a handful of days that were pleasant. Thank goodness for treadmills!
And thank goodness for friends! Last month I organized a "fun run" around the back cove in Portland, Maine that measures just under 4 miles per loop. My plan was to run 6 hours around in circles in preparation for the DFL 12 Hour race on april 21st. I had friends join me from the first loop at 4am all the way until 10am. I am very blessed! This was the day after I ran 50k solo around the Portland and South Portland. These back to back runs were crucial to my training and gave me the confidence that my body was capable of such trying things.
My training Since mid february has been pretty consistent. There were a few weeks in which I didn't meet my weekly mileage goals, but that was supplemented by days snowboarding. I had an 80 mile week which is something I've never done before, but I'm sure I will be hitting again as I get closer to Vermont 100!
DFL 12 Hour Race Plan!
So this saturday is the 12 hour timed event down in Savannah. I drove down to Philadelphia last night from Portland and stayed with my brothers. We will be taking my van all the way down to Georgia for the event. My oldest brother, Kris, will be running the 3 hour event while my middle brother, Ian, will be crewing us for the duration of the races.
We plan on stopping outside Raleigh, North Carolina tonight and staying with my childhood friend, Courtney, and her fiance tonight after running some trails. Then it's off to the loop extravaganza!
The reason I signed up for this race is because I wanted to bridge the difference between the longest distance I have ran (54.56mi) and what I will run (100mi) in July. I'm looking to hit somewhere between 62 and 72 miles in the 12 hour time limit. I plan on starting out at a painfully slow 12 min pace for the first hour or two, then slowly speeding up to a 10min pace and maintaining that until I reach the 9 hour mark. At this point I should be around 50ish miles and this is where I want to push myself. I would like to run Sub 10min pace for the 10th hour, sub 9min pace for the 11th hour, and let the legs fly and push myself to my limit on the last hour. If I can successfully execute this plan it will be so beneficial to me in later races. To be able to start slow and maintain a reasonable pace for 50 miles and have the option to flip on another switch after completing that distance can be the difference between not making a cutoff and finishing. During my 50 miler last fall I ended up running 8:30 pace for 3 miles trying to catch up to the top finisher after running 50 miles (I took a detour early in the race). I feel much stronger than I did then. I just want to find my limits.
As far as nutrition goes, I'll be keeping it pretty simple. I plan on consuming 300 calories every hour via tailwind along with a random snack every hour, as long as I can stomach it. I've had great luck with tailwind in my training runs and being able to consume 300-400 calories every hour without a problem, at least for 6 hours. Let's hope my stomach doesn't rebel against me 8.5 hours in like it did at Farm to Farm.
I also found out my parents and grandma are coming to the race! It will be the first time they have seen me run! So, I'm pretty stoked about that!
I'll follow up this blog with a race report.
Stay warm and run wild!
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