2013 Burning River Race Report

The Motivation

This race report for me really should start in 2010, when I first volunteered at the Ottowa Point aid station.  The course has changed slightly over the years but Ottowa Point is usually somewhere around 40-45 miles.  Most runners get there in the early to mid-afternoon and are still in good spirits.  Volunteering here made me think I wanted to run this race some day.

Fast forward to January 2011.  After working downtown for several years and running alone or with some Sherwin-Williams runners, I stumbled across a group that included local ultra-runners Mark Godale, Matt Shaheen, and several others.  For 6 months I trained with these guys on a daily basis and got in the best shape I was in post-college.  And I was encouraged that I could some day run 100 mile races.

Then I quit my downtown job, went back to school to be a teacher, and running took a backseat yet again.  But I continued to run off and on, and continued to volunteer at Ottowa Point in 2011 & 2012.

My friend Randy and I had discussed running 100 some day and this winter Randy decided he would sign up.  As soon as the race registration opened, around January, we both signed up.  I was committed to running twice as far as I ever had run before.

The Training (or Lack Of)

At this time I was in my first year as a math teacher and track coach.  Plus raising a family of 8 kids, 7 still at home, the youngest Caroline who is now 1 1/2.  Needless to say my schedule was very busy.  I decided I really couldn't do ultra-type mileage during school, so I would continue to run what I could.  I planned to run a long run each month and really bump up the distance in June once school finished.

I ensured the long runs by entering a number of races.  I ran the Landis Loonies Marathon on New Years' Day (5:01), the Art Moore FA 50k in January (6:02), and the Green Jewel 50k (DNF at 24 miles due to weather) in March.  In April I entered the North Coast 24 Hour run with hopes of running 75+ miles but again the weather was unfavorable and I stopped running at 14 hours, with 48.67 miles complete.  I finished out my spring with a 4:28 at the Cleveland Marathon on a hot humid day.  None of these times were very encouraging but at least I was getting the time on my feet.

June hit, school let out, and I completed weeks of 50, 40, and 80 miles, the 80 including the Mohican 50 Mile Run.  I walked most of the 2nd loop at Mohican and finished in 14:13.  At this point I was very concerned whether or not I would make the cut-off at Burning River and seriously contemplated not making the attempt.  I decided I still had 5 weeks to get in shape, and several friends ensured me that Mohican is the more difficult choice, so my training began in earnest.

After a recovery week of 45 miles, I had 2 solid weeks of 90 and 85 miles.  I planned one more big week (2 weeks before the race) but hurt my right groin in a local 5k.  I decided this was my body telling me it was time to taper.  So in the 13 days before the race, I took 4 days off with 3 runs of 8-13 miles and 6 runs of 5 or less.

I should note that during the 2 big weeks, I ran on the BR course several times.  I ran miles 55-80, miles 80-100 (at night), miles 40-55, and also the first 6 (again in the dark).  I've run several races in the CVNP but running these group runs on the course gave me a sense of familiarity and comfort once I hit mile 40.

Also on the training runs I met Danielle who seemed to run about my pace and we planned to start out at about 15-minute miles for the first 50.

The Race

The Night Before

After spending much of race week organizing my drop bags and crew kit, it was finally time.  My son Luke would be my only crew for the morning stops.  Luke and I and Randy shared a room near the start, in the same hotel as my nephew Abe who was running his 2nd 100 of the summer after running Mohican!

I lay in bed with a wide smile on my face, I couldn't wait for the friends, the aid stations, the beautiful scenery of the parks.  I almost forgot about the running part!  I finally dozed off and got a few hours of sleep, but the roosters crowed early and it was time to get dressed and head to the start at Squire's Castle.

Start to Oak Grove (Mile 41)

I checked in, ran into Danielle, and we found our place near the back of the pack.  The start was very smooth, there was some soft wet grass at the beginning but once we hit the trail we really just cruised along, hiking the early uphills.  There was not much passing, I was very happy to have started in the correct spot for my pace.  Average pace for the first loop was 12:15 per mile, faster than planned.  I was in 183rd place.  The plan was to drop the headlamp and pick up a handheld water bottle and my sunglasses.  But the cool weather and overcast skies helped me to decide I did not need the sunglasses OR the water.  I spent less than a minute at the first aid station, my first mistake of the day was trying to head back through the castle towards the start.  Luke and Katie corrected me and I got turned in the correct way.

A few more trail miles and we were onto the road.  I was wearing my Garmin and checked the pace occasionally.  The plan was to run around 12 on the roads.  I averaged 11:07 to Old Mill Road and 11:40 to the Polo Fields, but the pace felt easy so I went with it.  Somewhere along the way I got a hot spot on my right heel.  I was running in my road shoes, my Asics Gel Kayanos.  I decided to try duct tape at the crew aid station at Polo Fields.  I've never taped my feet before, but the tape job worked awesome!  No more heel issues all day!

I was ahead of schedule and Luke wasn't expecting me yet, but we found each other and I made a quick 2 minute stop, including the duct tape.  Again I decided not to carry any water.  From here we went back onto the trails, through Solon towards Brecksville.

On the way to Harper Ridge the average pace was 13:16.  I was still running with Danielle at this point, and she picked up the pace about a mile from the aid station.  This felt good to stretch the legs, and knowing we had a rest coming, I continued this practice as much as I could for the remainder of the run.

From Harper Ridge to Shadow Lake the average pace was 12:30.  Total time for the first marathon was 5:24.  I had moved up 11 spots in 20 miles and was now in 172nd place.  Significantly faster than the 15:00 planned pace, but again the weather was cool, the day was pleasant, and it felt easy, so we continued on.  At Shadow Lake I had planned a shoe change from the Asics into the Montrail Badwaters.  This stop took about 8 minutes.  Luke was out looking for me this time but did not have a chair for me to sit in.  Another crew lent me theirs.  Luke was flawless as a crew from here on out.

I was nervous that Luke had all my handhelds and I wouldn't see him again as crew until mile 65, so I did take a water bottle at this time.  But I didn't drink much from it.

The next 2 aid stations came and went, still averaging between 13-14 minutes per mile.  Walking a few hills here and there but mostly running.

Most crewless aid stations all day I had a few cups of heed but very little else.  A cute little girl offered me a popsicle at Egbert Shelter, and I took it.  As I walked away, I commented that I was actually a little chilled and didn't need it, but Danielle said the girl had needed to give it away to feel helpful, and she was right.  We ran a few quicker miles (12's and 11's) on the towpath heading towards Station Road, then jumped the guard rail onto the trail to Oak Grove.

Another mile and we pulled in to Oak Grove.  I was excited to see Victoria for the first time of the day.  She came up next to the pavilion and talked while I ate a couple cups of ramen noodles and 3-4 quarter turkey and cheese sandwiches.  It felt like I was having lunch!  The report was that Abe was 1 hour ahead and Randy was 1.5 hours ahead of Abe.  I was glad to hear they were running well but surprised to hear Katie say that I looked better than either of them at that point.  I gave my handheld back to Victoria, proceeding on without carrying water.  Aid Station captain Mike Erhardt gave me a fist bump.  I looked around for Danielle but didn't see her, so I walked a ways until my sandwich digested.  She didn't catch up and I mostly ran alone for the next 60 miles.

Oak Grove to Pine Hollow

I ran through the trails of Brecksville to Ottowa Point where Luke was now volunteering.  This was very fun as it was the aid station I usually worked at.  Still I only stayed less than 3 minutes and headed out.  I was in 152nd place, having moved up 20 spots in the previous 20 miles.  The section from Ottowa Point from Snowville was muddy, sloppy, and slippery due to the rain.  No wonder Cyrus calls it the Bog of Despair.  I fell twice, and my average pace was 16:30.  I asked for something to clean off with at Snowville Rd and was directed to a muddy bucket of water with a sponge.  I had hit the 50 mile mark in 11:24, way faster than I ran the same distance at Mohican!

The next section to Boston Store was still slippery but not as bad.  I ran a little more and averaged 15:50 for this section.  Somehow in 9 slow miles I moved up another 21 spots and was now in 131st.  I looked over the food but decided a few cups of Heed would do me, so I headed out.  I power-hiked the tunrpike hill.  Somewhere after the top I started wondering when it would get dark, and I realized my best headlamp was in a drop bag back at Boston Store!

When I arrived at Pine Lane, first thing I did was ask to borrow a cell phone.  Luckily for me Greg K. was there and he contacted my wife to tell her to go back for the headlamp.  More Heed and I headed on to Ledges.  Much of this section was road and bike/hike path, but I did alot of walking here, averaging 15:37 for this section.  Looking back I wish I had run more here.

I arrived at Ledges tired but still making good progress.  My whole crew was here, Victoria and Luke along with Caroline.  Nephew Keith was also there and they let me know that I had caught Abe.

Ledges was one of my longest stops of the day.  I changed shoes, socks, shorts, and shoes.  Had some of my own food to eat (Muscle Milk, protein bar, and fresh pineapple).  Other than Heed, I think most of my calories on the day came from Muscle Milk.  I think I drank 5 small bottles on the day.

I considered looking at the aid station food but when I found out the food was to the left, and the trail was to the right, I quickly decided I wasn't hungry.  After a 14-minute break, I headed for Pine Hollow.  I turned my headlamp on somewhere along the way.

My shoe change at Ledges was from the Montrails to a fresh pair of Saucony Mirage road shoes.  I thought fresh and dry and clean would be helpful but this was a mistake.  I should have stuck with the trail shoes until Howe Meadow.

I kept a 16:44 pace from Ledges to Pine Hollow, passing Abe and pacer Thomas along the way.  I took another longer (7 minute) crew stop.  By this time it was full dark, I had completed 70 miles, and I knew the next 15 miles were pretty rugged.  I left Pine Hollow carrying my handheld for the 2nd time, walking and walked most of those 15 miles.

Pine Hollow to Howe Meadow (mostly walking)

I kept a 19:00 pace from Pine Hollow to Little Meadow, 19:40 pace on the Wetmore trail from Little Meadow to Covered Bridge.  Abe and new pacer Jon passed me on the Wetmore trail, along with Chris and Crystal Basich.  I followed Chris for a ways.

Some people said there were some markings missing on this section but I don't recall, maybe Crystal and Chris led me right through them.  Anyways I arrived at Covered Bridge in 109th place, moving up another 22 spots in 24 miles.

Abe and Jon were sitting down having some noodle soup.  I had a quick cup and started out before them, but then I saw Aid Captain Heidi and we chatted, and next thing Abe was ahead.  Jon joked that as a typical Landis I talked too much.  I power-hiked the big hill on the Perkins trail, moving ahead of Abe again.  I ran a bit at the top, and then found mud.  I slowed down, Abe and Jon passed me, and I never saw them again.

I had my slowest miles at the end of this loop, falling twice more and bending over a few times hoping to throw up.  My last 3 miles here were all over 25 minutes, and I had gotten passed by several runners.  I hit the road and was very glad to be past this loop.  The water station at Oak Hill Road offered me water, but I declined, having dumped most of my water and not drank hardly any on that loop.

Once I got going towards Howe Meadow my miles were back under 20 (barely) but I knew I was on my way to the finish.  After winding around the meadows of Howe Meadow, I finally found the aid station and more importantly my crew.  I changed shoes, shorts again, this time wearing the Mizuno Wave Sayonara.  Sat down and had a Red Bull, which gave me a boost of energy.  

Howe Meadow to Finish

I walked / jogged most of O'Neill woods, then started running on the road and the towpath.  On my way from Botsum to Merriman Parkway I had miles between 12 and 15, and was really feeling good!  I turned off my headlamp, knowing I had less than 10 miles to go and 5 hours to get it done, I was going to finish and well under the feared cutoff!

I pulled  in behind the car wash and wanted 2 things, another Red Bull and my toothbrush.  Luke made me laugh asking which one I wanted first.  I was there less than a minute and headed out.  My next mile on the towpath on the way to Memorial Parkway was 12:02!  It was daylight, I was almost done, and I was flying!

Then I got dizzy.  Too much Red Bull or not enough food, I'm not sure.  I stopped to walk, miles of 17 and then 25!  I think the 2nd Red Bull cost me a chance at finishing under 27.  I finally walked into Memorial Road aid station.  Caroline ran towards me and I picked her up.  I told Luke how I felt and he made me sit and eat.  I had considered asking him to pace me, afraid about the dizziness, but after a 7 minute break I felt better and headed out on the last segment.

Into the Chuckery, past the Signal Tree, up the stone stairs, through the Gorge, and onto Front Street.  I ran the last couple miles in the 14's.  I followed the markings and hopped up onto the sidewalk, only to trip over an uneven sidewalk seam and fall hard, blood dripping from my knee, shoulder, and fingers.  Got back up and ran on in, finishing in 27:21:07!

Victoria was exhausted, up most of the night plus caring for the baby and me, so she gave me a hug and kiss and headed home.  Abe's crew also came over for congratulations and were on their way.  Luke and I sat by the finish, cheering the runners in that made it under the 30 hour deadline.  I got up to leave and Luke said we should stay for the awards.  Surprisingly they only called 1 name for USATF in my age group.  I went up and asked afterwards and found out that I had actually gotten 2nd (by default) in the USA National Championships for men 45-49, so I got a very nice USA medal!

I definitely could not have done this without the support all summer of Victoria and the race day crew support from Luke!  I thoroughly enjoyed the first 45 miles, from 45-70 were ok, 70-85 sucked, and then 85-100 were fun again.  I should have run a little harder with evening approaching, knowing that I walked most of the night.  I should have not changed out of my trail shoes until after the Perkins loop.  And I should not have had the 2nd Red Bull.  Other than that it was a great experience and one I will probably try again in the future.

Things I Did Well and Not Well

Well:

• Trained on the course.  This gave alot of confidence in the last part of the race.
• Had a well supplied crew kit.  I didn't use most of it but the duct tape was important.
• Drove the aid stations with Luke and Victoria.  They were everywhere they needed to be and this was super helpful!
• Getting the Aid Station tattoo!
  
• Started at a maintainable pace.
• Picking up the pace for a mile heading into each aid station.
• Walking most of the night was the right thing for me.
• Brought my own food.  Muscle Milk, oatmeal cookies, protein bars, and fresh pineapple.  This saved time at the crewed aid stations, where I didn't have to look over the food I really didn't want.
• Drinking the first Red Bull right before morning.
• Fresh clothes and brushed teeth were a good feeling!
• Only carried my handheld for 30 miles.  Most of the race I was unencumbered.

Not Well:

• Changed out of the trail shoes too soon.  Should have worn them (or another pair) past the Perkins loop.
• Drank a 2nd Red Bull about an hour after the first one.  Bad idea.
• Probably didn't need to carry a water bottle at all.
• Walking the road section between Pine Lane and Ledges.  I should have ran this section.  Especially realizing I had alot of walking coming up overnight!

Race Reports from Other Runners:

Peter H - 14:25
Michael O - 15:48

Mike S - 25:08
Greg C - 25:35
Kurt A - 27:36

Matt F - 28:40

Andrew G - 28:40
Kate R - 28:52

Sara B - 29:30
Zach B - 91 miles

Kim D - 71 miles

Burning River Splits

Just a bunch of data for now with a few comments mixed in.  Plan to write more later.

I wore my Garmin 205 for the first 10 hours of the race.  Then switched to my niece's 305 while my crew recharged my 205.  Switched back to the original recharged watch 7 hours later.  I tried to hit the lap button coming into and out of each aid station so that I could also analyze time spent at the aid stations.

Time is from the race results / splits.  Pace is according to the race splits and includes any time spent at the previous aid station.

Times in parenthesis are mile pace for a fraction of a mile.  Example in Segment B, that was 10:23 for .89 miles or 11:39 pace.

Garmin Section One - Elevation Gain 2586, Loss 2490

Segment A, 6.2, start (Squires Castle) to Squire's Castle, 6.2 total

Time 1:16, 12:15 pace, 183rd

12:04-13:52-13:07-12:43-14:06-12:02 +

Aid - 0:57

Segment B 6.2 Squires Castle to Old Mill Road, 12.4 total

Time 2:26,  11:07 pace, 186th

11:47-12:56-11:10-10:49-10:57-(11:39) - roads

Aid 1:03

Segment C 4.8 Old Mill to Polo Fields, 17.2 total

Time 3:23, 11:40 pace, 183rd

11:40-13:12-11:07-11:17-(13:07) - more roads

Aid 2:25 (Crew)

Segment D 5.8 Polo Fields to Harper Ridge, 23.0 total

Time 4:42, 13:16 pace, 181st

11:56-11:14-14:35-14:13-14:00-(10:23)

Aid 1:38

This was the first time Danielle picked up the pace heading into the aid station, a practice I tried to continue for most of the 100.

Segment E 3.2 Harper Ridge to Shadow Lake, 26.2 total

Time 5:24, 12:30 pace, 172nd 

12:41-11:06-12:18-(17:02) - probably late hitting lap when I stopped for aid

Aid 8:25 (Crew, shoe change)

Carried 1 handheld bottle from Shadow Lake to Oak Grove

Segment F 4.8 Shadow Lake to Egbert Shelter, 31.0 total

Time 6:38, 13:45 pace, 172nd

12:53-14:06-15:10-13:45-(11:17)

Aid 3:06 (bathroom)

Segment G 4.4 Egbert Shelter to Alexander Road, 35.4 total

Time 7:40, 13:24 pace, 170th

14:02-14:06-12:33-13:18-(16:49) - again late hitting lap

Aid :15

Segment H 6.3 Alexander Road to Oak Grove, 41.7 total

Time 9:05, 13:20 pace, 151st

14:47-13:17-12:36-12:31-11:58-16:29 - (12:54) - some towpath there in the middle

Aid 6:02 (Crew Victoria, ate turkey cheese sandwich & noodles, good stop!)

Stopped carrying handheld

Segment I 4.7 Oak Grove to Ottowa Point, 46.4 total

Time 10:15, 13:37 pace, 152nd

15:19-13:07-15:24-11:33-(14:43)

Aid 2:38 (switched watches)

Garmin Section Two - Elevation Gain 2694, Loss 2591

Segment J 4.0 Ottowa Point to Snowville Road, 50.4 total

Time 11:24, 16:30 pace, 134th

Cyrus has named this section the Bog of Despair

13:15-16:47-18:57-(16:32) - fell twice

Aid 1:36

Segment K 5.1 Snowville Road to Boston Store, 55.5 total\

Time 12:47, 15:52 pace, 131st

14:43-15:50-15:39-15:39-16:05-(11:54)

Aid 2:15

Segment L 3.9 Boston Store to Pine Lane, 59.4 total

Time 13:54, 16:40 pace, 123rd

14:19-16:45-16:28-(19:39) - late on the lap button

Aid :27 (Greg K's cell phone to text crew about forgetting to pick up headlamp from drop bag at Boston Store.)

Segment M 6.3 Pine Lane to Ledges Shelter, 65.7 total

Time 15:37, 16:11 pace, 121st

17:36-14:35-14:55-14:25-16:55-18:21-(13:25) - plenty of road here, should have gone faster.

Aid 14:15 (Crew, shoe change, shirt & shorts change)

Wore headlamp from Ledges, turned it around the Salt Run trail

Segment N 4.9 Ledges Shelter to Pine Hollow, 70.6 total - Salt Run trail
Time 17:13, 16:44 pace

14:14-16:23-16:45-16:22-(18:31)

Aid 7:58 + (Crew, rest mostly, switched watches again)

Garmin Section Three - Elevation Gain 1985, Loss 1883

Segment O 3.0 Pine Hollow to Little Meadow, 73.6 total - Cross Country Trail
Time 18:15, 19:00 pace

19:41-17:39-(20:03) - mostly walking

Aid 0:00 (forgot to hit lap on the way in, probably about a half minute for the coldest water on the course

Started carrying handheld bottle again

Segment P 6.0 Little Meadow to Covered Bridge, 79.6 total - Wetmore Trail

Time 20:14, 19:40 pace , 109th place

20:29-18:40-20:13-19:49-19:42-(19:43) - mostly walking

Aid 4:07 - ramen

Segment R 4.7 Covered Bridge to Oak Hill Road, 84.3 total, Perkins Trail & Riding Run loop

20:34-19:28-28:15-25:38-(37:51) - walking, very muddy, fell twice

Aid 0:00 - water only but did not stop

Segment S 2.4 Oak Hill Road to Howe Meadow, 86.7 total
Time 23:19, 25:29 pace (segments R & S from Covered Bridge)

18:24-20:08-(20:00) - didn't hit lap, last fraction and aid time are estimates

Aid 8:44 - Crew, shoe change, shorts change, Red Bull

Stopped carrying handheld

Segment T 4.0 Howe Meadow to Botsum, 90.7 total, mostly O'Neill Woods

Time 20:46-19:24-21:16-(13:19), some road & towpath at the end

Aid 0:02 - water only did not stop again

Segment U 2.5 Botsum to Merriman Parkway, 93.2 total

Time 25:07, 15:13 pace (segments T & U from Howe Meadow), 108th place

14:23-12:36-(15:44) - all towpath, maybe late on the lap button

Aid 51.2 - Red Bull again and toothbrush

Segment V 3.0 Merriman to Memorial Parkway, 96.2 total
Time 26:03, 18:19 pace

12:03-17:42-(25:51) - got dizzy from too much Red Bull / not enough food combination

Aid 7:14 - Luke made me stop and eat, he was right

Segment W, Memorial Parkway to Finish, 100.9 total, Chuckery and Gorge
Time 27:21:07, 15:06 pace, 99th place

16:47-18:27-14:22-14:39-(18:31) thought I was running faster than this, did walk the final road hill and also took a hard spill on the sidewalk.

2012 Wrap-Up / 2013 Preview

I haven't blogged here for a while.  I doubt I will post regularly but I do want to post today.

2012 was a year of change and inconsistency.  I started out with a slow 5:22 at the Landis Loonies Marathon on January 2, 2012.  Over the next 21 weeks, while still student teaching, I basically ran on Tuesday and sometimes Sunday. I ran the Cleveland Marathon in 5:31 on a brutally hot day.  I like to say Jimmy M would have beaten me if he hadn't stopped for a picnic lunch!

Summer was very different.  I was on a teacher schedule, with only 1 class to complete for my Masters degree.  By the 2nd week of June I was up to 60 miles / week and was above 50 for 10 consecutive weeks, with the exception of the July 4 week when we traveled to NYC.

New runs were Tue & Thu mornings with some LOCO folks from Day's Dam, occasional Wed hill workouts at the same spot, and Tue evening runs with the Brookside HS CC team.

Summer racing highlights were 19:18 5k at the Journal Jog, and finishing the Buckeye Trail 50k, redeeming myself after my first ultra attempt / DNF in the initial running in 1994.  Although my time was horribly slow 7:58, and I was 129 of 144 finishers.

Once school started it became difficult for me to coach multiple groups and get a run in at the same time, so my running with the team fell to about once / week (longer runs on Mondays mostly).

I got into a sort of pattern during the last couple months, running after school on Mondays, in Oberlin on Tuesdays, at the Y on Thursday mornings, and 1-2 times on the weekend.  This led to a surprising 1:42 at the Tour de Ashland Half Marathon.

Total for the year was 1248 miles in 168 runs.  Three months between 180-260 miles, and 9 months between 35-95 miles.

My 2013 schedule is quite ambitious.  I started with the annual Landis Loonies marathon on New Years Day, running a little faster this year in 5:01.  I have several longer races on my calendar, leading up to the Burning River 100 Mile in July.

3/2 Green Jewel 50k
4/20 North Coast 24 Hour
5/19 Cleveland Marathon
6/15 Mohican 50 Mile
7/27 Burning River 100 Mile

I will be coaching track so I'm sure I won't get more than 30-40 per week in the spring, other than the weeks of the longer races (listed above).  Once school ends in June I will quickly bump up to 60-80 per week leading up to Burning River.  I'm sure this is not the optimal schedule but it is what I'm going with.

2011 Green Jewel 50k Race Report

Today I raced the Green Jewel, a 50k through Cleveland's Metroparks, mainly following the all-purpose trail (AKA bike path) from Rocky River to Brecksville.  I had run this race in 2010 (my first 50k) in 5:01, and I knew my training was better so I was primed for a big PR!

My brother in law Ken was kind enough to let me park my car at his house and drive me to the start at the Marina in Rocky River.  I got my number, pinned it on my shorts, and waited in the car with Ken until the last possible minute.  The weather was chilly & rainy, and more rain was forecast (100% chance) all day long.

We lined up, Vince started giving detailed instructions, until someone just shouted "Can we just start?" and shortly we were off.  A pack of 5 started out as if this were a race, leaving the rest of us in the dust.    Two more followed in a chase pack and I was somewhere around 8th for the first little bit.  I ran with Dan H for the first couple miles, (8:05 & 7:52) and we were briefly passed by 2010 WRTR Race Series Champ Mark C.

Aid stations were roughly every 5 miles, and I had a loose plan going into the race that I would pick up the pace for the middle mile of every 5-mile set.  The path is mostly flat (for the first 24 miles) and I wanted to vary my pace so I didn't fall into a rut of slow and slower.  So on the 3rd mile, I picked up the pace (7:22) and caught Mark.  This would be my fastest mile of the day.

Mark and I ran together for a couple miles (#4 7:56), discussed blogs, I entertained him (I hope) with a story about pizza delivery, and then he skipped the 4.9 mile aid station, I stopped for a Hammer Gel and some Gatorade.  Leaving the aid station we had to cut through the grass as there was about 2 feet of water covering the trail at this point.  My 5th mile was 8:32, and Mark was gone, never to be seen again.

Miles 6 & 7 were steady, 7:52 & 8:08.  I was trying to simultaneously run the tangents and dodge the puddles.  Mile 8 was my pick-up, and I ran 7:39.  Mile 9 was 8:00 and shortly after that I was at the 10 mile aid station (closer to 9.3 on my Garmin).  This time I remembered to split my watch on the way in and out so I knew I spent 54 seconds there, another Gel and some Gatorade and Endurolyte capsules.

Leaving the aid station, my next 3 miles were 7:56, 8:00, and 7:56.  Mile 13 was my pick-up but it was also uphill so another 7:58 was all I could manage.  Sometime around here Victoria drove past for the first time with Luke and George.  My own personal cheering section, what a bright spot in a dreary day!  They would leapfrog me on the course, stopping to cheer every couple miles for the rest of the day!

At this point, a group of 3 runners (Sean P, Mike, and Lee) had been gaining on me and then falling back during my pick-ups.  Miles 14 & 15 were 8:17 & 8:22, the latter including another brief aid-station stop.  After the aid station, the group caught me and I ran with them for a bit, running 7:53 & 7:46.  Only Lee stayed close during my 18th mile pickup which I ran in 7:32 (my 2nd fastest mile of the day).

The 19th mile was 8:43 and included another aid station.  I tossed my gloves into Victoria's van, and Luke joined me to help pace me in.  Which was fantastic except he liked to run beside me, which interfered with my tangents, and he didn't have any amusing stories to take my mind off the pain.  Actually my legs were kind of tingly cold and almost numb at that point!

Luke and I caught and briefly ran with Mike G, out for a training run on the course.  He let us go and I instructed him that whoever caught him next, he should have a long conversation (to keep them from continuing on to catch me!)

I decided to forego any more pick-up miles until I was safely through the major hills which started around mile 22.5.  My 20th - 22nd miles were 8:05-8:21-8:11.  Then the first major uphill mile was 8:43.  The final aid station was in the 24th mile.  Between the uphill, stopping for Gatorade, Endurolytes, & Coke (no Gel) and stepping off the side of the road to pee, that .58 of a mile took me 8:08 (14:04 pace).

Coming out of that aid station, after the hill, I had been hoping to make another pick-up and finish the race strong, but my legs did not agree.  I knew in my head that it would not hurt any more to run fast than to run slow, it would just take more time.  But I could not generate any legspeed.  Miles 25 & 26 were 9:04 & 9:01.

The 8:00 per mile pace that I had kept for the first 22 miles had me at a projected time of around 4:08.  But now that I was around 9 from mile 23 on, I reset my goal to 4:20.  I was still running with Luke, and I looked down as my watch hit 26.2 miles in 3:37, which would be my 2nd fastest marathon ever (out of 7 tries)!

Miles 27-28-29 were slower, 9:26-9:49-10:44.  Even though 28 & 29 were mostly downhill!  In the 29th mile as we crossed a highway overpass (over the turnpike?) and I suddenly had an upset stomach.  I walked about 100 yards, then got going again slowly, still feeling a little queasy.  Somewhere in here Mike G caught us again and he and Luke ran ahead.  Some pacer that kid turned out to be!

Mike eventually doubled back, meeting me with about 1.5 miles to go and encouraging me the rest of the way.  I picked up the pace slightly for mile 30 in 10:16, another downhill mile.  Unfortunately at this point the downhills hurt worse than the uphills.  I got passed by the 2nd woman, Terri L.  Also in the last mile, despite picking the pace up again (to 8:59) I got passed again by Josh (who was absolutely flying) and then I got passed yet again by an unnamed guy in bright green as we turned in the driveway to the finish.

My final time was 4 hours, 26 minutes, and 8 seconds, a PR by 35 minutes!  I'm not sure on my exact place but I think I was in the top 15.  Results aren't posted but I do know there were 87 finishers!  I hung around for a couple minutes, congratulated several friends, picked up my shirt (very nice!) and some Muscle Milk, then I knew Victoria would be anxious to leave so I headed to the car.

(Update:  Results are up and I was 14th overall, 7th Master)

I sat in the back and got into some dry clothes, but in the process my calves cramped up badly and I cried out in pain!  I doubt Victoria had any sympathy as I brought this on myself!

This is likely my last ultramarathon for a while, as I am trying to focus on the WRTR Short Race Series this year.  But it is a fun race on a beautiful course and I will likely continue to make it an annual event!

2011 Chili Bowl 5k Race Report

Saturday was the Chili Bowl 5k, the first race of the 2011 Hermes Road Race Series.  I did well in the series last year, finishing 5th overall, so I wanted to run well in this race.  My training is going better so far this year as far as getting miles in, I joined a new lunchtime group and this has increased my weekday mileage by about 2 miles per day.  I haven't been doing much speed training but I did run 2 indoor track races in January (a mile and a 5k) so at least I do have that.

After a brutally cold 2nd week of February, this week was much warmer, with temperatures in the 50's Wednesday, Thursday, & Friday.  Unfortunately, a strong wind Friday night brought back colder, more typical February weather.  Temperatures were in the low 30's, and a fierce wind blew from the north.

Luke and I arrived early, picked up our shirts & numbers, and went for an easy warm up from about the 1/2 mile mark out to the turn, and back.  This enabled us to feel the wind and I realized it would have a huge effect on the race.  I remarked to Luke that as we turned around Cleveland Browns Stadium and got out of the wind, we would have to focus and regain our form, the wind was really strong enough that you had to lean into it.

Back to the car, we both changed into shorts, we were among the few (but of course Frank Z. still raced in a singlet, no long sleeves, he is tough!)

Warmed up a little more over to the starting line, wished a few friends good luck, and lined up in the 2nd row.  You can see me just to the right of the middle, blue Team Fox shirt & black hat.

I started quickly and by the time we got to the intersection of Prospect & W 6th, the race was starting to sort out.  There were 2 guys out front, and then a small pack of at least 5.  As we headed north, straight into the face of the wind, I tucked in behind this pack.  My goal was to get to the mile mark in a good position but expending as little energy as possible.

I've said it a few times, but the wind really was affecing the race here, despite running downhill towards the lake.  As I neared the corner of Browns Stadium, I made a move around the pack.  I figured they had to be tiring and would try to drop as many as possible right there before they recovered from fighting the wind.  I didn't wear my Garmin as I know the tall buildings near the start mess it up, but the timer at the mile called out 5:40 as I passed.  I thought this was a little slow but again, I blame the wind.

I felt good, now in 3rd, and gaining on 2nd.  Seemed like 1 guy had gone with me, with all the wind it was hard to hear and I wasn't really sure who was where behind me.  Heading out Marginal a short ways towards the turn, I lost a spot and was 4th.  Making the turn around the cone, I lost another spot but shortly moved back into 4th, passing the guy who started out in the top 2.  Now we were heading west, partly into the wind.  I pass the 2-mile mark in 11:28, so my 2nd mile was 5:48.  Not bad at all!

We make the turn back south towards the finish, now the wind is finally at our back, and this is so nice that I almost didn't notice the uphill.  But most of the last mile was uphill.  I knew the last guy I passed was still with me so I ran strong up West 6th and then picked up the pace even more about 100 yards before turning onto Prospect.  I wasn't all-out sprinting yet, saving a little in case someone passed me, but no one did.  Which is suprising looking at this photo.  The next 6 guys were all within 14 seconds of my finsihing time of 18:10.

Interestingly, I realized after the race that the guy who finished 5th was Sean P., a guy I met running downtown a couple months ago that suggested the lunchtime running group!

After the race I congratulated several other runners that finished around me, and turned back to look for Luke.  He also ran well, you can see him here in yellow.  Not a PR, but a good time for him considering the wind.

Luke and I headed back to the car, changed into some warmer clothes, watched many other runners pass, and then I went out for a cool-down through the flats.

We then heaed back to Tower 230 for the awards.  Along with the water and granola bars, there was also chili being served to all runners.  Luke and I each won a useful age group award, a chili bowl.  The shirt was pretty nice also!

I'm not sure about the top 3 runners that beat me, they weren't in the Road Race Series in 2010.  But I did beat the guys who were 1st, 2nd, and 7th in last year's series so I am off to a flying start!

Next race will be the Green Jewel 50k in 2 weeks, followed a week later by the popular St. Malachi 5-Mile Race, the 2nd race in the Hermes series.

Hermes put on a great race Saturday.  There were over 950 finishers!  Most impressive, by noon they had posted not only the results, but also a video of the start and over 100 photos of the finish (on Facebook)!

Run For Regis - Trail Half-Marathon

Yesterday Luke and I headed to the Cuyahoga Valley National Park for the Run For Regis races.  The run starts together at the Ledges shelter, and there are 2 loops, of about 5 miles and 8 miles.

The half-marathoners turn left and run the 8 mile loop, followed by the 5.  Marathoners and 50k runners turn right and run the 5 first, followed by the 8, then both again (and the 50k people add another 5 for good measure).

I entered the 50k but decided a few weeks ago that I would run the half instead.  There were several reasons for this:

• With the weather, running slow for 5-6 hours didn't sound like much fun
• I'm racing a mile on an indoor track at CWRU this Saturday, and wanted to be recovered
• Victoria had plans in the afternoon and I needed to be home by 12:30 to work the day-care

I wasn't sure what the competition would be like and assumed most of the "veterans" would opt for the longer distances.  However, local college runner Patrick Fisher told me before the start that he was doing the half, so any hopes for winning went out the window.

I wore YakTrax Pro's over my shoes.  I have run in these several times with no issues but yesterday the left one would slip to the side, off my toe, every 2-3 miles.  I think I was pushing off harder than normal in an attempt to run "fast".  Not that you can run very fast in 6-8 inches of snow.

In the early part of the race, I was running 5th with a group of 3 right behind me, including Jim Chaney.  I talked with Jim a little and found out that he is the narrator for the Burning River course videos, which I really appreciate! (Even though I haven't done the race yet, I have viewed the videos to prepare for other runs in the area).

Eventually I stopped and stepped to the side to adjust my YakTrax.  I got going again and was now in 8th.  Another 2 guys were following right behind me and we ran together until I stopped again to mess with my shoe.  Now I was 10th, but a couple of them must have stopped at the 8-mile point and not continued on.

My first 6 miles were progressively slower, starting with 8:21 (mostly downhill) and slowing to 11:03 for #6.  Everything from 5-12 was in the 10's or 11's except for #9 (where I got lost).  Miles 10 and 11 were quicker than all but the first 4, at 10:03.

I really appreciated those volunteers that directed runners and worked at the aid stations and at the finish line.  What a hard job that is on a cold day.  Thank you!

After checking in at the start/finish area at 8 miles, I headed out on the 5-mile loop.  In the next mile there was a sort of canopy of pine trees overhead, covered with snow, it was so beautiful and peaceful!  I got to a spot where I wasn't sure if I should go left or right, and that cost me a couple minutes, I was hoping another runner would come along behind to show me the way but eventually I started walking and after a bit I saw an oranger streamer which showed me I was on the right path.

Pretty soon I did hear some runners catching me from behind, I worked hard the last 2-3 miles to hold my position, and in the results I was 8th overall out of 103 runners!  I think this is my best finish yet in a WRTR race!  My time was 2:22:22, results show 2:23:20.  Either is fine.

That is me in the picture, wearing the blue shirt, finishing strong (I hope).  Also wearing the glove/mittens I won at the Vertical Runner raffle on Christmas eve!

It was great to see many friends and other runners, and it was fun to hear some of the comments, as I was the only runner in shorts!  I was running hard though and generating lots of heat.  During the race I never was cold and never regretted the decision.

After the race I walked / jogged back out on the course to find Luke, he ran the half also and did well, finishing 31st in just under 3 hours.

He is in this picture, in the white jacket.  He really seems to enjoy running and racing, I guess he is crazy like his old man!

My Survivor Video Application

Check out my video application for the Survivor Casting Call contest sponsored by Sears.  I do mention being an ultrarunner!

Turkey, Pig, and Reindeer (Race Reports)

I've run 3 races in the past 10 days and wanted to post my race reports.

First on Thanksgiving was the Turkey Trot.

Weather was cold & rainy. Was an ok run, probably could have done better. Held back and tried to run steady up the hills at the end of 2 / beginning of 3, got passed alot. Also should have kicked harder, lost a few spots there also (T Trentel).

Time was 31:09 for 5 miles:  (5:40-6:14-6:25-6:24-6:24).  Finished 69th overall, 3rd in my age.  Got the award today which was a free meal at Chipotle!

Next, just 2 days later, was the Pigskin Classic.  This was more of a event than a race, with almost everyone dressed in red and supporting the Buckeyes!

Good start, 5 guys took off right from the start (awards for the top 5). Then Don H, then me. Lost 3 spots going around the Browns stadium, including the first girl, then passed by Ben S. right after the mile. Then passed by Frank Z. right after the turn. 2nd girl passed me right around 2 miles.
Lost 1 more spot (yellow Mich. guy) going around the stadium on the way back, then got it back going up the hill, passed Don also. Mich. guy passed me back before the last turn, I almost caught him at the line, I didn't but my chip time was faster!
The 2nd half of the race was hard to keep a fast pace, the wind after the turn was brutal, then the hill up from Browns Stadium just added on.
All in all, good race.  12th overall, 19:06 (5:38-6:16-6:48).  No age group awards in this race.
 
Finally, today was the Reindeer Run, the last race of the Hermes series.
 
Another nice race. Weather was pretty cold, light wind. Top 5 went out, we had a small pack following them with Randy and a few others. Randy pulled ahead around the mile, I lost contact with the group at the turn-around but didn't fall far behind at all. One more guy passed me in the last mile. I thought I finished 11th but Frank Z was close behind and beat me on chip time.

I wore jingle bells on my shoes which was pretty fun!

I was 12th in 18:16 (5:44-5:59-6:02).  Won my age group, got a nice (clear plastic) medal with a reindeer!
I end the series in 5th overall.

Bills' Bad Ass Race Report - 13 Year Old Kid Runs 50k Ultramarathon

Well my title will give away the surprise, but I will still tell the story from the start.

Saturday was Bills' Bad Ass 50k.  Why the name?  Well historically, runners (and especially ultrarunners) have put on low key, unsupported runs called Fat Ass runs.  Well this run was low key but instead of unsupported, it had terrific support, including a well-stocked aid station and a finisher's shirt!

Sponsors of the run were Chef Bill and Wild Bill, both ultrarunners themselves.

The run was to start at 8 AM.  Luke and I were up by 4:30 and spent an hour at church from 5AM to 6AM as part of the quarterly 24-hour prayer vigil.  We then got a few supplies (Muscle Milk) and got on the turnpike for the 45-minute drive to Peninsula.  We dropped off a few things at the aid station - I had volunteered to bring some water and bananas - and then headed down the road to the Church In The Valley where Roy Heger was directing us to park.

Luke had a great cross counrty season with a 2-mile PR of 11:55 and also ran a 19:59 5k last month.  He has continued his training of about 20-25 miles per week, and was planning to pace me for 1 of the 6 loops (5 miles each) that make up the Bills' Bad Ass course.  I was kind of hoping for some company & encouragement later in the run, but Luke wisely realized that I would be pretty slow at the end and chose to run the first loop so that he could actually run it.

We waited in the car for a bit, as it was still chilly (29) at the start. Eventually we wandered over to the start and visited with a few people.  Chef Bill stood on top of his car with a megaphone and gave a few last-minute instructions.  Then as everyone was still pretty much just standing around, he said, "Ready?  Go!"

The 5-mile loop starts at the parking lot by the Everett Road Covered Bridge and follows the Riding Run trail and the Perkins trail.  This course is also part of the Burning River 100 Mile Endurance Run, but in the BR100 event they run the opposite way as we ran today.  Here is a video tour of the course prepared for the BR100.

Luke and I were actually standing off to the side by the bathrooms when the run started, so we didn't get off to a very good start.  Not that it matters at all in a 50k!  Here we are coming through the Covered Bridge at the start of the run.

We ran together for the first loop, chatting a little bit, and also sharing gloves.  Luke hadn't brought any so we traded mine back and forth every mile.  We were each wearing our Garmin 305's so we got a little chirp at each mile split.  As you can see, Luke was wearing the gloves in this picture.

During the first loop, Luke asked how far he could run, and if he could run the whole 50k.  I told him that wouldn't be a good idea, and suggested that he run 2 laps.  "Then if you really feel good, stop, drink some gatorade, refuel, walk the uphills like a good ultrarunner, and if you run 3 laps, that would really be a long run for you."  Little did I know!

There were 4 water crossings in each loop.  None were very deep, if you were careful you could tiptoe from rock to rock and keep your feet dry.  Here is a shot of Jeannine Nicholson & Ladd Clifford making their way across.

As we neared the end of the first loop, Luke let me know he planned to keep running.  I told him he could run at his own pace, and I would go on ahead at my own pace.  Our first loop split was 48:19.  I timed myself in and out of the aid-station, so did Luke.  We spent 39 seconds at the 5-mile aid station, and we were on our way.  All I had was some Gatorade.

For most of the 2nd and 3rd laps, I ran in a small group with Chris Basich and Mike Manozzi. Here you can see just my head, behind Chris, as we navigated the trails.  I took a tumble right around 9 miles, I was looking ahead for a good way to go around a sloppy mudhole and tripped over a root.  I tried to roll and somersault onto my left shoulder, as I learned during Running With Scissors that it doesn't help to try to catch yourself with your hands.  Chris commented that it was a "Pretty good fall!"

Mike is actually a champion racewalker, known as the Italian Stallion.  He's got a great attitude and should have a great future!  Here you can see just my left arm with Mike in the background.  My 2nd loop split was 47:38, just about 1/2 minute faster than the first time around.  I spent 1:21 at the aid station, having some Gatorade, Coke, and Muscle Milk.  I also had a few Swedish Fish candies, but they were really hard and chewy and stuck to my teeth.  I dropped my gloves in my backpack and headed out.

Much to my surprise, as I was heading out, Luke was coming in to the aid station, having completed his 10-miles.  His 2nd loop was 50:39, not too far behind me!  He didn't look to be struggling so I figured he would probaby go ahead and run the 15 miles.

My third loop was much the same as the 2nd, but a little slower.  And I realized that I was almost half done and had only had liquids.  My 3rd loop was 49:06 and I spent 2:15 at the 15-mile aid station, I had an orange Gu that really hit the spot!  More Gatorade and Coke.  And I took off my winter hat, trading it for a baseball cap.  Much to my surprise, as I was headind out, in came Luke, finishing his 15 miles, his longest run ever.  Great job kid!  His 3rd loop split was 54:31.

Now I have to admit a few thing, specifically my lack of resting in preparation for this run.  I did my longest run ever, the Run With Scissors Double Marathon, just 2 weeks ago.  Also, I donated blood on Thursday.  So my body wasn't really ready for this, and during the 4th loop I started really feeling it.  Also at this point I realized I hadn't taken any Endurolytes.  My first run with Endurolytes was the RWS, and I really think they helped my legs to not cramp up.  But around 17 miles, my muscles were definitely starting to feel fatigued.  I added a little more walking, mostly on the uphills, and my overall pace slowed by a couple minutes per mile.

I got back to the aid station for the 20 mile mark, my 4th split was 1:01:07.  Here is a picture of just some of the wide variety of food and drink available.  I had another Hammer Gel, a cookie, some Endurolytes, Coke, Gatorade, & Muscle Milk.  Anything I could to add some energy.

I looked around for Luke, expecting him to be around the aid station to cheer my last 3 loops, but I didn't see him.  I asked Chef Bill, "Did my kid take off on another lap?"

"Yeah, he stripped down, changed his shirt, and headed out again," was the surprising reply.  Oh well, there wasn't much I could do about it now.  I did have a blister issue on my inner right heel, same as in RWS, so I changed socks and shoes.  I was at the 20-mile aid station for a long time, 8:16.  As I was heading out, here came Luke in his familiar yellow shirt.  "Walk a lap if you need, be done, whatever" was my advice.

"I'm not being done!" he shouted back.  His split for the 4th loop was 1:00:31.  Little did I know but he had actually gained a little on me during that lap.

My 5th loop was a struggle.  I walked the uphills.  I walked the downhills where the footing was less than perfect.  Even on the flats, I used a pattern of run 5 mintues - walk 1 minute.  In my mind, I was resting and getting ready to push harder on the final loop.

As I was coming in to the 25-mile aid station, I had the biggest surprise of the day.  Luke caught me from behind!  He had only spent 5 minutes in the aid station, so my lead was cut from 9 minutes to 6 minutes right there.  Our 21st & 22nd miles were about the same speed, then he gained about a minute each on the 23rd & 24th miles.  And the 25th mile, mostly downhill, was the biggest difference as Luke gained over 3 minutes during that 1 mile.  The loop time for me was 1:09:40, compared to Luke's 1:04:00.

We both had completed 25 miles, and at this point any thought of pushing the final loop left my mind.  I only wanted to enjoy the final loop with my son!  We took about 4 minutes in the 25-mile aid station.  The temperature had risen and I decided to carry water for the final loop.  Someone from the aid station offered Luke a handheld bottle also, but he didn't want one.  We would be together and could share, neither of us is used to having water during our training runs so refueling every 5 miles is more than we are used to.


We walked together for several minutes of the 6th loop before deciding to run again. We shared stories of runs, views, and falls. Many people had asked Luke his age, and several had invited him to move to their town and run cross country for their school, including 5-time state champion Peninsula Woodridge.


Six 5-mile loops is only 30 miles, so to get the extra mile, at the end, we needed to cross the road, go up a hill with a steep set of stairs, continue up the hill until we find a basket of candy, pick up a pack of Smarties, and return to the aid station with the candy to prove we made it all the way to the top.

Near the end of the 6th loop, Luke dashed ahead on a downhill.  I became stuck behind a pack of runners that we were lapping on a narrow section of trail, watching Luke get farther and farther ahead.  I got around them as the trail widened and we approached the aid station.  I expected Luke to stop for one more drink before attacking the final climb, but he circled the pole and headed for the stairs.  My 6th loop was 1:07:37, he had gained 30 seconds on me.

I gave Chef Bill a look of dismay, tossed my empty water bottle towards my pile of stuff, and followed in pursuit.  My strength enabled me to catch Luke on the stairs, and we ran the top section together, hoping that the basket would come soon.  We met a few runners headed back down.  Finally there it was.  We each took some Smarties (last year it was Dum Dum's) and headed back.

We encountered a few runners still heading up, and I showed my candy and told the same joke, "Sorry, I got the last pack."

When we hit the stairs again, Luke seemed to be almost skipping down them while I was descending much more gingerly.  Luke created a gap between us then, to make matters worse, I had to wait for a couple cars before I could cross the road that last time.

Luke finished 24th out of 89 entrants (78 finishers) in 6:12.  I was one place behind in 6:13.

Conventional wisdom is that kids aren't supposed to run long distances.  But why?  The major worry seems to be overuse injuries such as stress fractures.

This would be a result of training for long races, not just of running them.  And Luke certainly didn't train for this!  Also, we worry about the repeated pounding on the hard surfaces.  Luke's 50k was run entirely on the trails of the beautiful Cuyahoga Valley National Park.  This is a nice soft forgiving surface.  I think he's gonna be ok!  He'll probably take a few days off.

Not me though, I've got to improve so he doesn't beat me again!

Thanks to Chef Bill and Wild Bill for an event that I will remember for a lifetime!  Thanks also to Laurie Colon and Mark Shelton for the pictues you see here!  And thanks to you if you read this whole thing!

Run With Scissors Double-Marathon Race Report

Ever since volunteering at the Ottowa Point aid station around mile 39 of the Burning River 100 Miler, I've been thinking I want to try a 100 mile run  myself.  Of course my longest run so far had been the 2010 Green Jewel 50k (31 miles).  So I had a ways to go.

The next step was to run a 50 miler and the Run With Scissors Double-Marathon seemed to be the right race at the right time.  It was scheduled for several weeks after my fall marathon.  And after running a disappointing 3:59 at the Towpath, I told more than one person, "If all I can do is run slow, I just need to find a longer race."

I didn't do any specific training after (or before) the marathon, other than to run my long runs slowly.  And I did buy a Black Diamond Sprinter headlamp and a pair of North Face trail shoes.

The race was in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park starting at the Ledges shelter, where I had never been.  So I went on Saturday afternoon to the packet pick-up, and discussed the trail and the drop-bag strategy with the race director.

I had originally planned to have 3 drop bags, one at Pine Hollow (miles 4, 23, 30, & 49), one at the Covered Bridge (miles 11, 16, 27, and 42), and one at the Start/Finish (also mile 26) at Ledges Shelter.  But after talking things over with Roy, I decided to skip the Pine Hollow bag.  I also packed lighter, not putting extra shoes in either bag (I did leave a few pair in the car).

For hydration, I chose to start without carrying any water.  I had my handheld water bottle at the Covered Bridge so I could pick it up when necessary, and also my belt at Ledges so that if I felt I was really struggling I could add it for the second loop.

The start was scheduled for 5:00 AM, with a temperature around 40.  I chose to wear shorts, my CEP compression socks, a long sleeve shirt, a short sleeve shirt, a warm hat, and my GoreTex mittens.  I arrived around 4:45 to find that the start was being delayed 30 minutes due to an accident on Truxell Road.

Well the time came, final announcements were made, and the race was started.  Straight across a grassy field and onto the trail.  Two packs of 3 started quickly but other than that I was near the front.  I seemed to be moving along ok, and right as my Garmin beeped for mile 1 (9:21), I tripped over a root and went straight down.  I knew my right knee and my hands took most of the force.

I want to add that I don't trust the accuracy of the Garmin on twisting, turning, climbing and descending wooded trails.  It did measure a little short but I'm confident that the couse was not short.

Anyways, I quickly got back up and running again.  But amazingly, less than a mile later, I fell again!  This time I was a little more prepared and I tried to roll or summer-sault towards my left shoulder.  As the guy behind me stepped over or around me, I remarked out loud, "Well by the end of this thing I'll learn how to fall!"

Again I got back up and resumed running, this time taking more care to lift my feet.  My slow pace has evolved into a very efficient stride where my feet barely come off the ground.  This may not be the best running style for trail runs in the dark.  My 3rd mile split showed 8:43, my fastest of the day!  Still I was passed by a few runners in this section, including a guy dressed as Robin Hood who I mistook for an elf!

Around 4 miles, after crossing the Sound Of Music hills, we reached the Pine Hollow Aid station, still in the dark.  By this time I had realized that the downhills were really hurting my legs, jamming my quads as I tried to control my pace down the hills.  Moreso than in any other run.

At Pine Hollow, I drank some gatorade, some coke, and had a cookie or 2.  Several runners came and left while I was refueling, and I knew already that if I didn't focus on getting in and out of the aid stations more quickly, it would add time to my day.

As we left I found myself at the back of a group of 7 other runners, including a guy wearing a woman's white Badwater running dress and sleeves.  (It was Halloween).  I followed them up and down the hills and across the streams of the Wetmore trail to the Covered Bridge aid station.  Fastest mile of this section was 9:01, we had covered about 11 miles in about 1:50, or an average of around 10:00 per mile.

At this aid station each runner got a pair of plastic school-scissors and instructions to cut a page out of a book that we would find with a skeleton in the next loop.  I took more Gatorade, more Coke, and a Hammer Gel.

On to the Perkins trail.  More hills, more trails, and the first bits of walking the uphills.  Fastest mile of this section was 10:18 and I was back at about 2:54.  The sun was up and I left the headlamp in my drop bag.  Still didn't pick up my water bottle.  I did eat some Candy Corn!

Best thing about this next section was meeting up with my old friend Terry Hawk.  Terry and I trained together a bit in the early 90's, before I moved to Michigan.  It was great to see him again and to catch up on each other's lives.  He did all of the running catching-up though, and after 3 or 4 miles, I was falling behind.  Fastest mile of this section was 10:15.

Shortly after Terry disappeared, I felt like I had some grit in my shoe from the water crossings.  I stopped, took off my right shoe and sock, and found a blister the size of my pinkie knuckle on the side (inside) of my heel.  What a strange place for a blister.

I decided at that point that I would change shoes, and was sorry that they were back in the car and not in a drop-bag at the finish.  That would be an extra couple-hundred yards to travel, each way.

Anyways, on to the Pine Hollow Aid Station around mile 23.5.  Dan Horvath, Ladd Clifford, and crew had a great set-up.  My aid-station stops were getting slower as I looked for different things to eat.  I had some sort of power-bar ball and also a quarter grilled cheese.  Still drinking gatorade & coke, a couple cups of each at every aid station.

Ran a couple more slow miles, saw Terry heading back out, and knew I must be close.  And indeed, there was the marathon finish.  I had travelled 26.2 miles in a leisurely 4:34, a pace of about 10:30 per mile.  I changed shoes, changed into a dry shirt, re-pinned my number, and refueled, including drinking a Muscle Milk I had brought from home.  15 minutes later I was up and running again.  This transition took WAY too long.  But the good thing was that stopping and not re-starting didn't even cross my mind!

On the way back to Pine Hollow I tried to run faster and more free down the hills, and much to my surprise, it felt great!  I actually caught a guy named Eric.  Before he left, he remarked that "my legs came back to life."  I did run a 10:49 in this section.  Refuled again, chased Eric down and caught him on the next section. 

My 5th mile of the second loop was 11:12, actually faster than the 11:30 I ran for the same mile of the first loop.

At every aid station I had 1 or 2 Endurolyte capsules.  These are salt & electrolytes, meant to help me avoid cramping.  I never tried them before this race, but I didn't cramp at all, so I guess they work!

About a mile to the Covered Bridge, I hid a bad patch.  I walked a bit on the flats, I was really feeling worn out.  I had been running for almost 7 hours and had covered about 37 miles.  This was already the most miles and the most time I had ever run!  And I had another half-marathon plus to go!

When I finally got to the Covered Bridge aid station, the great workers helped me get my handheld bottle out of my drop bag and filled it with Gatorade.  I took this along with me on the Perkins trail.  They didn't give me any scissors this time, they probably could tell by looking at me that I may not have had the strength to carry them.

This loop was slow, walking on all of the uphills, with my fastest mile being 14:01.  I was passed by a guy who told me he had gotten his 2nd wind, and he encouraged me that I would get mine too.  Unfortunately that was about 10 miles ago for me.

But once I finished this loop and knew I was on my way back, I did start to feel better.  I thanked the aid workers and told them to send my drop bag on the next truck back to Ledges.  I wasn't sure how many were behind me but I didn't think I was last.

At this point I did some math and thought, if I could average 12-minute miles I could still finish under 10 hours.  I did run a 12:20 but then somehow I hit another bat patch and had my slowest mile, 19:08.  Soon I had adjusted my goal, thinking that 12's would get me to 10:15 and I could subtract the 15 minutes I took in transition and claim that the running part was under 10.

But none of my next few miles were even under 14.  Still I kept plugging along and caught a guy.  I had just been wondering why we even ran the 2nd marathon, since we stayed pretty much in the same order as the first marathon!

At the final Pine Hollow aid station, I tried to take it quicker, as if I was racing.  Dan said, "You're looking good, you're almost done."  I replied, "Don't lie." and Dan said back, "You're almost done."  That made me chuckle!

I tried to pick up the pace on the way in, my watch tells me the last mile was about 12:29.  My final time was 10:26:52 on my watch, and I was 17th of 25.  There were another 55 runners in the single marathon, and my 4:34 would have placed me 14th.  So I figure out of 80 runners, only 29 beat me.  Not bad for my first race over 50k!

I have more to say but it is getting late so the observations will have to wait until later.