First Actual Run After The Race!

So this week came and went pretty fast, numerous texts about how do you feel? Can you even walk, I can’t even imagine how wrecked your body is! And my absolute favorite “I hate driving 65 miles” you are insane, like you slept right?

Yes I did sleep, that night after I finished the race. Did I wreck my body? NO, my body was trained for this, it actually felt great. I got out of my Jeep that Sunday morning with a stiff neck because I slept in said vehicle, not because I just traversed 64.7 miles. I watched as tents unzipped, zombies crawled out and limped up to the pisser up the road. I bounced around and shook hands and congratulated everyone because basically if you’re here Sunday morning you finished this bitch!

Friends, crew, and pacers came up and said, how do you feel? My back was sore from carrying my bottles and shit for 65 miles, legs tired and mentally fatigued and hungry as fuck. I wasn’t one of the walking dead! I trained my balls off for this, this race wasn’t bigger than me, I was bigger than this race. I owned this race, it was an epic day, not magical, because my stomach showed up at mile 55. If that didn’t happen, this would have been a magical day. That day is coming and coming very soon! I know what went wrong, owned this as my fault and only my fault and this will never be repeated.

So this week, Tuesday, I jogged up and down my driveway, nothing was sore or  broke and my $3.00 socks gave me no blisters at all, even with all that rain and mud, people spend $20.00 a pair, blows my mind. Maybe my feet are as tough as my gut and will power I guess. I don’t need expensive shit to do this, I never was about being flashy or money, I am dead broke and do what I can to run these with what I have.

11 days without a beer or alcohol, DAMN that is a new record that I am proud of, I could’ve drank Monday after the antibiotics finished but I didn’t  care or want it. Got so much finished at the house and was looking for the next big race this year.

Thursday rolls around and I meet one of my best friends TJ for a beer! He wants to hear this shit show in person! Beer tasted bitter but oh well. Not ever drinking before a race, no matter the distance. I felt awesome and hydrated so 8 days before is the new policy. Had a great chat with TJ and food and then decided that a easy 5 miles was smart instead of 14 with Todd and Ralph as much as I missed Todd, I need to ease back. I will run soon with this beast and share this story.

Saturday morning road running!! Met at the creek side and of course I get razed, you know this isn’t a trail, this is pavement etc.. I love it, these are great friends and so much fun. Joe and Tim come up and shake my hand and say damn dude 65 miles. Tracy and Lisa and Hope are there, this is going to be a fun easy run. Everyone talks about their longest run to date. Think Joe said he did 20 max. Everyone laughs and looks at me as I said, well last weekend I did like 65 haha. All great friends.

We take off and it’s so easy, I can lead this group easily, this isn’t my run, I want to run and catch up with Hope, she is such an amazing friend, her and her husband Craig are some of my closest friends. We get about 2 miles out and Hope says, well I and heading off this way and back for 5. I will never let anyone run alone especially a female, not because they can’t handle themselves but this world is a messed up place and I always want to protect my friends.

Hope and I head off and do a little climb and chat about races, Hope tells me that she knows I can do MMTR 50 in under 12 hours. She did it, well Hope is one hell of a  runner, I ask all questions about it. It’s on my radar! We have a great run and and do about 5 miles. Miss running with her and Craig, two of the most honest and amazing people God ever built.

Later that night we head to Kayla’s! For a food truck event, this year they had more and I had some great food. Big group and then we headed back to Kayla’s for a fire and fun. What an amazing Saturday with the most amazing friends a guy could ask for. I am truly blessed. I am off for a trail run around Canoe Creek tomorrow!

(Overcoming Adversity) Twisted Branch 100K August 18, 2018

Twisted Branch Trail Race – Sometime back in February, Janice, a great friend and trail runner came up with this awful, amazing idea that some of us should run our first 100K together as we have with smaller mileage races in the past. She signed up for the Twisted Branch 100K in the finger lakes of NY for the August 18th race.  Shortly after she signed up, Kristie and Patrick jumped on board and urged me to join them! Hell no I said, 100K?? 62 miles or really 64.7 miles and almost 11,000ft of climb, no way am I capable of this feat, I have only been running basically for 2 years not even at this point and completed (1) trail marathon 27 Miles and (1) 50K – Green Monster October 2017 and that was damn hard. I don’t even know how to get ready for something like this. 100K is no joke and no race to wing it.

I consider myself someone that is always pushing themselves and never afraid to fall down, because, hell,  I been kicked pretty hard and have always gotten back up. So March rolled around and my running has been pretty solid with no issues and I thought to myself, well I will email the race director and get more information on this race before I pull the trigger on this. Scott the race director got right back to me and offered me a bib and discount code for our Allegheny Trail runners group that I am on the board of. Well SHIT, I have to sign up now right? So I signed up for this thing and immediately went into training mode. I have always admired and listened to the amazing Ultra Runner Krissy Moehl, if you don’t know her, look her up, simply amazing, youngest female to complete the Ultra Running Grand Slam.  Well Krissy has a book called Running your first Ultra. I have already done that but the book is a training plan for anything from a 50K to 100 Mile race, perfect for me.  The book showed up and I read it over and over, studying everything I could from it. Figured out where I would start the serious training and timed it to end just on the week of the race.

We (Allegheny Trail Runners) had our Dirty Kiln Race in April and as fate or luck would have it, I got lucky enough to meet another amazing trail runner named Erin. We became friends right away and somehow I convinced her to sign up for the Twisted Branch Trail Race because if you’re going to be in pain, why not have your friends go through it as well! This would be the first 100K for both of us. As we exchanged training runs daily, it became apparent that we are doing almost the exact same runs. Erin asked me if I have a plan I am doing, said yes, Krissy Moehls, not sure if you know her. Well it happens that we are both following the exact same book to the page. At this point, now having someone doing the exact training runs, I knew I would be ready. We kept each other on page, well, Erin kept me on page, she is a diehard athlete.  All the 4Am wake up runs, the runs in the pouring rain (oh how these runs come into play later in this blog) and the heat and humidity runs that never ended. We messaged each other after all of them, no matter if they went great, or felt like hell. I had someone to keep me accountable.

I read the course website daily, studied the aid stations, knew the distance between, when the crew could be there, wait, crew?? I can have people help me, pacers? I can have someone run with me? I read more into this, okay, so let me think who I would want to crew me and pace me. It’s been a few months since Janice, Kristie and Patrick signed up and I wasn’t sure if the people I would want to crew and pace me would be available. Well I messaged my good friend and fellow trail runner Ben Mazur to see if he was still available to crew since he is one of the best in our area. I asked him, would you be my crew captain and within a second I got a YES back. Okay, so back to reading more, keep your crew very small, too many people, to much confusion. 2 people on your crew, and I was allowed to have 2 pacers. I reached out to another great running friend Nikki to see if her and her husband Doug would want to help out, told them it’s wine country and no way could they refuse! Unfortunately Doug had to work but Nikki was all in.

It’s late April and my crew is formed, now onto pacers. I could have one at mile 39 and they would run 19 miles and then another one at mile 58ish to finish the final 6 miles with me into the finish line. I immediately knew who I wanted to finish this race with and it was Lisa, one of my closest friends, we have ran so many runs together, so many races and she was the first person I really met in this crazy running community. I asked her to pace me to the finish and she said yes. That was set, now I need someone for 19 miles, my good friend Ralph was taking on a 100 Mile trail challenge in late July but I wanted to ask him anyway. He had a lot to think about, would he be ready, could he make it work with vacation, family etc.. Within a few days, Ralph sent me a message, I am in!! Damn, this is all set and we aren’t even into May yet. I am feeling really good about this one.

Well training run after training came into play, my good friend Todd knew how much this race means to me and helped me with every run and every scenario that could come into play.  Heck this guy has been through it all, from 50K’s to several 100 mile races, he had the highest of highs and the lowest of lows and I listened to every word he spoke. He was also as crazy as me with 4Am training runs, so we got to spend a lot of time together just talking about what to expect because, not many people will get up at 4 on a Saturday to run in the rain, but Todd would and did. He talked me into signing up for a 50 Mile race in early May, well that would be my longest run ever and would be perfect training so why not, well Kristie, Patrick and I all signed up for this one with Todd and another great runner Kayla who was also doing her first 100Mile race with Ralph in July.

Glacier Ridge 50 Mile race came on May 14th, and it was a rough day for me, the first 20 miles went great but stomach issues showed up and couldn’t hold food down for the last 30 but finished it under cutoff with a 13:06:35 finish and I was happy with that. June showed up and Worlds End Ultra 50K was next on board, race started off shaky for me, but turned around and I got my 50K PR with just under 9 hours, good enough for me.

Many more training runs came and went and it’s late July and my friend Kayla asked me to pace her in her 100 Mile race, heck yes I would, she is one of the best runners I know and it would be so much fun pacing her and we run a lot together. Well she had a wonderful race and finished just over 24 hours and so did Ralph, my pacer. Both came out with zero injuries and next on deck for the year was Kristie, Patrick and myself and Pat’s friend Jamey.

Well taper week showed up and boy did it, I ended up at the doctors and got diagnosed with a bacteria infection in my colon, 2 different antibiotics and 1 pro-biotic to replace all the bacteria. I was informed that I couldn’t drink a drop of alcohol and to watch mouthwash and cough medicine since it could contain alcohol. Well I guess that isn’t horrible since that would mean I would be well hydrated! Doc informed me the antibiotics wouldn’t have any serious issues with this run but he just looked at me and shook his head when I said 64.7 miles.

That Sunday before the race called for a easy 5 mile run so I asked Nikki to join me on a nice easy jog, hike. It went well but noticed some pain at the end in my left foot. Monday morning when I got out of bed I couldn’t put weight on it. I looked at it and it’s completely swollen (THE MONDAY OF THE RACE!!) I am in panic mode now, I can’t run on this, all this training for nothing, how could this be happening to me, what did I do to it. I messaged Kayla and was told Ice and Advil, I had a few days to get it healed, no more running, it was taper week anyway. Wednesday came and I could finally walk on it (some) the swelling down a little. Made the decision I am all in and will see how long it can hold up. Friday came and I was pretty confident that I could withstand whatever pain was coming from it for 64 miles, I have a very high pain tolerance.

Friday morning, Ben and I meet at Home Depot and we are off to NY, Corning NY to eat lunch. As Ben is enjoying fantastic craft beers, I am sipping on unsweetened Ice Tea and water, not that big of deal but I am sure Ben is enjoying this sight. We arrive early and decided to check out the finish, not much to see at all so we decide to head to the start, get setup. I was meeting Erin and her crew around 3:30 anyway. We arrive and Pat, Kristie, Jamey, Kayla, Jenn are almost completely set up so Ben and I pull in and park.

I am sleeping in my Jeep so not much setup for me. Nikki and Lisa would be showing up later that night and Ralph was coming up early the next morning. We head to packet pickup, see some friends and chat about past races, tomorrow and just to catch up.

I get my picture taken and off to dinner we went. Naples Hotel was a good choice and had some good spaghetti and meatballs. Back to camp and all packed up for the morning and off to bed I went with a 3AM alarm. Some wind and rain blew in, and I didn’t sleep well, all that water I have been drinking I had to constantly go, fell back asleep around 12:40 and then the alarm went off! Its’ go time, the race is here, how did it come so quick?? A walk to the bathroom, cup of coffee, banana, applesauce and I was ready to go.

THE RACE-

4:00AM and we are all lined up, back of the pack for me, and had my good friend Todd in my ear all morning. Go slow for the first 50K, people will pass you that have no business running in front of you, let them go, they will break down and you’ll pass them later, trust me, trust your plan, you did the training, let them all go, go slow to start. I did just that, and regardless, the start was slllooowwww, my friend Thad was running with me and he is a seasoned 100Mile runner but stayed with me. Kristie and Pat was right in the group as well. We made it slowly through the woods, hit and open road and Thad got a message from my crew captain Ben, informing us that a major storm is rolling in, well it’s very dark at 4 so it was hard to see what major meant? It didn’t take long, Mile 5ish or so, light rain, followed by heavy rain, followed by insane downpour that never gave up till mile 15? The roads are flooded, the trails are now streams and ankle deep mud the entire way. Down in the hollows was complete fog, so heavy it was hard to see in front of your face. All goal times of mine went out the window with these conditions and even though it’s early, a finish is all I am after now.

We make our way up and down the mountains and trails, first crewed aid station was mile 12.5. Thad and I were running together and having fun, haven’t ran that many miles with him before other than a few Hash Beer Runs, so it was a blast. We make it into the aid stations, I see Ben and Nikki and Lisa running for me. I head to Ben’s car and eat as much as I can, leaning under his trunk since its dumping buckets of water. I tell him I am feeling good and I head out just before Thad. We are now running in mid-knee deep water on the bottom of this trail and shortly we turn and start a climb, Thad, Pat and Kristie catch me and pass, I am taking everything very easy and slow and sticking to my plan.

We head up the hill and keep going and going, luckily below us a runner yells out, you missed the trail turn. I yell up to Pat, Kristie and Thad and we turn around and get back on trail, the fog and rain made it hard to see.  We are running through the woods like a little train, as we leave the woods we enter a long field, very, very long field, I am leading the train and look down and see I am doing a 11 min mile, slow down I hear, damn voice of Todd LOL. I stop and pull to the side, and let 10-12 people pass, this is really bothering me. I could have kept running, I wasn’t tired, it was early, 15 miles in only and now I have a low spot already? I question why I do this shit, all these people passing me, did they train as hard as me, is listening to Todd really going to pay off in the end? I know I can run hard, just go, pass all of them and keep going. Nope, listen to him, you promised him you would, so there I was, alone as everyone is slowly jogging up this small hill and jumping in the woods and I am just moving a long at a 14:30 pace. Just as fast as that little pity party came on it left.

I hit the woods and was just moving along, alone as I like it mostly, I don’t need to have a group run or run with anyone, I like alone time, I trained a lot by myself and enjoy the peace of the woods, rain and mud. Into the Aid Station at mile 18.2 and I see my crew running towards me, how are you, you’re looking good. I ask about Erin and her friend Rachel, Pat and Kristie and Thad, I always worry about my friends. I eat some food, Lisa tells me you’re really eating good, that is a big deal for me. I ask Kayla from some Tylenol, my foot feels okay but I don’t want any pain. I am still not feeling it yet, maybe because my taper week was none existent, the first 20 miles seemed just okay, not into my groove at all, am I going to get in my groove? Stupid thoughts you have by yourself. I feel great, eat my flour tortilla filled with Pepperoni, Salami and Roast beef, I have a bottle of red wine vinegar to put on top and Kayla says, are you drinking salad dressing LOL. Jenn says, you do you Marc LOL. I said no, I put it on the wrap, NOBODY out here has any better friends then all of these, period. They make you smile, laugh and would do anything for you.

The next stretch Ben informs me is a long road and then back into the woods with a nice downhill and then I would see him. I finally get off the damn pavement which is a nightmare for trail runners, but right back into the swamp, muddy water half way up your calf and slick downhills, I love the downhills so I take off, I trust my Hoka’s like no other and know how they handle. I am doing really good down this hill and passing some people but it’s still early so I am holding back. I race into the aid station and see Pat and Kristie changing shoes and socks. Lisa tells me to change but I don’t want to at this point, it is useless truly but I told her I would next time and she informed me that we won’t argue about this anymore! I leave before Kristie and Pat head out, feeling good, keeping pace and having fun. The rain has stopped but the trails are completely trashed. We head up a big climb but it’s not hard for me, I trained in Blue Knob, these are hills not mountains. Pat and Kristie eventually catch up to me and I heard from them that my other friends Janice and Bri have dropped, hoping it was nothing serious. They both pass me and I said have a good race and will hopefully see you at the next aid station.

The next aid station would be called the “lab”, as I am going up this long road, I see Kristie up top and then Pat walking. I knew we are close so I ran up to run some or walk with my friends. We talked about the rain, the trashed course, how this pavement sucks for us, Pats knee was bothering him a little and we headed to the aid station. I felt strong, like I just haven’t even started this journey yet, and this is mile 29. I get into the aid station and everyone is there, everyone from our running group is there, all our friends, like its a party for Pat, Kristie and me. Jamey as been cruising along so we haven’t seen him since the start and Thad is ahead by some. Nikki is on the watch to keep me in and out quick, Lisa and her help get my muddy socks off and fresh powder on my feet and new socks ones on, the shoes are perfect and no need to change those.  I eat a potato pierogi and it was just short of amazing.  Once again, Lisa can’t believe how I am eating, my nutrition is spot on, hydration perfect, eating applesauce from pouches on the trail and then anything that looks yummy at the station.

Kristie and Pat leave, and then I am shortly after, head out and into the woods, cross a stream that should be dry, so feet are soaked and muddy within minutes and catch Kristie, she said where is Pat?  I said, I don’t know, he left before me, well he hit the restroom and shortly caught us, Kristie and Pat and I walked some, the flags seemed very spread out in this area so we went slow, went around a corn field and waded through, almost calf deep mud, shoe sucking mud and then through another river, which at least would wash the mud off. I was feeling strong and said I want to run some and took off, around a cow field and then onto a paved road (damn Roads) this road was long and down hill, I was cruising down this, 8 min mile, and knew it was fast but it was headed back up soon, I am alone now, I hear Kristie yell as she hit the road, we could all run together. I would normally want this but this is my race, this is Pats race and this is Kristie’s race. I caught up to another runner and he said is she yelling at you LOL. I said, we are all good friends and came together. This would be the last time I saw Kristie and Pat till the finish.

The paved road finally stopped and turned into the woods, as I left my new friend on the trails, I felt very strong, looked at my watch and it’s 31 miles, I feel like this just started, and I am running faster now, I went slow early, listened to Todd’s advice and now I am starting to pass and catch all those people that I left go around me earlier in that field one by one, they would come up, walking or very slowly jogging. I had a few miles till the uncrewed aid station at mile 35 and as I was running up to it, I hear ON ON which is a HASH term and I knew it was my friend Thad. He was just leaving as I approached. I got my spring energy and water, ate some potato chips and off I went, less than 2 minutes I believe.  Raced down a hill and then a climb started again, no big deal, I am enjoying these climbs and passing people on the uphill, what??? Me passing on uphills? 37 miles in a race feeling great, thanks Todd. Next aid station would be were I would pick up my first pacer, Ralph! Todd said, just get to Ralph and he will get you in, only a few miles to go, up ahead I see a group of people, it’s Thad and a few I didn’t know. We crossed a road and had a major climb, I cruised up the hill and kept going, running down a road and then hearing the cheering, I made it, almost 40 miles in, running up a paved road to the aid station and seeing a surprised look that I was first in and found out they got there just a few minutes ahead. I am feeling great, someone in the crowd said, 40 mile runner, looking strong. This has been the best 40 miles I have ever ran!

I get repacked and now I have my man Ralph with me, out we head, I spot a Zebra and ask Ralph, that is a Zebra right, he laughs and says yes, we climb a hill and take off on a road, passing a few people that I have been playing leap frog with all day. We had 6.4 miles to go and I was feeling good. Ralph and I have ran a lot together in the past but never in a pacer capacity so we didn’t really know what to expect. It worked out perfect, we power hiked the hills, he told me how good my pace was, the pace between miles, how far till the next aid station, everything was still spot on. As we head into the next aid station, he reminds me this will be the last aid station I will see my crew till I pick Lisa up at mile 58! I am on the other side of this race now, the mileage is flying by and I am excited and feeling great. When you’re feeling great don’t worry, it will change fast!

We head into the aid station first, sit down, and get repacked for the long run between seeing my crew. I ask about Kristie and Pat and then Thad races in, he is looking strong and gets in and out very quickly, he leaves before me. Ralph updates everyone that I am feeling good, I say my farewells and Ralph and I take off running. Only 18 more miles till this is over, only 18, yes that sounds like a lot but when you do that every weekend it’s not that long but I am on 46 mile legs at this point but feel good! We are cruising and having fun, catching up on Ralph’s burning river stories and everything under the sun. The next Aid station which is uncrewed is at mile 50ish or so, we are climbing a very long and steep uphill, seems to be the 2nd steepest of the day and taking forever. We finally crest the top and Ralph says, that aid station has to be right up here. I look down at my watch and see the 50 mile mark tick off, 13 hours, I think I just PR my 50 miler which was at Glacier Ridge and that was pretty flat compared to this thing I tell him. We laugh, pop out of the woods and there it is, way on the other side of this lake. Ralph says, so when we get in here, what do you want, I said put my spring energy electrolyte in one bottle with water and the other bottle straight water. We head into the aid station, he takes my vest off and says where is it? It’s in there, it was packed at the last aid station, I am sorry there is nothing in there. My head went down, I have no electrolytes for the next 8 miles, the aid stations have tailwind but it makes me sick with all the sugar in it. I can’t believe it, I check and check all the pockets, it was a oversight, and it’s time to overcome adversity.

I hear Thad yell as he heads out the other side, I am down now, not feeling as energized before and knowing what I have ahead of me. I look over the food at the aid station, eat something I can’t even remember and we leave. I know what is coming, I know what happens to me when I don’t have my stuff. We are running pretty good, still feeling good, luckily it’s cool enough out, I see some runners on a hill and I take off, passing them all, we get up top and Ralph says, I can’t believe you just ran that entire hill, I said, I am still feeling good but this is going to change soon. I don’t know how long I can hold on with out my drink, so I need to make ground, that was playing in my head. We catch back up to Thad briefly around mile 53 or so and then it starts hitting me, that stomach feeling I know so well, dammit, I beat this all day long, had a great race and now it’s here. My body was screaming for something other than warm water and I didn’t have anything to give it. I am getting light headed and dizzy and  I found an applesauce and sucked it down and knew this isn’t going to end well.

We head down this very, very steep fire road, into the mile 55 aid station, I told Ralph I need something to drink other than water, my stomach is locking up, we agreed Ginger Ale would be the best since I don’t drink any soda at all. I drink some and it tasted okay, drank a little more and wanted to get going. We left there almost 3 hours ahead of the cutoff I believe. I hear Thad yell off in the distance and that would be the last time I saw him till the finish. We walk down the road, and there is a fence we had to climb over on a staircase. Ralph goes first and then I take a step and know what is next, I hurl the applesauce and ginger ale up, I can’t hold anything down and let it all go, luckily Ralph was the only one there to witness this display, my body is shutting down, it would be another 2.5 miles till I could at least try to get my electrolytes down.

Once the puking stopped, I take off, luckily it’s mostly down hill or flat, it’s getting a little dark out but my goal was to be in Urbana by daylight and to get Lisa, my final pacer by then and I did. Ralph texts ahead about my stomach issues and no electrolyte drinks. We run and I am not talking now, I am upset with myself over this but you learn from everything I kept telling myself. We have plenty of time, well ahead of cutoffs and you’re going to get this one no doubt. We make our way down, hear the yelling and cheering and hit the road and turn to the final, yes final aid station! I can’t believe it, I am 6 miles away from my first 100K finish and attempt. I know Lisa will get me through this.

Everyone was so helpful and thoughtful, they even drove around to get me perogies since it was helping all day, little did they know that my stomach turned just 5 short miles ago and I can’t eat or drink at all. I felt so bad, they went out of there way for me and I couldn’t eat, the only thing I could do for them was to make sure I finished this race, and that was it. Even as I was puking with Ralph, never once did the fear of stopping come in my mind. I trained to hard, worked to hard and came to far to give up.

Lisa and I head out into the fading daylight, knowing well what waited ahead of me, about a 1250ft climb and a never ending downhill from what I was told. Little did I know how bad things would get. We joke about stuff, we haven’t ran together in a long time since my training and Lisa’s took a different path but we chat everyday and it was so nice to just be able to talk and catch up with her. We make our way to the base of the hill and it gets dark, like seriously dark, Lisa says take a small sip of your electrolytes now, I do but I know whats next. I puke immediately, stomach is hurting so bad from dry heaving now. We push and climb at a slow pace, people are now catching me, but I don’t even care at this point. I am making it to the finish, the uphill was hell, stopping and leaning on my poles as my stomach exits again and again as I try to hold water, anything down but I couldn’t.

What seemed like hours and hours,  we finally made it to the top and now are heading down a very dark, slick and muddy, twisting down hill. Lisa says stop and look at your watch. I look down and see 60 MILES. She says, do you realize what you just did, you ran 60 fing miles Marc, 60 Miles. You know how many people will never know what this feels like, you’re in the less than 1% group, we have 4 to go and lets get this. I wish I could’ve felt more excited, I think I mumbled something at that point. We head down so slow and careful, a fall here and it could cost me the finish. We hit a road and see lights at the end, Lisa says, you have less than 1 1/2 miles, I look at my watch and see 62 miles and think more like 2 but I am not really talking much now or even able to argue at this point. The people at the end guide us in the woods and says, about 2 miles to go, the mileage chart was wrong or something, it didn’t matter at this point, we are finishing no matter what. We see balloons glowing and lights and shit and just winding down this muddy long ass hill, finally we hear the cheering and this made me smile briefly, I am going to get this finish and most likely, under 19 hours.

Finally we get to the bottom, a guy sitting in a chair says, hold onto the rope and then you can cross the road and you made it, congrats. Lisa is making sure I am very careful as to not fall, she is so amazing at this point. I get down, a kid standing on the road making sure it’s clear says, congrats, your good to go and shines the light in my eyes, I take a step and couldn’t see that it was a complete ditch below me since the light was in my eyes, not on the ditch. I fall but I am fine, first fall of the day! I get up and he says, a lot of people fall right there, I said, if you didn’t shine the light in their eyes they wouldn’t, Lisa laughs and we head across the road, she said, there it is, YOU DID IT!! Now run this in, we run together, I am tearing up, she steps aside and I cross the finish to see my crew, and friends there cheering for me! It’s over, all the training, all the hard work and early mornings paid off. I did it, the time was 18 hours 55 mins, well under the cutoff, the race director shakes my hand and says, anytime before 11PM is a good time on this course, especially with all that mud.

I believe I learnt more about myself that day than any other time, I overcame adversity, not just in the weather, but with my stomach, didn’t really have that horrible, horrible low that showed up in past races, I never wanted to quit, or give up, nor did I ever have to worry about the cutoffs. I had a low with my stomach but knew I was going to get through it. I leaned on people today and they held me up. I believe in my training plans and stuck with my plan, and did it the way it called for and the outcome proved to be the way to go, at least with me. Believe in your plan, listen to yourself and others that have been there, stick to YOUR plan and not anyone else’s, know your body and it will amaze you. I can’t thank everyone enough for being there for me, all my friends, taking days off work, spending a weekend chasing me around in the woods and helping my finish my first 100K. I will be forever grateful of all of them.

I will be back for another one very soon, who knows, 100 miles is only 36 more! I can’t wait to train by my plan again, to execute it even better next time. You learn or you better learn something from everyone of these you show up for and I certainly learnt a lot from this one. Anyone that finished this race that day was a beast, warrior or whatever term  you want to give them, it doesn’t matter if your finished 1st or just before the 20 hour cutoff, you are one bad ass Ultra Runner and should be dam proud of yourself.

Erin, Rachel, Jamey, Thad, Pat and Kristie all had amazing days as well and I can’t wait to hear all their stories from this one.

This was my story, my race and my outcome! Till the next time, I hope you enjoyed reading this one!