Potawatomi 100 is my Kryptonite

Let me first point out, I am clearly no Superman, but I was set for a triumphant return from my Fortress of Solitude to take on my nemesis one on one.  I had the perfect plan to get past the 8th Loop (80 mile) mark that took me down at Potawatomi 100 in April of 2016.   Alas, McNaughton Park must be loaded with meteors from Krypton, because this race is my kryptonite, or perhaps it's just in my head.  My training was better this year with over 600 miles put in since January, more trail hill training, much more time on my feet, no injuries, and feeling good.  It may have been confidence that was the weakest part of my plan.  I planned on running the 100 miles staying with Terry until one of us felt better or worse.  We had planned for a pacer for some of the overnight hours, but figured we would finish it together or on our own.  In Hindsight, being over confident that I could finish without the help of a fresh pacer late in the race was my biggest mistake.

Loop 1:  My plan was to stay with Terry and do about a somewhere between 2:15 and 2:20 for the first loop, but I'm an idiot and took off within the first 2.5 miles, and ended up doing a 2:09 loop, and that was with spending 5 minutes at my tent changing my shirt and re-supplying myself.  The good news was I felt great, the bad news is it was most likely way too fast, and I would pay for it later.

Loop 2:  I was on my own now, but figured Terry would catch up with me later, so I took off promising to slow myself down on this loop.  NAILED IT, 2:30 with another stop for supplies and a change of shoes/socks at the tent.  Much better, and feeling great.  On the down side, the temperatures were beginning to rise, and I'm not the best in warm weather.

Loop 3:  I had plenty of time in the bank after that first loop, so I decided to try to reign it in even more. I texted Terry and Adam (our pacer who would be coming down in the evening) to check in, and it seemed Terry was making up time on me, he was right on 2:30/loop pace.  I figured if I slowed enough, Terry would catch me, and he did, and we finished the second half of the third loop together.  Felt good to have company again.  Finished this loop in 2:46, so basically I was back on my goal to finish the first three loops at around 2:30/loop.  Quick change of socks, and we were back out there.

Loop 4:  Terry and I would do the next few loops together. Heat of the day was not very much fun, but we settled into a pretty good pace of running the easy downs and a little bit of the flats, hiking the ups, and trying to keep a quick hiking pace when we were not running.  We both decided to take our trekking poles on this loop.  This is my first use of them in a race, and I really enjoyed having them for the relentless up and down hills on this course.  Since I wasn't running that much, it was not that big of a deal to carry them when not needed.  We also just left them at the Heaven's Gate AS where there was a just under 2 mile loop that was mostly downhill or flat, so we got a break from having them for a little while.  3:17 for this loop.  We had hoped to keep our loops under 3:00, but with taking 10-15 minutes each loop to dry our feet, this wasn't bad at all.

Loop 5: More of the same on this loop, lots of hiking and moving forward at a pretty good pace with sporadic running here and there. Up until this point my feet were doing great considering that they were wet for 7 of the 10 miles each loop.  I decided to switch to my Altra Olympus (had been using two different pair of Altra Lone Peak up until now) figuring the extra cushioning would be nice.  While the soft ride was nice, turned out this pair slipped on my heel once it got wet.  I was developing a hot spot on my left heel, but luckily that's all it was.  Got the hot spot taped when I finished that loop, and that seemed to take care of it.  Figured I'd stick with the two pair of Lone Peaks for the rest of the run.

Loop 6:  Terry and I picked up Adam on this loop.  I forgot what a boost it is to get a fresh runner, it's like changing the music on the radio.    The dry socks for the first three miles of each loop sure felt good, but the 1600 feet of gain on these hills were starting to take their toll.  Nightfall was a pleasant change from the warmth and sun.  This was a pretty uneventful loop, 3:20 so just about the same as the last.

Loop 7:  After another sit and drying of the feet, and the best chicken and rice soup I've ever had, we were back at it.  I started to drift ahead of Terry and Adam, but Terry is a much faster hiker than I am, so I figured they would catch me.  By the time I got to the Totem Pole AS, about 2.5 miles in, I had lost sight of Terry and Adam, but the pace was essentially the same as the previous loop.  I just kept on moving along.  After leaving Heavens Gate AS for the loop, I ran into Terry as I was heading back.  He said he left Adam at the AS, he was hurting and wasn't sure he was going to keep going (he ended up dropping at the end of loop 7).  It was nice to have Adam again, and we got through the rest of loop 7 in 3:23, feeling pretty good.

Loop 8:  The wheels really started to come of.  The climbs really began to take their toll on me, and I couldn't really run the down hills anymore.  This is where I mentally broke down.  I allowed the negative thoughts to get into my head, started doing the "Big Picture" math on how much longer it was going to take me to finish, both big mistakes.  By the time I struggled through the last mile back to the Start/Finish line, I had made up my mind I was done.  Richard, one of the RD's tried his best to not let me drop, as did Adam, and two other running friends, Tony and Julie who were heading out to hike a loop.

Drop: My fatigued brain and tired body had just made up it's mind to quit, and I'm truly disappointed.  This DNF was purely a mental one.  Sure I was tired, my ass was chaffed up, my feet were sore, my legs were tired, but I had enough in me to finish 2 more loops.  I had finished this loop just under 4 hours (3:55) and had over 9 hours to finish 2 more, more than enough time to finish.

Lessons Learned:  I did a great job of managing my feet, zero blisters on a course where I was running in wet feet for 90% of the time is pretty darn good.  Trekking poles are a great tool to have in my ultra bag.  I did pretty good eating my way through the course, even when I didn't want to.   this one boils down to the mental side of ultra marathons.  I thought I was prepared to push through the point where every cell in my body wants me to stop, but I was not.

Top Three Things to remember:
  1) Start slower (at least it was only one loop this year), which is a lesson I never seem to learn
  1) Make sure to have fresh pacers for miles 70-100
  3) Figure out how to stop doing the "big math" and break up the run into AS to AS, mentally
      managable chunks

I really enjoyed this weekend even though the race itself was a failure.  I had so much fun hanging out with all my ultra running friends, seeing them on the trails, and watching so many of them smash their goals with strong finishes.  I'm glad I've stumbled into this crazy family of Ultra Runners, and can't wait to get back on the trails and test myself again.

Revenge of the Sloth....Hennepin Hundred 2016

Revenge of the Sloth

In 2015 I attempted my first 100 mile Ultra, with not so epic results.  I ended up a miserable heap and dropped at mile 73.  I immediately signed up for 2016 Hennepin Hundred, and began plotting my revenge.  After evaluating the race I felt that I had made a couple major mistakes.  First, I did not spend enough time doing back to back long runs.  Second, I ran to fast and aggressively too early in an attempt to "bank" time for the end.

With that in mind, I also signed up for the Illinois Slam, which included Four 100 mile races in Illinois, go big or go home right.  Well that plan was derailed in April when I got my second consecutive DNF at the 100 mile distance at the Potawatomi Trail Race, and now have another race to avenge.  The good that came out of that DNF was I learned even more about what it takes.  Pot and Hennepin are very different races, to say the least.  Pot has 12K of climbing (yes you read that right, an Illinois race with a ton of elevation), creek crossings, is mostly in the woods,, and is a 10 mile loop course.  I paced better for Pot, but was not trained for all the up and especially down hill, and my quads were shot by the time I got to mile 80.  The good news was I spent over 24 hours running for the first time, and it made me much more sure I could get things done at The Hennepin Hundred which could not be more flatter, a gravel/paved trail, with very little shade.

Since I DNF'd at Pot, the next race in the series was Cry Me A River, also in Peoria, and also with a ton of climbing,  Since completing all four 100's was out of the picture, I chose to do the 55K rather than the 100, and I am glad I did.  CMAR is one of the toughest races I've done to date.  It's 20 mile loops are about 85% climbing or descending the ravines running along the Illinois River, in July where the heat is bad, and the humidity is worse.  I ran a solid race, but was very happy to be done at 34 miles, and bow down to those that finished the 100 miles there!

This left me a little over 2 months to finish training for Hennepin, and I was not going to be denied the belt buckle this time.  While I got advice from everyone I know in the Ultra world, I have to thank Terry Knull the most.  He and I spent countless hours on Saturday mornings practicing our 4:2 run:walk plan (Thanks Stormy Kies, that ratio was the magic elixir), in heat, humidity, and even some rain.  With each long run followed by another long run my confidence grew that I could get this done, and maybe even under 24 hours.

Terry & I Ready to Run

Race Day:  Terry's wife Kristi, crew chief extraordinaire, drove us to Sinnissippi Park for the start.  I was feeling pretty relaxed, ready to run and get this thing on the trial.  After chatting with so many of my ultra friends at the start, some racers, some pacers, some volunteers, it was time to tighten up the shoes and get this show on the road.  That was my first issue of the day.  My new Altra Olympus lace eye loop blew out, and the shoes I planned on starting the race in were now shot.  Everyone says a big part of finishing an ultra is the ability to adapt, but really before the start!  With help from the race director's idea (thanks Michelle) Kristi used a safety pin to fix the shoe, which would come in handy later.  I decided to start in my older pair of Altra's anyway.

We are on he Slow Train to The Finish

First 50K: Terry and I planned to follow our 4:2 run walk plan for at least the first 50K.  During our training we averaged between 10:45 and 11:45 for most of our long runs with this method, so we figured shooting for an 11:00 average for this segment was fast enough without pushing it too hard. Turns out we were right.  We played leap frog with lots of different runners, had some great conversations, and even picked up a fellow Flatlander Ultrarunner, Christian Pukala round mile 20 doing his first 50 miler and was in need of some company, and fell right into our 4:2 plan perfectly.  We planned to be "crewless" for the first 50K, allowing Kristi to get in her morning run, and Bob Lenning and my son Brannan to sleep in a bit, and meet us at the first major AS at mile 32.  Not much to say about this section, other than it was a bit warmer and more humid than we planned.  Terry and I both brought a change of shirts, and were glad we had.  Another Flatlander, Ryan Parker, jumped in and grabbed my sweating hat and shirt and told me he would get it back to me later.  What a bonus to not have to deal with that for the next 15 miles.  Just another example of how generous and helpful the Ultra world is,

No Great Mountain Views on This Ultra, just lots of Corn and Soy Beans

"Flipping" Around to start heading back

Mile 32-Mile 52:  It was a big boost to hit this aid station and see the smiling faces of our crew.  Kristi, Bob and Brannan were excited to see us, and jumped right in getting us changed into dry clothes (it was still humid) and back down the trail with our gear.  This is where the "repaired" shoe came in.  I decided to take a chance with the safety pin fixed shoe, and glad I did.  The newer shoes felt great on my feet, and the lace would holdup for another 68 miles!  From this point to the 50 mile finish we decided to start alternating between 4:2 and 3:5 for our run:walk ratio.  The sun was pretty intense, and we were now sort of wishing the weather that was predicted to be cool and rainy would have come through.  Our moral was still pretty high, and not feeling nearly as bad as I did at this point in 2015, so that was very encouraging.  We all got a big boost when we got to the Flatlanders/Ten Junk Miles Aid Station.  They know how to do it, lots of volunteers, loud music, and the energy we need to keep pushing on.  Another Flatlander friends, Brian Smock grabbed my pack, and loaded it with ice and water like I asked, and I got to sit a minute and re-energize.  Bob, Kristi and Brannan took care of everything else, and we were back on the trail quickly.  Christian mentioned that his plan was to try to get around a 10 hour 50 mile, and we thought we could get him there, so we kept on clicking off miles.   That plan came of the rails when we got to an AS about mile 42, and Christian saw another Flatlander, Doug Beattie, who was having some hamstring issues and resting a bit at the Mom's Run This Town (better known as MILF) AS.  He decided to hang with Doug, and off we went down the trail,  The turnaround is past the AS/Finish for the 50 mile race, so we come into the AS, then do a 2.5 mile out/back to get back here at 52 miles.  We adjusted our plan at this point ot a 2:4 run:walk, but were still able to maintain a pretty good pace.

Can't forget To Have Fun

Stormy (doing 200) Terry, Christine & Meredith

Mile 52-67:  Was not feeling great coming into mile 52, and it was time to start getting ready for the night run by the next AS.  I had fallen behind on my nutrition a bit, and my stomach was feeling pretty sour.  Brannan found my stash of  Snickers bars, and I gobbled one down, which tasted great, but didn't do much to help my stomach.  This is an Ultra, so I knew it all couldn't be rainbows and kittens, so time to suck it up and get comfortable with being uncomfortable.  The good news is my feet and legs still felt pretty strong, and we were still running all our 2 minute segments, so the miles were clicking and the shot at a sub 24 hour finish was still very realistic.  When we made it to the next AS, MILF's again, my stomach was pretty bad.  I forced down a half of a grilled cheese sandwich, tasted great, but not quite as good as the bacon and MILF hug I got from my good friend Carrie Wagner from the Libertyville Running Club who was running this AS the first time we went through here.   We grabbed our nighttime gear, I prefer my handheld Nathan flashlight to a headlamp (those things kill my head), and off into the gnats and skeeters we went.   Onset of night was not a high point, to say the least.  The good news was my stomach was feeling better.  Don't remember much of the stretch from MILF back to Flatlanders, Terry and I were pretty quiet most of this segment, and it seemed to take longer than it should have, but we finally got the the park, heard the music, and made it to the point were Brannan would run the next long segment with us.  As it's been said, be ready to adapt.  Brannan, being a 19 year old, was asleep in the van, LOL. So much for some new company.  Had a cold hotdog, bit of some cookie, and off we went after the Flatlanders loaded our packs.  Terry and I knew this next section was long and boring, and we were not disappointed.  The good was we still maintained our 2:4 and were not hurting too much.

Mile 67-72:  Coming back to this AS is a good boost, because we were finally done with the middle out and back segment, and would be heading to all new trail.  My confidence was growing, because in 2015 I was barely able to leave this AS.  The surprise to us was our crew was not there.  It turned out that Terry and I made much better time than they predicted, and they were in the van hiding from the mosquitoes. Without our crew, and Brannan who was going to run with us for the next 5 miles, Terry and I decided to just grab some quick nutrition and get out of there right away.  He called Kristi as we were leaving to tell her to just meet us at the next one, and she said they were there, and would send Brannan after us.  He caught us right away (I was glad he had some food and an Ibuprofen for me) and was great company for the next 5 miles.  We also picked up another runner, I wish I had asked her name, who decided she liked our pace and spent a lot of this section with us.  She would drift ahead on the walk, and we would catch her on the run.  I really got a boost sharing these miles with my boy, he kept us entertained, and pushed me when I needed it., all of which  I needed it as we were coming into the AS where I dropped in 2015.  What a difference an AS Captain can make.  In 2015 it was just a couple people and a small fire, this year my friend Joe Gowe from the MUDD group took it over, and it was the polar opposite,  It was lit up like a runway with huge blow up Christmas decorations, the volunteers jumped right to helping, and it was clearly a NO DROP ZONE as he had promised.  We did drop Brannan, but after a quick bite, down the trail we went.

Half The Race was spent in this Light Circle

72-82:  The next few miles my legs and feet really began to feel the miles.  I could tell Terry was doing better than me, and I told him if he was feeling good he could take off.  He was, but didn't take off just yet.  We kept pushing the 2:5 with a few more 1:6 run:walks, but hey, were were still moving toward that finish line.  Terry began to feel he could break 23 hours, I did not.  By the time we got to another great friend's AS, Mike Farrington, where I knew he had donuts, I knew it was time to cut Terry loose.  I think he knew I was going to finish, so was comfortable leaving me behind, and I'm glad he did.

82-93:  When we left Mike's AS, I watched Terry drift off into the night.  I was still running/walking, but his paces at both were just faster at this point.  About a mile out of the 86 mile AS, I texted Brannan and Bob that I needed food, Brannan and maybe a chair for a few minutes.  When I got there, it was great to see Kristi, Bob and Brannan.  I was hurting, but realized if I could just maintain my pace, I could get that sub-24 buckle I wanted so badly.  For having never paced anyone in an Ultra, Brannan did an outstanding job.  It was now 3 in the morning, I was tired, sore, and cranky, and he just kept pushing me along.  When my walking pace slowed, he would get me to pick it up.  When I wanted to quit a run segment early, he would push me to the full time.  I was really proud of how he carried me through this tough segment, which ended up being about 3/4 of a mile longer than the AS volunteer had told us.  For those that have done Ultras, this late in a race your life is boiled down to covering whatever the distance is to the next AS.  When it is not where you think it should be, one can get quite upset!

Got It Done!

93-Finish:  After dropping Brannan, eating a little soup, and almost getting stuck in a camping chair, I took off down after the finish line.  4 miles to the next AS, then 3.5 to the finish, no more crew until the end.  At this point I knew all I had to do was keep up a strong hiking pace (16-18 minute miles)  to get done around 23:30, so that was the plan.  Everything hurt, felt a couple blisters, quads/hamstrings screaming, feet sore, the ankle tracking device was digging a ditch into my ankle,  and I couldn't have been happier!  Marched along to the first AS, confirmed the distance to the finish, grabbed a banana, and kept on moving.  It's a pretty amazing place to be when you are as tired and fatigued as you have ever been, yet full of excitement to get to the finish line.  About 1/2 mile from the finish, I saw Brannan running out to find me, what an emotional moment.  He had a huge smile on his face and said, come on Dad let's run it in.  Surprisingly, with about 1/8th of a mile to go I began to run (probably more of an Ultra shuffle) to the finish line.  The smiling faces of Bob, Kristi, Terry (who finished in an incredible 22:55) and Michelle Hartwig, the race director, all standing there waiting for me to cross that finish line!  What a feeling to reach a goal that seems almost unreachable.  I collapsed into a chair, enjoyed the moment, and then almost puked for about 20 minutes, at least the nausea was after the finish.  Quick parking lot change, and piled into Bob's car for the long ride home, what a life saver not having to drive.

Summary:  I'm sure there are several other people I didn't mention here that I should thank, if I missed someone I'm sorry.  My Third attempt at the 100 mile distance, and I finally got it done, and sub 24 to boot. Could not have been more pleased with how the race went.  I'm sure there are adjustments I can make moving forward to get even faster, better and stronger. but that is always the case.  As I sit here three days removed, with most of the soreness gone, feet on the mend, and considering a little shake out run at lunch, I've already signed up for Potawatomi next spring to avenge that DNF, planning to stick with the 50 miler at Tunnel Hill in 5 weeks, and looking forward to where this journey takes me.  My biggest takeaway from the 2016HH is how amazing the Ultra Running community is.  Between the other runners, support crews, race organizers, Aid Station volunteers, just incredible people.  I've come to agree with the outlook that in life you get two families.  The one you are born into, and the one you choose.  My "birth" family is incredible, Angela, Brannan, Dylan and Mary Kate for putting up with me being gone for all the training and travel that Ultras require.  My Mom and Dad who don't get it, but still are proud and support me in doing it.  My "choice" family is the Ultra Running Community.  They are the most supportive, positive, giving and fun group of people to be around, and a big reason why I will continue to challenge myself to try bigger and badder races.

Yes I'm Crazy, But I Just Enjoy It!

As an Ultra-marathon/trail runner, I get the, “You are crazy, why would you do that?” question all the time from my non running friends and family.  I wish I had a profound answer for them, but I usually just go with, “Yes I’m crazy, but I just enjoy it.” and leave it at that.  The truth is, it has very little to do with the running, and much more to do with the people that make up the community that I have come to love and enjoy.  

This past weekend was the Kettle Moraine 100 mile run, and due to previous obligations I couldn’t participate in this race, or even volunteer or pace a friend.  As the date grew near, watching my friends train and prepare for this adventure the pull to be even a small part of it was too much.  After a wonderful Saturday evening with family celebrating my parents 50th anniversary (the previous obligation) and getting ready for a follow up BBQ at my house for everyone on Sunday, I set my alarm for 1AM so I could get up and surprise a friend that was going for his second 100 mile finish.  All day long I was stalking social media for updates on the progress of everyone out there whether they were running 50K, 100K or 100 miles.  

Trail runner’s come from all walks of life, which is probably one reason I love it so much.  While there are clearly amazing athletes that complete these challenges in incredible places and times, most of us  are out there to challenge themselves physically and mentally to just get the coveted belt buckle, or in this case tiny little brass tea kettle.  In every ultra I’ve run, it’s the conversations with friends, both those I came into the race with and those I gain along the way that make it so fun.   Every trail race I’ve run, I  end up sharing time with a newly found Trail Buddy with whom I get to learn their story and make a new friend.  It’s these relationships that inspire me to keep on pushing forward when my body is telling me to stop.

Saturday night, actually Sunday morning, I showed up to the Route 12 Trail-head for the Ice Age Trail which is mile 77 for the inbound runners, and 86 for the outbound runners.  I arrived about an hour before Terry whom I was going to pace, would get there.  It was during this time that I was reminded why I love the Ultra/Trail running community so much.  

First, I just marveled at how supportive and efficient the volunteers are.  Making sure to cheer and acknowledge each and every runner that came into the aid station and go out of their way to get them the support they needed to keep on  moving.  This is two in the morning, and these people are awake, excited and there to provide the boost the runner’s need to keep moving.  

It was also amazing to watch the people that volunteer to crew for their friends.  Watching these sleep deprived people dragging bins from their car to be prepared when their runner will get here.  Watching them jump into action when the runner arrives, changing shoes, popping blisters, rubbing sore backs, and encouraging them with so much passion.  

The pacers that come in with each runner are amazing too.  Some running as much as 38 miles with friend, who does that?  Every one of them comes into the Aid Station, and makes sure their runner has everything they need before they fill their own water bottle, or grab a quick bite to eat so they can keep on moving.  The care and concern they have for their runner is clearly on their face, along with their sweat and fatigue.  

Then there are the runner’s.  Some come in and out of the Aid Station as if  the race has just begun, some are hobbling in and can hardly drag themselves to find a chair to rest their weary bodies.  Without exception, they thank everyone around them for helping and being out there.  I witnessed several have to make the tough decision to drop out of the race, which is not an easy decision after working  hard for 21 hours to achieve a goal.  As a person that has more than my fair share of DNF’s, I know how difficult this can be.  There are tears, frustrations, but also relief and elation that the pain they have been fighting will finally come to an end.  Watching the volunteers, crew, and pacers try to encourage them to keep going, but also knowing when their friends are done, and supporting them in the decision to stop as well.  I also witnessed several runners that I was sure were done when they staggered in, gather themselves enough to push out of the Aid Station with incredible resolve.  So much pain and pleasure, all in the same moment.

When I finally got on the trail with Terry we came across so many friends that I got to say Hi too and encourage that the three hours I was out there went by so fast.  In what other community could you disappear into the woods for three hours, at 3AM, but still be surrounded by friends the entire time.  When I was done and watched  Terry, my runner, and Bob, his pacer head off for the last 14 miles, Kristi his crew pack up the drop bags for at least the 10th time in the last 24 hours, and the volunteers cheering for them as they left, I just smiled.  I thought to myself that later today at my BBQ I would be answering the question as to why I got up in the middle of the night to go run,  “Yes I’m crazy, but I just enjoy it!”

My Pants Will Continue to Fall Down

Potawatomi 100 Mile Trail Run

This was my second attempt at the 100 mile distance, and still no 100 mile belt buckle.  My first was last fall at the Hennepin 100, which is what one would expect to find in Illinois, long, straight and flat.  At that race I was a bit too aggressive with my pacing at the start, and paid for that with a DNF at mile 73 in 16:10.  I did not really "respect" the jump up in distance from 50 to 100 miles.   After feeling sorry for myself for a couple days, I began to look for my next attempt, and kept coming back to the Potawatomi Trail Runs (Plus I'm doing Hennepin again for the sake of revenge)

Potawatomi is held in Pekin, IL, but unlike Hennepin, it is far from flat. As described on the race website, "Do you think Illinois is all flat cornfields? Wise ultra-runners will get some serious hill training in before coming to Pekin's McNaughton Park! We don’t have mountains in Illinois ... just a few rolling hills with elevator shaft downhills guaranteed to warm your quads on a chilly April evening."  Seemed like the perfect race, fun trails to run, only a few hours from home, and lots of local runners I know would be down there too.  I wouldn't need to burden my friends/family with crewing for me (10 mile loops and three Aid Stations make it easy to re-supply yourself).

They are not kidding, 1600 feet of elevation every 10 mile loop, and them hills are steep.  I felt under-trained when I did Hennepin, but felt much more prepared this time.  I did lots of hill work, but none of it had prepared me for the unrelenting and steep series of up, and especially downs that this race threw at me.

Loops 1-3:  What a great group of runners, volunteers, race organizers at this event.  From the first mile on I was having so much fun, clicking off miles, enjoying conversations with new "trail" friends, and staying right on pace for a 12:30 first 50 miles.  I think my first "mistake" came before the race started, my choice of shoes.  I was wearing my Saucony Peregrine trail shoes, which I love, but had not done more than 15 miles in.  By the middle of the second loop, my feet were starting to feel a bit more fatigue than they should have by that time.  I checked my feet and changed socks after the first second loop (didn't keep them dry across the creek crossings on the first couple loops), and had to take care of a developing toe blister, but otherwise not so bad.  But my feet were getting quite sore, and I really didn't need the rock plate or traction afforded by these shoes.  I should have probably switched shoes then, but didn't.  By the end of the 3rd loop, my feet were really sore, and I had begun to develop a heal blister, so I made the decision to switch to my Altra Olympus.  Good News, nice and cushioned and big open toe box, bad news I forgot the shoe insert at home (they were taken out to dry the last time I wore them).  Luckily the Saucony insert fit right in, so no harm no foul.  

Loops 4-5:  My feet very much enjoyed the extra cushioning, but this pair of Altras was always a bit loose in the heel, and this seemed to increase the progress of the heel blister.  I attempted to pop it and tape it, but it was determined to keep growing.  Other than the blister, I was really still feeling pretty good, right on my predicted pace, and was hydrating and eating like a champ.  The temps were great (30's at the start, 40's during the day) and it was sunny, now wind, just a great day in the woods.  I was still able to run-able sections like Totem Pole AS to the Beach, and the flat areas of Heavens Gate, the meadows, and even most of the flats in the bottoms along the creek.  I knew if I could get through loop 5 my pacers, Terry and John, would be there to give me a boost for the night miles. 

Loop 6-7:  I finished the first 50 miles in 12:15.  I was actually there 15 minutes earlier than I had predicted, so Terry and John had to hustle to get all there running gear on and ready to go.  I took advantage of this "extra" time to put my feet up and rest for a few minutes.  It was late enough that I had to have my headlamp and night time gear for the start of this loop, even though it was still light out.  It was nice to have company for the entire loop of 6, and I had a fun time describing what would be coming up next.  I had slowed down quite a bit, but was still able to run most of the flat sections.  Other than the darn left heel blister, my only other major concerns were my left foot and knee were beginning to hurt quite a bit, and my quads were really starting to feel the effects of all the downhill miles.  Loop 6 was still pretty fun, but loop 7 the wheels began to come off the rails a bit.  It was getting more difficult to run, even when I wanted too, and the downhill sections were really taking a toll me.  My left leg and foot were really screaming at me, and even with a couple doses of my magic elixir of  Vitamin I (Ibuprofren) with a 5 hour Energy chaser.  Doubt was starting to creep in.  

Loop 8:  This was the most difficult part of the race.  I was pretty uncomfortable by now, my running had dropped to minimal, and even my hiking paces were beginning to suffer.  I really appreciated having pacers at this point (Thanks Terry & John), or I don't think I would have even left the Start/Finish for loop 8.  My pace was still not terrible, took just over 4 hours for that 10 mile loop, but the pain of the blister, my trashed quads and, left knee and foot pain, and fatigue were beginning to win the battle of wills.

Loop 9:  I didn't want to linger at the Start/Finish too much, because the call to drop was getting really loud.  The first 2-3 miles of the course to the Totem Aid Station had become my least favorite part of the course.  No real reason why, just didn't like it (probably because the analgesics taken at the start finish take until the Totem AS to begin working their magic).  By the time I got to Totem I was pretty miserable.  Not even the encouragement of Terry & John, the Aid Station volunteers, and even a cup of the magical Chicken Noodle Soup could get me feeling better.  I was able to force myself to head down the trail from here, but about 1/2 mile down the trail, the thought of having to get through all those hills remaining to finish this loop, and then do it again broke me.  I had begun to walk back toward the AS to try to get a ride back to the Start/Finish, when another runner told us about a side trail that would take us right back (Thank you for that) so we took it and I turned in my chip.

Again I attempted 100 miles, and again 100 miles won.  I did end up with Personal Bests in Distance (82 miles) and time running (24:35) and feel like I've learned even more about what it takes to finish these amazing events. While I'm disappointed, I'm not discouraged.  When I think about what I learned, these the things stand out the most.

1. Slow down even more early.  I was not ahead of my planned pacing, but I think I still may have been too aggressive early which contributed to my blisters and trashed quads.  I'm never going win a 100 mile race, so fast enough to get it done should do just fine.
2.  I need to get better at recognizing small issues that can become big ones later.  With Pot it was the  blisters and shoe selection.  Treating and handling these things more quickly may have extended my ability to keep moving.  At Hennepin it was feeling the effects of the faster pace early, and ignoring it rather than just slowing down.  Different issues, but from the same "Suck it up Sissy" mentality that only leads to a DNF.
3.  My feet like the maximum cushioning shoes, and they need to be my choice for anything over 50K.  
4. One can never run enough hills (up and down).  Find the steepest grade hill I can, and run repeats on that thing as often as possible. 
5. DNF is not the worst thing to happen, I got to spend 24 hours testing my limits physically and  mentally, and am lucky I have the opportunity to do that.
6. Trail Runners are the best, friendliest, and most supportive group of people I know, and I'm glad to be part of that community!
7. A good pace crew is invaluable, thanks again Terry and John.

While I DNF'd again, I'm blessed and happy that I have opportunity to even start an event like this.  I got to witness some amazing athletes do amazing things, my friends Tim finished a very hard fought 150 battling fatigue and Jeff an incredible 200.   I got to chat with outstanding volunteers at all the Aid Stations, and meet and talk to so many cool trail runners along the way.  I'm already signed up for my "Revenge" 100 mile run this fall at Hennepin, I better get the 100 mile buckle there, I'm tired of my pants falling down.  I suppose I'll have to come back to Pekin again as well, I could use two belts.

Ice Age 50 Mile

While I considered this one of my "A" races for the year, my only real goal for this race was to finish,  I figured if everything went perfect I could be around 10 hours, but the conservative realistic goal was 11 hours.  Being my first "real" Ultra Marathon (I did do the North Face 50K last year).  This was an exhilarating, fun, painful, difficult, and amazing journey through the beautiful Kettle Moraine on the Ice Age Trail.   The weather cooperated, mostly cloudy, 60ish at the start, and climbing to the low 70s with a bit of humidity, but not terrible my any definition.  What a well run, supported and great way to jump into the Ultra world!

Gear & Nutrition: Tailwinds for 150 calorie/hour in water.  I had decided to fuel with Tailwinds and use both my Nathan Back Pack and 18oz Hand Held, and the goal was 150 calories/hour with supplementing with the occasional GU if I wanted it, and whatever looked good at the AS.  Altra Olympus Shoes, Hind Racing shorts, long sleeve, and Road Runner racing singlets, and HeadSweats and Nike running hats.

This race is divided into three sections, so my report will follow each of those.

Section 1: Nordic Trails to Confusion Corner (Mile 0-10.68 Miles)  By far the "easiest" part of this race.  The Nordic trails are a hiking/XC skiing trails, and while it has it's share of hills, there is nothing like what is to come once we get to the Ice Age Trail.   My plan was to be somewhere between 10:00 and 11:00 pace for this section, keeping an eye on my HR and never letting it get out of Z1.  At AS 2 (the start/finish line) I changed out of my long sleeve into a singlet and hat, grabbed the Nathan 2 Liter back pack (tossed the hand held in the pack for later) and headed off for Section 2.  I ran most of Section 1 this with my buddy Matthew.  Felt great this whole section, after the quick change at Start/Finish, I hit "Confusion Corner" where we jump on the Ice Age Trail to head south for an out and back with a average pace of 10:10, and the HR well in check, legs feeling great.

Section 2: 23.22 Miles - Confusion Corner to Rice Lake and Back (Mile 10.68-33.9)  Having done some training runs out here, I knew that the race was now really starting.  The Ice Age Trail is mostly single track running, lots of rocks, roots and up and down climbing.  My plan was to continue to monitor the HR and stay in Z1, but allowing it to creep up on the climbs.  Was not concerning myself with pace too much, but was pretty happy with where the paces were.  I was really looking forward to AS6 because I knew I'd see some friendly faces.  I had lost Matthew somewhere near the end of section 1, but found some other folks to chat with along the way (I do love Ultra Runners, such a laid back group of people).  This is the first taste of the real hills, and I hit them well, power hiking the ups, running the downs and flats.  Still felt pretty good, HR not jumping too high, paces getting slower, but expected that with all the hills.

Hit AS 5 with the second bag drop.  From here its about 4 miles to the turn around point, so I decided to leave my Nathan back pack here, and go with the Hand Held again.  Refilled everything, grabbed some oranges and banana, and ran into my Buddy Matthew again.  We also got to see the race winner as we left this AS (at 3:30 on my watch he was already 8 miles ahead of me, LOL)  Still feeling pretty confident, pace still under 11:00, and knew I had a bunch of friends at the next AS only about 2 miles away. This section was quite challenging, very hilly, actually had several sets of rail road tie stair sections we had to climb.  It was nice to have Matthew to talk with through here, and then AS6 was a big boost seeing my friends volunteer, Terry, Kristi and Bob.  Stayed with Matt to the turn around, but after we left his pace was a bit quicker than I was comfortable at, so I let him go.  Nice to start seeing the other runners along this section too, both in front of and behind me.  Got to see my friends a second time as we went through the AS on the way back, then back to route 12 where I changed shirt/hat, switched back to the Nathan Back Pack with Tailwinds/water, tossed the hand held in there again and headed back toward confusion point.  Still feeling OK past the marathon  mark, and  crossing the 50K distance, I was now in uncharted territory, every step from here on would be the furthest than I had ever run.

Section 3: 16.1 Miles Confusion Corner to Emma Carlin Trails and Back (Miles 33.9-Finish)

The hills and trail was beginning to take a toll on my body.  Legs beginning to fatigue a bit, and the back was getting sore from all the bending over while climbing the steep hills, and my feet were really starting to feel it (never have had foot pain during a run before).  I had another friend at AS 8, and I was very happy to see Joe.  He ran with me for about to Indian Signal Hill (it was more of a hike than a run at this point) and venting about how uncomfortable my back and feet were helped restore a bit of sanity.  

When I hit mile 35, the wheels started to come off a bit.  My feet were quite sore, and made it difficult to run the downs or flats, and the hikes up were killing the back.  My nutrition was right on, stomach feeling good, energy not bad, but I did not foresee the pain that the Ice Age Trail would put my back, legs and feet.  Looking back I realize the mental part of running an Ultra had just kicked in.  At this point I decided I just needed to try to keep my pacing under 15:00 miles, that would get me done in 3.5 hours.  It was quite depressing to come to that conclusion, but had to deal with the reality of how I felt.  Much of this section was run alone, with the occasional runner coming back and passing the a few runners.  It was a boost each time to give the other runners's a "Good Work," or "Looking Good," and to get the same from them.  Again, the Ultra Running community is so supportive and amazing.  When I finally staggered into AS9 which was the last drop bag location, I ditched the back pack again, and decided to go with the hand held for the remainder of the race.  Loaded up with more Tailwind and off to AS10 and the final turn around.

This was a long 3.2 miles, but I managed to maintain a mid 14:00 pace by running when I could, and walking when I had too.  The Turnaround was quite a boost, 10 miles to go (about 2.5 hours at this pace) but hey, I can run 10 miles right!  While the feet and back were still hurting, I was in a much better place mentally.  I knew I could come in under the 11 hour goal and every step in this direction was toward the finish line rather than away from it.  Slowest mile of the day was when I got back to AS9, I took my time loading up my water and Tailwind, decided not to change my shirt (I had packed a Superman shirt, but was not feeling very much like Superman at the time), and was off for the final stretch.

From AS 9 to the finish was kind of a blur.  I remember almost beginning to cry at about mile 45 whiMy feet were really pounding, so I had to go pretty slow on the steep downhills, but was able to push my self to run a bit during the more easy downs and flats.   I was actually passing quite a few people during this section, most of them hiking by this point,  About a quarter mile from the finish my friend Terry and Dave were there at the top of the last hill, and Terry ran me home (though it was not much of a run for him at that point).  Crossed the finish line at 10:33:25

http://www.onlineraceresults.com/race/view_race.php?race_id=46289&submit_action=select_result&re_NO=260#racetop what a great feeling!

What I learned:
1) I can do an Ultra Marathon
2) For a trail course like IA50, I need to spend more time training on the tougher terrain, I think the lack of training on the uneven surface of this type of trail was a big contributor to the foot pain.
3) You can never do enough hill training!
4) If an ultra is this well supported, I probably don't need my Nathan Backpack,  I was much more comfortable when I just had the handheld.
5) I packed way to much stuff in my drop bags
6) Tailwinds is a great product for Ultra racing nutrition.
7) Runners are the most Awesome and supportive people in the world!
8) Even when I think I can't, I can still run another mile.

Impromptu 2014 Chicago Marathon

On Friday evening about 36 hours before the Chicago Marathon, a friend of mine came into a bib for the Race.  I had an already busy weekend scheduled, but could not allow myself to miss the opportunity to run Chicago for free, so I was in.

My 36 hour Marathon training plan was simple, don't run until the race, then enjoy a fully supported long run early Sunday morning.  No time to figure out a race plan, or nutrition plan, just go out and run.  My plan was to pack a couple of Gatorade chews I already had, and rely on the course for gatorade and other nutritional support.  This would be my fourth marathon, about a month since completing my first 50K at Wisconsin North Face.  I've maintained my running, but have not really been following any training plan. Just under 4 hours seemed like a reasonable goal.

Hitched a ride to the race with a couple running friends, tried to stay warm and then hopped into Coral G.  Having run it last year from Coral B, I figured I would have some crowding issues at the beginning, hoping to start out around 9:00, and see what happens.

Mile 1-3:  Average pace 8:42.  I was right about the crowd, very thick with some slow people, I tried to settle into a pace, but spent much of this time bobbing and weaving around runners.  I had to pee pretty bad at the start, so when we got to the first aid station on State Street I figured why be uncomfortable, and snuck off to the porta potty for a quick leak, then back to the course. I love this part of the race, so fun to be running the streets of the loop with thousands of others.

Mile 4-8:  Average Pace 8:24 - So much for averaging 9:00s.  I was keeping my HR in check, right around 150-55  (Low Zone 3 for me) and was feeling great.  Hitting each aid station for a drink of Gatorade and a sip of water, and just soaking in the sights and sounds of the event.

Miles 9-HM 8:40 Average Pace (8:35 average pace for the HM, 1:53:12).  The first half of Chicago is so much fun.  Boys Town, Lincoln Park, Old Town, River North and back to the loop.  The excitement and crowds are just the best.  I was in a very nice place, and just enjoying the ride.

Miles HM-19: Average Pace 9:12.   I knew my least favorite part of the course was coming up.  The section west out of the loop, then a quick turn back before heading towards Taylor Street is just not the fun.   Since I knew I had to make a 6 hour drive in the evening for a college visit in Iowa with my son, I did not want to be overly uncomfortable while sitting in the car after the race.   I was feeling pretty good, but my legs were starting to feel the wear and tear of the pace, so I decided to back off a little bit.  Just broke up the race into Aid station to Aid Station chunks.  I would run to the end of the Gatorade tables, grab one and walk with it as I drank it, then do the same with the water.  Seemed to be working pretty good.

Miles 20-25:  Average pace 9:27.   Legs continued to feel a bit fatigued, so just kept trudging along at a "comfortable" pace, not pushing it too hard, and walking the aid stations.  Started doing the math, and realized I would be pretty close to the sub 4:00 goal.

Finish:  3:54:29.  Last Mile.2 Average pace 8:44.  With a mile to go, the energy from the crowd begins to build again.  I looked at my watch and figured I could get in under 3:55 if I pushed it just a bit, so I did.  Made the last turn toward the finish with a big smile and another Marathon under my belt?

So, I was able to break 4:00 without any real training plan, which is great.  I ended up finishing with an 8:48 average pace for the race, a really solid long run.  My HR average was 153 (Mid Zone 3).  I have absolutely no complaints about this run/race.  Really fun way to spend a Sunday morning!

Summary:  Driving 6 hours after a Marathon not so fun, LOL.  On the positive side, I really had little to no soreness walking around the campus of Iowa State the day after the race which leads me to believe I ran it like I wanted to, comfortable long run.  Felt pretty good to push through the fatigued points between 17-24.  I could have easily just walked  more, but decided to keep going to hit the sub 4:00 goal.   My fitness level  must be pretty darn good!

North Face 50K

This was my first venture beyond the marathon distance, and a completely different training plan.  For each of my three Marathons I had logged plenty of miles, but also focused on speed work and tempo runs during the training.  For this 50K attempt, my plan was to focus more on finishing as comfortably as possible.  I logged between 40-50 miles/week with all at an easy pace.  My only speed work was the Grayslake Running Club track interval workouts once/week.  I knew the course would be a challenge, around 1500 feet of gain (that's a lot for us Flatlanders) and all trail, so I set my goal a conservative 10:30/mile pace or 5:30 finish.

 Conditions at the start could not have been better.  It was a in the upper 50s for the 7AM start with low humidity.  The running gods seem to have smiled me for my first Ultra attempt.  Much of the last three weeks has been hot and humid, which would have made this a very uncomfortable race.

Start to Aid Station 1 (Mile 6.9) - The race starts in a recreation area, and we have about a mile run on a road to get to the Scuppernog area, which is the first section we loop.  We started a bit faster than planned (8:40 for mile 1) but I was able to back off and settle into a bit slower pace.  My plan was to run with my friend, but shortly after the fist aid station (2 miles in, we pass this same station 3 times) I had pulled away from him, not on purpose, I was just feeling good.  My average pace during this section was 9:00-9:15, but my HR was just fine and I felt very comfortable, so I figured just stay with it.  My plan was to keep the HR near 150 on the flats, and under 160 on the hills, which ended up being running 1/4 to 1/2 of most of the hills, then walking out the rest.

Scuppernog - Wilton (Mile 16.8)  After the  Scuppernog loop, and began our long loop down the Ice Age Trail and back.  I felt very strong through this section.  I had settled into a comfortable pace, was enjoying the scenery and the occasional runner I would pass or would pass me.  One runner was on a run/walk schedule that had him passing me during his running, and me catching a passing him while he walked.  We struck up a conversation and it turned out he is dating a woman from my running club, small world!  I was still well  ahead of my planned 10:30 pace maintaining the average pace in the lower 9:00's but knew I would be giving it back toward the end.

 Wilton - Hwy 67 (Mile 22.4)  This section included the "Meadows" section of the course.  In my plan I was going to push the pace through here.  It is about a 5 mile section through a grassy bog/meadow, with several wooden bridge crossings.  It is very flat, and should be fast, but just about mile I began to feel the race, and my legs were getting quite heavy.  I was finding it difficult to push the pace the way that I wanted too, and my average pace began to creep up, and my legs were starting to fatigue.

Hwy 67-Piper Rd. (Mile 27.7) - I knew I  had friends volunteering the Piper Rd station, and boy did I need to see some friendly faces.  While I got a great sense of accomplishment when my watch clicked past the 26.2 distance, my pace was struggling, I had a hot spot on a toe on my left foot (pretty good blister by the time I finished) and I was struggling to keep "running" (paces in this section 11's and 12's with plenty of walking).  Another thing that added to the slower paces of this section was the fact that it is run on Horse Trails that are made of very loose sand.  I tried to run on the edge of the trail when I could, and in the truck tire marks when they were there, but the slipping and sliding for several miles was not very fun.  I was quite relieved to reach the Piper Rd. aid station.  I Fueled up with some bananas, oranges, Coke and Mountain Dew, got some encouraging words from my friends (when the asked me what they could get me the only answer I had was, "the finish line") and headed off for the final march home.

Piper Road to Finish (31.4 Miles although my garmin read 30.87)  There was one more tough climb, a steeper hill  that is just over 1/2 mile long. Walked the whole thing, took a deep breath, and started my descent for Ottawa Lake.  By this point in the race, even the down hills were not fun, quads were burned out, feet and ankles aching and sore, and just wanted to be done.  This is an interesting part of the race as we pass the first aid station for the third time.  It was nice to hear them say it's only 1.8 mile home, since my Garmin had me needing significantly more than that.  It was a little demoralizing to see the Marathon relay runners on their way out and back at this point too.  They looked so good, are only running 10Ks, and were flying by me like I was standing still, though almost every one of them had encouraging me.  The good news is that were are too many spectators around to let myself walk, so I sucked it up and finished as strong as I could.

Crossed the finish 15 minutes faster than planned at 5:15, and enjoyed the glow of a really cool accomplishment.  My two friends I was at the start with both hit their goals too, one finished 4:50s with a course PR, the other just 5 minutes behind me and 10 minutes ahead of his 5:30 goal and a course PR for him.

http://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/591992725

Summary:  I needed a break from marathon training and pushing for my BQ, and this was exactly what the Doctor ordered.  While I still want to hit my BQ again, and race Boston, the allure of longer distances, especially on trails, is quite strong.  I don't really have another race on my calendar, so I'll take a few weeks to recover, enjoy running without a plan, and determine what I'm going to conquer next!