Run It Fast®

8:18:57:45 & 8:18:58:42
Erika followed by Lynnor The fightin’ mathenys!!!

8:07:27:00
July 22, 2011 John price’s 5th finish…. C

Mike Langille Epic job.

8:06:40:29
July 22, 2011 Sal coll is done C

Another race up sand mountain
So as Paul came in to the finish, we got a call from John price. “hey, who’s behind me…

8:04:15:55
July 22, 2011 Paul lefelhocz “I feel so impressed with myself right now”

From: Carl Laniak
Date: July 22, 2011 8:33:23 AM EDT
To: Vol State List , The ULTRA List Subject: 8:00:07:44

finish vol state 2011

Josh Holmes.
“I sprinted the last 15k”
“am I done?”

Carl

Winning TIme- First Runner to Finish in record time. It is a delicate balance for the runners: try to not kill yourself to finish but pace yourself fast enough to finish, and pretend it’s not a race. Keep telling themselves that it is enough to finish. Careful out there everyone! “It’s enough just to be nominated!”…

5:14:21:32

From: Carl Laniak
Date: July 19, 2011 10:02:25 PM CDT
To: Vol State List , The ULTRA List Subject: 5:14:21:32

Everyone know how to read that finish time??

King juli the lean’s reign is over.
King don has ascended to the throne.
Carl

From: lazarus lake
Date: July 20, 2011 10:14:24 AM CDT
To: ,
Subject: survival. it comes down to survival. vol-state 15

even as a lucky few are celebrating success…
or sleeping the sleep of the dead,

those surviving on the road are doing just that
surviving…

barely….

some of them.

abi leads the survivors, in pelham at 266.
says if she sees us,she is dumping off her gear
and going for the rock.

naresh is in hot pursuit in hillsboro (app 260).
ok, he isnt in hot pursuit
he is sitting in an abandoned convenience store
with a bag of ice on his foot
weeping.
says his foot feels like a brick attached to his ankle.
says he only hopes to wake up someday and not feel like this.
(there we go again. need another bio update.
the vol-state fairly breeds fantasy ultra goals)

sherry is somewhere in there,but has so far remained quiet.
we hope she is not waiting in ambush for us to drive thru.

sal has swept thru the survivors & is at 240,
on 16th model road

josh is also moving up,past shelbyville at 228

fred the surviving, is also past shelbyville at 225

paul at 216 leads john price at 215
each walking in their own personal hell

the waltzing mathenys are at 210
with erika injured,and 104 miles still to go.

diane is thru lewisburg, at 203.
cheerful as ever.
pretty unique right now.

joe, the surviving is still in lewisburg.
at 202.
seriously contemplating quitting.
a rumor surfaced that he is thinking of trying to go with fred, the surviving,
and share crew.
that would mean he doesnt know fred left last night & is now 25 miles away.
joe might be at a critical juncture.

stu gleman was at the edge of columbia
when it dawned on him that he didnt have to do this.
he is finished at 175.

with about an hour & a half total sleep last night,
carl is wavering.
do you believe those guys really timed out their finishes on purpose??
i swear, riding herd on this crew is genuinely tiring….

it just doesn’t hurt.

laz

From: lazarus lake
Date: July 20, 2011 10:58:26 AM CDT
To: ,
Subject: welcome to my oven

the course riders just poked our heads out.

it is like an f’ing oven out there.

if an oven had 90% humidity.

god help the poor souls on the road.

laz

Fueling up, Road style- headed for the finish.

OUCH! just got in. 201. 35 that stretch. Last 6 were the hardest, hottest miles I’ve ever put down. It took forever- Josh Holmes.

From: lazarus lake
Date: July 19, 2011 9:38:46 AM CDT
To: ,
Subject: so easy from an office chair; vol-state 14

it is so easy, looking at the mike-map
to think the whole thing is done at halfway.

ask a runner (any of them)
if they are almost sorry that it is about over….

and you will draw an incredulous stare.

even at 200 miles, the finish is an unimaginable distance away.

and it is so easy to ride about in my car
(i swear, i am tired… but i DONT HURT!)
or to sit in our office chairs
and watch the little flags march across the map.

out there it is real the whole time. very, very real.

and nothing is cerain.
the race is not almost over.
until you reach the cornfields at castle rock.

standings after 5 days:

1) don is at 278, around tracy city.
he has his 20 mile lead. but the heat is on.
he hopes to finish sometime tonight.

2) mike is at 258, somewhere around hillsboro.
can he mount a final charge in a heat advisory…
with two major hills to climb
(along with the most feared feature on the course,
the hellish descent into jasper)?

3)abi is past shelbyville at 227
4) sherrie is coming into shelbyville at 223
5) naresh is hot on sherrie’s heels at 222
6) joe is hovering behind the herd at 215…
like a wolf, waiting to pick off the old and weak.

7) sal is at 202… waiting for his wife to pick him up.
he has reached the end of the endless road.

8) josh is at 195, just past mooresville.
his nightmare continues.

9) john is in glendale at 184…
at the “bench of despair”
he, like so many vol-staters before him,
has come there to contemplate dropping.

10 & 11) the lovely & indefatiguable lynnor & erika at 180
are just leaving columbia.

12) fred murolo is at 179 in columbia, and moving
13) paul is stationary at 179, in columbia, and resting

14) fred davis is at 177, the columbia square.
and he is done.
ride arrangements are incomplete…

there is a reality check for you.
if fred is down, no one is safe.

15) stu is at 157, past the natchez trace & “celebrating” the halfway point.

16) we have a report of diane at 152. she was staying at a place around 158…
(the ridgetop inn; I would never climb the hill to that place at the end of a day)
and she always makes it to her indoor plumbing & bed with a mattress.
so i believe her to be at 158.

two more gone
and the heat has only just begun.

the battle of the vol-state:

they got on the ferry & they rode it to kentucky,
they were headed for a battle in the state of tennessee.

there was heat and pain a waiting, but they didnt waver
they were bound to make their way; to the castle rock, you see.
the sun went down and the runners kept a comin
there wasnt near as many as there was the morn before.

they ran thru the bottoms and they ran over ridges
they ran thru dry stretches where a camel wouldnt go.
the sun came up and the runners kept a comin’
there wasnt quite as many as there was the night before.

they ran so far that stray dogs couldnt follow
down the endless blacktop to the slopes of never more.
the sun went down and the runners kept a comin
there wasnt near as many as there was the morn before

they left their homes & they left their loved ones
to fight a hopeless battle in the state of tennessee.
but those who reached the rock down in georgia
found the prettiest sight that they would ever see…

the finish.

laz

Subject: RE: forgot the drop

Yep- absolutely amateur hour out there. Pepper spraying myself. 5 miles off course.
You know the movie “Misery” with Kathy Bates? I would much rather have that block of wood between my ankles than continue down those TN back roads.
Yep- definitely an amateur.
-Shannon Burke (THE corydon candy arse that is currently looking to move as far away from lazarus lake and his races as possible.
Sent via DROID on Verizon Wireless

Today the heat increases to several warnings at at 8am, already 99% humidity.  Runners are going to have to take extreme care and get as many miles in under the cover of night as possible.

From: lazarus lake <drystoneman@hotmail.com>

Date: July 18, 2011 8:56:17 PM CDT

To: <ultra@listserv.dartmouth.edu>, <volstate@irun100s.com>

Subject: the heat is on vol-state 13

those mild temperatures are about used up.

today was the first day the heat returned.

i pointed out to the runners who were willing to listen

that the road temperatures were over 140.

Heat Warnings Vol State 2011

most of them didnt want to hear it.

tomorrow is projected to bring on our first heat advisory since the start.

the runners ought to weather it pretty well.

everyone left seems to be pretty well road-hardened at this point.

everyone is hurt, in one way or another.

everyone fervently wants it to be over.

no one is showing signs of quitting.

status after 4 days & 12 hours:

1) don winkley-246 in manchester & moving

2) mike matteson-last seen in shelbyville at 223 early this afternoon.

if he is still there, don is in good shape.

every mile he is past that narrows don’s lead….

i’d give a lot to know just where he is right now

and just what he is doing!

(i bet don would, too)

3,4,5) sherry meador, joe judd, and abi meadows all in lewisburg at 202,

sleeping in the same motel. they all arrived within an hour.

after 200+ miles, who can sleep the least means everything.

6,7) sal coll & naresh kumar 199, in the edge of lewisburg.

will they hit the motel, or will they jump over the sleepyheads?

8) john price- 169 at the site of the famous watermelon incident

Day 6 Vol State Map

9) josh holmes-166 but gone to earth

10) paul lefelhocz-164 just past hampton

11) fred davis-163-at the top of a big hill, he can see 12, 13, and 14 strung out behind him,

in order they are:

fred murolo, lynnor matheny, erika matheny

they are all in mile 163

15) diane taylor-around the natchez trace at 154

16) stu gleman-short of natchez trace at 152, and resting

lots of close races after 4 and a half days.

it isnt just the temperatures that are fixing to heat up.

laz

Josh Holmes Location 8am July 19, 2011:

shannon burke became the third casualty after her 5 mile wrong-way exploit,
bailing out at about 130.

laz

How bad is it that as Joshua Holmes’ Crew, Cal and I get more info about his health and mileage info from Facebook and twitter than we do from him…- Blake Heiman (Crew)

Naresh is resting at 180. Heading in. Now at. 167 miles total. 37.45 according to Garmin since left hotel last night. Felt really good. 12 hours 27 min on road. Time for ice, shower, foot soak, food, sleep.- Josh Holmes

From: lazarus lake <drystoneman@hotmail.com>

Date: July 18, 2011 9:25:10 AM CDT

To: <volstate@irun100s.com>, <ultra@listserv.dartmouth.edu>

Subject: laughter is the best medicine vol-state 12

when your whole world consists of discomfort,

the only thing to do is laugh.

looking at the limping, bleary-eyed “runners” along the side of tenesse’s roads

we need to laugh a lot.

one of the lady runners (name withheld to protect the foolish)

after spotting a couple of shady looking characters parked beside the road

realized she had never tested her pepper spry.

so she reached down, pressed the trigger

and sprayed herself in the face.

the good news: it worked

more good news: “i needed a good cry anyway.”

another un-named participant told me;

“on day two i started to wish a truck would hit me.

i was imagining it just hitting me a little bit,

and only injuring me slightly…

so i would have a reason to stop”

i think this call for an updated list bio:

fantasy ultra goal: to be hit by a truck, and only injured slightly.

more misdirection?

stu & shannon got up this morning in linden,

dragged their aching bodies back to the road,

and stumbled 5 miles back toward parsons.

altho it seems incomprehensible,

this is a common error at the vol-state.

the first time i remember it,

dirt thompson (within single digit miles of winning)

stopped briefly (to remove a rock from his shoe, i believe)

then began walking back the way he had come.

when we came to naresh & sal during yesterday’s drive thru

they expressed concern about sherry.

“she threw up, she is not drinking enough,…”

when i asked where she was;

“oh, she left an hour before we did from (the last stop)”

we found sherry about 5 miles ahead, and moving strong.

if sherry is in trouble, what does that say for sal & naresh?

lynnor & erika are actually turning a profit in the vol-state.

for whatever reason,

people keep stopping them and giving them money.

erika is considering this as NEW a summer job when she gets home;

“this pays better than my job!”

lynnor, on the other hand, is starting to feel slighted;

“she has gotten $30 so far. i’ve got $1!”

another pair of runners staggered into a town long after the stores had closed.

famished, they went to the only open establishment;

a bar; full of drunks in the wee hours.

they figured peanuts & potato chips were better than nothing.

after talking to the bartender for a while,

she went & got the frozen pizza she had brought to eat after her shift;

“you need it worse than i do.”

sometimes road angels are the only reason the uncrewed runners survive.

i have to stop here, they are badgering me to get off the computer.

but the stories could fill a book.

don w is nearing war trace, at mile 231

during the night he extended his lead on

mike m, who is leaving lewisburg, at 202

abi & sherry are both out of columbia at 181 (but not together)

joe judd is at 180,

as are naresh and sal (who are, none the less, not with joe)

josh holmes has moved back up heading for hampton at 157

fred murolo is right behind him at 154

erika & lenore are leaving hohenwald at 145

fred davis is just ahead of them, also listed at 145

and john price is about 146

paul lefelhocz has come back & repasse diane taylor

paul is at 133, and diane at 129.

stu and shannon, after traveling 5 miles the wrong way,

are in linden ar 125…. again.

and it just keeps getting better.

dont you wish you could be here to see all the fun?

laz

Today begins day 5 of the Vol State road race and it seems that retention of runners is holding.

GPS location of Josh Holmes:

From: Carl Laniak
Date: Sun, Jul 17, 2011 at 8:40 PM
Subject: i have come so far, and i am nowhere: vol state 11
To: Volstate List , ultra List

this lesser update brought to you from carl, who is home working for 24 hours while laz and sandra keep watch on the road…

the leaders are starting to strategize about winning,
the midpackers are feeling like they are impossibly far from the rock…..impossibly far….
the back of the pack is fully consumed by staying on a 50k/day pace…..

each time a runner calls in, they get a cheerful hello.
it might be the only cheerful voice they hear for 6 or 8 hours….aside from their own lonesome ramblings.
i wonder as the phone rings, are they going to ask for a ride?
are they going to surprise me with extra miles?
do they have another dog story?
are they going to tell me they’ve been picked up by relatives and are already at home in fresh clothes?

so far, we have a phenomenal retention rate.
17 of the 19 starters still have intentions to reach that damn rock!

*****************For those of you who live in the southeast and dream about the vol state**************
the middle of this week is going to be a transcendental experience. i hope many of you are already making your plans to come witness a finish or two.
you can see someone, in the moment, who has truly “done something special.”
standing on the rock and seeing their headlamp ascend sand mountain, with just 4 miles to go, you will think,
“i would trade ANYTHING to be in their shoes right now!”
it will inspire you, it will probably make you cry. it will almost certainly make you wish you’d been on the road at vol state 2011
*****************************************************************************************************************

at 84 hours, 3.5 days….it was like this:

UltraDon has had an afternoon rest cycle, and is cruising at mile 205.
Mike M is resting in columbia, 180 miles, heading back out tonight.
abi has had a cell phone deconstruction, but managed to get to 169.
joe judd moved all day and picked up some places, he’s at 165.
sherry meador continues to complain about her feet, but they are moving her up in the field, to mile 153.
the rest of the threesome, naresh and sal, are a few miles back at 149.
fred murolo has rested during the afternoon, and is at 145, planning to go hard all night.
josh holmes has also rested, and will get going soon from mile 130.
the fightin’ mathenys are already out of linden at 127…looking at a night trek to hohenwald
the rest of the pack is in/around linden:
john price – 125 and heading out this evening
shannon b – 125 will get going in the morning
stu gleman – 125 – hopes to mooch from shannon’s crew after a bonk this afternoon
fred davis – 124 and plans to go all night
diane taylor – 123 shooting for linden tonight
paul lefelhocz – 122 also has a room in linden

joe n and marv s are envied by all the other runners….they will wake up tomorrow without any miles to cover on foot.

carl

Joshua Holmes
‎12:30pm stopping for hotel. 11:06 on road 30 miles since left last hotel 12.5 hours ago. Got hour nap 5:30.

Vol State 2011 Tire Change Stop

State 2011 Day 4 Beautiful Morning

From: lazarus lake
Date: Sun, Jul 17, 2011 at 9:51 AM
Subject: 3 days down, how many to go? vol-state 10
To: volstate@irun100s.com, ultra@listserv.dartmouth.edu

the racing has begun.
despite briefly losing his lead yesterday evening,
don has extended it by 2 miles from yesterday’s morning checkin
(from 15 to 17 miles)
it looks like the crown is riding between mike matteson & don,
and at 73 yo, don knows he cant win a 50 or 60 mile sprint finish.
so he has to break mike down now…
or else build an insurmountable lead.
with his experience, you can bet don is up to the challenge.
the question is, can young mike answer?
it will cost him.

stay tuned to find out what happens…

after 3 full days:

don winkley thru columbia at 180
mike matteson is past hampshire at 163
abi meadows in hohenwald at 145
sal coll, naresh kumar, and sherry meador in hohenwald at 143
(sherry says she has; “a little pain in my feet…. excrutiating.”)
joe judd, and fred murolo are past linden at 133
josh holmes is living the dream… across the tennessee river at 120
john price is approaching the river at 111

106 seems to be the magic number today.
shannon burke & stu gleman are leaving parsons & just past 106
lynnor & erika matheny are entering parsons coming up on 106
fred davis was last sighted at 106
(altho we dont know where he is now- there is a cell-service-gap after parsons)
and joe ninke dropped at 106
paul lefelhocz is past lexington at 99, and moving thru the tail end of the field
diane taylor is leaving lexington at 97
and marv skagerberg is in clarksburg (76) and contemplating dropping with his bad feet.

laz

Vol State 2011 Josh Holmes, with Crew

3:30 am Sunday: Feeling really good. So cop (sheriff) pulls me over to warn of a wild BAAAAAARRRRRR up ahead. Confused me because ive never heard of a bear in these parts. I said, “bear?” and he said, “yeah, them drunks come out of there wide open. I just wanted to warn ya! I thanked him and he basically escorted me through the small town with his lights on.

Started back 11:55pm. Slept 1.5 hours but several hours off feet. I just talked to Naresh. He is moving at 125. His feet are all blisters, in pain. But he is tough- Josh Holmes

12 hours ago via iPhone

Been laying here 3 hours sleepless. I give. I’m toast if I don’t get zzzz soon

Navin Sadarangani likes this.

Missy Hensley-Ivie Take at least one 25 mg benadryl and set the alarm clock. Cold shower when you get back up to wake you up good, as well as help with your muscles like you’ve been doing. Maybe that will help? You have to sleep so your body repairs itself or it will eventually shut down…so you may need a little help with the benadryl. Goodluck! You can do this! If anyone can, YOU can!:)12 hours ago · Like

Stephanie Irwin Murdock Do some deep breathing – slow in thru your nose, slow out thru your mouth. Your energy is amazing. But rest now. Let your team do the thinking. 12 hours ago · Like

Navin Sadarangani I agree with Stephanie. Do some relaxed breathing brother. it helps, not just mentally. even physically, releases all the strain and balance your energy levels in your body.11 hours ago · Like

Tracy Pellizzari i agree too… ‘cept i like to breathe in through my nose and out through my nose. i focus on breathing like a baby… where your tummy expands as you breathe in, and goes back down as you breathe out. seems to calm me.11 hours ago · Like

Lisa Gonzales All good advie from everyone. I hope you get some sleep! Rest up!11 hours ago · Like

Joseph Nance Sounds like your heart rate is up if you are having issues with sleeping. With the blood pumping through your body faster than normal you probably should work on some deep breathing to help control it. I hope you are hydrated, and your blood hasn’t started to thicken, because that could possibly cause this also. Either way rest as long as you need, the road will still be there when you’re ready.10 hours ago · Like

Joshua Holmes Thanks for the great tips.

This is Laz’s Update from last night although things have probably changed shape again throughout the night and wee morning hours.

From: lazarus lake <drystoneman@hotmail.com>

Date: July 16, 2011 8:38:11 PM CDT

To: <ultra@listserv.dartmouth.edu>, <volstate@irun100s.com>

Subject: alliances vol-state 9

a regular, and expected feature of the vol-state

are the numerous lead changes & ever shifting positions among the field.

what sometimes escapes notice are the alliances.

small bands of runners,

often composed of the most unlikely combinations,

form and dissolve as the days and nights on the road pass by.

sure, everyone is racing to be first to the rock,

and most of these runners will not hesitate to take advantage of weakness

when the rock finally comes into view…

but when the rock is so far away,

sometimes it is the strength they draw from one another

that will carry them throught the difficult stretches.

one of the driving forces that places runners together,

or separates them

(and keeps the order of placement in constant upheaval)

is the need for rest.

all the runners must leave the course now and then,

but there is no single approach embraced by all.

some sleep at night, some during the day.

most aim for minimal breaks,

but anyone could be forced to take a long one now and then.

for all the value that a temporary alliance might have,

everyone knows the truth.

when your companion is no longer moving at a pace,

or folowing a schedule, that helps you,

it is time to split up.

2 days 12 hours update:

don winkley 150-past hohenwald & moving

mike matteson 144-in hohenwald & stopped

(matteson briefly caught winkley in hohenwald)

abi meadows 127-sitting in the buffalo river just past linden

joe judd 125-sleeping in linden with a swollen ankle

sal coll, naresh kumar, and sherry meador 108-past parsons & moving

fred davis & fred murolo 106-sleeping in the same motel in parsons, altho neither knows the other is there

joe ninke 106-his race ended in parsons

josh holmes 102-sleeping

stu gleman, john price, & shannon burke 102 -approaching parsons and passing josh (if you snooze, you looze)

lynnor & erika matheny 96 -leaving lexington & on the move

paul lefelhocz 92-sleeping in lexington, but climbing into the race after an 18 hourt late start

diane taylor- last seen at 92, passing back by paul

marvin skagerberg-61 nearing huntingdon after a major break in mckenzie

laz

A lot of ugly miles to finish today. I should have retreated to hotel sooner to recover. We (and not just runners) often get caught up in #’s. Since the beginning of time it’s just a one sided romance. Numbers don’t care about you and have never returned love to anyone. -Josh  Holmes

Things observed 98 miles into #vs500k. A turtle’s hard shell is not really that hard. And the chicken crossed the road because he was the only animal that could do it successfully!

12:30 pm Day 3:

Joshua Holmes

I might be overhydrated. Every tree is starting to look good, every 5 min!

Day 2 and 3 Vol State

Day 3 Vol State 2011 The Wee Hours

Day 3 Vol State Map 2011

For the runners of the Vol State Race, it is difficult to know when one day ends and another begins.  So we will go ahead and post the latest from Lazarus Lake, from last night.  Some were sleeping and some were awake in the wee hours.  It seems there was some rain for those using the bright moon of early this morning as their guide.

From: lazarus lake <drystoneman@hotmail.com>

Date: July 15, 2011 9:34:32 PM CDT

To: <ultra@listserv.dartmouth.edu>, <volstate@irun100s.com>

Subject: the endless march of suffering: vol-state 7

people are settling in to life on the road.

they run & walk, they eat, and they sleep.

is there anything else in life?

after 36 hours:

joe ninke retook the lead & is at 106 (in parsons) but he is again holed up in a motel (the omelia motor lodge).

he has abandoned the wiggle wagon & swears he is finished. “too much suffering”

don w is second at 96 heading out of lexington,but is coming off a break & good to go

abi meadows is 3rd at the turn in lexington (92) and who can guess what she will do next.

not even abi knows for sure.

after that it is a logjam.

mike mattison was last sighted going to earth at parkers crossroads (82)

naresh kumar is reportedly holed up in the same place

sal coll was at 81,and planning to go thru

fred murolo at 80 intended to bed down at PC

joe judd, at 79 was planning a break at PC

sherry meador in clarksburg at 77 was talking about going thru

as was stu gleman at 75

fred davis at 74…. well,he never stops.

if he can keep going the same direction anything can happen.

after a big gap comes another logjam:

josh holmes, shannon burke, & john price are all bedded down at 68,in huntingdon.

lynnor & erika matheny are at the edge of huntingdon (64) and aiming for PC tonight.

diane taylor is right behind them at 63,but planning to hole up at 68 with the rest.

marvin skagerberg & paul lefcoholcz are both down in mckenzie (56)

with marvin planning to be on the road at dark, and paul, having just arrived,

likely to sleep a little longer.

it will be interesting to see whose plans work out,

and whose blow up.

any guesses who will be leading when the sun comes up?

laz

From: lazarus lake <drystoneman@hotmail.com>
Date: July 15, 2011 9:34:32 PM CDT
To: <ultra@listserv.dartmouth.edu>, <volstate@irun100s.com>
Subject: the endless march of suffering: vol-state 7

From: lazarus lake <drystoneman@hotmail.com>

Date: July 15, 2011 2:17:39 PM CDT

To: <ultra@listserv.dartmouth.edu>, <volstate@irun100s.com>

Subject: what’s cooking? vol-state 7

just a small item of possible interest.

we have a new leader.

73 yo don winkley is about 10 miles up at the turn in lexington.

ninke was still holed upat 82 (parker crossroads),

matteson was just short of 82 (and planning to hole up)

abi was not far behind mike, and planning to go on thru.

so second place is probably a woman by now.

no wonder today’s women complain about the scarcity of good men.

laz

Run Under the Stars 10 Hour Endurance Race – June 11-12, 2011

This was my second year running the Run Under the Stars 10 Hour Endurance Race in Paducah, Kentucky put on by the West Kentucky Runner’s Club.  Race director Steve Durbin does a great job putting on this race as well as the Land Between the Lakes trail races.

The race takes place at the Carson Horse Park there in Paducah. It’s a half-mile horse track that is composed of crushed limestone.  The track is wide and more than accommodated the 75 or so runners that took part this year.

The race uses chip timing and keeps track of every lap you make during the 10 hour race. You can run as much or as little as you want. You can even run, rest, nap, camp out, then run some more if you want. Race standings are posted throughout the race to help track the competition.  A TV monitor also posts your lap count every time you cross the tracking mat under the race tent.

An aid table is positioned right there on the track that you naturally pass every 1/2 mile. This made the need to carry a fuel belt or water bottle less important. The table was fully stocked throughout the night with water, Gatoraide, and Heed for drinks. It then had an assortment of foods that included watermelon, oranges, candy, potato chips, and even pizza & ice cream as the race grew long.

Runners that show up for this race often have varying goals. Some want to run something as short as a half-marathon while others want to tackle a long ultra-distance of 50+ miles or more.

Weather for this year’s event was cooler with temperatures in the 70’s for most of the race after a storm front had moved through the area earlier in the day. Last year it was in the mid 90’s at the start and never dipped below 84 degrees.  So the weather this year was a lot more ideal for running.

Last year, I had found the race online and thought it sounded unique, quirky, and fun. It was within driving distance so I said what the heck. I had a blast obviously as I returned this year for more. I was also excited that I was able to persuade other tormented souls into joining me in the rat race around the oval track this year.

The theme song for the race, that got stuck in my head after hearing it on the radio on the drive up, was the Smashing Pumpkins lyric, “Despite all my rage, I’m still just a rat in a cage.” It was and is the perfect song and lyric for RUTS because we were all rats out on that oval cage running off our rage and whatever eats at us and drives us to push our bodies to the limit.

At RUTS you are always doing one of two things, either lapping someone or getting lapped. You actually get to know your fellow runners unlike most races where you might only see the competition at the start, finish, and perhaps for a few seconds in between as you run.  So you find yourself talking to the other runners, who are friendly and eager for any opportunity to distract him or herself from the 10 hour clock that is ticking down.

For that very fact, it’s a great race to run with friends that are faster, slower, or normally run a different distance than you since you can spend time with them every few laps as you make your rounds.

My good running friends Chris Estes, Scott Stader, and Naresh Kumar trusted me enough to take my word to join me for the race this year.

I showed up at the horse track at 6:30pm for the 8:00pm race start. See that is the other thing. This race starts at 8pm and then you run throughout the night until 6am, hence the ‘Run Under the Stars’ name.

After arriving, I quickly put up my tent, along with Naresh’s help.  Inside the track’s infield there is ample space to park, pitch a tent, roast marshmellows or do almost anything one desires.  Estes and Stader arrived soon after and quickly joined the ultra party.

Upon check we received our race bib along with other great goodies like a West Kentucky Runner’s Club running hat, tote bag, tech shirt, and fuel belt.

The tent and our vehicles were just 35 feet or so from the horse track. The tent was in front of our cars. Then in front of our cars, just a foot or two off the track, we placed our lawn chairs where we placed all our race gear we thought we might need throughout the night. This way we could just step off the track, grab what we want, then step right back on without losing valuable time tracking inside the infield to get personal belongings.

The field had 66 runners this year and 4 relay teams. The relay team runners were often easy to spot because they zipped by me because they had only been running for an hour or short distance. It’s always hard to gauge who is running hard or the furthest on a 1/2 mile loop because you never know the other runner’s goals or if they are going to run the entire time. Someone is naturally going to run harder and faster if they are just running a half-marathon distance or are part of a relay team. You also never know if this or that runner has been resting the past hour in their tent as you’ve been downing more miles.

I came in trying to have no expectations, to just run well and listen to my body…but in the back of my head I wanted to run 50 miles. I also wanted to top my 50.5 mile distance of last year.

When the race began I started at around a 9 minute/mile pace and ran the first three miles at this pace before I realized it was probably too fast a pace. I decided to slow down a bit and let my heart rate come down to help me find a comfortable rhythm. I didn’t want to labor, especially just 30 minutes into a 10-hour event.

I didn’t eat anything the first couple of hours. I just drank water and Nuun. The Nuun is good stuff and about 100x better than Gatoraide.  After the first hour I had finished approximately 6.5 miles.

I hit 12 miles at 1:57 and the half-marathon mark at around 2:08. I would talk with friends and strangers as I continued to put down miles. I brought headphones in case I wanted to listen to music at some point, but I never broke them out. I don’t like having to wrestle with headphones, cords, and sweaty ear holes while trying to run.

With an ultra you can’t just worry about hydration. You also have to worry about nutrition and replacing the calories and carbs you are burning up.  You will wilt and die if you refuse to eat. Of course eating when you don’t feel like eating is usually just as difficult. I started with simple stuff like watermelon and oranges. I also would take a Gu Roctane about every 40 minutes.

After 3 hours I was at 18 miles. After 4 hours, 23.2 miles. My runner never really slowed as the night progressed, but I had to walk for a 1/10th of a mile once or twice a lap after the first couple of hours as my ankles became extremely tender from some of the divots in the track from the horses.

Around midnight the pizza arrived!  I took two slices and neatly stacked them on top of each other as I took off for another lap. I ran the next mile while slowly eating both pieces of pizza. The pizza tasted great and provided several hundred calories that would come in handy later on.

I reached the marathon distance (26.2 miles) in 4:35 and had 28.2 miles banked at 5 hours, the half-way point.

At 6 hours I had finished 33.3 miles. I knew I had a good shot of reaching 50 miles if my body would hold up. My ankles, tender and sore from very early in the race, made me wonder if my running would turn into a March of Dimes walk-a-thon. I was hoping my short walk breaks every half mile would be enough to allow me to continue to run it fast until the end.

When I reached 32 miles, I came across Estes on a lap. He looked a bit beat up and told me he had developed a painful blister on the bottom of one of his feet. He had tried to tape it, but the blister seemed determined to slow down Estes or end his night….which it did.

Estes, to my shock, told me he was going to finish another lap and call it a night with 34.5 miles.  He was going to play it smart. Something runners, and especially those like Estes and myself, rarely do.

He made the right call.

So Estes retired to the lawn chair near the track and did a great job of offering the rest of us encouragement and support for most of remaining 4 hours.

35 miles came at 6:22 and 40 at 7:23.  I had over 2.5 hours to do at least 10 miles. I had my iPhone out to recalculate the pace I would need to reach 50 miles ever so often when I’d hit a milestone (marker).  I stayed strong and the pace I needed continued to become a larger and larger number….a good thing!

One of the best things that happened during the race took place took place with just a few hours left. I had been expecting and waiting upon it as well. I finished a lap and saw three volunteers standing there, each with a separate box. One had Bomb popsicles, the other Nutty Buddies, and the third had fudgesicles. I grabbed the chocolate one and that ice cream, that had  naturally melted a bit in the heat, tasted like fresh cocoa milk off a cow’s udder. It was heavenly and so yum!

Those magical volunteers from the big RD in the Sky were there for several more laps with all three ice cream options. I turned it down after the first time for fear my over-indulgence might cause a stomach problem that would turn me into Cary Morgan around mile 20 of a marathon.

With 22 minutes left, as the clock hit 9:38, I reached my goal of 50 miles. I felt good though so I kept running.  The miles weren’t easy at this point, but they weren’t hard either. I was still running 80% of each lap at a 9:10ish pace. I’d walk just long enough to catch my breath, bring my HR down, and rest my ankles.

I came around on lap 102 (51 miles) and saw I had plenty of time to attempt another lap. So I did, but I noticed quickly that my arms and fingers were tingling and going a bit numb. I quickly decided I didn’t want to die on a horse track in Paducah and walked a good bit of that last lap.

I finished with 51.5 miles in 9:58:42.

Naresh finished with 51.5 miles as well. We tied for 6th out of 66 solo runners. Stader finished his first ultra, a 50K.  Estes completed his third ultra with 34.5 miles.

103 Laps on a 1/2 Mile Horse Track (via Garmin)

103 laps around an oval horse track, in the middle of the night, might like a bad idea to some people, but RUTS is a great race that allows you to run with and alongside your friends until the race clock runs out of tick-tocks.

I’ve run 204 laps around that horse track the past two years.  I’ll likely be back next year for more.  I plan to bring even more running friends with me next year!

– Joshua Holmes

[Other runners I enjoyed running with, spending time with, and seeing once again included Sulaiman Seriki, Diane Taylor, John Price, Mike Youngblood, Bruce Tanksley, Gary Cantrell (Lazarus Lake), and Stu Gleman to name a few.]

[photo: Scott Stader]

KEYS100 Race Report: May 15th-16th 2010
by Beth McCurdy

As I sit here writing this report only 4 days later, I’m thinking about how fortunate I am that I do not have to work this week. Taking care of Grant, preparing dinner, and all the usual stuff, takes a lot of effort right now. Running 100 miles in the extreme heat affected me more than I had anticipated, both physically and mentally. But it was completely worth it in ways that I had never imagined.

Making the decision to run a 100 mile race wasn’t all that difficult. My decision involved making a verbal commitment to my friends in Tampa, Florida on a Half Marathon race weekend in addition to posting it on facebook. I knew deep down that until I officially sign up, I could always back out. A few months went by and when I felt fairly secure about this decision, I decided to sign up. Never in my life have I ever felt so much nervous energy-even more than right before the gun went off in the Boston Marathon. I felt exhilirated, anxious, and down right scared. After all, the most I have ever run is 50 miles in cooler climate. Running a 100 mile race in the Keys in the month of May would not be easy and I wasn’t even sure that I could finish. But isn’t that I why I signed up?

I stayed focused on my training leading up to the event by completing 70 miles in a 12 hour event, plus some other ultra and marathon distances. I felt confident that my training, my crew, Stacey, Whitney, and Dave, and the mental preparation necessary for this distance, would carry me through to the finish. Of course, the heat and humidity was always the unknown factor that weighed heavily on my mind-and for good reason.

The week before the event I was less nervous than I thought I’d be. In fact, I was in an incredibly positive mood and happy. I was about to embark on the most exciting adventure of my life. I had so much support and encouragement from friends and family-they seemed just as excited about the event as I was.

After a fairly decent night of sleep, my crew and I headed to the start line at the 101 mile marker in Key Largo. The gun went off at 6 a.m. For the first several miles, I talked to Christian and Cyndi. The company helped keep me relaxed and it was nice knowing that I was not the only one on the planet who was about to run 100 miles. Those early miles were an adjustment. I was running at an incredibly slow pace for me and sweating profusely. On a cool day, this pace would feel completely different. So this was my first wake up call of what I had in store for the rest of the day.

At the first few crew stops, I just wasn’t sure what I needed. In fact, I made the mistake of telling my crew that I didn’t need them for 7 more miles. Wow, what was I thinking? I ended up getting water from another crew during that stretch and realized that I need to accept help from my crew as often as possible. So, I surrendered to them and thank goodness I did. Every 2-3 miles, my crew was there with everything that I could possibly need and came out to me so that I could keep walking. Whitney had the cup of strawberries and oranges, peanut butter sandwich, and bag of washcloths. She would squeeze the ice cold water on my head, drape washcloths over my shoulders, and encourage me to eat. Stacey had the refilled handheld water bottle, salt tabs, pain relievers, and the new bandana filled with ice to wear around my neck. Stacey would go over with me what was ahead and where they would be at the next stop. This information was extremely helpful-especially knowing when a bridge was ahead which I ended up looking forward to rather than dreading.

The first longer bridge came at about 15 miles. As I crested the hill on the bridge, all I could see was beautiful clear greenish-blue water everywhere. Even though the cars were speeding by me at 50+miles per hour, I was able to block them out and had this sensation that I was running on water. I was grinning ear to ear and thanked God that I was given this experience to run the KEYS100.

When I approached the 50 mile check-in, I realized that I ran the second 25 miles faster than the first. This was a confidence booster for sure, however, my blistered feet were beginning to concern me. I told my crew that my feet were a mess but that I will not be taking my shoes off to treat the blisters or change socks because I was fearful that it may make me sick if I see the damage. They listened to my wishes and I hoped that my feet would be able to withstand the duration of the race.

The 7 mile bridge approached soon after the 50 mile check-in and I stopped at the SUV in order to take in a significant amount of water and gatorade. I held two handheld water bottles and headed on the bridge with Stacey. Even though there was a nice breeze on the bridge, I had already gone 54 miles at this point and it was approximately 4 p.m. so the sun was strong. Having Stacey lead so that I didn’t have to focus on vehicles flying by was extremely helpful.

After the 7 mile bridge, I returned to the SUV to regroup and suddenly found myself very dizzy. I lay down on the ground and my crew covered me with ice cold washcloths. I believe that running the 7 miles without my crew cooling me down affected me more than I thought but luckily after about 10 minutes, I was back running again and felt fine.

One of the best parts of the day was when the sun started to go down and it wasn’t nearly as brutally hot. I started to finally feel some heat relief and despite my hurting feet, I was able to keep running. I started thinking that if I continue to feel this way, I may actually finish this thing by 2 a.m. But without any notice, I started to go downhill (not literally).

After the 75 mile check-in (time was a little over 15 hrs), I realized how much pain my feet were in and at that time, it seemed to be more difficult to walk than to run. I also realized that running in the dark was going to be more of a challenge than I originally thought. Being in pain, tired, not being able to see ocean, trees, or people, and having to dodge vehicles, was almost too tough to take and Stacey at that point agreed to stay with me for the remainder of the race. I thank God for Stacey.

Unfortunately, I had another “issue” to deal with soon after the 75 mile mark which was nausea and vomiting. I had to accept the fact that I would not be able to eat or drink gatorade anymore. I knew this would be tough but I was still able to process water. My kidneys were still functioning properly and I was able to keep moving forward so with Stacey’s guidance, this is what I did. She encouraged me to run if I could, but the majority of the time, I could only last 5 minutes or less without needing to walk.

With 6 miles left to go, I could no longer run. I had no energy left and my feet were in too much pain. At one point, I had a strong desire to close my eyes. I felt extremely tired and thought that it might feel good to close my eyes. So, Stacey and I walked arm in arm while I took a little “walking nap”. I did this again with Whitney even closer to the finish.

I pictured in my mind that the finish would be the finish of a lifetime. Even if I’d been walking leading up to the finish, I’d make myself run with my crew by my side and be overwhelmed with emotion. Well, I did finish with my crew by my side but I was in such a fog that I really didn’t feel anything. I wasn’t able to run through the finish because my feet were beyond painful and my thoughts revolved around sitting down and taking my shoes off. My finish time was 22:52. 9th overall, 3rd female, 30 finishers total out of 70 starters.

Things that I did not expect

1)The support and love from my family and friends was unbelievable. I know that people love me but I guess running 100 miles reminded me of this.

2)That my feet would get so damaged with swelling and blisters. I thought I might have a few lost toe nails but nothing close to this.

3)That my crew would be 100% perfect. I knew that they were going to be great but they were impeccable. The selflessness of Whitney, Dave, and Stacey was incredible and believe me, they were tired, too!

4)That I would have lost so much weight. I’ve lost weight due to dehydration before from events but I hardly recognized myself afterwards. LOL.

5)That I would feel this much satisfaction out of accomplishing my goal of finishing my first 100 mile foot race.

Thank you!
Mom and Dad and the rest of the family for being so supportive
My running club buddies
My GUTS friends
My neighbors, childhood friends, and facebook friends
And to Whitney, Dave, and Stacey, the best crew ever.
XXOO

– Beth McCurdy

2011 Ridge Runner Marathon Race Report – (Josh Hite)

I saw Gary hitting the trail.  Actually, I saw the Jeep Cherokee first.  Hazard lights gave it away.  I had been tracking both for some fourteen miles.  The vehicle followed the course; Gary followed the vehicle; I followed Gary.  Now both were 0.42 miles ahead according to my watch’s calculations.  I passed the mile marker at eighteen right after he passed me going the other way.  The elapsed lap time said 3:10 when I passed his mark.  Three minutes ten second to catch the leader in the last eight miles.  Yeap, it was where I wanted to be after thinking about the various possibilities over the past hour and a half.

I dropped off the kids with my parents in Virginia the day before.  My wife stayed at home this trip to enjoy a night without either me or our sons.  My cohort, Dallas (Smith), and I continued on into West Virginia after unloading the kids.  The plan to have a quick trip that included rough marathon appealed to both of us.  At least it appealed to me, and he was kind enough to accompany me and participate as well.  I knew he had a shot at a top ten finish in this race.  Not too shabby for a seventy year old, but our last marathon trip together was to Boston where he placed second in his age group.  His time would have won six of the last eight Boston’s; it just happened that 2011 was one of the two.

Eight hours sitting and driving are not usually the best way to spend the day before a marathon, but we both had done it before.  Stopping occasionally had left us getting to Parkersburg, WV and our hotel at 7:15.  The meal at a local Italian joint called Johnny Carino’s was substantial.  A Peroni beer, antipasto salad, and the tour of Italy featuring ziti, lasagna, and fettuccini was almost too much.  I usually try to stay away from red sauce before a race.  Maybe I was sabotaging my own chances.  I didn’t care because earlier I had received bittersweet news that a friend was offered a job – a job to which I too had applied.  I was happy for her, but I didn’t want to hear this before a marathon.  The last thing I needed was to be fretting over lost chances prior to running my race.  At least my company helped put my mind at ease.  Dallas’s wisdom has a knack for that.

I appreciated the little rest I had the night before, but I hate waking to an alarm clock.  It was one of those necessary evils of a race – like port a poties.

Not many races allow you to register the day of the marathon.  This one does.  The previous two times I ran this race, I registered the day before.  Not this time.  We pulled in to register for the race that morning and immediately I saw Gary Krugger getting in his car.  Dallas and I both ran with Gary last August for the first time when he drove from Erie, Pennsylvania to race with us and eleven other people in 90+ degree heat.  Since then, I ran Knoxville with Gary (where he helped me up when I fell on the course), and I ran Boston with him (where I tried to get him to a personal best, but I blew up and he ran on to finish strong).  Gary is one of the few who runs more marathons than me, some 130+ with seventeen sub 3’s this year alone. Gary was there in West Virginia’s North Bend State Park to run a sub 3. West Virginia was one of the few fifty states Gary has not run under three hours.

The turnaround was the first time I saw Gary since around mile eight.  I told him that I didn’t know if I could help him with a sub 3 on this course as we walked to the start line together just two hours earlier.  This course was not made to be fast.  The first mile is synonymous with the first hill, which Gary and I ran side by side.  Downhills occur for a few miles and then the course climbed like my heart rate until runners hit a town (and the exposed sun) around mile twelve.  Three miles on a busier road with no shade lead to a mile and a half steep climb.  The flat shaded section of the rail trail at eighteen to twenty four goes through three tunnels.  A climb from twenty four to twenty five is followed by a scorching downhill to the finish.

After I ran up the first hill, I noticed that Gary was too fast on the downhills for me.  I had to save myself if I were to have a good race.  His lead started growing at mile four.  Because of a few stops when “nature called,” he had about a minute and a half at mile seven.  I didn’t see him after the town at the half way mark.  His lead had to be four minutes, but I still hit the half way around 1:30 and change.  My legs felt use for the first time climbing from fifteen to sixteen.

I wanted to save my legs to seventeen.  I changed it to eighteen after I had lost sight of Gary.  Now I spotted him again, and it was time for my legs to take over.  He spoke from across the path, but I couldn’t understand what he said.  The Jeep and the wind drowned my hearing.  I wanted to hold back a little longer – just enough to get over the bridge and see if anyone was behind me.  There wasn’t.  It was between Gary and me.

I wished that I had worn my Montrail Rogue Racers.  This was just the type of trail they would crush.  Too much road for the shoe I decided.  I want to save those for the trails.  I picked up my pace from running a 6:50ish on the flats to a 6:35 pace.  The heat was getting to me.  I pushed forward and passed early starters.  Then I spotted the blinking lights of the Jeep far ahead.  The tunnels lay just ahead.

As I went into the first tunnel, I remembered how little sunlight penetrated.  I had remembered the hills, the sun, and the turnaround.  Somehow I forgot the darkness in the tunnels.  Run like on the trails.  Set the foot down lightly and lock the ankle into place.  It worked.  I powered through the first tunnel and was met with a surprise.  Gary’s ponytail caught my attention.  It waved just thirty seconds ahead of me.  I was running a 6:30 pace.  He must have slowed to a 7:30.

If the reader wants solid advice or some kind of secret to racing a marathon, then pay attention.  If there is a downhill anywhere from 16-20 followed by a sustained flat, then that is where people will break.  It delays “the wall” because of the downhill.  The runner hits the flat and starts working harder.  Everyone knows about “the wall” and expects it to occur.  When going downhill, you feel good.  Most of the time when running on a flat section you feel good, but after running downhill, “the wall” is condensed and magnified. Gary and I used the same strategy in Knoxville to dust two guys sticking with us.  Today it bit Gary.

I approached quickly, and he looked back muttering, “I have been waiting on you.”  I couldn’t help him. His race was over, and if I talked or slowed, my race would be over too.  He knew that he was going to have to come back to West Virginia to get his Sub three.  I sped ahead to mile twenty two, two miles until the last hill.

6:30 pace held true until I hit the hill.  I craved water, but only Gatorade was at the stations.  It could have been Crisco – I wasn’t having any.  My stomach may not have handled it.  This was on my mind but not as much as the upcoming hill was.  I was greeted by a grandmother and a young girl taking pictures when I hit mile marker twenty four.  Their encouragement was appreciated, but the appreciation did not relieve the pain expressed on my face.  I noticed my watch display 2:44:??  What?  That is a 6:52 pace, but the hill was ahead.  I started my mantra, “feet on the ground.”  The more my feet hit the ground, the faster I covered the ground.  I thought I was in Jackson County running up the hills with Dallas.  If there were anyone who had trained to run up these hills, it was us.  Breaking three hours would be tough though.

I could see the top.  The last water station awaited me.  I took two waters: one spilling on my head and the other splashing in my face and mouth.  Mile twenty five was only twenty feet later.  8:10 for the hill, but more importantly my watch showed 2:52:28.  I knew 6:40 pace is 1:20 for the last two tenths of a mile.  That was eight minutes, too much time.  6:00 flat is 7:12 for the final 1.2 miles.  I had a downhill, but I knew it needed to be around 6:00 flat.  The feet hit the ground nonstop.  Leaning forward and using the tangents helped me push out a 6:13 mile.  1:19 across the bridge and around two turns to break three hours: difficult for sure.  The bridge had a van coming out.  Did it see me? I had to be a blur.  It moved right and let me continue my path.  The finish clock ticked 2:59:3x through the leaves.  My arms pumped, and I leaned forward to see 59:40.  I ran harder and the clocked seemed to tick faster.  It seems that time would have slowed, but it sped ahead.  59:52.  I stopped looking and put my eyes on the finish shoot.  59:56.  How could the seconds pass so quickly?  I crossed the line and hit my watch – 2:59:58.  This took the cake for the hardest I worked for a sub three.

Gary came through about eight minutes later.  I handed him the ice bag someone gave me and apologized for not chatting when I saw him last.  He gathered his facilities, and we walked back to the top of the hill towards the car.  Cheering people (ten milers mainly) to the finish as we went against the flow, we noticed third place.  He was some thirty minutes back.  We continued up the hill hoping to see Dallas, and there he was.  Fourth!  Seventy and fourth!  It doesn’t matter your age when you are fourth.  You will win whatever age group.  He just happened to be in the last age group.  Not too bad for not training for a marathon, but we have been running those hills in Jackson County.

– Josh Hite

Nanny Goat 100 Mile  Ultra Marathon Race Report (May 28-29, 2011)
My 1st 100 miler, 1 loop at a time

Nanny Goat is a race that offers to run 12 hours, 24 hours or 100 miles. The course: a one mile loop on a horse ranch. You actually run through the horse stables each mile and swipe your timing card attached to your wrist. I picked this race because I thought it would be a good way to find out if I am even cut out for running all day and all night. Passing by your own aid station every mile seemed doable.

Last year, I attempted Nanny Goat and dropped at 69 miles, 20 hours due to very bad blister feet. Consensus was the shoes caused the problem. I ditched those Asics trail shoes and got Inov-8 Roclite 295s I’ve run in for a year and no blisters. This year I also summoned a crew of 6 and told them their goal was to keep me out of the chair. I even questioned the times I had to use the bathroom whether or not I was looking for an excuse to sit down. Yes, we had portable pots at this race. I had 28 hours to finish 100 miles and I assumed that’s what it would take me. Within first few hours of running I kept saying I was running too fast as I was way ahead of schedule but I let happen and banked the miles.

I trained for 5 months with a women training for Western States 100 this month. We ran at least one of our weekend days together. Some of my training runs were harder than any ultra race I’ve done and I did use a couple 50ks and a marathon as training. Most of my weekend long runs were hilly trails but knowing my race was going to be flat, I did run a few long flat road runs.

The temps were nice and peaked at high 70’s, not too cold at night. I used the cooling system I learned while crewing at Badwater. Cold wet bandana on neck, ice under hat, and ice cold drink every mile until 6 p.m. Two days before the race I got a sore throat and lost my voice. Within about 3 hours of running, I was having difficulty eating, even gels. I had the gag factor and felt nauseated after everything I swallowed. I’m usually a pig at a race and can eat anything any time. I didn’t even want to drink my Hammer electrolytes. Another runner suggested I stick to fruit and water. I could get half a banana down reluctantly, lots of fresh oranges from the orange trees on the course, water and a salt pill every hour. Even though I gagged, spit, and groaned through the night I did not let it slow me down. I remember the first time I said I was sleepy and it was already midnight. This made me so happy I woke up a bit. Throughout the night, I sipped soda, cold coffee with creamer and chewed caffeine gum two times. Not a lot of calories in and not many potty breaks. I wasn’t bloated so we weren’t concerned.

After about 27 miles, I did get hot spots and quickly applied bandaids. Two on each foot in exact same places appeared at different times. I changed my socks often too. I brought quite a few pairs of thin socks thinking due to heat I would like these best. Thin socks on a mostly flat hot race did not work for me. I loved my thicker socks. The NG course offers various textures such as sandy, bumpy grass (the worst), dirt, and black top.

Sunrise is a magical time during this distance. We even had a rooster to let us know.  I couldn’t stop looking up at the blue sky, white puffy clouds and then that one black cloud. It rained lightly for less than an hour. I did have different pacers with me all through the night. A crew/pacer arrived in the morning and two of her suggestions gave me new pep. First was applesauce. Man, never did cold applesauce taste so good. With 15 miles left, she asked if I listened to music while running and I said, “no.” She then shared how she doesn’t either but used music in her 100 mile race and it helped. We grabbed my ipod that I did bring just in case. Who knew?! Listening to music made me forget any discomfort. I was so excited to be almost done and finishing an hour and a half faster than expected. I let it rip. I was singing and dancing my way to the finish, holding back the tears. I had a lot of ultra running buddies at this race that would stand up and cheer for me every time I came through the barn. I couldn’t believe I was actually going to finish and finish strong passing a couple runners in the end.

At 26:17, I accepted my buckle and cried while my friends snapped photos. I had no leg pain during the whole race but as soon as I stopped, some muscles stiffened in areas all new to me. Oh, and my cold came rushing in full force. Legs and feet are golden but my cold is kicking my butt.

That’s the race report about me. A whole other race report can be written about the Nanny Goat race itself. The horse ranch, the race director, the other runners all make for a family event with lots of quirky endurance run nuts and big smiles. Endorphin Dude changed capes throughout 24 hours and Ed Ettinghausen memorized everyone’s name, giving every runner a shout-out every time he passed you. I love my ultra family. My first buckle is baby blue with a goat on it…I’ll take that!

–Kista Cook

Kista’s Website & Race Medal Racks for Purchase

Nanny Goat 100 Mile Ultra Marathon Race Website