Leggo My Ego

It’s doubtful that many of you would consider running 75 miles in less than a day a failure.  And, I’m not sure I consider it one myself.  But, as I sit here licking the wounds of not finishing this weekend’s 100 mile ultra, I can’t help but think about one word.  Ego.  You see, I was thrilled to be included with some running legends in an article recently in the Commercial Appeal that talked about 100 mile ultra marathons and the growth of the sport.  As always, there was one opinionated commenter who made it clear that anyone who would undertake such a ridiculously long endeavor was driven solely by ego.  I’ll admit it has stuck with me.  I’m not someone who considers myself to be exceptionally egotistical.  But, I thought about it during the Mark Twain 100, my third ‘hundred miler’ in a little over a year.  I frankly decided that ego isn’t such a bad thing.  I was running well and felt great.  I was 30-something miles into the race and it was raining steadily.  I love running.  I love running in the rain.  I love running all day and night.  My ego and I were having fun.

Jump forward a few hours and 30 or so miles.  It was still raining.  It was getting dark.  The rocks were rockier.  The roots were rootier.  The dirt was mud.  It was pitch dark.  I was completely alone. My clothes were wet.  My ego and I were battling it out.  My body and my mind were having an old fashioned, ego-driven duel.  My ankles had turned so many times on loose rocks I lost count.  I was chaffed in all the wrong places.  I was puking.  So, I finished the 3rd lap for a total of 75 miles in a little over 18 hours.  I was toast.  Ego, ego, where art thou?

Fact is, I made the smart decision.  My rational side told my egotistical side to sit this one out.  And, as much as it wasn’t officially a check in the “Win” category, in some ways it was.  I believe that on good days and bad days there’s something to be learned that you can take with you for the next time.  Bruised ego and all, I’ve compiled a list of the top 10 things I’ve learned so far running ultras.  I look forward to adding to the list for many years to come.

And, honorable mention….Ego, kept in check, is a remarkable tool.

Here is the finisher’s medal for the Endure the Bear 50K that took place on September 8, 2012 in Big Bear Lake, California.

The same medal was given to finishers of the 30K and 15K as well.

Below you will see a photo of a 2nd place finisher’s medal that was presented to RIF #5 Lisa Gonzales for placing second in the 15K. Congrats to Lisa on her stellar accomplishment.

MORE PHOTOS OF MARATHON/ULTRA MEDALS AND BUCKLES

[medal photo submitted by RIF #5 Lisa Gonzales. Follow the race on Twitter @runlikeacoyote]

Here is a look at where everyone is running this weekend. We had 51 responses this week. Good luck to everyone and Run It Fast!

To join Run It Fast – The Club then click HERE to read more details.

Where Run It Fast Runners Are Running This Weekend (August 4-5, 2012)

Storified by Joshua Holmes · Fri, Aug 03 2012 20:28:34

There was a bit of controversy at Karl Meltzer’s Speedgoat 50K that took place on July 28, 2012 in Snowbird Resort, Utah.

Elite ultramarathoner Kilian Jornet was caught cutting several switchbacks during the race. He was warned at mile 20 to stop but continued to do randomly throughout the race.

Naturally, Rickey Gates, who was in second place witnessing Jornet’s Zorro-like snipping of the course, was none too happy.

I Run Far’s Bryon Powell interviewed Karl (RD) after the race to get the official word on what he decided to do about Kilian cutting multiple switchbacks on the course. (Video above, transcript below)

Here is what Karl had to say about his decision:

“Today was an incredibly tough spot. We had a great competitive field at the race this year. It was panning out exactly how it was supposed to pan out. Kilian Jornet and Ricky Gates were in the front, chasing the leaders up front. Rickey beat Kilian to the top, and that was great; everything was running out great. What happened though, along the route, I was descending into Mineral Basin myself, Kilian was in the lead briefly, and he cut a switchback. That was the first time we saw it happen. Ok, one little thing, no big deal. He continued on the course and he continued to cut switchbacks randomly throughout the route. There were a lot of visuals from our volunteers that saw it. So now I’m thinking, “Well, what do I do now? Do I disqualify him? Do I just let it ride?” Every other runner, not exactly every other runner, Ricky Gates who was right behind him was a little ticked off. He wasn’t liking it very much. So Ricky followed the route; he stayed on course. For Ricky, it was a closed course. As they headed into Mineral Basin, I don’t know how many switchbacks Kilian cut. I couldn’t see. But as he left Larry’s Hole he cut a few more. He was told at mile 20 that he was not supposed to cut switchbacks. Then he did it again descending Little Cloud Bowl into the finish line. So now here I am in this tough position to say, “How do I monitor this? What do I do? Do I disqualify Kilian Jornet? Do I just let it ride?”

So what I did… Kilian ended up crossing the finish line first in 5:14, which is ridiculously fast. Rickey Gates was 5:18 and change. I told Kilian when he initially crossed the line, “Hey, I may have to disqualify you because of cutting the course.” Kilian is a very gracious athlete and he said, “Yes, it’s ok. I understand. It’s ok.” I was pretty psyched about that. He was really gracious. He’s a great kid, because I’m old. At the same time, I waited a little while to decide what the final decision would be. I talked to 10 to 20 people. I got their insight and input. The most important input I got was probably was something that Pikes Peak did years ago when a few Europeans came over and they cut corners. I don’t know if they technically won the race, but they cut the corners. They didn’t disqualify them, but what they did do is they didn’t pay them the prize money. I said, “You know what? That’s probably a reasonably fair thing to do.”

To be honest with you, I hated to do this. I hate to be in this position. Some people will think I’m a bad guy for the decision that I made, but honestly, I think it was kind of the right decision. I couldn’t say “DQ. You’re out. Done. See ya next year maybe? Maybe not.” I really want this race to continue as a Skyrunning race. I want it to continue. I made the ultimate decision of going with what Pikes Peak did, and we paid Rickey Gates as the winner. Rickey also beat Kilian to the top, so he gets $1,000 bonus. He was also under the record. So Ricky gets $4,000, and, unfortunately, Kilian doesn’t get any money. I still gave Kilian Jornet the win, because as a Skyrunning Series program, I really want to keep that. I don’t want to diss him out on that whole thing. That’s kind of how they race in Europe and in all the other races, so I let that ride.

Kilian, again, was a very gracious athlete. He’s a really cool guy. Rickey felt good about it. A lot of the other spectators that know what my decision was, they thought that was good. Ultimately, the bottom line is that Rickey Gates will get the course record, technically the course record, because he followed the course. Again, it’s such a hard decision to make. Kilian was very gracious about it. So it is what it is.”

So Rickey Gates gets the course record and the prize money, but Kilian Jornet wins the 2012 Speedgoat 50K.

I’m glad I wasn’t in Karl’s shoes to make that call on Kilian and Rickey, but he seemed to do all he could to make a fair decision.

If it had been me? If Rickey has all the winning prize money and the course record then he should have been given the win as well. It’s easy to Monday Quarterback though!!!

[source: IRunFar]

The Last Annual Vol-State Road Race (2012 Edition)

Missouri to Georgia 500 kilometers (314 miles)

Drivers in Tennessee may see some strange characters walking and running alongside the road between July 12 and July 22. While sensible people will be heeding the weatherman’s advice to avoid exercise during the heat of the day, thirty runners from across the country are set to participate in the 32nd “last annual” Vol-State Road Race. The Vol-State, a 500 km (314 mile) footrace, beginning in Dorena Landing, Missouri and finishing at Castle Rock, Georgia, is one of the oldest races of its kind in the world, as well as one of the longest.

The runners will be divided between two divisions; Aided runners will have a crew and vehicle along to provide fluids and food, while the Unaided runners will rely on what they can purchase or carry along the route. The majority of this year’s field will be in the Unaided division. The ultimate, overall winner will carry the coveted title “King of the Road” for the next 12 months. Reigning “King of the Road”, 73 year old Don Winkley out of Corpus Christi, Texas will not be defending his crown, as he will be competing in a footrace across France that takes place at the same time.

The course record is held by Dewayne Satterfield, a mathematician at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama, who completed the course in 2009 in a time of 3 days 17 hours 42 minutes and 12 seconds. While Dewayne has not entered at this time, rumors persist that he will be there when the runners board the ferry, to make an attempt on the unaided record held by Dan Fox out of Seattle, Washington. The “Feral Fox” completed the course unaided in a time of 5 days 12 hours 19 minutes and 11 seconds. Fox is entered in the 2012 race.

While some of the runners will be competing for records and championships, others will be in the race as a personal challenge. The time limit for the event is 10 days, and runners will be entering Georgia up until time expires, as everyday people seek to achieve the seemingly impossible distance in Tennessee’s July heat.

The Vol-State is renowned among mega-marathoners for the famous hospitality of Tennesseans. Every runner returns home with stories of the kindnesses shown to them as they struggle thru the Tennessee summer heat. While the runners are thrilled just to receive words of encouragement, they have been offered everything from ice-water and sandwiches, to a bed and a shower. The challenge and the scenery is what brought the race to Tennessee. But, it is the Tennesseans themselves that keep the runners coming back.

The race can be followed on RunItFast.com

The race can be followed on several Twitter accounts from runners and participants including Joshua Holmes (@bayou), John Price (@VBultrarunner), Shannon Burke (@s4121burke), and Naresh Kumar (@iamarunr).

The race can be followed on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/volstaterun 

and on Joshua’s Facebook page at http://facebook.com/ultrajoshua

Acourse map, with runner locations marked with “stickpins” will be available during the race at: http://www.tinyurl.com/VolState2012

Landmarks on the course, and their distance:
Dorena Landing, MO ferry landing 0 miles
Hickman, KY old downtown district 2 miles
Union City, TN old downtown district 18 miles
Martin, TN old downtown district 31 miles
Dresden, TN square 40 miles
Gleason, TN high school 48 miles
McKenzie, TN square 56 miles
Huntingdon, TN square 67 miles
Lexington, TN square 92 miles
Parsons, TN downtown 107 miles
Linden, TN square 125 miles
Hohenwald, TN square 144 miles
Hampshire, TN downtown 162 miles
Columbia, TN square 177 miles
Culleoka, TN downtown 188 miles
Lewisburg, TN square 201 miles
Shelbyville, TN square 223 miles
War Trace, TN downtown 233 miles
Manchester, TN square 249 miles
Pelham, TN downtown 266 miles
Monteagle, TN downtown 274 miles
Tracy City, TN downtown 280 miles
Jasper, TN downtown 296 miles
South Pittsburg, TN Tn River Bridge 303 miles
Castle Rock, GA scenic overlook 314 miles

The Entrants:
Juli Aistars, Illinois
Rita Barnes, Ohio
Sal Coll , Georgia
Dan Fox, Washington
Dusty Hardman, Florida
Sherry Meador, Alabama
Abi Meadows, Georgia
Mike Melton, Florida
Joe Ninke, Florida
John Price, Virginia
Sulaiman Seriki, Tennessee
Jan Silverman, Illinois
Charlie Taylor, Tennessee
Diane Taylor, Tennessee
Psyche Wimberly, Georgia
Shannon Burke, Indiana
Jay Dobrowalski, California
Ray Krolewicz, South Carolina
Paul Lefelhocz, Ohio
Marvin Skagerberg, Texas
Richard Westbrook, Georgia
Mike Montgomery, Tennessee
Mike O’Melia, Alabama
Billy Ray Richardson, Tennessee
Shirley Smith, Alabama
Chris White, Tennessee
Erika Matheney, Texas
Thomas Mikkelsen, Ohio
Lynn Turner, Oklahoma
Joshua Holmes, Tennessee

Race Reports from 2011 Vol State:

• Joshua Holmes Race Report
• Naresh Kumar Race Report
• Don Winkley Race Report (Winner)
• Fred Murolo Race Report

2012 Western States 100 Race Report (June 23-24, 2012)

I was at the Pink Palace Museum with a group of 6 year olds for a Daisies field trip when I found out. I stood there. Stunned. I wanted to scream. Run. Jump up and down. Cry. But all I could really do was stand there and go through the motions, heart beating out of my body, looking at decorations on Christmas Trees and pretending to be mentally present. I’d just found out I been chosen in the Western States lottery. I’d done my first 100 miler in August and had qualified to enter the lottery. Fact is, I entered as casually could be, glass of wine in hand, with no hope of getting in. After all, I had something like a 7% chance of being chosen. Come to find out, I was the only person from Tennessee chosen in the lottery. No pressure there.

So, I started reading. And obsessing. And running like Forrest Gump. I decided that I was, without a doubt, going to be the little fish in the big pond and the best I could do was train like crazy. In the months after I got ‘the news’ I ran 2 trail marathons, 4 – 50k’s, and 3 – 50 milers in addition to all the countless training miles on local trails. I ran in fear. Fear of failure to be honest. Lots of people now knew that this little-known blonde chick had gotten in and I am pretty sure there were several that not only didn’t think I deserved it but didn’t think I’d finish. And that, whether true or not, was gas on the training fire. I just really couldn’t fail.

It was finally time. Craig (husband and crew chief extraordinaire) and I got to Sacramento on the Wednesday before the race and picked up my pacer, Erno, on Thursday morning. I’d pretty much wrapped my mind around the whole thing until we drove into Squaw Valley ski resort and I saw it – the mountain. It was the first 4 miles…all straight up a ski mountain. Deep breath!! We had the rest of that day and all of the next day to get ready – drop bags, medical check, crew maps, etc. The details made my head swim. The ski village was filled with runners, many of whom grace the pages of Trailrunner every month. Some of them I recognized, and some of them Erno pointed out to me. I just kept thinking….breathe!

After a surprisingly good (but short) night’s sleep, I got up on race morning at 3:45 AM and picked up my timing chip and race number, ate breakfast, got dressed, and kept trying to just breathe. It was finally time. I’d heard the weather was going to be cooler, which was great.

Cool weather is historically rare for the Western States 100. I really didn’t pack for cool weather but was fortunate that Erno suggested I buy something to block the wind. Why did I choose a vest instead of a jacket?? I’d ask that question soon.

The race started. Slowly everyone started up the mountain. Everyone besides the elites and fools were walking. The further up the mountain we got, it got cold and windy. By the time I was almost to the top it was incredibly cloudy, crazy windy, and starting to rain. And what was that hitting me in the face? Oh yeah, that was sleet. So, on I go…up, up, up. Rain, sleet, wind, cold. I couldn’t feel my fingers, I couldn’t get warm, my hat kept blowing off, and I was peeing every 2 miles.

Geesh. I like running in the cold and the rain is something I even look forward to. But, I’m usually dressed for it and prepared. I just wasn’t. By the time I got to the mile 23 aid station and saw Craig and Erno, I had that look. The ‘OMG, what just happed to me’ look. They told me I looked great but I knew it was a lie. It’s that same look your sister gives you when she knows it was a bad haircut. The trying-to-hide-panic look.

I was hitting checkpoints at the 30-hour cutoff pace, which was fine with me. All I wanted was to finish. So, I let them change my socks and give me a pep-talk and I went on. Admittedly it got better. The sun even came out eventually and the feeling in my fingers came back.

And then there were the canyons. These things were steep. I basically went down steep switchbacks down a mountain, crossed a bridge over a little river, and went up steep switchbacks on the other side. I kept thinking of what I’d read and what Les Jones had been saying over and over…“Take it easy in the canyons.”

Maybe I took it too easy. By the time I got to Devil’s Thumb I was 20 minutes behind the 30 hour pace. I knew it was starting to get dark and I could pick up my pacer at the next aid station. Turns out I made up the 20 minutes I’d lost by the time I got to Michigan Bluff. Craig and Erno were going nuts. I think they were surprised I’d made up the time. We did a quick NASCAR-style tune up with a sock change and a new shirt and we started running again. Erno was on a mission. And I trusted him completely. I was tired. I’d already been running for 19 hours.

Off we went. I honestly don’t remember a lot about the details for a few hours after that except that the trails were wonderful. The rocks were gone. There was a lot of runnable downhill. And I didn’t have to think as much since I now had someone doing that for me. We seemed to run pretty well for the next few sections. Erno must have looked at his watch nonstop. Every 20 minutes he would make sure I was eating something or taking a gel. I was handed an S-cap…and mindlessly I’d pop the little white pill in my mouth and take a big drink. I did pretty much whatever he said.

Being on cruise control was great. Running at night was great. We started passing lots of other runners, some of whom had seen better days. There were runners arguing with their pacer-spouses, pacers impatiently standing and waiting on their puking runners, and lone runners who’d had the misfortune of running all night alone. We passed them all. Erno’s enthusiasm over the conquests was entertaining and motivating. We started hunting headlamps, passing everyone we could find. The only thing that made us run faster than picking off other runners was the sound of something huge moving in the woods right next to us. “RUN,” he said. And I did!!

By the time we got to the river crossing at mile 78, we were almost an hour ahead of the 30 hour pace. He’d been telling me that there was talk that the river would only be about thigh deep. No problem. I could do that. The only problem was that when we got there they told me it was more like chest deep. OH CRAP! At this point, after rain, cold, sleet, wind, rocks, and mountains what’s a little river crossing?

We kept looking for Craig, who was supposed to be at the aid station but we had gotten there so much earlier than expected that he wasn’t there yet. We crossed the cold river holding onto a cable that was stretched from one side to the other. They’d dropped glowsticks on the bottom so you could see just a little of what was underneath….big rocks. When we got to the other side I was just freezing and wet.

And then we saw Craig! He had gotten the text update that we had made it to Rucky Chucky and he was running down the hill to meet us. Craig and Erno thought I should change shoes and socks but I said I’d rather keep going. It was uphill for a couple miles after that so we eventually warmed up. Craig ran with us until we got to Green Gate and I stopped just long enough to get really cold again so we did another NASCAR pit stop and got back on the trail.

The sun started to come up and we were still moving pretty well, all things considered, when I looked to my left and said, “hey, what kind of animals are those?” With an “oh crap she’s losing it” look he turns around and tells me in his Hungarian accent that there aren’t any animals. They were rocks! Oh, and the abandoned bus in the woods…well, that was a tree that had fallen. Momma needed some sleep. We got a good little laugh and I decided it was best not to question things I was seeing, at least not out loud.

We got to the Hwy 49 Crossing, mile 93.5, and I was starting to say things like “I hurt like hell.” My quads had been tight for miles and they were starting to throb. It hurt to make contact with the ground. It was coming down to running to the next marker. I was still barely hanging on until I got almost to No Hands Bridge.

At this point, with only 3 miles to go, I was like an overly tired toddler at Target. I wanted to quit. I wanted to sleep. I wanted to cut my legs off. I was done. Three miles. That doesn’t sounds like much….unless you consider that there was a punishing amount of uphill climb in that last few miles. I cursed the bastards that would put a hill there. Sadists. I wanted to cry. I would have if I thought it would help.

Craig met us at Robie Point, a mile before the finish. I ran, walked, hobbled with husband on one side and my pacer on the other. They had been amazing. We had done it. We got to the Placer High School and entered the track. I’d made it. Half a lap around that thing seemed like an eternity. I felt every step. And not in a good way. I’ve only cried twice after a race. But I laid there with the sun in my face in the grassy center of that high school track and tears rolled down my face. I’m not sure if it was relief or exhaustion or pain. Maybe it was a combination…but I cried for a few minutes, eternally grateful for the opportunity I’d just had. I finished in 28:45.

I have to give special thanks to Craig and Erno. They were selfless, focused, and there for me in a way that humbles me beyond belief. Also, I have amazing family, friends and training buddies who believed in me and listened to me ramble and obsess for months over this race. Now it’s time to just breathe…until the next one.

– Emily Conley

Angela stands relaxed on Broad Street, Cookeville, TN, August 11, 2006

Note: As the title’s present tense suggests, this story about Angela Ivory was written when she was running and feeling well, back in 2006 after she’d fought breast cancer to a sulking standstill and after she’d run a marathon in each of the fifty states plus D.C. She would repeat that running feat and set a new and harder goal. It seemed a happy time for her. She had been free of cancer for two years. We know now, of course, cancer eventually came back. This story was written as a feature for the Herald-Citizen newspaper. It was reprinted in three running magazines and has since been adapted as a chapter in my recent book Going Down Slow. On the sad occasion of her death Thursday, May 31, I dug the story out. As we mourn her death maybe it can serve as a vivid reminder of the full, vibrant life Angela managed to live during her forty-four years.

Read the full story by Dallas Smith by clicking HERE

Where Run It Fast Runners Are Running This Weekend (June 2-3, 2012)

Storified by Joshua Holmes · Fri, Jun 01 2012 11:50:09

Here is the finisher’s belt buckle from the Ice Age Trail 50 Mile Ultramarathon that took place on May 12, 2012 in LaGrange, Wisconsin.

This is a solid buckle. It looks stone cold and well earned!!

MORE PHOTOS OF MARATHON/ULTRA MEDALS AND BUCKLES

[Medal submitted by Nicholas Wied. Follow him on Twitter @nwwied]