[This post may be edited in the near future to be less bland]
I had a fast start. I found a good crew of folks to powerhike the initial ascent of 4200’ with. They had a good pace, a little more energy output than I had going at Leadville last year. I reached the first Aid Station in good time and continued to improve my time as I reached Leatham Hollow well ahead of my projected split. Thank goodness my crew was so well prepared and arrived early because I was running relatively fast and nearly missed them.
As the race continued the temperature got hotter and the sections were more exposed to the sun. I ran up Richard’s Hollow and came into Cowley feeling somewhat nauseas, with a painful left foot. In the following sections I figured out that I was eating too much and was able to reduce my intake to make my stomach feel better. The heat I just dealt with because I knew that we would be running into the night soon and things would just improve physically and degrade mentally.
My worst section was from Beaver Creek to Gibson Basin. I had not really spent any time looking at that section of race course so I was not sure what to expect. I think this was a mistake to learn from. Without knowing what to expect I have a hard time dealing with the pain. What could this mean for my future running 100 milers? What approach would I take if I were unable to recon any of the race? Perhaps I would need to learn to just accept not knowing what is next? Or maybe just knowing the mileage splits and elevation change would be enough. I suspect the later. I could imagine running Massanutten only knowing the elevatons changes on the course and following my altimeter watch for cues.
The rest of the race went alright. The pain in my right knee started to become really difficult to bear. I was taking a lot of breaks to sit down to relieve the pain. I was finding that after having the pain for 20+ hours I was needing some time without the pain just so that I could mentally prepare myself for the next section with pain. The climb up Ranger Dip Liftoff felt relatively good. Being the steepest climb on the course it exercised different muscles for the first time in the race and gave my other tired muscles and joints a reprieve. The final descent to the finish was difficult. The trail was steep, which put a lot of stress on the (already complaining) ligaments of my right knee. I made the descent in three sections, sitting down to rest in between each.
I did my best to run the final 1.4 miles of road to the finish. In about a mile of running on the road my left foot had sharp pain and I stopped for a moment to let the endorphins kick in. Brenden made the comment about the body knowing when it is just about time to stop and breaking down. I believe he is right. After a minute of resting I made the final push down the pavement to the park that marked the finish line. I was relieved to run down that final stretch to finish line with many folks to the right cheering me on. I did my best to finish in style with a running gait.
The after party was nice. I loved finishing early, being able to cheer for the final runners coming in. I ate part of a trout patty (delicious) and received my plaque and belt buckle. Proud to finish!
I enjoyed the crews energy immensely. Brenden was my Crew Chief and did a great job of coordinating the vehicles and people and pacing me to the finish line. He knew all of the details to take care of on the pacing side that made our team the “finely-oiled machine” that it was. Maryann’s energy and feminine presence was great. She volunteered her place to stay both before and after the run and it was really nice to accept. Mike’s willingness to drive and show up at every aid station was a huge addition. It was nice to check in with him at each aid station! Mark’s energy was also great. He was a perfect candidate for running through the night, suggesting some eating from time to time and very willing to allow me to sit for moment.
In thinking about it, the crew was the perfect mix of personalities to be so rock solid. I have heard from other runners that they have had a hard time with their crews at certain races because they are just so clueless. Here we had a crew that treated me so perfect I could never expect better treatment. I really need to do something for them…
The Unique Characteristics of the Bear
One of the things that appeals to me as a runner of ultramarathons is the uniqueness of each run. I heard references to the “Circus” that Leadville has become. I feel that the “circus” is all a part of Leadville and I like certain aspects of it. This year at the Bear the number of runners was far beyond the numbers of runners in previous years, but the feel was still that of a small race.
I had no idea if they were going to be offering some sort of live racer update on the website so that family could watch my progress from across the country. I assumed they were not, but when I got to the prerace briefing they told us that there would be a master spreadsheet on the web site that would be updated with a little delay. My family appreciated it immensely, a great success!
The presence of Errol “the Rocket,” Leland Barker (the RD) and Phil Lowry added to the character of the run as well. I had seen these folks in the documentary “Dancing the Bear” and these folks were represented perfectly in the movie as they appeared in real life. May they always be a part of the race!
There was so much that I enjoyed about the race. The venue at the end of the race was pleasant, running beside the crowds of folks hanging out to finish and the awards ceremony that followed. Leland’s dry and to the point briefing and awards ceremony kept me giggling with every sentence he said. Errol’s sound bites: “if you don’t like the soup at the aid station, well… just go to the next one and maybe they will have one that you will like!” and “the Rocket is just my name. I’m not really the Rocket anymore” and “they want us to mark the course so well that Ray Charles could find his way!” Phil Lowry’s geeky technical mindedness made me chuckle as well. Just look at the photos on the web. It was all so comical and obvious that fun was the goal of the race.
All in all this was a great race surpassing my expectations in almost every way. I am proud of my buckle and plaque and was already thinking about the next step just after crossing the finish line. I enjoyed this climbing course and am interested in doing more 100 mile runs with a lot of vert. I just need to rehabilitate my joints!
One of the things that appeals to me as a runner of ultramarathons is the uniqueness of each run. I heard references to the “Circus” that Leadville has become. I feel that the “circus” is all a part of Leadville and I like certain aspects of it. This year at the Bear the number of runners was far beyond the numbers of runners in previous years, but the feel was still that of a small race.
I had no idea if they were going to be offering some sort of live racer update on the website so that family could watch my progress from across the country. I assumed they were not, but when I got to the prerace briefing they told us that there would be a master spreadsheet on the web site that would be updated with a little delay. My family appreciated it immensely, a great success!
The presence of Errol “the Rocket,” Leland Barker (the RD) and Phil Lowry added to the character of the run as well. I had seen these folks in the documentary “Dancing the Bear” and these folks were represented perfectly in the movie as they appeared in real life. May they always be a part of the race!
There was so much that I enjoyed about the race. The venue at the end of the race was pleasant, running beside the crowds of folks hanging out to finish and the awards ceremony that followed. Leland’s dry and to the point briefing and awards ceremony kept me giggling with every sentence he said. Errol’s sound bites: “if you don’t like the soup at the aid station, well… just go to the next one and maybe they will have one that you will like!” and “the Rocket is just my name. I’m not really the Rocket anymore” and “they want us to mark the course so well that Ray Charles could find his way!” Phil Lowry’s geeky technical mindedness made me chuckle as well. Just look at the photos on the web. It was all so comical and obvious that fun was the goal of the race.
All in all this was a great race surpassing my expectations in almost every way. I am proud of my buckle and plaque and was already thinking about the next step just after crossing the finish line. I enjoyed this climbing course and am interested in doing more 100 mile runs with a lot of vert. I just need to rehabilitate my joints!
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