We arrived at Silver Hill Meadow early Friday. I went to registration and got my Bib number 158. I chatted with the man who asked me where I was from, if I knew Jen. He said he worked with her husband Scott. I told him she would be coming through shortly and moved on to get weighed in and vitals. I weighed in at 126. I had gotten down to 125 in my training but gained back a pound in the last week of my taper. My blood pressure was on the low side and she asked if this was normal for me and I said yes. The weight is significant because you are only allowed to lose 5% of your weight on the course, or you must sit out until you gain back, and if you lose 7% you are disqualified. This gave me a buffer of 6 pounds. They weigh you at 3 separate points on the course. Then we went through the merchandise and I bought an extra shirt, an extra dinner ticket for Jack, and 4 extra tickets for the post-race barbecue. It is a nice practice to buy the tickets for your pacer and crew, and I had doubled up.
A bit of history- in May, while training for the VT100, I was scheduled to do the 30 mile run at McNaughton, and had an impulse registration change to the 100 miler. I thought I would try out my training to see how far I could go. It was a 10 mile loop up and down a mountain 10 times. I expended a ton of energy on lap 6 when it got dark, my headlamp went dim, the temperature dropped and I was all alone out on this mountain. When I returned to the farm(check point) I had to take a nap to recover my core temp and energy before I could complete the race. It made me realize how vital good crew and a pacer were for me. They could have reminded me I had a hat in my pocket, to take warmer clothes, they would have had another headlamp and could lead the way. I am known as the person who likes to "try out the distance" by doing the same distance as the race I am training for. I am sure this is completely against what any coach will tell you and am not endorsing it for others.
My crew for VT100 were chosen as follows:
Maureen Newman- I run with her Sundays with team in training, very positive, fun, sweet and strong. She offered to be my pacer as soon as I signed up. I knew positive energy is what I would need when things got dark.
Eric Allard- convinced me that taking a nap at McNaughton would bring me back to life, paced me for the last 10 miles of McNaughton while finishing up his 130 miles for that weekend. Very fun, sang Ren and Stimpy's "Log" at my request. I asked him if he would help pace me for VT100 if I needed back up.
Sherry Ricker- BFF offered to pace, crew, whatever I needed as soon as I signed up. For anyone who has ever traveled with Sherry you know she can get anything you could possibly need into one of those ziplock baggies. She is tough and I knew she would watch out for me and not take any of my crap.
Jack Cary- I don't want to say too much, because every one will want him for their crew and pacer. He has been both for me in the past and is absolutely solid. He had just completed his second Death Race 2 weeks prior, so we decided his best position was crew and driver since he new the area from last year, and he knows me. Also very knowledgeable, gentle but won't take any of my crap. He knows just what to say to motivate me.
We then went to scope out a camping spot in the meadow. Jack wanted us near the tree line for shade. We started to set up next to a couple. I thought I recognised the man, and decided I had to take a chance. "Are you George?" "Yes" he said, and then a wave of recogniton flashed across his face. I ran with George briefly at McNaughton. He told me he was doing VT100 and chose McNaughton also as his first 100. He asked my plan for McNaughton and I told him I was going to do somewhere between 40-100 miles, whatever I could do as a training run. He said "Don't do that. Commit to it and finish the whole thing." I said I would and decided that I had to take a chance and go for it. If for some reason I could not finish VT100 I would regret not going for it at McNaughton. I always felt grateful and wanted to run into him at VT100 to tell him I did what he said. My results were not posted on the Peak race web site because I came in after the timer left, so George thought I dropped at 60 and was very happy to hear I finished.
We ended up moving up the hill to camp because there was some wet area around us and we were also scoping out an area for about 6-8 other tents, the Thursday night runners Bob and Jen, Todd, Jen Sorrell, John Lacroix and Aislyn, also Brenda and George were coming up from Boston with Betty and their friend Michael from Sheffield England who was running his first 100, and Rebekah was coming. Clem, Steve, Serena, Sam and Newton joined us for a while that night although they were not camping out in the meadow and we all sat around talking until bed time. We went to bed early since we had to be up by 3:00 AM. I was just about asleep when I heard some excited voices "You came!" I said to Jack "Jan's here?" He told me yes and I fell asleep happy.
I awoke multiple times and at 2:00 I could not go back to sleep. I lay there until 3 and I heard the Charriots of Fire play from the Start line. We all got dressed and headed over. Check-in, some pictures, Jen gave me a bite of her bagel, and we were off. I ran with John and Michael for the first 10 miles or so. I did not have my Garmin so it was nice to run with people so I did not go out too fast in the excitement. Michael was obviously holding back, walking the hills when we did. When he finally took off we said good luck. John said we would either see him again or we wouldn't. Since it was his first 100 we did not want him to burn out, but he seemed strong so we thought he could handle it. And boy did he, he wound up coming in tenth or 11th over all! The aid stations are a little blurry in my memory for the first section. I knew I would see Jack at mile 21 so I just tried to be quick, grab a coke and head out. I fly through the unmanned aid stations to save time. I caught up with Clem which surprised me. I thought he started behind me. I asked if he had seen Jen and he said she started ahead of us. I ran with John and Clem for a while. I was having so much fun! I talked to some new people along the way. There was Jody from Nova Scotia, he was doing his first 100 miler, his wife was there doing her first too. There was Jeff from Salt Lake City Utah. He had attempted two 100 milers before, one of which was VT100. He had come close but never finished. I hope he finished! I saw him a few times through out the day. I met John Izzo who I had heard of and not yet met. I also met a very nice man I think was John? He was running with another man who had gone sub 24 the year before and a girl named Kristin. She looked very strong, she was smaller than me and wearing a camel back and carrying a handheld water bottle in each hand. I saw John? at the cook out the next day and he did not finish. I was surprised because he looked strong and steady.
I was running by one guy and he said "you look familiar, do I know you?" The people around him laughed, but he looked familiar to me too. I asked him if it was at McNaughton, and yes, he paced his friend there for 40 miles. His name was Luiz and he was strong and ended up sub 24.
The horse racers began running by on a dirt country road. The riders would tell us we were doing great. The horses were absolutely beautiful. It definitely added to the race.
Later in the day it got very hot, and things got more difficult. I was a little concerned because I was hurting before 50 miles. My feet were blistering. I was coming up on an aid station but I was not sure which one. There was an older man with a golden puppy. I asked if I could pet her, he said yes. Her name was Bella and she loved me because I was salty! I moved on and when I rounded the corner someone said "Welcome to Ten Bear!" and people were cheering and saying wonderful things. Whatever I was feeling 10 minutes ago was washed away by this beautiful display of humanity. We always say we appreciate the spectators and volunteers, but when you are down, they are everything. I got weighed in and I was 125. I only lost one pound and was happy. I saw Jack and Eric and Jack put a bandaid and some tape on my pinky toe that was blistered. I was excited to see Jen at the aid station, she had a nasty cut on her knee where she must have wiped out. I gave her a big hug. I am not much of a hugger, but everyone got at least one that weekend. I moved on feeling refreshed. I caught up to Jen and she had a little group of young men following her. They said she was a slave driver. I ran with them for a while, then something popped and I had to stop and whip my shoe off in excruciating pain. I thought my pinky toenail ripped off, but when I got my shoe off it appeared to be a blister that had formed on the front of my pinky toe, in and around the nail and on the front. It had popped. A passer by stopped and gave me one of his band aids. I was very grateful. I patched it up and tried to move on but I could barely walk. I thought my race was done. How could I run when I could barely walk? How could I tell people it was my pinky toe that made me drop??? I kept going and eventually it drained more and I was able to resume a slower run. And then it hit. I suddenly was so nauseas. A man running by saw me and asked if I was ok. I told him I was, I just had an overwhelming feeling of nausea. He said he had recently experienced the same and once he threw up he was much better. So I tried. Nothing. Another passer by gave me a ginger candy. It worked! I was back in business! Andy Weinberg caught up and I ran with him for a while. We exchanged ailments and his quads were spent (he was doing this without proper training!!!) I asked him if he had tried Tylenol and Arnica gel. I told him Jack had it at the next aid station and we would fix him right up. When we got there it was quite a show. Both my pacers and both my crew were at this stop. They had two chairs set up. They plopped us in, put Arnica gel on our legs, I got a shoe change and better wraps on my blisters, "what can I get you to eat and drink?". Andy was over at the aid station now calling "Come on Queen Latifah, time to go!" Then proceeded to tell the other runners about how I had an entourage, a pedicure station and popsicle stand etc. He did say he felt better already. Next stop was quicker, Jack said "stay with Andy, he'll lift your spirits" Sherry said, "Yes, he's funny!"
We ran together to mile 70. He was doing a fast speed hike up the hills and I had to work to stay with him, and I was able to run the downs and flats and he had to work to keep up with me so we kept each other moving.
I was starting to lose my appetite at the next aid station and they reminded me there was a weigh in at the next one, so I took a cup of noodles and broth and went on my way. I power walked until I got all of it down, and when I hit Ten Bear at mile 70 I weighed in at 125 lb. This is where I picked up my pacers. We decided it was ok for both of them to come because Andy was coming too. When it was time to go Andy said not to wait for him, that I was going strong. My crew and pacers told me to go, Jack promised to take care of Andy.
We were on our way and I was feeling good for a few miles and then it hit. Paralyzing nausea. I felt like my stomach was pushing against my throat causing a gag reflex. I knew Eric was super strong and probably bored out of his mind so when he said John had a whole bucket of ginger I asked him if he could run ahead to the Spirit of 76 aid station and see if he could catch Aislin who was crewing for John and score me some ginger. John was too far ahead and Aislin was already gone. By the time I got to 76 I was hurting. Paula and Vicki were volunteering and Paula gave me the best hug ever and found me some Tums. I moved on and the Tums started to help and I could run again for a little while. It went on like this for a while. I would be nauseas for what seemed like hours, trying to shuffle/run and speed hike. I must have pulled over 15 times to try to vomit but there was no relief. My crew wanted me to eat but every time I put something in my mouth the feeling came back. Maureen and Eric were very patient. Maureen reminded me the body was amazing and would recover. I got to a point where I could eat a couple gummy bears and Maureen had some little stick pretzels I would nibble on. I decided my mission was to get to Bill's at mile 88. After that they assured me the sun would come up and I would be renewed.
I was half hoping they would pull me at Bill's. Jack ran out to meet me and told me to look sharp, that they were being very strict and pulling people. Although the sick side of me wanted to be pulled, the strong side of me knew I came here to finish. I told Jack not to let anyone ask me what I wanted to eat, because I didn't want to gag when they started naming things off. "Just let me look and decide". I weighed in at 121. They asked me how I was and I said I was good. They said "she's good". I grabbed a cookie, and a PB&J square, asked for a shoe change, my feet were totally numb and I thought I must have blisters on all my toes. They pulled my shoes off and I did not have blisters. My feet were just numb. The shoe change felt better though. I heard Jack tell Eric I had to pick up the pace if I wanted to beat the cut off and I heard Eric tell him how slow the last stretch was. They sounded concerned. I took a tiny nibble of my cookie and one bite of my sandwich. On my way out a man came in and was explaining how he could not take in any calories. They told him that was not unusual at this stage and I felt better.
We set off from Bill's and I was moving faster. I remember telling Eric I needed to find my inner honey badger. I was not going to squeak by any cut offs! The next manned aid station Jack had run out to meet us. He was so relieved. He said there was an 8:00 cut off. It was about 6:20. He said "you don't know how happy I am to see you here so soon!" I moved pretty good for the last 10 miles, comparatively. I had another bout of nausea around mile 95. Maureen reminded me the body would recover, I said "I know, I just don't want to spend the next 5 miles feeling like this". I remember a volunteer telling me I was participating in an amazing event, and that I was going to finish. I tried a new speed walking technique until it passed, it avoided the up and down jostling of my "running". That worked. The last manned aid station there was an older gentleman that gave me a "supersonic" Tums. He was chatting but I had to move so I left him with Jack.
The last part of the race was a trail through the woods with switch backs. I remembered from the year before when I paced Steve that this was deceiving. You were supposed to have about 2 miles but it was longer. I passed a woman walking down who told me just a little over a mile. I ran for 3/4 of a mile and then we hit a sign that said- last mile, 99 down, one to go! "Oh no!" I said. I thought I had been running for a mile and was going to be in the 27 hour mark. "Either way, you will be done with this in less than half an hour" Maureen said. Ok, we kept going forever and hit a sign that said 1/2 mile to go! Getting closer. Jack met us and took our picture, "Ok but I'm not stopping for it" I told him. I wanted to be done. I told him I wanted a picture crossing the finish line so he ran back. As we neared the finish I could see the sun coming through the break in the trees and I could hear my friends cheering and calling my name. I was so happy and had the hugest smile come over my face. I knew they were all exhausted, and the fact that they came back to the finish for me was such a treat. I saw them all lined up on either side of the finish line and Sherry yelled "Finish like a Y!" one of our jokes, so I put my hands up over my head. Tania gave me a big hug, and with the pain fresh in my head I warned her "Don't ever do this!" We laughed and I gave a big stinky hug to whoever would let me.
They say you live a lifetime when you run an ultra. The ups and downs, you go from hero status to feeling like a vulnerable patient, you see wonderful things and a bit of suffering. You meet so many people. You help some people, and a lot of people help you.
My finish time was 28:07. The experience was priceless.
