Mohican Trail 100 Miler 2006

 

June 16

 

Martha, the kids, and I drove up to my parents’ house last night, getting in around 10:30pm.  We stopped for dinner in Parkersburg, WV to consume my traditional two days out pre-race meal—Buffalo wings from Buffalo Wild Wings.  Today, Friday, the kids have gone out on the boat with my parents, and Martha and I caught a little shut-eye.  I actually had to participate in a conference call this afternoon, so I didn’t get as much of a nap as Martha.

 

At 5pm, we leave the house to go to the Mohican Wilderness Campground to check-in and eat the pre-race meal.  We get to the campground just before 5:30pm—the published pre-race mealtime.  I check-in and get my race number and t-shirt.  Then we wait and wait and wait for the start of the pre-race meal.  Finally at 6:30pm, we get to eat.  The meal is very good.  We have spaghetti, bread, salad, fruit, and cookies.  I clean my plate and then eat half of Martha’s plate and two-thirds of Amy’s plate.  I was completely stuffed when we headed back to my parents’ house.

 

I get to bed around 9:30pm, but I am unable to get to sleep until about 10:30pm.

 

June 17

 

My alarm is set for 3:15am, but I wake-up at 3:08am and get up then.  For breakfast, I have a large bowl of corn flakes and a tall glass of orange juice.  I also eat an Access bar about 20 minutes before the start.  This totals 630 calories for breakfast, and an additional 150 calories for the Access bar.  At the start, I check-in to let them know I am going to start the race, and empty my bladder one last time before the start.  The race begins right on time at 5am.  The temperature is about 58 degrees, and I am wearing a short-sleeve shirt, shorts, and Asics Eagle IIIs.  I also have my Camelbak full of 45 ounces of water.

 

Mile 4.9      58:54 (12:01 avg./mile) Landoll’s Castle

 

These first two sections are all on dirt roads.  However, there are a couple of steep climbs already.  It is dark at the start, but it starts getting light about 30 minutes later.  I don’t use any sort of light at the beginning since we are on roads.  This pace is right where I want to be.  It is not warm yet, but it also isn’t cool.  I get to the aid station, see my dad, and drain a pint of chocolate milk (400 calories).  I intended to drop my shirt, but I forgot about it.  I switch out my Camelbaks since it is warm, and I won’t be able to get aid from my crew for 13 more miles.

 

Mile 10.0    57:34 (11:17 avg./mile) Rock Point

 

Halfway to this aid station, my dad is watching at a crossroad.  I decide to throw my shirt to him at that point as opposed to hanging onto until the Fire Tower.  I don’t think this is against the rules since he didn’t give me aid.  If I don’t get that shirt back, it doesn’t owe me anything.  At Rock Point, I grab 4 fig newtons (220 calories), but they don’t have Conquest like the website said they would.  I am feeling good, but haven’t even run on the trails yet.

 

Mile 14.3    47:51 (11:08 avg./mile) South Park

 

This area has not received rain all week, so the trails are dry.  This is a very good thing because usually the trails are just a bunch of mud that we slip and slide around on.  Due to the good trail conditions, I am making excellent time.  I figure I will make hay before the temperature gets hot and makes me slow down.  Without a shirt on, I am cooling nicely and am taking in plenty of water.  I am also taking one Succeed capsule each hour to help replenish electrolytes.  At this aid station, I eat half of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich (230 calories), but again, they don’t have any Conquest.

 

Mile 18.6    48:20 (11:14 avg./mile) Fire Tower

 

I continue to make excellent time, and I am just ahead of the splits I had predicted.  My crew is able to meet me at this aid station, and I change out of my shoes into Inov-8s.  This is a new pair of shoes and very different from my Asics.  However, I have been very pleased with them on a couple of training runs.  Now, I will see how they really do, as I plan on wearing them for the next 42 miles.  At this aid station, I drain another pint of chocolate milk and eat a blueberry bagel (720 calories).

 

Mile 21.1    29:39 (11:52 avg./mile) Covered Bridge

 

This section is mostly downhill, but my time isn’t blazing for two reasons.  First, I take advantage of the downhill to take it easy.  Second, I hit the split on my watch when I leave an aid station, and at this aid station, I stop and eat some more before starting the blue loop.  This is the first time of many that we will see the covered bridge.  There is a lady (Linda) running close to me.  She is running this race for the first time, and when we see the covered bridge, she stops to take a picture with a disposable camera.  I consume 3 cups of Conquest and 2 pieces of watermelon (240 calories) before heading up the trail.

 

Mile 25.1    55:27 (13:52 avg./mile) Covered Bridge

 

The blue trail is a four-mile loop.  It takes us up a waterfall and then down another waterfall.  The climb isn’t too difficult, and it is nice we are running this earlier in the race than we did two years ago.  On the way up the first waterfall, I tweak my right ankle a little as I maneuver around the rocks.  Then on the way back to the covered bridge, on an easy piece of trail, I roll it good.  The pain is intense for a few moments, even though I have my ankle taped.  The two runners nearest to me ask if they can help, but I tell them I just have to wait for the pain to subside a bit.  I walk and then run, and after about five minutes the pain is not a problem.  I just hope that I won’t roll it again.  When I get back to the aid station, I consume two more cups of Conquest and four fig newtons (320 calories).  Except for the ankle roll, I am making great time and still feeling pretty good.

 

Mile 29.8    1:12:13 (15:22 avg./mile) Hickory Ridge

 

Starting the orange loop involves a steep climb up to the ridge above the river valley.  It really isn’t that bad because it isn’t too long.  When I get to the top, I run along a road for about a mile and then the trail takes me into the Mohican Forest.  This is a very pleasant run in the forest as it is nicely shaded and only slightly rolling.  It seems like I am making good time, and I do, making it the 4.7 miles in about 1:07, but then I take a sitting stop in the port-a-john and this takes up about five minutes.  However, it is an excellent deposit, and I hope that I won’t have to do that again during the race.  At this aid station, I eat another half sandwich of peanut butter and jelly, and I also drink two cups of Gatorade.  The covered bridge is the only aid station that has Conquest.

 

Mile 36.7    1:24:37 (12:16 avg./mile) Grist Mill

 

Leaving Hickory Ridge, I realize that there are mile markers on the trail.  These are nice to keep track of how fast I am actually going.  This portion of the trail is a bike trail, and it goes around and back and forth a lot.  I seem to be doing better than 15 minutes per mile.  When I get to the end of the bike trail, I come out to route 3.  Here is where the fun begins as we run up route 3, under a bridge, back down route 3 then up the other side, over a bridge, and finally arrive at the Grist Mill.  I hand my Camelbak to Martha and decide to do the 0.7-mile loop before I sit down to eat.  My time is great, even though it is really starting to get hot out here.  Along route 3, there was no shade, and it felt extremely hot.  Fortunately, there is a stiff breeze blowing that keeps most of us from passing out from the heat.

 

Mile 37.4    24:36 (35:09 avg./mile) Grist Mill

 

The 0.7-mile loop doesn’t really take me 25 minutes.  I finish the loop in about 9 or 10 minutes and then I sit down to eat for the next 15 minutes.  Martha has cooked me two grilled ham and cheese sandwiches, and I wash these down with another pint of chocolate milk and another pint of Conquest (1,480 calories).  Needless to say, I am pretty full when I leave this aid station.  While I was eating, Martha put a towel (that has been in the cooler with ice and water) over my shoulders.  It is very refreshing and before leaving, I wring the towel out over my head.

 

Mile 42.6    1:16:20 (14:41 avg./mile) Covered Bridge

 

With my calories topped off and refreshed from the cold towel, I make good time initially after leaving the Grist Mill.  However, the temperature seems to continue to go up as it tops out at 90 degrees today.  I would think it would be cooler near the river, but that really doesn’t help.  Actually in the river valley, the wind isn’t blowing much and the air feels warmer and more humid.  I catch and pass Fred Davis for a while and manage to stay ahead of Angela until we get into the campground before the covered bridge.  Then with the covered bridge in sight, I decide to run again since I can cool off during the river crossing.  I pass Angela and Fred again just before entering the river and getting back to the covered bridge aid station.  I go to get some Conquest from the only aid station that has it, but they have run out.  I instead get a couple of cups of water and start up the red trail, which has the toughest climb of the course.  Even with the heat and slowing down some, I am still making decent time.

 

Mile 45.1    45:07 (18:03 avg./mile) Bridle Staging Area

 

This time might not look like that good, but it is actually a really nice time considering how hot it is, and this section is all uphill.  There are about three stages of the uphill coming to this aid station.  I am really glad to be done with that section, now I can focus on getting back to rock point and starting the second loop.  At this aid station, I see Martha, and I eat half of a bagel and drink another pint of Conquest (260 calories).  I will just have to hope that I can get enough Conquest when I see Martha.

 

Mile 52.3    1:44:54 (14:34 avg./mile) Rock Point

 

This section from the bridle staging area to rock point involves crossing the same stream three times.  I start off making good time as my lunch from the gristmill is now fully digested and it just might be cooling off a degree or two.  I pass Rita Barnes and am really feeling good, until I roll my ankle again.  This allows Brad and Angela, as well as Linda to catch back up to me, and we all come to Rock Point pretty much together.  I change shoes out of my Inov-8s, and I also take off the tape on my right ankle.  Then I put a brace on my right ankle and put on my second pair of Asics Eagle-IIIs.  I also consume another pint of chocolate milk (400 calories) before heading on down the trail.

 

Mile 56.6    1:00:13 (14:00 avg./mile) South Park

 

An hour was what I was shooting for, and I hit it right on the dot.  I am really motivated that my times are staying quick.  Let’s see how long this can last.  I don’t get to see my crew at this aid station, so I eat another half of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and start to drink some Mountain Dew (350 calories).

 

Mile 60.9    1:08:33 (15:57 avg./mile) Fire Tower

 

I make it this next 4.3 miles in about an hour also, but I stop at the Fire Tower and eat more food.  Things are going well, but I need to keep my energy up by eating more calories.  At this aid station, Martha has again cooked me up a feast.  I eat some Ramen noodles with ham and vegetables in them, two hash browns, and wash it all down with a pint of Mountain Dew (815 calories).  It is now past 6:30pm, and I won’t see Martha again until the Grist Mill at mile 75, so I take my headlamp with me as I head on down the trail.

 

Mile 63.4    39:25 (15:46 avg./mile) Covered Bridge

 

This section is downhill, but I take it easy after eating so much again.  I also manage to roll my right ankle one more time even though it is in the brace.  I must not have gotten it tight enough.  I am still making decent time, but I would have liked to put a few more sub 15-minute miles in before darkness overtakes me.  At this aid station, I eat 4 pieces of watermelon and drink another cup of Mountain Dew (300 calories).

 

Mile 68.1    1:18:47 (16:46 avg./mile) Hickory Ridge

 

I don’t think I have slowed down that much, but the watch obviously isn’t lying to me.  I am still satisfied with my time—I just need to keep this same pace up.  At this aid station, I get my Camelbak re-filled as I eat another half of peanut butter and jelly sandwich as well as drink two cups of Mountain Dew (420 calories).  On this last section, I don’t think I saw any other runners as I didn’t pass any and none passed me.

 

Mile 75.0    1:50:05 (15:57 avg./mile) Grist Mill

 

Leaving Hickory Ridge, I again pick up the mile markers on the bike trail.  I want to keep them around 15-17 minutes per mile.  I also turn on my headlamp as it is now after 9pm and getting dark in the woods.  I make good time, again not passing anyone or being passed.  However, I can hear and see people ahead of me and also behind me.  When I get to the Grist Mill, I hand off my Camelbak to Nathan and do the 0.7-mile loop before sitting down to eat.

 

Mile 75.7    26:13 (37:27 avg./mile) Grist Mill

 

Again, the loop only takes my about 12-13 minutes, but then I sit down and eat some more.  This time I eat another grilled ham and cheese sandwich and drink a pint of Mountain Dew (730 calories).  So far, the extra calories and Mountain Dew are keeping me awake.  When I get up from eating, I feel a little chilly, so I put my shirt on for the first time since early this morning.  My parents, Martha, Nathan, and Amy are all there to cheer me on.  My parents say good night as they are going home and going to bed like any sensible person would do at this time of night.

 

Mile 80.9    1:54:51 (22:05 avg./mile) Covered Bridge

 

I have no excuse for the slowness of this section, except for the fact that it is now dark and this portion is somewhat tricky along the river.  When I get to the covered bridge, I want to take a little catnap in the chair, but the aid station workers won’t let me.  Instead, I eat some Ramen noodles and a half sandwich of peanut butter and jelly, while washing it down with some more Mountain Dew (435 calories).  Then I muster as much awakeness as possible and head up the trail for the climb to the next aid station.

 

Mile 83.4    1:24:21 (33:44 avg./mile) Bridle Staging Area

 

I get into this aid station in about 54 minutes.  This is an awesome time considering the fact I have now gone over 80 miles, and it is the middle of the night.  However, I again sit down to eat some more.  This time I consume two packs of oatmeal and another pint of Mountain Dew (500 calories).  All of this leads me to have to visit the Port-a-john again.  This time it takes me a little longer, but still I am successful, and I now know that I have done this for the last time in this race.  Nathan and Amy are asleep in the car during this aid station, so I don’t get to see them, but Martha continues to do an awesome job of crewing for me.

 

Mile 90.6    3:01:00 (25:08 avg./mile) Rock Point

 

When I left the bridle staging area, I told Martha that it might take me three hours to get to Rock Point.  I start off and my body doesn’t want to run at all, but I force myself to run the down hills.  It seems like I am going really slow, but at least I am making forward progress.  At one point, I decide to take my first catnap on the trail.  I sleep for about 4 minutes, and nobody passes me during that time.  After my quick nap I feel more awake, but soon thereafter, the blister on my right foot shoots with pain.  It is at this point that I really wonder how I am going to make the rest of the way into the finish.  The pain is almost debilitating, and it slows me down considerably.  A few runners pass me, but I still manage to make it into the aid station in about 2 hours and 45 minutes.  Martha isn’t quite ready with my food, so I change out of my shoes, and tape up my feet to try and keep my blisters from causing me too much pain.  I change into my Asics DS Trainers for the last ten miles on the roads.  Then I eat half of a grilled ham and cheese, washing it down with another pint of chocolate milk (600 calories).  I have decided to quit drinking the Mountain Dew, as my kidneys seem to be in overdrive since I was peeing about every 15 minutes on the last section.

 

Mile 95.7    2:09:41 (25:26 avg./mile) Landoll’s Castle

 

It seems like forever getting to this checkpoint, but then again when I really can’t run, and my walking is getting slower and slower, it takes a while to get from one point to the next.  I take a very restful catnap that lasts about 4 minutes.  Just before I get to Landoll’s Castle, Linda catches up to me.  She is walking also, but is very disheartened that she isn’t done yet.  We walk together into the aid station, but she barely pauses, and I take the opportunity to eat some more food.  Here, I have a pierogi, half of a grilled cheese sandwich, and a pint of Conquest (355 calories).  I leave the aid station and my shirt, as Martha thinks I won’t catnap if I don’t have my shirt to use as a pillow.

 

Mile 100.5  2:00:39 (25:08 avg./mile) FINISH

 

I keep waiting for Big Hill, but when I finally get to it, it isn’t half as bad climbing up from the west as it was from the south two years ago.  If I had know that, why I might have walked faster getting to it or something!  It is really getting hot again, but I still stop for my last quick catnap in order to marshal my energy for Big Hill, which turns out not to be that bad, so I probably didn’t need it after all.  Coming down Big Hill is still serious steep, and I wish I could run down it, but it is too steep.  Nathan and Amy were supposed to meet me at the 0.8 mile to go mark, but when I get there, they are nowhere to be seen.  A couple of minutes later, Martha comes driving down the road with them, and they hop out to run the rest of the way in with me.  With about a half mile to go, I master the pain threshold to start running.  My kids mock me by speed walking beside me until I get things going fast enough that they can’t do that and keep up.  With the finish in sight, I pick it up to a fast jog and make the turn in the Mohican Campground for the finish.

 

Official Finishing Time 28:39:31

 

40th out of 130 starters (51 finishers)

 

This was quite the race, and it turned out to be a war of attrition.  Less than 40% of the runners who started finished, and the winner’s time was over 20 hours.  This is 4 hours slower than the winning time last year!  I am glad that I have again persevered and made it another 100 miles.  This is my third 100-mile finish, and I have four DNFs, so my batting average is still below .500.  At the finish, I use the restroom before plopping myself in a chair, take my shoes, socks, and tape off, and then take 3 Advil.  I have a couple of pancakes to eat, and then an Egg-McMuffin.  When my name is called at the award ceremony, the Advil has taken effect enough so that I can walk (reasonably well) to get my buckle.  My total calorie consumption was 9,830 calories to the best of Martha’s counting.  I think I just might have gotten enough calories, although I still used more than this to run the 100 miles.

 

It is now a week later.  My blisters didn’t stop seriously hurting me until Thursday.  I ran two miles on Friday, and I am hoping to run six miles tomorrow.  I don’t think I did any lasting harm to my body.  This morning at church, there was a verse from Isaiah that I think sums up my race.

 

“They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”  Isaiah 40:31b.

 

Early in my race, I soared like I was on eagles’ wings, while it was still cool.  Later when it got hotter, I ran and did not grow weary, even if I slowed down a little to keep from overheating.  Finally, I walked and managed not to faint, even if I had to take a few catnaps.  Thanks for reading my thoughts on my latest ultra adventure.

 

Never stop running,

Darin

 

 

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