Crewing/Pacing the Pinhoti 100

My original plan was for the Pinhoti 100 to be my first attempt at the 100 mile distance.  However, due to injuries this was not to be.  Fortunately my good friend Andon Briggs also had the race targeted for his first 100 and was able to train injury free, arriving at the start line in good health and ready to tackle the extreme distance.  I agreed to pace and be part of his crew, which was an amazing and fun experience.

The Pinhoti 100 point-to-point course beginning in Heflin and ending in Sylacauga is difficult, with constant elevation change and technical terrain.  The elevation gain/loss is comparable to Leadville, although Pinhoti’s climbs are more gradual and constant than Leadville’s steep, but less frequent climbs.  Not saying that Pinhoti is harder than Leadville, just pointing out that the course is difficult and not to be dismissed solely because the race is in Alabama.  The course is no joke.

My task was simple:  run with Andon beginning at Bald Rock in Mt. Cheaha State Park, mile 41, until the Porter’s Gap Aid Station at mile 68.  I met Andon’s mom Donna and stepdad Allan in Sylacauga at the race hotel and they transported me to the Bald Rock Aid Station to meet Andon.  Many thanks to them for making the logistics very easy for me.  Prior to meeting me they had re-stocked race supplies and had a super-impressive spread of material for the remainder of the race.  Unfortunately we arrived to the Aid Station after Andon had gone through, so I was late in my first gig as a pacer.  Oops.  The aid station worker notified me that he had come through 12 minutes ago, so I grabbed our headlamps since night was quickly approaching and charged out of the aid station and to the trail.  I figured I could catch him soon since I had fresh legs and he was over 40 miles into the race.  After 10 minutes or so I caught Andon and settled into my role as his pacer.  Crisis averted.

My focus then immediately turned to Andon’s hydration and nutritional status.  I asked him what he had been eating, how often drinking, etc. in order to get him on a set intake plan heading into the night.  After about 45 minutes running together the sun went down and we turned on the headlamps for a full dose of night running.  The weather was perfect when we were running, but stopping at aid stations was cold with temperatures into the 30’s.  There were five aid stations between Bald Rock and Porter’s Gap and each was a fun atmosphere.  The volunteers working the aid stations were a huge help to us in refilling water and stocking up on supplies.  In addition, Donna and Allan met us at the crew access points and took care of our every need.  I continue to be impressed by the volunteers at ultras who give their time, in this case in the middle of a cold night, to help others achieve their goals.  Great stuff.

The 27 miles I was with Andon seemed to fly by for me (not sure if he agreed.)  I was impressed by Andon’s ability to continue running/walking at a steady pace through the night.  I calculated the splits and he was always able to run on command to meet each mile split to stay on track.  I was more impressed by his stomach, which processed everything we threw at it.  He was able to eat when required and consume large amounts of calories while on the move.  I firmly believe this was key to his success in the race, and part of the reason why he was able to stay so consistent during my pacing hours.  Frankly, I wouldn’t have been able to hold down the food he consumed.  My stomach would have gone crazy.

At Porter’s Gap Andon’s wife Beth took over pacing duties.  At this point Andon was about an hour and 20 minutes ahead of the 30 hour cutoff pace.  The stretch from Porter’s Gap at mile 68 to the Bulls Gap Aid Station at mile 85 would take Andon and Beth through the night without crew support, as there were no access points during this 17 mile stretch.  This portion also featured a significant climb up “The Pinnacle” during the late night/early morning hours, so keeping the 1:20 gap on the cutoff would be a tough task.  Fortunately Andon was now in better hands with Beth running alongside him. 

They took off and I went ahead with Donna and Allan to the Bulls Gap AS at mile 85.  We had time before Andon and Beth arrived, so I was able to sleep a couple hours in the back of Beth’s car.  Woke up and went to the aid station as dawn was breaking.  This was a beautiful place to wait with mountain views from the aid station, so I stood by the fire and waited for Andon and Beth to make their appearance out of the woods and into the AS.  The cutoff time for 30 hour pace was 7:32 a.m. on Sunday morning at the Bulls Gap Aid Station, so I waited by the fire beginning around 6:15 ready to provide support and get them moving when they came through the station.  An hour later still no sign of Andon and Beth, and I was beginning to get ridiculously nervous.  In talking to the aid station workers, they had the ability to either pull a runner or allow them to proceed after the cutoff (within about 30 minutes) depending on how they looked at that point.  I was tempted to bolt up the trail to meet them before the AS and tell them to smile and laugh so they would be allowed to continue.  However, the fire was warm, so I stayed put. 

As the cutoff drew closer and closer it was amazing to see the camaraderie among the remaining crew who were waiting for their runners.  These crew members had been waiting for a few hours and desperately wanted to see their runner come through and finish the final 15 miles of the race.  No one wants to see any runner drop at mile 85.  Needless to say, the waiting was tense, but everyone jumped in and assisted anytime a runner appeared at the aid station.  It was humbling to see everyone truly pulling for each runner and helping in any way possible.    

Finally they came popping out of the woods at approximately 7:45 a.m., about 13 minutes behind the cutoff.  I’m sure they were both exhausted, but we couldn’t let them stop at the aid station for fear that they might be pulled from the race.  Fortunately they looked strong and were in great spirits.  So, I refilled Beth’s hydration pack and we gave Andon some more supplies and sent them on their way.  Easily the quickest Aid Station turnaround of the race! 

It would then be four miles before we could see them at the next stop, and during this time they made up some time.  Coming into the Rocky Mt. Church Aid Station at mile 89 they were just a few minutes behind the cutoff time.  At the final aid station, Watershed, at mile 95, they arrived 8 minutes ahead of the cutoff.  Absolutely amazing to make up that amount of time so late in the race. 

Donna, Allan and I then drove ahead to the finish at the Sylacauga High School football stadium to watch Andon finish his first 100 mile race in 29:41, a full 19 minutes under the cutoff!  Remarkable that he made up over 30 minutes of time in the last 15 miles! 

I am truly grateful to Andon for allowing me to be part of his first 100 mile experience.  I had a blast and look forward to the next one.  No doubt this has me planning my first 100.  Don’t know when or where, but I know I can’t wait!

In the meantime I’m dusting off the RaceReady shorts for the Pine Mountain 40 miler this Sunday.  Still battling plantar fasciitis and I have not run consistently for quite some time, but I’ve run enough the last few weeks to at least feel like I have a shot to finish.  Plus, it just sounds like fun and a good way to begin the buildup for a couple spring races I have in mind.  I don’t expect to do well, but I do expect to have an enjoyable day in the woods!

Dick Deadeye Walks the Plank

What kind of title is this?  Let me explain.  In 6^th grade I played the part of Dick Deadeye in our school musical HMS Pinafore (admitting this on a trail running blog is likely to get me hazed at the next race.)  Dick Deadeye was a despicable, eye patch wearing pirate who had one good leg and the other just dragged behind as he walked/shuffled from place to place on the ship.  This role clearly stayed with me because I have been inadvertently shuffling along with one leg trailing the other for quite some time. 

After the stress fracture in June I recovered and began to run again.  Building up mileage too quickly caused plantar fasciitis in both feet.  Went to the doctor and she discovered a hip alignment issue where my left hip is tilted back, causing my left leg to be shorter than my right.  This likely caused the fracture, as the impact with each footfall on the left is greatly exaggerated due to the leg length discrepancy.  Thus the Dick Deadeye reference. 

This was good information to have, and frankly, makes a lot of sense.  Any time I have had little aches or pains they have always occurred on my left leg.  The doctor prescribed physical therapy, and I have undergone 14 sessions and am pleased to report that the hip seems to be stable and my legs are now equal in length.  So, sorry to say, the freak show is over and a return to normal running is underway.  Dick Deadeye is dead.

That said, the return has been slow.  The plantar fasciitis, while slightly better, is still present.  Manageable, but it is preventing me from true speedwork or hill repeats.  Despite this, it is great to be moving again and building up some modest miles.  Saturday was my first run at Oak Mountain in over four months, and it is hard to express how enjoyable it was to be back in the woods after a long absence. 

Not sure what racing plans are in store, as it will largely be dictated by how quickly the PF disappears.  I’ll be crewing/pacing for Andon Briggs at the Pinhoti 100 in a few weeks.  Looking forward to helping Andon through his first 100.  He’ll do great!  I’m hoping to be back in full form by spring, but in the meantime, I’ll enjoy being out in this great weather and will look forward to the winter, my favorite season for running in Alabama!

Verse: Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.  If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God.  If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ.   - 1 Peter 4: 10-11

Time on the Disabled List

All baseball fans are familiar with the dreaded disabled list.  Your favorite team is rolling along and suddenly a key player goes out with an injury.  A promising season for the team is made much more difficult with a player going on the disabled list for a period of time (see Jones, Chipper – 1994, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010 and 2011.)  As a lifelong baseball fan, I’ve always looked at injuries from the impact on the team rather than the individual player.  Having been fortunate to never have a true injury, my perspective always turned to the team.  Since early June I have had plenty of time to gain the perspective of the individual player.  Being sidelined from doing something you truly enjoy is certainly a challenge physically, but minor compared to the emotional challenge.

Eight weeks ago I had a MRI to confirm a stress fracture in my heel.  The heel pain began after a Wednesday double (morning track workout and afternoon easy 6) the previous week.  That week was the final buildup for the Chattanooga Mountains Stage Race.  I didn’t think much about the pain and finished off the week with 40+ miles Friday-Sunday, despite the heel feeling progressively worse during that time.  In fact, Sunday morning I turned around before reaching the end of my street due to the pain only to convince myself that nothing was wrong and then labored through 10 miles.  Probably not a good idea.

After taking a couple days off from running and talking with Daniel Ellis, my friend and consultant for all things running, it seemed that a visit to the doctor was the right course of action.  A posterior calcaneal stress fracture was diagnosed, my first running injury of any significance.  Doctor “gave” me a walking boot ($250…that’s almost 3 pairs of good running shoes) and the diagnosis was 5 weeks in the boot and 6 weeks of no weight bearing activity, although the timetable was quite fluid and the communication between doctor and patient proved to be quite frustrating throughout the entire process, at least for me. 

So, of course, the Chattanooga race was out.  Still went to Chattanooga and had a great time with the family and the Briggs’ clan, who were fortunate enough to run in the event.  (Side note:  Kudos to Andon Briggs for a 5th place finish and 50k PR at the Big Butts 50k last weekend!!!)  After a week of feeling sorry for myself, these last seven weeks have been spent biking, swimming, water running and lifting weights to maintain fitness, but fatigue with this “routine” has set in and to say that I am ready to be back to running roads and especially trails would be an understatement.  The last two weeks I have experimented with some light treadmill running (1-3 miles max), but nothing strenuous.  Continued twinges (not painful) in the left heel have me hesitant to do much more at this point.

All said, the last eight weeks have been an exercise in humility and patience (appropriate given this blog title.)  Having never previously had a broken/fractured bone, I’ve had to deal with the reality that injuries do happen and I need to be more mindful of rest and recovery during my training. Patience has also been essential, especially after the initial six weeks was up.  I fully expected to be back running as before after six weeks, but it seems the heel is not quite ready for that yet.  Frustrating, but reality.

On a positive note, the last eight weeks has also given me a chance to really seek God’s will in all aspects of my life.  I will be the first to admit that there are times when balancing family, work, running, and life’s other pressures have caused my relationship with God to take a back seat.  Perhaps this experience can serve as a reminder to keep my priorities where they should be, with Christ at the top. 

Verse:  To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me.  Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me.  But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”  Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.  That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties.  For when I am weak, then I am strong.    

- 2 Corinthians 12:7-10

XTERRA Oak Mountain Trail Marathon Race Report

The XTERRA Oak Mountain Trail Marathon was fun and hot.  Temperatures were expected to reach the 90s as the clock approached noon, so the less time spent on the course the better.  The course covered some of the same trails as the Oak Mountain 50k, but as a whole was less hilly.  It included the same tough 2 mile hill going from the North Trailhead to the ridge on the red trail, but this stretch began around mile 6 rather than mile 20 for the 50k.  Much easier to handle the hill with fresh legs.

The race began at 7:30 and about 20 or so guys surged ahead at the start, which consisted of roughly a half mile on pavement before reaching the trails.  John Cobbs, John Gregg and I ran together at the beginning and didn’t get caught up in the fast start.  I felt pretty confident that the pecking order would sort itself out over the course of the race, especially once the hills began to roll.  Cory Gerbrandt from Tallahassee joined up with the two Johns and me on this first stretch and we came to an aid station about mile 3 where we were told we were ranked between 13-16.  Seemed about right at that early point in the race.

Remained at the same point until the 2 mile uphill climb on the red trail began around mile 6.  I felt strong on the climb and ran the entire way, passing several runners during the climb.  Cory, John Cobbs and I continued running together during this stretch and they both looked really strong on the climb as well.  We continued to talk and chip away at the miles until Cory took a nasty fall near the halfway point in the race.  He indicated he was fine and I continued on, but clearly the fall had an impact on him as he dropped back at this point.  Unfortunate, as he was running strong.  John Cobbs and I continued on together until he told me to run ahead at the portion of the trail called “Rattlesnake Ridge”.  John ran the ridiculously tough Miwok 100k in the Marin Headlands in San Francisco just two weeks before, which I am convinced is the only reason I finished ahead of him Saturday.

Felt strong throughout with the exception of the last 4 miles.  I started to really feel the heat and fatigue set in quickly.  This, coupled with two stops where I thought I had taken a wrong turn, caused the last few miles to be somewhat frustrating, but was able to continue on without too much of a drop in pace and finish in 3:29:54, good for 6^th overall and 1^st in my age group. 

Overall, was very pleased with the race and had a great time running and talking with some really strong runners.  Holding a steady pace throughout also gives me added confidence heading into the Chattanooga Mountains Stage Race in a few weeks.  Should be fun and challenging.

Special thanks to Terry and Michelle Little for coming out and supporting.  Congratulations also to Andon Briggs for a solid marathon finish.  You looked great floating to the finish in your Hokas.  Special kudos as well to Bekah Ellis for finishing the half only 3 months after having a baby.  Awesome job in your first trail run!!!  

Verse: “I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.  For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: ‘The righteous will live by faith.’” -Romans 1:16-17

Back at It

Well, it's been a while since I've posted on here, but I've been running consistently and enjoying it during the blog hiatus.  After a break from racing after the Oak Mountain 50k, it's time to pin on the race number and get back at it this Saturday for the XTERRA Oak Mountain Trail Marathon.  Should be fun, but with temperatures expected to reach 90, heat will be a factor.  This week has been cool, so not very good for heat preparation.  I feel good right now, so we'll see what happens.

Ran the Zoo Run 5k last weekend and had a lot of fun.  Finished in 18:07 for 5th overall and 1st in my new age group (30-34.)  I don't run many 5ks, and continue to take pride in the fact that I've run more marathons than 5ks, but this one was a fun atmosphere and the kids races at the end were extra special.  Anna and Luke both ran and received medals for their efforts.  Fun times!

That's it for now.  I'll provide an update after this weekend's event.

2011 Mississippi 50 Race Report

The first item to note about the race was the abundance of rain throughout the entirety of the event.  My shoes were wet well before the race even started, as I stepped from my car into a puddle upon arrival and check-in.  The Race Director, Running Bear (that’s right, I said Running Bear, which is a terrific race director name) best described the course conditions in his race recap, “But contrary to rumors, we did not have rain. Rain is when the ground gets wet and there are puddles and you see drops on the windshield. We had a monsoon, with creeks appearing out of nowhere and covering the trail and coming down the access road, and through the s/f tent, and rising to waist deep in the woods. There were no puddles or mud, just ponds to run through.”  In fact, the race has been dubbed, “The Year Everyone got their Muddy's Worth.”  Suffice it to say, the conditions greatly slowed the finish times, and transformed what would normally be a fast course into a slow, slippery one.

It became clear very early on that staying dry was not an option, so I chose to run like Luke by splashing through every puddle, creek and stream.  Why bother tip-toeing around the water?  Just go straight through.  I must admit, it was fun and humorous, even in the late stages of the race.  I ran the first 28 miles with John Clinthorne from Michigan, who would later finish 2^nd, and we had a good time laughing about the water and talking about ultras in general.  We both had a specific run-walk strategy coming into the race, but we quickly abandoned that due to peer pressure.  Neither of us wanted to slow the pace to walk, so the walk breaks were few and far between.  We both commented that this would likely cost us in the end, but we kept running anyway.

The race was divided into four loops.  The first three were identical 12.5 mile loops, while the final 12.5 miles was a smaller 6+ mile loop that was run twice to the finish.  John and I came through the first loop in 2 hours, or 8 a.m.  This was the precise start time of the 20k, so we began the second loop surrounded by 20k runners just beginning their race.  We decided to pick up the pace to clear the trail and again joked about the pace being quicker than we intended, but neither of us cared enough to slow down or take a walk break.  Plus, there is always something motivating about passing other runners, even if they are part of a different race.

The second loop was mainly uneventful, aside from some stomach discomfort that I began to have at mile 20.  We completed the second loop in exactly 2 hours, making the cumulative time just under 4 hours at the halfway point.  John and I began the third loop together, but my stomach discomfort was becoming more of an issue.  I found myself lagging a bit behind John and having to press to cover the gap that would arise every few minutes.  Finally, after a brief bathroom break where I discovered slight signs of dehydration, I told John to press on at mile 28 while I focused on fixing my stomach and increasing my fluid intake.  Fortunately these issues were short-lived, and after a longer stop behind the bushes, my stomach felt much better, then I simply focused on drinking a lot over the next mile or two to get my hydration back to normal.  Soon I was back on track and running well.  Due to these issues, my 3^rd loop was slower than the first two, 2:13, for a cumulative 6:13 after 37.5 miles. 

I began the first short final loop feeling great and energized.  At the first and only aid station on the short loop I was told that there were only three runners in front of me, with one being just a minute or so ahead.  I walked from the aid station while downing a Hammer Gel and during that walk another runner passed me, but I didn’t worry about it too much, although I did note that he looked strong.  That put me in 5^th place with just over 10 miles to go.  There were four miles between the aid station and the start/finish, which was also the beginning of the final 6 mile loop, and my goal during these four miles was to run hard and move into what I hoped was 3^rd place.  Fortunately I was able to do so and came into the start/finish area with what I assumed was a couple minute gap on the next runner, but there was no way to be sure. 

I knew that moving up another place was not likely, so I sought to run hard to keep a hold on 3^rd place, or at least what I thought was third place, during the final small loop.  At the final aid station at mile 46, four miles from the finish, I was told that either two or three runners were ahead of me, so I didn’t know whether I was in 3^rd or 4^th.  Oh well.  At that point it was simply put my head down and plunge through more water (which had been steadily rising throughout the day to waist deep at several creek-crossings) to the finish, and run hard in hopes that no one would catch me from behind. 

The finish line was a great feeling.  Sally recognized me from a distance and was there to greet me with Luke, Anna and my parents.  It was a great sense of accomplishment made even more special with my family being there.  Plus, upon finishing I was presented with the 3^rd place trophy, so there were in fact two and not three runners in front of me at the last aid station.  Of course I would have been happy either way, but finishing in the top three in my first 50 mile race was extra exciting.  Final loop was 2:08 for a total finish time of 8:20:53. 

Special thanks to Sally for all her support during training for this race and for bringing the kids out to the finish in terrible weather, my parents for being there at the finish, John from Michigan for the company and advice during the race, all the volunteers and race officials for putting together a fantastic event under tough weather conditions, and Andon Briggs for the company during training.  Andon would have easily finished the race for his third 50 miler finish, but the Forest Service cancelled the race around the 9:30 mark due to the weather and was not allowed to finish.  Tough break my friend.  At least you'll be better recovered for Oak Mountain 50k in less than two weeks.

Food/Beverages consumed during the race:

20 Gels

1 PB&J Sandwich

1 Fun Size Nestle Crunch Bar (Too tempting to pass)

8 S-Caps (1/hour)

2 Cups Heed

Tons of water

Verse: “That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.  For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.  As the Scripture says, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame.” For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile-the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”  -Romans 10:9-14

Thoughts Before the Mississippi 50

Saturday I will be attempting to complete a 50 mile race.  Having never run that far, I am quite anxious to get started.  Training has been strong and the taper has me rested and ready to go.  The prospect of running a new distance is extremely exciting and intimidating at the same time.  Anything can happen over the course of 50 miles, so my hope is to simply go out and run and deal with fatigue and soreness as they come.  The course is relatively flat, but strong rain and thunderstorms are expected, which can cause creek crossings to swell to very high levels and deep mud to be abundant throughout the race.  I anticipate the finish times will be slower due to the rain.

The Carl Touchstone Memorial Mississippi 50 Trail Race is held in De Soto National Forest, near Laurel and Hattiesburg, Mississippi.  This race was my choice for a first 50 miler for several reasons.  First, I grew up in South Mississippi, so racing there feels familiar.  Second, relatives in Hattiesburg will make lodging easy and give us a chance to visit.  Finally, Carl Touchstone was my orthodontist as a kid.  For three years I saw him every month where he caused me severe pain by tightening braces and preaching about the dangers of chewing gum and popcorn with metal tracks on your teeth.  Seems only fitting that a race named in his memory can also cause severe pain by testing the limits of my endurance.  At some point I will chew gum on the course in his memory.

Well, enough said at this point.  Full race report will be posted next week.  Off to run!

Verse: "But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.  If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you."  -1 Peter 4: 13-14