My first race of the new decade and the first towards my goal of completing 100 races in 2020, was the 2019 Dirty Bird 30k. Yes you read that correctly, my first race of the year was actually a race from 2019 that happened to get rescheduled. The original date for this race was 11/30/19 which was the Saturday following Thanksgiving (hence the Dirty Bird name). However, due to a change that made that the first day of rifle deer hunting season (instead of the following Monday) here in PA, the race director made the decision to reschedule the race due to safety concerns. While I personally wouldn’t have felt to be in danger, I do understand and support the decision. Especially considering he mentioned afterwards when he went to the site on that day to make sure no one showed up for the race, he counted nearly 50 hunters that were spread out near the course! (During my first 50k race which was right in between the original date and the rescheduled date for this race, I did see about 10 hunters along that course and didn’t feel unsafe, but 50 is a whole lot more!)
The week leading up to the race… The week before the race I didn’t really do anything different or special. I didn’t carb load, but I did try to make better nutrition choices. More whole foods, proper portions, reduce sugar/snacks, and limit the “grazing” that had been going for the few weeks prior. Being consistent with logging everything in MyFitnessPal definitely helps me be more mindful of what I’m putting into my body. It makes me think before I consume those unnecessary, empty calories which don’t do anything to help improve my health or performance. From the 1st to the 3rd my net calories were about 600-900 below my daily target. I was around 150 over the day before the race though because I didn’t want to have a deficit heading into the race.
I averaged right around 7 hours of sleep each night, with just over half of that being “deep sleep.” Overall, I was feeling pretty good; I didn’t have any aches, pains, or other noticeable issues.
This wasn’t a goal race, but it was my first race at this location and my first at the 30k distance. After reviewing the results and some Strava data of fellow runners from last year’s race I figured I would finish somewhere between 3:00 and 3:59, but I was hoping for somewhere between 3:00 and 3:15.
I had gotten my gear and fuel mostly ready to go the night before the race. My gear consisted of: my new Under Armour Charged Bandit Trail GORE-TEX shoes, my UA Storm ColdGear Reactor Pace Jacket, UA Launch SW 7” shorts, UA Truckstop Beanie 2.0, UA RUSH Leggings, UA Qualifier HexDelta Short Sleeve shirt, UA MK-1 Long Sleeve shirt, UA Run Cushion Crew Socks, Aegend Lightweight Running Gloves, Cougar Sport warmup pants, Optishokz, Nathan VaporAir Hydration Pack.
For my hydration and nutrition: I put about 36oz of water in my hydration pack; I filled up 3 various water bottles with about 16-20oz each that I would need to mix my Accelerade (for before and during the race) and Endurox R4(after the race) and put them in the fridge; I also made sure to put my Nathan Fire and Ice Flasks and handheld bottle in my cooler bag with the canisters of powder so that I wouldn’t forget them this time (I had forgotten at least 1 of them for 3 or 4 races last year); I also had a couple of partial packs of Honey Stinger organic energy chews, and 1 Honey Stinger waffle that I packed; I also made sure to bring my Hammer Nutrition daily supplements to take after the race.
In addition to all that I also made sure to pack my Body Glide, and Amp Human PR Lotion, and some chapstick.
I went to bed around 11pm and got up at 6:30. I was aiming to leave by 7:15 to get there 45 minutes before the race started. I showered, got dressed, toasted my bagel, gathered everything up, went to the bathroom one more time, and then left around 7:30. Although I was later getting on the road I didn’t stress about it. I ate my bagel during the drive (as I always do) to save time. After I was finished with that I decided I could save a little more time by putting on my PR lotion as I was driving instead of waiting until I got there. I didn’t have my leggings on yet since I wasn’t sure if I was even going to use them, and I knew I would be putting the lotion on anyways. So, I managed to get my warmup pants and shorts off and was able to put the lotion on most of the places that needed it.
Once I got to the state park where the race was being held I wasn’t sure exactly where I was going but luckily I knew it was by the swimming pool. After a few minutes of not knowing if I was heading in the right direction I started to see both the park signs for the pool and the temporary signs that the RD had placed to guide the way. By the time I parked it was just before 8:30. I had 30 minutes to pickup my bib, go to the bathroom 1 more time, get a short warmup run in, and get everything else ready. First I made sure to put on plenty of Body Glide, then I finished putting on the PR lotion in the places I didn’t get while driving, and I made sure to put a bunch of Biofreeze Professional on my left ankle and foot (since it started killing me halfway through my 50k race a couple of weeks before). Then I decided to go ahead and put the leggings on since it seemed like it was still chilly out.
As soon as I got out of the car and headed to pickup my bib I knew that was the right decision to wear them since it was very windy out! I picked up my race bib and shirt from the registration tent, and then stood in the porta-pottie line. It took about 5-10 minutes to get through the line, but as I was waiting the race director made an announcement that everyone standing in line would have the chance to go. While I normally like to start right on time I was glad to hear that there would be some extra time. After my pre-race pee I went back to the car to put my race shirt away, put my bib on my shorts, and get my hydration vest and flasks. Since it was windy out I decided to just go with my long sleeve UA shirt under my jacket.
I did my stretches quickly and then I headed back towards the starting area. Since there was still quite a line for the bathroom I had some time to get my warm-up run in. I went to start my tunes on the Spotify app on my phone, uh-oh no signal out here and I forgot to re-download my offline playlist; oh well. I got my warm-up in; about 3/4 of a mile with a couple of strides at the end. Then I headed back to the starting area and lined up towards the front. I took my pre-race pics and kept moving around in place to try and stay loose and warm. The race director started his briefing at 9:15 and we were off and running at 9:18.
View of lake and pool area near the start/finish line
As usual I started out a little too fast (around a 7:00/mi. pace), but that quickly changed once we started the first climb just before the 1 mile mark. It was a 300′ gain in less than half a mile. During that first climb I felt a little warm in the jacket, and since it didn’t seem too cold out when the wind wasn’t blowing I was planning to take it off and put it in my pack once we got to the 1st aid station. Well, I got there around 26 minutes in and it was right around mile 2.6 so I was average a 10 min pace, but it was on the downhill and I didn’t feel like stopping at that point so I kept the jacket on and continued.
Shortly after that was the next big climb; another 300′ climb but this one was over a mile and a half. I was feeling pretty good though and was able to keep a decent pace. Then came the big downhill. It was almost 400′ down over a mile, and it was a somewhat technical/rocky course. This is when I started to get frustrated. Not because of the course, since I’ve gained more confidence to lean in to the downhills and trust my footing more. The problem was it was hard for me to see! Due to the cold weather (I’m guessing?) my eyes would get very watery on the downhills. It was difficult to have confidence in my footing when I couldn’t see everything clearly.
I got to the aid station on the way back (mile 6.7/1:13) and stopped for a minute to take my jacket off. Well, as soon as I took it off I realized how much I had been sweating, I could instantly feel that my shirt was soaked. That would not have been a good idea since it was still chilly out and the wind would pick up at times. So I put the jacket back on and left it just a little unzipped at the top. That seemed to help and I felt comfortable (temperature wise) the rest of the race.
I finished the first loop in 1:33:13, which would have been a 15k PR for me by about 7 minutes. Granted, according to my Garmin it was only 8.9 miles, but the GPS is always short on these types of trails through the woods. Before started the 2nd loop I took a moment to stop and check out my shoe, because it felt like there was a pebble in it. Nope no pebble, I guess it was just the lacing and how the tongue was positioned. I retied it, probably a little tighter than I should’ve but it was good enough and I headed out.
I was still feeling okay but definitely was slowing down. I was mostly by myself for the first couple of miles, but would occasionally get passed. No big deal, I was just enjoying being out in the woods. Somewhere on that first climb though the front of my left hip starting bothering me as well as my right glute and adductors. I also felt slightly constricted by the leggings, so that might have played a little role in the pains I was having, but ultimately I know those are areas of my body that I need to strengthen and condition better.
I had been taking sips of water or Accelerade when I felt I needed to, and would have a energy chew about every 45 minutes or so. But, around mile 13 I was feeling a dip in energy so I had my waffle, which helped a little. The next 5 miles were mostly a combination of hiking the uphills, cursing at my watery eyes on the downhills, and shuffling on the remaining parts. I got tripped up a couple of times during the race but thankfully I never fell.
I crossed the finish line at 3:33:00 so it took me 2 hours on the 2nd loop. I finished 33rd overall and won the Top Open Clydesdale award (although 2 Master Clydes did finish ahead of me). Overall not a bad race or finish since it was within the timeframe I expected. Yes, it would have been nice to finish on the first page of the results, and it would’ve felt better without the hip/glute/adductor issues. I’m sure I could have dug a little deeper and pushed a little harder, but no need for that on this one.
Race Review Ratings based on the following scale: 1- Poor 2- Below Average 3- Average 4- Above Average 5- Excellent
Course- some long climbs, some muddy sections, some rocky/technical sections but still runnable Scenery: 4 Difficulty: 4 Course Markings: 4 Volunteers/Marshals: 5 Aid stations: 3 (# of aid stations on course: 1 at miles ~ 2.6, 6.6, 11.6, 15.4; plus one at start/finish miles 9, 18)
Race- Organization: 5 Post race food: 4 (cookies, twizzlers, grilled cheese sandwiches, hot dogs, etc.) Comradarie/Community: 4 Parking: 5 Pre-race communications: 4 Results: 5 Location: 5 Start time: 4 (courtesy was appreciated for this one) Awards timing: 5
1 race down, 99 to go! Next race: Saturday 1/11; (Scranton Running Co.) Shiver by the River 10k; Scranton, PA
This is the first post on my new blog. I’m just getting this new blog going, so stay tuned for more. Subscribe below to get notified when I post new updates.
Saturday, August 13, 2022 Little Pine State Park Waterville, PA 5am race start
I was amped up and ready to go. All week leading up to this race I felt like a kid the week before Christmas. I was super excited and looking forward to get something new and shiny, that coveted finisher’s belt buckle, (and the jacket too).
But I wasn’t just excited about the gifts/awards type of presents. I was excited about the presence too. About being fully present in the moment, without any other countless distractions. About fully feeling alive (and often alone) out in nature, but also feeling like part of a very special community and family.
This was the third race of the PA Triple Crown Series. I had good performances at Hyner 50k (5:57:08), and Worlds End 100k (17:25:54). I even survived the grind of Ironstone 100k (20:17:46). Ironstone was my first race that I ran entirely through the night and got to see the sunrise the next morning. It was a big boost to my mental strength and confidence. Ever since my DNF at Eastern States last year I knew that was the area I needed to improve the most. I couldn’t allow my mind to crack and just quit and give up on my goals like I did last year. After completing Ironstone I felt completely confident I was going to finish Eastern States this year, and then Black Forest 100k in October to achieve my ultimate goal for this year of getting on the Black List. I felt mentally unbreakable.
And that ended up being a huge problem. More on that later.
Okay, so I was mentally prepared, I felt physically prepared, the only thing left to do was get logistically prepared. This was another area that needed some improvement. Typically in the past I would be rushing around the day before and/or morning of the race trying to get everything ready. Going into a race I would always have a general idea of what I was going to do, or needed to do, but I still usually ended up waiting to the last minute to get everything ready. Or there would be quite an element of just winging some things along the way. This would often lead me to forgetting something for the race and/or rushing around trying to get everything ready before the race start time.
Not this time. I was leaving as little to chance as possible. I thoroughly studied the course maps, charts, and descriptions. I looked at my data from last year, then came up with a plan for this year. I wrote out what mileage each of the climbs and descents started and stopped, and how much gain or loss there was. I also made sure to list out the more runnable sections so I knew when it was time to open it up more.
I then re-wrote all of the info down on index cards. I had an index card listing the aid stations, mileage, my target arrival time, and my rest time at each station. Then I had cards that were broken down by section showing those climbs and descents so I always knew what was coming up next and when.
I even took it a step further with planning my nutrition. I went through my stash and decided what would be good, or what I thought I would want for each part of the race. It makes more sense for me to try to eat during the climbs since I’m moving slower then. So I bundled together at least a gel and a bar for each climb. I put a little post-it note on the bundle indicating what climb # it was for, as well as the start and end mileage and elevation for the climb. I then put the bundles into ziploc bags along with my index card for that section. I had that ziploc bag inside my larger drop bag that also had any gear change I might need.
Nutrition/drop bag planningNutrition and gear drop bags
I prepared my hydration bladder the day before and put it in my cooler. I had a nice early dinner at Mountain Top Provisions, then headed to Little Pine to pick up my race packet. I went back to my Air BnB camper, got everything laid out for the morning and went to bed by 8pm.
Pizza burger and fries from Mountain Top
I got up at 3am, got ready, had some breakfast. I forget that it takes me longer to get moving than I think it will, but at least I had everything ready. I got back to Little Pine at 4:20, which was about 20 minutes later than I wanted, but I still had plenty of time. I checked-in, went to the bathroom, and dropped off my drop bags. Now it was just time to do some dynamic warm-up stretches and finish gearing up. I knew exactly where everything was and didn’t have to stress about trying to find something I needed at the last minute.
4:52am, I lock up my truck and start walking over to the start area. A few steps later…My race bib!! I turn back around and get my bib number put on. Okay, now I have everything. I make my way to the start area and settle in kind of near the front. I felt I belonged there, and wanted to get off to a good start. The race director reminds us all to make sure we have our mandatory emergency blanket with us at all times. I politely ask a spectator to make sure that mine is in the back of my vest. I know it’s there but I still want confirmation because I don’t want to be DQed for it. We confirm it is in there.
I’m pumped up and ready to go. The countdown begins. 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 IT’S FUCKING GO TIME!!! I’VE BEEN WAITING 364 DAYS FOR THIS!!! THIS IS MY TIME TO SHINE!!! LET’S FINISH THIS THING!!!
I take off down the paved road section at the beginning. I’ve got some space by the time we get into the campground and then on the Mid State Trail. This section was nice and dry this time, unlike last year when the rocks were rather slippery. I was able to keep my feet quick and light and held a good pace until the first climb. It’s a tough climb, but I was able to make good work of it. Daylight broke just around the time I made it to the top and made that left turn. I knew I could let loose for a while and open up my stride some now, so that’s what I did. I got into a good groove and remained mostly by myself on the MST between the campground and Ramsey Village (AS2). At times I could see a few runners ahead of me and occasionally would get passed or pass other runners, but for the most part I was alone, and that was okay with me.
I took a Hammer gel and had a Lara bar at the start of Climb # 2 (as I had planned). I also always make sure to take a few sips of Tailwind at least every mile, when my watch beeps. Once I was back at the top I again took the little side trail over to Kline Ridge View to check out the incredible vista there. I took in the scenery for a moment and then headed back to the trail and got back in to my groove as I made my way down to Ramsey Village.
Kline Ridge ViewKline Ridge View
I made it to AS2 at 7:19am, well ahead of my target of 7:45 to 8:15. I had my water topped off, grabbed a couple slices of watermelon, and maybe something else to eat then got moving again. I knew there was another climb coming up soon and I had fuel planned for that. I started that steep climb out of Ramsey and after a short while I tried to eat. (I think I had a Kind protein bar here). For whatever reason the texture, mouthfeel wasn’t there, or I just wasn’t hungry at that moment. Possibly from just having gone hard on the prior downhill. Anyways, I was feeling good and was moving along at a good pace.
View from just off the Tiadaghton Trail on the climb up out of Ramsey Village
I don’t remember a whole lot of specifics in this section other than seeing April and her friends cheering us on at the top of that climb. She asked me again if I changed my mind and wanted a pacer later. I again thought I would be okay without one. After all, I was mentally unbreakable, right?
I made it to Lower Pine Bottom (AS3) at 9:04 am, 41 minutes ahead of my target time. I saw Jim and Karen, Mark, Kyle, Steve, and a bunch of other familiar faces there. Jim and Karen helped me with my drop bag and making sure I had everything ready for my next section. Since I was ahead of schedule I took a few extra minutes to give my legs a break. I ate some food (pierogis, pickles, watermelon, and probably some other stuff) and then headed back out.
Climbing up Plantation Trail
I made my way up the gravel Lower Pine Bottom Rd. and then turned right on to Wolf Path. This is another one of the challenging climbs and I was looking forward to it. I don’t remember a whole lot about this section though, I was just really enjoying being out there. I remember the nice climb up Plantation Trail, and then I definitely remember coming down the ATV Trail and Jack Martin Trail. The “speed bumps” in this section annoyed me last year. Coming down the mountain and then every 50 yards or so having that tiny momentary incline that caused constant switching of muscle usage was not fun last year. This year I was looking forward to it though and absolutely crushed that whole downhill section into AS4 at Browns Run.
I got to Browns Run at 11:06 am, still 44 minutes ahead of my target time (and 84 minutes ahead of my time last year). I again allowed myself a few extra minutes to let my legs rest after that effort while I grabbed a few things to eat. Then I headed back out and made the long gradual climb on my way to Happy Dutchman (AS5).
I made it to AS5 (31.6 miles) at 1:13pm, 62 minutes ahead of my target time (82 minutes ahead of last year). I saw Ben here as well as Aaron and John. I again took some extra time to give my legs a rest, and fuel up (as I had not been fully sticking to my fueling on the climbs). I scarfed down some bacon, pierogis, turkey and provolone wraps, and had my bladder topped off with Tailwind. A freeze pop (that wasn’t quite frozen) really hit the spot before I headed back out.
This was probably the most runnable section of the course now. Some nice wide, grassy, and smooth snowmobile trails. It was time to put on the tunes and really get into a groove. The only problem here was this section had a lot less shade and it was getting warm out. So I didn’t end up going as fast as I would’ve like to in this section, but I was still making great progress. Oh, I had an equipment problem in this section too. When I had my bladder refilled at AS5 I didn’t realize it wasn’t in the back pocket of my vest where it was supposed to be, but rather between my back and the vest. I finally noticed this just past the Furry Friends Collection, about a mile shy of AS6. I had to stop and fix it because it was starting to slide down my back.
I got to AS6/Ritchie Rd (Mile 38.5) at 2:53 pm, 67 minutes ahead of my target (96 minutes ahead of last year). I again gave myself a few minutes to rest and eat. I saw Ben here too, and John had caught back up to me. John headed out before me and then I was a couple of minutes behind him. Now it was probably the hottest part of the day and we were in the most exposed section so far as we ran the dirt/gravel road next to the power lines. I was actually feeling really good here and that part seemed to go by much quicker than last year. Soon enough it was time to make that right turn and head back in to the woods and down Abe’s Fork. I got into a good groove here and felt like I was flying down the mountain. I continued to hold a good pace once I made that left turn on to the gravel road heading into Hyner. This was a special moment of the race for me because on that gravel road there was a butterfly flying in front of me for a good half mile or so. (Shortly after my first son passed during a miscarriage, butterflies would often hang around me for several minutes at a time. This has happened to me during several races as well, and it always brings a smile to my face when it does happen).
I got to AS7/Hyner Run (Mile 43.2) at 3:58pm, 107 minutes ahead of my target (124 minutes ahead of last year). The atmosphere at Hyner is always amazing. There’s so much crowd support and always tons of familiar faces here. I saw Jim, Karen, Mark, and Kyle again. They all helped me get my drop bag, get my socks, shoes, and shirt changed, and get everything I needed for the next section. I also saw Crystal, Karin, Gabe, Phil, and tons of other people here too. It was at this point that I mentioned to Mark that I had been feeling a lit bit of a shin splint feeling in both legs but a little worse on the right and I felt it on the back of my right leg too. I didn’t think too much of it though. I just figured it was from going a little harder than planned on those first 43 miles. I figured now that the more demanding bulk of the climbs and descents were out of the way everything could start to relax and loosen up a bit more. Also, now that I switched to a pair of shoes with a little more cushion (now my Inov-8 TrailFly Ultra G 300 Max, instead of the Terra Ultra G 270s that I started with) I figured that would help too. I fueled up and then headed back out and made my way up the Donut Hole Trail.
I make it up to the top and turn right on to Fye Camp Trail. This is a nice runnable section and it’s familiar because it’s part of the Hyner 50k course also. I take a moment to stop and “water some of the plants” so I’m I little lighter and can run a little better through this section. Just one problem, I try to start going again and my knees have tightened up now. Ugh. This has happened on occasion before, so no big deal. I just take my time to walk it out for a little and then gradually pick up the pace. Seemed to be doing okay then. This is the section that also has the man gates in the fences, and the infamous Hyner “V”. It’s a short, but very steep descent on some fairly loose dirt down into one of the hollows, and then a short but very steep climb up the other side. I took my time on the down and then didn’t mind the climb back up. Somewhere a little later on I stopped to pee again. Apparently not a good idea. My knees tightened up again. I walked it out for a couple of minutes and then picked it up again. Note to self: no more stopping unnecessarily for a while, just release on the run if needed.
Eventually I made it to AS8/Dry Run (Mile 51.2).It was now 7:27 pm and I was still 48 minutes ahead of my target (100 minutes ahead of last year), and was still making good progress. It was dark when I got here last year, but I still had some daylight left this time. I saw Ben and Steve again here. Steve asked how I was doing and I mentioned about my knees and legs. Thankfully he had a percussion massage gun, so I was able to get my muscles loosened up a little bit with that. I rested a few minutes, got my hydration pack refilled, and got some food in me. I was still in good spirits and feeling strong mentally. I headed back out and was looking forward to seeing a little more of the trail and surroundings during the little bit of remaining daylight.
Just after AS8/Dry Run
Shortly after I left AS8 I think is when my watch was saying my phone battery was getting low. I had a portable charger with me, but I decided to just turn the phone off and enjoy the sounds of nature. And also, hoped less notifications to the watch would prevent the issues I’ve been having with it once I get past 50 miles. I was still moving okay through this section and don’t remember having any real issues here. Last year it felt like it took forever to get to AS9, but this year it seemed to go by quick enough.
I made it to AS9/Big Trail (Mile 56.6) at 9:11 pm. I was still 49 minutes ahead of my target (and 132 minutes ahead of last year). I saw Kiran here and a few other familiar faces as well. I sat down to rest my legs and feet for a few minutes and then got some food. Mike came in shortly after I did and he was looking strong and on point. He was in and out of there quickly. My spirits were still high and I was still mentally strong. I knew I had to be for this next section.
The section between Big Trail and Slate Run is the section that broke me last year. I feel it’s one of the more challenging sections because of the terrain as you navigate down into and up out of the hollows, and because it’s starting to get later into the evening. I knew what to expect this year though and I was mentally prepared for it. I knew I just had to keep moving forward. I had gaiters on my shoes and my feet were feeling fine. There would be no bitching out here this year because of my feet hurting. It also helped a lot that the trails were dry (so I didn’t have to worry about slipping on the rocks), and there were no blowdowns this year. The shin discomfort was still present, but nothing that wasn’t manageable at this point. I started getting a little tired on the climb up out of Callahan Run, but was still in a good mindset. I believe it was in this section where Brooke and Rhoda passed me. Seeing them looking so strong out there definitely gave me a boost, and a reminder to just keep moving forward. Coming down the back side of Hemlock mountain brought a little more attention to my right shin. Some of those steps down the switchback section were more painful than others. Still not unbearable though. When I got to the bottom and made that right turn I knew the hard part of this section was over and there was a nice runnable section to Slate Run.
I felt ecstatic running across that bridge into Slate Run knowing that this would not be the end of my journey this year. I got there at 12:22 am, which was now right on target (I estimated between midnight and 12:45 am). Still almost 3 hours ahead of the cutoff. I saw Karin again here, and she asked me if I needed a pacer. She was available now that Andy had unfortunately dropped. I politely declined, as I was still feeling mentally strong. I got my hydration pack topped off again, this time with a fresh batch of caffeinated Tailwind. Got some food in me. Switched out some of my nutrition from my drop bag. And contemplated for a moment if I needed to bring my jacket with me. Nah, I’m not cold. I should be fine as long as I keep moving. Kevin came in shortly after me and it was great seeing him still looking strong. After resting for a few minutes I prepared myself mentally for the long climb I knew was coming up, and I got ready to head back out. I think Karin asked me one more time if I needed a pacer, but I again said nah, I’ll be okay.
I headed back out so happy to continue on and experience a new part of the course for me. As I was crossing back over the bridge I got a little chill. Oh man, should I head back real quick to get my jacket? Nah, I’ll warm up in a minute or so. Just keep moving forward. It was a long, slow, 2 mile climb up the Black Forest Trail. The caffeine hadn’t kicked in yet. I was getting chilly. I needed to wake up and get some energy. I drank often, had gels or energy chews or bars or something on this climb to try and get me to the next aid station as quick as I could. I was still mentally good. Just keep moving forward, it will get better. Somewhere in this section is where Jason passed me. Another boost. Just keep moving forward. This section was definitely a slow go, but it went by quick enough. Oh, and I’m pretty sure this section is when my watch (Garmin Enduro) started it’s typical glitching. It would randomly show the blue Garmin triangle it shows during startup, then after a minute or two the resume/save screen would come up. I would resume the run and it would work okay for a while before repeating the process. It did that for the remainder of the race.
I got to AS 11/Algerines (Mile 69.3) at 3:04 am (at least by my watch data). I saw Jason again here for a moment before he headed back out. That section definitely took a lot out of me. I was tired and cold, but happy to be at the aid station. I knew I needed to sit for a moment but I also needed to warm-up. Thankfully the volunteers had a blanket I was able to wrap myself in, while I enjoyed a nice hot cup of ramen soup. Kevin came in while I was sitting and getting warmed up. He was still doing awesome. I think shortly after he made his way back out, I got up and got myself together. I had a little more food and then made my way back out too. Just keep moving forward.
The next couple of miles after Algerines I think should have been a fairly good section across the plateau, at least until I got to the next hollow. At least according to the course description:
68.3 – 74.8 After stretching your legs by running as fast as you can across the top of the plateau you come to…wait for it….another rocky hollow!! Quite possibly the longest and steepest and rockiest you have seen so far. If you haven’t started already, it is time to curse the idiot who told you to run so fast in the first half. At the bottom you cross at the intersection of Leetonia Road and Mine Hole Road and enter the Honagha Danju Ga Wisay Trail. I won’t give away what this Native American phrase really means. Only the hardiest of runners who make it this far will be able to read the sign and find out. The trail leads you up the twin of the rocky hollow you just came down and out to the Long Branch Aid Station.
This whole section between Algerines and Long Branch was brutal for me. The shin pain was getting worse and I was only managing a 30 to 40 minute/mile pace. Once I finally got to the hollow and started making my way down the Vanaimes Trail almost every step down sent a pain up my right shin. Fuck!! Just keep moving forward. Just make it to the next aid station. I finally made it to the bottom of the hollow. I crossed over the bridge at Leetonia Road and then made my way up to the start of the Long Branch Trail. WTF is this 10 foot vertical wall of trail I have to try to climb here on trashed legs?! (Okay it probably wasn’t that bad but it seemed like quite a bitch at the time, lol).
Long Branch Trail was definitely long for me. And apparently there weren’t enough low hanging branches because it seemed like this section definitely could’ve used more flagging. There were several spots where the trail was hard for me to follow because it didn’t seem as well defined. Or maybe it could have just been due to me being tired.
Ouch! Just keep moving forward. Where the fuck is the trail? Oh there it is. Just keep moving forward. Ouch! That hurt! It’s not broken. Just keep moving forward. Fuck that hurt! Wait, is it broken? You can still walk. Just keep moving forward. Where the fuck is the trail now!? Oh, found it. The sun is starting to come out, things will get better now. Ouch! The fuck they will! Where did the trail go now? Found it. Keep moving forward. Quit being a little bitch. Just make it to the next aid station. It’s got to be coming up soon. Ouch! What if it’s fractured? Just make it to the next aid station, then you can have it looked at and make a decision from there. Just make it to the next aid station. Just keep moving forward. WHERE THE FUCK IS THIS AID STATION!!!!?? DOES IT EVEN EXIST?? You will get there eventually, just keep moving forward. Oh, I think I hear something. Do I smell food? Nope! SERIOUSLY, WHERE THE FUCK IS THIS AID STATION??? Left foot. Right foot. Just make it to the next aid station.
“Welcome to Long Branch” FINALLY!!!!! Somewhere around 7:10 am I finally hobbled in to AS12/Long Branch (Mile 75.8). “Is there medical here?”, I asked the volunteers. I sat down while the medical volunteer checked out my shin. She noticed it was swollen pretty bad, was quite red and very tender to the touch. She wrapped some ice on it for about 10 minutes while I rested my feet and ate. As I was sitting there with it being iced Karin came through with Sean. I was happy to see them but I mentioned that I wasn’t sure if I was going to make it. They gave me a pep talk and said I could do it. It was pretty much all downhill to Blackwell. The medic put some BioFreeze on my shin, let it dry for a minute or so, then wrapped it up so I could make a go of it. I thanked everyone for their help and headed back out.
4.7 miles to go, mostly downhill, in a little less than 2 hours. Just keep moving forward, as fast as I’m able to. Just make it to the next aid station. You can do it. You have to do it. This is your big goal. This is your dream race. Only one thing matters right now, just make it to the next aid station.
I was able to keep my pace under 20 minute miles until I got to the bottom of Bohen Run. Then there was a short (about half a mile) uphill section. I did my best to keep moving as quickly as possible. Then there was the final downhill into Blackwell. I was going to make it. But with every step I took now the pain was excruciating. Tim and Kunal passed me in this section. They were moving good and said we still had time.
They were right. I knew I could still make it to Blackwell. I also knew the next section had the climb up to Gillespie Point, then back down the other side, then back up to Skytop. …4.5 miles in 90 minutes… It just took almost 2 hours to go 4.7 miles mostly downhill. I knew this was the end. I was going to come up short yet again. My dream slipped further away with each painful step. That dreaded moment was coming. The painful memories of last year came flooding back.
I made it down to Rt. 414 and slowly lifted each leg over the guard rail. The volunteer checking runners in told me I had 1 minute to cross the bridge and then I could keep going. All I could do was just shamefully shake my head no. I must have had the look of complete and utter exhaustion and defeat because he understood. I made it to the other side of the bridge and knew the time had come once again. I tried to get my bib off on my own but I couldn’t get the safety pin undone, so the volunteer had to help me. As soon as I turned that bib in it felt like my entire soul left my body. I couldn’t hold back the tears of defeat. I acknowledged that I made it farther than last year, and I knew I had given it all I could this time. It just wasn’t enough.
I sat down for a few moments to try to collect myself. Luke asked if I wanted them to make me a breakfast sandwich. “Absolutely! That sounds wonderful!” I might as well fill the void I was feeling with something; and as is usually the case for me food is where I turn to first.
That bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich on toast was absolutely delicious though and it hit the spot. I savored each bite of it.
I waited around for a while until there was a ride back to Little Pine. Another familiar runner (I apparently forget people’s names at the end of races, Pete maybe?) came in a few minutes after me and said the sweepers where a little while behind him. His folks were there and asked if I wanted a ride back to Little Pine with them. I said sure and we made the long drive back to the start. Once we got back and they dropped me off at my vehicle, I thanked them again for the ride and we went our separate ways.
I put my gear in my truck and then made my way down to the pavilion. The details of what happened next are kind of a blur. I think I talked to a few people that were around, and then got a pulled pork sandwich and mac and cheese from Amanda and Adam. After I relaxed and ate then I made the 20 minute drive back to my camper. I took a warm shower, and then laid down and took about a 3 hour nap.
When I woke up, the pain in my right shin was pretty intense and I couldn’t really move my leg the way I wanted to. I had to shimmy down the bed then turn over on my left side in order to get into an upright position. I hobbled my way around, gathered up my remaining things and loaded them into my vehicle. Then I made the drive back to Little Pine to hang out and cheer on the other runners as they finished.
My shin after the race
I got back to Little Pine sometime around 3:45pm. I gathered up my drop bags that had came back, and then enjoyed talking to everyone and cheering on the finishers. It really is such an awesome and magical experience. We have the best trail running community here in PA, and all the races are great; but this one holds a special place in my heart.
It was awesome to see so many friends finish!!! Huge congrats to:
Eric Kosek Craig Miller Jason Branham Phil Perkins Aaron Watkins Matt Nicklin Mike Zimmerman Brooke Schell Tod Slabick John Gregorchik Kevin Kuchinsky Jason Karpinski
and EVERYONE else that crossed that finish line!!!
As well as a huge shoutout to EVERYONE else that toed the starting line and went out to accomplish a huge goal! Even if you fell short like I did, you are still a badass for taking on such an epic challenge! I hope to see you all next year!!
And of course a huge THANK YOU to each and every person that made this race happen!!! The RDs, race staff and board members Sponsors, EMS, Parks and Forests staff Volunteers, crews, pacers, spectators, and fellow runners Every single one of you are AMAZING!!!!! None of us could get as far as we do without you!! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!! THANK YOU!!!
It’s taken me a while to process this, as it is now the following Friday that I’m wrapping this up. At first I wasn’t going to write out a thorough recap. What was the point? I had failed to complete my goal, again.
After all I had done to improve my mental strength from last year. My improved performance at other races this year. My detailed planning for this race. What happened? Why did I fail again?
Unfortunately I know the answer to this. It’s the main underlying issue I truly struggle with. Consistency.
All the mental strength, confidence, and planning doesn’t mean shit if you’re not executing on the details consistently.
I only ran about 65 miles in the 5 weeks between Ironstone and ES100. And most of those miles were from shorter races. Training runs were almost non-existent. I had a lot of other life stresses and obligations in that time frame, but that’s no excuse. When I should have been tightening things up and closing any holes in my game, I instead got way too complacent, slacked off, and was probably just down right lazy at times.
I was hoping to be able to go out there, have an awesome performance, and be a changed person once I finished. That finishing would transform me, and make me feel like I’m where I belong. That I would then magically be able to be the person I need to be, and do what I need to do. That by having one epic performance everything else would become easy.
That’s ass-backwards. You first have to be able to perform the minor details consistently until you are able to do them flawlessly, then the epic performance is just the product of those results. I know this, it just took another major setback here for me to fully realize this.
Instead of being able to build on top of some great momentum, I feel like I now have to start over from the bottom again. But we have to start somewhere, right?
My shin is still a bit swollen but is slowly getting better. I’m dealing with quite a bit of uncertainty in my life right now, so I’m not sure what is next for me. Even though my goal of completing the PA Triple Crown and earning a spot on the Black List is now off the table for this year, I’m hoping I can get recovered and back to training quickly. I’m going to plan on still completing Black Forest 100k six weeks from now, and Rim to River 100 eleven weeks from now. If those plans need to change, then so be it.
One thing I do know for certain- God and the universe willing, and if my body is able, I will be back next year to give this course another go. I can’t let the dream die and disappear forever. I look forward to seeing plenty of familiar faces and some new faces too!
And while I don’t remember hearing any roosters at Slate Run, perhaps thrice denying the help of a pacer was a bad omen, or at least bad trail karma. And AS #13 was my ending point so…
I’ll definitely be planning to have some extra help to complete this next year!
“A rocky death by a thousand cuts in the heart of the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon.”
That is the tagline used for the race in the Participant Guide.
My summary of it is “A challenging and unforgettable journey through the remote PA Wilds, where you will experience glorious highs and soul-crushing lows.”
More on that in a moment.
First, I want to give a huge shout-out and thank you to each and every person, company, or organization, that was in anyway involved with this race. The massive amount of time, people, and resources that go into the planning, supporting, providing, and coordinating, that it takes to not just pull this race off but to do so at the highest level possible is incredible. So, thank you race directors, board members, volunteers, sponsors, parks and forests staff, EMS, spectators, crews, pacers, and fellow runners. You all are rockstars!
Now with that being said, here’s some of my random reflections over the past couple of days, and a race recap.
First, I want to apologize to each of you. I’m sorry that I failed, and I feel that I let each of you down. I dropped out when I got to Aid Station 10- Slate Run, 64 miles into the race. Sure, 64 miles is far, and 22 hours is a long time to be on your feet. But I stopped, I quit, I FAILED. I’m ashamed to admit that, and I’ve been trying to wrap my head around how I let that happen. I’m not ashamed that I failed, I’m ashamed that I gave up. This wasn’t just a race; this was one of my huge goals. To finish Eastern States as my first 100 miler was a dream. I was so excited to get the chance to make it happen, and I was determined to do so. Well, at least for the first 57 miles.
During those first 57 miles I was grateful to be out there running and hiking. I was enjoying the whole experience and envisioning myself sprinting (or what version I had left of a sprint at that point) across the finish line. I was reminding myself whatever discomfort I was feeling at times was only temporary. I would acknowledge the discomfort, remind myself that crossing the finish line would be worth it, and promise whatever was hurting that it would be tended to immediately after crossing that finish line.
It wasn’t extremely warm out, the temps were in the 70s up to low 80s. But there was 100% humidity when we started the race at 5am, so I was drenched in sweat shortly thereafter. Still not really a big deal. But between the sweat, the humidity, and the moisture along the trail. My socks/shoes/feet were quickly soaked and no doubt my feet were getting super wrinkly despite having slathered Desitin on them before the race started. Eh, whatever. Not ideal conditions, but not a major issue that will keep me from going on. Based on past races, (especially Laurel Highlands 70 miler) my feet might be sore for a couple days after but no blisters.
It was dark for about the first hour of the race. But I had my headlamp, and I had run on this section of trail a couple times before, so I had an idea of what to expect. It was a fairly technical/rocky trail with some narrow and slick sections with a drop-off on the right side that went down towards Little Pine Creek. My legs and mind were sharp, and I was able to get through that well enough. Then came the first climb- over 1000 ft gain in a mile: with some sections at a 40% grade. No problem, I love the climbs; and there’s usually a nice view once you get to the top. And it was getting light out by the time we got to the top, so that was a plus. I got to AS1 (water stop only)/Ramsey Road/Mile 5.8 at 6:33, only 13 minutes behind my estimate of 6:20. Then we started the first descent, followed immediately by another climb. At the top of this climb there was a short side trail off the course that goes out to a nice view. I decided to go ahead and take the extra couple of minutes to check it out and soak it in, and I’m glad I did.
Kline’s View Vista
Then it was back down the mountain via some switchbacks. I got to AS2/Ramsey Village/Mile 11.3 at 8:06. I refilled my water bottles and chowed down on some grub. Mini cinnamon roll, and what would become my standard choices for the rest of the race (bacon, potatoes, pierogies, pickles, watermelon and oranges). We then ran on a short section of the Pine Creek Rail Trail as we crossed the Ramsey Bridge, before making a right turn onto the Tiadaghton Trail and starting our climb again towards the sky. Then of course when we got to the top it was time to go right back down. I think it was somewhere in this section that my feet were getting a bit irritated, and it felt like I had some sort of hot spot or blister issue on the bottom of my right big toe. I made it to AS3/Lower Pine Bottom/Mile 17.8. And just then there was some light rain that lasted for a few minutes. I refueled, and then sat down for a moment to take my shoes off, check out my feet and readjust my socks. I was back out on the trail by 10:10.
Vista on the climb up out of Ramsey
Of course since we were now in the valley, that meant it was time to climb again. We started with a gradual climb about 1 mile up the gravel Lower Pine Bottom Road before making a right turn onto Wolf Path and another steep mile climb. Another run down, hike up, and run down again brought us to AS4/Browns Run/Mile 25.8. My feet were still hurting a bit, but my mind was strong and spirit was high. Seeing Michael, April, Mike and Rusty (the coolest trail dog ever!) and other friends also gave me a boost. I believe I had my hydration bladder refilled here, and I made sure to eat plenty of the great food to get in some calories. I was back on the trail by 12:30pm.
Aid Station 4 had some awesome signs!
From here it was a gradual, but long 6-mile climb to get to the next aid station. I don’t remember a whole lot about this section but I’m pretty sure this is when I finally decided to put some tunes on. This helped the time go by and it didn’t seem too long until I got to AS5/Happy Dutchman/Mile 31.6. Yay! A 50k of what is often mentioned as the most difficult section of the course is done! I refueled (that banana and Nutella wrap was awesome!) and topped off my fluids and then I was headed out by 2:35pm.
The next section of the course was really nice and definitely the most runnable of the entire course. There were some minor rolling hills, but it was wide snowmobile trails. I managed a few 10-minute miles in this section while running with Kyle! I believe this might have been the section that had some crazy muddy parts towards the end of it. And this was also the section that had the Fuzzy Friends Club. (A bunch of stuffed animals along the course to cheer us on lol 😊) It was again right around 2 hours until I made it to the next aid station- AS6/Ritchie Road/Mile 38.5. I again made sure to eat and drink plenty, did a little conversing, and then was out by 4:29pm.
Then there was about a 2-mile section of dirt road next to the powerlines. It was fairly level and runnable for sure, but it was also one of the few exposed sections with no tree canopy for shade, and during the hottest part of the day. Kept a relaxed pace as there was still plenty of miles left to cover. Once we turned back into the woods it was downhill to Hyner Run State Park. I still mostly kept a relaxed pace except for the last mile or 2 into the park. I felt strong and rolled into AS7/Hyner Run/Mile 43.2 at a good pace. Upon arriving I saw my friend Ryan who was waiting for his runner that he was going to pace for. Ryan immediately helped me by getting my drop bag, and some food for me, and even helped me get my fresh pair of socks on. He also encouraged me and gave me some tips. It totally boosted my mood even more and I was confident and determined to finish. I left AS7 at 6:02pm. I was hoping to reach the next aid station before it got dark out, but I put my headlamp around my head just in case.
Out of Hyner Run it was another 2 mile climb up the mountain. Once we got to the top it leveled out a little bit. Well, except for a few shorter but crazy steep and slippery drops that were immediately followed by equally shorter but steep climbs. This was also the section where we ran through the “bigfoot pens” (a fenced-in area with steel man gates that we lifted to climb through to get in/out). Thankfully I made it through those parts before it got dark, but I didn’t quite get to the next aid station before it did.
AS8/Dry Run/Mile 51.2- I was happy to see Sophorn here and to see Steve and Keith again as well. They gave me a much-needed boost, as I must have been getting tired at this point. I left there at 9:07pm, but only managed a few steps before I realized I left my poles there. I walked back and I saw two pairs on the one chair, so I was trying to figure out which ones were mine. Turns out neither of those were, mine were a few chairs down. Oh boy, this is going to be an interesting night, lol. I headed into the darkness and tried to catch back up with Keith, but he was moving pretty good, and I was happy to see that.
I don’t remember a lot about the section between AS8 and AS9. It was dark out, but I don’t remember any tricky or really technical sections here. I just power-hiked and kept moving forward. My feet were still hurting but didn’t seem to be getting any worse. I was still determined to finish. Just keep my head in the game and keep moving forward. I made it to AS9/Big Trail/Mile 56.6 feeling how most people would after 18 hours on their feet; a bit tired and with some discomfort. I took my time to refuel, rehydrate, get some caffeine in me, and sat down to rest my feet for a couple of minutes. One of the ladies that I had been running near for a while was also sitting and was not feeling well, but her pacer was helping to lift her spirits back up again. I set out again at 11:23pm. I had almost 4 hours (by 3:15am) to make it 7.3 miles to the next aid station. I had a complete wardrobe change in my drop bag waiting for me there. Fresh socks, shoes, shirt, shorts, and hat. I just had to stay focused and keep moving forward. I got this.
When I first started walking away from the aid station all the sudden I felt a bit cold. I thought, “oh no- this might not be good.” Thankfully once I started moving quicker I warmed back up and felt fine. Within a few minutes after I left the aid station the ladies caught up to and passed me and were moving good again. I tried to keep them in sight but things started to go downhill, figuratively and literally. It was about a 1000 ft descent over the next 1.5 miles. It was now past my usual bedtime and the little bit of caffeine I got hadn’t made much impact yet. This was also where there were several blowdowns across the trail. Which seems to be common in this area according to the official course description:
“Mile 55.8 – 63.1 Turn left on the road then right and descend Callahan Run. Partly very steep, partly rocky, partly a delight to run. At the forks where the three branches of Callahan Run meet, cross the stream on your left and head back up a new hollow, increasingly steep, mostly rocky, and partly way up on a narrow side hill to avoid blowdowns from a tornado that struck in May 2011. At the top, it’s a mostly rolling (with a couple very short steep pitches) run along the ridge top to the Hemlock Mountain Vista. If you ran fast enough to get there before dark that is. From there it is all downhill. Steeply at times, fun switchbacks at others. You will come out on an old logging road to take you gently downhill along Naval Run. Black Forest Trail will veer off to the left, but you go straight on Naval Run Trail to the next stream crossing, then out to Naval Run Road where you will run a nearly level mile on drivable gravel road along Pine Creek. Proceed to the bridge and make a right over Pine Creek and to the aid station on the other shore.
It was somewhere in this section that the cracks in my mental strength were forming and eventually broke me. I think it started with all the blowdowns. There was one section where I didn’t see the marked detour around a large fallen tree until after I had already managed to climb my way over it. So, then I climbed my way back over it to get back on the marked section. It was a bit muddy and slick in several spots and I almost fell a couple of times. Then came the hollows. I was proceeding cautiously up the steep, narrow, and banked trail so that I wouldn’t fall down the rocky slope towards the stream below. The climbing was okay other than trying not to fall down the hollows and navigating through/around the blowdowns. But on that downhill that was very steep (one small section was a -49.5% grade according to Strava) and slick and rocky, I started to unravel. I went very cautiously so I wouldn’t slip and fall, and because at this point my feet felt like they were in very bad shape. Having to plant them securely on the downs made it feel like the soles were completely raw and just getting shredded more with each step. Plus, my headlamp seemed like it was starting to get dim. I had an extra battery in my pack but didn’t want to have to change it while on this steep and narrow trail. I did have a hand torch in the side pocket of my vest though, so I was able to get that out okay just in case I needed it.
Somehow during all these distractions, I completely forgot about everything else that was important. I forgot about running (or more like slowly walking at this point) for those that can’t. I forgot about being thankful for the opportunity. I forgot about all the work I had put in to get this far. I forgot about #comfortisalie, #doepicshit, #keepshowingup, #keepmovingforward, #trusttheprocess, #determination, #goals, #dreambig. I forgot about my vision of sprinting across the finish line.
I FORGOT ABOUT MY DREAM!
HOW THE FUCK DOES THAT HAPPEN??
I knew and fully believed that I am capable of finishing this race. (And I still do).
My mentality going into this race was “Death before DNF.” Whatever it takes. Keep going until you cross the finish line, or they have to pull you off the course.
Even when I left AS9 I knew I had plenty of time to make it, just keep moving forward. I even told myself to stay strong mentally and just make it to the next aid station. If you make it before the cutoff you’re good. Don’t take yourself out of it.
What do I end up doing?
I checked out. I FUCKING QUIT!
Why? Because my feet hurt and were swollen, my knees were getting tight, I was tired, and I was afraid of falling?
THAT’S ALL SOME WEAK-ASS BULLSHIT EXCUSES!!
If I fell I just had to get up, brush off and keep going. I could sleep after I finished the damn thing. And my body would probably heal and recover within a few days.
I guess the saying should be “If you don’t fall for something, then you won’t stand for anything.”
Once I made that lame-ass decision to stop at Slate Run I slowed down even more and took my sweet time getting there. I walked the sorry fraction of the man I used to be across that bridge and checked in at 3:09am. I still had 6 minutes to get out of there and head to the next aid station. I walked around aimlessly for a couple of minutes checking out the food, and the medical tent, seeing if there was anyone around that I knew that could somehow magically restore my broken spirit.
What was I doing? Why was I looking for some kind of help?
I could have helped myself. I could have grabbed my drop bag, quickly changed, topped off my fluids, grabbed some food to eat on the go and check-out by 3:15am. Would it have been difficult? Yes, but certainly not impossible. But I didn’t even try. It’s like I had entered the twilight zone or something in those previous 7 miles. This seemed like an alternate reality.
Then at 3:14am I walked over and told them I was dropping out. I had to remove my bib and turn it in.
That’s when reality hit, and it hit like a fucking freight train. It fucking sucked! I immediately started to get emotional, and I tried to hold it together as I made it back over to see whatever food was left while waiting for a volunteer to give me a ride back to the start.
It was only about a 5-minute wait until one of the volunteers (unfortunately I’m drawing a blank on his name) was able to provide a ride. There were 2 other runners that were getting a ride back also; a guy and a girl (unfortunately I didn’t get their names either). We all had a nice conversation which made the almost hour-long ride seem to go by quicker. Once I got back to my vehicle I wiped myself down, changed my clothes, and then slept in the back on the folded down seats for about 3 hours.
I missed the top few runners coming in but wanted to hang out until the last runner came through. But I needed to get cleaned up first. I made the 40-minute drive back to my hotel in WIllamsport. I got showered and changed, then headed out for breakfast at a local diner. I felt refreshed so I headed back to the finish at Little Pine State Park. I collected my drop bags that had made it back so far, and just hung out and talked with some fellow runners who hadn’t finished. We all cheered as each finisher came down the home stretch and across the finish line. It was a fun and festive atmosphere. It was great seeing Kyle, Andrei, Keith, and all the other finishers crossing that line and getting their well-earned buckle and finisher jacket.
I was disappointed with myself on Sunday, but I was still kind of in the moment seeing the other finishers. That drive home Sunday night wasn’t great. Monday was awful. I was very disappointed and depressed, and I didn’t want to be back to reality. Before and during the race I was expecting to be a changed and better version of myself after crossing the finish line. I thought I was born for this, the stars were aligned, and I was going to fulfill my destiny. But since that didn’t happen, I ended up feeling like a lesser version of who I was. I felt empty inside. My soul vanished into the darkness the moment I turned that bib in. Here it is three days later and I still feel the anguish just thinking about, and I probably will for quite some time. And perhaps therein lies the good that came out of this. I will NEVER FORGET that moment. This one will sting for quite a while; well at least until Sunday 8/14/22 around 4:30pm.
Now that I’ve gotten all that out it’s time to quit stewing in the dumps. It’s time get back to putting in the work and making things happen. I’m 81 days out from Rim to River 100 which will be a nice boost, and 360 days until my 2nd date with destiny. I damn well guarantee I will be taking my soul back and getting that buckle and jacket.
LET’S FUCKING GO!!
#SEEYOUATSTATES
Aid Station Splits: Pre-race estimates vs. Actuals
Aid Station
Sect. Dist.
Total Dist.
Cutoff Time
Est. Time
Actual Time
AS1- Ramsey Rd
5.8
5.8
7:00am
6:20am
6:33am
AS2- Ramsey
5.5
11.3
9:00am
7:40am
8:06am
AS3- Lower Pine Btm.
6.5
17.8
11:30am
9:30am
10:10am
AS4- Browns Run
8.0
25.8
2:00pm
12:00pm
12:30pm
AS5- Happy Dutchman
5.8
31.6
4:30pm
2:30pm
2:35pm
AS6- Ritchie Rd
6.9
38.5
6:30pm
4:30pm
4:29pm
AS7- Hyner Run
4.7
43.2
8:15pm
6:30pm
6:02pm
AS8- Dry Run
8.0
51.2
11:00pm
9:00pm
9:07pm
AS9- Big Trail
5.4
56.6
12:45am
11:00pm
11:23pm
AS10- Slate Run
7.3
63.9
3:15am
1:30am
3:09am
AS11- Algerine
5.4
69.3
5:30am
3:30am
DNF
AS12- Long Branch
6.5
75.8
7:30am
5:30am
DNF
AS13- Blackwell
4.7
80.5
9:15am
7:30am
DNF
AS14- Sky Top
4.5
85.0
10:45am
9:00am
DNF
AS15- Barrens
8.1
93.1
1:30pm
12:00pm
DNF
AS16- Hackett
6.2
99.3
3:45pm
2:00pm
DNF
Finish
3.8
103.1
5:00pm
3:35pm
DNF
Strava Stats
Garmin Stats
Whoop Stats
Next year’s image will include the bib, buckle, and jacket
Wow! It is now August 31st, 2020. Where has the time gone? The month, the year, the decade, the last quarter century?
At the end of the month I try to reflect on what happened during the past month, and what my plans and goals are for the next month. As this month comes to a close I find myself reflecting on much more than the past 31 days. I think it’s safe to say this year has been crazy for all of us. This is 2020; This was supposed to be our year to crush our goals and make our dreams come true!! Well apparently that crazy bitch ‘Rona found out, got jealous, and decided to fuck shit up for all of us! Like who wrote this script? This is worse than Sharknado. (Guess I shouldn’t say that…because well it’s still 2020 so don’t rule anything out). Sometimes I wish I could go back in time and make different (i.e. better) choices in my earlier life. I also wonder how far back in time others would go, if they could. I think given the way this year has been most of us would go back to at least 2019 (or maybe ahead to whenever all of this is behind us).
For me personally, with everything that is going on in my life now and what has happened up to this point, sometimes I think I would probably go back to high school. I’d be more social and outgoing, and be more focused on my school work, so that I could have a more “normal” life. One that didn’t have so many hardships, one where I didn’t sacrifice my dreams and aspirations by settling for mediocrity and complacency.
But then I remember two of my core beliefs: Everything happens for a reason, whether we realize it at the time or not; and If you believe then good things will happen. Of course sometimes the reason things happen is because you royally fuck-up and make a huge mistake (or 10, lol). And the key component to believing good things will happen, is actually doing everything you possibly can to MAKE IT HAPPEN!!
So as I continued to deeply reflect on my life to this point, I’ve learned a lot about myself. I also came to the realization that I have 2 choices. I can continue to relive my regrets and stay on this unfulfilling “default lifestyle” path of complacency, where the only thing that grows is resentment and anguish. Or, I can stop and accept where I’m at right now and appreciate the lessons I have learned on the path so far; but then venture out into the unknown and blaze my own trail. I’ve decided it’s time to choose the latter.
I don’t know what the future holds, I don’t know how the next chapter ends; but I’m ready to start writing a new one now! This past year has been one of the most challenging years for many people, and there are still many challenges ahead; but we will rise and conquer them, that’s what we do!!
Also, this song started playing (perhaps coincidentally) as I was writing this post, so I figured I would share the link and a couple lyrics here: I’ve lost a lot, and learned a lot Time is money Only difference is I own it…let’s stop time and enjoy this moment
Although February is the shortest month of the year I still managed to record my highest mileage and elevation totals so far! 178 miles and over 20,000 ft. of elevation, even with 9 days of no running!!
This was a great month with some awesome races! My favorite, most challenging, unique, and most elevation gain race so far was definitely The Frozen Snot. I also ran a new long distance at the Naked Bavarian 40 mile race on leap day, which was a great way to finish the month strong!
Lehigh Valley Road Runners Superbowl Tailgate Trot 10k Sunday 2/2/20
Lehigh Parkway, Allentown, PA
A local 10k!
My seventh race of the year was my third 10k of 2020, and the first one that I didn’t have to drive an hour to get to! This is an annual event that is hosted by our local running club, the Lehigh Valley Road Runners (LVRR).
I have done this race twice before, in 2017 and 2018, so I knew the course well. I wanted to improve upon my results from 2018 so my 3 goals for this one were: -Finish under 45:00 -Finish in the top 57 -Top 10 in Age Group
The week leading up to the race… Since this was a double race weekend this was the same as it was for race # 6, but here’s the update
Saturday- 6:58 of sleep, trail 21k race, 4121 calories (= 204 under net goal)
I did not prep my gear the night before like I usually do, but I had an idea of what I was going to wear. The forecast was calling for temps in the 30s, so I knew shorts and a long sleeve shirt would be okay for me. Here’s what I went with:
Reebok FloatRide RS shoes, teal UA Launch SW 7″ shorts, teal UA MK-1 Long Sleeve shirt, UA Run Cushion Crew Socks, Aegend Lightweight Running Gloves, and of course my Optishokz, and Garmin Forerunner 235. For my warmup- UA Storm ColdGear Reactor Pace Jacket and Cougar Sport warmup pants.
No special nutrition needs for this one.
I went to bed around 11:30pm and woke up at 6:45am. I had a headache when I woke up so I took an Aleve and then got in the shower hoping that would help. I had a bowl of cereal for breakfast and then I got everything gathered up. I left sometime around 8 and got there around 8:30.
I was surprised to see how many cars were already there when I got there, but there was plenty of parking and volunteers directing traffic. I still had my headache so I took an ibuprofen and then headed towards the clubhouse. I did my usual pre-race pee in the porta-potty and then went over to registration. They use tablets to check in the pre-registered runners and then enter the bib number as they hand it out. I also got my race shirt and then headed back to the car to drop it off and get my bib on. I drank a little bit of Accelerade and then did my stretches before starting my warm-up run. Shortly after starting my warm-up my headache went away, or I just didn’t feel it anymore because I was focused on my running. I got in a little over a mile, with some strides at the end.
I made my way to the starting line and found a spot towards the front of the pack of 500+ runners. Since this is a local race for me I saw quite a few people that I knew, and I also got to meet some of my IG running friends too! A few pre-race announcements were made and then the national anthem was played. We were off and running at 9:33 am.
The first mile was on the tree-lined road headed out of the parkway. The scenery here is nice and the road is close to the Little Lehigh Creek. There is a slight incline as you run out of the park and then we make a left turn around the corner and continue up another small hill. I was feeling pretty good and my first mile pace was 7:08 (6:42 GAP). We then headed back down the hill and made another left turn before crossing a bridge over the creek. Then we made our way up another small hill and continued through the neighborhood. My mile 2 split was again 7:08 (6:56 GAP). I passed the water stop and was still feeling ok but could tell I was starting to slow down a little.
Around mile 2.5 I heard one of the volunteers call my name, which is always a nice little boost (at least mentally if not reflected physically too). My split for mile 3 was 7:21 (7:09 GAP). Somewhere around mile 3.7 I took the one Honey Stinger energy chew I had brought with me. I was slowly chewing away at it but then I ended up spitting the rest out just after I passed the water station again.
Mile 4 was mostly flat and my pace was about the same, 7:20 split (7:18 GAP). Then for mile 5 I started back down the hill out of the neighborhood. Someone passed me on the downhill which is unusual for me because I’m usually passing others on the downhills; oh well. I crossed over the creek again and headed back up the other small hill; my split was again 7:20 (7:04 GAP). Then I was able to pick up the pace as I started down that last hill, then I turned the corner back into the park and was feeling good on the final stretch. Mile 6 was 7:05 (but 7:09 GAP), then the last quarter mile was a 6:14 pace. As the finish clock came into view I was thrilled to see it was under 45:00; and I crossed the finish line at 44:27 for a new road 10k PR!
After I finished the race I did my cool down jog and took my mug/tumbler and gloves back to the car and then continued for the rest of my mile. I then had my Endurox R4 before heading back to the clubhouse to grab some post-race grub. There was a lot of Little Caesar’s pizza, some cookies, and a few other things. I grabbed 2 slices of pizza and a cookie before heading back home.
Overall this was a fun event and I was ecstatic that I was able to get a new PR considering it felt like I was running slower than that, and especially after a trail half marathon the day before. Even though I felt like I could have pushed harder I was happy to see some pretty consistent splits and I loved that my last mile was my fastest. And it’s always great to see some familiar faces!
5 Previous 10k races: 1/12/20- Pagoda Pacers Shiver by the River 10k- 46:22 1/11/20- Scranton Running Co. Shiver by the River 10k- 45:08 12/8/19- Pagoda Pacers Shiver by the River 10k- 45:08 10/19/19- Runners World 10k- 47:30 9/2/19- Saucon Rail Trail 10k- 50:47
Strava and Garmin race stats
Race Review Ratings based on the following scale: 1- Minimal 2- Below Average 3- Average 4- Above Average 5- Excellent
Course- out and back, all on paved roads, starts and ends in the parkway; a few rolling hills, through a residential neighborhood Scenery: 3 Difficulty: 3 Course Markings: 5 Volunteers/Marshals: 5 Aid stations: 5 (1 aid stations on course, pass twice- around mile 2.1/3.9 )
Race- Organization: 5 Post race food: 4 Comradarie/Community: 5 Parking: 5 Pre-race communications: 5 Results: 2 (no on-site results; posted online after 48 hours) Location: 4 Start time: 5 Awards timing: Not sure
Swag- Shirt: 4 (long sleeve tech shirt) Finisher Medal: 4 (was a stainelss steel mug/tumbler and a pair of gloves) Awards: not sure
7 races down, 93 to go! Next race: Saturday 2/8; Scranton Running Co. Shiver by the River 10k, Scranton, PA
Stay tuned for more. Subscribe below to get notified when I post new updates.
Since I had not run this race before I did my usual research and checked out past results and some Strava data. It looked like a fairly fast course (for a trail run), but still with some challenging sections. I decided my 3 goals for this one would be: -Finish under 2:15:00 -Finish in the top 20 -Finish in the top 7 of my age group (30-39)
The week leading up to the race… I took Monday as a rest day, then got just over 4 miles in on both Tuesday and Wednesday. I took another rest day on Thursday and then 4.5 miles on Friday. I felt a little more tired than usual this week, but otherwise it was a fairly uneventful week. My nutrition was still all over the place, but it is what it is for now.
I prepped my gear the night before, as usual. The forecast was calling for temps in the 30s, and warming up into the 40s. I again didn’t want to be too warm and wanted to have freedom of movement on the trails so I again opted for no leggings for this one. Here’s what I went with:
Under Armour Horizon RTT trail shoes, blue UA Launch 2-in-1 shorts, blue UA HeatGear short sleeve shirt, blue/green Pro Compression socks, Aegend Lightweight Running Gloves, and of course my Optishokz, and Garmin Forerunner 235. (I also wore my Cougar Sport warmup pants and UA Storm ColdGear Reactor Pace jacket for my warmup run).
After I got everything ready I started to wind down for the night and went to bed around 11pm.
I woke up at 6am, and I was feeling good. I got in the shower, got dressed, and then grabbed a pb&j uncrustable and toasted half an english muffin to eat on the drive. I got everything gathered up, and was out the door and on the road by 7:15.
I got to Lewis Morris park around 8:50 and I wasn’t quite sure where in the park to go. So I pulled into a parking lot and checked the website again to see where to go. I also had to go to the bathroom and luckily there was a porta-pottie in this lot. I then made the short drive to the parking lot near the lake. There was plenty of parking here but there were no signs on where registration was. There was a building next to the lake (which was currently drained and was just a big mud hole) and close to the parking lot, so I thought maybe it was in there, but nope. Thankfully I saw a few other runners head in the opposite direction to a pavilion that was about a quarter mile away. I told the person at registration my name and I was handed an ankle bracelet/timing chip, and was given the option to pick my swag. The options consisted of a coffee mug, and I believe the other options were gloves, a buff, or winter knit hat. I went with the mug since I didn’t have a race coffee mug yet. I understand the environmentally conscious reason to use the reusable chip bracelets instead of bibs, but as someone who collects and proudly displays their race bibs I was a little disappointed not to get one. Oh well. I headed back to the car to get ready. I put on my Body Glide, and then I mixed my Accelerade and filled my handheld bottle with it. I then made my way to the porta-pottie for a final pre-race pee. OMG, there is only 1 porta-pottie here and there are about 10 people in front of me, and there’s less than 20 minutes until the start time, and I still had to do my warmup run!! Not cool!! I finally got to go and had about 8 minutes left to get in a warmup run, so I got in a little under half a mile, before lining up at the start line.
I lined up towards the front and in the middle. The countdown began and we started off promptly at 9am.
The first quarter mile was a mostly flat, gravel road and I was running at my 5k pace, which is around 7:00/mile. The course then transitioned to single track trail as we made our way up the first short hill, which was about 150′ gain in half a mile. From there I settled more into my trail pace and finished the first mile in 9:03, but my GAP (Grade Adjusted Pace) was 8:06.
To start mile 2 we continued to climb about another 125′ in the next half mile. Then it was about a 100′ descent to finish mile 2. My split pace was 9:42 (8:50 GAP).
Mile 3 started with another short climb, then we turned the corner and went back down. We crossed a wooden footbridge over a small creek and then made our way up towards a parking lot and followed a gravel road for about a half mile. I was beginning to wonder if I had missed a turn back onto a trail but then I saw a marker and knew I hadn’t. I think it was just that I was starting to dislike road sections and I didn’t want to be on it any longer than necessary. Even though it’s usually a chance to open it up and pick up the pace without having to worry about big rocks and roots, I’ve come to enjoy the uneven and challenging terrain. And also it may be because running faster on flatter surfaces seems to cause a little more pain with the hip/glute and ankle issues I have been having. Anyways, we continued up on the gravel road for the first quarter mile of mile 4, and then after turning the corner we finally got back on the trail, yay!
It was rolling hills for the rest of the mile, and I was feeling good. Mile 5 was mostly downhill. I’m not sure what happened here though because after reviewing my Strava data this was my 3rd slowest mile on the first loop, 9:04 split (9:07 GAP).
The first half of mile 6 was mostly flat, and I believe this was another section of gravel/dirt road but there were some very muddy sections too. Then we got back onto the trail and I picked up the pace as we continued 125′ downhill towards the finish line. That was my fastest mile split (8:41) of the race and I finished the first loop in 54:57. I was definitely on track to reach my goal of finishing under 2:15:00, however the course came up short of even the 10k loop they were using, as it was right at 6.0 miles according to my Garmin.
The second loop started out the way they usually do for me; I’m mostly by myself and I’ve slowed down since the first loop. My split for mile 7 was 10:07 (GAP 9:01), so a minute slower than the first lap. I stayed somewhat near that pace for the rest of the run, but did drop down to 10:30 for mile 11; again I don’t know what happened there since that mile was all downhill. I did finish strong for the last mile (of the race anyways) and my split for mile 12 was 8:53.
I crossed the finish line at 1:55:27, accomplishing my goal of finishing under 2:15:00. But I wasn’t done. I was not stopping at 12 miles for what should’ve been a 13.1 mile race; I wanted to complete the Strava Half Marathon challenge on the first day of the month! I ran through the finish line and then did a cool down run on the path around the dry lake and then back around towards the finish line. I ended up with 13.14 miles in a time of 2:06:41. I still beat my time goal and I finished 13th overall and 6th in my age group, accomplishing all 3 of my goals for this race!
At the pavilion at the finish area there were a lot of snacks and refreshments: water, Gatorade, Nuun tablets, mini brownies, muffins, and cinnamon rolls; several different granola bars, pop tarts, rice krispy treats, oranges, chips and candy. I grabbed a few things and then jogged back to the car. I drank my Endurox R4, changed my shoes and clothes and then started on my way back home.
Overall this was a fun event and I enjoyed running in a new place. A few areas for improvement would be to have more signage directing the runners on the parking and registration areas; having more than 1 porta-potty; using an accurately measured course (website showed the half uses an additional loop around the lake, so I’m not sure why it wasn’t used- seemed perfectly runnable to me);
Previous trail 21k races: 8/11/19, Half-Wit Half, 2:34:40 7/14/19, Spartan Trail 21k, 4:23:34 (one of the hardest races I have ever done) 5/11/19- Jim Thorpe Half, 1:53:55 (mix of road and trail)
Strava and Garmin race stats
Race Review Ratings based on the following scale: 1- Minimal 2- Below Average 3- Average 4- Above Average 5- Excellent
Course- mostly single track trails through the woods; rolling hills, switchbacks, some gravel roads Scenery: 4 Difficulty: 3 Course Markings: 5 Volunteers/Marshals: 4 Aid stations: 3 (1 water stop at start/finish)
Swag- 4 Shirt: N/A but had the choice of a coffee mug, and I believe the other options were gloves, a buff, or winter knit hat. I went with the mug. Finisher Medal: N/A Awards: N/A
6 races down, 94 to go! Next race: Saturday 2/2; LVRR Superbowl Tailgate Trot 10k, Allentown, PA
Stay tuned for more. Subscribe below to get notified when I post new updates.
To Be Determined 