The North Face Endurance Challenge 50K

This was my first Ultramarathon since the 60 Miler at Ghost Train last October, and it felt great to be back! I signed up for this race only a few days prior after receiving a promotional code from a friend and learning that a few other friends were running. I had wanted to run this race last year, but at the time, it did not fit into my schedule, so I was excited to give it a shot! Truthfully, I went into this race a bit more ambitiously than I should have. I had not done the proper hill training and had been taking it relatively easy since my 2:52:16 (a new PR!) at the Boston Marathon in April.

Course Map!

This race took place at Wachusett Mountain and Leominster State Forest in Princeton, MA. It is the part of a larger series that includes New York, Massachusetts, Wisconsin, and culminates in a Championship Race in California in November. I expected a great race considering that the event was being put on by North Face, and it didn’t disappoint. The course was extremely well marked, which was comforting.

Elevation Profile

My day began with my alarm going off at 4:00 AM to drive an 1:15 to the race. I was shocked when I arrived at 6:00 AM and almost no one was there yet. As people gradually started to roll in, I picked up my bib number, and met up with my friends who were going to be racing their first ultra! Pretty soon, we were on the start line, mentally preparing for the 700ft climb in the first two miles.

Before the Summit at Mile 6!

The race began, and we were immediately going up. It took a few minutes to settle in as we were on a single-track trail for the first half mile with everyone jockeying for position. We opened onto a larger fire road which allowed me to get into a better rhythm. I was trying to be relatively cautious for the first few miles but was pretty surprised to see my heart rate hovering in the high 170s for these first two miles. For the next three or four miles, we were heading slightly downhill before preparing for the first summit to the top of Wachusett Mountain. This was course was extremely technical, even more so than the Middlesex Fells at some points. I don’t consider myself that strong of a technical downhill runner so it was irritating to feel like I was losing time in these places. The course was also pretty wet and at Mile 6 I went down straight into the mud, covering my shoes. I was caught by my friends Pete and Mitch at about Mile 7 right as we began the first summit. This was one of the most technical climbs that I had ever done. I was literally on my hands summiting the 20-25% grade. At one point, we climbed almost 150ft feet in only a tenth of a mile. However, there was something quite exhilarating about it, especially when you reached the summit to see all the spectators who had taken up the chair lift! I reached the first checkpoint at Mile 7.1 in 10th Place in 1:13:01 (10:17 Pace).

After the Second Summit at Mile 10!

I began my fueling by using Tailwind mixed with water, and Mitch was kind enough to give me another one of his packets, but after that I was stuck relying on Hammer Nutrition for the rest of the day, which was not great, to say the least. I was a bit disappointed in the food selection at the aid stations. This was my first time running an ultra without some form of a loop, so I was at the mercy of the aid stations. All I really wanted was my Cape Cod 40% Reduced Fat potato chips! After the first summit, we took an equally technical downhill before looping back and attacking the climb once again. It certainly was not easier the second time. I crested the top for the second time with Pete and Mitch right behind me. I must have spent longer than I thought at the aid station as Mitch was out of sight by the time I left. At the second summit at Mile 9.4, I was still in 10th Place in 1:43:24 (11:00 Pace).

Pete and I left the aid station and we ran the next few miles together. It was certainly a relief to get some less technical downhills for the first time all race! At the next aid station, we were told that we had a few people that were only 3-4 minutes ahead, so we focused on closing some distance on them. I lost Pete shortly after, and I was on my own for the rest of the race. For me, the unexpected thorn in my side was the trail that traversed between Wachusett and Leominster State Forest. I still felt strong on this section and had passed two people, but I was acutely aware that there were going to be some very tough climbs when we came back this way towards the finish. This section was also very technical and had some rock climbs similar to what the summit ascents were like. I came into the next aid station at Mile 16.4 in 8th Place in 3:05:42 (11:19 Pace).

Wachusett to Leominster Traverse at Mile 15

At this point, I entered the easiest part of the course, which was about a five-mile loop on open fire trails. After a moderately sized climb, I was greeted with flat, fast, open downhill. This was my quickest mile of the race at 8:00, but again, I definitely need to work on my downhill and technical running. I was passed at this point by a guy going at least 6:30-6:45 pace during this section. During this loop, I also started to see more 50 Mile racers who had started their day two hours earlier at 5:00 AM. It was great to be able to cheer each other on, but it was also good for me to have something to focus on ahead of me. I reached the next aid station and refueled with more Hammer and grabbed half a peanut butter sandwich. I could definitely feel the temperature picking up and it felt scorching whenever I was in the sun. As I left this aid station, a woman there told me the next one would be in five miles. Since I was only carrying a 16oz handheld, I knew it would almost an hour before I reached the next aid station, which was not a good sign.

I must have misunderstood the course map, as I expected that we would complete the fire trail loop a second time, but instead, we followed another very technical single-track trail. At Mile 20 I could tell that I was starting to struggle due to the heat. My legs felt fine, but I just could not get my heart rate down. I was only a mile into this loop and I had already taken half of my water. My mile times started to creep up into the 12-13-minute range. All told, this felt like one of the longest hours of my life. I finally, came out of the trail as the course looped back to a previous aid station. I ended up reaching the 25.7 Mile checkpoint in 7th Place in 4:51:29 (11:21 Pace). I spent a bit longer at this aid station then previous ones as I desperately needed more water. I gave up on the Hammer mix for the last few miles and switched solely to iced water. Leaving this aid station and again following the traverse from Leominster State Forest to Wachusett Mountain, I hit (to me) the most brutal uphill of the course, which was a technical 400ft climb. This was the point in the race where I was completely reduced to walking as I couldn’t run because my head was spinning so hard. This was by far the slowest and most painful mile of my race at just over 20 minutes. I had one guy go by me during this time, pushing me down to 8th, and I expected more to follow him, but no one ever did. I figured the heat must have really been hurting people.

After this mile, I was finally able to switch back to running. Taking the time to get my heart rate and breathing back under control paid off. Feeling much better now, I actually caught up to and passed the guy who had breezed right by me just two miles before. Now back in 7th place, and with three miles to go, I felt much stronger and wanted to put some distance between myself and the 4-5 runners I assumed were right on my tail.

Leominster to Wachusett Traverse at Mile 26

With about a mile and a half to go, the course opened up to a rolling fire road before dropping down to the finish. I quickly stopped at the last aid station about a mile before the finish to grab water and to check to see if anyone was behind me. During the last few miles, I kept expecting the course to finally start dropping downhill to the finish, but it never really did until the last half mile, which went straight downhill. Finally, I crossed the Finish Line in 7th Overall in 6:04:14 (11:50 Pace)!

I truly underestimated just how hard this course would be. I had the technical experience with the TARC Winter Fells Ultra, but not the elevation experience. I definitely have a lot of things to improve on going forward if I want to be more competitive, especially my technical downhill running. Right now, I have a few events on my schedule over the few months, mainly the TARC Summer Classic 40 Mile in August, the TARC Fall Classic 50 Mile in September, and the Ghost Train Trail Race 100 Mile in October. However, I jumped into this race on a whim, so who knows, I may just do it again!

I also want to give a shout out to my friends, Mitch Graves (6th, 6:00:24) and Pete Taglino (31st, 7:07:19) for finishing their first ultramarathons!

Finally, I have made my activity public on Garmin Connect in case anyone is interested in looking at splits, elevation etc. https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/3728051685

Finish!

Ghost Train Trail Race Race Recap - "Success is not Final, and Failure is not Fatal"

It’s taken me a bit longer than usual to put together a race recap as I have been working through what I wanted to say in this post over the past few days. I didn’t necessarily make it a secret that I was going for my first 100 Mile finish. I had signed up for this race on January 1^st, 2018 proclaiming that “this was going to be the year” I ran 100 Miles. I had also written about it in previous blog posts, and I had told friends and family about the race. So, to not make it all that way was incredibly disappointing and I’m still trying to process it even as I type this a week later.

Start Line!

For this race, my parents both flew up from North Carolina to help crew me. It was parents weekend at Bentley University, and try as they might to convince me to enjoy a normal parents weekend with them, I could not be swayed. We arrived at Camp Tevya around 8:00am on race morning and quickly unloaded our supplies from the car and found a spot close to the start line. The weather at the race was perfect and stayed in the mid-50s for most of the day. For this ultra, I had more supplies and more changes of clothes than I had for any previous ultra. We ended up setting up right across from Brian Butterfield, whom I had met at the TARC Fall Classic 50 Mile, a few weeks earlier. We talked for a few minutes before both going to our respective camps to finish setting up. Brian would go on to run an incredibly even paced race and take 2^nd Overall in the 100 Mile in 16:41.

Before I knew it, there were five minutes until the start and everyone began to line up. I ran a quick double check over my supplies to make sure I had everything. For this race, I would be carrying 200 calories of Tailwind with base salts and about 250 calories of chips and cookies. I would be able to refuel my bottle at each end of the course so I would be getting in about 700 calories for each loop. Finally, after some words from the incredible race directors, we were off and running.

I found myself going out quite a bit faster than previous ultras, even much shorter distances than my planned 100 miles. I felt like it was difficult to properly gauge my efforts at times during the first four miles of the out and back as it was pretty much razor flat. As a side note, the course traverses between Brookline and Milford, New Hampshire, with Milford serving as the turn-around point for each lap. Overall, I still really feel like I haven’t hit my full potential on trails. I haven’t been able to translate my marathon and half marathon speed as well as I would have liked, but I’m hoping it improves in future ultras. Maybe I just need to train harder? I rolled through the first few miles in about an 8:20 pace, making sure to keep my heart rate right around 150 beats per minute. I definitely like to run my own race, and I seldom, if ever, find myself running with anyone else for very long. This isn’t because I don’t like to talk with other runners, it's more because I find my pace a bit more cyclical than others. One minute, I judge that I’m putting too much effort in and slow down, and the next I find myself picking it right back up.

Power Line Aid Station: First Lap
Photo Credit: Jon McInerney

One thing that surprised me at this race was that there were quite a few road crossings. None of these, however, were ever a problem with cars, which was a relief. When I was running I always felt like there were two distinct “sections” of the course. The first part ended when we went by a road crossing and went down these big wooden steps on each lap. This section was much more technical and slower than the first part of the course. Towards the end of my race, I really felt like this was the area I was losing the most time at, especially the big hill around Mile 6 and Mile 9, which was rockier than I expected. By far the coolest part of each loop was going under the pipe tunnel a few minutes before hitting the mid-lap aid station. Even during daytime, the middle of the tunnel is still pitch black and cold! I hit the turnaround at the mid-aid station in 1:00:57. I tried to spend about under a minute here each lap, only stopping to refuel my bottle with Tailwind.

15 Miles Done!

A few minutes after I left the aid station, I was caught by Dima Feinhaus and we enjoyed several miles together. We talked about time goals for the race, and he told me that it was a long race and I shouldn’t really think about time goals for my first 100. I wish I had considered his advice a bit more carefully looking back on my race. I lost him after the hill on the course, but the great thing about Ghost Train is that it is an out and back course so you will see each person at least twice during a lap. It was also so uplifting, especially in later stages of the race, to constantly be around people, as everyone was always quick to offer words of encouragement no matter how much they were hurting themselves. Making my way back on the first loop, I was feeling pretty strong. I had decided as part of my racing strategy not to stop at the “mid- “mid” aid station, which was halfway between the start and the turnaround, in order to save some time. Another interesting part of the course is about a quarter mile stretch that is lined with carved pumpkins. I had heard from previous participants that they had been filled with scented candles in the past so I was interested to see how I would react to the smell later in the night after hours of running!

Finishing Lap One!
Photo Credit: David Metsky 

Finally, I hit the road section of the course, which only covers about the first and last quarter mile of each loop. The good thing about the set-up of the course is that at the end of each lap you have to run past your crew and the start line to a covered bridge just down the road, turn around and then run back through the timing mat to begin the next lap. This allowed me to yell out to my parents what I needed for each lap as I passed them and gave them about two minutes to prepare it for me so I didn’t waste valuable time trying to explain. I only stopped for about a minute and a half the first lap before going through the timing mat in 2:06:21 (8:23 Pace) in 9^th Overall.

The next stretch heading back to Milford was probably the best I felt all race; I even saw a 7:58 Mile in there at some point, which was probably just a touch fast. Another good thing about the out and back course was that I could generally gauge how far ahead I was from people running close by me, which was helpful in determining if I was gaining or losing ground. By now, everyone was fairly spread out and I didn’t have to really dodge any people like how I felt coming back from the first turnaround at 7.5. Probably my favorite people to see on the course each lap were the family with the two young kids who were also running! I was just so inspired by them being out there together and having the opportunity to participate in this awesome sport at such a young age, one of them was as young as 8. In fact, they were still going for at least 2-3 hours after I had finished and completed the 30 Mile event. Also, worth mentioning is that Ghost Train is special in the sense that there are no “DNF’s”, Did Not Finish, as the race allows you to complete as many 15 Mile laps as you can in a 30-hour time limit. As a result, there were people running 30 Miles, 45, 60, 75, 90, or 100+ Miles, meaning you never really knew what race people were running or if it would be the last time you would see them on the course. Speaking of the course, I hit the turnaround for the second time, Mile 22.5, in 3:07:45 for an 8:20 Pace.

Power Line Aid Station: Second Lap
Photo Credit: Jon McInerney

Heading back to Tevya for the second time was not kind to me. Maybe I went out to fast, or maybe I let the enormity of the task ahead of me get to me, but I found myself really struggling as early as 25 Miles. It’s difficult to shut off your brain when it tells you that you have already run a marathon today, yet you still have 73.8 Mile to go. My pace slipped considerably even though I did not feel all that tired. I did not feel great mentally when I hit Tevya for the second time. I probably spend about 3-4 minutes at my base camp this time, where I made sure I took in a slice of pizza and some water. I felt really stiff leaving camp, especially on my right leg, which was an early sign of future problems in the race. I hit 30 Miles in 7th Overall in 4:23:53 for an 8:47 Pace. I was off for my third loop.

End of Second Lap! 

I desperately needed to “reset” my body and head so I began to implement a nine-minute run and one-minute walk system. This helped tremendously as I was hitting splits that were faster than my last eight miles where I wasn’t walking at all. This system had me hitting just under ten-minute miles as I remember seeing a lot of miles in the 9:40-9:55 range. I was feeling much stronger than the last lap and rolled into Milford for the 3^rd time feeling pretty confident. I had moved into 4^th place and was in a pretty solid position overall. The only thing I felt like was really draining me was the hilly section of the course and I was ecstatic each time when I would climb up the big wooden stairs and enter the flatter part of the course. Coming into Tevya for the third time my parents remarked that I looked so much better than when I had come in for the second lap. I knew that I only had one more lap before I picked up my parents to help pace me from Miles 60-90. I hit 45 Miles in 4^th Overall in 6:57:00 for a 9:16 Pace. On a side, note I wanted to congratulate Patrick Caron for his course record in the 45 Mile race in which he ran a blistering 6:40 pace.

Power Line Aid Station: Third Lap
Photo Credit: Jon McInerney

I set off for my fourth lap with my headlamp, however, I choose to remain in a singlet and not put on any gloves, which was a huge mistake. It had been pretty warm during the day, but I had underestimated how quickly it would get cold. Probably not even two miles into this fourth lap and I suddenly just felt toast. My right leg had been giving me a lot of issues, especially in my hamstring area, over the last 15 Miles and it was only getting worse. I had been having an issue with my right leg in various areas during my training so it was definitely my fault that I didn’t take care of that by stretching, icing, or seeing a sports doctor. My pace, like the last lap, had continued to slip. I was still implementing the nine-minute run and one-minute walk, but already I was splitting about a minute a mile slower. I had also lost my appetite for the chips and cookies I had been eating the last eight hours and was only consuming my tailwind. When I came into Milford for the 4^th time I spent a few minutes extra at the aid station. I thought it was really odd that the table where I filled up my water bottle was suddenly moving, but then I realized it was just my head that was spinning.

End of Third Lap! 45 Miles in! 

I left the aid station at Milford knowing deep down that I probably was not going to be back. The sun was also now setting and I was getting cold. I had also spilled water all over the bottle handle and my hand was now freezing, which was definitely poor planning on my part. These last few miles saw me splitting mostly in the 12-13 minute miles despite the fact that I was solely running, having abandoned implementing my walking since my right leg was in so much pain. It was on this stretch back to Tevya that I was lapped by Alex Jinks who ran a ridiculous 8:05 Pace for 100 Miles to set a new course record in 13:29:19. I turned on my headlamp for the last hour of this race, wondering when Brian, whom I had a 20-minute lead on at one point, would also catch me. The answer to that question was right as we hit the road with about half a mile to go for the lap. He asked me how I was and I said not very well and that my right leg was in significant pain. He was nice enough to allow me to use his roller and to take one of his No-Doz if I wanted. He looked super strong when he went by me right before Mile 60 so I knew he was going to have a great rest of his race. When I passed my parents at the end of the fourth lap, I told them I was going to go through the lap timing mat and then come back to them. I knew what this probably meant for my race.  

Breakdown of Lap Splits 

In the end, I crossed the timing mat for the final time in 9:55:57, a 9:55 pace for 60 Miles. I had managed to win the 60 Mile race, but this didn’t really feel like much of a consolation prize at the time. I had wanted 100 Miles. The farthest I have ever run before was a 100k, or 62 Miles, so it was a strange emotion to feel so disappointed at “only” running 60 Miles. A lot (or all) of the issues that had plagued me during this race were my fault, from failing to make sure I was properly taking care of my body in training, to running without proper clothing for the fourth lap, to having my only “real” long training run be my 50 Miles at the TARC Fall Classic. The great thing about ultra-running though is that it is a live and learn sport. I know I will be back to Ghost Train and Camp Tevya, and I’ll be looking to go farther than this time. In the meantime, I have a doctor’s appointment scheduled for November 5^th to check out my leg, and I am taking a week or two off from running (goodbye 150-day running streak). If all goes well, I hope to see my fellow Trail Animals at the TARCkey Trot 6 Hour and the TARC Winter Fells 40 Miles in a few weeks!

Finally, I want to shoutout Chris Wristen, the man behind MassUltra, for the mention in the Ghost Train recap article! I really feel as I have joined a special community in the Trail Animals Running Club and I always look forward to all of their races. The race directors really know how to put on a great event, and the runners and volunteers always make it worth it to be out there on the trails. 

MassUltra Article
Credit: Chris Wristen

One last thought I want to leave with actually comes from one of about thirty paper plates that were nailed to the trees along the hilly part of the course. These quotes were all funny or inspirational, but only one really stuck with me: “Success is not final, and failure is not fatal.”

TARC Fall Classic 50 Mile Race Recap

It feels great to race an ultramarathon again! I want to start off by thanking the race directors, volunteers, and fellow runners for putting on an incredible event. Out of the four ultramarathons that I have run, three have been put on by the Trail Animals Running Club (TARC) and they have all been well organized, well executed, and the comradery among runners and volunteers just makes it a great experience.

I went into this race with high expectations given that I have been running about 70 Miles a week for the last two months and have been training specifically on trails. I knew I was in good shape as the week prior to the 50 Mile I ran the Wilmington Half Marathon in Wilmington, MA and finished in 1:19:31, despite losing almost a full minute on a missed turn.

Race Bib! Lucky #2182 

4:00 AM. Race Day. I slowly made my way out of bed and surveyed the gear and food I had laid out
the night before. Everything appeared to be in order. After a light breakfast, I headed down to the main campus to pick up Charlotte and Victoria, who had once again graciously agreed to help crew me for this race. I know college students who would still be awake at 4:00 AM on a Saturday morning, so the fact that they had agreed to help me out once again and get up hours before the sun rose on a Saturday was just really special. We set off for Carlisle, MA at around 4:45 AM and arrived at Great Brook Farm State Park right around 5:15 AM.
The TARC Fall Classic 50M features five laps traversing the trails of the mostly runnable State Park. I knew this course and I had run it before, but I was a bit nervous before the start of the race for a few reasons. Firstly, when I ran the 50k at the race last year I went off course twice on the first lap, losing over ten minutes and it was just demoralizing. I wasn’t in nearly as good of shape last year and it hurt losing those valuable minutes. Secondly, the competition, based on UltraSignup results, was supposed to be pretty strong. There were numerous runners who have run in the 14 -18-hour range for 100 Mile races. Finally, 50 Miles is a long race. It would be the second farthest I had ever run behind only my 100k.

6:00 AM. The race begins. I was smarter this year and actually bought a headlamp instead of just using the flashlight on my phone since the sun doesn’t rise until about 40 minutes into the race. I started the race in 4th place for the first few miles while I tried to settle into a rhythm. At about Mile 2, I was caught by another runner named Brian. We decided to stick together since we had around the same time goals and we would both be running Ghost Train in a few weeks. One thing about this race that was surprising to me was how fast runners started out the first lap. I know I can be guilty of the same thing, but I knew better than to try that the first five miles of a 50 Mile race. I was running in about 8th place by the time I was about an hour into the race, but 50 Miles is a long race, so I wasn’t worried yet. The best way I could think of to mentally handle each lap was to split it into thirds. The first third, was relatively flat and runnable fire trails until you reach the first aid station. The next third included mostly winding trails and my favorite section of the race where there is an open trail where you can see about a quarter mile ahead of you. The final third of the race, after passing the aid station for the second time, is the toughest. Three of the four major hills are in this section and it is also the most technical and difficult to run. Overall, I was feeling pretty strong by the time I reached the wide-open field the last half mile, which we would run around to reach the start line and aid station before beginning the next lap.

Loop One: 1:38:15 (9:49 Pace), 7th Place. Total Time: 1:38:15 (9:49 Pace)

20 Miles In!

I reached the end of the first lap in about 1:36 and only spent two minutes refueling, taking off a layer, and dropping off my headlamp. For fuel, I was carrying an 18oz bottle of water mixed with Nuun Performance, and eating snack bag with about 250 calories of cookies and potato chips that I could stuff into a pocket on my water bottle. I’m honestly not a huge fan at all of running ultras with energy gels or similar products as I really can’t stomach the taste and the sugary feeling. I would take real food any day, and it has never given me any problems. At the start of the second lap, I lost Brian, who I had been running with the entirety of the first lap. I wasn’t too sure if he had left the aid station before me and had gotten ahead or if I had left before. Now that I was warmed up and had dropped my extra layer I felt strong but wanted to be careful not to run too overzealously. The temperature was still relatively cool for this lap so I felt pretty relaxed. For the most part, I ran this loop by myself, but I did hang on with one of the top women running the 50k for almost an hour. I was passed by a few more people in the 50k, which I expected, but I did not see anyone from the 50 Mile outside of one person that I passed towards the middle of the lap. Finishing up the loop around the field, I still felt strong, which was a far cry from how I felt during this race last year, even though I was only running the 50k then. I reached the aid station, and stripped off my last top layer and began refueling. I was lucky to have my crew prepare my water and Nuun mixture beforehand each lap, and I already had assembled a snack pack the day before so I did a good job of getting out of the aid station fairly quickly. After this lap, I also ate a slice of pizza I had cooked the night before, and it was honestly one of the best decisions I made with my race fueling.

Loop Two:1:34:30 (9:27 Pace), 6th Place. Total Time: 3:12:45 (9:38 Pace)

Thinking about Pizza

Lap three and four are always big laps for me. I am generally a pretty strong finisher, so it's these 

middle laps that make or break my race, whether I let my pace slow or hang strong. I felt like I was making significant ground on some of the people ahead of me, and I passed another runner about four or five miles into this lap. I hit the halfway mark, 25 Miles, in about 3:59, which put me right under an eight-hour finishing time, although I knew I had no shot at that given the difficulty in negative or even splitting ultramarathons. Still, I felt good and was moving well. It was now getting much hotter than the previous two laps and I was definitely drinking my water faster than before. I probably should have stopped at the second aid station for more water on this lap, but I plowed ahead as I had another runner in the 50 Mile in my sights. I passed this runner going through the last technical section of the trail and opened up a bit of a gap over the last two miles. I came through to the aid station where my crew told me that I was about 15 minutes behind second place at this point. I once again refueled my bottle and had another slice of pizza, which was definitely my favorite part of completing each lap. My crew told me I looked pretty good and I actually felt pretty good too! 30 Miles down, 20 to go.

Loop Three: 1:40:10 (10:01 Pace), 4th Place. Total Time: 4:52:55 (9:46 Pace)

40 Miles Down, 10 to go!

Since I had stopped at the aid station for a bit longer than the guy I had just passed, I was back into fifth place for the next two miles before I passed him on a long winding hill. I had been power walking small sections of this incline on previous loops, but I did not want to show any weakness so I kept running and put on a permanent gap this time. By now, the temperature had reached the high 60s and low 70s and the sun was beating down, and I was honestly pretty uncomfortable. I knew this was going to be a tough lap, and I had told my crew to expect slower time than before. This lap was also the first time all race that I stopped at the aid stations and refueled my water bottle. I knew I needed the calories, but I was getting sick of eating and drinking. I finally spotted third place as I entered one of the only open sections of the course. She was about two minutes ahead and moving well, but I managed to catch up by Mile 37 when we both reached the aid station. I left before her and worked hard to increase the gap on the hills the last 3 miles. I actually came in a bit faster than I expected to for the fourth lap, which had surprised me as I felt like my pace had started to suffer. When I reached the aid station for the last time I took a final slice of pizza, refueled my bottle and sped off. My crew told me that 2nd place was 11 minutes ahead and appeared to be hurting. I felt much better and told my crew three simple words: “I’ve got this.”

Loop Four: 1:46:45 (10:40 Pace), 4th Place. Total Time: 6:37:40 (9:56 Pace)

Sprint Finish!

In actually, I did not quite “have it” but we will get to that shortly. I set out on my final lap on a 

mission. Just like my last ultra at the TARC Winter Fells 40 Mile, I was shocked at how good I felt. I was determined not to stop or slow down outside of at the aid stations. When I reached the first station I refueled my water bottle and asked about 2nd place, but much to my dismay they did not remember 2nd place coming through recently. I kept expecting to round corners and see them up ahead, and I definitely expected to be making progress by the time I reached the open part of the course, but there was nothing. Coming into the aid station for the last time, I refueled with just water as I was so sick of Nuun, and asked again about 2nd place one again. Still nothing, except that they “maybe” left a bit ago. I powered ahead, running up the steep inclines that I had previously walked or power hiked the prior four laps. I finally exited the trails and entered the flat stretch before the last lap around the field. Just as I entered the field, I finally saw her. 2nd place, who I had been chasing for the last 20 miles, was about 1:30 to 2:00 minutes ahead. Seeing 2nd place lit my adrenaline on fire. I sped up and I was closing rapidly; my watch was showing my pace at 5:40-5:45. I had closed the gap to about 20 seconds with less than a quarter mile to go, and I think she could sense it because she finally turned around. I knew then that it was over when she saw me. I closed hard down the stretch and finished 4 seconds behind. In the end, I had closed the last half mile of a 50 Mile race in 3:05! I finished in 3rd Overall with a final time of 8:15:56, or a 9:55 Pace. I spent a long time after the race thinking about where I could have cut off 4-5 seconds off of an eight-hour long race. Could I have left an aid station earlier? Did I really need to stop for water with only 3 miles left? In the end, I made peace with it. One of the scariest things about ultras, but also one of the best things, is that seconds can completely change your race. My entire race could have been different if I spent less time at an aid station or decided to forgo refilling my bottle.

Loop Five: 1:36:16 (9:37 Pace), 4th Place. Total Time: 8:15:56 (9:55 Pace)

Support Crew: Charlotte & Victoria 

Overall, I was really happy with my race. I ran pretty consistent by ultramarathon standards (1:36, 1:38, 1:40, 1:46, 1:38) as there was only a 10-minute split between my fastest and slowest laps. It always difficult to rationalize how you feel at the end of a race when you think about it the next day, but I definitely felt like I could have gone farther. Right now, I am entered into the Ghost Train Ultra in three weeks with the intention of running my first 100-mile race and I am really looking forward to it. Finally, I just want to again thank the race directors and all the volunteers for putting on a great event. None of this would have been possible either without the help of Charlotte and Victoria supporting me. I also want to congratulate Megan, the second-place finisher, who ran an amazing race to take over 35 minutes off the women’s course record. Results for the race can be found at: https://ultrasignup.com/results_event.aspx?did=52483#

Thank you to the Trail Animals Running Club (TARC) for a great race!

TARC Winter Fells 40 Mile Race Recap

First off, I want to say thank you to the race directors and all the volunteers who spent many hours out on the trails making sure the runners had everything they could possibly need. I also want to give a big thank you to my girlfriend, Charlotte, and one of my best friend’s, Victoria, both of whom crewed me for this race. I couldn’t have done it without them.

As far as this race goes, this was my 3^rd Ultra ever. Going into this race I had been putting in consistent 50-mile weeks, which is at least double the amount I had been running for my last Ultra. Obviously, the mileage should have been a little higher, and there should have been a few longer runs, but I was confident in my abilities and believed I could finish.

Fast forward to race morning and my alarm goes off bright and early at 5 AM. The forecast for the race was cold, with temperatures in the high 20s to start, and only warming up to about 38 by the end of the race. As a result, I had packed a few different clothing options with me so I could add and subtract layers depending on the weather and how I was feeling. The previous day I had visited a local running store in Lexington, MA and picked up a much-needed pair of winter running gloves, which made a world of difference come race time. At 5:50 AM we set off for the race which was located in Stoneham, MA. We arrived at the Middlesex Fells Reservation around 6:15 AM and I quickly went to pick up my number before getting back to the car to prep my crew. Soon enough it was time to make my way to the start line, where I recognized one of the people running, John Fegyveresi, one of only 14 or so people to ever finish the Barkley Marathons, a 130 Mile brutal trail race in Tennessee! As I was at the starting line, I tried to think back to the only time I had run on the course before, a slow four mile run with some friends back in September of 2016. I remember the course being pretty brutal, but it was even worse than I had imagined. 

Pre-Race! Credit: David Metsky, TARC

At 7am sharp, the race began. My pacing strategy was “conservative”, but “conservative” is just a relative term in ultras. It is highly likely that you will slow down, sometimes by minutes each mile, so it’s all about focusing on your perceived effort. The TARC Winter Fells takes place on the Skyline Trail of the Middlesex Fells Reservation. The 32 Mile Race featured 4 laps of the trail, while the 40 Mile features an additional lap. Runners complete about a .25 Mile out-and-back at the start and end of each lap. The race director describes the course as ‘A nightmarish course of rocks and roots with a bit of elevation thrown in”, and somehow that description does not even do it justice. The nice thing about the Skyline trail is that since it is a loop the race director allows runners to go either CW or CCW around the trail, and since the people ahead of me had all chosen CW to start, I wasn’t about to go off by myself the other way. Since there were 32 Mile runners going a little bit faster than me it was nice to have people with me and ahead of me for directions, as I sure needed guidance that first lap. I settled into a nice group of about four to five runners to start and we carried along on the technical terrain. I finally got myself a Garmin, the Fenix 3 HR, so I could actually know my splits from now on rather than being in the dark on it. 

Lap 2, Credit: David Metsky, TARC

I hit the first Mile in 9:59, which sort of shocked me considering my heart rate was already in the 160s. The thing about the Skyline trail, however, is that it is highly advisable to walk or power hike up some of the larger and steeper inclines if you want to have any chance at all of the finishing the event. As we carried on the first loop, the trail only got worse. There are actually some spectacularly steep rock faces that you have to climb up on your hands and knees to continue on the trail, something I have never had to do before in a race. It’s usually not a good sign when it feels a little difficult to run an 11:27 Mile 3, but that is the nature of the skyline trail. As I figured out during this first lap, going CW means that you get a majority of the largest hills and all the rock faces out of the way in the first 3.5 Miles of the loop, with the remainder of the loop being “less technical”, although I’m not really sure that is the right way to put it! As we began the second half of the loop our group had splintered to three people, one of whom was named Sylvain, who I had a great chat during this loop with about what else but, you guessed it, running. As hard as a tried it was incredibly difficult to settle into a rhythm as there really are no flat and totally runnable areas, save for a few sections. Even the downhills on the course are just as brutal and require you to be incredibly careful to avoid falling, which I’ll get too later. About a mile and a half before the end of the loop, things finally open up and become slightly more runnable, with the only stretch where you can really open up your stride lasting maybe 0.4 of a mile. Sylvain and I had gone from low 11s to high 7-minute pace for at least part of this section. Finally, we popped out of the loop portion of the trail and headed back on the 0.25-mile flat stretch to the fueling station. We crossed the end of loop one side by side.

Loop One: 1:20:47, (10:05 Pace), 6^th Place.

Lap 2, Credit: David Metsky, TARC

At the aid station, I was able to see Charlotte and Victoria and refuel my supplies. For the race, I had decided to drink Nuun’s Electrolyte and Carbohydrate replace, since I couldn’t find tailwind, and consume mostly solid food, like cookies and chips. I only spent maybe 2 minutes refueling, but Sylvain was long gone before then, I wouldn’t see him again until the finish. I started off the second lap with another runner doing the 40 Mile who had come in about a minute after I had on the first loop. We quickly passed the first few miles talking about running, vacations, college, and Asheville, NC. About ten miles into the race we almost missed a turn and I had to turn fast, placing my foot hard on an especially pointy rock. Examining it the next morning, there is definitely a sizable bruise. Eventually, we parted ways going up one of the rock faces and I was on my own. I had paid attention to where I was going on the first lap, so I knew I had a solid understanding of the course. However, there was one turn on the back half of the course that did not clearly indicate which way to go, and as a result, I paused there for about 45 seconds to let the people I could hear behind me catch up. There were two runners, with one of them being a lively 23-year-old named Matthew, whom I shared a few miles with. We were about 13 Miles into the 40 Mile race when he just yells “Today is a great day to be alive!”, and I loved it. We split up when I stopped at the mid-race aid station to grab some food, but I stayed within eyeshot of them for the remainder of the lap. I was still feeling great when I came to the aid station at the end of lap two.

Loop Two:  1:23:32 (10:26 Pace), 5^th Place. Total Time: 2:44:19, (10:16 Pace)

Lap 3, Credit: David Metsky, TARC

I began loop three alone, but feeling strong, having no idea how bad I would feel in just a few miles. I crested the now familiar steep hills and knew exactly which sections I needed to take a little slower, or just walk entirely. I had another runner, who was entered in the 32 Mile, just a little bit in front of me, and we had been trading passing each other for most of the second lap and third lap thus far. Right around Mile 19, I was going down a steep hill, and another runner was going up, making the footing were technical. I misplaced by foot, slipped, and crashed hard, with my face going right into a rock. I was very fortunate that only my cheek hit the rock because there could have been many worse outcomes there. I was now bleeding from my face and had also landed hard on my hip and both my knees. I had to sit on the side of the trail for several minutes while I waited for my left knee to stop shaking enough to begin running again. At this point, I seriously considered turning around and dropping out, but instead, I took it a little more slow and gingerly. About three miles left in the loop I was caught again by Matthew and another runner, whom I had assumed were ahead of me, but they had actually just stayed at the aid station a little longer. Again, we ran within eyeshot of one another for most of the rest of the loop. As I began the last stretch to the aid station I felt tired and in pain. This was definitely my low point of the race.

Skyline Trail Blazes! Credit: David Metsky, TARC

Loop Three:  1:33:00 (11:36 Pace), 5^th Place. Total Time: 4:17:19, (10:43 Pace)

I’m sure my crew was shocked to see me with my bloody face coming into the aid station. I took extra time to get some food and water, and to clean off my cut. I told my crew I wasn’t entirely confident I had two loops left in me, but I was going out for my fourth. I left again, alone, and began to trudge my way up the first half hills. My pace had slipped considerably from the first lap, but still not outrageous. However, I will say that I had never in my life expected to “run” a 14:20-minute mile (Mile 27) and have my heart rate be in the 170s. The rest of this lap was slow going, although I did begin to feel better than the previous lap.  I took a few more falls over the rest of the lap, which I had just begun to accept as an inevitable occurrence. Again, I stopped at the mid-race aid station to refuel my water bottle and stuff my jacket with potato chips. For the rest of the lap, I focused on catching up to the 32 Mile Runner who had practically been only a minute ahead of me for the past 24 Miles. I passed him shortly before the end of the loop, wishing that I too had only signed up for the 32 Mile.

Loop Four: 1:40:00 (12:30 Pace), 5^th Place. Total Time: 5:57:19, (11:09 Pace)

After the Fall. Credit: Chris Wristen of Mass Ultra

After stopping for only about two minutes to get fuel from my crew, I began the fifth lap, determined to finish strong. I knew that I felt good, and didn’t have another lap after, so there would be no going conservative now. I was going all in for my final lap. It a weird feeling, but also a great one to pass the landmarks that you have become accustomed too for the last 6-7 hours, although I’m not sure I was going to miss them. About a mile into the last lap, I noticed a runner maybe a minute ahead and tried hard to reel him in over the next few miles. I know he could sense I was behind him and it felt like he was trying hard to stay ahead of me. I was feeling great though, and even running up hills I had walked in the previous few laps. Finally, I passed the other runner with around 4 miles to go when it looked like he stopped to retie his shoes. I wasn’t about to have him see that I was hurting too, so I speed up as I went by him for the next few minutes to put some distance between us. I passed the aid station for the last time, pausing to get more water and to thank the volunteers. Before I knew I had entered the two miles of relative easier running. I felt surprisingly good and really wanted to bring it in hard. As I ended that final loop and started on the last 0.25 miles back to the finish, I turned on the speed and finished that last quarter mile in about 6 flat pace after 40 miles of difficult trails. Overall, I crossed the finish line with a big smile on my face in 7:30:03 and 4^th Overall!

Loop Five: 1:32:44 (11:34 Pace), 4^th Place. Total Time: 7:30:03, (11:16 Pace)

After the race, I talked to both Sylvain and Matthew for a little bit, who came in 2^nd and 3^rd, respectively. I had made up about 6-7 minutes on each of them on the last lap, although I had run out of trail to try and catch either of them! Charlotte, Victoria, and I did not stay much longer since I was in significant pain, and freezing now that I had stopped running. Overall, I had a spectacular time at this race. The race directors and volunteers have truly put on something special. I hope that next year, and in the future, I can tackle the “Fells” once again.

Finish! Credit: Charlotte Hayes 

TARC Fall Classic 50K Race Recap

The TARC Fall Classic 50K marked my first ultra-marathon since the Weymouth Woods 100K and only my second ultra-marathon ever. I ran the Weymouth Woods 100K back in January of 2016 when I was only 18 so to say running another ultra was overdue would be an understatement. The race was located in Carlisle, MA which is only a 25-minute drive from my apartment at Bentley University, so not much travel was required. However, the race did have a more aggressive start time than I was used to at 6 AM.

Pre-Race!

On race morning, my alarm went off bright and early at 4 AM. I put on my running clothes, ate a light breakfast, and then double checked that I had everything I needed. I had packed numerous water bottles, salty snacks like peanut butter pretzels and potato chips, and a few pairs of socks and a change of outfit since there was supposed to be rain throughout the race. At 4:45 AM, I was met by my girlfriend, Charlotte, and our friend Victoria, both of whom had graciously volunteered to crew me for my race, not that I had really given them much of a choice. We arrived at Great Brooke Farm State Park at around 5:15 AM. Sunrise was not until 6:45 AM, so I would be running for the first part of the race in the dark. For this race, the course featured a 10+ Mile loop that I would have to complete 3 times. The TARC Fall Classic also had a 50 Mile Race that started at 6 AM which was 5 laps around the 10 Mile course, and then a Half Marathon and 10K that started later at 8 AM. I prepped my sleepy crew on what I would need each time I came to the aid station, mainly a change of running gear, salty snacks, and a refill on my water and Tailwind. At 5:50 AM, there was a very brief pre-race meeting, and before I knew it I was on the start line.

Start Line 

Since the race was held by the Trail Animals Running Club (TARC), each race began with a ceremonial “howl” as the starting signal. After the start, I focused on going out conservatively and trying to stick with someone because I only had my cell phone for a flashlight, and I did not know the course at all. The 50K started with a mile loop around an open field before connecting with the main 10 Mile trail. I was passed by a few people during the first 30 minutes or so while I found my rhythm. Starting out conservatively was especially important to me, as my longest run of th past month and a half had been 9 Miles and I had only been averaging about 25-30 Miles a week. I did not want the last 10 Miles of this race to be a slow death crawl. As it grew lighter, I started to get a better bearing for the course. Some of the race consisted of more open, wider trails, but the great majority was rooty, rocky, and windy single-track trails. I can’t even remember how many times I stepped on a root the wrong way, or almost stumbled going down a rocky section of trail. I had been running alone for a good deal of time now, which was concerning to me as this was my first time ever on this course. I debated speeding up to catch someone ahead and run with them, but I decided again it. About an hour into the race, I blatantly missed a turn. I was supposed to turn right but missed the sign and ran straight for about three minutes or so before realizing I was going the wrong way. I backtracked and ran into a group of people and stuck with them while I attempted to regain my composure and not allow this to throw off my race. Not 10 minutes later, our group went off course again. This time, however, there was clearly no trail marking anywhere. After about two minutes we backtracked and passed about 8-10 people, all who were none too happy to see us as they realized they were going the wrong way as well. After stopping at an intersection, our group of about 10-12 realized that we were meant to go up a very steep narrow trail. The course was covered with pink markers and had arrows at major intersections, but at this turn, they appeared to be hidden, or not there at all. All told I lost about 10 minutes or so. I stuck with a smaller group for the rest of this loop, which continued for about 2 more miles. The last 2 miles of the course was the most challenging of the loop as it featured more winding trails and abrupt steep climbs. Finally, I was done with the first loop, which ended with the same circle around the field that we ran at the beginning of the race.  I finished the first lap slower than I anticipated in about 1:40 to 1:41.

Motivational Sign #1

I did not spend long at my crew’s station. I changed from my long sleeve shirt and Boston Marathon jacket into a more breathable singlet, replaced my Tailwind and water mixture, and stuffed my face with handfuls of potato chips. Charlotte and Victoria told me that I looked pretty good and that despite the missed turns I was in 12th place and seemed like I was in good spirits. I set off on my second lap with the same guy that I had been running with to end the lap and we chatted for a few minutes. I must have felt like I needed to make up time, however, as I quickly lost him. I caught up and passed another runner about ten minutes later. I was moving pretty well and feeling pretty well too. About two and a half hours in it started to pour down rain, and around this time was where I started to feel not as fresh. The positive here was that this lap I did not make the same mistakes as the first lap and I stayed on course. About 7 or 8 Miles into the second lap I started running into people doing the Half Marathon and the 10K who were running a modified shorter loop of about 6 miles. The issue here was that it was incredibly difficult to pass some slower people or groups of people especially the last 3 Miles of the course. Combining the downpour, having to expend energy passing people, and being already 20 Miles into the race, I was feeling pretty spent by the time I was nearly the end of the second lap. I had moved into 10th place but was passed hard by another runner with a little bit left to go. Finally, I reached the open field and finished up my second lap in around 1:27 or so and total time so far of 3 hours and 8 minutes. This time around I spent longer at my aid station. I grabbed a hat, drank an extra water bottle, and refilled my tailwind and grabbed a snack. Charlotte and Victoria told me that I looked good, albeit very wet. After 5 minutes or so I started off on my final lap.

Motivational Sign #2

The final lap was practically a blur for me. I was completely alone and fighting to keep my legs moving. Stopping to refuel gave me a boost of energy for about 30 minutes or so, but by the time I hit 4 hours of running I felt spent. Every root I stepped on sent shooting main from the bottom of my foot up to my hips. I was in a low place, but thankfully still moving. Every person I passed told me that I looked good and to keep it up, which was encouraging. I passed the mid-race aid station for the final time and began the last 3 hilly miles. I was out of water and fighting hard to get to the finish. I was fairly confident that as long as I kept moving I would be a bit under 5 Hours. I was also conscious that I had slowed down to mid to high 9 Minute pace and was at a risk of being passed. Finally, I emerged out of the woods and knew I only had a few minutes to go. I entered the open field for the last time and actually kicked it in a bit as I went around the final bend. I crossed the finish line in a time of 4:51:38, 11th place out of about 80 runners, with a finishing pace of 9:23 per mile. My last lap had taken me about an hour and 38 minutes to complete.

We did not stick around afterward very long due to the weather, and the fact that my crew was pretty tired after waking up at 4 AM. Overall, this was a tough race, much harder than I anticipated it being. I was happy with my result, but believe I have much more potential with some solid training and some actual long runs. Currently, I am planning on running the Cambridge Half Marathon in November, the Turkey Trot 8K on Thanksgiving, and the TARC Winter Classic 40 Miler in December! Time for a few days of recovery before I resume training!

Finish!

Weymouth Woods 100K: An Ultramarathon Debut

First off, I would like to thank Marie Lewis and Magnum Track Club for putting on a spectacular event! I also want to thank all of the volunteers working both of the aid stations who made sure that all the runners were looked after. Finally, I want to thank my family, and girlfriend Hannah, for supporting me, crewing me, and putting up with me while I ran for 62.58 miles.

We left our home in Charlotte, NC for Southern Pines around noon on Friday and arrived at around 2:30pm. After checking into the hotel my mom and I went to run the course for the first time. I had read previous race reports that stated that the course was fairly rooty, but I was surprised at how technical certain sections were. After completing the course, we went back to the hotel and then went to get Italian food at a local restaurant.  A short while and a few supply checks later, I was off to sleep.

Race morning came at me fast. I woke up at 6:00am and immediately put on the outfit I had planned on wearing. When it comes to shoes, I am more of a minimalist, even over the longer distances, so I wore my Mizuno Wave Hitogami 2’s as well as a pair of X2 compressions calf sleeves. For breakfast I kept it pretty simple and had a bagel with peanut butter and some water. We loaded up and arrived at Weymouth Woods right around 7:00am. The next hour passed by pretty quickly as I went to get my race number, attended the pre-race meeting, and made some last minute checks. It was a little chilly out so I started with a light jacket on for the first lap. I made my way over to the start line, gave a few last minute hugs, and before I knew it, we were off!

Couldn't have done it without my support crew 

Months and months of training had prepared me for this moment. I started out fairly conservative so I could get a sense of how my body was firing, as well as a better feel for the course. The course is filled with roots for much of the first half so I always had to be conscious of this. I quickly latched onto a group of four other runners during Lap 1, one of only two times all day that I would run with someone. For this race I was carrying a single 20 ounce bottle of water that contained approximately 200 calories worth of Tailwind. The plan was to switch out for a fresh bottle after each lap. Before I knew it, I had passed the first aid station at around mile 2.4 and I began what I referred to as the second half of each lap. This section here was where the trail because much more runnable, but was also much hiller, featuring three tough ascents over the last mile of each lap. I ended up passing the first lap in 37:36, which I thought was a good pace to hold. I only spent about 10 seconds at my “base camp” grabbing a new water bottle before I was off for my second lap!

Lap 3

I was passed by Mark Rostan just after I entered the trails for the second time so I knew I was in either 3^rd or 4^th place.  I let him go ahead of me and focused on settling into a rhythm. It was early, but overall my body was feeling pretty good. Near the end of the second lap I had caught back up as we were going up the last hill. I crossed the second lap in 36:32 or about an 8:10 pace. He stopped for a little bit longer than I did so I was all alone one again. The laps started to feel like they were going by pretty quickly. I crossed the third lap in 36:20, my fastest split of the day. For lap four I picked up my younger brother Cole who was a big help because he got me talking and kept my mind occupied. He told me that I was in 2^nd place, which surprised me because I had believed that I was running in 3^rd. He also got me to eat some energy chews which my body was starting to need. I crossed my fourth lap in 37:26 and with an overall time of 2:27:56.

Lap 4

Even on lap five I was still getting in and out of our base camp in more or less 15 seconds. I probably should have taken a little bit more time because at this point I was running alone in second place. During this lap I focused on doing a general body check and assessing how I felt. My legs were still very strong, but my feet were starting to hurt a tiny bit from the roots. I was also finishing off my water bottle during each lap so that was a good sign. Around this lap I decided that it would probably be in my best interest to slow down just a little bit going up the last hill in order to keep my heart rate down. I crossed lap five in 36:31 and picked up Cole for another lap. I made a huge mental mistake here and began asking Cole how far ahead the leader was, but he did not bite. Unfortunately, I later learned from another runner that I was only about two minutes behind. Thankfully, Cole realized this and pushed me to slow down my pace. When I finished lap six in 37:58, I had officially run farther than I ever have before. I crossed the marathon mark in right around 3:37-3:38.

Lap 7

Lap seven I was still feeling pretty strong, but I was entering unfamiliar territory. I was about 40 seconds behind the leader, and as hard as tried not too, I ended up catching up to him right near the middle aid station. His name was Scott Harber, and we chatted for around five or so minutes. I’m not quite sure what happened next, but gradually I just lost contact with him. It was a huge mental blow. I crossed lap seven in 37:45, approximately 25 seconds off the lead. I picked up Cole for a third lap and he could tell that I was hurting now. He helped to distract me a little bit, but I could feel my pace slowing. I was still drinking plenty of fluids but I was starting to get a little disoriented. By now my legs were killing me and each root I stepped on felt like a dagger. The hills were still not bothering me too much but I had to walk for the first time during the final set of rolling hills on this lap. I crossed lap eight in 43:43 with an overall time of 5:03:53. At this point I was in a very dark place mentally. I began lap nine, not entirely confident that I would be able to continue after this lap. After what seemed like an eternity, I finally reached the familiarity of the last mile and my favorite part of the course, the crest after the first hill before you dip down into the steepest descent of the trail.  Even in my stupor, I still appreciated the beauty of the surrounding forest. I ended up walking most of the final uphill on this loop before crossing the ninth lap in 51:47. When I got to our base camp I felt like I could barely move. My legs felt like lead blocks and my mind was in shambles. I really thought this was going to be the end for me. My mind starting pleading with my legs, but my legs (and my support crew) won out.

My biggest mistake during this race was mental, not physical. I did not go out too fast, I did not push the hills too hard, instead I had neglected my nutrition, and in the end it came very very close to ending my race. Aside from a couple of energy chews and the Tailwind in my water bottle, I had not eaten any food over the first seven laps of the race and that was what had created my downfall here. My support team went to work making sure that I took in thousands of calories over the second half of the race. My Dad was especially good at making sure of this. From lap nine onward I came back to the aid station and had potato chips, peanut butter pretzels dipped in base salts, and sugar water each time. We also started to mix in the base salts to my Tailwind. The impact was almost immediate. 

After spending about 10 minutes at my base camp I set off on my tenth lap with my mom. I knew that we were moving slowly, but at least we were moving. 3^rd place was still about 10-15 minutes back so I was not extremely worried but that was a thought on my mind. Lap ten really was a great mental pickup and by the end of the lap I was moving much faster. Even though I came through this lap in 57:52, much of which can be attributed to my long aid station stop, my family told me that I looked much better. I abandoned my old race strategy of getting through the aid station as quick as possible and instead I focused on eating pretzels and chips each lap and getting water in me. I set off on my eleventh lap feeling surprisingly strong and confident. Some of the pain in my legs actually decreased! I felt like this lap went by fairly quickly and I was back around to the start before I knew it. This lap was in 43:41 with an overall time of 7:37:14.

Lap 11

I did some quick calculations in my head and figured that I could finish in under ten hours if I kept up around my current pace. I was off for my 12^th lap which meant that I had just over a half marathon to go. I was over 50 miles into a 100K race and amazingly I was still riding off of my second and third wind. I was beginning to see that the sun was setting and I was hoping that I could finish before I needed my headlamp. I finally crossed lap twelve in 44:54 and picked up my mom for the penultimate lap. I knew that no matter how bad I was hurting that I could still do 9 miles. Even though I was so close to being done, this lap was one of the hardest both mentally and physically. I tried to look at it like this lap was the final lap and that lap fourteen was just a “victory lap”. I wore my headlamp for this lap just in case, but did not end up turning it on. After what seemed like an eternity I crossed lap thirteen in 47:13. Right as I started on my final lap I saw Scott cross the finish line. He ran a brilliant second half that I was just not able to match. I knew that I had second place almost locked up because I was about 20 minutes ahead. I set off on the last lap with my Dad and felt a rush of relief due to the fact that I was passing all of the landmarks on the course for the last time. I said goodbye to the huge roots and twisting turns in the first two miles. I was really picking up the pace over the last two miles and I actually was feeling great. I did have to turn on my headlamp for just the last mile or so because it was getting hard to see some of the roots. I crested the rolling hills for a final time and dipped down before going up the rooty incline one last time. I tripped for only the second time all race as I tried to ascend the hill as fast as I could. Finally, I turned the corner and sprinted across the finish line in a time of 9:55:06! 

Finish!

After I finished I was interviewed by the local paper, received a beautiful custom made pottery finisher’s award, and took some photos with my family and girlfriend. I also spoke with the winner, Scott, for a couple minutes and congratulated him. I was overwhelmed now that I was finally done. I ended running a 9:31 pace overall and finished about 26 minutes ahead of third place. Not too bad for an Ultra marathon debut!

I cannot thank Marie Lewis and Magnum Track Club enough for putting on this event. All of the volunteers and the other runners were incredibly supportive. As I type this recap the next day, I still have not fully comprehended that I completed my first ultramarathon. I’m tired and sore, but that’s just a small price to pay for seeing just how far and how fast you can really go.

Lap Splits