The Danger Zone: Caring for Your Body and Mind

First off, I am certainly not telling anyone what to do, or how to live your lives. But, I also wish I had read something like this 8 years ago as it would have saved me a lot of frustration over crappy running and even periods where I hated running.

Secondly, the only thing better than learning from your own mistakes is learning from someone else's. I'm giving you the opportunity to learn from mine so you don't have to learn from yours. Running might just be a fun hobby for us, but it can be an incredibly expensive, tedious, physically and emotionally demanding hobby.

(2009 American River 50. Photo by Facchino Photography).

The following quotes are actual things I wrote in my race report from the 2009 American River 50. For context, I had foolishly run a 50k the weekend before and was having issues with my legs very early on at American River. Like many people, I had traveled very far to do the race and spent a lot of money, and thus was hell bent on finishing. Six years later, the sheer stupidity of running back to back ultras blows my mind, as well as the misguided "ultra" mentality I used to finish the race.

"As we descended back down to the path my right quad muscle completely gave out.....For the next couple of miles I made a futile attempt at a run/walk method, but after a few steps I would have to stop.....I was able to grab 6 ibuprofen from a volunteer and quickly downed four of them.....To heck with the pain. I'm not here to limp around. I am here to run!.... .This wasn't about being a tough guy."

In retrospect, yes it was about being "tough", and I'd be lying to say that I didn't feel pretty "badass" for pushing through a strained quad to finish a 50 mile race. Then, when I shared the race report on Facebook a few days later, it was immediately flooded with likes and similar kudos for being so bad ass, tough, inspiring, and so on. Reading those only reaffirmed to myself that I was a tough SOB. However, among the cliched platitudes a comment from elite runner Annette Bednosky stood out. She was the only person who cautioned against running too many races and in particular continuing to run during a race when things quite clearly didn't seem okay. Six years later, I know for a fact she was right. I cringe at some of the things I did at that 2009 American River 50. I took 6 ibuprofen (dumb), I had pain in my quad and still ran 35 more miles (dumber), and I ran an ultra the weekend before and thought I could pull off a 50 miler seven days later (dumberer).

The sad thing is, even though I knew better, I continued to make poor decisions often misdirected by my overzealous love of running. From 2008 through 2009, it seemed like I had stretches of time where I ran an ultra or marathon every weekend for several months. I figured if you are lucky enough to find something you love to do, aka running, the more you do it, the more fun life will be. However, healthy moderation wasn't even an afterthought, and I lost a good degree of self control over how often I ran. There were a lot of bad races in there and a lot of wasted opportunities to do better with less. If I heard about a nearby 50k a friend was doing, I did it. If a friend invited me to run a marathon with them, I happily obliged. If there was a 30 mile training run or fat ass ultra, you're darn skippy I showed up to all of them. Ignorance was indeed bliss.

Running is a powerful drug and races are a wide open gateway. In my early years as a runner, the purpose and product of my running were very positive things. Running helped me lose weight after college, it made me healthier, and in general it helped me cope with normal everyday stress a little better. Then, I discovered ultras and learned a lot about myself by pushing through high physical barriers and deep mental places. I felt accomplished and proud of myself. If I could run 50 miles, surely it will make other challenges in life feel a little bit easier. But wait, if running 50 miles can make me feel accomplished, perhaps 100 will make me feel even more invincible. And it did, for a time.

But, soon you realize maybe it isn't enough. You need a bigger challenge, a bigger fish to catch. I became Captain Ahab in search of my great white whale. Now it had to be 100 miles in the mountains, maybe 135 miles across Death valley, or a 24 hour race. But, where does it stop? Could I run across the universe and still feel like it wasn't enough? 40 mile running weeks turn into 60, then 80, and soon I found myself doing well over 100 trying to emulate how the top runners in the country were training. I would freak out if I didn't run everyday, or if I didn't exactly get in the 20 mile long run on Saturday followed by the 15 on Sunday. Then, there would be additional stress if my pace was too slow for a particular workout, or didn't get in my runs, even while on vacation or at a work conference. The irony is a lot of the time while running my only thought was "why am I doing this?". I wasn't enjoying it, it wasn't helpful for training, and even if it was training, why was I training for yet another race? However, it was in those grinding, slow, irritating slogs that I finally conceded to a scary fact....I now hated running.

How did such a 180 degree turn happen so fast? How did something I looked forward to doing a few miles everyday become such a dreaded daily penance? How come I could feel accomplished and ecstatic running 3 miles a decade ago, and now I can run 50 and actually feel bummed out about how I ran? I asked myself a lot what was going on in my head as well as my body. Was I burnt out? Was I over trained? Under trained? Were my expectations hurting my enjoyment? Why was I stressing and training so hard to run a 100 miler, when I no longer felt the need to prove to myself I could do it?

Then it occurred to me. The reality was, it wasn't running I hated, it was the fact I completely lost sight of why I ran and why I had originally found it so fulfilling. It wasn't that the act running wasn't fulfilling enough, but I had become a different person who no longer required a certain kind of running, and more specifically extreme running, to feel accomplished and alive.

I had grown and evolved. It was that simple, and yet so hard to figure out.

And somehow, part of that evolution stemmed from the fact I have witnessed troubling things in the world of running, and not just ultrarunning. People are getting injured at alarming rates, but continuously running more and more races regardless. It seems that the power of the masses can be a powerful collective force to support you, but sometimes can't be the simple voice of reason when you need it. Sometimes it's the very friends around you that spur you onto another bad decision, albeit from their perspective they are simply cheering on a friend. And then, we as runners, want to achieve our own goals, and maybe even try to impress certain audiences, though it may be at the expense of our own health.

So, the big question you may be wondering. Do, I still enjoy running? The short answer is yes. But, I still give myself a few reminders from time to time to keep my brain and body in check. I hope sharing these little reminders can help others prevent a healthy fun hobby from becoming a potentially self destructive place of perpetual frustration.

1. Running races is a first world luxury.
- Not running a PR, not qualifying for Boston, or not getting into a certain race, are all petty first world problems.
- If any of the above things cause any kind of stress, maybe it's time for a reality check in what we should really be concerned about in life.

2. Running is not a fix, nor the answer to any of life's major problems. When your run is over, they will still be waiting for you.

3. Be balanced. Running should not consume your life unless you are a professional athlete. Take time to unplug from all things running from time to time. Eat some ice cream. It won't hurt you, but running too much might.

4. Celebrate the little things. But, be sure to take the time to discover what those little things are for you....and for others.

5. Actually train. Running an ultra or marathon every weekend, and then not running at all during the week, is not training. Plus, you don't want to become "that guy" who read Born to Run, bought a pair of Vibram Five Fingers, then decided "ease" into it with 80 miles per week and got three stress fractures a month later.

6. On the flip side, don't freak out about training. Most of us aren't getting paid to run, so if training is draining the life out of you, stop.

7. Actually rest. I know rest can be big scary four letter word for us runners, but it's important. We tend to think if we aren't running, we must be resting, so we justify 2 hours of cross fit and a 40 mile bike ride as a recovery day. No seriously, learn to physically rest, and if you can't sit still, go walk a few miles.

8. No finisher's award is worth getting injured for.
- This is especially true for "challenges" where you do X amount of races and then you get a special medal.
- Plus, after you post your medal photos online, who is going to see them? Probably less than the amount of people who will see you in that sexy leg brace the next three months.

9. Know the difference between pain and discomfort.
- Pain usually indicates an injury, in which case stop.
- Discomfort is a normal part of running, but can often become pain.

10. Don't be an enabler for bad decisions (be a rational voice)
- If your friend royally jacked up their leg at mile 45 of a 100 miler, please tell them to stop.
- If your under trained friend wants to become a Half Fanatic, or Marathon Maniac, maybe it's not a good idea to support their three half marathons in three days, or five marathons in five weeks, etc.
- If someone sprained their ankle and then walked 21 miles to finish a marathon, don't jump on the bandwagon to tell them how badass they are. Tell them it was dumb, and you might prolong their running life.

11. See the other side of running. Volunteer, crew, or pace. Being a participant is great, but you only see one vantage point of the sport.

Bonus thought: Care for yourself. You only get one body and mind. Love them. You're the only person who has to live in them and with them. You don't have anything to prove to anyone else and sometimes, you need to know you don't even need to prove something to yourself.

Run Happy my Friends!

Pace Group Leading 101

I have been asked quite a bit in the past month what it is like to be a pace leader and how one can take on such an endeavor. Becoming a pace leader isn't very hard, as all one typically needs to do is inquire with the race management. Other venues include joining and applying to formal pace teams, some of which are specifically affiliated with individual events, or a brand. However becoming a pace leader, and being a successful pace leader are two very different things. In addition, being a pace group leader is entirely different than being a pacer, which I wrote about in a March 2014 post called The Art of Pacing.

I am by no means an expert on pace group leading, but I'd like to think my cumulative experience with all kinds of running gives me a good starting point to offer advice. Pace group leading is incredibly rewarding, sometimes challenging, and at other times very straightforward. Though I have fun when I run, I personally view each pace leading assignment as a job, and my ongoing pace results as my resume. In reality, a proven track record of success could lead to being a part of a sponsored team, so it's worth while to take your duties seriously. Plus, you have the hopes and goals of your fellow runners on your shoulders, and you owe it to them to give it your best effort. So how does one become a successful pacer? Well, here's a general list, and I hope it helps anyone aspiring to become a pace group leader, of any distance, or be better at what you do.

Apologies that this is long, but I think it hits most of the main topics and then some.

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Fitness Level

- Be able to run at least 20 minutes faster than your pace group time. In other words, if you are pacing a 3:35 group, you would hopefully be capable of running a 3:15 on race day. If you ran a 3:15 two years ago, and haven't run anything that suggests you are near that fitness now, it does not count. I've known former sub 2:40 marathoners who have blown up pace leading groups much slower than their PR's. You need to be at that current fitness level when you take on your pace leading assignment.

- Be in race shape, not pace shape. Some people think, oh I just need to be in enough shape to run my pace time. If you do this, your pace time will start to become more and more a max effort. The pace group you lead should feel fairly comfortable the entire time, and the effort level is easier the better shape you stay in. Bottom line, keep your fitness in that 20 minutes, or faster zone.

- Be fit enough for the course. For example, the Charlottesville Marathon is a very hilly course, and this past year it was very windy. Between the hills and wind, the course probably ran 5 minutes slower than a more typical flatter course. This means running a 3:45 in Charlottesville would have been a 3:40 effort elsewhere. If you factor in the fact we recorded 26.72 miles for the marathon, our actual 26.20 mile split was under a 3:40, and subtract 5 more minutes for wind and hills, now you are at an equivalent effort of 3:35. If you showed up in 3:30 marathon shape, despite it being 15 minutes faster than the supposed 3:45 pace, you would have ended up running within 5 minutes of a max effort. Hence, why it is important to understand the difficulty of your course. Not all pace times are the same effort at different races.



Why is it necessary to be significantly faster than your group?

- You will hopefully be talking with your runners, giving them advice, and cheering them on. It's tough to do that out of breath, or while very fatigued.

- You might be carrying hydration gear and nutrition, which adds weight and slows you down. In fact, I even encourage carrying your hydration and nutrition, especially if pacing alone, so you can maintain an even pace through water stops. If a pacer slows down for water, and your runners also stop, you can throw off the visual pacing cue that a pacer provides. It can be easier for your runners to catch up and know that once they are back with you, they are on pace, instead of both the runners and pacer trying to re-calibrate pacing.

- You might be carrying a pace sign. You might be surprised how much carrying a pace sign, especially a larger one, on a very windy day can zap your speed. Being in shape can help negate these effects.

- It helps your runners be confident in you, the pacer, to know you are under control and not on the verge of a blow up. A pacer who looks relaxed and at ease can seem more "reliable", and can also make surrounding runners feel relaxed. In contrast, a pace group leader that is panting and sounds exhausted is not always the best moral booster.

- You may have to catch up for various reasons, whether it be a bathroom break, to stretch, eat, or tie your shoes. Even a 2 minute bathroom break means you will have to sprint a half mile to catch your group. You don't want your runners being alone much more than a few minutes, if at all.

- In case you blow up. It happens. A pacer is so focused on their group that they don't drink enough or eat enough and boom, they are in the midst of a full on bonk at mile 19. If you are in very good shape, a bonk should not effect you the way it would someone else running at full effort.



Take Your Pace Leading Seriously
- Show up rested and in shape. Taper if you need to, but remember that people are counting on you. Some are trying to BQ, some to PR, win awards, or just finish. All are influenced by your performance, or lack thereof.

- Respect the distance. It doesn't matter if you've run 1,000 marathons. 26.2 miles is still 26.2 miles. A lot can happen, so never lose respect for the marathon.



I've Never Run a Marathon That Was Exactly 26.2 Miles
- A marathon is 26.2 miles......if you know and run the exact tangent lines that the course was measured with. In other words, you will always run more than 26.2 miles.

- Plan to run anywhere from 26.4 miles to 26.7, and make sure to adjust the pace accordingly. It still frustrates me that most marathon training plans don't account for this.

- Communicate to your runners the difference in pace. Sadly, people are told a 3:45 marathon is an 8:35 pace, a 3:30 is 8:00, and so on. Yes, but again only for an exact 26.2 miles. If you know a course is going to be 26.45 miles, it means you will be running 5 seconds per mile faster than what they are told. Our overall pace at the Charlottesville marathon was an 8:23, and we finished in 3:44:07. If you showed up thinking you were going to be running an 8:35 pace, you were in for a rude awakening.


Do you run consistent mile splits throughout the race?
- Yes and no.

- Yes, if it is a flat course, like Shamrock, where the first and second halves are about the same in terms of difficulty and geography. On these courses, each mile split should be no more than +/- 5 seconds of goal pace.

- Yes, if you know the mile markers are not significantly off and both halves are about the same distance.

- No, if the course is very hilly. You are guaranteed to drop your runners if you try to maintain your pace up a steep hill. Sometimes you need to budget some slower miles to account for big climbs, and faster miles for downhills. Trying to pace too mechanically can hurt your runners, and it's best to run the way they would run the course, which is slower uphill, faster downhill, and even on the flats.

- No, if the course is like Richmond, where the first half is a net downhill, and the second is a net uphill. In this case, it is okay to allow a positive split by several minutes.



Wear a GPS....AND a Watch.
- A gps is a great tool for tracking distance, pace, and splits. It will also let you know if a course is running long.

- I use an old Forerunner 305, and keep have several screen views stored specifically for pace leading. My primary screen of choice shows current pace, average pace, and distance. My secondary screen shows elapsed time, distance, and overage pace.

- I wear a watch so I can view mile splits between course mile markers, and not just the mile splits on my gps, which might be different.

- I wear a watch because my gps has died during a race, and there's nothing worse than trying to hold a steady pace with no data.

- I wear a watch because sometimes my gps loses signal and isn't always trustworthy for pace.

- Just remember that gps data is not infallible. You might run side by side with another runner an entire race and finish with a different distances and paces on your gps devices. Stick to the data on YOUR gps, as constantly trying to factor in what someone else is getting will throw you off.




Have Experience with Road Marathons.
- Your pacing job should not also be your first marathon, even if you are fast enough. I've seen several novice marathon pacers who missed their goals because they did not have the experience to account for things like a long course, or hills.

- If your pace leading is your first marathon, see if you can team up with a co-pacer.

- If you are a trail runner, keep in mind that running 26.2 miles at a consistent pace on pavement is very different than running various paces on undulating trails.



You set the pace, not your runners.
- I have seen pace leaders pace off the runners around them, but you need to be the one setting the pace. Picture yourself as a steady island floating along while the other runners are boats around you. You are meant to be the constant and the physical and mental fixed variable in the race.

- Show restraint. A pacer can not get caught up in the excitement of the crowds and music and lose track of the pace. Don't get too caught up in conversation, because your conversational pace may be much faster than someone else, and you may accidentally start going too fast, or even too slow without knowing it. Don't be tempted to follow your runners when they kick to the finish and stick to the goal pace.



Be Visible
- Most pace groups provide shirts and signs to carry, and some do not. It doesn't hurt to add a little flare to your sign, or attire to make you easier for your group to spot. This past spring I added orange duct tape and a Hawaiian Lei to several of my signs so I could be seen. At one race, I was surrounded by a half dozen guys that were probably all over 6'3", which meant I was not necessarily easy to see in the middle of them. Having a sign on a 3 foot stick enabled me to be visible among my tall fellow runners.

- Keep your pace sign visible. I've seen pacers who trim down the pace stick to make it shorter and easier to carry and then don't keep it raised high and visible through the run. In a crowd of people, you can't even see the sign. Be sure to use a longer stick and if needed reinforce it so it doesn't break if it;s very windy. I used a carbon fiber hiking pole at the Charlottesville Marathon because a typical dowel rod would have easily snapped in the 20-30+ mph wind gusts. A longer stick also means you don't have to keep your arm raised, which can put a lot of strain on your shoulders. Alternating arms also helps.



Do Your Homework
- Learn what you can about the event and logistics. Your runners will have a lot of questions for you, and you can give them some much needed assurance by having answers. Figure out where the water stops are located, if there are porta potties and gels, or any major hills and notoriously tough stretches. It even helps to find out any quirky details like if a certain mile is long/short, or what typical race day weather will be like.



Learn Race Specific Math and be Flexible
- This helps for projecting accurate finish times and knowing whether you may need to speed up at the end of a race, or have the luxury of slowing down a little. It's also nice to be able to share with your runners what their projected finish time will be if they hold the current pace.

- In regards to projecting finish times, don't over think it, but know ahead of time where you want to be. It doesn't hurt to have goal times for the 10k split, 10 mile, half, and so on. It all helps keep you on track. Pace charts are a great tool but don't always account for the specifics of a course.

- Example: If you are pacing a 3:30 group and running an 8:00 pace when you reach mile 25, it means you have roughly 9:36 to the finish. If you are at 3:20 elapsed time at mile 25, you are spot on. However, if you are at 3:18, or 3:22, you have a little last minute tweaking to do, and if it means speeding up, you could hurt your runners.

- Example: You're pacing a 4:00 group and you reach mile 20 in 3:00. You have 6.2 miles remaining, which should take roughly 56 minutes at current pace, but that would bring you to a finish of 3:56, which is too fast. You now have the "luxury" of slowing down to a 9:30 pace, which could allow some runners to catch up. However, as you are running, you see miles 24 and 25 run a little long at 1.07 and 1.05 miles. Now you have to adjust back to a 9:15.

- Being flexible means taking into account long/short miles and things like hills and wind. If you reach mile marker 5, and your gps says 5.08 miles, that's a good sign the course will run long. If you reach mile marker 10, and your gps reads 10.16, it reaffirms you need to run a slightly faster pace to hit goal. You can extrapolate and predict that if you are already 0.18 miles over at the half, you will finish with 26.56 miles. Sometimes you'll notice the distance balance out, where you were 0.22 miles over at mile 15, but only 0.17 over at mile 20. Again, be flexible and adjust the pace mile by mile if needed. Communicate with your runners if they ask why your pace keeps changing. They will most likely appreciate the fact that you are capable of micromanaging the pace a mile at a time to keep them on target.



Communicate and Listen
- Before the race, communicate with your runners. A marathon may be just another day at the office to you, but your runners might be fighting off the nerves and jitters of their first marathon, or a potential BQ. You will likely get asked a lot of questions on race morning, and leading up. Do your homework about the event and course, so you can answer. Communicate your pace strategy and water stop strategy. All of these things can help calm nerves and enhance your runners' marathon experience.

- During the race, communicate. Talk about notable course details and things like turns and mile splits. You can establish a lot of trust just by being consistent with your pacing, but also lose trust if you do a poor job. If a mile split seemed too fast or too slow explain why, whether it was wind, hills, etc. When I was pacing a 4:00 group, a couple runners thought we were going a little too fast, but I assured them it was the pace needed to account for the extra distance I was getting between mile markers. I said my goal was to get them to the half in just under 2 hours, and when we crossed the half in 1:59:53 I knew I had established the trust of my group.

- Know how much, or how little to talk. Small talk, introductions, and jokes in the early miles are a great way to break the tension and make the miles go by easily for your runners. However, excessive talking can be mentally distracting and tiring to some people. There are, however, instances where runners will request you to keep talking to take their mind off their fatigue and discomfort.

- Continue to reassure your runners. Later in a race, you might be running the exact same pace as earlier, but it will feel like a harder effort as your runners tire. They will ask if they are still on pace, and you need to assure them that you are. Say mile splits out loud, or say something like "Last 3 miles were all between 8:28 and 8:35 pace" or "5 miles left, we'll do it in 42:30, which will bring us in just over 3:44".

- Communicate with your co-pacer(s) if you have them. Talk about how to manage water stops, bathroom breaks and race/pace strategy. Try not to separate too far from each other as it will become confusing for your runners. If one pacer runs ahead, it will freak out runners who are, in fact, still well within their target pace. Stay as a team.



Stick to the Plan
- It doesn't matter if you've been running alone the final 8 miles of a race, stick to the plan, and maintain an even pace. You'd be surprised the number of runners whose only goal is to keep you in sight, or keep you from passing. If you speed up, assuming nobody is with you, you may completely discourage a runner a half mile behind you who can no longer see you.

- Don't slow down either, as it might be tempting to provide company to people you pass. You slowing down to be supportive of a struggling runner, barring medical emergency, might cost another runner their goal.

- More often than not, you will be the one catching and passing many runners, especially after mile 20. Encourage them to stick with you, but if they can't, you just have to move on.



Your Chip Time vs Your Runner's Chip Time
- Again, remind runners, especially ones trying to BQ, that your times may be different, even if you finish at the same time.

- This applies even more to runners you catch up to who started the race in corrals ahead of you. Their times might actually be 30 seconds to several minutes more than yours, based on when you started. In a larger race with 30,000+ runners, this time gap could be over 3 minutes.

- Example: If a runner's BQ is 3:40, but because they are much faster, they are lined up in the 3:05 corral, they may cross the starting mat 3 minutes ahead of you. If the runner has a bad day and your group catches up, the runner is now on 3:43 pace, not your 3:40 pace, and would thus have to speed up to BQ. Though this scenario is unlikely, it's not implausible, and you could potentially save a day from going from bad to worse.



Encourage Your Runners to Go Ahead
- This is especially true if you have runners who want to run Boston. Keep in mind, wanting to run Boston, and just wanting to qualify are very different. To qualify, you just need to run under the qualifying time, even if by 1 second. However, to gain entry into Boston, runners will likely need to run 1:15 under their qualifier, but I always say 2:00 just to be safe.

- Example: If I am pacing 3:45, and that is also a runner's BQ time, I remind them that my goal is to finish close to 3:45, not 3:43, which is what they will need. I try to remind runners trying to BQ around miles 10, 16, and 20 that they need to run ahead to bank the extra time. If you are still with the 3:45 pace group at mile 24, it is not likely you will run the last 2.2 miles at a 7:30 pace in order to get into Boston.

- Sometimes, however, runners only care about qualifying for Boston, and not running it. It's more a goal to say they did it, or to continue a streak of qualifying times. I still remind my runners that my goal is to get near my target time, which is based on MY chip time, and they need to be aware of any difference in our start times. My watch might read 3:44:55, but if you started ahead of me, we may cross the finish together and your chip time might be 3:45:06, and you missed a BQ. I actually had this happen at Richmond last year, but my runner simply did not have the energy to push ahead. It was a gamble for her to stick with the 3:45 pacers through the finish, and when her clock time showed over 3:46 (3:44:55 my chip time), none of us knew if she made her BQ. Thankfully, it turns out she BQ'ed by 3 seconds, but it was a big risk.



It's Okay to Finish Alone
- I have finished most of my pace leading assignments alone, and this is normal. It may initially feel awkward to run with people all day, only to come through that boisterous finish chute all by yourself. It's the name of the game. You may have a pack of 50-100 runners behind you the first 10 miles and it's an incredibly empowering feeling. However, it could be half that number by mile 16, and by mile 20 you may be down to 5-10 runners tops. At least 60-70% of your initial group will fall behind, while the rest will eventually kick and finish a few minutes ahead. Other times, you will absorb a few runners you catch up to, or finish with runners who just want to hang at your pace as long as they can.



Gauging Success
- A successful pacing job is finishing within 2 minutes of your target time without going over. There are exceptions, like when I had to stop for traffic two miles from the finish at one of my races, which cost me nearly a perfect pacing job. A very good pace job is getting within one minute of your target time.

- A successful pacing job includes not deviating more than 5-6 seconds per mile of your goal pace, assuming a flat course.

- A successful pacing job should also not see more than a 1-2 minute difference for each half, assuming a consistent course profile and half distances.



Lastly CELEBRATE!
- You may never know what your pace leading meant to someone. However, this past spring I got many thank you's from people who BQ'ed for the first time, thought they would never BQ again, ran their first marathon since giving birth to a child, or finishing their first marathon. While running a 5:00, or 3:05 marathon may be a piece of cake to us, for some it is the culmination of something far greater than we can wrap our heads around. Pace leading allows you to participate in the midst of other people's struggles and triumphs. Realize what a privilege it is to be part of that.

March/April Madness

Well, the past three weeks were certainly a fun stretch of running. I lead pace groups for four marathons in a span of 20 days and was within 42 seconds of my target time for all four. I also never positive split a course by more than 18 seconds, other than Charlottesville, which was intentional due to the nature of the course.


Newport News One City Marathon. 3:45 pace leader. This was the inaugural year for the event.

(Early part of the One City course. Photo credit Newport News Daily Press)

Distance: 26.69 miles
Total Time: 3:44:38
Pace: 8:25
First half: 1:52:10, 13.35 miles
Second half: 1:52:28, 13.34 miles
Weather: Low 40's at the start. Low 60's at the finish.

Course Difficulty: A few small hills in the beginning and around miles 15-16. Not much shade the second half, and some wind in the more exposed places. Overall, a pretty flat and fast point to point course.

Course Scenery: Quiet and pleasant roads the first half and then opening up to a more city like feel with some scenic stretches by the water.

Crowd Support: Honestly, better than expected. The first 10 miles are fairly quiet, but the final half felt pretty energized with schools, clubs, and bands cheering along the course.

Logistics: Not bad, though there was some confusion with shuttle buses in the morning, especially for relay teams. Some volunteers seemed inexperienced to handle typical marathon related questions. A couple finish line volunteers came across a bit snappy to tired runners. Otherwise, 99.99% of the volunteers were amazing.

Pre-race: Chilly wait in a parking lot with no place to stay warm. Some people waited 90 minutes due to the time gap between getting dropped off by shuttles and the marathon start.

Post-race: Very windy and chilly by the waterfront. Not fun if you are cold and sweaty. Free beer and pizza hit the spot. Layout was good, but very muddy due to rain the day before. Live entertainment was good, but far too loud.

Bling: The medal was fairly nice. It's a runner going through the victory arch, which is exactly how the finish looked. A nice nod to the city of Newport News.

Highlights: Giving a high five to Elvis, helping a 63 year old man named James qualify for the Boston Marathon, and being a part of an inaugural local event.

(Photo credit One City 26.2)


Shamrock Marathon. 3:45 pace leader.

Distance: 26.46 miles
Total Time: 3:44:18
Pace: 8:28
First half: 1:52:01, 13.30 miles
Second half: 1:52:17, 13.16 miles
Elevation gain: 102 feet
Weather: High 40's to mid 50's. Winds 7-15 mph.

Course Difficulty: Flat and fast, with the exception of sometimes heavy wind. However, this year, the wind was a non factor for most runners. The only hills are the short climbs over the Rudee Inlet bridge at miles 2.5 and 9 and some slight inclines in Fort Story. The final 10k of the marathon is a net downhill with a fast finish on the boardwalk.

Course Scenery: A nice mix of oceanfront board walk, open road, military bases, and downtown Virginia Beach. Good variety, though some will find places like Fort Story a bit mentally draining.

Crowd Support: Pretty good, aside from the quiet six mile stretch on Shore Drive and Fort Story. Even without spectators there are enough fellow runners, soldiers, and volunteers to keep you energized all day.

Logistics: Good. Parking is still a bit rough, and expo parking can be an adventure, but still better than what you'd see at a race with 30k runners. The mile from 4 to 5 is still long at 1.20 miles and the mile from 5 to 6 is short at 0.90 miles.

Pre-race: It can be a cold and windy wait for folks, though many people huddle inside hotels and around a few fire pits to stay warm.

Post-race: Fantastic. Free beer, good food, and awesome live music inside a huge beachfront tent. Honestly, it's one of the best finish line parties I've experienced.

Bling: The medals were unique this year, but still nice, and plenty big. The black and glittered green looked better in person than in photos. The challenge medals were simply beautiful, especially the King Neptune.

Highlights: Shamrock, aka J&A Racing, treat their pace leaders extremely well and granted us access to the VIP tent all weekend. I had a lot of fun hanging out with the rock star pace team from Minnesota, which included talented runners Dan LaPlante, Jim Winkels, Don Sullivan, and Ben Drexler. I also got to hang out with running luminary Bart Yasso, US Mountain Running Champion Joseph Gray, and one of the owners of Yuengling.

(Chilling in the VIP tent. Photo credit Bart Yasso).

(Myself and Ben Drexler showing off our Whale Challenge bling. Photo credit Ben Drexler @_6run2)

(The sweet Running Etc. pace team shirts)


Emerald Isle Marathon. 4:00 pace leader.

(I'm somewhere in the middle of that pack. This was when we merged with the half marathon, and only 8 runners with me were marathoners. Photo credit SOS Photography)

Distance: 26.50 miles
Total Time: 4:00:03 (Had to stop for cars a mile from the finish, otherwise I would have been under 4 hours)
Pace: 9:05
First half: 1:59:53, 13.22 miles
Second half: 2:00:10, 13.28 miles
Weather: Hi 30's to low 50's. Wind 10-25 mph.

Course Difficulty: Surprisingly hilly, especially through the neighborhoods from miles 2-7. The out and back final 10 miles are mostly flat, but still lots of undulations where the running path overlaps entrances to stores and shopping centers. Strong head wind the final 8 miles, and the last mile is a rather hilly and windy bike path. Far hillier than you'd expect so close to the ocean and lots of turns the first half.

Course Scenery: A bit disappointing considering how beautiful Emerald Isle is. The most pleasant parts were watching the sunrise over the huge houses in the beginning and the few miles along the oceanfront road from miles 12-18. However, running the bike paths and main roads was fairly uninteresting, and you never actually see the ocean or beaches from the course because they are always obstructed by houses.

Crowd Support: Non existent, other than the friendly volunteers. The marathon only had 200 runners, which meant we were extremely spread out. We did merge with the half for six miles, which was the only time we ran with a substantial crowd, but after they turned back we were alone again. Other than some locals, runner's friends and family, and curious people who came out to their yards, there wasn't much crowd support. If you run the full, just plan for a fairly quiet day.

Logistics: 6:30am start meant we ran the first few miles in the dark. Not super safe on an unlit bike path, and several runners tripped on bumps and/or ran into dividers on the path. Parts of course were not closed to traffic and you have to be mindful of turning cars and traffic lights the final 5-6 miles. Other busy intersections and crossings were, however, managed well by volunteers and police officers. Mile markers were spray painted on the ground and sometimes easy to miss, though there were a handful that were marked with small signs. Lots of turns on the course, but volunteers were at all of them, and the combination of color coded arrows and signs made the course easy to follow.

Pre-race: They had a tent with heaters to stay warm which was nice. Parking was close to the start/finish, which meant a nice short walk.

Post-race: No food at the finish, other than water, bananas and mini Cliff bars. The only "real" food was a burrito truck you had to pay for. Granted the burritos were good, but it didn't thrill runners that their only option for food was buying something from a vendor. There was a post-race banquet, but it was at 5pm, which was a good 5-7 hours after most people finished their events. Unless you were staying the entire weekend, and staying nearby, it was not feasible to stick around and come back at 5pm. They should have just had the reception going as runners were finishing so we could have access to food and entertainment right then. Hopefully they didn't waste a lot of food on no shows, because it didn't seem like many people went.

Bling: A fairly traditional medal featuring runners and a colorful beach theme. Not small, but small compared to what medals look like nowadays.

Highlights: Running with a steadfast pack of 8 runners for 16 miles. Of that group only one, Catherine doing her first marathon, was able to stay with me. We ran the final 8 miles together until I urged her to run ahad at mile 24. Her goal was to finish her first marathon under 4 hours, and she did so by finishing 30 seconds ahead of me. Well done! I also loved the guy with the hand crank bike. Despite all the hills and half dozen speed bumps he was always grinning.


Charlottesville Marathon. 3:45 pace leader.

(Charlottesville Marathon Finish. Photo credit BadtotheBone.biz)

Total Time: 3:44:22
Distance: 26.72 (actual 26.2 mile split was just under 3:40)
Pace: 8:23
First Half: 1:51:10
Second Half: 1:53:12
Weather: Low 50's to low 60's. Very windy, with gusts of 35mph.
Elevation gain: 1,210
*Thanks to my co-pacer Scott Adams for managing the pacing after my gps died one mile in. I also worried we went out to fast after we split 1:51 for the first half, but he assured me the second half hills would catch up and the pace was good. Sure enough, between the hills and wind, we came in right on target pace. It also helps that Scott is a speedy veteran of numerous marathons and also knew the course well.

Course Difficulty: It's a tough course. Compared to courses like Richmond, Shamrock, and Marine Corps, people should be aware this course significantly more challenging. Total elevation gain is 1,210 feet for the current course, compared to Richmond with 550 feet of gain, 845 for Marine Corps, and a little over 100 feet for the pancake flat, but often windy Shamrock course. Some of the hills are short and steep, or as long as half a mile. With all the out and back sections, just remember that what goes up, must go down, and vice versa. The race starts with a steep downhill followed by long uphill, which is basically a prelude to the rest of the course. There is a climb with switchbacks around mile 15, a half mile uphill at 16, another short steep grunt near 18, the notorious hill at mile 24, and a few more smaller hills just before the finish. There aren't many true flat sections, so you are either going up, or down most of the race. The heavy wind on race day made the 2015 event harder than usual. Expect the course to run at least 5 minutes slower than your typical marathon time, unless you excel at hills, and possibly more if you have windy conditions like today. Also, with all the twists and turns, expect to factor in an extra 0.3-0.5 miles.

Course Scenery: It's a pretty course and provides a good tour of Charlottesville. You pass through local parks, the Rivanna River, and some of the more popular areas of downtown. The time of year also means you get a glimpse of the first blooms of spring, and the dogwoods and flowers were gorgeous along the course. The course has three distinct out and backs, so you get to see fellow runners and front runners most of the day.

Crowd Support: Not a ton, but there were enough clusters of enthusiastic volunteers, students, and locals to keep you feeling good. Don't expect live music or marching bands on the course and the town can be a little quiet earlier in the morning.

Logistics: Very easy, and race day packet pickup was a breeze. Parking, the start, and the finish were all within a block of each other, which meant very minimal walking. Access to and from was very easy. Traffic support by police at intersections was amazing and as well managed as a big city race. However, despite numerous markings and volunteers, we saw at least 3 half marathon runners miss their turns and accidentally join the marathoners.

Pre-race: Very easy access with parking close to the start. The only downside is that parking is expensive at $2.50 an hour with a max of $20 for the day. Richmond Marathon parking was only $5, and all other races this spring were free. Grabbing packet pickup items was very fast if you showed up earler, like before 6:15am, and there were no porta potty lines if you showed up 30-45 minutes before the start. You could easily wait in your car to stay warm and only be a 5 minute walk from the start.

Post-race: A pleasant and cozy atmosphere in court square. They had a small band playing which was nice, not too loud, and fitting for Charlottesville. The free beer and pizza tasted good, and I enjoyed some ice cream from the ice cream truck. Getting to relax, catch up with runners, and enjoy the spring sun was quite pleasant.

Bling: Charlottesville has been notorious for its small finisher medals, but this year was different. The medal this year was much bigger with a solid brass design. It was a nice tribute to UVA, with orange being used for the full medals and blue for the half. The UVA Rotunda building, or something that very much resembles it, is featured on both the medals and shirt design. The back of the medal is also a bottle opener. Shirts were a blue short sleeved technical with a similar logo as the medals.

Highlights: Running with a fun group and joking about UCan, Eye of the Tiger, and tackling the tough course with some humor. We got to reel in a few runners towards the end and got them into the finish looking strong.

Anyway, I had a fun 20 days. I realized my body is definitely capable of running marathons at easier efforts every weekend if it wanted to. But, that's not my goal. My only objective was to help other runners reach their objectives and I hope to continue that by pace leading many more marathons and halves to come.

The Graveyard 100- A Very Special Race

Good races are not hard to find, but truly special ones are far and few between. Sure, there are plenty of fun and well organized running events out there. There are events that hedge more on their history and lore to drive the race experience, rather than the experience in and of itself. But, once in a blue moon you find an event, sometimes by accident, that ends up being the diamond in the rough we all hope to find.

I wholeheartedly believe that Brandon and Heather Wilson's Graveyard 100 is such an event. I think great race experiences comes down to the elements of challenge, course beauty, creativity, and race support. All too common these days is the culture of seemingly valuing the bling and swag of an event more than the personal journey that transpires between the start and finish lines. I totally get it if people are all about cool medals, chip timing, aid every two miles, and live runner tracking, but sometimes it's refreshing to see an event that values the "test" of what running a 100 miler is, and not all the glitz. If you want to voyage into the unknown, where the reward is in the miles in between, by all means the Graveyard 100 is for you.

The Graveyard 100 is not meant to be an easy race to finish. Many ultras, not that it is a bad thing, now cater to runners to ensure nearly everyone finishes. I've even witnessed established older ultras adding more aid and tweaking logistics to make it easier for runners. Don't get me wrong, but isn't one of the alluring factors of an ultra supposed to be that it isn't easy? And yet, some people seemingly have the attitude of wanting to do something hard, but in the easiest way possible. Again, there's nothing wrong with that, but one reason the Graveyard 100 is special is because it is not that kind of race.

I like that regardless if you are an elite, back of the packer, or prior champion, there is no certainty you will finish this race. It all comes down to risk versus reward, and in that sense the Graveyard 100 offers some incredible rewards. I think if you ask any person, myself included, how they felt when presented their Graveyard buckle, they would say with a tired satisfied smile, it was well worth it.

I love that Graveyard is the hardest "easy" 100 miler you will likely encounter. People see the flat elevation profile and say "piece of cake!". Crewed runners see that they can receive aid from their crews every 4-9 miles at water stops, and think "this shouldn't be too bad". There are no big climbs, no mountains above 10,000 feet, no technical rocky sections or river crossings, and yet the percentage of people who drop is higher than at most "harder" one hundreds. Why is that you wonder? For those that have been on the course, well, you know the answer.

This race is a crucible in numerous capacities. It will test your mind, and for some it will torment their mind. You will start at the north end of Currituck, see sunrise as you pass Currituck sound to your right, and run through small coastal towns like Corolla and Duck. You'll think "this isn't too bad". Then as your legs start to experience the initial onsets of fatigue you will pass through Kitty Hawk and Nags Head. You can see miles down the road and miles behind you. This is usually when it hits you that this is going to be tougher than you thought. Runners ahead fade into nothing more than little dots on the horizon and you'll swear those mile post signs can't be accurate. But, they are.

After 45 miles you will exit the creature comforts of society and begin your adventure into the land of dunes. This is where the isolation begins. You will pass the Bodie Island lighthouse to your right, cross over the iconic 2.5 mile long leviathan that is the Bonner Bridge, and into Pea Island. After this, you are in the second half of the race, but the hardest is yet to come. You'll see mirages on the road that look like shiny wet spots, but as you continue on you'll see nothing but more road. Depending on the year, you may be running on sand, into a flood plane, or completely dry asphalt. You might get hit with a light sting of fine sand swirling through 20 mph winds or intense sun radiating from the blankets of off white dunes. Embrace this stretch that takes you from the ordinary and into a magical world of sand and ocean. Ten miles later you will finally get a faint glimpse of Rodanthe in the distance.

For most runners, Rodanthe is where reality starts to set in. This is where most drops occur, and at 100k into the race, this is where the real journey begins. At this point, the long miles have started to take their toll, and 10-16 hours of exposure to the sun, pavement, wind, and cold have depleted even the heartiest of souls. This is also where good planning can mean the difference between a finish and yet another DNF. Warm dry clothes are invaluable, but the lack thereof is usually a turn for the worse. Uncrewed runners have even bigger thoughts to consider. They've gone 18-22 miles between full aid all day, but now must endure the longest stretch without aid at just over 24 miles. The mental battles to quit, or keep going rage on. For some it's an easy decision to end their day, and for others it's a long debate whether they want to venture back out into the chilly night for another 8-12 hours.

From Rodanthe to Hatteras it's a long lonely dark road. Runners battle to stay positive and deal with the monotony. Salvo and Avon provide slight respite from the tunnel vision developed by running a solitary strip of tar while being guided by the small light of a headlamp. Local cars that previously whizzed by every few minutes, some alarmingly too close, are a now rare sight. Every once in a while you'll see headlights in the distance and swear they aren't moving. Believe it or not, that "stationary" car in the distance is actually moving towards you at 55 mph, just from five miles away. If you are lucky enough to have a clear night, take a moment to look up and soak in that splendid night sky. It's amazing how many stars you can see when there's no ambient light around. Then, you'll see lighthouses and the blinking lights of water towers on the edge of your view and you now know to absorb the fact you will not get there for another two hours.

(Hatteras night sky. Photo credit coll100ertexample.blogs)

If your brain hasn't numbed by the time you reach the final aid station at mile 87, it might by the time you finish. After leaving Hatteras lighthouse, which will feel like forever to reach, you will experience more of the same in regards to never feeling like you are getting closer to objects in the distance. It's a double doozy if you are not familiar with Hatteras as it will seem like forever to reach the finish, even when you know it's less than 5 miles away. At this point, you pretty much just want to be done and off your feet. For some it will still be night and for others it will be the next day. Years like this one you'll get to witness a rare sunrise accompanied by rising full moon and be reminded of what a special journey you are about to finish. Finally, before you've even realized it, you will be at the Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum and be handed your buckle by race director Brandon. You will likely be too tired to assess what you just did, and in all likely only be thinking of getting warm, getting a shower, some food, and going to bed.

(2015 Champion Marco Bonfiglio with race director Brandon Wilson. New course record of 13:01. Photo credit John Price)

The next day you will wake up sore, have some new blisters, and probably a few less toenails. Then you'll remember everything that you went through to lose those toenails, to get that winter sunburn, that gritty sand in your socks and those two swollen feet. Then, you'll take a glance at that buckle and hopefully you'll give a little smile and realize it was all so worth it.

(Ultra legend, past Champion, and 2015 2nd place, Valmir Nunes. Photo credit John Price)

(photo credit Brian Burke)

Like I said, the Graveyard 100 is a special race. I think anyone who has ever finished it will say the same. It's the reason I have been involved with the event every year since its inception. I have been an inaugural year solo participant, a staff member trying to recruit talent like Mike Morton, Valmir Nunes, and Olivier Leblond, a race photographer, aid station volunteer, pacer, and crew member. I can honestly say I am thrilled to see how far this grass roots event has come along. The Graveyard 100 has drawn a wide variety of athletes locally and internationally. The event has now had four different champions representing four different countries; the US, France, Brazil, and now Italy. This year's event also saw America's 2nd fastest non track 100 miler with Marco Bonfiglio's incredible 13:01. Only Ian Sharman's 12:44 at Rocky Raccoon in 2011 is faster. Valmir Nunes also ran one of the fastest American 100 milers by someone age 50, or older with his 14:20. It should be noted that Marco recorded a distance of 161.9km on his gps, or 100.38 miles, and he stopped for ice cream during the race, which means he most likely could have run under 13 hours. Whether you finished in 13 hours or 29:59, amazing things are bound to happen at Graveyard.

(The isolation welcomes you)




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*Lastly, I just wanted to mention some things to runners and crews if you are reading this. Having been on the course and interacted with quite a few people in the four years of this event, I wanted to share some thoughts on how to keep the integrity of the event intact. This mostly has to do with crewed runners and their crew.

First, as a participant or crew person, please try not to complain how far apart the aid stations are, or how far it is to the water stops. This information is available, so be sure to review it before you register and know what you, or your crew are getting into. In the same line of thought, try not to constantly question why management chose the distances they did. It's likely because it was logistically efficient, safe, and provided a reasonable challenge. If you want something easier, nobody is forcing you to do this race. Please respect the fact the race is designed to be a challenge, and we hope your runner knew that.

Secondly, and this is probably the worst infraction we saw. Crews can NOT provide support outside of water stops and full aid stations. It is considered cheating to give any form of aid to your runner at non designated areas. I even saw an "aid station" created by a crew team for their runner that was not at a designated area. If they had done this at a water stop, or parking area for an aid station, it would have been fine. Myself and others witnessed this with multiple crews, and it's troubling. You can cheer your runner wherever you want, take photos wherever you want, but even handing your runner food and clothing at non specified areas is not allowed. There were even crew cars that were seen giving support in non designated places, but had no visible crew tags or signs. Again, not okay and also kind of sketchy. We know you are excited for your runner and want to support them the best you can, just do it within the confines of the rules.

Thirdly, runners had pacers before the 50 mile point, which is not allowed. Even if you meet your runner a quarter mile from an aid station to bring them something, it is not okay. Keep in mind there are uncrewed runners carrying all their nutrition and gear for 18-24 mile stretches. It's not being nit picky on our part, but the point is that no runner has an unfair advantage as another, crewed or solo, and doing things like this IS an unfair advantage.

Fourthly, a few crewed runners did not run all the way to the aid station and just continued running after they got aid from their crews. Note: the aid station is part of the course. Failure to check in, is in fact, the same as cutting the course no matter how small the distance may be. Checking in also helps us know you are still alive and not wandering the course like a zombie. We had several DNF's who never notified us they dropped, and caused us to worry about a "missing" runner, when in reality they got a ride home and were in bed.

Fifth, please keep your lights on when you run during the night. All runners are required to have 360 degree reflective materials, a rear light, and a headlamp. At Rodanthe we made sure nobody left without an functional light source, and yet someone was seen a few miles down the road with no light on, and freaked out a local driver who almost hit them.

All of these major topics are discussed at the pre-race briefing and provided in other race materials. In other words, there is no reason runners and crews should be unaware of the rules. A runner's job is to make sure their crews know what they can and can't do, and vice versa.

My very final thought has to do with crew size. There is currently no limit, but some folks had multiple pacers, multiple crew cars on the course, and teams of at least 5-8 people. At one point, at the Rodanthe aid station, I counted over 20 people in the aid area, not counting volunteers, and only 3 were runners. I fully understand wanting to have your friends and family involved, but it can make it very disorganized for everyone else. If three runners arrive at an aid station at the same time, and each has a pacer (who is also in running clothes) and several crew members, it makes runner tracking very difficult in a busy room. Plus, when runners change clothes, it's harder to tell who is who, and less crowds can help staff keep everyone accounted for and safe. Just try to be considerate with your crew size and realize it does impact aid stations that have limited occupancy and resources.

I think if we can all work together and be responsible crew people and runners, this event will continue to be an amazing experience for everyone involved. Just my two cents. Congrats to everyone, and I will see you again next year!

Virginia Beach Distance Races 100k

(Photo Credit VA Beach Distance Races. Getting in some quicker miles early in the day)

It's been a while since I could say a race went well, or surprisingly well. All of my ultra PR's are fairly old, set between 2010 and 2012, but I knew my fitness and endurance are better now then when I set them. However, instead of improving on those I've had a lot of lackluster results due to poor strategy, not being recovered enough for races, or just being out of shape. Ultimately, I had a lot of "okay" races, but nothing that stood out.

The Virginia Beach Distance Races, the brainchild of local running guru John Price, consisted of a 50k and 100k distance. The course was designed to be fast and circled a USATF certified 2.31+ mile loop around a local golf course. The 100k would do 26 laps, plus a 1.64 mile out and back at the beginning. The 12 hour cut off was the same for both races and gave runners ample time for the 50k, but made it challenging for the 100k, which was probably why only three people finished. Though flatter than any trail ultra I have ever run, the course had enough little bumps and turns to keep you from getting lulled to sleep. For reference, the course was definitely fast, but not as fast as a typical road marathon course. Per usual for Virginia beach, we also had a stiff headwind for about a mile of each loop. To top it all off, the weather couldn't have been more beautiful for a February 8th day. Morning temps were in the mid 30's and rose into the 60's by the late afternoon.

Interestingly, I was originally signed up for the 50k race, with the goal of cracking 3:50, but switched races the day before to test my chops at a quicker 100k. 100k courses are hard to come by and honestly a 3:50 50k would have been nothing more than a glorified 3:14 marathon with 4.8 miles tacked on. A challenge for sure, but for some reason I wanted something bigger, but also without having to run 100 miles to do it. I did, however, wonder if I was going to regret switching, given my training was for the 50k, and my mileage over the winter didn't feel like enough for a 100k. In the past year, I had also transitioned from 9 years of exclusively running trails to exclusively running roads purely due to geographic location. Several months earlier I had an okay run at the mountainous Hellgate 100k, but part of me knew I was better suited for a flatter course and that my mountain running legs had long since faded. I guess one reason for switching to the 100k was to see if that was true.

(Nearing a 180 degree u-turn on the course)

As for my race, I didn't really have any concrete goals. But, if I did have a last minute goal, it was to qualify for the legendary Spartathlon Ultramarathon, which required a sub 10:30 100k finish time. The qualifier is good for three years, but since the qualifying time drops to sub 10 hours next year, I figured to make that my makeshift goal. If anything, I figured my strategy would be to at least PR my 50 mile time of 7:35 (JFK 50 five years ago) and then shuffle through the last 12 miles and hope to get under 10 hours.

The race started just after 6:35am. Sunrise had not yet arrived, but it was just bright enough not to need headlamps. For the first 20 miles I was on autopilot and tried to stay smooth and relaxed in the cool morning air. I did start out a little quick and gradually pulled back the effort to just over an eight minute pace. Things were good until about mile 20 when I started to develope some tightness in my hamstrings. This forced a handful of short stretch breaks, which continued all day, though I still managed to reach my marathon split in 3:33. While I had plenty of time in the bank, the increasing discomfort in my hamstrings had me strongly considering stopping at 31 miles.

The battle with the doubt monster lasted a few more miles and I decided to just get to 50k, reassess how I felt then, and reminded myself that this was nothing uncommon for this distance. Looped courses can make dropping so inviting that it can cause people to quit when they don't have a good reason to. So, I ran a few more miles and hit the halfway point in 4:10, which was a 50k PR by 13 minutes, and it helped put some much needed mojo back in my race. I'm also glad I was able to push through the temptation of bailing early.

(Photo Credit VA Beach Distance Races. Coming through the start/finish checkpoint)

The rest of the miles just rolled by without much thought. I spent a lot of the day just enjoying the nice February weather and seeing my fellow runners and walkers on the course. Miles 38 to 45 were my slowest of the day and my paced slipped to over 9:30 due to a few refueling and stretching breaks. After six hours my primary motivation shifted to setting a 50 mile PR, which I figured was easily doable on the flatter terrain. I had briefly considered pushing the pace to see how fast I could hit my 50 mile split, maybe in the low 6:50's, but realized it wouldn't be prudent to jeopardize a solid 100k time by running a faster 50. Not worth the risk of a blow up with 12 miles remaining. I came through lap 22, roughly 50.8 miles in 7:05:04 for the 50 mile PR, but still had five laps to go. Unofficial 50 mile split of 6:57:52.

Those last couple of hours were a bit tough. Most of the 50k runners had finished, so the course was very empty and we weren't allowed to have pacers. You couldn't rely on a lot of distractions or fellow runners to help push you along and I challenged myself to not rely on headphones and music. It really became a battle between me, my thoughts, and the solitary strip of pavement. Four laps to go. Now three. 57.6 miles completed in 8:12. I do some quick math. If I could cover the last two laps in 48 minutes, I could break 9 hours. It caught me off guard. I came into the race wanting to break 10 hours, and here I was on the verge of dipping under 9.

Nearly 60 miles completed. 8 hours and 33 minutes elapsed with one final lap to go. I was feeling it a bit during the previous lap, but on this one I had to dig in a little bit deeper. I'm not going to lie, those last few miles felt a little rough. I said a small farewell to all the little parts of the course I had become so familiar with over the previous 25 laps. It made the time pass and I soon turned into the final curvy stretch and made a sprint towards the finish. I never looked at my watch during the final two laps, so I was relieved to look over at the finish line clock and see that the first digit was an eight. A few moments later I reached the end of the lap and tagged the stop button on my watch. 8:53:45. It was 100k personal best by 87 minutes, signified three ultramarathon PR's in one day, and also qualified me for Spartathlon.

(Photo Credit VA Beach Distance Races. Finishing 62.2 miles and realizing I had just run under 9 hours)

I knew I had it in me, but this was still a pleasant surprise. The crazy part is my marathon PR was a 3:33 only 11 months ago, and today my marathon split was one minute faster. I also admittedly went into the 100k event with a mental block thinking finishing under 10 hours would be a stretch. As the race progressed I decided not to worry how far ahead of my split goals I was and ran based on how my body felt, not my brain. I think sometimes the expectation that we are going to fatigue and slow down can become a self fulfilling prophecy. I am now somewhat curious to see what I could do if I focused from the start on running a fast 100k, or 50 miler. I can already think of 8-10 minutes lost that weren't necessary like chatting and stopping to eat instead of eating on the run. It's all pretty trivial, but it's good to know there's some room for improvement. Overall, my pacing was good, but could be better. I ran the first half in 4:10 and the second in 4:43, but I also spent 2 minutes getting aid the first half versus 8 for the second. With more specific training and gained experience I think I could achieve 100k splits closer to 4:05 and 4:25.

I'm certainly keeping all this in perspective given that 100k world champion Max King ran a 6:27 100k, which was roughly at my 5k pace. Elite women are also running in the 7:10-7:45 range, and quite a few others have run 8:00-9:00 hours in the mountains and at high altitude. Still, I reminded myself that my first 50 miler took me 10:39, and today I ran 12.2 miles more and 1:46 faster.

(First time off my feet all day. A well earned little break)

(With race director John Price just a few minutes after finishing)

Approximate splits:
13.1 miles: 1:45
20 miles: 2:40
26.2 miles: 3:32
31 miles: 4:10
50 miles: 6:59
62.2 miles: 8:53:45
Time at aid: About 10 minutes, and mostly in the second half.
Overall pace: 8:34
Running pace: 8:25

Lastly, thank you to all the volunteers who were out there today, Running Etc. for their support, and John Price for directing a fun new event. If this event continues next year, I definitely encourage runners to come check it out. The looped course wasn't as monotonous as anticipated and you got to give and receive a lot of support to your fellow runners during the day. Time for a beer, and then a nap. In that order :-)

(Me and my friends Jon and Virginia, who ran the 50k, enjoying some post race rest and unseasonably warm winter sun)

Nutrition:
-Gels every 25 minutes (Honey Stinger and GU Roctane)
-S Cap every hour after 4 hours (4 total)
-A few handfuls of pretzels
-Approx 2,200 calories consumed during race
-Pre-race Little Debbie brownie (530 calories)
-Post-race Samuel Adams (150 calories)
-water, Gatorade, and some soda
- No NSAIDS

Make a Wish- Hellgate 100k

When you see a shooting star, it is usually tradition to make a quiet wish to yourself. The Geminid meteor shower, caused by debris from object 3200 Phaethon, gave runners on a certain magical night plenty of opportunities to make such wishes. Of these, some included just wanting to finish the Hellgate 100k, finishing the Beast series, wishes to the family of a fallen soldier and friend, or the simple wish to make it through another journey. Like Cinderella once said, a dream is a wish your heart makes.

It was a late autumn eve, and one could say it was the kind of night that could bring back the nostalgia of childhood campfires, scary stories, and smores. The time was moments after midnight in a silent stillness that only a secluded mountain forest could provide. It was chilly, but not cold, and actually a bit warm compared to other years. The only noise to be heard was the frantic and excited clammering of 148 hearty souls and a cluster of volunteers and crew people. Though being dropped off in the middle of the night, in the middle of Nowheresville, VA could be hauntingly ominous to some, for me it was a warm homecoming to the Blue Ridge mountains that I called home for over one third of my life.

I've run over 100 marathons and ultras, but none of them were the Hellgate 100k. I've been a sweeper at Hellgate, a crew member and pacer at Hellgate, and I've even applied twice and been accepted twice to run. However, twice I've had to withdraw before even starting the race. Deep in my gut, I knew 2014 would be the now or never year for running this fabled race. Of course, I had not run a mountain trail in over a year, and two, I lived in arguably the flattest part of Virginia. Not the best training for a race with 13,500 feet of climbing.

If you wanted a race report full of details about what food was eaten, what clothes were worn, or what the splits were, this probably isn't the report for you.

I will say that my Hellgate experience was much like the pursuit of a beautiful woman. A beautiful woman named top 10 male that is. At first she was the unapproachable beauty across a dimly lit ballroom. We exchange quick flirtatious glances. Surely she's out of my league, but I've never been one to shy away from a challenge. However, the crowd between us was far too dense and there were far too many eligible suitors to make any kind of move plausible. I could only admire her from afar as I became a second tier bystander to the symphony of roots, leaves and rocks. Behold, a serpentine trail of lights leading up to Petite's Gap. This orchestra is just tuning up. The dances and partners were many and the element of the dance floor ever changing. With the bitter windy chill of Floyd's Field she takes a step back. A brisk Paso Doble over leaf strewn rocky trails, a slow Mambo with the a gentle climb, and a Rumba with the dipping and sweeping trails entranced by the curvature of the mountain. 37 miles in and the sunrise reflects a familiar twinkle in her mysterious gaze. "13th male" she whispers to me, but laughingly taunts with a "But, you are still a distant arm's length away." I work to find the footing, to find a groove, and never once unlock eyes with the dame so close.

Sacrebleu!? What dost appear before thine eyes but the beauty herself. 46 miles into this dance and she has shrugged off not just two, but three bachelors. From far across the room she has made her way through the masses and into my arms. I finally have her. 10th male. For the next hour we float along in a harmonious Tango. Up close there's something unique and a bit off from what I had previously pictured. I could see it in her eyes that their was a vacantness, a lack of empathy, and she was beginning to distance herself from me. Though we continued to Waltz hand in hand, I knew I was losing her. Over 11 hours on our feet, and just as swiftly as she swooped into my arms, another man had just as easily stolen her away. Beauty can be both cold and fleeting, and perhaps more so when so unceremoniously left for another.

And just like a banshee in the night, the mystical temptress of a men's top 10 dissipated into an ephemeral mist. The multitudes came and went, and by multitudes, I mean 9 people. My energy was still surprisingly strong, but the legs had grown weary. Up a final mountain and down a final hill. The orchestra was now playing its final notes. One last stretch of road into Camp Bethel and into the outstretched arms of the composer himself, Dr. David Horton. The dance was over.

As I looked back at the night and day, I realized that like Cinderella at the royal ball, it was only a matter of time before my chariot turned back into a pumpkin. I also realized that while I was momentarily enamored by the deceptive charm of a top 10, that the only dance that really mattered was the 66.6 mile duet with myself and the Hellgate 100k. She was the real beauty on that Van Gogh(esque) starry night, and one that never left my side no matter what mountains were crossed, what streams were waded, or what cold mountain roads traversed.

But who was she? I'd like to believe she is many things. She's the culmination of a year's worth of running, races, life, and the people who make it. In future years I look forward to spotting Hellgate at the royal ball and asking for another dance.

(Photo credit Frank Probst. Finishing my first, but not last, Hellgate 100k)