NJ Ultra Festival - 100 Mile - RunUltra Marathon

I started out feeling nauseated. I thought it was nerves and would settle. I was wrong. I felt nauseated for almost the entire run. As a result, I had a hard time getting in enough nutrition. Nothing went down easily. I wanted to run with Chrissy for as long as possible. However, after struggling through the first 10 mile loop due to the nausea, I knew it probably wasn't happening. I lost her on the second loop. At this point, my back and ankle hurt and I still felt nauseated. I dropped my hydration pack and decided to just run with my hand held. I grabbed my watch after the 2nd loop since I had separated from Chrissy. I also took some advil to ease up the pain in my back and ankle. I wanted to stick with a 5:1 plan as much as possible. Chrissy was running well with Carrie and Sophorn. I wanted to stop after 30 miles. I felt like nothing was right. I kept remembering Carrie telling me the low points would pass and get replaced by high points. At this point, there were no high points. I fell at one point after I tripped over a wire sticking out of the ground. It was a very hard fall. I was covered in mud and my chest hurt. At the trailer, both Carrie and Brian gave me a great pep talk. I got some ginger ale and they followed me to the start of the next loop with their encouraging talk. Off I went on the 4th loop. This was actually the best loop of the day! I had a new positive focus. When I came in for the 5th loop, Carrie was ready to join me. She ran half of the loop with me until we saw Chrissy. Carrie helped to push me to keep moving "with a purpose". This was also a pretty good loop. At the end of the loop, it was dark and very, very cold. The trails had become extremely muddy. I headed out for the 7th loop. Now I still had all my original issues of nausea, back/ankle pain plus chest/rib pain, shin pain and extreme cold. I was also slowing down significantly. I was worried about the 9am cut-off for the last loop. I decided if it seemed like I wouldn't make the next 20 miles before 9am, I would stop. There was no reason to continue in the cold with so many problems, if I was not going to be allowed to go out for the last 10 miles. I hoped everybody would be asleep when I came in after 70 miles, but they were all there to cheer me on! I almost went back out just because they were there at this ridiculous hour waiting for me. But, when I/we did the math, it really seemed like I didn't have enough time.

Figure out the nutrition part! I should have started slower, so my stomach could settle. It never occurred to me that I probably made it worse on the 1st loop by going out too fast. I really believe the end result would have been different if I had not been so nauseated and been able to eat enough calories.

I was just exhausted. I probably didn't eat right (still nauseated) and I couldn't get to my clothes to change.


Nausea and ankle, foot, shin, back and chest pain!


The food at the aid station was not substantial enough for the longer races.
I learned a lot about trying to run 100 miles. Ultimately, I feel very good about the outcome. I am disappointed I did not finish what I started. I will definitely try it again. Hopefully, I can figure out how to make it to the end in time!
I want to thank my incredible team and crew: Joe Downey was awesome bringing his entire family and opening up his trailer to use as base camp, Chrissy Downey was an awesome training partner, Fred was his usual great self, Sophorn was a positive, encouraging roommate in a smoke-filled Econolodge room, Brian was a smiling, encouraging face greeting me at the end of each loop and Carrie Wolfe was always there as a supportive friend who believes I can do things before I believe it!