Last year I made the mistake of starting out too fast. I decided to pull back right from the start, even though it meant I would be behind a long procession to the top. To lose 15 minutes to the trail split off is nothing in the grand scheme of things, but could save my day.
Within the first two miles I had settled in a pack of runners that included Shane, who was part of that group I had trained with. Today, Shane and I would spend the next 75 miles either running together, within an eye-shot or leapfrogging each other.
At the Syncline 'T' I was about 11 minutes slower than last year, but I felt fantastic. As we descended into Welches Flat, the runners ahead in our pack must have aggravated a wasp nest. And sure enough, as though it were planned, I was stung by two wasps at the EXACT same time on each calf. 'dem mountain wasps pack a wallop". It obviously wasn't a show stopper, but those bites just continually annoyed me through the first half of the race.
I arrived at the first aid station at 8:30AM - my same time as last year. I wasn't sure how I picked up those 11 minutes, but I still felt great, so I cruised in and out of the A.S.
I kept a steady pace above Providence canyon and down the back side of Millville Peak. At Leatham Hollow I exorcised last year’s demons and sailed down the trail, and it was as fun as I had imagined it could've been last year.
I rolled into Leatham [mile 19ish] at 10:05AM. I had cut almost 40 minutes off last years’ time. My hands and feet had started to swell, I imagine from the wasp stings as this has never happened to me, and I started to get hot spots on the bottom of my feet (this has also never happened to me. I assume it was wasp-related but I don't know). I took my shoes off and tried to apply a Band-Aid but it just crinkled up and wouldn't stick. Forget it. I'll just press on.
I tied on my ice-filled bandana and headed out along the 3 mile stretch to Richards Hollow. I was able to keep a good pace and made it Richards at 10:34. More importantly the hot spots just disappeared through this stretch. Not real sure what that was all about.
The climb out of Richards and the descent to Cowley was mostly uneventful except that I was clipping along good and almost an hour ahead of last years’ time. When I came into Cowley at about 12:20 [mile 30ish], I expected to see BJ but there was no sign of him. No big deal, he wasn’t sure he would be there.
The climb out of Cowley which decimated me last year was manageable this year. I tied the ice bandana around my head like bonnet and the ice just slowly melted down my head and back. The descent down Ricks was like trail candy. It was here that friends Felice & Rich had made their way up the trail to cheer me on. They followed me into RH Fork A.S. [Mile 36] where I was expecting to see BJ who was going to bring me a sandwich. I was an hour and half ahead of schedule so he was MIA. I grabbed what was in my drop bag and headed back out.
The climb out of RH Fork was real hot, but once I got to the river bottom I dipped my head a couple times in the water and had a strong finish into the Temple Fork A.S. I came into Temple Fork about 1hr 45 minutes ahead of schedule and my first pacer (sister ‘n law, Camille) had not arrived. 3:30 PM. Andra had just pulled in with the girls when I arrived. We chatted while I got my garbage out and fuel in. She was sure that Camille was close. As I was getting ready to push out, Camille showed up. She literally jumped out of her car and joined me on the trail.
We pretty much power hiked the climb all the way to the top of Hansen Pond, and then flew down the switchbacks into Tony Grove. Andra, the girls and Camille’s family had hung out at Tony’s Grove until we arrived. I got the news that once again, my next pacer (Bart, friend from SLC) was not here. I swapped out socks (I treated my feet to two new pair of socks for this race), refilled the pack and Bart still had not shown up. Ryan, my brother who is a fantastic biker, but has probably never ran over 4 miles at any given time, said he’d run with me to Franklin (10 miles).
I quickly went over my options in mind. Should I wait? Because of how far ahead of schedule I was, I had been modifying my goals. Sub 27hr, sub 26hr, sub 25hr….. could a sub 24hr be in the cards? I couldn’t wait for Bart. I grabbed Ryan and we headed out (he was in basketball shorts, sneakers and dress socks). On our way to Franklin we had a good time chatting it up. But when he asked how my ankle was doing; it hit me like a bolt of lightning…. I had not even thought about my ankle since I left my house, on my way to the start. Great news.
Last year I was in the dark from Tony’s Grove to Franklin. This year I wanted to get to Franklin before turning on the headlamp. About a ½ mile outside of Franklin I grabbed my knuckle lights for safety, gave one to Ryan and we rolled into Franklin [Mile 62ish] at 7:58PM.
I was still running hot, but based off of last year’s debacle in leaving my warm stuff behind, I threw my jacket, gloves and hat in my pack. Again it was garbage out, fuel in and out the door. My Pacer (step-son Bently), and I connected with Shane on the steep climb out of Franklin. Once on top it’s just a fun section and all runnable. We were in and out of Logan River Aid Station [Mile 69ish] at 10:20PM…. Over 2 hrs. ahead of schedule.
I promised myself I would run the climb up Peterson Hollow this year, but try as I might it ended up amounting to a long string of run/walks. Dropping down Long Hollow to Beaver was pretty taxing on the knees, and coming into Beaver Mtn A.S. [Mile 75ish] I longed for some climbing again….. Unfortunately I wouldn’t have to wait too long to get my wish. Bently, Shane and I arrived at Beaver Mtn. exactly at the stroke of midnight.
At the Beaver Mtn A.S. I was surprised to see Tommy, one of the other runners that I had ran with in the weeks leading up to the race. He’s fast and runs like a gazelle, and I expected him to be several hours ahead. He told me his IT band had exploded on him and he was in quite a bit of pain. I had IT issues last year so I know how frustrating and painful it can be. We exchanged words of encouragement, I paused for a quick photo and I was out the door with my final pacer [BJ., Bro.] with 25 miles to go.
I’ve done Beaver to the finish in less than 6 hours before, but that was on fresh legs. If I could do it tonight, I could finish under the coveted 24hr time, which had NEVER entered into my thinking post-surgery with my slow recovery.
I left Beaver about 5 minutes before Shane (I learned later that his Pacer had just showed up not expecting him to be there yet, and wasn’t even in his running stuff, so he had to wait for him to get ready). I don’t know what his pacer gave him but somewhere between Beaver and Gibson Basin, they passed us like we were standing still and I wouldn’t see Shane again (He would miss the sub-24hr by 1 minute).
We powered-hiked up to Gibson and I was very much aware that for each minute I spent walking was a minute I had to make up somewhere. I made a deal with myself that I would allow myself to power hike here but I would run the climb out of Beaver Creek Campground.
We pushed quickly through the Gibson aid station… and I was off and running again. Other than a few technical descents we were able to run it in to Beaver Creek Campground [Mile 85]. 2:40 AM.
Starting the climb out of Beaver Creek I came to the cold realization that I just simply didn’t have it in me to go sub 24. My lack of sleep the night before the race was catching up with me. My muscles seemed ok. My joints kind of hurt everywhere, but more than anything I just wanted to lay down alongside the trail and sleep. The only thing that kept me from asking BJ for a 20 minute nap, was knowing that it meant 20 minutes longer from the finish. I willed myself through many low points from Beaver Creek to Ranger Dip.
I didn’t even stop at Ranger Dip [Mile 93]. With the brutal climb ahead, followed by that barbaric descent to the Lake, I just wanted to be done. 4:30AM. The steep climb is less than a mile long, but it feels like an eternity on 93 mile legs. Once on top the trail is very nice and runnable.
Up to this point I had not tripped, stumbled, stubbed a toe or rolled an ankle. But in the stretch of 1 mile, I face-planted it at least five times. I think the trail was so nice it was lulling me to sleep. My eyes would shut, and next thing I knew, BJ was pulling me up from the dirt.
On the final drop to the finish, there was no room for shut-eye. It’s too steep. I was wide awake trying to negotiate the steep descent. My knee joints were locking up and my quads were shot. I did more waddling and shuffling then anything. About ½ way down, I was passed by a female runner and her pacer and they were clipping along like they had just started the race… or maybe I was just super slow. As it turns out, it was Jenn Shelton and pacer Anton Krupicka (Mr. Leadville). Dang. I wish I would’ve know that at the time. Of course, I don’t what I would’ve (or could’ve) done different. It was an honor to get chicked by her, though.
There were no other head lamps behind us, so once they were out of sight, it was just BJ and I… all the way to the finish. I’ve ran that last road stretch a dozen times, but I’m always surprised just how long it is. BJ was trying to get us in before 6:30AM. I just couldn’t hang with him. He sensed it and pulled back.
Making the final turn to the finish, I didn’t get emotional like I did last year. There was no fist-pump; I wasn’t overwhelmed with the accomplishment of a 100 mile finish; I felt no great triumph for besting last year’s race by almost 3 ½ hours…. I felt nothing…. other than extreme sleepiness. I collapsed on the cool grass. I was tired and hot; the grass was bliss… for about 5 minutes. Then my body started to stiffen up and shut down. I should’ve kept walking, but the grass… the grass was too seductive. I started into uncontrollable shivers. My finish bag clothes were no warmer than what I was already wearing (note to self).
Fortunately Ryan had driven to the finish. I don’t know how long I could’ve stayed like that. They hauled my broken body into his warm car and drove me back to Logan.
Now, as I sit here a week later, I can think about all the successes of the day and smile with complete satisfaction. The memory of race-day will fuel me for a long time.
27th place out of 300ish starters; Finish time: 24 hr 30 min 26 sec.

Excellent race