How Not to Run VT 100K Runner/Crew Chief Report

The Beginning: My decision to run the VT 100K was made one fine day out on a 22 mile road run. I was mentally and physically exhausted that day but knew I just had to get out for a long run. The V T 100M run was looming. After starting my run that day I thought about ALL of the mom activities coming up and were going to keep me off the road and off the trail. I knew I could not really give my all to a 100M race anytime soon. With Grindstone on the “I really need to finish” list. I came up with the idea to switch over to the 100K and I felt much better. The night before the race my daughter had her showcase for theater camp, as well as trying to pack without much cooperation from my 3 little ones, the stress level was a bit out of control. I did not sleep well before we got up and got in the car at 4:30am.

Start: Runner: The day began with sleeping in the car, hanging out too long at the start and too much anticipation. The small crowd of 25 went off promptly at 9am. Went out feeling too good, running (not walking). Ran all road 5.6 miles to Lillian B’s in 53:25 (9:32 pace) TOO FAST: going to pay for this later. No crew access here. Ate bananas and pb+J and took  1 enduralyte.

Lillians to Camp 10 Bear: Still running well, climbing up not running this time. The temperature has risen, it felt like a thousand degrees! I sailed into Camp 10 Bear, still not feeling too badly, 15 mins ahead of schedule which had the crew a bit worried. I was told to slow down a bit. Forrest filled my pack with water and added 1 nathan tab, took another enduralyte, and off I went. (3.7 miles at 10:44pace: still too fast!)

Cassie’s report at 10Bear: Mom looked fantastic. She stayed for only 3 mins. We refilled her pack and then she was out.

10 Bear to Tracer Brook: The excitement was wearing off, but I was still running well. I do not have a good recollection of this section. I know it was a long section. From the stats I was not doing too badly yet. I remember felling light headed, and pushing myself to drink lots. I know I stopped every hour and took an enduralyte. I KNOW I sweat like crazy and my shoes were sloshing! I was getting worn by the heat. I took some time at Tracer Brook and iced my leg a little. I tried to eat to overcome the nausea. My crew filled my pack with ice and water. I don’t think it took too much coaxing to get me out of the aid station this time, you’ll have to ask Forrest who sent me packing out of Tracer Brook.  (9.5 miles at 13:30 pace: Better but too late.)

Cassie said at Tracer Brook: Mom seemed BLAH. Now I have figured out it was because she wanted to try to get past her nausea and her leg pain before saying anything to her crew(aka me).

Tracer Brook to Margaritaville: I think it is out of Tracer Brook that is one of the nasty long hills. Road to jeep trail that goes on forever. I think I stopped twice on the way up the hill. My heart was beating furious and I was having a bit of trouble breathing, which if you treat the elderly you know is commonly known as symptoms of dehydration. So I tried to keep drinking. I had been keeping up on fluids and electrolyes better than ever and I was a bit bummed to be feeling this way. After the long hill it took a long time to recover and it was a slow jog/walk into Margaritaville. My “race” was over when I got to the party place. I watched Mr. Bimble come in and go out looking fantastic. I watched most of the 100K runners come and go. At the request of my crew I did not tell the aid station people I was out. Cassie had gotten me some coconut water and I drank that. Cassie and Forrest had me sit and rest, ice my leg, etc. After what seemed like an hour, Cassie said (as I remember it): “mom, you could just put on your pack back on, and walk along until you see us again and then decide what to do when you get there.” She helped me on with the pack, gave me grilled cheese and a bit of burger and walked me out of the aid station. Thank you to Bounce who made me realize nothing was really too wrong, and Gretchen for your support!! (5.1 miles at 20:32 pace)

Cassie said at Margaritaville: Mom said she was having pain in her leg. She decided to take a break and she sat down in the fold up chair. She asked Callan to go get her sneakers and maybe Callan could walk with her for a while. While Forrest took Callan and Cole to the car, I said to her, why don’t you just try to walk to the next aid station and maybe you will feel much better. And she did!! When Callan and Forrest came back they were happy to see she was gone.

Margaritaville to Camp 10 Bear: I know I was moving through here ok but I was generally annoyed that I could not get out of the mental funk I had gotten myself into. Tired of the heat, bugs and sweat. Not feeling any better, but not feeling any worse really. Along the road I was lucky enough to run for some time with Bob, also in the 100K, also in a funk at that point. But we seemed to motivated each other, sharing stories. I ran with him on and off from here to the end. I am always so happy to meet a new friend on the trail. He was much quicker out the aid stations from me but I always seemed to catch back up with him along the road.  I was being fairly reliable on eating , drinking and electrolytes however, realizing that there was another 50K to go was an unpleasant thought. I weighed in fine at the medical check. I tried to eat something but I don’t really know what. I thought I left this aid station with out giving my crew too much grief, but see below… (10 miles at 15:45 pace)

Cassie said at 10 Bear: Me and Forrest had to give mom way more convincing to go but she left after staying at the aid station for 10 mins.

Camp 10 Bear to Spirit of 76: This was the LONG walk. I don’t think I even tried to jog. I was still doing a pretty good job at hydrating, the electrolyes slipped, but I had good luck with eating bananas and oranges. At Spirit of 76 I sat down again. I was really starting to believe in “Beware of the chair”! Cole told me to drink water because it was good for cramps when my foot started cramping, which made me laugh. He also pulled out my secret extreme airhead candy to get me going. I had 4 cups of broth here!! Forrest told me if nothing was really broken I should get going. He also said something like… “if its all mental you should stick it out. If you think the end stages of Grindstone are going to feel any better than this, you’re kidding yourself.”  (5.9 miles at 21:30 pace)

Cassie said at 76: Mom really wanted to give up at this aid station. She asked where we parked the car and I thought she asked that because she wanted to leave. So I said, “We drove to Bill’s and walked here.” She might have believed me, I don’t know, but all I know is that she left the aid station without any other complaints.

Spirit of 76 to Bill’s: I kept focus on the fact that once I got there  would have Forrest for company for the last 11 miles but there were 12 to go in between! Yikes. I had my headlamp as I knew it would be dark at Bill’s. I had initially hoped to be through Bill’s in the light, but I really had let my mind win this this one and I knew that already. I also knew that if I had not had crew out there I would likely have had the DNF at Maragitaville. I did actually owe it to them to cross the finish line at this point. They put up with the cranky terribly unmotivated runner for many many hours. That is what I thought about on the way to Bills. My crew was there waiting for me. They were great. And KUDOS to MY MOM for putting up with my kidlets (particularly the younger 2)for this long as I had told her  I would be much quicker than I was. I think this might have been my quickest aid station. I did a terrible job of drinking so I did not need to fill the pack. I had more broth brought to me by Cassie. I asked Forrest if he was ready to go and with out hesitation he said yes. But really he wasn’t. He had not gotten his water bottle. He did think to stuff a Red Bull into my pack, thankfully. Forrest was quietly, patiently making sure I had everything I needed throughout the day.  Off we went into the dark. (11.6 miles at 17:44 pace)

Cassie at Bill’s: We got there just as the sun was setting and it was so pretty. We would be waiting there for a while. When the sky was finally dark the Big Dipper was right above my head. It was pitch black when mom arrived. She was feeling better , but her leg still hurt. She was ready for Forrest to pace her. NOTE: crew went back to catch some sleep!

Bill’s to Polly’s: Quiet. Drank the Red Bull as sleep lulled in. Tried to keep dinking water. I felt like I had done a little more running but I am not too sure about that. Somehow out of the darkness 2 little angels were shouting for Loopy as the lights showed themselves at Polly’s. Iggy and Allstate firing out words of encouragement. Hugs available to the sweaty gross runner. More broth and on the way to the finish line. (6.9 miles 19:00 pace)

Polly’s to Finish: The deceiving part. Both Forrest and I thought the red house with the pond was much earlier than it was. We both thought once we got on the single track it was just that to the finish. But there was a road section between the 2 sections of single track. I kept thinking about the last climb up but it seemed like there were many. I tried to run some of this last section as well but it seemed like I would jog and stop. I was able to run the last little downhill to the finish. (4.5 miles at 21:55 pace.)

Final stats:  finsh time: 17:16:42. 16:43 overall pace.

Final Thoughts: From Forrest: You started first and finished worst. I know now that the first stages of the race depleted me but mostly because of the heat. I already knew I am not a summer runner. The evidence is in the finish times you can see in my cold weather races. I did not run this smart. I did have a significant issue with my left leg which is still a problem as I write this report. I am working on that. The finish line of the VT 100k was sad for me. I had no satisfaction there. But for my crew I would not have finished. Thank you. I know now and have thought long on what Forrest said about tackling the mental deterioration, and it is a key part I HAVE to work on, especially in the heat. To all the Bimbler’s… Thank you for all your ongoing support to me as not only a runner but especially as a regular person 🙂