I have finally done what I have wanted to do for years thanks to the help of many. I wouldn’t have had the desire to do it out of nowhere, nor would I have been able to do it without them.
Kenny has been there supporting me in my decisions, even though I don’t think he necessarily thinks it is the best idea. He picks up all my slack, which is just about everything. Especially with spending quality time with our girls CJ and Sienna during the week when I am working or running, and during my long runs on the weekend. He does all of this while still maintaining the lead in his cycling for Cat 3.
I would like to thank Andy and Jim for putting the desire there in the first place. I got to be Andy’s first pacer on his first 100 miler, which was Wasatch 100. This was eight years ago. As he said it, it was about time. I let a couple things get in the way. Like the fact that I didn’t run, and well I lived in Florida and still wanted my first to be in the Utah Mountains. I was a little late in the process of registering so Wasatch 100 was out for my first, but Jim recommended doing the Bear, it would be a little bit easier and just as beautiful.
I would also like to say thanks to my coach Scott D’Angelo. I searched around for about a year to find the perfect coach to get me going on my first 100. In the mean time I was playing around with marathons. There would be a couple things that wouldn’t be the easiest and I needed somebody special. I could have easily just downloaded a training plan and I would have followed it. The motivation to follow a plan was there and I would have done most of it even without a coach. I needed somebody that would adjust my plan accordingly. I wanted them to be experienced in running ultras in the mountains yet living in the flat land. All too often you read, if you want to run an ultra in the mountains you need to train in the mountains. That wasn’t an option. I wanted to do my first in the mountains and I wasn’t getting out of Florida any time soon. Seriously, where do you find a flat lander that is a rock climber and prefers running in the mountains? I also wanted somebody fun and happy to be around, yet a serious tough guy. You can’t be around Scott without his nice content happy smile, yet Scott gave me large amount of fear about coming home without the buckle. Every time I was thinking, oh man this is hard; I would think about my explanation on why I didn’t finish. He told me just before the race, if I don’t finish, it better be something good, which was clearly defined as a broken leg. I didn’t break anything. However, I will admit at one point in the race I did experience pain that was instantly sharp and painful that I thought I broke my toe, and still had quite a bit of miles to go. Scott has been with me since January and got me through my first 100 exactly how I wanted it to be. I will admit that I took his training programs religiously. I did 98% of the workouts exactly as he described.
Jennifer Vogel has been a huge part of my motivation and inner strength. I like to think, what would Jen do and it always makes me push harder and training and racing. She is an inspirational athlete and a great friend. Her abilities are beyond grasping; at least I can’t really put a handle on it. I’ve written about her experience at Badwater and just in ah I was the whole time. Even though she did encourage a different selection of my first 100 for a couple of reasons (cough, couch… kidney failure three months prior, and the fact that I can’t run up hill), when I made my decision she helped me with everything I needed to finish the race. This race in particular I was able to move on past a blister issue because I could imagine it possible after watching her do it during Badwater. I know a blister sounds like such a minor thing, but I can tell you, it hurts really badly when things go bad with a blister. Okay, fine I’m a baby, even ice on my feet is too much.
The biggest thanks go to my crew and all they did for me to get me through the race. My dad was my crew chief, and my crew-pacers where Kevin, Johanna, Andy, and Jim. I also got Mark as an additional support crew in the middle of the race. He started the race in the morning, but decided that it was more important to spend the remainder of the race being a motivator. They all put up with me and motivated me during the course. There were times in the race, that I wasn’t the nicest. I think Jim got the meanest me. I guess I am not a morning person. I even yelled at him for feeding me, and balancing my hydration because I was tired of eating and peeing. He kindly said I can either do exactly as he says or DNF, I followed and well finished.
Dad, thanks for putting up with me, taking care of me the whole way, and not listening to what I wanted and instead giving me what I needed. I ran 100 miles, while he got to drive over 200 going into and out each of the ten aid stations. He only skipped one aid station where crews where allowed because there wasn’t going to be anything that I needed and the race director said that aid station was busy because crewing is allowed at that point. Sorry, you didn’t get any time for reading or sleeping. Even though I was very adamant about not stopping at any of the aid stations and just go in and out, he did an excellent job of stalling me. The Franklin Trailhead aid station was one of the critical points. I guess I wasn’t aware that I was tired. I thought I felt fine at this point. They had a nice big fire and comfy chairs available for sitting. I had no interest in sitting by any type of warm fire, or a chair. Instead I was eating my soup shivering like crazy standing feet from the fire waiting for them to get me my pack. They were great at each of the aid stations, except this one. They had nothing ready. Johanna radioed in a full mile before the aid station exactly what was needed. I was upset that nothing was ready. I would ask for each thing one at a time and they would go to the car to get it and bring just that one item. I finally caved in and sat by the fire to dry my soaking wet feet after crossing a river. I could only imagine what my feet would have done had I not done this. I was really upset that he didn’t listen to me and got me sitting and not just sitting but sitting by a nice warm fire. I was even more upset when leaving because I felt even colder even though I had just added an extra layer of clothing. I came to find out later that I was slurring my words and my reaction time to everything was delayed by several seconds. He knew I wouldn’t leave without the items I needed so he was prepared but did everything he could to delay me from going out too soon. My race plan and his race plan for me where completely different. I had no intention of stopping at any of the aid stations or sitting for any reason other than changing my shoes. At night he had me stop and eat soup at each of the aid stations. I tried eating the soup standing up the first time but I spilled on myself. Given that I didn’t have an aggressive time goal, the stopping turned out okay. I still think I didn’t want to stop, but hey I finished and my body is still functioning perfectly fine afterwards. Here I am in the airport about to get on my second flight home within 12 hours of finishing, while still eating and drinking normal. Thanks again dad for helping me finish healthy.
My first pacer was my little brother Kevin. He started running last year and he has gotten fast very quickly. I am betting some day in his future he will embark on the same challenge. He is 15 right now, and I don’t think it is a good idea for him to do long distance yet, because he should be focusing on speed, but someday in his life I bet he does it. He doesn’t agree, but we will see. He started pacing me at mile 45 at Temple Fork. This isn’t a fun section. I told myself before the race that if I can make it past this section, then the buckle is mine. I felt bad for him with how slow I was going the entire way, but the good news I warned him in advance. Night set in 30 minutes into the run. The second the sun goes down the temperature drops about 30 degrees. I was grateful for bringing head lamps and a jacket, and that cup of Mountain Dew. I generally run with caffeine, but did the entire day part without so it was nice to get my first jolt of caffeine. His flashlight was much cooler than mine. It was really bright, but mine was sitting by my eyes and the RD said to wear it by your eyes so you can see the reflectors on the trees. Kevin, also got my second to last section. This was after I realized I could walk a 30 minute mile and still finish with my time goal. I walked this whole part, including the downhill. I was tired, wanted caffeine, and my feet hurt. It was also another uphill section where I was mentally prepared for all downhill. There was only one mile of downhill in all of the running with Kevin. Good thing he is a good hiker. He was much nicer than he promised to be. He was my only pacer that allowed me to walk. My other pacers would start doing a dance if I ever stopped and walked. I think I made him afraid after puking three times. I didn’t puke due to stomach issues; it was because of the inability to cough out all the dirt clogged up in my throat and my lack of controlling my gag reflex.
I met Johanna when I was visiting Utah back in July. I was out on a run in Payson canyon, while she was out on a bike ride. What other chic goes out in the woods with a Bear notice by themselves. I knew she had to be cool and I wanted her part of my crew, plus my crew was missing chics and it needed at least one. She joined me right after, what I think is the hardest climb. Night was in full affect and it was freezing cold, being from Florida, anything below 70 fits into this category. It was actually their warmest night. This section was nice. The stars where amazing. I never stopped and checked them out, but I would look up for a couple of seconds and they were so bright they could night blind you. I loved running with her. Every time she would trip on a rock or root she would laugh, we did a lot of laughing. She also helped me on the last leg of the race. I think she wanted to laugh at my hill climbing abilities on the first steep climb of the last leg. I wanted her there on the last leg because I didn’t want to break down crying just before I finished with a guy. That would be foolish, and I wouldn’t be able to deny it later. I loved pacing with her, even though I don’t think I got close to crying. I was much more emotional when I qualified for Boston in Victoria. She made me feel like such a powerful person. I am constantly around people that I admire and dream to be like, and she made me feel like I was a dream for her. She will realize that she is a great person and I can’t wait to see her again. I will miss her until my next return to Utah.
Andy is my third pacer. Thank you for being tough for me when I sat down and pulled my sock off to check out a blister. He truly has the mind of an ultra-runner. Mile 65 or something, I stubbed my toe and about a minute later my foot was killing. I had to look at it because I couldn’t walk another step. It looks like a blister just opened up and the skin on my toe was still pretty good. A little blood and gross stuff, but not nearly as bad as it felt. I got my sock back on and went forward not being able to walk. He said just hop for a bit, then eventually you’ll be able to walk again, then later run again, and then finally something else will hurt worse. It didn’t work at first so I just put my headphones on and did my best to shut everything out. Then by the time I got to the aid station I was all better. I didn’t dare to fix the blister, so I just continued like nothing happened. I had no idea where I was going the entire time Andy led. I didn’t look for a single reflector or tag. I just followed, and boy did that make the stress of running get reduced drastically. It was worth all the dust inhalation for the remainder of the race. Too bad, since he was so good I followed my pacer for the rest of the race. I really thought I liked my pacers behind me.
Jim, the expert helped me on my most mentally difficult leg. I know some have issues at night. I slowed down at night, I was cold, I had ups and downs, and I hurt my toe but all in all I felt pretty good. I got to the lodge with Jim, where it was supposed to be night still but instead it was morning and the sun was coming up. I had 11 hours to go and less than a marathon. In my head the finish was in the bag. I could walk the entire way and still be good. Except, I got a little dizzy coming into the lodge and Jim fed me some ginger tea. That was yummy. We took off and headed to the coldest part of the race. My food balance was starting to get off at this point and Jim knowing how to balance what you eat kept feeding me stuff. He had coffee; which I have never had, nor did I ever intend to have, which he handed me. He would make me take my electrolytes every 30 minutes, when I like taking three every aid station. He also had me eating some food stuff. I was peeing every 15 minutes and it was getting annoying, but it did bring down my bloated belly. I would refuse everything he told me to do, until he finally said I can either eat it or DNF. I think he got a lot of entertainment in my hill climbing abilities, which by the way are none. I could swear what he was calling flat was uphill. Too bad he didn’t do a lot of downhill with me, and then I could have shown him my master downhill skills. Jim helped give my crew lot of information that helped me finish. I think if I maintained the goal of a 36 hour race I would have given out on the pain in my feet. By feet, I mean toe. After he finished the two legs, he let my crew know that they had to get me to run the downhill in order to finish. I was running out of tolerance and the time wouldn’t matter. Sorry Jim, for you getting my grumpy section, I promise I think I was better for the rest of the race. I really enjoyed all of our conversations. I was out of music on this section and had a great time talking. It also helped with the course. I love mountain biking so when you got to mark the course on your mountain bike, it made the running really easy because I would think about mountain biking the course. There are a lot of sections that there would be no way I could mountain bike up. I think I would have been walking my bike for at least 1/3 of the section we ran. I love how you let me refuse to move over for a stupid dirt biker again. I just wish we did that before, wait never mind I think they would have just run me over and killed me.
Thanks again for all the support at the race from everything. You got me there to the start and the finish.
