So I left the start finish area, slowly, slowly....at a slow walk. My Garmin had been showing low battery so I left it at the start finish area because it would most likely die before I completed the second loop. I did not want to carry the extra weight of a dead garmin around for 20 miles.
I decided to try a caffeinated Gu to get me over this hump. A risk because Gu can make me nauseous in the heat. I slowly sipped on it and let it dissolve on my tongue as I walked the gravel road. A man passed me in a red shirt, he had a 100 mile bib on. I did not envy him.
As the Gu kicked in I sped my pace some and eventually caught up with him. We walked and talked and when the downhill hit we ran. I decided at that point, I would do my best to stay with this person. If he did not mind. He had to reach certain goals by certain times or else he would miss cut off times. This would keep me on pace. I stuck with him and we talked about the course and the heat and other things and he said "It will get better when it cools down" and I took him at his word and carried on.
We got into Mad Dog aid station where I had a bathroom break and got my camelback refilled. My friend got away from me some as the aid station people had a little trouble with my camelback and it took them a while to refill it, but I caught him on the large downhill out of the area there and continued to follow him. I did eventually ask if it were OK if I stuck with him and he was said "of course!"...His name was Phil.
Phil and I continued our walking up hills and running downhills and flats to 6 mile aid station at the out n back and the sun was setting. This aid station had chicken soup. I was still partially recovering from my sick feeling from the heat earlier and finally felt I could take some soup and I'm glad I did. The broth was warm and super salty. It hit the spot! We headed out on the out n back and decided it was headlamp time. I had my Black Diamond in my pack and a bandana. I slipped off my headband and tried like an idiot to tie the headband which blocked my view. Next time I'll do this a little earlier in the day for sure! I was veering into the ditch, blinded trying to tie my bandana. Phil was laughing and trying to keep me on a straight course. Finally getting that situated and my headlamp adjusted I decided to keep the setting on low beam, as the high beam could signal aircraft.
Coming back from the out n back I saw that Tala was very close behind me and that made me feel better. I knew she was close.
We got back to the 6 mile aid station, got more soup then carried on. Phill was beginning to lament a rock in his shoe so I noted that at the 13.4 aid station I had a drop bag and I would restock my gu and stuff and that would give him lots of time to get the rock out. He thought that was a great idea. We made it to 13.4 and did out things, got our soup, restocked and refilled and carried on.
Getting out of the aid stations was the challenge and I was glad Phil was with me to keep me going. I did not want to hold him up and he was quick out of the aid stations. That was a real help. I'm sure I would have added at least two extra minutes to my time per aid station if he had not been with me.
We left out of the 13.4 and I was thinking....I'm 3/4 done....I'm 3/4 done. Unlike poor Phil who still had another 31 mile loop to go after this one. I did not want to gloat too much, but at this point I was feeling amazing. No stomach issues, not really tired, I felt peppy and alert! It was great!
The two miles of pavement came upon us. It was not nearly as bad as it was before. Being dark and much cooler. It never got cold enough that I though I needed a jacket though.
After we passed the pavement we came upon that 20 mile aid station again. The one with the bathtub rocks. When we passed the chairs to get to the food table to get some soup I saw a young kid sitting in a chair with his head between his knees.....Yikes I thought....He went out too fast, got hot, can't eat....now feels like shit....At least that was my assessment. I was pretty much right. He was in the 100 mile race so had, like Phil, another loop to do after this one.
We chatted, had soup and I was in a really good mood , knowing I was withing single digits of my finish. We headed out and the kid decided to go with us.....Yikes!
Phil had to help me over the bath tub rocks this time. I nearly fell in. We hopped and jumped to the other side and the kid hopped and jumped with us. He had sat still for so long he was shivering in the cold. I was hoping beyond hope he did not fall out on us or get really sick. As selfish as it sounded, Phil and I were making good time and I did not want anything to mess that up. ( I know....It's really bad of me). But when I found out the kid had not done more than a 50K before registering for this 100 mile run I had no sympathy......nope....
There was one more aid station between me and the finish, 6 miles of darkness. I was getting anxious and there were a couple steep climbs I had to get over. My right hip flexer started to give me problems. It hurt when we walked, so oddly enough, it motivated me to run more. We continued our walk run, not holding back for anything. Downhills get run, flats run, uphills, walk.... After another hour the dark started playing trick on your eyes, the headlamps made it worse. I was walking on the left hand side of the trail near the brush and shadows do strange things to the overly fatigued. As We got closer, my spirits began to lift to annoying levels. I was laughing and talking and making jokes. I'm sure Phil and the kid wanted to knock me down in the poison ivy.
We got to the lollypop stick of the course, a mile and a quarter from the resort. I was running almost 100 percent at this time. I could smell the hay! (sure I had been smelling hay for 15 miles, but this was actually the good kind of hay).
Getting to the iron bridge, the kid was infront of me walking. I knew I had to get ahead of him because he was not going to be in my photo puking his guts in the back ground nor walking in front of me. I told Phil, "I'm running it it!" Phil was like OK and went with me. Phil was welcome in my finish photo cause he had let me stick with him for 31 miles! Had it not been for him I would have been rolling in an hour later. for sure!
We ran around the park, past the cars and tents, I saw the orange colored pumpkins and through the chute! I was done. It was such a great feeling...Done! and I felt great! Of course my hip flexer was screaming, but who cared!!!
Done!
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