Burning River 100

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Instead of waiting until the end to tell you how AMAZING my crew team and pacers were I am going to tell you this first. I would never have made it without them although they might protest. All I wanted to know each time I saw them was when do I see you again. That was as far ahead as I could think, and I never thought back. They all kept me in the best shape I would allow them too and I will whole heartedly admit I was not good at listening and following instructions until too late. I owe them this finish!! Thank you Ultra and Forrest!! Forrest, thank you for the binder, even though I never got to see any of the “secrets” in there! Thank you Mom and Crew chief! And thanks to the “other 2” for putting up with moms antics.

Prepare for the Worst?

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As I got closer to the weekend of the race I kept thinking my body was ready and I really needed to get my head in the game. I worked hard on positive thoughts of finishing. I had a decent mental block about the loop from mile 80-85, this being the place I missed the cut off at BR last time in 2008. I had the best crew coming with me, a complete caravan in fact, so I knew I was in good hands, I knew I was in good shape, I did not know if mentally I was ready to play.

We drove part way on Thurs night and got a decent nights sleep in Wilkes-Barre, PA. We got to the Hotel in Cuyhoga Falls, OH later than expected due to traffic and other stops and my request for a sit down breakfast. We settled in a little and headed over to packet pick up and pasta dinner. Since this was the 100 mile track and field championships there was a very nice long sleeve tech shirt to go with the race bag. I thought and probably said I have to finish this so I can wear that as my daughter said, “wow, if you don’t finish can I have this?” OUCH!!!

Before bedtime I thought how nice it would be to have a glass of wine as a sleep potion as the nerves kept me jumpy then tossing and turning. I think I fell asleep around 11 and as Ultra said I would I woke up 9 mins before the alarm. We headed out to the start with 2 extras in tow, 2 girls I met at Finger Lakes and offered a ride so they would not have to take the bus. We started off on time at 5 am, I opted to go sans headlamp, since the first 9 miles were on the road. I don’t remember much about stops and times, but I think I moved pretty well in the beginning. I was still feeling pretty good through mile 33, Station Bridge Aid Station, with a Train Stop right there. Early on I lost the girls from FL on a walking hill but met up with a young man from Memphis, running his first 100. Shortly after leaving mile 33 all 4 of us met up and formed a train, we pulled other runners along on the train from time to time, and steadily ran through to mile 54 where we split up a bit. I was starting to have some significant pain which I thought was shin splints but way down low on the shins. We all decided to take a longer break at mile 54, one of the girls decided to sit and have her blisters looked at, Memphis met up with his pacer who joined us, the ice I put on and advil I had taken at mile 50 were not really helping, but we moved on…we formed smaller trains and ran on and off together through mile 70.9 where I ended up stopping due to mechanical pain. I thought this might just be the end as the pain was bad enough to make me tear (ok cry), but ultra went over to get some tape and brought back an entire team of podiatrists. They did the most amazing taping technique ever!!! I lost my train due to the time it took for me to be taped to try to eat and drink and to move out of that aide station. But the time was part of what got me to the finish. The shins never hurt again but everything else did. [singlepic=6588,280,200,,left]

At this point Forrest took on the pacing duties. I am not really sure I ever ran again after mile 70.9, I was too tired to remember and to broken down. I was wobbly on my feet from the tape and my hip flexors had decided they had enough but sure enough the mind stayed steady on the goal, the mind said keep moving, the mind said you can get to the finish even if you have to walk fast the whole time. And so totally not as I expected my mind was way more ready to play than I gave it credit for. Mile 74 brought us back to the same aid station Pine Hollow, where I stopped doing well on hydration and eating, all I kept thinking was “gotta keep moving forward”. We left to venture to Covered Bridge, 6.6 miles away to the loop I needed to get past. This was a long quiet section. I believe Forrest and I at some point forced a runner up from lying down on the trail and gave him a nodoze and saw the Children of the Corn, not really sure, maybe he will chime in on that. We did eventually get to the Covered Bridge, the death aide station, good food, a fire and LOTS of chairs with LOTS of people sleeping!! I did eat here and drank not nearly enough. Forrest and I headed out on the loop and I will admit the 4.7 mile loop was probably the lowest point. I was very tired again, I forgot to get some candy at the aid station and my mouth was horribly dry and the gum was making me sick. BUT we made it through!! I was getting behind on time but still making the cut offs by enough. [singlepic=6587,280,200,,right]

85.5 and Ultra took over pacing, with a message he had received from El Toro, “pain is temporary, failure is forever”. We did lots of pavement from here on out and he constantly asked me to try to “shuffle” which I did from time to time, and picked up the pace a little. Ultra remarked over and over again on how very cool the trails and towpaths around the Cleveland metro parks and other parks they had seen all day were and how he thought running them would be great. All I could think at the time was I never want to see a tow path ever again! We ran past a sewage canal for several stinky stanky miles where we laughed so hard just because it smelled so bad…even I smelled better! The finish line was looming, we came out to the main road with a little more than a mile left and Ultra turned to see Memphis just a bit behind us, I never knew I passed him somewhere in the dark. I knew the girls were well ahead and already done. We turned the corner to see the cones and the clock which read 27:59:45 and although I would have liked to have tried I knew that getting in under 28 wasn’t likely but I did as Ultra requested and “shuffled” it into the finish. And unexpected turn of events with a broken down body and a tough mind I made it to a painful finish. With an awesome crew [singlepic=6542,280,200,,left] team/pacers and great family all there to watch!

I would recommend this race to anyone who wants to run a 100 who prefers pavement. The aid stations were amazing with lots of energy and tons of amazing volunteers! It was really well done, top notch!!

And lastly but certainly not least… thanks to all of you rooting me on from home. May you all understand one day if you don’t already what an awesome motivator it is to know there are people out there supporting you, staying up late to check in on you, wondering how you are doing and wishing you into the finish line. It does make a huge difference!

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