Grindstone 100: “I think Clark is trying to kill us.”

The one major worry about GS100 for the duration of my training was sleep deprivation. Could I really run through 2 nights? My training was never where I felt it should have been, I never got good back to backs in or any really long miles. Looking back I know I could have trained better, gotten up earlier or stayed up later for that extra run. Would it have helped?

Forrest, Bounce, Ultra and I began the GS100 trip on Thurs morning. We drove all the way to Staunton, to get a good night sleep and have Friday to prepare.  With a stop in Hamburg, to visit Ultras Aunt and Uncle, eat at Hecky’s and shop at Cabela’s we made it to Staunton by early evening, ate and settled in to sleep.

Friday am came quickly and I was still tired. After a prolonged breakfast and organizing some things we headed out to the Boy Scout Camp start/finish area. We picked up race packets and I signed up for the arm wrestling competition!Ha, me arm wrestle? Shortly after we arrived so did my crew!! El Toro had a late Thurs class and had to wait to leave CT. He and Soupergirl drove part way on Thurs night and finished up the drive on Friday morning.  We set up camp and headed into the Pre Race briefing. The most memorable comment from the briefing was “Don’t be stupid”. Horton stated in reference to not getting lost on the course. If there is no streamer, turn around!

The arm wrestling competition turned out to just be 4 women and I was taken for first place in about 2 seconds by a crossfit girl named Erin. But I earned my princess bike tag for second place. We all then went over race items, what to have. I was pretty sure that all I wanted was broth and noodles at each crew stop. I had bought boullion and some ramens to break up for each stop. Broth has always worked well in every long race for me so this is what I wanted most of all. It turned out this worked out well for crew and runners alike. All seemed to partake in my broth idea.

6pm start: Spuds, Forrest and I started together but Forrest quickly took off. Dan and I stayed together for some time. But in the dark and long line of runners I lost Spuds as he pulled ahead. Mile 22 came rather quickly with the sun down and the temp cooling, I changed my tops which was great to be dry from the initial overheating. I took my arm sleeves, gloves and jacket. I had all the food my crew gave me and drink. I was in and out of mile 22 feeling ok. But not for long, sometime before mile 35 the breakdown began. I was taking long enough that Ultra came out to find me.  When he did I told him I was done. We had a heated conversation almost all the way to the aid station. Ultimately I left mile 35 pissed off that they would not let me stop. Fortunately I was pissed off enough to realize I had better make up some time, as I was feeling the heat of the cut offs. So I ran much more of the next section than I thought possible.  By the time I reached the mile 42 aid station I was feeling pretty good, not too tired. I ate a lot here and moved along. The sun was now up, and about 8am I started to fall asleep! I walked into a big bush and realized I really needed caffeine.  I was getting closer and closer to Soupergirl who I knew would also have coffee at the next crew point. On the way I saw Forrest and Ultra working their way back. Forrest was looking so strong! I moved along as quick as I could and climbed up Reddish Knob which was actually all paved, but with a fantastic 360 deg view! And shortly after a big down hill found my crew! Out to the turn around and back to crew with El Toro for company, made a longer stop to drink some coffee and have more broth and noodles.  Then El Toro and I set out for the full return trip. I was concerned about how El Toro might feel about going so slow all day, but he was fantastic company and we enjoyed a good portion of the day together. On the way back I sent him up to Reddish Knob for the view and he was pleased he went up there. It did not take him long to catch back up to me. We pulled into mile 66 at about 4pm. Soupergirl was heading out with me from this point. She had made her super broth but Spuds without crew here had the super soup and was heading out, which worked out fine because this aid station had great hot food! My goal was to reach mile 80 before dark. Soupergirl was AWESOME out there. We had great conversation, she kept me moving even though we could only run 30 ft at a time, we would start to run turn a corner and head back up. Up, up and up!! This was when I started to think Clark was trying to kill us.  Kept on task we made it into mile 80 by 7pm before darkness fell. El Toro had just awakened from his nap so we fumbled a little to get what we needed, headlamps and warmer clothes and started out for the next big climb. In keeping with the theme, up we went for a long time, running when we could and descending the steep downs as best we could. Mile 87 came fairly quickly and El Toro was ready to go out again. From 87 to 96 I think was the ultimate low. I kept telling El Toro if we could just get to 96 I could definitely finish but I was moving at such a snail pace, combined with irrational fear of missing a turn, I really thought I would never get there. I was getting tired and El Toro suggested I drink the red bull we had taken along. I did and almost immediately, It all came back up in an amazing bunch of foam, right next to El Toro’s shoes. I have the most vivid picture of his shoes there, thinking he better move back because I am definitely going to splash J So, no caffeine but vomiting woke me up a little and I moved better after we got off the steep downhill. Right before the aid station, 3 runners and 2 pacers caught up with us. We (Soupergirl and I) left the aid station together after El Toro and Soupergirl switched again. We ran in the last 6 miles together, pacers far ahead and runners a bit behind with lively conversation and a fourth? wind, hahaha. El Toro came out from the finish to meet us so we knew we were getting close. The 3 others runners and I decided we would all cross the finish together, which we did and even ran in from the grassy field. We were greeted by Clark, whom I informed he was trying to kill us. And Forrest was there waiting out the hours to see me finish! I could not believe I was standing at the finish line. A little bit later we got to see Spuds (with Chipper) come running  through the finish line and the Beasties from CT continue the journey through the series.

To view more pictures from the race, click here