From: Matthew Kavanaugh <mkavanau@earthlink.net>
Date: Thu Oct  2,  5:12pm -0700
Subject: AC PAcing Report

Short and Sweet Version: I had a great experience pacing Bozena Maslanka at
AC, meeting her (for the first time face-to-face) at Chilao and running
together through the night to the finish, with Bozena finishing as the third
woman in 28:51.

Gory Details:  My AC story starts months ago, August I think, when Pete
Petri on the ultra list sent me an email asking if I might be available to
pace Bozena, a runner from Northern Calif. (Santa Cruz actually) whom Pete
paced at Western States this year.  It just so happened I was available, as
my pacing plan had changed when Joe Magruder was forced to have shoulder
surgery in June.  Joe wasn't able to run AC (but became a pacer instead), so
I was looking for someone to pace.

Bozena and I corresponded over the course of the next couple of months and
our plan came together.  Unfortunately, her crew of 2 or 3 canceled on her
pretty much at the last minute.  She was understandably upset about this,
but I tried to reassure her that we'd have no problems, and that there was
crew access in only one place during the second half of any anyway.  Pete
and Bozena each gave me some suggestions on what would be helpful for the
pacing job, so I felt confident and ready... then the head cold struck.  It
was a minor nuisance a week before the race, I assumed it would go away, it
got worse and worse, but there was no way I'd back out on Bozena (unless I
could find a replacement pacer at the last minute).  Fortunately I was
feeling a little better by Friday afternoon, after four days of no running
(the longest stretch in years--at least I was well tapered for my pacing
job! ;-) Still had a lot of head congestion, running nose, very sore throat,
but what the h*ll... I packed up my UD 2 bottle pack with cold pills,
ibuprofen, throat spray and cough drops... I felt like a pharmacy!

Bozena really wasn't sure what pace she'd be running, so Joe and I met at
the finish line at 2 p.m. Saturday, dropped my car and car pooled to Chilao
getting there by 3, just in case she was on a 24 hour pace.  She wasn't, but
I couldn't find that out for quite some time.  Not a problem; plenty of
action and interesting stuff going on at Chilao... got the news about Rick
Fisher's DQ, overheard Hal Winton telling someone that he (Hal) "burst at
Cloudburst" over Fisher's b.s.... generally hung out and watched runners
come through, including Jay Hodde with whom I chatted briefly.  He wasn't
too happy, feeling understandably tired.  I couldn't think of anything good
to tell him to cheer him up, but did tell him I greatly admired his
accomplishment of this "Season of 100's."

About 5:30 p.m. I did get word from one of the ham radio operators that
Bozena went through Mt Hillyer shortly before.  That would put her into
Chilao at about 6:30... almost showtime for me.  

Sure enough, right on time, and with some advance warning from Lisa Allen's
crew who were watching the trail carefully, in strode Bozena, carrying two
hand held bottles (no pack), wearing the orange top and blue shorts she'd
told me to expect.

After a very brief hello and introduction, she set the tone for the rest of
the race, passing off to me her bottles to get them filled while she picked
up her drop bag.  By the time the bottles were filled she was about ready to
leave Chilao and get on with the job at hand.  No dilly dallying in aid
stations for this lady!

Off we went up the trail, "Number 150 out!"  It was still light but we both
had our flashlights with us.  We chatted some and settled into the pace,
Bozena leading as Pete told me she preferred.  The pace was comfortable and
she told me immediately that she wanted to walk the uphills.  Good idea, I
said.  Of course, it was her race, so I'd do it any way she wanted.  

The stretch to Shortcut was uneventful.  We snapped our lights about an hour
out of Chilao, and few minutes later we heard a loud popping sound in the
bushes to my left.  "What was that?" she asked.  "I don't know."  "Well,
let's get out of here" was her sensible advice.  I discovered later that a
battery in my headlamp exploded, the only effect of which was to leak a
little acid into the battery chamber and to significantly brighten the light!

From Shortcut to Newcomb's and Newcomb's to Chantry also went by quickly.  I
hadn't run this part of the course before, but from the elevation profile I
was expecting it to be relatively "user-friendly."  I think it was.  We
rolled into Chantry at about 1 am, I think, and were immediately greeted by
Stan Jensen and treated to the already mentioned wonderful aid station
attention.  Bozena went to the scales and I took her bottles and got them
filled and mine, and requested soup for both of us, as had become our
routine at each aid station.  I tried to encourage her to eat some solid
foods, but the only thing she'd take was soup.  Stan got me a cup of coffee;
I needed a caffeine pick up at this point.  He found me milk and sugar and I
barely had time to grab a p&j and catch up to Bozena.  She was super-quick
through the aid stations.  Never sat down once.  The most I could do was get
our bottles filled, grab a soup and something in the other hand and out we'd
go.  At least half the time she'd be out before me, assuring everyone not
worry, that I'd catch up to her...

Well, after Chantry life got interesting... Mt Wilson was next on the menu,
and Bozena asked me how steep it was.  I had run this section of the course
(Chantry to the finish), and I told her it was a long uphill but not too bad
in terms of steepness.  Funny how different perception can be
running/walking something fresh, during the day, as compared to at night
after 25 miles.  In any event, Bozena announced that she wanted to make some
time on the uphill and off we went at a pace I can only describe as race
walking (honestly, power walking is an understatement).  I didn't tell her
at the time, but by Manzanita Ridge I was feeling slightly nauseous.
Probably mild dehydration; I have trouble eating and drinking enough when
the pace is too quick.  Fortunately she slowed us down some when it got
really steep and I managed to recover some.  

The view from the top of Wilson (at least the summit where we turn around)
was fabulous.  I did get Bozena to stop at the sign with points to Mt Wilson
and snap her picture with the disposable camera I was carrying at her
request.  Then down we went, enjoying the city lights.  It took a lot longer
to reach Idlehour than I expected, but that was because I was still zapped
from our sprint up Wilson, I'm sure.  We did get in significantly ahead of
30 hour pace.  Bozena emailed me before the race a pace chart she'd created
based upon the aid station chart in the race package.  I put it in a
plastic, clip-on name tag envelope and clipped it to my belt.  I checked it
many times and could tell her at Idlehour that we were about 30 minutes
ahead of 30 hour pace.  She wanted to break her WS time (29:47) and we were
in good shape to do that.

On to Sam Merrill... the downhill from Idlehour was enjoyable, but over all
too soon.  Another long uphill (but the last of the race!) faced us.  She
asked me if it was as steep as Wilson.  I told her I no longer trusted my
memory... before going up Mt Wilson that night I would have said it wasn't
too bad at all, but after what Wilson turned out to really be...

Up we walked, now at a reasonable power walking pace... I was able to stay
aerobic!! :-) The climb was definitely not as steep as Mt Wilson, but my
memory tricked us again... about 30 too soon, just after dawn I told Bozena
I recognized the stretch of trail and that we were close to the aid station.
NOT.  Oh well.  She took it in stride (pardon the pun :-).  Finally I spied
the telephone poles on the ridge at Sam Merrill and about 10 minutes later
we rolled in to the aid station... and rolled right back out a couple of
minutes later, chicken noodle soup in hand, me going down the trail to catch
up to Bozena, as usual... no time to waste!  But I did manage to get rid of
the 10 dead batteries I'd been carrying around in my waist pack.  And I did
manage to get her to pose at the trail sign leaving the aid station for a
photo.  "Pretend like you're enjoying this!" I told her.  She didn't even
smile... I don't think she smiled for any of the photos.  We'll see.  One of
the aid station workers took our picture too... I smiled :-)!

The sun was coming out and it was warming up.  Thankfully we stayed in the
shade and we were in the western shadow of the mountains at this point.
After Sam Merrill, our downhill progress slowed a little, but Bozena was
still able to run even the most rocky and technical sections of the trail.
We commiserated and agreed that we'd had enough of the rocks... and enjoyed
the stretches of soft, smooth dirt trail.  We came out onto the trail which
skirts the side of the mountains and looks out over Los Angeles.  What a
rush!  I felt great and got a little bit more talkative, telling Bozena
about the Mt Lowe railway, the old resort up there and the fact that we'd be
running on the railroad bed.  When we got to the ruins of the old resort and
the section of the railway with all the bridges, she asked me if I'd walked
that section during the training run.  Absolutely, I told her [I hope that
was the answer she wanted; it was true and we were walking at the time].  

We did come out into the sun on that uphill hike for a couple of hundred
yards before reaching the paved road.  Ugh, it was hot... she asked if it
was paved all the way to the finish.  Oh no, just a short jaunt, then down
again on the trail and into the blessed shadow of the mountains and out of
the direct sun.  

On we rolled, steadily progressing downhill at a comfortable running pace.
We played leapfrog with a runner and his pacer, pacing them, being passed,
passing again, on this stretch into Millard.  When we finally came out onto
the paved road above Millard, after telling her I found the flat pavement
soothing compared to the rocky trail (to which she agreed), I told Bozena
that we were about 6 miles from the finish and that she had a good shot at
breaking 29 hours (about 75 minutes).  "Let's go" was her response and
picked up the pace substantially.  

Now this was exciting!  She was cooking along at a great downhill pace, I
was feeling terrific, we were on the way to a great finish, and we had a
hour to savor it... Doesn't get any better than that.

We dropped down onto the trail to Millard, forewarned that the ½ mile sign
was wrong (I told her it was more like a mile), and kept up the good pace in
to Millard.  Our plan was to breeze in, get the bottles filled and jet
out... we had a deadline to make!  Bozena did not even want to take the time
to put her flashlight in her drop bag (she was carrying it in one of the
back pockets of her bike jersey).

At the aid station, supreme efficiency of Dave Emmons and his crew got us in
and out in no time, with someone getting Bozena's drop bag and giving it to
me so quickly we were able to get rid of the flashlight.  

Then disappointment: a significant uphill (3/4 mile?) out of the aid
station.  I reassured her we had time to spare and we walked up the hill.
Finally made it to the top by the bee hives and she kicked it into running
gear again.  Of we went, speeding (in relative terms) on down the hill.  We
began passing runners coming up the trail to meet others, and hikers just
out for the day, no doubt surprised by all the traffic!  On we rolled.  We
passed Mike (last name?), a friend of Bozena's from Northern California, who
shouted encouragement and made sure we made the left hand turn down onto the
trail from the dirt road.

On we rolled... Mike passed us soon, energized I think by Bozena and the
fact that she was shooting to break 29 hours (meaning he could too!).  We
became obsessed with the remaining distance and asked everyone we passed who
was going in the other direction how much further to the finish... we got
answers all over the map... 4 miles, 2.5 miles, 3 miles, etc.  At least it
helped pass the time, speculating on what the true distance really was.

I knew we were close when we came out onto the paved road, and saw houses!
Back to civilization... a bitter sweet sensation.  We went across the bridge
came around the bend and saw the open road... but how much further?  I told
her a half mile (was more likely 3/4), and said that when we got really
close, I'd run ahead to take her picture finishing.  Didn't I want to finish
with her, she asked.  I almost cried.  Of course I do, I said, and was very
touched.

So we ran on in, down that little hill to the field, across the field and
under the banner... what a great feeling... 28:51:56...

We laughed, hugged each other, she ran back onto the field and across the
finish line again so I could take her picture... and it was over....

I immediately drank two ice cold cokes (unbelievably good!), chatted with a
few people, sat on the grass, found some shade, used my waist pack as a
pillow and fell asleep for 45 minutes or so.

Bozena took a shower, and I found some pancakes and a hamburger (more great
taste sensations) and watched and cheered runners finishing.  Bozena ate a
vegetarian burger AC style (bun with lettuce, cheese, tomato, mustard, etc.;
i.e., everything but the meat... she's a vegetarian) and arranged a ride for
herself to the airport with Mike (who was driving all the way back to the
Bay Area, ouch!) so I could get back to my family and my bed.  She  wanted
to buy something for me at the AC merchandise table, but I turned her down.
I'd already come out way ahead.  She did give me a great AC tee shirt with
the cougar on the back which she bought for me on Friday in Wrightwood... I
probably won't wear it out of the house, as I didn't run the race, but I
love wearing it lounging around and as pj's.  

I enjoyed the experienced immensely and feel so very proud to have been
along for the ride during Bozena's great race.  She ran a very smart race,
pacing herself so well that she had enough left at the end to finish strong
and feel good, but not so much to feel she'd held back too much (I think
she'd agree with that).  I joked with people (half joking, half seriously,
in truth), that she'd paced me for much of night and that I'd been hanging
on.  I certainly got as much from her as she did from me.  I don't know if
I'll ever run a 100.  I suspect I will.  And I suspect it will be AC.  But I
sure loved the pacing! :-)

Matt

"The body was meant for motion.  The body is begging you to let it go."
Walking Don Moseman.

Matthew Kavanaugh
Encino, California
mkavanau@earthlink.net