From owner-ius-l@AMERICAN.EDU  Mon Oct 14 23:32:35 1996
From: TrailPatty@aol.com
Date: Tue, 15 Oct 1996 00:16:40 -0400
To: ius-l@AMERICAN.EDU
Subject: Firetrails 50-From Skyline Gate Aid Station

After I grudgingly accepted the fact that I couldn't run due to posterior
tibial tendinitis and pouted for awhile--well, maybe more than awhile--I was
a good Ultra Citizen and called Race Director Dick Collins to volunteer my
services.

The Skyline Gate Aid Station (organized by Jim and Vivian Skophammer) is mile
14.1 on the way out and mile 35.9 on the way back, and working this aid
station was anything but dull! First off, when Jim and Vivian organize an aid
station, they think of everything. Vivian even made sure there was 7Up
because she knew from experience that someone would need 7Up for stomach
problems on the way back--and sure enough, 2 people asked for 7Up on the way
back. Judging from the many comments complimenting the spread, Skyline Gate
just may have been the best aid station at Firetrails 50 (maybe even better
than Norm & Helen Klein's:-) ). I only know what hungry ultra runners said as
they passed through. I didn't get to observe the other aid stations myself.
It also helps if you have Dave Combs efficiently filling runners bottles so
they can grab goodies and move through the station as quickly as possible
(whereas, every time I tried to fill a bottle, I had trouble getting the cap
back on). However, Dave was dumbfounded when one woman asked him to "check
her earrings" and I, of course, knew exactly what she meant, as I have lost
my share of earrings on the trails!

Since Skyline Gate is an entry point to Redwood park, there was an endless
parade of hikers, bikers, runners and people walking dogs, and vice versa. If
you named 25 different dog breeds, I think 24 of those breeds passed by
today. A well-stocked aid station in a public park draws a lot of attention,
and pretty soon I was performing "information booth" services as I explained
to passers by what event was taking place, and it was fun to see the same
reaction time and again: First, the jaw drops and then they say
incredulously, "You're kidding! 50 miles?!" One elderly couple politely
asked, "How much are your drinks?" while more aggressive "joggers" asked if
they could have a drink as they had just run 3 or 6 miles or some variation
of that request. Jim Skophammer always graciously said, " Sure, have a drink"
-- even though there was a water fountain directly across from the aid
station. But everyone seemed to be on their best behavior today. Bikers,
hikers, runners, and dog walkers alike, all politely asked which trail the
runners were using so they could take an alternate route so as not to get in
the runners' way. Then Jim Skophammer was interviewed by a woman who worked
with the "elderly population" and was interested in how he kept so
young-looking. Was she ever impressed with Jim!

It was fun to be on the other side of the aid station table, and I couldn't
help but notice what a bunch of well-built (ah, conditioned) (men and women)
athletes ultra runners are! The "physical" difference from "other runners"
was very evident. Since I'm usually at the back of the pack, most of these
people have come and gone and are back in their sweats by the time I come
strolling in,  so I've never seen them from this vantage point before. I know
observers today could tell this was a very special group of runners.

Pat Wellington
In San Francisco and back to pouting because I can't run
TrailPatty@aol.com
wellingtonpm@cooley.com