2006 Massanutten Mountain 100 Crew-Pace Report May 13-14, 2006 There are times when we all do things for ourselves and then there are times when we do for others but the end result is always the same. A feeling of satisfaction overwhelms the spirit whether it’s our own accomplishment or that of someone else it feels the same. Crewing and pacing for a runner in a 100-mile event is something I enjoy doing very much. While I don’t enjoy watching human beings beat their bodies to a pulp I do enjoy watching how they can persevere through it and succeed. That being said if the opportunity arises at a convenient part of the year for me I make myself available to help another person achieve his or her personal goals. Early on in the beginning of the year I targeted the Massanutten Mountain 100 as a race I would like to once again attempt. I quickly changed my mind as I realized the race would fill up fast and others would be put on a waiting list. I’ve had my shot at the course in the past and felt it only fair to bow out so someone else could get in this year. Trust me there were no tears shed over my decision as I knew the only thing I would miss out on is my body once again being tormented by the hills and rocks that make up the course. I learned a few weeks after my decision that a friend of mine, Morgan Windram, had signed up and was looking for a pacer. I volunteered almost immediately because I honestly thought I could be of some help to her. Morgan is a very strong runner with some major accomplishments at the shorter ultra distances but she is just now starting to build her 100-mile resume. While she is not a rookie 100-mile runner this one would definitely be her toughest attempt to date. I already knew that she is a self driven person and would train hard and be ready for the challenge so my job would be simply to keep her company and assure her she would be okay. We would be a great team. She is a determined hardworking person and I can be very supportive and assuring late in a run. As race day came upon us some complications with Morgan’s health gave us a scare. She contracted an infection in her left eye causing it to swell completely shut. I was concerned that Morgan would consider bailing on the race but I would quickly learn lesson number one about what makes her tick. There would be no quit in her. I think I was more concerned about her than she was about herself but that just showed me she had what it takes to finish this thing. The morning of the race I followed Morgan and her boyfriend, Alistair , over to the Skyline Ranch Resort from our hotel rooms in town. We arrived somewhere around 4:30 a.m. and while Morgan promptly checked in with the race organizers I mingled around. It certainly is less tense when you can just casually walk around the building with the knowledge that you don’t have to run 100 miles. People were nervously buzzing around discussing the torture that lay ahead. I happily sat back with a smile on my face and relaxed. It wasn’t long before the runners lined up outside just in front of the mini- golf course to begin their trek through the Massanutten Mountains. Before Morgan went out I suggested to her to run easily and to think of it as only an 8-mile run to Alistair. That’s all this was going to be; an 8 mile run to the man she loved. I’m not sure what her strategy was but mine was to make it as easy as possible by breaking each section of the 100 miles into something she could look forward to. It was a typical low key ultra start with someone in the background yelling start and off the runners went into the darkness. It was now time for Alistair and I to make our way to the first crew checkpoint, the Shawl Gap Trailhead, 8.7 miles into the race. Neither of us was familiar with the roads and I can be a bit directionally challenged so I was curious as to how we would make out during the day. As far as how Alistair and I would get along I knew there would be no problems there. I can’t say why for sure but the shyness that usually overwhelms me in real life never seems to effect me when I’m part of a running event. While it would take the front runners at least an hour to reach the first crew area it was actually only just down the road a bit from the ranch. We made it there in less than 10 minutes and then began the long wait for Morgan to arrive. There were several cars lined up along the road but very few people mingling about and in fact some were even napping in their vehicles. Alistair and I decided to walk up the trailhead to see if we could find the aid station but to our avail it had yet to be set up. Initially I was concerned that even though others were there maybe we weren’t at the right place. I felt better after walking up the trail a little further and recognized the section as part of the course. My thoughts were confirmed as we made our way back to the car and noticed some volunteers pulling in to begin setting up the aid station. We stopped to help unload the vehicle and then when all seemed settled we walked back down the trail to the car. As we chatted by the car I saw Aaron Schwartzbard with camera in tow coming from no where in the woods alongside of us. I joked a little with him never once questioning what he was doing out there or where he came from. Alistair, Aaron and I talked for a good 20 minutes before it was time to get our things set up in preparation for Morgan’s arrival. She seemed to be very prepared with everything from warm clothes to toilet paper in her supply containers. I was fairly certain that at 8.7 miles she would need little more than encouragement but we were both aware that having her things ready just in case was best. The first runner, Todd Walker, made it through our area in about 1 hour followed by Karl Meltzer and an unknown Korean runner Sim Jae Duk. It was way too early to speculate what would transpire over the coming hours but I always root for the underdog and Sim was definitely the underdog in this race. Thoughts of the frontrunners quickly vanished as Alistair and I patiently waited for Morgan to come down the trail. Not surprising the first female was Bethany Patterson and then Sue Johnston. I was certain this would be a shootout the entire day but once again it was too early to tell. What seemed like an eternity and a million runners having passed Morgan finally made her way down the path toward us. In reality she was in the middle of the pack and doing very well having made it to this point in 1:45. She arrived with Diana Widdowson, a veteran MMT runner, whom she would stay near until the mid way point of the race. Morgan wasted little time in checking in with us. We had already prepared two bottles for her so she didn’t need to stop at the aid station at all. Alistair looked at her eye with concern but Morgan was upbeat and assured us she was doing well. I’m not sure how Alistair felt but I was now confident she was going to be okay. I told her to concentrate on making it through the daylight hours because once night fell no one would be able to see and she’d then be on even terms. She had just traversed what I considered some of the toughest terrain she would see or in her case not see the entire day and she did so without incident. We gave her some encouragement and reminded her that she would have to run 15.7 more miles until she could see Alistair again. She was upbeat, smiling and happy and most importantly not concerned about her placing. I was very impressed that she was able to focus on her race plan and not get discouraged by who was in front of her. This would be the pattern the entire day and something I attribute to her success. She quickly departed as Alistair and I made our way back down the trail to our vehicle. The drive to the next crew point at Habron Gap was about 33 miles and would take us down roads surrounded by beautiful countryside. The conversation between Alistair and I flowed freely as he drove. I’m not a big fan of talking but would rather ask questions and then sit back and listen to the answers. Alistair is quite a fascinating guy so he kept my interest the entire drive out to Habron Gap. We arrived ahead of the frontrunners so we were able to take it easy, grab a bite to eat and then walk up to the aid station to watch and wait. I told Alistair that I expected Morgan to come rolling in anywhere between 4:45 to just under 5 hours so we needed to be patient. The runners would come out of the woods and then run a mile or so down a flat dirt road into the aid station only to retrace their steps for a few hundred yards before turning left onto a trail section. In the distance the first runner could be seen and projections from earlier reports were confirmed as Sim Jae Duk had taken over the lead and arrived first. He was followed closely by Karl Meltzer and then even further back Todd Walker. It had now become evident to me that Sim was a serious contender but there were doubts amongst the crowd. In all honesty I was a little miffed by some of the comments because I detected a bit of one-sidedness toward the known runner. The negative comments only made me root harder for Sim even though I knew nothing about him. A funny moment came when someone questioned the course markings as there was a long time between the front runners and the rest of the pack. I heard Dan Lehmann in the background comment that the course markings must be okay because the Korean guy made it through okay or are they in Korean? I couldn’t help but chuckle. A second tier of runners finally started rolling in led by my two buddies Mike Mason and Joe Kulak. Mike was having an awesome day up to this point and he looked great. Joe was being Joe and running his own race while patiently waiting for an opening. There was another gap before the rest of the field started consistently rolling in. I didn’t have my watch so I never knew the time but every once in a while I would glance over at Alistair’s watch to gauge how much time we had left before Morgan would arrive. There was never a doubt she would arrive but rather it was just a matter of when. As the clock ticked past 10:45 a.m. my eyes strained as I peered in the distance looking for a silhouette that matched her body type. Seemed every lady out there was wearing a white shirt and cap just as Morgan so there were several missightings before she actually arrived at 10:55 a.m. or 4:55 into the run. She was right on track and still looking great. Her eye did swell up a little more so she asked for some ice as she came into the crew area. She also wanted a sock change and some how we forgot to bring her dry clothes but luckily the vehicle wasn’t parked too far down the road. While I got the ice from one of the aid station volunteers Alistair hustled down through the parking lot to the car and then sprinted back with her socks. I urged Morgan to go over to the aid station and get some food while Alistair and I took care of the other business. Morgan is a typical runner with a body type that consists of very little fat. I stressed the importance of refueling at every aid station. I made sure she understood her race could come to a halt if she didn’t eat enough. Up to this point the energy she was using came from her dinner the night before and breakfast but now 5 hours into the run all the energy would come from fat stores or whatever she fed into her body. Just based on some things Alistair had told me on the way over I knew we might struggle getting her to eat but as it turns out she ate willingly. I was worried that maybe she was just putting on a show for us so we wouldn’t worry so I was still very concerned as she left. Before heading out I reminded her that this would be long stretch of trail ahead of her and that she really needed to be prepared before leaving. I tried to get her to take her waist pack which was loaded full of goodies but the best I could do was get her to carry two bottles instead of the one she had been using up to this point. There was a sign at the aid station indicating the next aid station was in 9 miles but that it would feel more like 12. It’s not that this section is terribly hard but the monotony can drive a person crazy. The trail will rise a bit before leading the runners down into a small ravine and then back up and around. It repeats like this many many times before finally ending. The important thing I wanted her to remember was to stay focused and calm. Morgan was now on her way to Camp Roosevelt and so were we. Alistair and I jumped in the car and headed back down the highway. He had a craving for coffee so we detoured off the road to try to find a coffee shop in a small town that was nearby. Unfortunately there was some kind of community fair going on so most of the back roads were closed. We didn’t really want to take the risk of missing Morgan by wasting time looking for a coffee shop so instead of parking and walking through town we made our way back to the main road and continued to Camp Roosevelt. Again we enjoyed one another’s conversation as we drove through the beautiful countryside. When we reached the top of one of the mountains we stopped to take a peak over the edge to catch a glimpse of the scenery below. One thing about Front Royal, Virginia is that the scenery outside the mountains is beautiful it only gets brutal when you start exploring deep into the mountains themselves. By the time we arrived at Camp Roosevelt the top runners had already passed through. We were told that Sim was still in the lead coming in but as they left Karl jumped in front. It seemed like a very cool race but my mind was with Morgan. There was no doubt that she would arrive to us because there were no aid stations between where we met her last and where we were now. Truthfully my only thoughts of Morgan were that of a big smile on her face and a bubbly hello when she came strolling into the aid station. Her bright and cheery disposition is definitely something she used to her advantage on this day in particular. There never was a time when she led me to believe she was nothing less than confident all throughout the day and night. Alistair and I kind of parted ways for awhile as we waited. I chatted with some people I know from other races and from the Ultra-Listserv that I subscribe to. The first person I talked to at any length was Hans Dieter Weishaar. He had sprained his ankle and had to dropout of the race. He is such a congenial gentleman and very modest. Instead of being upset he decided to hang around and help out at the aid station. When Hans left I then turned my attention to Anne Watts who was crewing for her husband Matt. I didn’t know who she was until we had talked for about 10 minutes and then realized she had participated in several of the same events I had run in. Her husband, Matt and I have communicated via e-mail many times discussing his attempt at the Slam a couple of years ago. Finally I had a chance to talk with Mike Burr who happened to be wearing his Barkley tee shirt. I didn’t recognize him immediately but I had to approach him to inquire about his shirt. I didn’t realize until then that he too had the injury bug and hadn’t been running for awhile. Before we could get too deep into our conversation I heard Alistair yell that Morgan was coming through. I quickly said bye to Mike and ran to assist Morgan. Just like I envisioned she was bright and cheery and sounded very confident. The eye had miraculously opened a little allowing her some sight but still it looked pretty bad. Alistair took care of her bottles while I gave her a bit of a pep talk. I knew there was at least one aid station between where we were at now and when we could meet her next. Now at 34 miles everyone was experiencing some kind of pain so this is where it would take more than physical ability to continue on. I told her I didn’t want her to make any decisions until she saw us next at mile 47. There was nothing else I told her here but that. I wanted her to understand the importance of allowing us to make any decisions for her or at least letting us be a part of her decisions. She nodded indicating that she was agreeable to what I was saying. Alistair took care of her water needs and tended to her eye before Morgan jumped up, took some food from the aid station and left toward the Moreland Gap aid station. Just as she was leaving I yelled one more time for her not to make any decisions until she reached us at mile 47. Now 7 hours and 15 minutes into her run any decisions would be critical. As soon as Morgan departed Alistair and I quickly packed up and left the area to make our way to the next crew point. I figured it would take Morgan around three hours to run the next 13 miles so we had plenty of time. The roads taking us to our destination would lead us through a populated area that included some fast food restaurants and a nice shopping center. Still craving a cup of coffee Alistair pulled into the parking lot of a grocery store and we headed inside to find his fix for the day. Now with coffee in hand we made our way to the picnic area to once again wait for Morgan’s arrival. The crew directions provided by the organizers were excellent so for the most part we were confident in where we were going. We were, however, somewhat confused as we tried to locate the picnic area. We drove about 7 miles or so when on the left we noticed a big parking lot and a tent just outside the woods. The crew directions said the picnic area aid station was just about 10 miles from where we entered the road but I was certain this had to be it. Alistair slowed the vehicle dramatically and made a sharp left hand turn into the parking lot where we got out and made a beeline towards the tent. When we arrived I recognized one of the people as Mickey Rollins the former race director of the Rocky Raccoon 100. I was flattered that not only did he remember me but also he was able to recall some of my performances. Well now that he flattered me I had no choice but to listen to some of his old war stories as a race director. We stood there for at least 15 minutes before I could find an escape route for us to get out of there without cutting him short. Finally Mickey directed us down the road another couple of miles to the picnic area. He highly recommended that we remain parked in the lot we were in and then walk the 2 miles into the aid station. He said parking at the picnic area was at a premium and there was a good chance we may not be able to get in. Alistair and I thanked Mickey for his help and then without even considering his advice jumped in the vehicle and drove the 2 miles up to the entrance of the picnic area. We made the left turn onto the dirt road and then drove a few hundred yards up until Ed Demoney stopped us. Ed was in charge of parking in the picnic area and was only allowing crew people to park there if their runner’s presence was imminent. It was a little after 1 p.m. when we arrived and I knew Morgan couldn’t get there before 3 p.m. so Ed would not allow us to park. He asked us to turn around and come back later. As we slowly moved forward to turn around one of the spectators quietly told us that we should park in the parking lot of the restaurant that was located directly across the street. It sounded like a good idea to us but neither of us wanted to take an unnecessary chance. We turned around and drove back towards the main road where we could get a better look at the restaurant and the availability of parking. It looked as if the restaurant was brand new and not even operating yet and there were only a few vehicles in the lot, all of which were owned by people, involved with the run. It didn’t look like much of a gamble to me and Alistair seemed okay with parking there so we pulled in and found a spot. Still very early we took the time to grab a bite to eat and chat with a few other people that were hanging out before we made the walk to the aid station. As part of the course modifications due to a recent fire in the area the runners would visit this lone aid station three times. It represented miles 47, 55, and 58.5. By the time Alistair and I arrived the lead runners had already made their way through the required three times. Both Sim Jae Duk and Karl Meltzer were on a blistering pace. Some background information about Sim was now being circulated amongst the crowd and even though his resume was quite impressive most still doubted he could pull this one off. Now that I was told he had never raced beyond the 100K point I even wondered how much gas he had left in the tank after 58 miles. My heart was still with him and I hoped he would shock us all and pull the upset. There were two races within one here as Karl and Sim battled for first Todd Walker and Shawn Estes duked it out for the 3rd and 4th place positions. There were 40+ miles to go but most of us believed this is how it would remain until the finish. The ladies race was almost as exciting as Bethany Patterson and Sue Johnston vied for the lead. They were neck and neck as they arrived into the 47-mile aid station. It was evident to me at this point that Sue would use her power to wear Bethany down and there wasn’t a better place to watch this happen than where we were at the time. Time elapsed and runners were now coming through in bunches. Since the aid station was used as checkpoints for three different mile marks the organizers had to use the honor system to record whether a runner was on his or her first, second or third time through. Runners are human beings and could be tempted just like the rest of us but the point of running 100 miles is to push their bodies to the limit. Cheating would not allow them to find that limit therefore the honor system works in this case. It was getting closer to 3:15 and Morgan was due to arrive so I began to pay more attention to the trail leading into the aid station. Sure enough, just as we projected, here she came strolling down the short hill looking strong and confident. She asked us to fill her water bottles but I had to direct her down into the aid station because we weren’t allowed in there. Once through the station she could cut across and meet us in the crew area where we would be able to tend to any of her other needs. Morgan really did an excellent job caring for her feet. She changed her socks several times during the run and before doing so made sure she cleaned them off and wiped them dry. Her feet in the end were mincemeat but without the care she took all throughout the day they would have been much worse. She did what she had to do and before I knew it she was out of there and on her way up to Bird Knob. The one thing I stressed to her before she left was to try to enjoy the scenery as she climbed her way up. I knew if she tried to have some fun it would make time pass quicker and before she knew it she would be at the top and back on her way down again. Also the experience of seeing the large statuesque rock formations would allow her to focus on something other than time and distance. Throughout the day I gave a lot of advice but she was so prepared for this race she needed very little encouragement. She was ready for all the challenges both physically and mentally and determined to finish no matter what laid ahead. Now that Morgan was gone it was time for Alistair and I to plot out our strategy for the coming hours. It was critical for us to try to predict how long it would take Morgan to get up to Bird Knob and then back again. Alistair had to be prepped and ready to run with Morgan when pacing was allowed to start at 6 p.m. I thought it was cool that Morgan wanted to share some of her 100-mile experience with Alistair. He seemed pretty excited but a little tentative about having the opportunity to run a few miles with her. During one of our early morning conversations I was able to find out that Alistair has a good background in distance running having participated in a few 50K’s. I could only assume he may have felt a little intimidated by the mountainous MMT course and therefore only wanted to run around 10-15 miles of the course before turning the pacing duties over to me. Morgan had projected that she would be able to get through the aid station the third time just as 6 p. m. arrived. This would be perfect, as it would give her and Alistair an opportunity to run the 9.3 miles from the picnic area to Moreland Gap together. Not only was I concerned about getting Alistair prepared but I also wanted to get myself mentally prepared. Under normal conditions on an easy course Morgan could blitz through 9.3 miles in no time but after 58 miles of running in the mountains I wasn’t sure how long it would take her. As we were discussing our plan Stan Dubonis, the race director just happened by so I asked him how long he thought it would take a runner to go the 9.3 miles. He was great as he explained the course in detail by breaking it down into sections where it could be run and sections where a fast hike would be required. This was really beneficial for Alistair as he now had a good idea of what strategy to take and how long it should take him to implement it. Stan said that if a runner could maintain a 3-mph pace on this part of the course that he or she would be doing great. The information provided by Stan not only helped Alistair prepare but also helped me to have a good idea of when to expect them to arrive at Moreland Gap. The time passed quickly as we contemplated our next step and before we knew it Morgan once again came running down the trail into the aid station. She didn’t waste much time, as she knew she only had to do a quick out and back section before she could meet up with Alistair and begin their run together. She filled her bottles and hauled her butt on down the trail with hardly a word said. It was right around 5:30 p.m. when she left so based on my knowledge of the trail section she was running I projected that she would be back in 35 to 40 minutes. This short section of trail goes slightly downward on soft terrain with little to no rocks all the way into the Rt. 211-aid station. It should be a quick jaunt out to the aid station but the slight down out means it will be a slight up coming back therefore a much slower pace. At this point Alistair was very antsy and ready to run so I hoped my projection was on target so his suffering would be at a minimum. A distraction is what we needed but where to find one? I walked away for a second to ponder this when out of nowhere Nick Palazzo sat down next to Alistair and began to talk to him. Nick had to bail out of the race because it just wasn’t his day and he was feeling awful about it. Alistair sat next to Nick and listened to his every word, as he seemed in awe of the gentleman he had just watched on the Badwater video “Under the Sun”. While I wasn’t able to hear the conversation it was obvious to me that some how Alistair found a way to cheer him up. While it was sad that Nick had to pull out of the race it was good that he kept Alistair’s mind occupied while we waited for Morgan to arrive. I looked patiently down the trail as the clock ticked away. Sure enough Morgan came running up the dirt road at 6:15 p.m. almost right where she projected herself to be prior to the event. She sat down and took care of some blisters on her feet as I stumbled around trying to open the bandages for her. After I messed up the first bandage I thought it would be wise to allow her to take care of herself. Even after running almost 60 miles I think that her hands were steadier than mine were. She noticed Nick sitting alongside her and told him how nice it was to meet him and how much of a hero he was to her. In a sad voice he told her about how disappointed he was that he had to quit. Before leaving Morgan walked over to Nick and spoke to him for less than 30 seconds. She made him realize that his presence alone was enough to inspire others to do well. It was clear that her comments made him feel good because as she left I noticed a tear was coming down Nick’s face. I couldn’t help but be impressed that she had the presence of mind and the caring heart to cheer another human being up after running 60 miles herself. Now that Alistair and Morgan were gone it was time for me to make the drive to Moreland Gap and wait. I knew ahead of time that my wait at Moreland Gap could be awkward, as a friend of mine whom I have not spoken to in a very long time was volunteering at the aid station. I’m not much for backing away from challenges whether it be a running event or a real life situation so I gave myself no other options but to go directly to the aid station and face the possibility of having to communicate with my friend. Having to talk could be uncomfortable but to be honest deep inside I think I was ready to talk. The only thing holding me back was this was not the appropriate time to talk out problems. My mind needed to be 100% with Morgan and I knew if I talked with my friend I would be distracted and not focused on helping her. When I arrived I immediately looked for familiar faces so I’d have someone to talk to and I tried my best to avoid eye contact with my friend while at the same time keeping a good distance between the two of us. Finding familiar faces was the hardest part of my plan, as I knew virtually no one there so I did the next best thing and talked to people I didn’t know. It worked out very well as we were all there for the same purpose to support friends and family so there was a lot to talk about. I also connected with a guy who had a very cool dog. I seem to attract animals and in particular dogs so I had no trouble when his dog jumped right up on me and started licking my face. I have a tendency to be too serious but when I’m around animals the world seems less complicated. As the sun set and darkness set in I found myself alone once again so I walked up the dirt road towards the trail and watched as runners sporadically came out of the woods. I was dressed in shorts and a tank top but when the sun went down I realized quickly I was going to have to put some more clothes on. No worry I was prepared for anything from snow to blistering heat. I covered myself up with a long sleeve shirt and tights along with a pair of gloves. I had my water bottle pre-filled and loaded my waist pack with emergency supplies such as aspirin, moleskin, bandaids, antiseptic, spare batteries, and gel packs. I wasn’t going to let her race end over a minor problem. Heck who knows I might even need some of this stuff myself. I was ready to roll but had to patiently wait for her to appear from the woods. As I stood at the head of the trail I identified a gentleman I know from the ultra-list and couldn’t help but yell out to him. I was totally surprised when Bill Graney actually stopped and backtracked just to acknowledge me. It was cool to meet him for the first time after many correspondences through e- mail but I certainly didn’t want to negatively impact his race. He moved on down the trail while I stayed and waited for the next person to come through. I was bouncing off the walls after a few more minutes and found myself moving from one location to the next without being able to stand still. I recognized runners coming into the aid station that were close to Morgan the last time I saw her but as they arrived this time she was no where to be found. I stayed patient realizing Morgan’s plan was to stay within herself and not get caught up in the race of another person. If I would have had my watch on I would have realized that the three hours that I allowed her on this section were not quite up yet. A few more minutes went by before I asked the guy next to me what time it was. As the words 9:05 were coming out of his mouth Alistair and Morgan appeared from the woods. She was upbeat but did look a little worse for the wear. Hey what can one expect after running 67 miles. She sat down again to do some foot maintenance before hitting the aid station to grab some food. When she was done we made our way onto the trail that would lead us to what I’ve always considered the toughest part of the course, Short Mountain. Morgan had told Alistair that he could head back to the hotel and catch some sleep but he insisted that he wanted to continue to meet her at every checkpoint. I thought that was the greatest thing he could do for her. It would definitely be something she could look forward to and it would perk up her spirits. So as we left he jumped in the car and headed out to Edinburgh Gap to wait for us. In order to keep Alistair from worrying too much I had told him that this 8.2-mile section could take us anywhere between 3-4 hours to complete. I honestly believed we could get through in 2:30 if we pushed but certainly 3 hours was within reach. Short Mountain is a wicked stretch of trail or in some cases non-trail that leads through sharp rocks and boulders. My job was to keep Morgan on the right course while at the same time keeping her lucid and on track to finish. I beat myself up around others sometimes jokingly saying I can’t find my way out of a wet paper bag but truthfully if the course is marked at all I very rarely get lost in 100- mile races. The trails on Short would definitely test my ability just because it was dark and at times there was no trail. The most frustrating part about this section is all the false summits. Just when you think you’ve reached the top the course winds around and leads you back through a pile of rocks and up again. There is absolutely no way to dance around the sharp, pointy rocks that line the path so if your feet aren’t mincemeat by now they will be by the end of this section. I can’t express how much I dread this part of the run but I didn’t want to let that on to Morgan. My strategy was to tell her how much easier Short Mountain seemed to me as a fresh runner as opposed to when I ran the entire course in 2004 and 05. I was hoping my comments would change her line of thinking and allow her to believe it was much easier than it really was. Trust me no one moved any rocks or carved out a clear path since the last time I was here. It still sucked and even though I had just started I wasn’t having fun. I wasn’t there to have fun though. My purpose was to get Morgan through safely and onto the next part of the course. I talked so much I was irritating myself. I’m a firm believer that talking to my runner and having him or her respond to everything I say is critical in the runner staying lucid and energetic. I figure it will either piss the person off enough where the energy generated can be used to run or the fact that I’m making them think will take their mind off of negative thoughts. I’m probably the quietest guy on the face of the Earth in real life but get me out on a trail and I won’t shut up. Most of what I talked about I put in the form of a question, which would force her to answer back. I asked things like what do you like to do other than running? How old are your parents? Do you have any siblings? What do they like to do? It was pretty easy to come up with questions and most times I could ask another question from the answers she gave me. There were times when I had to be careful because not only did I need to talk but also I had to pay attention to the trail and keep up a good pace. I never lost track but at times I gambled when course markings were lacking and just sided with going up to the right. It was a shot in the dark but I was confident I was doing the right thing and every time it was. We were alone through the first quarter of this section until Shawn Krause and his pacer Scott Eney caught up to us. Morgan asked if they wanted to go by but they said they were happy to have some one guide them through. It was cool to have these guys behind us because it made my job a lot easier. They kept Morgan company allowing me the opportunity to focus more on guiding us up and down the trail. I liked having them back there because they were really funny. They serenaded us and talked about things I would never think about talking about with a girl I barely knew. I have to admit it felt more like I was in a bar at midnight rather than the mountains. The four of us stayed tightly together for a long time before Morgan and I pulled ahead slightly. Shawn and Scott were now a fair distance behind us so with no one in sight Morgan decided now was a good time to make a pit stop in the woods. I moved up the trail about 50 yards or so to give her some privacy while also scouting out what was ahead. In the distance I saw two bright lights that seemingly shined back at me and was intrigued. At first I thought the lights were something being utilized by another runner or two just ahead but suddenly the once bright white light turned deep red. As I looked closer I saw the outline of a small to medium sized cat hovering in the brush about 100 yards off to the left of me. We stared at one another in amazement for what seemed like hours before he/she scurried off into the woods. As the animal departed I could see the short tail that normally defines a bobcat. He/she stopped after moving to the right 50 yards or so and I pointed him or her out to Shawn and Scott who had caught up and were now directly behind me. I tried not to make too big a deal out of it so as not to scare Morgan but she heard me and quietly but firmly let me know she needed me to come back to get her. I backtracked to get her as the other two guys continued to gaze at the animal we had spotted. I was pumped about seeing my first cat in the wild but it was time to move on and get Morgan out of there and back in the right frame of mind. She was still a little nervous that the cat might have some friends ahead. She was very concerned about being attacked and questioned about what their diet consists of. I honestly didn’t know but I wasn’t about to say they eat female ultra-runners so I told her they eat berries and leaves off of trees and that we were in no danger. As we continued down the trail the tension eased and she seemed more relaxed knowing we were further away from potential danger. The fear generated from our experience seemed to put a charge in her as our pace increased initially but then leveled off as we moved away. Scott and Shawn eventually caught up to us and our friendly conversation continued back up. Earlier on I had promised everyone that I would keep us on the right path and would not get them lost. Up until this point I was doing very well and thought for sure we were on are way out and into the aid station. Morgan even thought she spotted an opening in the trail, which looked like the end. The course led us in a downward spiral which would normally be a good indicator we were coming out but then all of a sudden there were a few twists and turns and the trail led us back up again. I didn’t make mention of it but I hadn’t seen a marking in quite sometime and the once imminent aid station had disappeared in the darkness I became worried that I made a wrong turn. As another significant hill approached with no markings in sight I finally told everyone to stop and let me backtrack to see if we were on the right path. I deserved some grief for this but didn’t hear one negative word as I turned around and ran as hard as I could in the opposite direction. I ran up and down the short, rolling, rocky hills for what seemed like forever before I finally found a course marking. Just as I found the marking I heard Scott yelling at me in the distance that they found a marking up front as well and were continuing on. I yelled back telling him that I would catch up. I took a deep breath relieved that indeed I hadn’t led them astray and then hauled my butt back up with them. I wasn’t certain how long we had been running on Short Mountain but I knew we had to be getting close to the end. It seems Scott and Shawn knew this too as they picked up the pace and moved way ahead of us. The terrain had leveled off and there were fewer rocks to maneuver around so there was no doubt we had overcome the best that Short had to offer. It was now just a matter of time until we exited and met Alistair at the aid station. My eyes strained, as I looked forward and my heart pounded as I became excited at the sight of people and then finally the aid station itself. Alistair was there to greet Morgan as she arrived. He guided her to the aid station and took care of her needs. When asked by him how she was doing I told him spectacular. Now that she put Short to rest in 3 hours there was one more long section of 8.2 miles to get through before she could relax. There are those that say the trail that leads from here to Woodstock Tower is just as challenging as Short Mountain but personally I disagree. Short has many ups and downs and the footing is never good. While the trail leading to Woodstock Tower is not flat nor perfectly devoid of rocks there are sections that a person can run if the energy is there. We left a little after midnight with bottles full and the encouragement of Alistair. The motivation I used at the beginning of our trek was to excite Morgan about meeting her friend Hunt who was working the aid station up ahead. I thought that once again it would help her break up the remaining 24 miles into something more manageable rather than look at the entire distance. 24 miles may not seem like a lot to a fresh runner but for someone with 76 miles under her belt it could look quite intimidating. This next 8 miles would be the most critical part of Morgan’s race. It would be interesting to see how she reacted to her body, as it wants to shut down on her in the moonlight hours. My questions would soon be answered as I watched her energy level deteriorate and our pace falter to that of a death march. The one thing she had going for her was that her spirit was still alive. Though tired and dreary she was still upbeat as she answered my questions. Our pace was slow but we were moving forward and I assured her that everyone was going through the same thing right now. It was just a matter of persevering until the sun arose and gave her second life. Just as I told her everyone was struggling here came Gary Rarer plugging his way up the short hill in our direction. The guy was just an anomaly. He looked strong and passed us with ease. His appearance made me rephrase my statement that all or struggling to most are struggling. At this point I’m not even sure Morgan was coherent, as she looked dead ahead with a look of defiance on her face. There was no give yet she couldn’t listen to me and stay focused on the task at hand at the same time. No matter I kept running my mouth just in case I was having some kind of positive effect on her. As long as she didn’t tell me to keep it quiet I figured I was doing something good. If nothing else I probably kept her from falling asleep. The time passed as we plowed our way down the trail before eventually stumbling on a sign that indicated Woodstock Tower was two miles away. It was comforting to know that we were that close but I also knew that at our pace two miles could possibly take up to 40 minutes. I didn’t say anything to Morgan about time but rather just mentioned that we were close to the end. If she’s like me at all my words probably had no effect on her because they weren’t putting an end to this section. We walked for what seemed an eternity looking for a sign that said 1 mile to go. I thought for sure that there was such a sign last year. I promised Morgan that when we came upon the sign I would allow her to sit down and massage her aching feet. When I realized the sign didn’t exist I pointed out a marker in the distance and asked Morgan to walk to that point and then we could break. She agreed without hesitation and continued moving forward. When we arrived Morgan found a rock to sit on and removed one shoe at a time to massage her feet. I allowed her to take her time since at this point in the race finishing under the time limit was no longer in doubt. She didn’t dally around too much before she jumped back up and moved forward again. She expressed to me how much better she felt after giving her feet a break. The last mile seemed more like 10 miles but finally we popped our heads out of the woods and onto an asphalt road where Alistair and her friend Hunt were waiting for her. It had taken us 4 hours to do that section and she was dead to the world at this point and needed some major help to get her back to moving again. There was no better place for her to receive care than at the aid station we were in. Alistair and a volunteer cared for her feet as Hunt retrieved a blanket and laid it overtop of her. I knew this was a critical time and we had to revive her quickly without allowing her to hang around here too long. I could see goose bumps forming on her legs and she was shivering so getting her warmed back up before we left was my primary concern. We pumped her full of hot coffee and put warm clothes on her after her feet were put back together. I may have sounded like a bad guy here but I thought it was necessary to move on as soon as we could and I pushed a bit to get her out of there. The guys that worked on her were fantastic and did an excellent job of putting her back together but now it was time to move back onto the trail. When we got back out on the trail Morgan broke the news to me that Alistair was itching to run again and she’d like him to go with her on the next section. Having not run outside in several weeks due to an injury I was feeling a little wasted by now anyway so the news was music to my ears. It was going to work out beautifully because this short 5-½ mile section would probably take us through the final hours of darkness allowing Alistair to run in daylight. Morgan was feeling better now that she was warm so I decided to walk a lot faster. I promised her that this was going to be a very easy part of the course with decent footing and little or no elevation gain or descent. Her spirits seemed to rise as we moved along the trail. I reassured her that it was okay to walk through the darkness but I told her I would make her run later when the sun came up. Now that she was feeling good I gave her a good idea of what to expect over the next 14 miles or so and what I expected from her. First I told her there were two major climbs left. The first would be a killer climb at about mile 92 coming out of the Powells Fort aid station. I embellished the difficulty of this climb making it sound like Mt. Everest hoping to that when she actually climbed it would seem easier. The second climb up Shawl Gap I knew nothing about it so I told her that I’m sure it’s not easy but we’ll learn together. The one thing I emphasized was the importance of running down the switchbacks into the Elizabeth Furnace aid station. There was no doubt in my mind that her finishing time would be decided here. In 2004 I walked completely down this stretch and it took me over two hours but last year I ran it entirety finishing it in less than an hour. It’s a make or break place and I wanted her to understand that. The only other place I told her that we needed to run was down the final mountain and into the finish area. I assured her that other than those two places she could walk the rest of the way and still finish with a good time. Conditions were conducive to running on the 5-1/2 mile section we were currently hiking but there was no need to run as long as we maintained a good walking pace. As we made our way through the first 3 miles Morgan was cheery and even talked of blowing through the aid station at 90 miles but then things gradually became ugly. My promise that this section would be easy did not come to pass as the course returned to brutal form. My memories of this part did not include any major climbs or downhills but as we ran I could see the town way below and knew eventually we had to descend to get to the aid station. I had a very bad feeling in my stomach with that knowledge in hand and now because of me my runner might become demoralized in the upcoming miles. I didn’t realize that before descending we would have to run/walk around the ridgeline going up and down before hitting the long, sharp downhill to the road below. I felt bad as my promise to Morgan fell through and even told her a couple of times she could yell at me if she wanted too. She never did get upset but rather just accepted whatever the course had to offer. When we hit the long downhill section it was obvious we were coming off of the mountain but the damage was done and the once cheery Morgan would need to stop at the aid station after all. I was a bit frustrated with the downhill and couldn’t help but wonder when would the dam thing end. It just kept going down and down and down into oblivion. We hobbled down as several people came running past us including one of Morgan’s MMT training partners, C. J. Blagg. Morgan has a lot of great qualities but one of her best is her ability to make other’s feel good about themselves. Here she is beat up and bruised from running her own race yet she has the awareness to praise C.J. as he goes by. I was very impressed by that. C.J kind of hung with us for a few minutes to chat with Morgan but then he pulled away never to be seen again until the finish. Finally we hit the bottom and then turned left onto an asphalt road and hiked another 500 yards or so before turning right and going another 200 yards into the Powells Fort aid station. Aid station captains John and Rebecca Moore greeted us as Alistair could be seen in the background stretching to prepare for his next stint at pacing. Morgan took a quick breather at the aid station while I prepped Alistair on what to expect in the coming miles. I gave him a quick recap of the expectations I laid on Morgan earlier and that I especially wanted her to run down those switchbacks. He listened intently and agreed to push her when needed. When I was done talking with him I sat at the picnic bench eating a peanut butter sandwich and reflecting on what I had just said. I then had a change of heart and recanted all of my words. I felt like the Grinch when his heart exploded through his chest as I realized this was supposed to be fun and it would be a cool time for Morgan and Alistair to spend some time together. I went back and told him that I had nowhere to go and that he should take his time and enjoy himself. If it took 5 hours than so be it, I’ll be waiting at Elizabeth Furnace for them to arrive. I probably confused the Hell out of him but then again I ‘m sure that no matter what I said they were going to do what they wanted anyway. Morgan, now rested, was ready to take off so as I packed up our belongings to take back to the car her and Alistair began the 7.7-mile leg to Elizabeth Furnace. I jumped in the car and began my ten-mile adventure drive to the Elizabeth Furnace aid station. Having been up all night I was a little disoriented and missed some route signs. Consequently after leaving the main road that led into Powells Fort I had no clue where I was. As I drove I spotted another vehicle with passengers that looked like crew so I took a chance and followed them for several miles. Luckily for me they led me right into Elizabeth Furnace where I parked the truck, took a deep breath, and finally relaxed. I sat in the car for a few moments before I saw the first runner coming down off the switchbacks towards the main road. Bethany Patterson and her pacer came cruising by the car and stopped momentarily as David Horton greeted them. They didn’t stop for very long as David jogged with her the next several hundred yards into the aid station. Once the leader she was now battered and bruised and fighting for her life to get those last few miles in before she could rest. She could have no better support than Dr. Horton as I’m sure he had some words of encouragement that would motivate her over that last mountain and across the finish line. After Bethany came out of the woods there was a long gap before I spotted another runner. We were at mile 97 with 150 runners who had different levels of ability so seeing a runner would be a rare occurrence. As I waited I was excited to see my buddy Bill Young and his pacer Dan Lehman pop their heads out of the woods. I knew how important this run was for Bill as I seen how demoralized he was last year after not finishing. I didn’t say a word as he went by because he was in a zone and I didn’t want to break it. I did, however, give the thumbs up to Dan because I knew he worked hard to get Bill in. It was a very beautiful, quiet morning with few people around and I noticed my eyes starting to get heavy. I saw Scott Eney standing over by the trailhead so I thought I would go over and talk with him for awhile to keep my blood pumping. He kept me amused with stories about his past races and his plans for the future while he waited for his runner and I waited for Morgan. We talked for about 20 minutes before his runner, Shawn Krause, came down the trail with his pacer/girlfriend. My company was gone and I was on my own so impatience overwhelmed me and I started to hike up the trail in search of Morgan and Alistair. I quietly yelled out their names hoping they could hear me and gain confidence that they were close to the end. As I walked further and further up the trail with no trace of them in sight I started to worry that maybe something happened. I’m a worrier and tend to jump to conclusions. In reality no one had gone by me meaning Morgan was doing okay but I couldn’t convince myself of that at the time. Finally after about 20 minutes of walking C. J. Blagg came running by so I knew she must be close. I walked for another 5 minutes before I saw her and Alistair about 100 yards in the distance. There are rules against multiple pacers so the only thing I did was yell that she had 25 minutes walking time from where she was at but could get there in 15 if she ran. I then took off running away back towards the highway to wait for her and Alistair. I got back pretty fast so I took the time to prepare to pace her the final 3.2 miles to the finish by shedding my tights and long sleeve shirt. It was getting a little warm so I thought I’d be more comfortable in the shorts and tank top I had underneath. Just as I finished they were exiting the trail and crossing the road. Morgan seemed to be in a panic as she said she had 1 hour to run the last 3.2 miles in order to finish in under 29 hours. As we ran toward the aid station I told her I was certain that she had plenty of time to do it as long as she relaxed. I made my second mistake of the day as I was plotting out our strategy to get her in under 29. I was so busy running my mouth that we missed the sharp left-hand turn to enter the aid station. I allowed her to run an extra thirty yards before I recognized my mistake. I yelled out to her and Alistair that we needed to turn around and go back. I could tell she was really anxious now so I tried my best to assure her everything was going to be okay. We ran the final 50 yards into the aid station where Morgan wasted no time in refueling before leaving with me for the final miles and the finish. I quickly laid out the plan as we ran the flat trail that would lead us to the 0.7 mile climb up Shawl Gap. First I asked her to run as much of the flat that we were currently on and then we could take it somewhat easy walking up the mountain. I broke it down into 25-30 minutes to climb the mountain and then 20 minutes from the top to the finish line. That would get us in under her goal of 29 hours. I tried one more time to embellish something in hopes to put her at ease and feel confident. This time I went a little too far and she was cognizant enough to realize I was outright lying. I told her that a guy last year ran this entire section in 17 minutes. I didn’t do a very good job of thinking that one through because last year it was over 5 miles to the finish from where we were as opposed to 3.2 miles this year. She knew immediately that wasn’t true so I had to cover my tracks quickly by telling her I was mistaken and that it must have been another part of the course. There was no need to continue on that topic as we were now beginning to climb. When she asked me if we were starting I couldn’t be sure but I said yes anyway. I was unsure because I was expecting to be surrounded by large boulders, as was the case with the original trail that led us up last year. This year, though, instead of leading us up by going around the mountain we took a different route by going straight up. I think the runners may have caught a break with this route because even though it was somewhat steep it didn’t take very long to climb and the footing was comparatively easy. As we climbed I shouted words of encouragement to Morgan. I tried to keep her relaxed by suggesting methods that would allow her mind from working so hard which in turn would relax her body. I asked her to look around and enjoy the scenery and to take a look at the rocks she just conquered. I told her how impressed I was with what she was about to accomplish and that I thought she was amazing. I asked her to visualize herself in one of her yoga sessions breathing easily. I told her that she needed to breathe easy and control it because once we got to the top I was going to push her hard into the finish. I watched her every step telling her she was doing great and to just maintain her pace until we reached the top. My mouth never stopped running and her legs never stopped moving as she pushed hard to the top of that last mountaintop. Since I didn’t have my watch I had no clue how long we had been climbing but knew we were close because I could see an opening in the trees above. I pointed it out to Morgan and in no time flat we were there. I had one more request before I allowed her to descend. I asked her to take just a few seconds to look around and soak in the atmosphere. Take a look at the mountains that you just conquered because there’s a chance you may never have another opportunity like this in your lifetime. Not only did this give her a chance to reflect but it was also a good way for her to catch a breather before she put the hammer down to the finish. She was focused, determined and strong as she began the descent down the mountain. It’s a long, gradual downhill with good footing most of the way. She took the lead for the first time as we went down and I advised her of the upcoming challenges. There would be no more hills but there was a short, somewhat boring flat section that would lead us to the gravel road that would bring her back into civilization. I cautioned her that there could be no letdown when we reached this point. She had to maintain a high level of concentration at least until we hit the gravel road. The big rocks that form the gravel can have the effect of quick sand and after 99 miles of running may not be pleasant to run through. I told her that if she wanted she could do some walking there and also up some of the small hills that lead to the finish. She had other ideas though. When we reached the gravel she slowed a bit but then picked up the pace. In the distance I could see Shawn Krause and made mention that we could get by him but she admirably stuck to her plan and said she's not racing. Shawn was so hobbled by blisters that he was making a death march to the finish so even without racing Morgan got by him with ease. We turned left off the side road and then hit another short uphill which Morgan had no trouble with before turning right and running up another short hill. We ran another few hundred yards before I pointed the ranch out to Morgan and told her that was the end. We turned right onto a trail section and ran maybe a quarter of a mile before turning left onto the grass where the finish line could be seen several hundred yards away. We ran alone together for about 50 yards before I gave her a little hug and congratulated her. Alistair appeared with his camera, as we were just a few hundred yards from the finish. I could see the clock ticking and it read 29:58:51 so with 50 yards to go I pulled to the side and told Morgan to sprint to the finish. She crossed the finish line in 28:59:02. She had just completed one of the most spectacular feats I have ever witnessed. She ran 100 miles with the use of only one eye on one of the most difficult courses in the U.S. When it was all said and done she sat down and I walked over to her and kneeled down, looked her in the eye and told her that I thought she was an amazing person. Dave Bursler Bear, Delaware