Subject: My OD100 report (long) Date: Fri, 11 Jun 1999 21:20:54 -0700 From: Stan Jensen Organization: Run100s - A Not-For-Profit UltraRunning Corporation Here's my lengthy tale of last weekend's ultra in Virginia. If you're interested, compare it to last year's report: http://www.Run100s.com/reports/od98sj.txt and 18 photos taken last year by my crew: http://www.Run100s.com/odphotos/ If you're wondering how I managed to run over five hours faster than last and break my 100 mile PR by over two hours (vs. Vermont in 1998), you'll have to wait for my next post. Meanwhile, here goes: WED/THU/FRI: I flew into Baltimore (to save money) on Wednesday and drove for three hours to Woodstock, arriving around 9pm and soon going to bed. The next morning, I slept in, bought a map from the Forest Service and drove the runners' route. I wanted to remind myself of the terrain, footing and turns before the race, as well as note some landmarks that would tell me when I was getting close to the aid stations. I figured that I drove about 70 miles of the course in a little over five hours and ended up feeling much better about what I'd be facing. That night I met up with Janine Duplessis and her mom/crew for dinner at The Spring House. Janine is attempting to be the only woman to finish the Grand Slam twice (and in consecutive years) and the second woman to finish The Last Great Race. They'd been out locating the crew access points that day. We all turned in early in an attempt to get one good night's sleep. Friday morning was a late start and I joined Rob Grant and his wife Linda for breakfast. After that it was a quick trip to the store for some bagels and Gatorade for Saturday and then back to the room for a final check of the drop bag contents. Having no crew this year, I decided to go with eight drop bags (actually six, but two are used twice). The forecast was for low 80s, but I added extra SUCCEED! caps and rock salt to each bag. Each drop bag has a small Ziploc bag with an S! cap for each hour to the next drop bag, plus one packet of rock salt and one GU package. When I open a drop bag, I grab the fresh Ziploc and anything else that's needed and take off. Registration and a simple weigh-in started around 1:00. After I got my bib number, I went back to the hotel to label my drop bags and bring them back to the fairgrounds. After that, I hung around to talk to friends and meet as many of the Grand Slam entrants as possible (of the 26 this year, 13 were running Old Dominion). The briefing started around 5pm and was over in a few minutes, so we went back to the Ramada for a pasta banquet that wasn't too bad. After setting all three alarms, I turned in early. SAT/SUN The alarms go off after a very short night and I rise carefully (don't want to hurt my back) and plug in the coffee maker. I slip into my Patagonia Mesh-T and Ridge Runner shorts, then coat my toes with Vaseline, slip on my black Ultimax socks and slide into my Vitesse. Everything else I need is laid out by the door, so I grab my bagel and a cup of coffee and with one last, longing look at that warm bed, I head out the door. It's only a quarter mile to the start, but I want to be able to drive back when the race is over, so I drive to the start. I notice that it seems warmer than last year, when I wore a windbreaker as I stood around. We check in with the starter, then mill about aimlessly and visit the restrooms. The starter pistol goes off at 4am and we circle the race track in the dark. Several of us follow one runner who's using a light just long enough to reach the paved streets. I find myself running with last year's 2nd woman, Rebekah Trittipoe, and the Original Slammer, Tom Green, so I back off and let them go ahead. My game plan today is to run alone, run easy, and meet my goals: #1-finish, #2-beat last year's time(27:14) and #3-break 24 hours for the first time. I figure I've got a good shot at the first two, but I'll wait until the half-way point to see about the third one. We run through downtown, crossing the main street under the supervision of a sheriff and reach the first aid station (mile 3.0), where I stop to refill my hand bottle with the sponsor's drink, Powerade. I'm carrying a 20 ounce hand bottle for the Powerade and a have a 20 ounce fanny pack bottle that I keep filled with plain water. As we run along the road in the dark, I can see fireflies off to the side and smell honeysuckle(?). As we approach the Burnside Bridge, the flashing lights of the sheriff leading the pack is visible climbing the hill. The leaders are going out quickly, perhaps hoping to make time while it's cool. As we cross the bridge and start climbing, I catch Rob Grant, who's wearing his Teva sandals and socks. We walk and talk together up the hill as some runners pass up slowly. When the road levels slightly, I bid farewell and run slowly uphill: RWP (Run Whenever Possible) and RFM (Relentless Forward Motion) are my acronyms for the day. I'm caught by JABOY Maria Calvert and we arrive at the Mt. Top aid station (mile 7.2) together. I'm refilled and out of there before her, but I know she'll pass me on the downhill. After a mile of easy downhill on the dirt/gravel road, we turn left and I search for some bushes. My run at Umstead taught me to keep track of the frequency, amount and color when I pee and so far things are fine. Maria has passed me by, but I catch up and we arrive at In Boyer (mile 10.2). Soon after we leave, we start the first trail section and I pass Rob again on the uphill. At the ridge, I turn right and find myself running alone, wondering if that section is used in the MMT. As I dislodge a few rocks with my toes, I'm glad I'm not wearing the Nikes from last year. After about 1.5 miles on the ridge, the trail descends for 0.5 miles to the road, and we head back to Out Boyer (mile 14.6). As I leave, I spot Ed Foley, who sees me and takes off. Ed has finished OD many times, but today he's running with his right arm in a sling, since he separated his shoulder in a bike accident three days earlier. We enter an area of farms, with large rolls of hay in the fields. There are a few intersections, but they've hung two ribbons before each turn and marked the turns pretty well. Ed's in the distance and pulling away, but I run my own race, working to keep my heart rate down so I won't build up lactic acid (my theory for the rubber legs I get late in most races). As I reach the power lines, I know I'm close to my first drop bag, so I take my first GU, wash it down with water and take my last S! cap. The first crew access is 770/758 (mile 19.6) and I arrive about 15 minutes later than last year, but I'm not worried. I get fresh supplies from my drop bag and say "Hi" to list-er Ryan Manning and noted author Bob Boeder as I head out. I carry a PBJ until the next uphill, then eat as much as I can and toss the crust. More farms and a little more warmth on the open road as the sun rises. As we come down the hill into 803 (mile 22.7), I'm caught by Matthew Moore, another Californian. We cross 678 together and run for a while and then Rob Grant catches us. Matthew stops for something and Rob pulls ahead on the rolling road, so we're soon running separately. I amuse myself my looking at names on the mailboxes and noticing the neighborhood cemeteries that seem to be every few miles. As I round a corner I find myself at St. David's Church (mile 25.4) where they refill my bottle with another Powerade color (I tried the blue, green, yellow and red colors during the race). It's only about 8:30am and 25 miles into the race, but just like last year, I encounter another runner who has cramps. I give him a packet of rock salt and a basic electrolyte lecture and leave him to recover (he does go on to finish). Next to a classic red silo is the next aid station, Hecht's Farm (mile 28.5), with two young children helping their father. Running on, I spot two runners and am surprised when I catch them and discover it's Mike Robertson and Harvey Hull. Mike always finishes under 24 hours, so I'm tempted to stick with him, but they're running slower than I'd like, even though they run non-stop. We talk for a while, but as we climb to the paved road again, I pass them and head on alone. I'm not fond of this stretch of pavement, but at least there seem to be fewer cars, so I put my head down and keep going. As we near the Four Points aid station (mile 32.6) I take another GU and my last S! cap. Lots of crew are here and I miss having one, but as I get supplies from my drop bag and ice for my hat, Ryan gives me words of encouragement. I head up the pavement and am surprised to catch up with Rebekah, who'd been in the lead. Her ankle is causing her pain, so we talk for a while as we turn onto the trail again and I throw out a few suggestions. She tells me to go by and I wish her good luck, but it doesn't look like she'll make it. At the top of the hill, the volunteers take my number, then I run down the pavement to the turnoff for Duncan Hollow. Within a short distance I catch up with another runner and am shocked to find that I've caught up with Tom Green! He always beats me in 100s. By hours! I must be going too fast. I calm down and run through "the systems" again: legs, energy, hydration, peeing, etc. Everything seems to be OK and I'm only 35 minutes faster than last year, so maybe I don't need to worry. Tom and I run for a while until we encounter Dennis Herr lying in a small stream. He gets up and runs with us a while, then I leave the two of them behind. I arrive at Peach Orchard (mile 38.7) and am overjoyed to find that they have Mt. Dew, the ultrarunner's nectar. Two cups of that and I'm off and running. Two runners come down the hill toward me and I'm momentarily worried, until I realize that they're not in the race. A little bit further on I spot a solitary runner ahead and as he turns, I spot a sling ... it's Ed Foley! He spots me and starts to run uphill. Ha! Two can play this game. I decide to stalk him, since I know I can cover the rocky terrain and the uphills faster than he can. As we reach the top of Scothorn Gap, I catch up with him. When I ask him, he says we're on about a 20 hour pace. Yikes! We pass Ramon Diaz at the trail junction and Ed pulls away steadily from me on the downhill. We cross Passage Creek and reach Crisman Hollow (mile 43.1) for the first weight check. I'm down four pounds, but that doesn't worry me. I head down the road first, but when I take my walking break, Ed goes by. The road seems to go on forever, but it's mostly runnable and shaded on one side, so I just focus on trying to drain both bottles, finish the S! caps and eat my GU. I pass the first parked crew vehicles and Bob Boeder, and reach Four Points (mile 47.7) again. As I leave the aid station with my fresh Ziploc baggie and a PBJ, Frank Probst catches up with me. We leave Rob Grant behind as we climb the hill together, separating when one of us decides to run a little further. As I cross the line marking the 50 mile point, I'm worried to see that it took me only 9:20. My trail PR is 9:11, so I must be crazy. Calm down, Stan, this is more of a road course than a trail course. Oh, OK. Frank and I come into Mt. Top (mile 50.9) together and spend a few extra minutes with the three female volunteers. Up ahead we spot Ed Foley and it turns out that he's been running whenever Frank has caught up with him. The road at this point is open to the sun and it's 3pm, so we're moving kinda slow. However, I know it's runnable so I bid farewell to Frank and set my sights on Ed again. I catch up with him in a while and he tells me that he's having a low point. I tell him to hang in there, but I work on running until he's no longer in sight. I pass the point I scouted on Thursday that tells me it's all downhill and I take my GU and the last S! cap for this stretch. As I come into Edinburg Gap (mile 56.6) I make my only mistake of the race. As I pass Bob Boeder I see a familiar face that surprises me and I'm racking my brain to remember who it is. I remember to refill my bottles and grab a PBJ, but I forget to get my Ziploc bag out of the drop bag. The sheriff helps me cross the road and I'm climbing up the hill when I realize my mistake. OK, we can get by on the extra rock salt we still have in the fanny pack. Mike Morton! That was Mike Morton, the WS record holder. Sheesh! This internal conversation goes on as I climb the rutted and rocky ATV trail to the ridge. I don't remember it being so tough or long. At last I cross the ridge and can make a semblance of running. I see a lot of freshly displaced rocks and I wonder how the runners' toes held up. Peter's Mill Pond (mile 59.6) has fresh fruit and the volunteer tells me I'm in 17th place. No! About a mile further on I spot another runner, walking downhill. As I approach, I hear the unmistakable sound of a runner whose stomach ain't happy. I ask him if he needs salt or water and he passes on all but a peppermint candy. I tell him to hang in there and off I go again. It's a long stretch and I remember that it was nice to run with Peyton Robinson there last year. Arriving at Little Fort (mile 64.3), I run into a small logistical problem. I planned my drop bags for a slower pace and here I've left a flashlight, which I won't need for another three hours. I solve the problem by taking the flashlight belt (with spare batteries) and leaving the flashlight with the volunteers in case a runner needs it (and sure enough, someone did). Bob Boeder's there and tells me that Mike was going to pace Rebekah, so if I get to Elizabeth Furnace "soon", maybe Mike will pace me. Talk about motivation. If I could have run any faster, I would have. What a treat that would have been: paced by Mike Morton. However, I had a plan for the race and it wouldn't do any good to reach Mike and be unable to run, so I headed out slowly from the aid station and up the hill, running whenever I could. As I climbed, I remembered that last year the volunteers had been setting out the glow sticks when we passed. Arriving at Mudhole Gap (mile 69.5) I took a cup of chicken noodle soup, crossed the creek and headed down the trail. It was dark under the trees, even though it was still about 5:30. After the last creek crossing and the sharp left turn, I was on the jeep trail and one of the volunteers came running by to set up glow sticks on that section. I spotted the left turn onto the trail and started to finish off my Ziploc bag (yes, I'd remembered to get it at the last aid station). One more junction (where I hear some people got lost), then across the road and into Elizabeth Furnace (mile 75.0) by 6:45pm! No sign of Mike, but I passed the last weight check within a pound or so. Sunset wasn't for another two hours and it was still warm, but my next drop bag would be too late, so I switched to a long-sleeve Capilene top and put a flashlight in my holder. I stuck to Dave Scott's advice and did not sit down (not once during the race), but drank some more soup and grabbed a PBJ. Harvey Hull had caught me and he headed out with his "safety companion", Bob Boeder, following him, as required. I followed them, figuring that they'd pull ahead and stay ahead. It was cooler by the creek, but even with the sleeves rolled up, I was warm. I could hear Harvey and Bob ahead, as the trail went in and out of canyons, slowly climbing toward the ridge. It was interesting to see the trail that last year was only a series of glow sticks to me. I caught up with them as we slowly climbed the last steep section to Sherman's Gap. It's tough, but you're at the top within 90 minutes of leaving the aid station. Going down the other side was steep and slippery, since fallen leaves covered the rocks. I hung back and the two of them slowly pulled ahead. I spotted an orange glow stick and soon caught up with a volunteer who was walking back to the road, where the 613T aid station (mile 80.9) had food and drinks this year. Yay! It was about 8:45pm and getting very dark, but I caught up with Harvey and Bob walking along the road. We didn't need our flashlights for the road, but turned them on whenever a vehicle drive by. I arrived at the Veach East aid station (mile 82.8), had more soup, and gave Bill Ramsey a big surprise when he saw me: "What are you doing here NOW?" (or something to that effect). I can't say as I blame him, because he's a much better runner than I am, especially in 100s. He and his brother headed up the hill, while I talked to a volunteer about her Tevis Cup photo taken at Cougar Rock. Climbing the trail by flashlight, I spotted two lights ahead of me and saw that I was slowly gaining. It was Bill and his safety companion and I think my advantage was that I knew the course. They let me pass and I warned them abut the rocky section on the descent. At the top I stopped to pee (still OK) before the descent, then discovered that I could run pretty well downhill. The light was working, my legs felt good, the No-Doz was keeping me alert and the Vitesse kept me from worrying about the rocks. I think I covered that four mile stretch (two up, two down) in just over an hour. Veach West (mile 86.6) had a cozy fire going, but I was on my way home: no more trail sections, no major hills, and "only" 13 miles. I grabbed my Ziploc and a fresh flashlight, another PBJ and took off - I wanted to stay ahead of Bill for as long as possible. As I climbed to the road crossing, I remembered passing Alan Cohn there last year and hoping that he'd finish in time (he made it in 27:20). I found that running the hills at night was easier than during the day, because I couldn't see how steep or long the hill was and I'd just run until I felt the effort. I may have run more uphill at night than in the day! As I saw the light of the 770/758 aid station (mile 91.0) I finished off another Ziploc baggie. Refilled, refueled and restocked from my last drop bag, I headed up the hill. No other runners in sight since I'd passed Bill. In a few minutes I arrived at Mt. Top (mile 93.2), where RD Pat Botts was working. She said I was too clean, so I offered to drop on the ground and roll around, but she said it wasn't necessary. I refilled both bottles, since I'd planned that to be my last stop. Crossing the summit, I could see the lights of Woodstock in the distance. The road isn't too steep, but the switchbacks seem to go on forever. I ran for as long as I could, and as fast, taking a short walking break every 20 minutes or so (Eric Robinson's technique) even on the downhill. Soon I saw the gate and was on pavement again, crossing the bridge and seeing the fireflies in the fields. Two more hills and then I was heading down to Water St. (mile 97.4), where I thanked the volunteer as I ran past. Right on Court St., through the lights, left on Commerce (just before the RR tracks), up and over the tracks, down the hill, and then a long walk up the other side. At last, the fairgrounds! Through the gate, around the bleachers and track, and across the orange line in the dirt ... 21:23:59! When I was told my time, I couldn't believe it, or that I finished in 13th and was only three minutes behind the first woman. Oh, if only ... I waited around for a few minutes and got a great massage, then drove back to the hotel before I got cold. A quick shower and about four hours of sleep, then back to the finish line to see who'd finished and watch the last few cross the line. Then it was back to the hotel for the 9am awards brunch. It was a nice affair, with an all-you-can-eat buffet, followed by a short program. Mike called up each finisher, in reverse order, and they received a hat, a litho print by a local artist, and a silver buckle for those under 24 hours. Mike said it was in the low 90s with a dry breeze, so it was about 15 degrees warmer than last year, which might account for the higher DNF rate (36% vs. 25%). Once again, all the Grand Slam entrants managed to finish. MON, ETC. Most people took off on Sunday, but I stuck around and saw a movie before going to bed early. I left Woodstock early Monday, drove back to Baltimore and was home by dinner. I ran again on Wednesday and felt OK. If you can't tell, I like Old Dominion now much more than I liked it last year. Sure, a lot is due to my better time, but several of my suggestions from last year to the RD were addressed and I'm happy with the results. I still think Old Dominion is harder than Vermont, but I no longer will try to talk people out of running OD. Will I be back next year? Probably not, but only because there are so many other 100s to try (like Kettle Moraine). Thanks for sticking around to the end of this tale. I hope you enjoyed it or found it useful to your efforts at OD or elsewhere. Stan Financial disclaimer: I'm sponsored by Montrail, GU and Patagonia (but not UltraFit) so you can take references to their respective products with a grain of (rock) salt, but their products are working real well for me so far and for lots of other runners. -- Stan Jensen, P.O. Box 3426, Half Moon Bay, CA 94019-3426 http://www.Run100s.com/ mailto:StanJ@Run100s.com