Burning River 100 Mile Endurance Run

Leading up to the Race

The biggest reason I selected this race is because it is a Western States 100 qualifying race.  I have already qualified for the WS lottery the last 2 years and no luck so far.  The Burning River 100 will be my 3rd time entering the lottery which gives me a better chance of being selected.  Last year I ran in the Run Woodstock hundred mile race called the Hallucination 100 (race report here)....so I wanted to mix it up and see what Ohio had to offer!

My training going into the race was a little bit above average, my highest week in terms of mileage was just above 70.  I put in a ton of high quality miles but not necessarily a high quantity (Strava data here).  My main goal was literally just to finish this race.  

Friday afternoon I picked up my Bib #180 and headed to the hotel about 10 minutes away.  Shortly after I was able to see my wife, mother-in-law, and daughter Kinley before heading off to bed.  I felt pretty ridiculous calling the front desk and asking for a wake-up call for 1:30 am....hahah.  Time to try and get some sleep.

Race Day

1:30 am came fast as all three alarms went off....race day is finally here!  I grab my stuff, head downstairs and take some coffee to go (who knows how fresh of coffee that was?!) and drive to the finish line to take the provided shuttle bus up to the starting line.  There is quiet conversation and an ever growing buzz in the anticipation for the journey ahead.  My local running friend named, Scott VanLoo, just so happened to be on the same bus....we said hi and engaged in some small talk, little did we know we'd be running the first 20 plus miles together.

The bus comes to a halt and we all meander off the bus and walk up to the starting area at Squires Castle.  It's super dark and everyone is slowly walking around and sitting down with their headlamps on doing last minute thinking and gear adjustments.  With 5 minutes to go before the start of the race, the national anthem was performed by a solo lady singer...it was spectacular.  Imagine hundreds of people standing in an open grass area in the pitch dark next to a castle in the middle of Ohio listening in dead silence to the National Anthem.  I will never forget that moment just before the race where everything was calm yet electrifying with emotion and anticipation.

The race started at 4 am and I soon found myself running right behind my friend Scott.  I knew the race started out with a large stretch of road, so I wanted to get into a comfortable pace.  Scott and I were running at the same pace and it was nice being with someone who I was familiar with.  The first 20+ miles were actually very easy and refreshing.

Photo Credit: Pat Dooley's Race Photography
Oak Grove Aid Station early on in the race.

My crew consisted of my wife, mother-in-law, and 2 year old daughter.  Since Scott and I were running a little faster than expected, we actually missed them at the first aid station around mile 20.  Thank goodness I was able to use Scott's phone and give her a call to let them know where we were at.  I actually didn't end up seeing them until about mile 30 which was totally fine.  In these large races you have to break the race up into smaller sections in your head.  The first 31 miles were with Scott, the next 30ish I would be seeing my crew/family, and the last 35 miles would be with my pacer, Matt Shaver.

The trails and scenery of the Cuyahoga Valley National Park did not disappoint.  It was an extremely beautiful area of Ohio that I did not know existed.  Runner's World listed the park in a recent article of best national parks for running (link here --> Runner's World Article).  Fast forward to around mile 53, wow, the heat was really starting to take a toll on my overall well-being.  Running in low to mid 90s is absolutely ridiculous with humidity...but I tried to be smart about taking in lots of water and walking when necessary especially when in direct sunlight.       

Photo Credit: Jess Polnasek
Around mile 53

Miles 53-65 were the toughest and most grueling of the race.  There were a couple stretches of road where I was completely alone and it seemed like time was standing still.  It was endless and torturous and my will was being smashed into a million pieces.  Negative thoughts entered my mind like "I still have 35-40 miles left...that is at least another 10-14 hours...my body hates me...I haven't been able to eat anything in like 4 hours"...etc.  I was having a giant pity party and I knew better but just could not help it.  I finally rolled into the aid station at 65 miles in a very emotional state.  It took everything I had to not completely lose it and start crying.  It was a huge boost having my pacer, Matt, join me at this point of the race.  This was the last time I would see my crew/family until the finish so I made sure to express my gratitude for their unbelievable help.

The next and last 35 miles were just plain hard.  The terrain had become more technical and difficult and the sun was starting to set.  Mission Get to the Finish Line, was in effect by any means necessary.  I was no longer thriving in this situation but more like surviving.  At night time, things get freaky especially when you have been running all day.  I highly suggest running during the night at some point if you haven't done so already.  It is unbelievably refreshing and allows you to be put in a totally different atmosphere.  Matt and I were cracking up at the fact that we were just 2 dudes pulling an all nighter by running through the woods.  Around mile 80 we couldn't help but laugh about the fact that we were running alongside a giant cornfield....why are we doing this again?!  

The miles were blending together and our objective was to make it to the next aid station.  I was having a lot of difficulty eating and drinking, if I did eat my stomach felt nauseous and if I didn't eat then I became light headed and dizzy and drinking anything was unbearable.  The last 3 hours of the race I ate absolutely nothing and took tiny sips of water....I was literally using my body fat as energy.  Fast forward to mile 90, somewhere in between 3 and 4 am.  We would pick out a light post or the end of a fence or a tree and try to "run" to it.  It was so painful and excruciating to run but we tried to fit it in as much as possible.  The sleep deprivation was having an effect as we were hallucinating pretty bad all the way up until the last quarter mile or so.  Interesting how the mind perceives things when you're not in a normal state.  The last 2 or 3 miles were almost all uphill but no worries because I was about to finish my second 100 mile race!  We were in the downtown area and took a final turn and there was the last stretch to the finish.  I had no desire to run at all across the finish line so I held my daughter and we finished together.  It was a huge relief and I took great comfort in knowing that I had finished, SUCCESS!

Thanks for reading, stay tuned for my next race in early September at the Run Woodstock races in Pinckney, MI.   
 

Exhausted and thrilled to be done
Photo Credit: Jess Polnasek 

Matt and I....what an amazing friend
Photo Credit: Jess Polnasek

My sleepy daughter and I at the finish.
Photo Credit: Jess Polnasek

Equipment used during the Race

-Injinji Socks
-Hoka One One Clifton Shoes 
-Under Armour Shorts
-North Face Flight Series Hat
-SPI belt
-Amphipod 12 oz bottle
-Nathan handheld 16 oz bottle
-Original Buff
-Body Glide

Nutrition

-GU, Powerbar, and Huma gels
-Clif Bars
-Nuun Hyrdation Tablets

Yankee Springs Double Marathon

The Yankee Springs Trail Weekend is organized by Switchback Endurance.  The race directors, Kim and Phil do an amazing job.  The race series consists of 3 days worth of races.  Running the 52.4 miler was enough for me, maybe next year I'll try for all 3 days of racing!  The  morning of the race my Dad met me at my house in Battle Creek around 4:15am and we drove up to Yankee Springs recreation area near Middleville, MI which is only about 45 mins away.  We pulled in, walked over to the main cabin and checked in to get the race bib.  I quickly suited up and headed over to the infamous starting area, a volleyball pit.

In a nonchalant manner, Kim counted down "3, 2, 1", and we were off.  About 40 people started the race with only 20 finishers.  I immediately centered myself about 6 or 7 back from the front.  The start of a race is always challenging to get into the "correct" pace.  My basic rule for the day was to try and stay below anaerobic threshold, a.k.a. no super heavy breathing or elevated heart rate.  I only recall 3 times where I had to really tone it down and walk.  Other than that the effort was steady and consistent.  The course requires 4 loops of 13.1 miles each.  The trails at Yankee Springs are spectacular...with lots of varying scenery.  As I came around a corner, a giant turtle was literally taking up the entire trail.  Interesting how seeing an animal on the trail sort of wakes you up and energizes you...not sure why.  For about 50% of the race I was able to run with a couple of different people which I'm always grateful for.

The entire morning and day was SUPER humid.  Bugs were literally flying into me and sticking.  The only issues I had during the race was a couple minutes here and there of dizziness, which I have never experienced.  I think it had something to do with the humidity and that I was somewhat dehydrated.  Fast forward to the last loop, "the farewell tour"!  I was in 3rd place but knew another person wasn't too far behind.  I started having a pity party and walking a lot more than I had the previous 39 miles....I needed a jolt to get me going.  I stopped to try and pee and I saw the guy who was behind me on one of the switchbacks.  That was exactly what I needed, I immediately focused and got on track.  Sometimes it's motivating to have someone chasing you down.

All in all, I ended up finishing in 3rd place with a time of 9 hours 39 mins 57 seconds.  A 40 minute improvement from 2 years ago!  There were literally a small handful of people and my Dad with the video camera at the finish.  No stadium full of fans or people lined up to cheer, which is fine by me.  I run these races to challenge myself both physically and mentally.  My mantra during this race was put on the "HARD HAT" and "GO TO WORK", that blue collar mentality.  It is as simple as that, to pin your ears back and just get it done.  Negative thoughts and feelings have to be set aside.  Stay positive and focus on what really matters.  Get outside and run!

Gear List
Power Bar Gels
Clif Bars
Injinji Socks
SPI belt
Amphipod 12 oz bottle
UA hat
Nike shorts
Nuun electrolyte tablets

Kal-Haven Trail Race

Kal-Haven Trail Race 4/11/15

Race basics 

The race is point to point from the city of Kalamazoo to South Haven on the Kal-Haven Trail.  The past 2 years I have participated in this race as a 2-person relay team.  This year my friend and I both decided to run the whole thing because he wanted to do his first ultra.  The course consists of 33.5 flat and straight trail miles with nicely groomed limestone as the surface.



Leading up to the event

Over the long winter months in Michigan, this race was used as my motivation to run in the snow and incorporate cross training activities like yoga and cross country skiing.  These activities helped develop a strong fitness base which directly improved my running.  During the last month or so of training I was consistently running under 8 minutes per mile on purpose.  I focused more directly towards high quality and faster miles.

Start of a beautiful day

The Race Itself

I was a little worried about the trail being muddy and icy like it had been in years past, but since they moved the date a couple weeks later the trail was perfect.  My most important goal for this race was to run it under 4 hrs and 30 mins...which is essentially 8 minute miles.  I felt like it was attainable but I would have to work pretty hard to get it.

The race started off and I positioned myself about 15 people back from the very front.  In the start of a race, it is soooo important to contain your adrenaline and calm yourself down.  I've seen so many people go out way too hard and pay dearly for it in the second half of a race.  Within the first 3 minutes I was running at the exact same pace as another runner....we got to talking and had the same exact goal in place.  In my mind I thought there was no way we would stay together, but for now we were running a little bit below 8 min/m pace.  The miles clicked off and we stayed together.  This race has tons of water stops and I'm always amazed at the LURE of the aid station....people love wasting time at them!  If I absolutely have to stop, I try and get exactly what I need and get in and out in a matter of seconds.  Throughout the race, I only stopped twice for a water refill, totaling in less than 20 seconds lost at aid stations.

Photo Credit Mike Peterson

The entire rest of the time was spent running, no walking breaks.  Around mile 20 we were right on target for a time of 4:26....we were even impressed at the 26.2 mark that we were sub 3:30.  During the last 7 miles, we were pretty committed to staying with each other and both of us knew if we were to fall behind, there would be no catching up.  We helped each other break up the monotony of the straight and flat nature of this course by engaging in conversation.

At around mile 30 we were still at 4:26 pace for the 33.5 miles.  My Dad greeted us on the trail and I thought to myself "yes, we must be getting close now".  Little did we know, we had another half mile to go.  Charles and I didn't even look at each other as we picked up the pace simultaneously.  Time to really put in the best effort and get after it.  The 4 minutes of cushion from our goal was shrinking by the second.  The time kept clicking by and I felt my goal slipping away with no sight of the finish line....then finally the short uphill by the finish line appeared and we sprinted uphill past the finish line.  We had no idea if we made it under 4:30...we knew it was really really close.  I was happy to be finished and happy to see my wife, daughter, dad, and mother in-law at the end of the race.  About 5 minutes later the scoresheet was posted, and I about fell to the ground laughing.

The official time read....4:29:59.9.  HA, what a way to reach my goal!

Photo Credit Mike Peterson

Equipment used and worn

Photo Credit Mike Peterson

Oakley Split Jacket Glasses
Under Armour hat, shirt, and shorts
Nike Terra Kiger Trail shoes
Nuun electrolyte tablets
Power Bar gels
SPIbelt
Injinji socks

My Dad and I after the finish

Bad Apple Ultra 6 Hour Event

Photo Credit : Endless Expressions Photography

The last race of 2014 was at the Klackle Orchards called the Bad Apple Ultra.  For this event you have the option of a 3, 6, or 12 hour running time.  With this being my first timed event and considering I was a groomsmen in a wedding the night before, I decided to go for the 6 hour especially since it didn't begin until noon.

The course is a 4 mile loop through the apple orchard and some single track trail.  Aid stations were every 2 miles.  Having the option of water/food every 2 miles = awesome.  I decided to carry a 12 oz bottle that I was able to tuck into my waistband of shorts.  It isn't ideal to have a hydration vest or even a 20 oz handheld in my opinion with aid stations so close by.  I like to be as minimal and efficient as possible.

It was a beautiful day, upper 50s and sunny is ideal for running!  It was windy at times depending on which direction you were facing, but better than rain/mud.  When the race began, 2 guys went out pretty fast, there's no way I was going to run sub 8 minute miles.  I stayed with a group of 3 people for the first 2 loops.  I was running at exactly 9 minute mile average at the 20 mile mark.  In order for me to get to the finish in 5:59:59 I had to run what's called a negative split for the last 20 miles in order to finish 44 miles.  As long as you reach the start/finish before the 6 hr cutoff, you are allowed to run a "bonus lap".  I knew I was in 2nd place so I didn't want to jeopardize the race trying to get to 44 miles. My new goal was 40 miles and 2nd place.  I had done some research and the guy in 1st had finished 2nd at the Hallucination 100 miler so it would have been foolish to push harder.

Ended up running 40 miles in 6 hrs and 23 mins.  It was a nice, low key race that I thoroughly enjoyed.  I would hopefully like to do this one again.

Bad Apple Ultra