Vermont 100K Part 2

Race morning, I woke up around 6 because the 100K racers didn't leave until 9AM. I ate a leisurly breakfast of coffee, orange juice, a banana and a locally-made blueberry-oatmeal bar. Yum! I drove out to the race site early and just hung out and talked to people for a bit. I met the two other people from Texas, an awesome couple from Nacadoches who planned on running the whole way together. Anyone who has raced an ultra before knows that putting up with another person beside you can be more difficult than actually running! LOL. Somewhere along the way, we runners turn into foaming neanderthals who forget all social rules and are reduced to communicating by either grunting or yelling. I would say that I've seen it all...but pretty sure I haven't. Watching the interaction between depleted, exhausted runner and his innocent crew is so funny sometimes, especially 'cause you know how the runner is feeling. Hahahahaha I'm cracking up right now, just thinking of some of the stuff I saw!!!

Anyway, we started off at 9, and boy those first two miles provided a not-so-pleasant glimpse into what the course would be like. I hadn't really appreciated the fact that the course has a total elevation gain of 11,000 ft. Yipes! There is running 62 miles, and then there is running a HILLY 62 miles..

The field spread out quickly, and I ended up running in 3rd for the first 32 miles. It was a beautiful course, hilly but oh so scenic! Sometimes, as I crested a hill and looked down into the valleys I felt like I had a semi-IMAX view. It was incredible! The aid stations had absolutely everything one can think of, but I stuck with gingerale and orange slices for the first half. Just enough to provide energy but not too much to upset my stomach. It was wayyy hotter than I'd thought it would be, in fact this race experienced record temps! Almost got into the 90s, uggh. Running literally ALL day in this wasn't too easy, but it's all good. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger!

Then, around mile 32...what every ultrarunner dreads happened to me. I got lost. I was running alongside another girl, when we got confused by two sets of arrows, pointing two different directions. Apparently one set was for the 100-milers and the other for the 100K-ers. There was supposed to be a volunteer there to direct people the right way, but apparently the volunteer didn't get there until the first 10 or so people ran by. We ended up running the wrong way for 6 miles, until we reached an aid station where the volunteers informed us that we weren't supposed to be there! We consulted one of those insanely confusing course maps and eventually discovered where we'd gotten off. So back I went...the other girl decided to drop out. I don't blame her - it is incredibly tough on the mind to run all those extra miles, with so much more to run after that! After getting back on course, I still had 30 more miles to run...that moment was one of the toughest of the race. Already tired, sore, behind by an hour and I'm not gonna lie...the mere though of running 30 miles isn't easy, ever! But I knew that I would never forgive myself for dropping out so on I ran!

The next several miles passed by in a blur. Unfortunately getting lost went to my head, and I was fighting the demons for what seemed like forever. Running through the forest, I was not too happy to discover that several of the signs directing the course had been blown down in a windstorm the night before...you didn't know you were off course until the lack of "confidence markers" that were usually placed every few tenths of a mile dissapeared. And if you're not paying attention, then you don't notice the lack of markers for a while... Oh boy. I ended up getting off course twice more. By that time, I just wanted to get to the damn finish. I was so depressed, upset, you name it, I felt it. I was still running by myself, 'cause I was passing almost everyone I met, 'cause most of them were the slightly slower runners who hadn't gotten lost 'cause had pacers who knew the course! It took me a while to snap out of it.

But I did, thanks to my awesome boyfriend. Kiplimo Chemirmir, you don't even know but I had got "hakuna matata" stuck in my head around mile 45! It definitely perked me up...reminded me that IT DOESN'T MATTER what pace I'm going, what time I'll finish in, there is no such thing as a professional ultrarunner(not really), no money involved, it's juts all about doing your best and having fun. Isn't that why we all get addicted to running anyway? I started to smile, and even picked up my pace :)

Around 9PM it started to get dark (yes, it was taking me this long) and I put on my headlamp. I was afraid that it would make the horses around me skittish, but nope! They were awesome. Around mile 50 I met up with that guy from Argentina and another man, George who was being paced by his wife. Talk about moral support...we didn't talk much, just ran and enjoyed the company near the end of a long day. At the last med station, I found I'd dropped 7 lbs thanks to dehydration, and was warned to take in more fluids, yadda yadda ya. I'd been eating solid food like pb&j and fig newtons for the past 20 miles, which was sitting nicely, much to my surprise. At the last aid station I had some chicken broth and WOW! wish I'd been drinking that earlier, it was the best thing I've ever ingested during an ultra. Gave me tons of energy and sat perfectly. The last 5 miles I ran by myself, Argentina and George moved ahead and I truged toward the finish. The 70+ miles was weighing on me now, I was barely in shape for 62 and my legs were screaming at me now. Yowch! Everything was coming down on me, and it was all I could do to drag myself along. I had to stay on my toes 'cause the cutoff for the horse races was coming to a close, and there were horses galloping by me in a desperate attempt to make it to the finish on time! The last mile was pretty sweet...seeing the finish line after all those long hours nearly brought tears to my eyes. And of course there was one last mini-hill to climb before I reached the finish, but it didn't matter. I was done!

And I couldn't walk. Literally, I was limping like both my legs were broken, just trying to hobble to the med tent and the FOOD! I hadn't eaten nearly enough during the race 'cause I was afraid of upsetting my stomach in the heat, and now I was famished! First time for that after a race, usually I'm just too tired to eat. There was rice pudding, chicken broth, hot chocolate, and much more. And ginger chews, thank God for that beautiful person who thought to bring those. Soooo nice on the stomach :)

After eating and catching a short nap on one of the cots provided by the awesome local hospital, I sadly gathered my things and headed back to my hotel. I had three hours to get back to the hotel, shower, pack, and drive the 90 minutes back to the airport to catch my flight. That was my only big regret for the weekend, that I didn't get to stay around and chat with the other runners and the volunteers. The people are what makes the ultrarunning too incredible for words :)It's just the best feeling after a race, hurting sooo bad (I'm one of the nuts who actually likes that feeling), and hearing the stories of the other runners. I LOVE that!!!

I definitely want to race this one again...there are so many other races out there, but there's just something about the Vermont 100K...the people are incredible, the course is beautiful, it has everything! I will be back :D But for now, recovery is pretty much over, and I'm psyched for the epic triathlon training this weekend - I'm about to leave for a 16,000 meter swim, then I have a 150 mile ride on Friday, and 30 miles running Saturday! Send prayers my way...my legs will probably rebel somewhere in there but thanks to Vermont I know that I can handle any amount of pain :D