Bandera 100k Race Report

Going into Bandera I was worried about how I would do since I felt my actual training and long runs weren't as frequent as I was hoping they would be. I got sick and was fighting the tail end of a cold and hadn't done a long distance run since my marathon on December 3rd. I was hoping the mountain runs and hill repeats I was doing would help me on this course.

I was really excited to get on the course and see what it looked like first hand. I had heard there were lots of steep hills and beautiful views. It had been a while since my last long run and I was also looking forward to that feeling you get only when you've run long and far. I wanted the feeling where your body feels like it has really done something. Your legs start to feel a little fatigued, your stomach feels like you have done a ton of situps and your lungs feel the start of a slight burn. For me, it's the best feeling in the world!

At the start I saw Katie, who first told me about the race and came all the way from Michigan to run. We chatted at the start while trying to ignore my crazy paparazzi picture-taking husband. Looking around we could see some nice hills and wondered again what the course would look like.

Finally, the start came and the run started. In total 220 people were signed up for the 100k but there was also a 50k and 25k starting at the same time. I wondered how congested the trails would be but I was pleasantly surprised at how smoothly everything went. The other races didn't start in the same spot and although there was some waiting at the beginning it cleared out much faster than I thought it would.

The race start: The second guy in red won the race. We saw him win while we headed out for our second loop.

The beginning of the race had some great hills, climbs and views. I was happy to slow down just to enjoy the views around me. As always, I wish I had brought a camera with me but I still cannot get used to carrying a pack on my back. One of these days I'll figure out an easier way to carry a camera or phone with me.

Katie and I at the start. Go purple!

The first 5 miles seemed to fly by. I heard music up ahead and I came up on the first aid station. I was determined I was going to make sure I ate enough food at the aid stations and throughout the race. At Javalina that was one of my big mistakes. Since I don't eat gluten I made sure this time I prepared more foods to eat. Jason was meeting me at the aid stations so I looked around for him but didn't see him. I was guessing it wasn't crew accessible so I ate from the aid table. I had a gel, chips and nuts and kept going.

During this section the crowd had thinned down dramatically but there were still runners around me. I heard loud breathing at one point and thought it was the girl behind me until she passed by quietly breathing. To my shock, I realized it was me breathing so loudly. What an odd feeling to realize it was you and not be aware of it. I was still on the tail end of recovering from my cold and the dust from the trail must have bothered me more than I thought. I had a hard time breathing from my nose due to congestion so the dust must have settled in. It wasn't hurting me but it was an odd feeling.

On this section I was behind three other runners Bob, Karrie and Mark. Mark looked like my friend John and I kept forgetting what his actual name was after I associated him with John. I hate when I do that!

Bob was an ultra veteran. He was at the front of the line so I didn't hear much about his running history. Karrie was running her first 100k as well as John...damnit! I mean Mark :) Mark's previous longest run was 17 miles. He wanted to challenge himself and signed up for the 100k.

At some point, Bob ran ahead and it was just the three of us. It was really enjoyable running with other people and sharing our stories. I love the people that I meet on the trails and it's one of the reasons I love running these races. I love hearing other peoples experiences and personal stories.

Karrie, me, Mark and Cory (a fellow barefoot runner we met on the course)

Just before the next aid station I saw my paparazzi husband taking pictures. It's always a boost for me to see Jason at any race. He snapped a few more pictures then it was my turn to play diva runner so I shouted out my demands :) Okay, maybe I was nice but I was certainly taking advantage of having him at my full disposal and put him to work.

I demand my food!

I was trying out new race foods and ate two corn tortillas with hummus. They weren't as good as when they're warm but I was still able to easily eat them. I was also trying rice bread with peanut butter for the first time and also ate one sandwich. It was still early so I didn't need much.

I was enjoying running with Karrie and hoping I wasn't slowing her down too much so we could continue running together. We lost Mark at this point and thought we would catch him later on the trail. I saw Karrie and asked if she wanted to run together. We were both unsure of how to pace ourselves. I didn't want to go out too fast knowing the course was challenging with hills and rocks. Those rocks would become my enemy later on.

Karrie went in front, we walked the hills and ran the flat spots. I was secretly worried I was holding her back but was happy for the company. The next 10 miles was pretty magical. The sun was out, the trail was gorgeous and I had great running company.

The reason I love hearing people's stories on the trail is because they are so inspiring. Karrie and I talked about all kinds of topics. We shared slot of personal stories and all I can say is she is an amazing lady that I was fortunate to run with. Sometimes I'm a little overwhelmed at how lucky I am to be able to run in such amazing races and the ability to travel and have such wonderful adventures. I know there was a lot of work that was done to get to that point but I'm still grateful for everything I have.

The next aid station was called Crossroads and we would go there twice. We were getting into the full heat of the day. I would prefer heat any day over cold but it made some spots of the course a little more challenging.

Running into Crossroads aid station

When we got into Crossroads the second time Jason was there making sure I ate enough. The food choices were working out great. I was also using Heed as my drink of choice and I was feeling great! There was one more aid station until we got to the start finish...two 50k loops total. At the start/finish I would be picking up Jason as a pacer.

Running into Crossroad the second time.

Showing off my tat with plenty of sunscreen

I was still running with Karrie and feeling good. The section from Crossroads to the next aid station Last Chance was a bit of a surprise for us. We were told the last 5 miles was challenging so we expected this section to be a bit easier. Instead it had one of the steepest climbs in the middle. Some people were stopping to catch their breath before they got to the top. We made it up but it was definitely challenging.

If we thought going up was difficult, going down was crazy. It was a steep incline filled with tiny rocks that worked as roller skates if you hit them just right. Somehow we managed not to fall down during this section which is a feat for my clumsy self. We did wonder how this was going to feel on our second loop in the dark.

We made it to Last Chance which was 26 miles into the race. Karrie had told me about the infamous Olga. She is known for her 'tell it like it is' personality and expertise in handling any problem you might encounter on the trail. While we were there she was helping out someone who had nausea and this is where we finally ran into Mark again who wasn't looking so good. He was at a distance PR but in rough shape.

Olga saw him and said "I don't know you but you look like shit!" You need to get some salt and fluids in you. You're going to take these s-caps, drink some water and sit here for 10 minutes. Then you're going to go back out there!"

We were with Mark for this 5 mile stretch to the start/finish. He told us he was feeling really rough and didn't know if he was going to make it back out for the second loop. We encouraged him to eat more, rest a bit, soak his feet in ice and get back out there. He had pacers that would run with him so we were hoping he would take our advice. I may or may not have told him I would kick his ass if he didn't get back out there.

The last 5 miles was my low point of the race. It was hot, I was thirsty and starting to feel those ultra legs setting in. Up until this point I was feeling really great and this is the first time a sliver of doubt snuck into my train of thoughts. Knowing the toughness of the course and the rocks that were pounding into my feet I wasn't sure of my abilities. I didn't voice any of these concerns but they were there.

All of these thoughts evaporated when I saw Jason just before the start/finish. Seeing him in his sexy BI3's ready to run was all I needed to boost my spirits. I ran into the aid station, changed clothes, refueled, hit up the porta-potty and me, Jason and Karrie headed back out for the second loop.

I was excited for Jason to see the course before it got dark. We were able to see the the first 5 miles before the sun set and I was happy he got to see the views. I knew he would enjoy the hills and climbs.

We settled into a good groove. Jason first, then Karrie and me behind. We would walk the hills and when Jason started to run we would both follow. We were good little runners. Although I did tell Karrie that Jason was probably very thankful she was there. I was less likely to whine about anything in the presence of someone else. He didn't deny that :)

I had been joking during the day that the hills were great for the ass because they are great for toning and lifting that area. I told Karrie we were going to wake up with 19 year old asses the next morning because there were so many hills.

We were seeing some of the same runners at this point and were leap frogging each other. It's like a REALLY long game of tag. At the second aid station I saw Katie again. She was kicking ass on this course. She claims she's slow but she's being very humble!

It was dark at this point and I was loving the quiet darkness of the trail. I LOVE night running. I always worried that I would be tired because I'm a bit like a senior citizen. I like going to bed early and getting up in the morning. But I didn't feel tired at all, just the exhilaration of being on the trail.

At around mile 42 I was scared of voicing this but I was feeling great! I told Karrie "I hate to jinx myself but I can't believe how good I feel and how strong I'm running at this point". I had not felt that good during my 50 miler in September. I was on a total running high and actually felt just as good as I did during the first loop. I have heard of this happening to others but I didn't believe I would ever feel it myself. This is going to be an addictive feeling I know!

We ran into Crossroads feeling hungry. I knew I had to eat more but was starting to fight it. I knew it was gong to be important to eat even if I didn't feel like it. Luckily, the aid stations gods were looking out for me and the best tasting mashed potatoes I have ever had the pleasure of eating were waiting there for me. I ate two cupfuls, a sandwich and some coke. Off and on, my stomach was feeling a little acidic and I was lucky that Karrie was carrying some with her and sharing with me. They helped settle my stomach.We were planning on staying there for a bit to eat and let the food settle but I was feeling restless and wanted to head back out. I wanted to take advantage of the feelings I was having and keep moving.

Again, I was still feeling so good and surprised at how well I was running. We settled into our running groove and made it back to Crossroads again. I was hoping for more of those magical mashed potatoes but had to settle for potato soup which was good but didn't produce the same magical taste of rainbows in my mouth :)

Feeling good at mile 52!

Only one more aid station until the finish! We knew this was going to be a difficult stretch because of the huge hill and climb back down. We had been telling Jason about this hills for many miles and told him it was going to be tough but a funny thing happened. We kept waiting for the hill and when we finally got to it when we got to the top we both (Karrie and I) had the same reaction. "Huh, that wasn't so bad". How was it possible that the giant hill felt so easy the second time around? The only conclusion I had was it was easier when it wasn't in the full heat of the day and I guess we just needed 53 miles to stretch out our legs.

We made it to the Last Chance aid station and I knew I had to eat. I was out of tortillas and sandwiches so I ate chips, a gel and some coke. The aid station workers were very entertaining. They had tequila available if you were so inclined. I've never been a tequila girl so I passed.

I knew the last 5 miles were going to be tough. My feet felt beat up and I this part was going to be very rocky with lots of hills. We were still walking the hills and running the flat spots until the last 3 miles. I know Jason and Karrie could have run more during this time but I was really feeling it on the bottom of my feet. While I probably could have mustered up the energy to run a little it felt better to walk and avoid the rocks. I was getting clumsy and rolling the rocks over with my feet and the frustration of that made it easier for me to walk.

I asked Karrie to let me know when we had 3 miles left, then 2, then 1. We were going to finish and finish strong! We were looking for a house at the end that would signal we had a quarter mile left. Our plan was to run it in at that point for the finish.

When we started running I told Karrie I was so thankful to be able to run so much of this race with her. She lifted my spirits and made the race so enjoyable. I don't think I would have run it as well without her. She was my running angel!

We saw the finish line, heard cheering and ran it in where we received our belt buckles. I'm still in a little disbelief that I felt so good during this race despite the toughness of the course. It confirmed what I had previously thought that I like more technical trails and like the varying terrain. I think it's easier for my body to handle the constant change up of the course and mentally I love it!

Belt buckles!

We proudly took pictures of our buckles at the end. This is by far the best race I have had so far. Thank you Jason & Karrie for making it such a wonderful experience!

Javalina Recap!

As all of our adventures begin, there is usually some shenanigans the night before the actual race and this did not disappoint. The day before running Javalina Jundred we picked up Jesse at the airport and headed out towards packet pickup.

Start/Finish line

I was a bundle of nerves and excited to see the start of the race and get my packet. P.F. Chang's brought a catered dinner to eat at packet pickup...yum! Heading through the line I opted for brown rice and cashew chicken but then spotted the rice noodles. I love rice noodles so I asked for a scoop of them as well while secretly hoping to get two scoops. There was that awkward moment of holding my plate up waiting for the scoop before realizing there wouldn't be another. Yes, I like to eat!

Seeing the start/finish was really cool. It had a very laid back, fun vibe to it. After we ate, we headed back to the hotel. Originally, I thought we would be camping near the start/finish but as we found out in Arizona we did not meet the standard age requirement needed to stay at most RV parks. We were neither 55 and had small children. Who knew we would have such a hard time finding a park that accepted 55 and below! Since we were over an hour away we opted to get a hotel closer to the start/finish.

On the way back to the hotel we all decided we were still hungry and made a quick stop to El Pollo Loco. Talk about delicious fast Mexican food. I got a rice bowl while Jason and Jesse ate tacos and burritos.

Back at the hotel, we met up with another minimalist shoe runner, Buzz. He lives in the area and has talked via the Internet with Jason and Jesse. We were still waiting for the last crew member, Jon to arrive who was driving in from San Diego.

Around 10 pm I opted for bed while the guys stayed up talking, drinking and waiting for Jon. The next portion of this report was retold to me by Jesse Scott and while I certainly wished I was up for the events, hearing Jesse retell it had me laughing until I cried.

Scene - Jesse and Jason sitting in chairs with the hotel shades open. The room was set on the first floor where you could see the pool and hot tub. The shades were open so they could easily spot Jon. Time: 10:30ish

There's a knock on the door and Jason gets up to open it. He didn't see Jon from the window but he assumes he just missed him.

Jesse sees a young woman knocking but does nothing to stop Jason from opening the door.

Jason opens the door a little surprised. The young lady says "I saw you guys creeping on us through the window"

Jason blinks rapidly and stutters "Ummmm...uuuuhhhh......no, we were waiting for our friend to show up"

The young girls says "We wanted to know if you guys were 20 friendly."

Jason - "Ummmmmm.......uuuhhhh.........ummmm." and is in a state of confusion.

Meanwhile Jesse is giggling in his chair knowing what she's talking about but making no attempt to fill in the blanks for Jason.

The young girls says again "So, are you guys 20 friendly?"

More rapid blinking and stammering from Jason while realization sets in as to what she's asking for: marijuana.

Jason "Ummmm...no. we don't have any"

Young girl "What about your friend. When he shows up will he be 20 friendly?"

Jason: "Not that we have anything against it but no, we don't have any."

Eventually the young girl realizes they really aren't 20 friendly and leaves. Jon eventually shows up and they stay up until 2 a.m. drinking.

My alarm went off at 3:30 a.m. and I get ready. We're out the door by 4 to head to the start. The race started at 6:00 a.m. with a shuttle to the start so we wanted to make sure we had plenty of time and we did.

Ready at the hotel

There were many people dressed up in costume. I was trying to work a Catholic school girl look. There was a man in a full toilet costume which was hilarious but must have been hot as hell later on the course. Below, are some pictures of people in costumes.

Catra!

The start seemed really surreal for me. It felt like I was watching someone else get ready to run. I was still trying to wrap my head around 100 miles but I was going in with total excitement.

Jesse and I trying to stay warm at the start

Jon's experiment with boiling water. It boiled over and almost gave him third degree burns

I'm ready!

The guy in the silver had a toilet on his front - hilarious!

I started out with a jacket, gloves and my headlamp since it was still chilly and dark. The first stretch of the course was pretty congested so I walked until it thinned out. I wasn't sure how to pace myself given the distance to be covered.

The first loop (which was just shy of 16 miles) felt great. I chatted with several runners, was full of smiles and surrounded by beautiful mountains, cactus, a full moon, some blue sky and puffy clouds. After each aid station I was running on a sugar fueled high.

I spotted someone wearing huaraches and asked him how they were holding up on the course. It turned out to be Leif who Jason has known for several years. It was great talking about running and kids with him. He also has 3 around the same ages as ours. I have a theory going that the second child in the family is quite stubborn. He only confirmed my theory :)

Leif and I after Loop 1

At the end of loop 1 I got to see Jesse and Jason. Jon was catching up on his sleep. I was fueling on GU, salted potatoes and chips. For hydration I was using HEED but only had access to it in my drop bag and at the start. I was filling up with water at the other two aid stations.

I headed back out for loop 2 and chatted again for a little while with Leif but he eventually ran ahead. Loop 2 got really toasty. The sun was out making things very warm. I had already taken off my jacket and had only one long sleeve white shirt. I like the heat though and never felt like it was too hot but I did think about grabbing an extra hand held to keep hydrated at the end of the second loop.

I met more great runners and chatted at various times during this loop. Towards the end of loop 2 I was feeling stiff and that ultra ache was setting in. The last aid station before the start/finish was 2 miles away. I quickly drained the refilled water bottle due to the heat.

At the end of Loop 2

At the end of the second loop I was feeling really hungry. I didn't eat as much as I probably should have (of course this is hindsight talking too). While potatoes and GU were working I was thinking I should get something more substantial.

Sadly, I don't think I refueled properly, again hindsight but I headed out for the third loop. This was the beginning of the end for me.

I ran for a bit then started to walk. My legs were so tight. I thought it was a hydration issue so I again quickly drained my water bottle before the first aid station at 2 miles. At that aid station I ate more potatoes which were losing their appeal for me. They felt gummy and had a strange after taste so I ate a GU instead.

This is where things quickly took a nose dive. The next aid station was 6 miles away and during the previous 2 loops it felt like one of the longest stretches of the course. It was more difficult and the most technical part of the loop so maybe that's why it felt longer. During the previous two stretches I loved that section. This time it became my enemy.

A sweet older gentleman saw me struggling and asked how I was doing. I told him "Not well. I feel nauseous and dizzy." He told me "Don't worry, it will get better."

At this point self doubt was creeping in. Could I do this? Am I mentally and physically strong enough? Maybe I'm just not a good runner.

Many people passed me at this point and all were beyond nice. I had drained my water bottle and continued to feel nauseous. I had visions of dropping at the next aid station but continued to hobble on.

When I finally got there I seriously contemplated dropping. If not for the fact that I would have to ask someone to bring me back to the start/finish line I think I would have. Instead I picked up my jacket. It was starting to get cold again and my flashlight and headlamp because it would be reaching sunset soon.

Beautiful sunset

I grabbed some chicken broth because it sounded good, ate a Rice Krispie treat and maybe a GU. Things got fuzzy at this point and I was not thinking clearly.

I had one more aid station to go until I saw my crew again. I continued on and was only walking at this point.

It was during this stretch I knew I would be dropping at the start/finish line. I was in a dark, dark place. Self doubt and my ability to dig deep and get myself out of this low was gone. My body ached, my feet were swollen and I could not get myself from a hobble into any sort of a shuffle or a run.

My running armor was slowly being peeled away. It didn't matter what my 5k PR was, it didn't matter that I felt great at the end of my 50k three weeks ago and it didn't matter that I had completed a 50 miler (actually 54 because I went off course). I was feeling raw and exposed. And while I've felt this way before and managed to get through it I was not able to do it this time.

I made it to the next aid station and filled up on hot cocoa, potatoes (blah!) and a GU. I refilled my empty water bottle and turned on my flashlight and headed towards the end.

My only reason for going on was so I could stop. I knew Jason and the rest of the crew would try and talk me out of quitting and I was mentally preparing what I would say to them. During this last stretch there were tears shed knowing I wouldn't be completing my goal today. There were tears shed because I didn't feel I could go on. There were tears shed because I was worry I would be disappointing my crew.

Finally, I got to the finish and my crew was reading to refill my water bottle, get me food and any other aid I might need. Jason asked how I was doing and I had a muffled "Not good" answer. I told him let me sit down and we would talk.

In my crew's defense they tried to talk me into continuing on but I knew there was nothing they could say to make me change my mind. Sometimes my stubbornness works for me and sometimes against. This was the latter.

I sadly walked to the aid station and told them I was dropping. I could have opted to continue on for one more loop and finish as a 100k finisher but I didn't want to continue on if I wasn't going to be able to finish the complete distance.

Many thoughts filled my head that night. I wasn't disappointed or beating myself up because I didn't finish. I wondered if I had it in me to finish 100 miles. Was I missing something that others had? Was I not tough enough?

This is where having a great crew and awesome husband who has run several 100 mile races was the best! That night and the next day we rehashed what had happened to me out on the course. The day I dropped I didn't know if I wanted to tackle another 100 miler, the next day it was clear I did.

This is what I learned from my experience:

* I did not eat enough. I needed many more calories going in based on the distance I was going. My huge low was largely due to those lack of calories. Even if I didn't eat whole food I wasn't eating enough GU or other like products partly because of my intolerance to gluten. I knew this going in so it's my own fault for not bringing more food items that I could eat. Much of the food at the aid stations were either sandwiches, pizza or wraps. While potatoes and GU got me through a 50 miler they were not enough for me during this race.

* I never picked up a second handheld for water. I thought about it but never followed through.

*I should have carried Heed with me to mix with my water or chosen half water/half Gatorade mixture instead of filling up on just water. This would have given me more calories to drink to help replace those that I was losing. I was scared to take Gatorade after getting nauseous during my 50 miler. After talking to others, most said if it was watered down you didn't get those issues.

* I believed I couldn't come out of my low. I thought I was too foregone with hydration and eating. I realized the next day I just needed to eat more. Physically, I felt good. My feet weren't too swollen, muscles weren't too sore. After my 50 miler I was physically more beat up and I knew I could have run more.

I didn't know just how much I wanted to complete a 100 miler until I didn't. I am even more eager to tackle one and oddly more confident in my ability to finish one. I am taking all that I learned from this experience to take me into the next one.

Lastly, I wanted to thank everyone for their kind comments on Facebook. I am a lucky girl and have the best friends, online or to be met someday in the future in person.

Two awesome ultrarunners who I want to thank are

*Kai Keliikuli - who told me not to get discouraged. If you can run 45 miles, you can run 100.

* Ben Dougherty - who it took 4 times to complete his first 100. He wisely told me to reflect, learn then go at it again!

Sometimes people don't realize how encouraging and powerful their words are so I wanted to thank them personally for their thoughtful words!

My First 50 Miler In the Books!

This was by far the toughest thing I have ever done. I used more mental mantras and pulled from a deep place I didn't know existed to get myself through to the finish line. I also, swear a lot in this post. In some compartments of my life I actually swear like a sailor and running 54 miles is one of them.

It all began when I toyed with the idea of signing up for the 50k and against better judgment....ok, lots of alcohol and the prodding of Jeremiah Cataldo (fellow Hobby Jogga), I signed up for the 50 mile race at Woodstock instead. The whole feel of the race and its participants is one of the coolest I have ever been too. There are events you can run in the buff, skinny dipping was happening on Saturday night at the pool, and at the finish of my race there was discarded clothing on the trail and giggling girls in the bushes.

The night before I watched and crewed a lap for Jesse who's race started at 4:00 p.m. After that, I hung out by the fire with my Hobby Joggas (misfit band of runners). I was tired from a poor night's sleep the night before so I went to bed around 9 pm.

I was awakened at 2 am by a group of overzealous dancers and drinkers. They were loud and annoying. I don't think they were running any long distance races the next day. So my plan to have a restful night didn't happen as I lay awake for 2 hours willing myself to sleep.

The plan was to wake up at 4 am for a 6 am start but I was so groggy I've done something I've never done for a race before....I hit snooze....several times. I finally got up around 5:20 and prepared for my run. I was camped within feet of the start so other than wanting to get the bathroom out of the way I had plenty of time to make it there.

I was eager to start and had heard the course was very muddy this year due to large amounts of rainfall. It had rained through the night and rained the first 2 hours of my race as well. Seventy four participants were signed up for the 50 miler.

The start line

We started in the dark and silly me forgot a headlamp. Luckily, I had several people offering me the use of their headlamps so I secured it and we were off! I ran the first couple of miles with Mark. He's too fast for me even if he is an old man :)

Very early the course was muddy. The type of mud that when you step in it, it almost takes your shoe off. I was loving it! Some people were trying to step around the big puddles of water and I heard a lady yell "You're going to get wet, you might as well embrace it!" How right she was!

The trail to the first aid station was filled with mud, knee deep water and lots of slipping and sliding. I amazingly didn't fall here, that happened later, but several people fell during this stretch.

At the first aid station I saw Jason, Jeremiah and Jesse waiting for me. Those guys are the best because it was wet and mosquito ridden. Seeing them at the aid stations even though I didn't need anything that early was the best part of my run by far.

I chatted with several ladies along the way. Most everyone I talked to was doing their first 50 mile race. It was still raining and throughout the trails you could hear "splish, splash" of peoples feet ahead and behind you. I was happy when it was light enough out to see the ground without the use of the headlamp because I was very worried about my clumsy self falling and seeing the ground was very helpful especially on the hills.

When you got to the few hills on the course they were very difficult to maneuver up. The muddy clay mixture made it very slippery so it was a matter of trying to hang on to trees while climbing up on the left or right side. Towards the top I had another runner extend their hand and help me up. Ultrarunners are the best! Many people fell and you would immediately hear someone ask "Are you ok? Do you need some help?" I've never met such a helpful bunch of runners.

I made it to the next aid station and didn't see my crew. It was still wet and raining so I thought maybe they decided to skip this one. The crew would have had to run a half mile into the woods to gain access to the aid station so I thought maybe between those two factors they decided to meet me at the next one instead. I found out later they missed me because I ran a little faster than they predicted.

I headed back into the woods and figured I would see them at the next one. I continued running and eventually got to a road. This is THE road that caused me swear at myself. I cannot remember if I was running with people at this point or not. I think I was but I can't say for sure. I saw a sign that pointed into the woods and one that pointed left. I didn't even pause or question the signs it's only something I thought about later when I found I went the wrong way. I was supposed to turn left but instead I jumped back into the woods.

As I was running that loop I thought I was seeing the same things twice like the pair of black gloves lying in the road, the fence on the right side, etc. I ran out of water and was concerned that I hadn't come to the next aid station. I didn't think the distance should have been this great between the two.

I knew I had made a mistake was when I got to the same aid station I had just left. I didn't even want to ask if I went the wrong way because that would make it true. I was joking the night before about my ability to get lost far too easily on the trails and I knew I was living up to that reputation. I finally asked the aid station volunteer who consulted his map and we figured out I didn't take my turn. I wouldn't save any distance backtracking so I went back into woods.

I figured I added around 5 miles to the course. Fuck! This race was going to be hard enough on me without adding any additional miles to it. I kind of shrugged it off and figured I would try to put it out of my mind. I would laugh about it later and try to just run my race.

I saw a fellow ultrarunner Ben (he came in 3rd overall! Speedy!) and he asked if I was on my second loop. I would be running 3 loops total. I told him "No, I took a wrong turn" but I was going to keep on going. I saw Mark shortly after that and he was on his second lap as well. I saw other runners I was keeping up with on the first lap but they were on their second laps. I was starting to get discouraged. I felt like I had been running this one loop forever and not seeing any progress. I couldn't tell myself that at leas I had 1 loop done because it didn't seem to end.

I started getting nauseous and dizzy. The Gatorade I took at the second aid station was not agreeing with me and I think the lack of water when I took the wrong turn was catching up to me. I finally made it to the last aid station of the loop and opted for water only. I had about 4 miles to the start/finish line.

The crowd was pretty thinned out at this point. I would see an occasional 100 miler running or a 50 miler passing me. There were multiple races happening over the weekend with different start times so I would eventually see the 50k runners on the course.

I started getting really depressed during this stretch and stopped running. I walked and contemplated what I was going to do. I did not feel good and I would have to run two additional 16.6 mile loops which sounded impossible to me at the time. I couldn't will myself to run and was considering dropping. I was mad at myself for taking a wrong turn and feeling like garbage. Maybe this wasn't my race. I was in a serious mind fuck.

I kept going and slogged through the biggest mud pit I've ever run through. I will admit, this part was fun even if I was in a bad funk. It was ankle deep mud that for me was impossible to run through. At the end of it (because it went on for a while) was a photographer waiting. He jokingly yelled out "I'm here...just in case you fall I can capture it on film!". Ha ha! I loved it! These will be the first race photos I purchase just to show how much fun the course could be.

I kept weighing my options over and over in my head. I wanted to drop like nothing else. The previous day Jesse had to tell the race officials he was dropping and said that was the worst part about dropping. I jokingly said "Yeah, it's kind of like breaking up. Nobody wants to actually say the words out loud". Did I want to say those words out loud? I wasn't injured so I felt like I couldn't. Did I feel nauseous enough to drop? Oh, the internal struggle!

As I was battling my own thoughts I saw two familiar figures! Jason & Jeremiah! Yay! I was so excited to see them. I told them about my wrong turn and as funny as it seems they had heard from Ben's mom who was crewing him and relayed that information to them. The running rumor mill is quick and very useful.

I told Jason I wasn't feeling well and heard crickets. Damn! He wasn't going to make this easy for me was he? I made a few other comments about not feeling well and going off course....again, more crickets.

Ok, you two! I know what game you're playing! I've played a hand or two myself you know but it's fun when I do it :)

So I made a deal with myself. I would go to the start/finish, change my shoes, eat and see how I felt. If I felt good I would continue on.

When I made it to the start/finish it was a huge boost to my well being. I heard several people shout my name and cheer me on. I changed my socks even though I knew they would get wet again it would be a small boost. I ate salted potatoes, m&m's and a Gu packet. Since I had laid off the Gatorade I was starting to feel better.

A little aid station pep talk

I told the guys I was heading out before I changed my mind. Off to the second loop! My mental strategy was to get through this loop by myself and I would get through the last loop with my pacer and BFF Jason :) I knew running with him I could get through it.

Mentally, I started feeling really good so I was running well. The mud and water was even more fun the second time around. I guess in one section the water went past knee level but that was as deep as it went for me. I would take a step and think it was ankle deep and surprise!

I saw another runner, Mark. I told him I was trying to decide if the consistency of the mud was more like chocolate pudding or oatmeal. It was thicker than pudding so maybe oatmeal. I got to the first aid station all smiles. I told Jeremiah I was really happy with my decision to continue on. I had my second wind and was going to finish.

At the second aid station I met an awesome ultra runner in person. Prior to this I've only interacted with Farra via Facebook. She is much cuter in person and the epitome of a cool chick!

I ate more salted potatoes, chips and Gu and was on my way. This was the third time I ran this particular section and I would have to run it once more to finish. I fell apart a little in this section and my running gait was off. When Jason saw me coming into the third aid station he later told me I was looking rough. I was feeling rough. I think going through that section reminded me of the additional miles and messed with my psyche.

All I had to do was get through this next section and I would be getting Jason to keep me company. It wasn't pretty but I powered through this section into the start/finish line. I saw lots of happy faces and cheering again.

Running into the start/finish....one loop to go!

I saw Ben and he ran a bit with me and filled me in on his finish. Mark had just finished the course and was waiting on the sidelines too. It was a little demoralizing knowing these guys were done and I still had one more loop to go. But it was my fault I took the wrong turn and I could never keep up with their speed regardless.

Muddy girl!

Jason told me about cutoff times and sadly it wasn't something I had even considered. I knew we had 16 hours to finish the race but I didn't think I would need that much time. With the additional miles I had added (which ended up being 4) I had to be aware of the time.

Headed out for my last lap!

I was anxious to show Jason the course and all its muddiness. I knew he would love it. It was tough physically but mentally I think it's what enabled me to finish. Without the mud and water, the course would have been relatively flat in regards to elevation and hills. The mud just made it fun!

The first half of the last loop I did pretty well running. I kept up a decent pace and was on track to finish within the cutoff. I told Jason to talk to me as a distraction and we also leap frogged the last loop with a couple finishing the 100 miler.

At the second aid station I was feeling rough. My body ached and my feet hurt. I sat down and said "I curse you Jeremiah Cataldo! You believed in me!" I had roughly 8 miles to go and I was going to need every ounce of mental strength I had.

Jason told me I was doing well mentally? I don't have anything to compare to. He said I wasn't in a perma-brain fog and was still thinking clearly which was meant to be a compliment but at the time I wasn't buying it. So what if I was fine mentally? I still fucking hurt...a lot!

I won't tell you all the things I said during this portion but let's just say I was not very good company. Jason was smart and either kept quiet or said the occasional "I know" and kept going. I kept waiting to get to the road to take my turn to mentally check off that part of the road but it was taking forever. The road was playing hide and seek on me. I didn't remember there being two clearings before the road and each time I excitedly thought it was my turn only to keep going.

Finally the road! I was hobbling at this point. Jesse had walked back part of the road and was trying to perk me up with jokes and stories but I was far inside my own head trying to will myself to move.

We made it to the final aid station and were still concerned with cutoff times. Jason's plan was to have Ryan (who joined us there) walk in front and Jesse to walk behind to illuminate the path and hopefully get me to walk faster. At this point, there was no running happening.

It was perhaps the longest 4 miles of my life as I hobbled through those woods but I eventually heard the music and saw the lights. I knew I was close and soon I could stop.

When we got to the top of the hill I knew it was only a few hundred yards to the finish. Somehow I managed to pick up my feet and run surrounded by Jason, Jesse & Ryan. I raised my hands above my head and cheered "Yeah!!!!!" and I ran into the finish!

Oh...my....god! I could finally stop! I was done with a whole 5 minutes to spare! I took almost the entire 16 hours and was dead fucking last! It felt awesome!!!!

I don't need to justify being last or even worrying about it. I actually thought it was pretty fucking cool!

I am very proud of myself for finishing and being able to get past that initial blow of going off course.

Up next is Javelina Jundred (100 miler).....time to wrap my head around that one!

Ouray, Colorado Race Report

This race report is a little late. With our life on the road, I haven't found a good time to write but I need to work on that. I'm having a great time and want to document my thoughts and feelings better.

This is my take on my marathon in Ouray, Colorado. Originally, I signed up for the race because it was listed as a trail race and more importantly it was in Colorado! So far, it is my favorite place to run. It was also going to serve as a training run for my 50 mile race on September 10th.

Race day!

We had 3 weeks of time to fill in our schedule so we decided to camp in Loveland, Colorado for a week to enjoy some mountain running. After that, we made one of the most gorgeous drives I've ever been to Montrose, Colorado. The drive was filled with mountains, desert terrain, and various wildlife along side of the road.

The day before the race, we were able to preview the course so we took them up on their offer.
I was disappointed after viewing the course that it wasn't the type of trail I was used to running but gravel roads. I really enjoy tough, technical trails and was hoping this race would have that since it was located in the mountains. I'm a bit of a masochist and enjoy the physicality of mountain running. It humbles me every time but I keep coming back for more! The spectacular views of the mountains helped make up for the lack of technical trails. Ouray is called the 'Switzerland of America' and its beauty was breathtaking.

I think I've gotten a better handle on pre-race preparations. I've learned hydration up to a week before racing works for me. I drink tons of water leading up to a race. I've also learned that my pre-race meal of choice is any type of Mexican food. So far, it's just what works for me.

The day before the race, Jason previewed the course with me and in a total case of race envy signed up for the race too! I was happy because it's fun having someone to share the racing experience with.

It had been around 5 weeks since my last long run of 19 miles. Needless to say I was itching for a long run. I wasn't looking to set any PR's on race day. I wasn't sure how the hills and 7500 ft elevation would treat me so I was just looking to enjoy the day.

On race day it was cold in the morning. By far one of the best things about Colorado is it's blazing hot during the day but like a switch at night the temps cool way down. I sleep best with cool temperatures and don't mind starting out a race in them. I love the heat during the day but I also love the cool temps at night.

There were only 46 participants signed up for the marathon. It was the first time this particular race offered the marathon distance. In the past it was known for the half marathon which has been been put on over the last 10 years.

We lined up at the start ready to go. A few marathon maniacs at the front of the race said “Whoa! I don't feel comfortable being at the front of the pack!” but it was pretty hard not to be at the front with so few people : )

I started off with an easy pace and was enjoying the views around me. Jason is much faster than me so he was off towards the front.

I consciously decided that I would not wear a watch, which was no big deal since I typically don’t' pay much attention to it anyway. I've liked it in the past to know how many miles I had left but I haven't worn it in a few months.

I also opted for no music. One, because I couldn't find it but more importantly because I wanted to race without music. I think this was one of my few races in which I didn't have music and I couldn't believe how fast the actual race flew by.

The first few miles just felt good to be out there running. I didn't have many people around me at any given point, probably because the overall numbers were so low. About 4 miles in I had to go pee...damn my momma's bladder! I passed up a portapotty because: #1 They're disgusting and, #2 I'm as bad as my kids when it comes to the excitement of peeing outside. The thrill of it can't be matched! I stepped off to the side with plenty of tree cover. I stepped on what I thought was brush and ending up a little deeper down into a hole that some animal was using for their home. Since my knee was still swollen from my previous mountain fall I had to perfect the almost standing free style peeing form. Since this was the first potty break, I did pretty well!

I hopped back on the road and was happy to see my first big hill. The whole course went uphill but it was on an incline so it was hard to notice unless you got to any kind of significant hills. The first hill was about 7 miles in and it felt great! I love hills and although I'm not particularly good at them but I love the overall challenge and the feeling you get when you get to the top.

At this point I started to see walkers from the half marathon. The half marathon course started at Ouray and ended up to Ridgway, Colorado which basically went downhill. I thought the half marathon would be far less fun since they didn't get to experience any real hills.

Around mile 8 I saw the leader from the half marathon who was flying by! I was so excited to see people and so happy to be running. I was smiling like a lunatic and shouting out lots of praise for the runners, giving high fives, way to go's and so forth. There were over 300 hundred people from the half marathon and I think I greeted almost all of them, at least those who weren't fully engrossed in their music or running.

At around mile 10 I saw the leaders from the marathon. They were also flying! I shouted out some “looking goods!” and kept on running. Around mile 11 I saw Jason. I noted he was around 7th overall if my calculations were correct. Damn, he's fast!

I made my way to the top which was the halfway point, 13.1 miles. I noted on the way up there weren't too many good hiding spots in which to pee so I opted for the bathroom at the turn around section. I had to wait for them to be unoccupied, hurriedly peed and was off again!

I peed two more times and probably didn't need to. When I run downhill if I have anything in my bladder at all I feel it and go way more than I need to. Although I was getting better at perfecting the half standing up peeing position that fell apart at the end. The advantage to high heat with no humidity is that fabrics dry incredibly quick!

I will say that this race is the most complimented I have ever been during a race. From the women to the volunteers or other racers, I had so many people tell me how much they liked my outfit. That was something I have never experienced in a race before. I don't know if Colorado folks are just very complimenting folks but they really made my day! I had a few people tell me I should have won the 'most fashionable award'. I'm not sure about that but I was flattered none the less!

I felt fantastic up until around mile 17. At this point I was starting to get tired and the temps were climbing so it was getting toasty. There was nobody around and maybe the social part of me was hoping to see and talk to someone to distract myself. I told myself I would get through the next 5 miles and it would be almost over from there.

I got to the aid station at mile 20 and again I was complimented by the ladies working there. This did wonders for my spirit as shallow as I might seem. The only downside was at this point it was getting very, very hot. The temperature was in the 90s and without any shade the sun was brutal.

I finally made it to the next aid station at mile 24. I knew from the ride along we did the day before they would have actual food there. This is something I forget since I tend to either crew at ultras or race them. They have a buffet of food and I forget that most marathon distances only have water, Gatorade and sometimes (but not always) Gu. I was excited to have tootsie rolls and gummy bears. My stomach was feeling a bit nauseous and I thought the sugar might help pick me up.

Turns out I was horribly wrong. It's the only time I can remember not wanting to eat candy. The sweetness of the gummy bears and the chewing effort it required made me gag. I ended up spitting both the gummy bears and tootsie rolls out. Since they didn't have any salty treats at the aid stations I opted for drinking Gatorade instead.

For the last 2 miles of the race, I felt like I was going to throw up. I've never experienced that feeling in any race prior to this. I wasn't sure what the reason was but after talking to other people I think it was due to the elevation change and running at high altitude. I felt nauseous for 2 days after the marathon and that's never happened before.

The last 2 miles I mustered up all my energy to finish the race. I was hot and looking forward to the post race fun. I finished in 5 hours and 7 minutes. Not a PR for my marathon time but I was very pleased with the results given the hills and elevation change. This race made me smile and reminds me why I love running long distances.

At the end I didn't feel trashed as I had at previous marathons and my recovery was very quick. It was a huge confidence boost knowing how good I felt other than being nauseous as a preparation run for my first 50 mile race on September 10th. I can't believe it's only 8 days away!

I'm going into the 50 miler the same way I went into this race. I'm going to be happy to get in a long run, have fun and enjoy the day!

Western States Crew Report

We were set to fly out on Tuesday morning (6/21) and half the battle of getting to a destination race is figuring out who will watch the kids, how we will get them there, packing, phone lists, insurances cards and other variables. We met Jason's mom on Monday and dropped off the older two kids. Ty was being watched for the first part of our trip by our daycare provider and later by my niece and mom. We dropped Ty off the night before at the daycare provider's since we would be leaving ridiculously early. With our bags all packed we went to sleep. Things looked good.

Or so we thought. At around midnight (fuzzy brain here), we received a called from daycare. Ty threw up and the policy is to keep kid's home for 24 hours. Normally, not a problem but we had a plane to catch in less than 6 hours. My mind was scrambling thinking of possible alternatives. My mom was out of town, maybe I could change my flight and Jason could go on without me. We told her we would call back in a few minutes.

I took a chance and called my niece figuring I would wake her up. I forget most of the world is not on my senior citizen schedule and doesn't go to bed at 9 every night. She was still up. In my sleep haze I think I told her I would buy her new jeans if she would watch Ty for me. She was an hour away and I told her I would get Ty and meet her. When I hung up Jason asked "Did you tell her you would buy her jeans?"...I was sleepy! :)

We picked up Ty, met Stephanie and headed back home. I was in need of some sleep so I went back to bed for 30 minutes before we left for the airport. We arrived within an hour and 45 minutes of departure. I automatically went in the Frontier line since we had flown that airline last week. As I was looking at the departures I didn't see Houston. Oh damn! I'm in the wrong line.

Once through Continental's check in, we headed to security. The line was longer than I have ever seen it at our small airport. I worried we wouldn't get through security in time to board the plane. As it turned out, we made it with not too much time to spare.

We landed in Houston after a very bumpy ride. Storms were all around us and in a 50 seat plane you can feel every one. Some people's low moment are during child birth or at the end of a long race. I dislike small planes and turbulence so I told myself I'm getting wine on the next plane!

We originally had an hour and a half layover which turned into a half hour due to the storms rerouting our plane which made our arrival an hour later. Time to sprint to the next plane. We became those crazy running people in the airport. We skipped the escalators to run the stairs and flew through the airport with no less than 60 seconds before they shut the door to our plane. Whew! We made it.

We met a friend and his wife for dinner that night in Reno. He was coming up on Saturday to help crew for Jason. It turns out 2 of our 3 crew from Michigan missed their flights in Grand Rapids due to a long security line. It turned out not to be that big of a deal for us in planning. Instead, we got them the next day and had lots of material to tease them about.

Since we were there a few days before the race we got to check out the surroundings and aid stations beforehand. We also ran up the mountain which was the same start that Jason would be making on Saturday. I think I have found my calling in running and it is mountains! There is something about them that truly speaks to me and makes me feel like I could run forever.

Me and my running love!

The night before the race, we turned in early. Jason was up by 3 and I rolled out of bed about 25 minutes before start. I had planned on getting up earlier but my alarm didn't go off.

Jason just before the start

The energy around the start line was buzzing. I love seeing the start of ultra's and this one was seemed even more surreal. We headed a little ways up from the start line to get pictures. One guy really got out front at the start line. Here he is below and a few seconds later you see the front runners.

The rabbit

The frontrunners

In my excitement to cheer on Jason I forgot to take a picture of him coming toward me so I snapped one of him from the back. Those are some nice calves!

Jason's backside!

With Jason off and running we had quite a few hours to fill before we would see him. Due to the snow, our first crew access was at Michigan Bluff which was at mile 55.7. We headed back to the room and lounged a bit. I told the guys "Let's stop talking and only Facebook each other" which only lasted 5 minutes.

Mark lounging

Our crew "support socks"

In Mark's boredom/hunger he decided to play short order cook for us. He cooked both Jeremiah and I some scrambled eggs. Then he said he was going to "experiment". I've learned not to encourage this behavior in the future.

It started out simply by looking for a fat to cook the eggs in since we forgot to purchase oil or butter. He thought strawberry flavored cream cheese might work. Turns out it just melted into vapors. He scrambled the eggs and added some wine...your guess is as good as mine. If not wine, why not a little coffee? Next came crumbled Cheetos, Doritos, salt, pepper and unless I'm blocking some other ingredient from my memory, I think that was it. They didn't taste as bad as I thought they would but I can't say I will let Mark cook "Leftover Surprise Eggs" anytime in the future.

Mark's eggs...his smile looks fake...I'm not sure he liked them as much as he claims

Afterwards to burn off those eggs we ran up the start line again. We didn't make it to the top since we had to check out of the hotel by 11. We made a few stops along the way and eventually made it to Foresthill Aid Station.

From there the plan was to have Mark & Michael take the shuttle down to Michigan's Bluff to wait for Jason. If he checked in there at 8:00 pm or later he could pick up a pacer. Mark would be the pacer and Michael would take the shuttle back to Foresthill.

Jeremiah and I waited at Foresthill and when Jason ran through there he would become his pacer until Highway 49 where I would pace Jason. While tracking Jason's progress online, he was doing really well. It looked like he would be coming into Michigan's Bluff well before 8:00 which meant Mark would not be able to pace him.

While waiting, I snapped pictures of other runners coming through. I got to see many of the women front runners coming through Foresthill. I talked to other crew members, talked Jeremiah's ear off and waited for Mark to text that Jason came through Michigan Bluff.

Jeremiah waiting...

We got the text. They said Jason looked great. He was lucid, smiling and running strong. He was well before 8 so the guys would take the shuttle back. Originally, at Michigan's Bluff we thought Jason would need his flashlight and headlamp but since he was so early I knew he wouldn't need either before getting to Foresthill where we would see him next. In case the guys didn't make it back I wanted to make sure he had some light so they gave him the headlamp.

The guys made it back in plenty of time so I went to aid station (we were parked pretty far away from it) to take pictures of Jason running in before they weighed him and did a medical check. He was still looking great. Happy, smiling and looking good!

Jason coming into Foresthill looking a hot mess!

Coming out of weigh in and on to the car

I ran with him from the aid station to our car. We chatted a bit about how the run was going. He said he felt fabulous, had a blister he wanted to pop and needed to change his clothes. I took some pictures of his feet, they looked pretty nasty but sadly we all wanted to look at them like the dorks we are.

Some beat up toes

Look at those sexy abs!

We hurriedly got him the supplies he needed, a change of clothes and his flashlight and he was off with Jeremiah as his pacer.

Leaving with his pacer, Jeremiah

I like to compare crewing to what I think it might be like to be a celebrity assistant. You're on call 24 hours, you get little sleep, you deal with all kinds of odd requests and you have to come up with some pretty creative solutions. Jason's shoes (besides the pair he was wearing) were really wet. The sun was going down so drying them outside wasn't an option. We had a little bit of time between aid stations so we decided to go in search of a laundromat to dry the shoes.

Dirty shirt!

We used the GPS to search for one. What did I do before this handy device? We arrived at Mrs. T's laundromat....I pity the fool who forgets the fabric softener!..ok, I digress. Maybe I'm the only one that envisioned that sign on the door in my head when we pulled up.

Mark with the laundry

Michael as the laundry supervisor

We dried both Jason's clothes and his shoes. We noticed a sign on the door that said "Doors automatically close at 8:45". It looked like there was a locking device and since we were there at 8:20 I said we should leave just before 8:45. The guys were worried the shoes wouldn't be completely dry, I was worried we would be locked in there instead of being able to crew. I voted for leaving before and they said "We will not be stuck in here. I'll throw a rock through the window".......Ummmm....or....OR ...we could leave before 8:45.

A sign made after my own children

The shoes were almost dry so we left before the locks could activate. We took the scenic mountain route which had lots of windy roads. I managed to get honked at and passed on the right when I didn't realize I should have gotten in the right lane to let people pass. A little ways down the road, I pulled off and let those behind me pass. I am a courteous, albeit, slow driver.

We got to the church parking lot and knew we had a little bit of time but sleep seemed to be out of the question. I was too wide awake so we decided to take the shuttle down. From the drop off point of the shuttle to the aid station it was approximately 1.25 miles. It was dark out so we had our lights and headlamps on. It's a cool sight to see a bunch of lights bouncing around when it's completely dark. The stars are so beautiful to look at from the mountains. It almost seems like there are a 100 times more stars in the sky.

When we got to GreenGate I felt a little sleepy so I laid down on my backpack on the hard rocks and dozed off. When I'm tired enough it doesn't matter where I am, I can sleep. I slept for about 30 minutes and waited for Jason and Jeremiah to come in.

Me at Greengate after my nap

I didn't bring the bigger camera but I wanted pictures so I asked Mark to take a few from my phone while I got whatever Jason needed. When Mark goes on trips he typically takes no less than a thousand pictures so I was confident he would complete his task.

I laid out every possible thing Jason might need. He told me he might need a change of clothes and shoes. I laid out the Bag Balm (for lube), batteries (to give him a fresh pair for his flashlight and headlamp), Slim Fast, Red Bull, S-Caps, alcohol wipes (for popping any blisters he might have), antibiotic cream (feet) and bandaids (still feet).

Jason and Jeremiah came in. It's go time! Jeremiah gave me an update on Jason. He said he was running well and felt good. He thought at this point that he was on pace to run sub 24. I asked Jason if he need clothes or shoes and he said no. He only needed batteries. I had the bag out and ready to go so I handed it to him.

Apparently I had the wrong because they weren't the right type of batteries. He needed lithium, not the common alkaline variety. He needed the Dom Perignon of batteries, or Cristal if I'm going to be even more current which I'm sure I'm not :) As I'm searching for the batteries, I notice Marks' not taking any pictures so I tell him to get on it. I searched one back pack and couldn't find them. I checked the second bag and I found them.

I notice Mark only took 1 picture. Mark! Take more pictures!!! Normally this guy is snapping away like the paparazzi and he's totally fading on me :) Batteries in, kiss Jason, and they're off!

The one usable picture Mark took :)

Time to walk 1.25 miles back to the shuttle. I looked at the pictures Mark took. Ok, he only took 4 and 2 are black. At least I got one good one! (Note to self: don't let Mark take critical pictures). We joked on the way back that we failed our celebrity. We had everything out but the lithium batteries. We walk 2.5 miles, lay out everything and didn't have the one thing he needed.

We headed to the next aid station, Highway 49, where i would be pacing Jason into the finish. Originally I thought it might be in the light of the day but he was cruising right along so I would need night running gear.

We got to the aid station with plenty of time to spare. It was 2:00 a.m. and getting cold. I layered up in 2 shirts and Jason's pants with my running gear on underneath. I figured I would take off the layers when I saw Jason coming in because it was too cold to stand around in my running skirt and short sleeves.

We had an estimate of when he would be coming in so we kept watch for the flashlights bobbing to see if it were them. Each time I was ready to take off the layers and pace Jason. I had one false alarm and took off the pants. I found out I might have a future in quick-changing :)

At 3:05 a.m. we saw them coming! Layers came off and I ran to the aid station to meet them. Jeremiah told me he was in a current low (not too shabby for mile 90!). He went over what I needed to get at the aid stations. Jason asked me if I were ok running technical trails at night and I said I got it! In all honesty, I had never run technical trails at night but I was not about to let that stop me.

We took off with only 6.5 miles to go! Jeremiah said I had a little less than 2 hours to get to the finish in under 24 hours and I was confident I could help Jason get there if he needed a little added encouragement.

It was my first time doing a little night trail running and it turns out I loved it! It was so much fun hopping over rocks and giving the trails your full concentration. I felt so focused and connected to nature at the same time. I did not know what I was missing out on!

Jason was running strong and I never had an issue with having to help him speed up. He preferred to lead so I stayed a few steps behind him. We passed a few people on the trails and Jason is always the gentleman. It doesn't matter if he's at the first aid station or the last, he is the nicest runner you will ever meet. He thanks the aid station workers and always says hello or gives words of encouragement to fellow runners.

Soon after that first aid station, we ran over No Hands Bridge which was beautiful. It was decked out in white lights and we joked this was our romantic date night! We continued running and on to Jason's last climb before meeting Jeremiah and Mark at Robie point which was about a mile from the finish.

The whole time we were on trails, Jason looked great! The second we hit the roads it was as if some of the air was sucked out of him. Roads are Jason's cryptonite! Luckily, we met Jeremiah and Mark and we were making him laugh into the finish.

Jason with his finisher's medal

When we got to the track there were people, lights and it was a proud moment knowing that Jason was going to finish but finish in under 24 hours. We ran around the track and watched him run in. I'm lucky enough to be able to share these moments with him but the reality is that he was the badass that just finished running 100 miles! I love being able to crew for him and watch him accomplish what he does. I know he went into the race not caring about times or even finishing but doing it because it is something he loves and it's wonderful to be a part of that! I will forever be his biggest fan and admire the way he runs the race!

My hero!