Including mileage, strength, and mindset exercises for success:
I’m abandoning that particular project, and here’s why:
While scrolling through Instagram I saw a post by one of my heroes, coach David Roche. This guy. He gave more, better, and easier-to-understand information in a hundred words Instagram post, (with video!) than I’ve done so far with three blog posts. I’m over it. I’m going back to what I do best. Aimless rambling around a point. Descriptions of the wrong parts of experiences and events. Semi-coherent retelling and musings of the moment.
The corporate challenge 10k was last weekend. I did okay. 26th overall. 2nd in my age group. Personal record by 2 minutes, no big deal. Once again, if I wasn’t such a clown, goofing around and acting foolish, I might have performed a bit better. I guess the world will never know. There’s a 5k this weekend. I haven’t decided if I’m going to jog it for laughs or put my head down and try. My 5k p.r. is this ridiculous number I got during one of the hundred milers. Topping that would be a miracle. There’s a different number I’ve been chasing for a while. If I can get in the 20-minute range I will be very excited. I would also have to win at least my age group, also. Results matter, but ALL the results. If I run a 20-minute 5k and come in 5th in my age group my entire week is ruined. If I win the entire race and run a 24-minute 5k my entire week is ruined. These are exaggerations, of course. My week is great after racing no matter the result. Goals are fine, but it’s the process I love. Running every day isn’t a chore. I don’t do strength and yoga because I’m training. These are things I enjoy doing for their own sake.
The real joy in racing is performing to the best of my abilities at that moment. Seeing my friends performing well is very exciting. Following along on personal journeys, like injury/recovery struggles, break-up/hook-up drama, and rivalries, these are the reasons to pay $40-$50 for a 5k. I want to run fast so I can get back to the hot goss. It’s the whiskey run 5k but I’m going for the tea!
As far as training: run extra miles. Get time on your feet by any means. Lift heavy weight. Do stretch, core, and balance exercises. Eat well, and rest often.
Preparing for the Heartland 50 mile in a bit less than 2 weeks. This is a fun run. No pressure on this one. Yes, 50 miles is a long way. No, I haven’t been training for this run, specifically. I’m confident, though. I am in great shape, I know the course, there’s a generous cut-off, and there are a few friends also running. It should be good. Plus, if a runner does both Heartland races they get an extra award for the double.
Sydney and I had some friends over for a long-run party on Saturday. We ran 6-mile loops around the neighborhood. There were plenty of snacks to fuel with and doggies 🐕 to look at. Everyone did great and had fun. I finally got some real mileage and felt good. I want sore at all except for my feet around my big toes. I’m blaming that on dry skin and ignoring it. Hopefully, I’ll develop some callous there before the fall. I was hurt more from the watermelon margaritas on Easter Sunday, lol!
I’ve done an okay job of sticking to the training plan. Some life things have become obstacles. The plan is easy to adjust. No part of the plan is vital, so I just skip, cut, or replace parts that I can’t find/ make time for. I feel like I have been hitting all my goals so far. I will know where I am with mileage and fitness after Heartland. That’s when I will fill in mileage goals on the plan. I don’t think 100-mile weeks are too ambitious.
Nutrition is good. I’m sticking with the diet from 75 hard, sort of. I base my calorie intake on the calorie usage from the previous day, instead of a flat 2990 calorie limit. And I have treats. As many as I want! Welcome back, chips and salsa.
There are two motivational podcasts I listen to nearly every day now. Listen to is an exaggeration. They’re on when I start running. After a bit, everything turns into background noise. Maybe something will accidentally soak in, I don’t know.
My plan this weekend is:
Trolley run, long run, eat good food, do some supplements shopping, hang out. Get ready for the 50 miler. I’m not calling it a taper because I didn’t build. Just mentally and emotionally prepare myself.
For our Sunday long run, Sydney and I visited Argo Road. A stretch of road in Grain Valley/Blue Springs, Missouri from 7 highway to South Dillingham Road, another anonymous through street on the east side of the area. Argo Road runs through the William Landahl Park Reserve and has some cool locations, such as the county sheriff’s shooting range, an outdoor archery range (supposedly one of the best,) and a mountain bike park with trails varying in difficulty. We were there, however, for the hills. Argo Road is (about) 5 miles of steep, rolling hills.
Along with a detour down Owen’s School Road, Argo is the home of “K.C.’S TOUGHEST ROAD RACE!” Which is a bit hyperbolic, but wild claims are fun and harmless. Twice a year, a certain type of runner gathers to run 13.1(ish) miles, unofficially. The only prizes are for first place male and female. Official time is at the start finish on a stopwatch or wristwatch. The entry fee was recently bumped to $xx, cash. No refunds. Finishers get a shirt. Maybe some food, if there’s any left. Maybe a soda or beer. The weather is supposed to be bad. The whole thing is supposed to be bad. I feel like the Argo 13.1 is a great example of “type 2” fun.
Sydney and I have, in the past, done some practice runs on Argo. The road isn’t too far from the house, and it’s fun to reminisce about the good times on race day. Plus, you know, bombing downhill. There are no sidewalks, just open ditches. The hills are steep and blind. The neighbors are…more friendly than hostile. People just don’t expect runners out there. The whole ordeal is exciting!
This particular visit, though, wasn’t to practice for Argo 13.1 summer edition. It wasn’t ajog down (and up and down and up and up and up and down) memory lane. We are getting ready for the Heartland spirit of the prairie 50k and 50 miler. We both know what we are in for, and knowledge is power. But you can’t know hills if you don’t run hills. Argo is the closest thing I can think of to big rolling terrain of the flint hills. There aren’t big, chunky rocks. I have no idea how to practice that. At least we will be in good shape for running the hills.
I was a bit disappointed in the addition of 2 brand new, clean, and well stocked portable toilets at Argo Rd. Vanity wants me to believe i am the reason for them. Last time we were there, i had to mosey up and say hello to some bushes. There are trail cameras everywhere! And a guy was doing trail maintenance. Heh. Realistically, it’s probably because it’s spring, and they want people to come enjoy the amenities and be comfortable. Antithema to the Argo Road race.
They’ve also done a lot of trimming and clearing along the sides of the road. The feeling of danger is reduced considerably! From having nowhere to go off a car comes barreling over the hill at you, to now you’ll get a little dirty. Maybe scraped up. Maybe tetanus or hepatitis… it’s just not the same thrill. Well, shucks. Nothing lasts forever, I suppose. The only constant is change. You can’t fight progress. I’ll just enjoy the new level of comfort and hope they don’t decide to flatten the danged hills. Pics to follow.
Ten Junk Miles is a “runner’s podcast.” The idea being not everyone has friends to run with. This show is for listening while you run. Neat!
There are at least three types of shows from Ten Junk Miles. TheGang Show is a group conversation about different topics. Long Run is a longer one on one conversation between Scott Kummer and a guest. Usually, an author or some sort of running/athletic professional. And then there’s the topic of this post, Meet the Nation. A brief interview with a listener. The idea is that when fans of the show meet on the trail, they’ve already got some idea about each other.
I was recently interviewed for Meet The Nation. I think it went really well. Scott Kummer is a fantastic interviewer and host. He made me feel very comfortable even though I was very nervous.
I have messed up nearly every public speaking opportunity I’ve ever had. The first two or even three, I think, can be excused. After that, i should know the key to speaking well is preparation. The more I prepare, the less of an idiot i appear to be. I guess it’s like running? If I want to run a fast race, I should train, huh?
So I prepared. I know what questions Scott asks. They’re about the same for every Meet the Nation. I really thought about my answers and (most importantly) wrote them down.
I thought it might be fun to share these notes here. Kind of a companion to the episode. This is absolutely NOT word- for-word. I add some things i wish i had said, do some things i should not have said. I don’t try to remember any of Scotty’s comments. You can listen to Ten Junk Miles on every podcast platform. I use Spotify. I recommend listening to the podcast and leaving a review.
So after a short intro, Scott plays the recording of him calling. I answered, but i wanted to wear my headphones for comfort. I flubbed the first minute, which was actually a nice ice breaker for me.
How did you start running? What’s the 2 minute, short answer? I tell people I started running after chasing down a purse snatcher from buzzard beach. He got away and I was so angry I started running 5 miles a day. Then I started hashing (because of a girl) abs that lead to racing, which leads to marathons, and on into ultra marathons.
How did you hear about Ten Junk Miles? A friend of mine and hasher named Aaron Nathan did a Meet the Nation episode. He “name-dropped” me to be interviewed. So i started listening.
Do you have a favorite episode? Gang show 235, Andrew Robot-Dinosaur. I like all the gang shows, but especially now that I’m a patreon. I like to listen for my name.
Scott did not ask if I had a favorite race distance, but i was ready if he had. My answer would have been the 5k and the 24-hour.
Something about you nobody would guess? I’m junior high i was involved in church youth group. Our thing was a clown ministry. We would perform a musical and go on your every summer. I was a clown for Jesus. Scotty thought that was great. He wanted pictures and a video. I think all that stuff is lost to the ages. Unfortunately?
Anybody that hasn’t been interviewed that should? The race directors for the trailhawks race, Cactus roulette. Todd Chandler and Barrett Kroll (i sure hope I’m spelling those names correctly). Justin Smith from Outlaw Racing and Run Trails, Eat Bacon YouTube channel.
If you were stranded on a desert island, you could have 1 book, 1 album, and 1 movie. What do you bring? Now, this is the question of the interview. It’s the one everybody knows and thinks about. I thought about this question forever! There’s just so many of everything, how do you choose? For the book, I chose The Three Musketeers by Dumas. But I could have just as easily chosen The Sun Also Rises, or The Stand, or Watchmen. I haven’t heard anyone choose a graphic novel yet. Or one of the Clive Cussler novels, or a Jack Reacher novel. Or anything by Cormack McCarthy. But you get to choose one. That’s the game. I think i did okay. The movie i chose was The Naked Gun. I changed my mind at the end. For a long time, I thought it would be Pulp Fiction. It’s cool. It’s fun. But how many times could I watch it before I’m just…gawhd! Over it. Something I’ve noticed about these answers is that people tend to “keep it clean.” I haven’t heard any racy, sexy movies yet. I mean, I’m alone. It’s an island. What’s up? 9 1/2 weeks? Risky Business? Breathless? Maybe even a little more…erotica? I get it, though. Nobody wants to be a hairy palmed pervert. For the album, I went with Back in Black by AC/DC. This should not have been a controversial answer. This album, in particular, is a staple of classic rock. THE example of radio music of the 1980s in the midwest. Did i want to try and show off? Of course! I thought about Fugazi. Or The Damned. Or 2 Live Crew. Or Tupac. Maybe Elvis, or Kenny Rodgers. Kenny Loggins. Prince. I mean, Purple Rain is probably a perfect album. But for an island, alone. 1 album. Album. Because it’s Scott’s show, and he’s a vinyl guy.
That was about the whole interview. Some of it is a blur. Luckily, it was recorded and should be available. I was nervous. I kept talking over Scott and rambling on annoyingly. That is my personality, though. I guess the true self shines through. I hope everybody listens and loves it!
Today is day 7 of No Shave November. My face…itches. except it’s not really an itch, but rather a desire. A desire to scrape the stubble off. There is discomfort, to be sure. Sometimes, I try to distract myself. Other times, I lean in. The feeling comes and goes. Former smokers probably understand. Ultrarunners get it. The fact that nothing lasts forever. That discomfort passes. You adapt.
Sometimes, when i bathe, I get in the shower before I turn the water on. That initial blast of cold water isn’t even that cold. It’s the fortitude it takes to turn that water on knowing full well what’s coming. Uncomfortably cold water is going to hit me full on, and there’s nowhere to hide. The thing is, once the water warms up it’s almost too hot. I’ve gotten used to the cold water. Sometimes the cold water feels really good. I guess I’m just a weirdo. I also park on the end where nobody can park next to me, so… grain of salt.
It’s difficult to find the mustache movies i want to watch on streaming. I guess they’re just too valuable. Yesterday, I watched the misfits with Clark Gable and Marilyn Monroe. Honestly, I only watched about 40 minutes of it. I had to work, and I’m glad I did. Seeing a tired old has been trying to “make it” with the model of classic beauty was a struggle to be sure.
I thought surely Flash Gordon would be streaming somewhere. But no. I guess I’ll miss a day (at least!) of mustache films. Boo!
I guess I’ll take this disappointment and use it to push through a tough training day. Like all disappointments and discouragement. Like coach Bennett says: this is about running. This is not about running.
J/K! J/K! I see everybody out running. I see the stories on Instagram (rex.hunt.7) and Facebook, Garmin Connect, and strava (canceled premium after the price hike, but there’s no deleting the app 🤷♂️.) H.B.I.C. Sydney and I have been getting out in it, too. It’s…invigorating. inspiring? It’s certainly educational.
Syd and I did a long run in the caves at Park University. Go Pirates! It was fun. I guess the following weekend was the time to go, though. ALL of our friends were in there, jogging the just under a mile loop.
Syd and I did not do the caves at that time because we were busy registering for the Winter Argo 13.1 mile run. Or for Bootsy and me, a little bit further than 13.1 miles.
So Sydney and I registered and then ran a little bit of the road. Just a few hills, to remember what it’s all about out there. We saw friends and horses. I made a snow angel.
Fun story: After “Ollie’s Ultra,” Sydney couldn’t find her shockz. 🎶Sad trombone🎶. After searching and searching, she decided they must be on a picnic table in Chanute, Kansas. She ordered new ones, they arrived, everything is fine😐.
We brought some camp chairs from her place to my place in preparation for Cactus Roulette 🌵. Sydney is running 12 hours out there and is going to want to sit eventually. Having the chairs here has been great! I’ve been using them to take my shoes and boots on/off. I feel like Mr. Rogers. So I’m putting this chair away after putting my boots on, and I see Sydney’s shockz draped gently around the arm of the chair. I leave them there because clearly, “that’s where she keeps them now so she doesn’t lose another pair…” I think to myself cleverly.
The next day I’m going on about how great place looks since she cleaned it (she cleaned the house, it looks AMAZING!) And she tells me she was looking for something and just got on a roll. I said “ah! Your shokz! They were on the arm of your camp chair!”
Her
Face.
I thought she was going to cry, or attack me, or run out of the house like it was haunted. She walked over to a basket on the counter, pulled out a pair of headphones, and said, “These are yours.” Then she walked over to a different basket in the corner of the room, grabbed a pair of headphones, and said,”These are the ones I just got.” She walks, gingerly, to the camp chair. Points at the shokz. THE shokz. Turns and walks upstairs. She says, “You should blog about this. I’m getting cleaned up.” She may have cried. I don’t know. She definitely muttered. Hey, who hasn’t, though? Right? People are…you know?
Cactus Roulette 🌵 12 hour noon to midnight.
Argo 13.1 mile run (50k).
H.B.I.C., Chad, me, and some horses.Date night! Mexican food, giant margaritas and the Chiefs vs. Bills game
I hate the cold! I hate snow! I hate ice! I hate putting on 20 lbs of clothes just to walk a dog! It’s the worst!
Winter is also excuses season. From the weather to illness to the reduced daylight hours, if you don’t want to do something, there’s a reason not to. I guess I like that part.
I use shoveling the driveway as a replacement for strength training. I consider running over the debris field left behind by the road clearing snow plow technical trail training. And trudging through deep snow does make me feel badass. Also, sometimes I can get a nice snow explosion bursting through a snowbank on a curb, or running under low branches. Just “KABOOM!” Out of there, snow goes everywhere!
I make a snow angel and take a picture of it. I post the pictures on social media and challenge my friends to make snow angels. It’s fun. Plus, I like to show off. I guess I don’t hate the cold after all.
A person must be careful running in these extreme temperatures. Cover as much skin as you can. Layers! Loose, and multiple layers. Pay attention to your body. If your fingers or toes are hurting, stop and get inside. The only prizes for pushing through in this weather are hypothermia and frostbite. Be smart, but d.b.a.p., if you’re careful, you can do it. There’s no shame in NOT going out in the cold, only glory if you face it.
I may be getting a little influence from the “fearless motivation” playlist. I know it’s over the top. I take inspiration from wherever I can find it.
Nothing lasts forever. Spring is coming. Stay safe!
The final race in the Kansas grand slam of ultrarunning super slam is the same as the first race in the Kansas grand slam of ultrarunning. Starting at celebration hall in Ottawa, Kansas. Running on the prairie spirit trail all the way to iola and back.
Maybe it’s poetic? Ending where it began, but a different season. The whole thing began way back in January, when I ran cactus roulette 24-hour, trying to get prepared for The Hawk. Every run, every race, every workout all leading up to this.
As of this writing, I have no intention of trying to “win,” or “breaking a record.” I’m really just looking forward to getting some fun miles with our friends.
The weather report so far looks awful! Rain, cold. Maybe wind? I love it! Let’s get miserable! Maybe we should set up a swear jar or “whine fines?” We’ve been pretty lucky with the weather this entire time. I guess we are due for some comeuppance.
We have a great group of pacers and crew signed up. There are more pacers than available pacing spots, so competition is getting a bit heated. I hope it’s all in fun, but I’m not worrying about that part. The whole thing is H.B.I.C. business.
Speaking of, Sydney has done a great job (as usual), getting everything set up for success. For example: accommodation 5 minutes from the start line. Yes, please! How about that? No 4:30 wake up. It feels kind of weird. Plus, all the fun costumes and Halloween stuff she’s doing. This will be a race to remember!
So, I’m very excited. And nervous, still. What I’m really doing is putting off thinking about what comes after. 🤔
This was a fun one. Getting to the start line was rough! There are warnings all over the literature for this race about flat tires. The roads are sharp rocks and gravel, watch out! Sydney and I were very nervous about it. We drove down the weekend prior for a dry run. Let her have some practice finding the aid stations. That paid off tremendously! She wound up being a little bit of a pathfinder for the other race crews. 😁
My name came up to work mandatory Saturday overtime, and there is really no room for compromise there. Luckily, I had already scheduled the weekend off! So I guess I’m a little more prepared than I like to believe.
We went down to packet pickup Friday afternoon. Sydney got some more detailed driving directions. There was a malfunction at the tollbooth in El Dorado, where we stayed that weekend. Our room was amazing, by the way. Days Inn was great! We slept like logs.
Early race morning things got hairy. We didn’t get a toll ticket in El Dorado. There was a lineup at the tollbooth in Cassoday. I took off my vest and jumped out to see what the problem was. It ended up being nothing, but now we were running behind, and I had to check in. Check-in is at race hq/finish line. The start line is about a half mile down the road from there. We just make it. I tell Sydney I’ve lost a bottle. It could only be at race hq, that’s the only time I wore the vest outside the car. She said she’d look for it. I went to get my pre-race photo. People kept jumping in front of me. Elden,the race director, kept yelling out the time until start. The Runner’s Church preacher was there, trying to pray right into God’s ear, just as loud as he can get. It was very frustrating!
Also, I was pretty nervous. 3 weeks is not a lot of turnaround time. I feel like I did the best I could. I felt okay, but I’ve done enough of these now to worry about mile 63 right at the start.
My plan, as always, was to go easy. Take it easy, take the whole time, and get to the halfway mark before dark.
Heartland, I thought, should be ideal for taking it easy. It’s got rolling hills and very pretty views throughout the race. And gravel. Big, chunky, tire-shredding gravel.
The gravel roads I sort of remember from doing the 50 miler in the spring. I might have blogged about it. They tore my feet up then, and they tore my feet up this time. There might be a practical solution to the foot problem. The only thing I can think of is “get tougher feet.”
Sydney found my lost bottle at the Cassoday tollbooth! That was a very lucky break. We hooked back up at the second manned aid station. I got to pet a dog and eat some snackies. It was a bit unsettling because they moved the aid station since the spring race. I came over a hill expecting a celebration and only found a sad little sign with an arrow pointing uphill.
This was also when the wind started blowing right at the front of me. It was at my back for the first and last 16 miles. So for about 100k, it was rock & roll and heavy winds in my face.
The aid stations were all pretty good. Standard ultra foods, tents to get out of the wind, friendly-ish volunteers. I had 3 burgers during my run. That doesn’t sound like a lot right here, but at the time, I felt like the hamburgler or Jughead.
I got to Matfield Green Aid Station, the last manned aid station before the turnaround, in really good shape. The trailhawks ran this aid station, and it was my good friend Eric volunteering! They had good ramen (spaghetti soup) and potatoes, but no forks. 😳
Crossing a flyover above I-35 on my way to Lone Tree Aid station and turning around, I got a semi truck to honk. Still fun as a grown up! There’s an unmanned aid station with water and Vaseline and very little direction. I lubed under my arms, where I had a hot spot going and jogged down the road. The course was well marked, I’m just very bad at looking. I knew I was going the correct way, though, because I saw more runners on this little 3 mile stretch than I had seen so far all day. Right then, at that moment, it occurred to me that I had not brought a headlamp. I made it before dark, but just before. So I was hoofing it out of there, trying to get as close to the aid station as possible before “dark” dark.
When I got back to Matfield Green, Jamie and her kid had shown up to help the crew, and Kirby was there, ready to pace me. The new faces re-energized me!
Kirby was a great pacer! We talked about her running goals (a marathon in Febuary! Killer!) And childhood road games. I am so glad she told me about “my cows!”
After Kirby, Coach Randy took over. He carried me all the way back to Cassoday. Figuratively. We were doing consistent and fast intervals and also used the terrain to help maintain a real nice pace. Not too fast! Not too slow. We did pick it up whenever we saw another runner (soul-taking? Lol!)
The funny story: Randy and I are passing “the Runner’s church” preacher and he tells us “don’t miss this turn coming up.”
So we cross an unmarked cattle guard, and Randy says, “I think we missed that turn.” After some quick math and a review of the strava heat map we decide yes. We did miss that turn we were specifically told about. And we also got passed by 3 racers! Grr! Not that I’m competitive. 😉
As we make our way to battle creek, the first/last manned aid station, we change up the intervals. 1:30 run 1:30 walk. Just a 30 second change, you might say? Plank for 30 seconds.
Battle Creek is special to me because my friend Scott “KSdirtrunner” is the one manning it the entire weekend! I just met him last year when I volunteered at this event and he has been an inspiration to me ever since.
The longest 8 miles in the world are between Battle Creek and the Cassoday Community Center parking lot. Randy and I are doing our thing…1:30 run, maybe 11 or 12 minute pace, 1:30 walk. Power hike! I have been practicing, and it did pay off. We passed some guys who were really suffering through the chilly morning.
We were approaching the end of the gravel when Rick from mile 90 pulled up and started taking pics. Randy and I agree, you do NOT walk in a race photo.
NOT walking!
Also, we could see Syd and Kirby stalking us from the paved roads, so I felt some pressure to go ahead and finish this thang!
We’re jogging the last 8/10 of a mile to the finish. I had told Randy the finish line strategy of start jogging at the stop sign, slowly build speed until I sprint into the finish. He asks me what the elapsed time is, and I tell him, “26:57 and change.”
He says, “Don’t you want to beat 27 hours?”
I ran. I sprinted in and finished at 26:59:18!
Afterward, it was coffee, a massage from Happy Hawk, and a table nap before a bath, a proper nap, and the long ride home.
100 miles is a long way. I mean, it’s far. It’s far enough to use as an excuse. Like: I would go, but it’s 100 miles away.
Ultrapalooza is a running event put on by our friends, Midwest Endurance Race Company. The same group that brought us the Kansas City Last Man Standing event, Miola Madness series of fixed time events, and the Mile 0 run. They do a great job with their events, and Ultrapalooza is no different.
There are 5 distances available to race at ultrapalooza: 50k, 50 mile, 100k, 100 mile, and 1/2 marathon. I was doing the 100 mile as part of my attempt at the grand slam of Kansas ultrarunning super slam. I had friends running in just about every other distance.
A couple of notable ones:
Kerrie ran her 100th half marathon. Apparently, her finish was amazing! I wasn’t there. I was on the trail, trying to run 100 miles.
Adam had intended to run his first 100 kilometer race there at ultrapalooza. He has been doing amazing things lately (the hawk trail marathon and pike’s peak marathon,) but life takes a toll. He dropped down to the 50k and did amazing! I hope his foot pain is temporary. He told me about it as he passed me on the trail, twice, while I was trying to run 100 miles.
Our friend and regular pacer David “Bootsy” Boots ran his first 100k. He did amazing, even though he told me he was seriously undertrained. We saw each other a couple of times on the trail while I tried to run 100 miles.
Sydney’s coach Randy ran the 50-mile race. I mean, he RAN 50 miles. At the start line, he gave me solid advice: “don’t follow me” lol! And I didn’t. I had a plan(ish). I saw him on his way BACK from the turnaround. He was flying! I was trying to run 100 miles.
I did, by the way. I ran 100 miles at ultrapalooza. It took 28 hours. It was really hard. I did it with the help and support of a couple of amazing pacers and my girlfriend, crew chief, and H.B.I.C., Sydney.
The entire weekend was a fun, trippy, unbelievable experience. Syd and I drove down Friday afternoon for packet pickup. The entire main street through Osawatame was ripped up for some sort of project.
Crew chief Sydney as the “I” in mile zero.
Saturday morning, we made it to the start just in time. It’s funny to me how much I have to hurry at the start of these things. The shortest distance takes over an hour. We should be allowed a bit of a grace period at the front end. Maybe there would be, I hate being late, so I’ll probably never test it.
The forecast called for thunderstorms. Luckily I was moving too slow and missed the heavy rain, hail, and lightning. Gay Ann got some awesome video of a lightning show in the distance overnight.
Besides lightning, there was a lot of animal activity through the night. I saw a couple of opossum, some armadillo (possum on the half shell), deer, frogs, and an owl. The noise and being sprayed by something really freaked out my pacer Jeff and me! All the action settled down after he started blasting 80’s hits from his mobile. We agree that music without headphones is gauche, but since we were the only people left out there, it would probably be okay in this instance.
Yes, I was the last runner to finish. I’m okay with it. I wasn’t going slow, according to the stats. In fact, this is my second or third fastest 100 miler. And “last” was still 2nd place. I got a really nice framed print. It’s on the mantle.
Ultrapalooza was on the same weekend as some other popular races. So I didn’t have a lot of crew or pacers. I don’t mind. I understand there are only so many weekends. I hardly ever volunteered before this challenge. I will after, for sure!
So between the heat, humidity, lightning, limited support, and active wildlife… I think it went pretty well.
W.W.R.H.D. 