The Race I didn’t want to Run - Providence Rained

DWD Hell was the 4^th and last in the DWD series of ultras. During this year I had completed the first three, if I completed this last one my reward would be the “Bloodied, Boned, Bruised and Burned” buckle – Oh the vanity : )

February Dances With Dirt - Dade City, FL
May Dances With Dirt - Gnaw Bone, Indiana.
July Dances With Dirt - Baraboo, WI.
September Dances With Dirt - Hell, MI.

I traveled to the race start with Javier. This was to be his first ultra, the 50m. We arrived with around 30 minutes to spare and deposited our drop bags. I went for just the one at the Start/Finish, a change of clothes for when I hopefully finished. I realized I would be getting wet, often, so was comfortable wearing the same shoes and socks all day. Luckily my feet are gnarly enough that I do not suffer from blisters. Toenails are over rated.

Lots of RUT folk were there volunteering who I would encounter as I progressed around the course. Apologies if in my daze I miss anyone: Jan Liebert (twice), Ricky Leady, Ken Arble, Bill Moyer, Hong Weng at the finish. I remember seeing Al Durham on route.

A group of RUT-sters formed a huddle at the start. Farra appeared quite happy and was beaming. I gave her a hug and wished her well, her last long run before starting to taper for the Hallucination 100 in two weeks. Go get ‘em Tiger : )

It was dark at the 6:15AM start. I gambled on not wearing my headlamp, a gamble that paid off, though I was a bit apprehensive and wished for it to get light, soon. Luckily the hoards of runners around me provided sufficient background illumination. In 45 minutes it was light enough.

I started out slowly but feeling good after a few miles gradually picked up the pace. Mistake. I had underestimated the recovery period from my 100. I’d lost sight of Javier but thought about his progress through out the day.

With ½ mile to go to the 50K mark I was rehearsing in my head my drop down script “50K very respectable, still get the buckle, my wife and kids will think no less of me, Barkley would still greet me in his enthusiastic dog like way. Yer, nothing to prove, lets end this.” But providence was at play. Two eventful encounters occurred in short order. I met up with a runner Noah, doing his first ultra (50m) who said I would regret my decision to stop now, I wasn’t totally convinced. No, no, dropping down still cool. The icing on the cake was seeing Mark and Tony shouting enthusiastic encouragements as I passed through the 50K finish, Mark feverishly snapping off a few photos. Drats! Ah, had to go on. Obligation, duty – I’d made a promise, to me!

Noah makes it clear that I am to finish this sucker!

Around noon it started to rain, this was forecast but no compensation for when it started to bucket it down. I worried I might get the chills but luckily didn’t. My finger tips did go numb though holding my hand carry.

With six miles to go Nature made an urgent call that demanded I pay attention or reap the dire consequences. As I emerged from the bushes and walked back to the trail, lo and behold there’s Javier. Providence was indeed at work again. Though shuffling, who wasn’t by now, he still appeared stronger than me at that point. More bounce and pep in his legs, my “Get up and Go” had “Got up and Gone!” Some one up there was determined I was going to finish this.

I started the race with the best of intentions of enjoying it but it was a slog fest. I could rise to the challenge, was looking forward to all the promised “stupid spots” but in my heart couldn’t snap out of how much effort this was all taking.

Fun moments: river crossings, river hiking, mud crawling.

Not so fun moments. Near the end having to step aside, stop and allow the masses of fresh relayers to pass. Sorry, mean of me, but in my discomfort it was hard to maintain my puny groove with all this stop start thing going on.

One bright moment that brought to my attention how ridiculously slowly I was going was when a 50m runner behind me was matching my running pace and he was power walking.

I still felt weary from Leadville three weeks prior, my excuse and I’m sticking to it. At 50K (31.1m) my semi descent 11:51 pace crumbled to a semi death march 17:27 pace over the last 18.9m, yikes. Not a happy camper.

With around ½ mile to go Javier and I met up with a runner dressed in a clear plastic rain jacket moving oh so slowly. He looked wobbly. I enquired if he was OK? “Do you need something to eat, drink, S-Cap!” He quietly says he’s “fine” and that walking’s all he can manage, “I’ve had it” he concludes. I wish him well and let him know he’s nearly home.

Javier and I finished together, crossing the Finish line with his daughters.

Thanks Javier for the corn on the drive back.

Picked up the Buckle : )

"Come to Daddy"