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| My Belt Buckle |
"Sometimes she scrapes," said Lanier.
He was talking about his RV, JOLEEN, as we gently pull out of his Athens, AL driveway on Friday, November 13, 2015 headed to Vienna, IL for The 2nd Annual Tunnel Hill 100/50 Mile Endurance Run.
She did rock a little, as I recall, as we dipped from the driveway to the street, but she didn't scrape this time. We pulled onto East Washington Street away from the cemetery and up the street on a crisp, Fall Alabama morning.
My wife, Laura, and our children, Brett (4) and Alex (2) had dropped me off a few minutes earlier. She made sure that I had all my bags and my $5 folding, red chair from Academy Sports that would come in so handy during the race. We ease out of town, and while JOLEEN makes her way down the divided highway, Lanier and I discuss hamburgers and barbecue. He tells me about L & S where he makes a daily trip to get fresh hamburger meat for his restaurant, Dub's Burgers.
I tell him about my semi-catering event for our small church group a few weeks back.
She did rock a little, as I recall, as we dipped from the driveway to the street, but she didn't scrape this time. We pulled onto East Washington Street away from the cemetery and up the street on a crisp, Fall Alabama morning.
THE RIDE
My wife, Laura, and our children, Brett (4) and Alex (2) had dropped me off a few minutes earlier. She made sure that I had all my bags and my $5 folding, red chair from Academy Sports that would come in so handy during the race. We ease out of town, and while JOLEEN makes her way down the divided highway, Lanier and I discuss hamburgers and barbecue. He tells me about L & S where he makes a daily trip to get fresh hamburger meat for his restaurant, Dub's Burgers.
I tell him about my semi-catering event for our small church group a few weeks back.
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| Pic by Lanier |
I tell him I think a business ought to have a process. He listens patiently, especially since he's been running a restaurant for the last 10 years, and I never have.
I'm thankful for this virtue of his.
Lanier is traveling to volunteer at the race and to pace me. I am traveling to attempt my first 100 mile run. Our sunny morning ride progresses up Interstate 65 toward Nashville, and Lanier fiddles with the heat fan while we talk. It was cool to me inside the cab, but only for a few miles. After I bumped my head on the pull out sleeper coming back from the bathroom, I knew I was road ready!
I'm thankful for this virtue of his.
Lanier is traveling to volunteer at the race and to pace me. I am traveling to attempt my first 100 mile run. Our sunny morning ride progresses up Interstate 65 toward Nashville, and Lanier fiddles with the heat fan while we talk. It was cool to me inside the cab, but only for a few miles. After I bumped my head on the pull out sleeper coming back from the bathroom, I knew I was road ready!
As we ride, I'm content to know that all the talk about my first 100 mile attempt will be over tomorrow. I try to keep my spirits high and reinforced about finishing the next day. I want to be as realistic as possible, but not so realistic that I admit I may not finish. There's always that possibility even for those who have already finished one, but it would be too much stress to think about that now.
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| Excell Market BBQ |
I fish for any positive reinforcement I
can hook from Lanier, knowing that he knows exactly what it takes,
having finished four of these himself. I know, as he does, that he's
already said all anyone can say other than to repeat the occasional
mantra, "You'll do well."
I tell him my resolutions for the race: All the advice I shigged from other 100 mile finishers in an attempt to let him know where my mind is. It's more of a focusing period for me than anything. I tell him that my very limited expectations are:
1) Make the decision that when the race starts, I'll be running till tomorrow, so whatever happens, I'll just keep moving forward till then. And 2) Quitting is simply not an option, so everything's on the table but that one. I know that staying focused in the moment during the race is the most important thing.
I tell him my resolutions for the race: All the advice I shigged from other 100 mile finishers in an attempt to let him know where my mind is. It's more of a focusing period for me than anything. I tell him that my very limited expectations are:
1) Make the decision that when the race starts, I'll be running till tomorrow, so whatever happens, I'll just keep moving forward till then. And 2) Quitting is simply not an option, so everything's on the table but that one. I know that staying focused in the moment during the race is the most important thing.
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| The Pit |
We pass Nashville headed to Clarksville, TN where the soft drinks wear off. It's time for some grub! Lanier says, "See if there's any mom & pop restaurants nearby on Google." I think to myself, "Yeah right, we'll be eating at Wendy's..." After realizing most of the restaurants nearby are back toward Nashville, I find Excell Market Barbecue near Clarksville.
It's the next exit off I-65 and only a few miles still on the way! I
couldn't believe it. Shonuff, a few minutes later we're eating ribs and
grinning. We check out the pit before leaving and the Asian people
running it look as surprised to see us as we were them. Not expecting
that! They let us check out the pit and I snap a pic. We're back on our
way.
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| Vienna City Park |
We get to the race start/finish and Lanier scopes out a place to park JOLEEN. We stretch our travel legs by walking on the north side of the trail through the I-65 underpass. I check out the surface of the trail, Lanier gets a phone call, and I try not to think too much about the distance I'll be running the next day.
It will be light, dark, dark, light when I pass underneath the roaring Interstate during the race. It's chilly and the wind is out of the north. I keep faith that it will be very pleasant tomorrow.
It will be light, dark, dark, light when I pass underneath the roaring Interstate during the race. It's chilly and the wind is out of the north. I keep faith that it will be very pleasant tomorrow.
THE RV: BARRY, IS THIS YOUR SUIT?
That night Barry Reece (who would run the 50 mile race in 8 hours 40 minutes)
arrives to stay in the RV with us, and we all go to the pasta dinner at
the middle school. Too bad, the dinner was at the high school. There was a crowd of cars at the middle school attending a Friday night basketball
game that fooled us. After a laugh, we load JOLEEN and head up the road
about a half mile. The dinner was fantastic and festive in the new
gymnasium. We had a choice of Rotini or Penne with meat or meatless
sauce, bread, salad, and dessert.
This was also packet pick up for the race.
Lanier talks to the race director, Steve, who says that Lazarus Lake is coming tomorrow.
It's an official race now.
I'd met Gary Cantrell before, but the next night I would see him again at mile 50, forgetting who he was I said to myself, "Who is this wild man telling me I need to take more not less out of the 50-76 mile leg of my run?" I wave him off like he's a nuisance, and I don't have time for his nonsense. WTG Scott. I love reading Gary's articles in Ultrarunning Magazine.
Hope he wasn't offended.
I saw him after the race and I felt better.
This was also packet pick up for the race.
Lanier talks to the race director, Steve, who says that Lazarus Lake is coming tomorrow.
It's an official race now.
I'd met Gary Cantrell before, but the next night I would see him again at mile 50, forgetting who he was I said to myself, "Who is this wild man telling me I need to take more not less out of the 50-76 mile leg of my run?" I wave him off like he's a nuisance, and I don't have time for his nonsense. WTG Scott. I love reading Gary's articles in Ultrarunning Magazine.
Hope he wasn't offended.
I saw him after the race and I felt better.
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| Great movie! |
After supper, we return to the camp site inside the small Vienna City Park loop,
remove the chairs we had saving our spot and get settled in for the
night. Lanier has the running movie: "Unbreakable" about the highly
anticipated and competitive 2010 Western States Endurance Run. Snack time!
We raid the RV fridge. I go for the chips. Barry for the cookies. Later Lanier goes for the cookies and notices Barry had not used the peel back tab, but had opened them from the end. Old school! We have a good time and finish the movie. Looking back, I think watching it was a major factor contributing to my success.
We raid the RV fridge. I go for the chips. Barry for the cookies. Later Lanier goes for the cookies and notices Barry had not used the peel back tab, but had opened them from the end. Old school! We have a good time and finish the movie. Looking back, I think watching it was a major factor contributing to my success.
The
movie is well directed and produced, and a saying in the film by Gordon Ainsleigh (the first man to
run the WS100 mile course in 1974) helped me develop my own mantra during the
race. In the movie, Gordon said, that when he started thinking about
all the things that he couldn't do, and that there was no way he could
finish, he eventually got the point of asking himself what he could do.
He said he knew he could take one more step, so that's what he did.
All the way to the finish.
I head to the bathroom in the back of the RV and I hear, "Barry, Is this your suit?" I had brought my garment bag with about 10 different shirts. Lanier says, "Who brings a suit to a race?" I could imagine the photo shop images and rumors of me running a 100 miler in a suit.
I had to finish now.
All the way to the finish.
I head to the bathroom in the back of the RV and I hear, "Barry, Is this your suit?" I had brought my garment bag with about 10 different shirts. Lanier says, "Who brings a suit to a race?" I could imagine the photo shop images and rumors of me running a 100 miler in a suit.
I had to finish now.
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| Southern Out & Back |
Watching the movie was a good ending to the day, and I will develop my mantra during the run at about mile 16 when my mind wanders into how far exactly it is that I have committed to running--100 miles! I think to myself, If I run 20 more miles, I'll only be at 36 miles. "WHOA! Stop right there, Scott!" I tell myself.
I look down at my feet and point to them with karate chop arms saying, "My race is right here. At some point tomorrow, 100 miles will be right here at my feet." That was my way of taking one more step like Gordon did.
The first 27 miles of the cloudless day run goes well. The first aid station is 5.5 miles southward down the trial. It begins with a slight decline, though I didn't realize that until my return around mile 24. The rest of the trail is a flat out and back crossing a live RR track and going under a 50 foot tunnel, but not the long one the race is named for. We pass through the small town of Belknap which has a nice bench by the trail. I use it to remove my long sleeved undershirt and wrap it around my waist. I run mile 8 to mile 40 in my Rocket City Marathon t-shirt.
I look down at my feet and point to them with karate chop arms saying, "My race is right here. At some point tomorrow, 100 miles will be right here at my feet." That was my way of taking one more step like Gordon did.
THE RUN
The first 27 miles of the cloudless day run goes well. The first aid station is 5.5 miles southward down the trial. It begins with a slight decline, though I didn't realize that until my return around mile 24. The rest of the trail is a flat out and back crossing a live RR track and going under a 50 foot tunnel, but not the long one the race is named for. We pass through the small town of Belknap which has a nice bench by the trail. I use it to remove my long sleeved undershirt and wrap it around my waist. I run mile 8 to mile 40 in my Rocket City Marathon t-shirt.
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| Karnak, Vienna Park, Tunnel Hill |
The next aid station at Karnak has one of our three drop bags we're allowed. I didn't realize they were there on a tarp on the ground my first trip through, and thankfully, the remainder of the southern portion is only 2.5 more miles. I get to the end of the southern line and ask for my drop bag realizing immediately it was back at Karnak. No big deal. I'm running till tomorrow. I'll just go get it.
I run the 2.5 miles back to Karnak planning my stop on the way not at all worried that I'd missed my bag the first time. "It's a 100 mile race, something will go wrong in 100 miles!" This was just one of those things that was supposed to happen. I get back to Karnak, change my hat, drink some Ensures, pop a couple of Aleve, change my socks from the thicker MOHAIRs to my thinner swiftwick. I felt cooler on my return to Vienna Park.
I run the 2.5 miles back to Karnak planning my stop on the way not at all worried that I'd missed my bag the first time. "It's a 100 mile race, something will go wrong in 100 miles!" This was just one of those things that was supposed to happen. I get back to Karnak, change my hat, drink some Ensures, pop a couple of Aleve, change my socks from the thicker MOHAIRs to my thinner swiftwick. I felt cooler on my return to Vienna Park.
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| Feeling sunny! |
I took a pic of my first marathon time for a confidence boost. I mentally divided my run into 4 "marathons" though neither the total distance nor any
sections of the race were 26.2 miles. It was an arbitrary way I could check the
box mentally. I would listen to my iPod for about 10 miles before turning it off for about the same amount of miles.
I did this to save the battery life not knowing exactly how long it would last and to keep from getting burned out on music.
I did this to save the battery life not knowing exactly how long it would last and to keep from getting burned out on music.
I get back to Vienna Park in under 6 hours, slather my toes with Eurostyle chamois cream (because I forgot my shaving kit at home with my body glide in it) and put on another pair of socks. This sock change was into a pair of Injinji separated-toe socks which would be the kind I preferred for the rest of the run. I kept my starting pair of HOKA Clifton's on for the northern loop of 24 miles and that would bring me to around 50 miles in them before a shoe change.
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| 40 mi.@ Tunnel Hill (Laura) |
I got a real boost when I got to the Tunnel Hill aid station!
Laura, Brett, Alex and my Mom were there to cheer me on!
Laura had my other Academy Sports blue chair sitting out for me, and I got to hug and talk to everyone before dark. It was just what I needed heading into the night.
Laura, Brett, Alex and my Mom were there to cheer me on!
Laura had my other Academy Sports blue chair sitting out for me, and I got to hug and talk to everyone before dark. It was just what I needed heading into the night.
I put my long sleeve shirt back on that I had wrapped around me earlier in the warmth of the day, topped it with a Scenic City Trail Marathon shirt and Knoxville Marathon hat. I drank a 5-hour Energy, more Ensures and another pickle juice, downed some Endurolytes and headed back out.
It was downhill back to Vienna Park, so I was feeling good heading into the night!
It would be dark on my way back down the northern out and back. I'm running with my headlamp now after about 40+ miles. I keep a fresh 3 pack of AAA batteries on me at all times, and sometimes 2 packs. I was surprised how quickly my headlamp flickered on the way back down. "I thought these batteries would last 6-7 hours!" I thought to myself. They lasted 2-4 depending on brightness. Oh well, I'm running 100 miles, something will go wrong. Don't overthink it.
50 miles down. Feeling good!
Lanier crews me out of my blue duffle bag I have set up in my red Academy Sports chair under the street lamp.
He takes a pic of me sitting and smiling to post on FB. It's a real boost for me to know that others know how I'm doing. I spend over 20 minutes at Vienna Park-start/finish aid station making sure I have everything. I leave my chair thinking I do and cross the timing mat. No going back now.
Oh, wait!
I forgot my portable charger for my watch. It won't last if I don't charge it on this 27 mile leg.
I feel like I should go, but Lanier offers to return to get it for me. Got it! My watch is at 39% power left. I really want my own Garmin recording of this run and I'll get it now. I head out on what I figure will be the toughest portion of my run.
I should have changed the batteries in my headlamp, because a half mile down the trail it flickers again. I got a PBJ sandwich in my hoodie pouch, my charging cord hooked to my watch I'm trying to keep charging, my handheld water bottle, I just dissed Laz and I'm fumbling 3 batteries over a leaf filled trail in the dark.
A helpful runner stops by and shines his headlamp on my dark hands holding my headlamp. I get my batteries changed. Finally, I feel that I'm ready for the 3rd portion.
I prayed a lot during this section, asking God to comfort me when I felt alone. I always felt better when I could see other headlamps in the distance ahead of me running my way. It seems like every time they went away, I would pray to God for comfort and seconds later a hew headlamp would appear in the distance. I know they would have anyway, but it sure made me feel good. Sometimes 2 or 3 or a half dozen would appear and make me grin and feel like my God was with me. I was able to stay focused, not getting too high or too low, which for me is a real accomplishment.
It was downhill back to Vienna Park, so I was feeling good heading into the night!
It would be dark on my way back down the northern out and back. I'm running with my headlamp now after about 40+ miles. I keep a fresh 3 pack of AAA batteries on me at all times, and sometimes 2 packs. I was surprised how quickly my headlamp flickered on the way back down. "I thought these batteries would last 6-7 hours!" I thought to myself. They lasted 2-4 depending on brightness. Oh well, I'm running 100 miles, something will go wrong. Don't overthink it.
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| 50 mi. @Vienna Park (Lanier) |
Lanier crews me out of my blue duffle bag I have set up in my red Academy Sports chair under the street lamp.
He takes a pic of me sitting and smiling to post on FB. It's a real boost for me to know that others know how I'm doing. I spend over 20 minutes at Vienna Park-start/finish aid station making sure I have everything. I leave my chair thinking I do and cross the timing mat. No going back now.
Oh, wait!
I forgot my portable charger for my watch. It won't last if I don't charge it on this 27 mile leg.
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| phone shadow at night |
I should have changed the batteries in my headlamp, because a half mile down the trail it flickers again. I got a PBJ sandwich in my hoodie pouch, my charging cord hooked to my watch I'm trying to keep charging, my handheld water bottle, I just dissed Laz and I'm fumbling 3 batteries over a leaf filled trail in the dark.
A helpful runner stops by and shines his headlamp on my dark hands holding my headlamp. I get my batteries changed. Finally, I feel that I'm ready for the 3rd portion.
I prayed a lot during this section, asking God to comfort me when I felt alone. I always felt better when I could see other headlamps in the distance ahead of me running my way. It seems like every time they went away, I would pray to God for comfort and seconds later a hew headlamp would appear in the distance. I know they would have anyway, but it sure made me feel good. Sometimes 2 or 3 or a half dozen would appear and make me grin and feel like my God was with me. I was able to stay focused, not getting too high or too low, which for me is a real accomplishment.
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| Northern Out & Back |
I slow down during this portion and begin fighting the demons
of negativity. It's really mental now. My body should be slowing down,
but my mind thinks something's wrong. It's not. I need to do this on my
own for ten more miles, then Lanier will be at Vienna Park to pace me
the rest of the way. This gives me hope that I can hold onto my focus.
I accept my higher pace and keep moving forward. I tell myself that finishing is all that matters. No matter what. Keep moving forward. I'm repeating mantras, prayers, recalling advice constantly now. I'm also stopping to pee every 5 minutes it seems, but that's okay, too.
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| Around mile 90 (Lanier) |
Whatever
it takes.
3:30 a.m. 76 miles done.
One section to go.
3:30 a.m. 76 miles done.
One section to go.
No more running by myself.
Dawn will break soon.
I've been running more in the dark than I did in the light yesterday. I'm not sleepy at all. I've yawned only twice the whole night. Getting up with kids the last 4 years at all hours of the night has prepared me well!
Being out on a course for 14 to 17 hours doing 3 IRONMANs in the last 2 years has prepared me to transition from running in the day into the night without discouragement. Experience is priceless at this point and is making this as smooth as possible. It would get tougher.
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| Crew & Pacer: Lanier |
I pick up my pace, but only for a few miles. By mile 82, I know my running miles are pretty much over. The 2% grade headed up to Tunnel Hill for the last time took away any mental strength I had left to run. It was a power walk now with feeble attempts to run occasionally. I tried to look good for the snap shots, but negativity would get to me for 5-10 minutes at a time. I keep moving and have a positive thought after a few miles.
The only 'bad' thing about the race, in my opinion, was my lack of shoe gaiters. Ankle gaiters would not have been enough which is all I would have done anyway. To run Tunnel Hill State Trail you need covers over the laces of your shoes, too, or it won't matter. Lanier had long pants on the first 12 of the final 24 and soon after this pic, he began to notice sand and small rocks in his shoes.
He wondered why momentarily until it dawned on him he had taken off his long pants. We both would empty our shoes the last 12 miles, and I must have stopped to empty mine 50 times or more during the entire race.
THE REWARD
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| 50 yards to go! (Laura) |
I feel that certainly I will be, but done is done, and I'm not done yet.
Laura begins texting me again. I had received a few from her during the night at my request letting me know when they were safe back at the hotel in Paducah, and now they were up and everyone had a good night's sleep.
I was looking forward to seeing them again. She let me know they were there about 30 minutes before I finished. They were playing on the swing sets at the park. The sun was shining brightly now, but it had taken a long time for it to rise after the dawn. I wanted it to be daylight faster. I was cold. I was stopping to pee and empty my shoes constantly it seemed, and the demons of negativity would not go away until the last mile or two.
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| Got my buckle! |
I pick up Alex (briefly) and hold both their hands as we cross the finish line. Steve announces my name, hometown and time, and hands me my buckle.
I did it!
But not without the encouragement and support of so many.
Thank you!
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