Vermont 100 - 2016

The Vermont 100 is one of the older 100 milers in the United States, and is the second leg of the so-called grand slam of ultra running.  The other races include Western States, Leadville and Wastach.  All four races take place in few short months, from June through September, and recovery between races is a real challenge.  

Grand Slam Runners
at the start of the Vermont 100

This year, Erin and Kim both got into Western States -- by far the hardest of the four in which to gain entry -- and they both decided to try the grand slam.   Kim, who had cancer and chemotherapy last year, bravely got on the starting line at Western States, but timed out at Devil's Thumb, about half way through.  That didn't stop her from getting on the starting line again in Vermont, and this time she finished.  

Erin finished Western States in 29:57, the last finisher before the cut-off, despite making a wrong turn late in the race.  She then had just three weeks to recover from that 100 mile effort before the start of Vermont. She finished Vermont as well, more than two hours faster than she had run at Western States and less than half an hour off her best time ever.

Erin and Kim

after the pre-race meeting

The course winds its way through rural Vermont, mostly on country roads.  The race organizers no longer publish the course map, apparently because much of the course is on private land, and they do not want to encourage people to run the course on their own, without permission of the various owners.  

Hard packed dirt roads
Most of the course is like this

There are no mountains to contend with, just rolling hills, and it is tempting to think that the course is a fast one.   I suspect it could be relatively fast, if the weather cooperated.  But that is a big if.  The weather can be hot and humid, or it can rain and leave the course a slippery, muddy slog, at least in places.  Finding the perfect day may be difficult.  This year started off near perfect, but it did not end that way.

The race is well-organized.  The course is clearly marked, and I did not hear of any runners going the wrong way.  The aid stations are well-stocked and staffed, and they are close together, never more than five miles apart with the sole exception of the first aid station at Mile 7.

There's also a horse race, starting just after the runners and covering much of the same course.   The two races coexist without any meaningful conflict.

Runners share the course with horses

My first stop of the day was the Stage Road aid station, at Mile 30.  Both Kim and Erin looked good, although Erin was sore and tired from Western States, and sat down for a bit, something she ordinarily wouldn't do so early in a race.  But she ran strong and felt progressively better as the day went on.

Kim at Stage Road
Mile 30

Horses at Stage Road
Mile 30

After Stage Road, I had a few hours to myself to explore rural Vermont.  It would be easy to get lost in places, and there is little cell phone coverage, but I managed to find my way around well enough, and spent much of the afternoon in Woodstock.

No, the concert was in Woodstock, NY
(I didn't realize that until later)

Kristen drove up from her home in Southern New Hampshire, and met us at Mile 47, at Camp 10 Bear aid station, to help crew and to pace Kim.   Kristen is an experienced ultra runner, and it was a pleasure hanging out with her for the afternoon and evening.

Kristen, Kim and Erin
Mile 47: Camp 10 Bear

Erin, Kim and Kristen
Leaving Camp 10 Bear

Both Erin and Kim were looking good when they came into Mile 58.5, at the Margaritaville aid station.  There managed to eat some real food as well.  Yes, there were margaritas available, although they keep them in the back of the tent and I think they are really only for the crews, not the runners. 

Margaritaville aid station
Mile 58.5

Kim at Mile 58.5
Margaritaville
I think that's a quesadilla

Erin at Mile 58.5 Margaritaville
Veggie burger in hand

Sporting my Vermont 100 hat
margarita in hand
Margaritaville, Mile 58.5

The race comes back through the Camp 10 Bear aid station around Mile 70.  It was nearly 10pm when Erin came in, still running well and feeling better than she had at Mile 30.    I started my pacing leg at that point.  No more pictures from here on, of course, as it was dark and I was running.

The weather was near perfect at the start, clear and just a tad warmer than optimal for an ultra.  The weather report said that it would be dry all day, and it was -- until just past midnight, when a large thunderstorm hit.  At first, we thought it would pass, but it didn't.  

It was pouring rain on and off for the last 30 miles of the race.  But Erin did a great job.  Every time it started raining, she seemed to pick up the pace.  And she kept aid station stops to a minimum, so as not to get too cold.  Erin had a jacket, but I was in just a technical shirt and shorts.  Fortunately, however, it was just warm enough that it wasn't a problem.

Erin came in just before 7:30 a.m., under 27:30.  Kim was just over an hour later.  Now, they are both headed to the next leg of the grand slam: Leadville!  

After the race, I went to visit my friends Stan and Heidi in Cape Cod.  They live on what amounts to a small farm.  This has nothing to do with running, but I'm going to post a few pictures anyway:

Gang of Geese

Lyle!

Heidi
(a great runner: maybe one day I'll talk her into running an ultra)

Angeles Crest 100 - 2015

     This year's AC 100 delivered the overpowering mixture of heat, sweat, dirt and strong emotion I've come to expect from the biggest event on the Southern California ultra running calendar.   So many friends, so many runners, so many stories all unfolding at once over a 100 mile course.  It is impossible to follow everything and everyone.

     So let's start with last year's race.  Last year, I paced Michael, who came into the race exhausted from running Western States and trekking across Iceland, but still managed to complete the grueling course.  This year, Michael was more rested, and he broke 24 hours.  Marshall paced him from Chilao at mile 52 to Chantry at mile 75.  Jimmy chased him from Chantry to the finish, and made sure he got under that 24 hour mark.  Wish I had seen more of that adventure.

Michael, on his way to a sub-24 hour finish
Marshall and Dom with him

    This year, Flo and I paced David.  David is a lifelong athlete, who played hockey in his youth and who has hiked the entire Appalachian Trail in four months.  More recently, he has turned to ultra running, but with mixed success.  Although he has the strength and fitness to run any course, his stomach simply refuses to cooperate.  And, if you cannot eat or drink, you simply cannot finish an ultra marathon.  As a result, David came into this year's AC 100 with a record of no finishes in four attempts.

David coming into Cloudburst

     This year, David trained harder and more consistently than he ever had, despite having other priorities in his life, including a beautiful young daughter.  He was out on the trails at all hours, fitting in his training whenever he could.  He prepared well for the race, and got to the starting line in great shape.  I hoped and believed he could finish this year, but it was not to be.

David C, getting help from Flo and David V

      Despite running a smart and tough race, David's stomach failed him yet again, this time around 55 miles or so.  It does not matter what kind of shape you are in, nor how tough you are, no one can run that last 45 miles on an empty stomach.  David toughed it out to Chantry, reaching Mile 75 just ten minutes ahead of the cut-off.  We hiked up Mt. Wilson together, but by the time we reached Dead Man's Bench, he was the last runner on the course and the sweeps caught up to us.  We timed out at Mile 84, at Idlehour, and got a ride home with the volunteers.

     

David, somewhere between Chilao and Chantry
Photo by Floris Gierman

       I enjoy watching great athletic performances, and  I love watching a graceful runner striding through sub-five minute miles at the LA Marathon.  But what I really respect and admire is effort. Often times, great effort and great results are highly correlated.  But not always.  And, the athletes I really respect and admire are those who work hard and smart, without all the adulation.  David, here's to you, my friend, you put on amazing and inspiring performance out there.  I hope you decide to try again, and believe you can finish.


      There are many other stories to tell, and I only know a very few of them.  Ryan ran well, and was smiling every time we saw him.  He had two great pacers, Erin and Helen.

Helen and Ryan 
at Islip Saddle

      It was a disappointing day for Guillaume and Team France.  Guillaume is a great runner, as well as a brilliant scientist, and he has more zest for life than anyone I've ever met.  Guillaume led the race for the first half, but had to drop out at Short Cut, Mile 57, because of rhabdo, I believe.  No doubt he will be back.  Allez!

Guillaume

Guillaume arriving at Islip Saddle
two-time AC 100 winner Dom in the background

    The women's race featured two amazing local runners, Kelley and Katie.  Both worked incredibly hard leading up to the race, and both were focused like laser beams on race day.  Katie finished 4th, and Kelley finished 5th, just five minutes behind.  If I have any regrets from this year's race, it is that I did not get a chance to see more of these two great runners giving it their all on race day.

Kelley, with Craig and Erin

Katie

      Will was also well-prepared.  He trained with Kelley and David, among others, and was in great shape on race day.  He ran smart and tough, and had a great race, finishing just five minutes behind Kelley.  Will is always in a good mood, and never has an unkind word for anyone or anything  I was therefore amused when, at the Chilao aid station at Mile 52, he was fairly clear about not wanting to eat one of the snacks offered by his crew.  

Will on his way to a great finish
David V in standing behind Will

Will, with Jeff in the background

        Sim was not particularly well-trained for the race.  But, he has great physical and mental talent, and on race day he ran smart and tough.  He finished under 25 hours, a great result for anyone.  If Sim ever decides to focus on running, look out!

Sim and Kevin

       I was lucky enough to see a good portion of Anton's race, as he was near David much of the day.  Anton trained hard, but he has been living in Alabama recently, so he had little opportunity to run on hills or at altitude.  Anton ran tough, and finished just under 31:30.

Anton at Cloudburst
Photo by Erin Chavin

Anton is always smiling

     The AC 100 would not be possible without the volunteers and race staff.  And, it would not be nearly as fun without so many friends hanging out.

Chilao Aid Station

Jessica and Amy

Race Officials at Chantry Flats,
handling the tracking system
Thanks guys!

       Here are a few pictures from the finish line.  All of these are copied, from once source or another.  If you took one, please let me know and I'll give you credit if you want (or take it down if you prefer).

Anton at the finish line

Kelley at the finish line

Ryan

Santa Barbara 100 Mile - July 2015

      Here's a quick report and a few photos from the 2015 Santa Barbara 100 Miler. 

      Tiffany and I crewed Marshall, and I paced the past 30 miles. Working with Tiffany and Marshall is about as easy as it gets when it comes to ultras.  They really know what they are doing, and there is never a complaint to be heard.

      It is a tough course, with about 24,000 feet of climbing.  It was a small field, with about 40 to 50 runners starting the 100 miler, and less than that in the 100k.  The 100 miler started at 6pm Friday, so all the running in the dark is towards the beginning of the race.   Unfortunately, it also meant that the technical downhills were mostly in the dark, while the big climbs were in the heat of the day.

     Marshall ran a strong race.  He was in third place much of the way, dropped back to fifth at one point in the heat on Saturday afternoon, then came back and finished fourth.  The one runner we lost was the first woman, and she ran a great race, finishing strong the last 40 miles or so.  Marshall ran - not shuffled - almost the entire last five miles.  His final time was 25:43, two hours faster than he ran last year at the same race.  A successful and fun weekend all around.

Coming into the Mile 10 Aid Station,
with Dean Karnazas in the foreground

Mile 57 Aid Station

At the Mile 70 Aid Station in the morning

Leaving the Aid Station at Mile 70

Leaving the Aid Station at Mile 83.  We were running with a fellow named Matt, whose son was yelling "go dad!" as we left

The Finish Line

Tiffany, Marshall and Me 

Angeles Crest 100 Miler - 2014

Tiffany and I spent this past weekend crewing and pacing Michael at the Angeles Crest 100 Mile Endurance Run.  The race starts at 5am in Wrightwood, and then winds its way through the San Gabriel Mountains to Pasadena.  It is a tough course, climbing up to nearly 10,000 at Mt. Baden-Powell.  

Michael at about Mile 40

Michael had run the Western States 100 seven weeks earlier, then hiked 19 days across Iceland, so he was tired coming into the race. Yet, he hung on, overcame some particularly unpleasant stomach issues, and made it to the finish line.  Thank you, Michael, for letting me tag along for part of your big run.

Michael's gear

How to fold an ice bandanna -- I think

AC is, in effect, the home meet for the SoCal Coyotes, as well as other local ultra running clubs.  Almost all the local runners are there, either racing, pacing, crewing or spectating.  

Power hiking is key to ultras, and no one is better at power hiking than Keira

David on his way to a great performance, finishing 7th overall

Andy and his pacer

Steven and Brian at Chantry Flats Aid Station, Mile 75

The course turns into moving party, with everyone following their runners from aid station to aid station.  It is a long day, and a long night -- and yet another morning after that -- but it is a heck of a lot of fun.  

Tiffany and Jeff

Kim and Gwen

Newlyweds Annie and George

Tiffany, me and Craig

Pedro and Erin, spectating at AC after their big performances at Tahoe Rim Trail

It was particularly heartwarming to see parents who came out to support the race:

Katie, with her mom and dad

Kelley, with her dad

Next up: I'm not quite sure yet!