| Aid Station Description | Elevation Map | Course Map |
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The website says it a very beginner friendly trail run which I think is what sold Maria. But then, a few days later, we got the official email from the RD. In it, he explained that the reason the website says it's a beginner friendly race is because there are aid stations every 3.5 - 4.5 miles but in reality, it's not such an easy race. Wonderful... He also mentioned cutoffs...
The first cutoff was 5 hours for 17 miles or something like that which was very weird. He also listed other cutoffs and lastly he mentioned the 8 hour cutoff for the 50K. It only hit me the day before the race, that we did the Greenbelt 50K in approx 7 hours so 8 is suddenly tight. He mentioned that cutoffs are very strict and runners will NOT be allowed to continue. And then he mentioned that if you seem to be having a good pace then they would let you continue. I wasn't sure what to think.
I was also conflicted about what to do about the run itself. Do I run with the Freds or by myself? The Freds are fast these days and I feel slow since things have been sucky. On the other hand, Maria hates trails so they may just go slower. Decisions decisions...
Saturday, I ran 4 miles with Hammad and Jamey. I also only taught my class at the YMCA. Didn't want to be on feet for too long.
Sunday, the Freds picked me up and we were on the way. Trip was uneventful except for the drizzle thing every so often. It was supposed to be dry!
We started talking to the people parked next to us. Turns out it's their first Ultra and also their first trail race. Wow... Suddenly Darren Renninger noticed a mark on Mikey. I immediatly said hickie but Darren knew the score. It was a burn. How did he figure it out? He and Mikey are both Chefs. Sandy and Maria are both teachers. Small world. I'm nobody ;)
Small talk and another trip to the port-a-pottie and the race is about to begin. I hung out with Mike and Maria in the back initially but once we started, I just could not keep such a slow pace. I left them. I figured they would potentially catch me.
The race starts and finishes exactly where the Naked Bavarian was held. In fact, it shares some of the course as well. The Naked Bavarian was 2 loops of 20 miles while this is one big loop around the lake. On even years, it's clockwise. On odd years, it's counter clockwise. Just like in the Bavarian, initially my calves were burning but I got through it. Did I mention that there were 381 people doing this tiny race? Hard to stretch calves during the beginning. At the Bavarian, I actually stopped. This time, I did it while running.
Right away I hooked up with (Dr.) Lisa RunsALot, a friend of the Freds. I believe I had met her before but wasn't sure. In any case, we ran together for about 9 miles.
At some point after an aid station, we encountered a woman who while running, was taking her shirt off. From that point, she ran with a sports bra. Having a big mouth meant that I immediatly felt the need to converse with her. Conversation follows:
ME: How much are we taking off? I need to know whether to stay here or not... HER: All depends if there's beer. ME: Love it...I should mention that everyone else was laughing too.
Things were good. We saw a woman sitting in the woods near her dog. I yelled out "who let the dogs out?" and Lisa responded with "woo hoo". Things were good.
On/off we ran with a dude in a red shirt. At times he left us then we caught him again.
At one point, we ran this section and some woman was in front of me with Lisa behind me. The woman suddenly yelled ouch. Something bit or stung her. It was red, swollen and hurt. Sucks. I took the lead and joked that it was better when she was in front just in case there are anymore biting things. I then got bit or stung on the upper Hamstring. Hurt... Later, I read that it was some sort of land wasps or something and almost everybody got stung. Nice...
First aid station went fine. Second aid station was good too. After the second aid station, approx mile 9, Lisa and red shirt took off going up a hill. I asked out loud why are we running hard the uphill? They continued on while this girl (Lauren Salge) answered me "I don't know". Nice... I stopped to walk with Laura.
So Lisa left but I upgraded with Laura. She and I immediatly clicked together. I mean we seriously did. Spoiler Alert: We stayed together for 21 miles!!!
We caught red shirt and stayed with him a little and left him and he caught up and we left him. At one point, he mentioned that he hasn't been near a tv for 6 months. I asked why and I could have sworn he said he just came back from PCP and I remember saying "that's a conversation starter". Actually, he said PCT (Pacific Crest Trail) which he explained was a trail that goes on 2,650 miles. You can google it if you want.
Anyway, it was time for bad jokes and I told mine. Red shirt told 1 I think. Laura told 3. Here they are...
Q: What do you call a dear with no eyes? A: No-eye-dea (no idea) Q: What do you call a dear with no eyes AND no legs? A: Still No-eye-dea (still no idea) Q: What do you call a dear with no eyes AND no legs AND no genitalia? A: Still no F***ing eye-dea (still F***ing no idea)I commented on that she said genitalia yet actually dropped the F-bomb. We had fun. We did.
At 1 point, we stopped seeing red shirt. He dropped at 17 as per his plan. Found that out at the finish...
At the aid station around mile 13, as we were about to leave Maria rolls in. What??? Awesome. We leave. She eventually catches us again at the next aid station. From that point on, we were running with Mikey or Maria with the other trailing. How awesome is that? How awesome is Maria? Seriously...
I don't remember before which aid station but we could hear this volunteer cheer people on. She was on the other side of the lake... We eventually got to her.
Also, I don't remember which aid station it was but... Here and there there were mud pits and I went around them. Right before one aid station, there was no choice and as I put my foot into it, my shoe got enveloped by the mud. It was up to my ankle. As I lifted my foot, the shoe stayed behind. I immediatly slammed my foot back in and got it out slowly keeping the shoe flat as opposed to normal foot pickup. This happened 3 times in total. Later Mike told me that he was engulfed in mud. I told him that I made the huge hole for him. I'm sure everyone had that issue.
At 1 point, I told Mikey that I'm trying to break Laura up with her boyfriend because she would be perfect for Andrew. I mean she was turning 28 the following week and Andrew is only 18 but they would have amazing ultra grandchildren... She laughed. By the way, her boyfriend, an ultra runner as well who has done hundos, was coming in from California the following week for her 28th birthday and she thought that perhaps he was going to put a ring on it. They have been going out for 3 years. Who knows....
Did I mention that Pennsylvania only has uphills? I was actually wrong. Mile 20 was a mountain. Everything else seemed like uphills only. That part really sucked.
Constantly more and more hills.
Laura and I were together at one point with no Freds when we came across a woman. She joined us but told us that she was having bad stomach cramps that stopped when she stopped running. I suggested that she go use the port-a-bush and she replied that they were not fully stocked. I offered a bag of wipes and she was so happy. She then said she doesn't see a good place and I asked if she was kidding. She went off. Later we saw her again and she thanked me profusely. I told her that the first bag was free but the next was $ 50.00 and that I was trying to build a customer base. She liked that.
Toward the end, we met a woman whose longest run ever was 18 miles. Ok.... She finished tho.
Another funny conversation with Laura went like this:
ME: What's your next race?
HER: I was supposed to do Chicago today but dropped it.
ME: Why?
HER: I don't think I can run a Marathon.
ME: (Stopping to stare at her) Seriously?
HER: Not to really run...
ME: OK.... And next race?
HER: I dropped out of the NYC Marathon.
ME: Why?
HER: I can't run a Marathon right now.
ME: (AGAIN Stopping to stare at her) Seriously?!?
HER: I would like to beat my last years time of 3:45 and I don't think I could do that
right now.
ME: Ha....
She really was awesome.
We finally left the trails and ran the little bit on the road to the finish. Mikey finished right behind us. Maria soon followed. We got our shirt and then got food. Sandy finished and eventually so did Darren. She dropped him.
Food was good. I didn't eat a hot dog but ate 2 servings of meatballs with sauce and 3 servings of pasta with sauce.
Cleaned up and left. Traffic moved well only to get stuck in Fort Lee for a freaking hour trying to get to the GWB. New Jersey I truly hate you.
That's it for now I think.
So, Elizabeth, pre-race decided to wash my bottle for me. It was a nice thought. Too bad she didn't rinse it that well. I actually took the bottle with me and initially just carried it empty. I then started using it. Palmolive water better than no water I guess. At one point in the race, I did run out of water between aid stations and asked someone for some of their water. They gave it to me. Real nice of them. I drank it all up and then we got to the aid station. Oh well. I wish I knew. Felt bad about taking their water. Still... Thanks guys...