09/02/2022:
Well, maybe admitting that part has helped so let's start. I, traditionally, don't like to repeat races especially the long ones. Mikey always reminds me of that fact when I say Pistol. So, let's talk about it... Why is it that I have repeated it? Hm...
- First and obvious - I was trying to "complete the arsenal" (see picture below)
- Then besides Jamey, there is Michelle Frew (and Greg)
- Then also, the volunteers and the aid stations etc
Let me take a quick tangent and explain... Completing the Arsenal means you get the shadow box for all your awesome swag. I was a year in front of Jamey and Michelle so I finished first while they both had to still come back for the 100K. Still, I was gonna come back to do it with them... And of course then came Covid and shut the world down. Sucks. What's worse is is that I have because of Pistol, blocked my month of March from any other race. Still, the 3 musketeers (or the 3 stooges) were meant to run one last time together... And finally, 2022 came and they were going to do an in person race. Jamey and I don't believe in virtuals so we immediatly signed up and so did Michelle. They also decided to do a Half-Marathon and a full Marathon on Sunday, so we of course immediatly jumped on that.
Then we heard about this sudden course adjustment due to construction at the school which also affected the pre-race meeting. Everything was a little weird but I still had Jamey and Michelle until 2 weeks before, Michelle bowed out. We tried to convince her to stay. We would pull her... But alas no michelle. I don't know... Between everything, it just made me feel weird. I can't explain it. I just wanted to get it over with already and free up the month of March already. The one good thing? NO MORE DRIVING to the race... Jamey and I decided that we are flying. Kate has done it and kept telling us how awesome it is. We didn't listen. We drove with Bill to save money and to help him out. This year, our last year, we would make our life easier and fly... No more 16 hours in the car all cramped up. Yay...
So, we fly which is good but no Michelle and a course change. OK - weird but ok. Hopefull to see all the usual suspects and say our goodbyes. Yes - goodbyes. Really, I'm done with it although... Now that I am doing the 100K AND he's got brand new swag, I entertained completing the arsenal again but everytime I think yes, I think no...
We flew down and I see a "runner" on the plane. I start talking to her but she's closer to Jamey. He thought her name was Selena and I was right about her doing Pistol. Only when we headed back, yes - same plane coming home too, did I realize that it was Stalina Gibson, whom I know.
The flight was smooth and after landing, we walked a small part right into the hotel. NICE! The expo and packet pickup, instead of being at the school, was at the the hotel. Cool. Did I mention that I chatted a bunch with management at the hotel and decided that Kim Fry, runner and management, is ultra cool. She came to see us. The expo and packet pickup was subdued and sad. It was sad and it made me sad. Still we saw Larry Carpenter, Ed Peters, Bill and his new car mate Tek Ung (female), and we also met (I think his name was) Jared. Hell of a nice guy. Japanese runner. Later, Bill and Tek were mentioning that they have to meet a fellow runner, a Japanese guy. Wait a minute... What are the odds?!? Yes - Same guy.
By the way, the hotel was hosting a bunch of NCAA female basketball teams so that was cool as it was March and the fight for the "final 4" was happening.
During the expo, I overhead Will talking to "Luke". Luke caught my eye as he was wearing nice pants with a button down shirt and tie and sneakers. Just seemed off. They were talking because Luke wanted to set up his own aid station because he was going for the course record for the hundred miler.
Anyway, done and done and went to sleep.
Next morning, woke up early and got a shuttle to race site. It was not at the usual place (expected) and things just weren't the same.
Still, a lot more indoor plumbing so that was nice. It was also rather cold for me. Yes - I am a baby...
The nice thing about the 100K was only 6 loops. YAY!!! Do I really want to come back and do the hundo again? And the double barrel again? And the Marathon tomorrow? Oy...
We started. I felt off. Things weren't the same for me. I was hoping to see the usual suspects at the packet pickup and I didn't see all of them. I expected to see them at the start and I didn't.
Spoke to Ed Childress. He never remembers me and always seems a little aloof to me, like he's better than everyone. Tried to speak to him about Brazzos Bend but he said that he would never because of too much sand but he was mistook it with the Habanero 100 I think. Still, saw him during the race and still aloof. On the way home tho, saw him at the airport (again) and I congratulated him on the buckle and he did seem nicer that time. Maybe just maybe he will remember me next time. Who knows...
Right near the start/finish, a running club from Queens, Ohio set up shop, so of course everytime I saw them, I would scream "Queens!!! .... New York...". They would rejoice to hear Queens but then the steam blew away when they realized that I was talking about NY. Still, we hooked up with one of their runners named Logan Mueller and she was nice even though she never heard of the X-Men and Wolverine. We did talk about it tho for a while.
We did a few loops with her and she was cool. She did leave us tho which was fine. I have no problem getting chicked but at one point, when she passed us, she made some remark and I guess she thought it was funny. I didn't see it that way tho. Still, she was cool so whatever.
Also met Katie York who was doing the 50K. She was taking layers off during the run and I kept on seeing her when she was doing that and of course joked about that I don't have any singles. We later took a picture together.
Also ran into a woman whose last name was "Doctor". I asked her if she was at least a doctor and she said yes and I thought it was hillarious that her name was "Doctor Jennifer Doctor". We started talking to her because she was wearing Dr. Suess socks.
Abbi and her now husband Glen were there and that was nice. Michelle Nuchols was manning the Leprachaun station and that was nice too.
There was a dude there doing the 100K and both his kids (son/daughter) were there to pace him at different times. Got some pictures of them. I kept joking with his kids that dad is too slow and they should pace us.
Jameelah was there and actually finished the hundo this time. No drama...
There was a woman there who looked so familiar but I could not place her until finally it hit me... "Have you ever done 3 days at the fair?"... "Of course. I recognize you too...". Darlene Kresse... I actually got a picture of her smiling. She usually doesn't.
Larry managed to finish his first hundred! Go Larry!!!
The famous Dipak and Meghan (OF COURSE!!!) finished as well! Nice!!! Dipak had just done a crazy race not too long ago. Bill and Tek also finished. Not surprised. Bill is strong and Tek looked awesome. Jared did a sub 24 (21:51:01) and whenever we saw him looked fresh as a daisy.
Going to start our last loop when out comes Kelsey Porter to be the first overall finisher of the 100K. Pretty sure she set a course record. Her husband could not keep up with her as leaving the park, there's a crazy uphill. Did I mention that he was on a bike while she ran?!? He could NOT keep up with her... Yes - you heard right. She was on fire.
I should mention Jamey and me at this point. Our goal was the 15 hour mark because the following month, we were doing Brazzos Bend 100K in Texas. It's flat and has a 15 hour cutoff. Pistol is hilly but we were still aiming for 15 hours.
Furthermore, beside Jamey's stomach acting up a little, my hip flexors were killing me. I have never felt that before. I was in pain. A lot of it.
Due to the indoor plumbing break, we finished in 15:09 but I was convinced that we would be good for Texas. Got our stuff and I got a massage and stretch. I was hurting. Got to the hotel and decided to talk in the AM about the next day. The next morning, my hip flexors were better but I wasn't sure that I would be able to finish in time to make the plane. Jamey felt fine. I chose to not do the race, a first for me. Judicous stupidity taking over. Jamey went and did the race which was awesome. From there, to the hotel so he can shower and to the airport.
I love Pistol. I love the race. I love the people. I love the aid stations. Seriously, no headlamp and worse case, an aid station is 2 miles away but I am done. For real. No more.
Still, apparently I get more swag so Jamey had them ship it with the rest of the stuff. See picture below...
Other things seen (look at the picture gallery)... Dude wearing a santa outfit who didn't smile and others...