I looked at the entrants list just to see who I was expecting to see and ... Jim Lampman! Nice. I contacted him letting him know that I will be there. Side note: Last year, I went there around midnight and waited a few hours. Once he rolled in, I did a loop with him. I know he wanted more but it was the best I could do. Still, that 2am-5am is the worst time so at least he had some company... This time, I would not support him but I told him that if he needs anything, I would bring it for him and also that I was hoping that we would connect and run together.
Anyway, since Erin gave birth somewhat recently, she and the baby (Luther) would NOT be there. Nicolle wasn't there either from Happily Running by the way - Only Vinny was there.
Jim did not come alone tho. He brought with him his sister(Ellen) and her son(Teagan) so at least he wasn't completly alone. Also, during the night, Vinny was going to escort him.
Anyway, as much as I don't like to repeat races, I was excited. I was also stressed. Did I mention stress yet?
The course: For the 50K, you gotta do 3 loops of 10.48 miles. Except for 2 road crossings, it's all trails. Nothing technical mind you but trails. Some elevation too. I did their inaugural race, my first 100 miler, and while I did not get lost, others did. I know that since then, they started marking the course better so while getting lost is always an option, I wasn't too too too worried about that.
Race day: Drove out there way too early. Parked at the Stop and Shop and crossed the street carrying way too much things. Into the little parking lot that is reserved for volunteers and there's the porta-potty. I just put my stuff down right there and got some instant stress relief. After that, immediatly took the little blue pill signalling my body to formally close the gates of hell.
Once that important part was taken care of, I walked to the check-in to hand in my declaration of health form and to get my temperature taken etc. With help from Vinny, I found Ellen and Teagan and talked to them a little. Set up my chair and stuff near them. Also talked a few minutes with Trischul. Anyway, the Hundred milers had already started before I got there and soon enough the 50 milers were off. The way they did it was that within a race distance, they would release 5 runners every so often. I don't remember how much of a break there was but who cares at this point.
People at these events are for the most part cool and I saw a case of that. An athlete that was going to start "soon" headed to the one and only porta-potty at check-in when a guy doing the hundo came in. He explained to the guy that he was in the middle of his race and asked if he can cut in. The dude immediatly without question said "Go ahead" and that was that. Nice!
My wave started and we were off. I didn't remember the course too much unfortunatly and tried to remember what I can. Unfortunatly so much time as now passed but I will do my best. That 10.48 mile course is split into 2 pieces. It's 1 big loop with only a tiny piece of overlap. You start at the Start/Finish (North Country). You run approx 3.25-3.50 miles to the first road crossing. Even thought they usually say that someone will be there, there isn't. Watch out! Those first 3ish miles contain most of the hills. Once you cross, you continue. Once you see the "V", you only have about 1/2 a mile to Whiskey Girl, bear right please. Due to Covid, the aid station as we once knew it, is now dead. They still tried tho. There was a sign before you got there with what food was there. You ask and they give it to you. You no longer reach and grab with your filthy hands. I don't like the stretch from the "V" to Whiskey Girl. It seems like it goes on forever... And is a small incline with loose sand. This area is the ONLY stretch that you may encounter people coming from the other direction. As per race rules, you MUST have a mask on at either aid station AND at an this point if you run into another runner coming from the other direction.
Coming back, down this sandy path and to the "V" where again you bear right.
You have about 3.25 miles this time before the road crossing. Again, watch out and don't get lost... Before the road crossing though, you have a pretty big hill to climb and a pretty big downhill too with a lot of loose soil and loose rocks. After that only a small part of another big hill. Don't get lost and do the whole hill by accident. Once you do cross the road, the school will soon appear on your right. Once you see the school, you have less than a mile to the start/finish.
Before the race even started, I heard 2 women talking and one was worried about bathroom availability and I mentioned that the port-a-trees and port-a-bushes were available EVERYWHERE. They both laughed tho one was a nervous laugh while the other was an agreement laugh.
My race started. Oh yeah, I actually carried an empty handheld bottle with me as well as my collapsible cup just in case. My first 5 miles, I was just trying to get the lay of the land. The next 5 miles, I connected with a dude named Guy Edwards who is a photographer for MarathonFoto. We did the next 5 miles together. He told me to leave without him at this point. Sucks... I was hoping to stay with him. He DNFed by the way. He had done the Shore2Shore 50K virtual in the rain by himself as his first race but had trouble this time.
During the race, I did run into my 2 female friends and of course I asked them if they found the port-a-bush yet... They laughed and said no. I replied that I saw 2 guys using the port-a-trees not too far ago and that I was going to use it too soon. We laughed. I left. Yes - I did run into 2 guys who were watering the trees and OF COURSE, I remarked on it. Later I ran into those 2 and ran with them giving my pearls of (somewhat) wisdom. One of which is always make a friend at a hundo if you didn't bring one with you. Turns out they didn't know each other pre-race but ran into each other and decided to collabrate together based on another runner giving them the same advice. Who was the other runner? JIM LAMPMAN!!! They ran a loop together with him before he let them go as it was WAY to fast for him. I actually saw him for a minute after his first loop but before mine because he was flying with those 2. Anyway, on/off I was with them.
Anyway, the whole time of the run, besides enjoyin myself, I was trying to track the course. Since it's not a 10 mile loop, the distance that I figured had to constantly be adjusted. It was a mental but fun challenge to do. Still, I was able to do it. I was very proud of myself. I had just calculated that I only had a quarter of a mile to finish the second loop and was currently going down a hill that had a split missing in the middle. It then happened. Before I knew what was going on, I fell. I don't fall by the way. I even thought, "what the hell is going on as I don't fall!!!", as I was hitting the ground. That sucked. Understatement anyone? So... There I was lying in the dirt all alone and I started the evaluating process. Face didn't report any pain. I moved down. Chest and hips seemed ok too. Legs/feet seemed ok. So, I asked myself why I was still lying down. Picked myself up. Hand was a little bloody but nothing much. Knees were all bloody and a little sore but ok. Most importantly, I checked my watch (still going) and phone (still working). Now the anger set in... Again, I don't fall. I think that at this point, I realized that I seriously fractured my ego. Sucks!
Well, small consolation, I was right. It only took a 1/4 mile to the start/finish. They noticed me pretty early on and the clapping and cheering started. I got into the area with the bells going off and the clapping. Ellen greeted me with "do you need anything?" and then I noticed her eyes heading south. My wiseass self was about to tell her that "my eyes are up here lady!" but she beat me with "do you need medical?". Her tone had changed a lot. I should mention that I haven't examined my knees too much at this point. Why psyche myself out?!? I blurted "Medical? Ask my wife and she would say that I need mental help...". Silence and then laughter and we all moved on. I reapplied Aquafor and grabbed liquids and food and left for my last loop. My last loop!!! I felt guilty and giddy knowing that I was done. I finished the loop and got my medal and some food. I had plans on changing clothes.
Experience has shown that I need to get out of those nasty clothes as soon as I can to prevent more and more chafing and at this point, I only had very minimal chafing on right inner thigh. And that experience I mentioned? Would have been good to have listened to it. I decided that I don't need to do it. Packed my stuff and walked to the car. I did change shirts tho just not the pants or socks.
Loaded the car. Made sure food and liquids were available and started driving. Waze took me on the road that we cross during the race and there was a runner who was lost. Unfortunatly, there were too many cars behind me and I was going too fast and so I could not stop. I should have gone back. Sorry dude...
It was a pleasant hour drive back and I spent it eating and drinking and voice texting and talking on the phone.
Did you realize my second mistake yet? Besides not changing clothes, I also didn't clean the knees...
I got home dreading the rebuke that I was surely going to get from the boss for not cleaning the wounds. Apparently, I really did a number on my knees and they bled quite a lot. I also managed to pickup a LOT of trail with me (stuck in the wound abd blood). Before showering, I called the boss upstairs to the bathroom. I was in trouble. Turns out first stupid mistake (not changing clothes) got it's revenge on me.
My butt cheeks had welts on them from sitting in those nasty clothes for an hour. I needed her help. She fully saw my knees at this point. I think the state of my butt tho actually saved me. I think it generated some pity and therefore I did not get yelled at for not washing out the wounds. I have pictures of my knees but I don't think they truly do justice to the moment. It's approx 3 months ince the race and I now have scars on my knees from the fall. The dirt that was embedded in there has finally come out completly but as I said, I now have scars there.
After my shower, I got dressed and we went to the Madan family for a socially distant pizza dinner in their backyard. They set up 2 seperate tables and we sit far from each other but still close enough to talk. They were shocked to see my knees. Mind you, I had to wear shorts even tho my thermostat was off and I was doing my usual shaking thing every so often. My butt welts also caused me to stick to my underwear constantly so they needed constant peeling. The looks I got regarding my knees were priceless. As we ate, I kept looking up remembering how dark it gets in those woods and was internally very happy (and feeling guilty) for NOT being there.
Still, it was good...
Mad Respect for integrity goes to Michael Condella. He did the hundo in a great time. I think he may have come in first. He ate and got his stuff together and called an uber. He was in the car and checked his watch and something didn't make sense. He told the guy to turn back. He realized that he only did 9 loops instead of 10 and that the timer was wrong. He then did his last loop in his clean clothes. Wow!!! Mad respect for going back.