Race Reports – an amazing run

2025 Paleozoic Trail Runs – Cambrian Fall III 25K Race Report

November 8, 2025
25K Trail race held at Palos Park, Illinois – Cook County Forest Preserve
21st Place overall, 3rd in M60-69 Age Group
2:24:23
Race Results

I was so glad to wrap up my 2025 racing season with this fall trail race again. As I was running the early part of the race, I was thinking about how similar things were going for me from last year’s race, and that I could probably just cut and paste last year’s race report and just change a few things. But the latter half of the race certainly was different than last year.

I don’t even know why I try to make a pre-race plan, because I never stick to it. I had pre-run half of the course last week, and the rest this week, and my pace plan and how I felt during those two runs told me I need to dial it back from the start. But did I? Nope, gunned it too hard and would end up paying for it later.

Heading out with excitement and trying not to step in a hole.

The day seemed perfect for racing, maybe 45℉ at the start, calm wind, and the course was in really good shape. The first mile netted me a split of 8:09, and I knew I would regret that. But the hills soon came and forced me to slow down and rein myself in. Once I got to four miles or so, I finally had dialed myself in and was on autopilot.

After getting passed by other runners who had started slower than I did, I found myself running behind a guy running at about my same pace. Blue-sleeved Guy, as I named him, would gap me a little climbing hills when he was jogging strongly up them and charging hard down them, neither of which I was able to do. But I would slowly reel him back in on the flatter portions of the race.

As we got to the 7.75-mile turnaround, Blue-sleeved Guy hit the portapotty, and I went straight to the aid station to refill my water bottle. I had seen in the pre-race email that Tailwind would be at the aid station, but oftentimes it’s diluted too much. I asked the volunteer at the aid station if it was mixed to a good concentration, and he responded like he had been asked before, saying that most everyone had said it was spot on. I trusted him, filled my bottle, and turned back to the trail. I kept looking over my shoulder for Blue-sleeved Guy, but he never materialized.

Out-and-back courses give you an advantage to see how many are ahead of you and how many are behind. I felt pretty good about seeing fewer faces heading out as I did after turning around. I figured I was in the top twenty or so. I settled back in and kept chugging away at the miles at a comfortable-hard race pace for me.

I felt pretty good up until 11 miles into it. I could feel myself starting to struggle. A guy passed me around the 12.5-mile area and said, “Even the small hills are feeling like large hills now.” I couldn’t have agreed more. I told him that I was gassed, but I kept trudging along.

My mile splits had been holding steady, but at 13 miles, I hit the wall. My wife, Kari, had said before the race started that she had put an extra gel in the zippered pocket of my hydration belt for me. I honestly didn’t think that I would need it, seeing that Tailwind had been working great for me, but boy, was I wrong. I was blowing through my hydration and was concerned that I would drink all of it too soon. I reached in and grabbed the gel and ate it. It would have been worse for me had it not been there for me. It was a race saver.

Coming into the last little bit of the race. The trail was filled with beautiful fall foliage.

I started having some foot cramps, and knew that could spell trouble. It was at the last two miles that I decided that the “race” was now just to get to the finish. As I came off the main trail and onto the grass, I was passed by a guy who was my age, and I asked him if he wanted a sprint finish. He said, “Sure,” and I chuckled. I said, “I’m going to make you earn this.” 😄 But honestly, I couldn’t keep pace and was just glad to make him earn it. The second year in a row that I was out-kicked in the final quarter-mile of the race. Oh well, I guess that’s racing for you.

So dead and done with the race that I was stopping my watch even before crossing the mat.

Kari was awesome once again, taking pictures, making sure I had what I needed, and getting my very sore body back to the truck for the drive to Pop’s for some much-needed lunch replenishment. She ended up walking 8 miles of trails while I was out there punishing myself.

The slogan of this race is “Finish or Fossilize,” and I was certainly glad that I didn’t fossilize. Came close. 😄 Time to recover and plan out my race schedule for next year.

Little Apple Gravel Race 50K – Race Report

August 3, 2025 – Manhattan, IL – 50K Open Division

Results: 50K Open – Male: 24th out of 40, no official time listed

Watch data: 30.68 miles – 1:53:20 – 16.2 mph/ave.

I completed my first bike race today! Well, kinda sorta. Although I’ve raced my bike in numerous triathlons, this was my first cycling-only race, a 50K gravel race on a great day. There were 48 registrants in my division – the Open 50K, with many others doing longer distances, some requiring a license that I lack, and after today, have no desire to obtain one. Those people are in a different league.

I arrived early enough to find a good parking spot under a shady tree and picked up my number placard, which goes on the front of your bike. There was a table next to the pick-up area that had some fun trinkets and a sign near some stickers that said something like Team Dog or Team Cat – Choose wisely. I chose Team Dog and stuck the sticker on my number.

Even the dog thinks this might not be a good idea.

Looking fairly fresh just before the start of the race. Somehow, I missed my friend Jim’s call for a pre-ride group photo, but I still had a chance to get in a shot or two with people I had no idea who they were.

The course is billed as 88% gravel and runs through the farm areas of the southern Chicago area. The start is a neutral roll-out, where there’s no racing and is designed to get the group going without any incidents. A little after a mile, the race is on. I saw Jim and another friend, Dan, just before they started their 100K ride. Dan wished me luck and advised me to “stay between the ditches.” As we got rolling and started racing, we came to the first turn and the first section of gravel, and that is when I saw my first crash. The guy went into the turn a little too hot and wiped out. I was surprised to see him at the finish later on, looking good and in one piece. It looked to be a bad wipeout.

The gravel section is hard enough, but the course started heading uphill and into a headwind. It was at this point that I realized the packs of riders ahead would be tough to catch, and I found myself riding pretty much on my own, which I didn’t mind. This section was about five miles long, and I just kept focused on keeping a good cadence and finding the best line, usually the car tire-packed-down area of the gravel road. There were plenty of bike tire tracks to use as a guide as well.

I was finally catching up with some other riders and caught my friends Chris and Kristin, who had started strong, but I was finally able to pull them in. Chris rode on my wheel for a while, but then I pulled away. We were three Chris’s for a mile or two.

I had ridden the course a little over a week ago and remembered which areas to be cautious in. Someone nicknamed a section of very soft gravel the “Devil’s Gravel,” and that section had some white knuckle moments. Around 23 miles into it, I saw a second rider who had just passed me and another rider go down around a corner. His helmeted head hit the ground hard enough for me to gasp, but the gravel was so soft there that it didn’t seem to phase him. I saw him later on as well, and he advised that he was fine.

Right after the guy went down, I chatted up “Matt” and we started working together to get to the finish, and by together I mean, I got on his wheel and tried to hold on. When we finally got to a paved road again, it was I who took the lead and let him hang on for a while, but he was a little faster going up the hills. As we turned onto the final straight to the finish, we both pushed pretty hard, trying to catch the guy ahead of us. Somehow, I finished ahead of Matt, but I’m not sure if he was happy to let me go, knowing that there really wasn’t anyone challenging us from behind, or was out of gas and had no sprint finish left. Well, I gave it my best effort regardless.

Pretty dirty at the finish.

In all, it was a day of riding hard, being cautious, and enjoying a great race for the first time. I may have to do this one again!

2025 Ironman 70.3 Rockford Race Report

DATE: June 22, 2025

WHERE: Rockford, Illinois

RESULTS: 2025 Ironman 70.3 Rockford Results BIB# 1385

I survived. That should be in bold. The day brought mid-90ºF temps with Real Feel temperatures in the low-100ºs. Plus, Mother Nature decided to throw some tough wind at us today as well, and not in a favorable direction. There’s a lot to unpack here, so let’s dive in.

TRAINING

When it was announced that Ironman was possibly coming to the Chicago area, I got intrigued. I hadn’t done any long-course triathlons since 2021 and was getting a little burned out chasing the 100-mile ultra that I have yet to accomplish. When Rockford 70.3 was announced, I signed up on day one. I encouraged anyone else I could to join me, and was glad when my Gunner teammates Jeff and his sister Jan joined in the fun. Numerous locals also signed up, too!

I dusted off my copy of Don & Melanie Fink’s IronFit Secrets for Half Iron- Distance Triathlon Success and followed the 16-week competitive plan. Training went pretty well. The spring was rather cool, and many training rides and runs were done with layered clothing, but overall, I put in the work I needed to feel prepared for the race.

I switched from using gels as my energy fuel to liquid fuels, opting for Tailwind and GU Roctane to fuel me. What I liked about using liquid fuel is that you don’t seem to have the sugar rush and then blood sugar crash when using gels every half hour. The energy level is more sustained, and you get the added benefit of staying on top of hydration because you are drinking your fuel.

I felt pretty well prepared from my training until the weather watchers on the race Facebook page started predicting the weather. It was not looking good.

RACE DAY

Had no other choice but to accept the day that was given to us.

SWIM – 43:06

I had packed my wetsuit in my Morning Clothes bag to carry to the swim start to use if I could, but as I was leaving the hotel, I got a push message from the Ironman app that the water temp was 79.2ºF, making the race wetsuit optional. I opted to leave the wetsuit in the car and use my swimskin instead. The swimskin is legal to wear regardless of the temperature and is designed to help you glide through the water, but in reality, it’s just a security blanket for me.

Jan, me, and Jeff waiting to get on the bus for the ride to the swim start.

I seeded myself in the 43-46 minute group, and it took 45 minutes for us to reach the water. I jumped in and quickly got into a comfortable swim. I had a few little toe cramps, but I worked them out and just kept pulling myself forward. I was far right in the water, often swimming closely by the kayakers monitoring the swim, but I wanted to avoid contact and had few issues with it. I knew that there were three bridges to go under and kept an eye on those. I could have swum a straighter line, but was happy to get to the Swim Out in good shape. The much-hyped current-aided swim for this event was non-existent. I felt no current assist with it at all, and my 43-minute finish time is right where I expected my finish time to be. I was happy with my swim.

TRANSITION 1 – 8:35

Most of my solid running for the day was from swim out to transition.

Out of the water led to at least a 1/4-mile jog to my spot in transition. Upon getting there, I grabbed a towel and got my feet dry. Then I applied some anti-chafe to my feet (which was beneficial on the run), got my helmet and sunscreen on, and then headed to Bike Out.

BIKE – 3:28:27

I had pre-rode the bike course a month or so earlier and made mental notes about my effort during the various sections. Today, though, the wind direction changed most of my expectations. We had a tailwind heading out, which made that climb north much faster. I started a little too strong and kept telling myself to dial it back, which took me about 5 miles to accomplish before settling in. My 20-mile split time was about an hour, so 20 mph was quite a good time for me.

Then we headed west, and it became more difficult. I was starting to suffer and came close to hitting the wall around halfway, but I slowed down a little and kept drinking the liquid nutrition. I also opted to up my electrolytes by taking a salt capsule every hour. I’m sure that helped quite a bit. I was sweating the whole time and kept an eye on that. I stopped at the second and third aid stations to urinate, and I took that as a good sign about being hydrated. I can usually get through 50 miles on just three water bottles, but I doubled that intake here. We were all drinking extra water.

I saw lots of people walking their bikes uphill, but I just spun up them. Only one hill on the backside of the course made me work really hard, but the downhill afterwards was always a welcome recovery. I hit 30+ mph several times, maxing out at 36 mph on one downhill.

Finishing up, wondering how many matches I had burned. I burned a lot.

I was feeling pretty good coming into T2, and I was happy to be two-thirds done with this sauna triathlon.

TRANSITION 2 – 8:45

I took time to add more sunscreen and wash my face and head off, trying my best to cool down with the hot water I had in transition. Oh well, off to walk on the surface of the sun for 13 miles.

RUN – 3:00:31

According to Ironman, athletes may run, walk, or crawl. I started with a walk, hoping not to crawl.

I tried to run when I started the run portion of the race, but it wasn’t long until my body said not to. The first section of the run course was the worst when it came to heat. Other than the breeze across the bridge over the river, it was stagnant, and the heat from being exposed to the sun on the blacktop made me walk most of the first three miles. Some portions of the course were just brutal. The best portion of the course was through a very nice neighborhood that someone on the Facebook page nicknamed “Sprinkler Alley”. These people were in the street with their hoses and sprinklers, offering people a chance to stay cool. I didn’t skip a single one of them. Everyone ran that course thoroughly soaked with sweat and water. Lots of squeaky and squishy sounds were coming from the shoes.

I had had it with Tailwind and switched to taking Coke at the aid stations and sticking with ice and water. Most of the ice went into my trisuit and visor, and some I melted in my mouth.

My mood/energy/pace was picking up as I came through to end the first lap and continue on to the second lap of the run. I tried to jog longer and at least jog from aid station to aid station, but I needed another break along the path that runs along the river. This was a hot section of the run course for me, but the “Sprinkler Alley” area followed along soon, and I was getting a boost from being closer to the finish.

I jogged through the finish chute with a smile on my face, high-fiving some crew and fans along the way. So relieved that the race was done for me.

TOTAL TIME: 7:29:24 / 1274th place out of 1692 / 34th place out of 47 M60-64 age group

Currently, the results show 1692 finishers. There were 2,700 actual registrants, and with an estimated 20% DNF rate, that’s over 1,000 people who either did not start or did not finish.

Not the best performance for me. Pre-race, I was shooting for a sub-6-hour finish. HA! Well, that wasn’t happening on this day. My strongest event, the run, was the one I had struggled most with, which is not really surprising, as running heats you up the most. I’m just glad to have gotten through this tough day. I was wondering at the beginning of the run if I was even going to be able to keep moving forward and finish. But I survived and will proudly display my medal.

Thanks again to my wife, Kari, for putting up with me and these shenanigans. Standing around in 90º+ weather for eight hours is not fun. Thanks also to my son Ben and daughter-in-law Emily for coming to cheer. It was much appreciated. Jeff’s crew included his wife Jill, son Charlie, and his girlfriend Kelly, who also provided much-needed support. Thanks to my Gunner teammates, Jeff and Jan, for joining me in doing this race. Thanks for buying us dinner, Jeff! And thanks to Karen for joining me on the course pre-ride and at the race. Everyone from the area seemed to survive the day as well.

Overall, and after a day or two of reflection, I actually enjoyed the event. Rockford was an awesome host city, the volunteers were spectacular, and I am seriously considering doing this race again next year. Hopefully, it will be a little cooler, and I can coax some more Gunners to join in on the fun.

2024 Paleozoic Trail Runs – Silurian Fall II 25K Race Report

November 9, 2024
25K Trail race held at Palos Park, Illinois – Cook County Forest Preserve
14th Place overall, 1st in M60-69 Age Group
2:20:02
Paleozoic Trail Run – Silurian Fall II Results

I have done the spring version of this 25K before, and since I opted to not burden myself at Tunnel Hill 100 with another 100-mile attempt this year, I decided to give the fall version a go. And I am happy that I did! We had a cool and overcast morning for the race, with perfect trail conditions, and seeing that the fall version is run at a different course, I found this one to be a lot less technically challenging. That’s not to say this was easy – it had nearly 1500 feet of elevation! Lots of rolling hills, and a few steep enough to force me to walk, but the day turned out great for me.

My faithful sidekick/super sherpa/wife Kari and I got there way earlier than necessary, but were glad to do so to get a prime parking spot as the location had very few and we didn’t want to have to find the second and third parking option and have to walk. We had lots of fun people-watching and chatting about the other racer’s prerace routines.

I had made a race morning decision to wear my more comfortable road shoes instead of my trail shoes, based on the race director’s email stating that the course was in great condition. I also wore my gaiters to keep the little rocks, sticks, leaves, and other trail junk out of my shoes. I was looking around and it seemed that I was the only one that opted for them. I was so glad that I did.

At the start of the race, a short grassy section that led to the path.

The 50K started at 8:30 and my race started at 9:30. This course is much more crowded with other patrons, but they weren’t too bad and gave us plenty of room. My plan was to not go out too fast and have to suffer in the later miles, but of course, I bolted out of the gate. It wasn’t long before I found myself in no-man’s-land once again, not quite with the lead pack and way ahead of the back-of-the-packers. Doesn’t matter what length of race I do, I find myself in this spot every time.

There was a giant hill that I walked just before mile 2 and I got passed by a couple of other runners, but walking calmed me down and I settled into a more appropriate pace. The hills kept coming and I just kept pushing on.

The 50K leader was shirtless and I saw him around my 5-mile mark and knew that I would definitely see him again. It wasn’t long after that when I saw the first 25K leader coming back at me from the turnaround, and she was flying! She did eventually win the race, a first for the race director, which he was super excited for.

As I got closer to the turnaround myself, I was marveling at how good a gel would make me feel. Every 30 minutes is when I choke down the 100-calorie syrupy stuff, and I was finding myself looking at my watch 15 minutes after each one wondering how much longer to the next. I finally caught a guy that I had been slowly reeling in, but he would jog the hills and I would walk them and have to work at pulling him back in again. We arrived at the turnaround aid station at the same time. I had already had the lid off of my 21-ounce water bottle and had it refilled with another 21 ounces. I’m glad that I opted for the bigger bottle this time instead of the 12-ounce handheld bottles I used in the spring race. I was staying on top of hydration.

After the turn, I found my legs and started running at a pretty good clip. This portion would be downhill for a while, and I tried to take advantage of that. I could see the competition coming at me for the first time and I was glad I had a good lead.

I have to give a shout-out to the large group of spectators who greeted us when we went out and came back on the course around the middle section. It was a big pick-me-up.

The next runner ahead of me was another one that I had tried to reel in from the start. She had passed me within the first 1/2-mile of the race and looked strong, but by mile 11 she clearly had run into a wall. I passed her and put some distance on her. I didn’t think that I was in the top ten at this point, but gaining a spot gave me some motivation to keep chasing others. The problem was, there weren’t any ahead of me that I could see!

With about 2.5 miles to go, we hit the last big hill and I was passed by another guy. Great, I had just gained a spot and now I was losing one. I tried to match pace with the guy, but he was younger and stronger. And to add insult to injury, the race director informed us at the awards that he had raced the RDs fall Lakefront 50K the week before. Tip of the running visor to him.

Once up the big hill it was flat and I summoned the energy I had left to push a little bit. I could hear the quick footsteps rapidly approaching me from behind and of course, it was the 50K finisher passing me in the final mile. It has happened twice now to me and I hate it! Oh well, another tip of the running visor to the shirtless 50K winner, whose overall 50K time was nearly a half-hour faster than my Chicago Marathon time. Actually, the second-place 50K finisher was also faster than my CM time. Crazy kids. Tip of the running visor to both of them.

As I was dealing with that defeat, the sounds of more footsteps were approaching, and I was passed by a woman who clearly was kicking to the finish. I tried to keep pace with her but she was slowly pulling away (tip of the visor to her-lol). We emerged relatively close from the trail and onto the grass to do a parade lap of the park to the finish and she hit the afterburners, beating me by 15 seconds. I knew that I couldn’t catch her, but I also knew that the clock was ticking rapidly to the 2:20 mark and I gave it my best to be sub-2:20, but my official time put me two seconds over it. My watch time shows 2:19:38, but it paused while I was refilling my water bottle. Seeing that I had predicted a 2:40 finish when I signed up for the race, and then thinking I had a good chance to go sub-2:30, to get 2:20:02 was a huge surprise that I will proudly take as a new PR.

Finishing the race and getting my medal and age group award

All in all, it was a great day and a great performance for me. I might have to keep this one on the calendar for next year!

2024 Chicago Marathon Race Report

2024 Chicago Marathon / October 13, 2024 / Chicago, Illinois

3:53:27 / 19966th Finisher / 295th M60-64 Age Group / 10th Chicago Finish

My Chicago Marathon Results

Let me be honest with everyone, I fully expected this marathon to be a final hurrah, a victory lap, a farewell tour to marathoning. I had nothing left to prove with running marathons. I am past setting personal bests, I have qualified for Boston three times and run it once, I just really lack the motivation to keep doing them. The 2023 marathon and it’s perfect weather and record-setting performance was definitely fun to watch and gave me a little push. And when the email came to encourage me with my legacy status to sign-up for the 2024 I did it.

Of course, the training season didn’t go so well. I was doing pretty good gaining some speed and endurance again without injury, I set myself back after racing a sprint triathlon and had to take some time off to get back on track. I flip-flopped from following an Ironman training plan to a basic marathon training plan, finally settling in on just the running plan. I opted to do a backyard ultra as my final long run (2024 Broken Anvil Backyard Ultra Race Report). Although I didn’t practice marathon pace there, I certainly was confident in my ability to be on my feet for a long time and cover the distance easily.

Then I found that the speed was coming back. I bought some super-shoes (HOKA Cielo X1) and I felt like a gazelle. Now I was running an 8:45 pace easily and a 3:50 BQ time was in sight of being a possibility. Instead of taking the intended victory lap/farewell tour at Chicago, I showed up to race as hard as I could.

Saturday my wife Kari and I met up with my Gunner team buddies – Alex (who was gunning for a sub-3:00), his dad Dave, and Jeff in the city and went to Maggiano’s to carbo-load. After a great meal, we went back to Jeff’s place and had great conversations until it was time to get some uneasy sleep for tomorrow’s race.

Looking fresh just before entering the runner gate at Jackson St.

I was up at 4:30 and took a shower. I had some bathroom issues and I was hoping that it wouldn’t dehydrate me too much, if you catch my drift. But I was glad to void all of that out of my system. Kari found me a coffee and a breakfast sandwich from the shop located at the hotel (I stayed at the Palmer House Hilton, which I highly recommend. Very close to both the start/finish.) and I was all set. I had been concerned about the temperature and about being comfortable with what I would wear, but the walk to the entrance gate was very comfortable and I ended up giving Kari the sweatpants I was wearing before going into the runner’s area. Once inside, I made my way to the porta-potty lines and waited my turn. After that, I headed to Corral F and took a seat on the ground. 8 am came soon enough and we started moving to the start line. One guy took it upon himself to lay a doodie right there in the corral, which was quite a sight to see. He had no shame. Others were up against the fencing peeing. I shoved my empty Gatorade bottle in my pants and peed into it as well. At least I had a little modesty. My mother would be proud.

I crossed the timing mat at 8:01:15 am and decided to ease into the first mile or two. I was expecting some GPS issues going under Randolph St. and Wacker Dr. but the first mile marker came at 0.86 miles and I hit my lap button and all was fine for the rest of the race. The mile marker signs usually came a little early, and sometimes a little late, but I just trusted my watch.

It was fun going through the various neighborhoods and I was starting to realize that I was taking it all in for the final time. The crowds were amazing and the city was super crowded this year.

I was holding my pace around 8:40 min/mile pace and was feeling pretty good. I was sweating and was concerned about that becoming an issue knowing I had started a little on the dehydrated side. I made sure to take water and Gatorade at each aid station. I kept on my one gel per 30-minute routine and felt fine energy-wise. I tossed the white arm sleeves off and kept my thin arm cooling sleeves. I was comfortable but a little concerned about getting cold.

Ten miles in I felt fresh. At the halfway mark my split was 1:55 and that seemed perfect for the moment, all I needed to do was keep running my pace and empty the tank around Mile 21 or so to grab that sub-3:50.

Earlier in the race I had an issue with my right shoe feeling tied a little too tight, so I stopped and tried to untie the double knot but failed at that. I pulled the tongue of the shoe up a little and soldiered on, but then got concerned about it again and took some time to stop again and loosen it. From then on it felt fine. I also stopped right around 13 miles and used the porta-potty to ease my mind with that issue. So all told, I probably wasted 3 minutes doing those things, which I hoped wouldn’t rob me of that 3:50 BQ.

Kari was joined by my son Ben and daughter-in-law Emily, as well as a couple of their friends, and I had no trouble seeing them on the course. I think I saw them 5-6 times on the course and each time it was a pick-me-up. Around the 14-mile mark, I motioned that I wanted my gloves back, as I was now heading into the wind and was hoping not to get too cold. She shook her head and said she didn’t have them. Oh well, it turned out to not be an issue.

I kept pushing on and didn’t even worry about hitting a wall. I was feeling pretty strong and my pace was hanging tight. It was at Mile 22 when the wind came out of my sails. There was a commotion and they were directing us runners to the right. Then I saw the runner on the ground getting chest compressions. It was one of the most unsettling things that I have seen in a while and it broke me down mentally. Nothing cared to me at that point. I got rather emotional and I just pressed on knowing she was in good hands and hoping the best for her. After the race, I had seen some posts from others also seeing about a total of 3-4 runners from the race in a similar predicament. I haven’t seen any reports of deaths so far, so fingers crossed that they all made it okay. Man, it was unsettling.

I had written down my 5-mile splits on the back of my hand for a 3:45 marathon finish and could tell that I was behind on time to nab not only the 3:45 but also the 3:50 BQ time I was hoping for. My intended kick at six miles to go got pushed to the last five miles, then got pushed again to kicking with a 5K to go. But I realized that no matter if I ran the fastest 5K I have ever run it wouldn’t be enough. I started to cramp a little at Mile 24, I slowed and walked it off, and did the same again at Mile 25. That last mile was still pretty good, all things considered, shuffling in 9:08 min/mile. I took my time up Mt. Roosevelt and coasted it into the finish. Three hours, 53 minutes, and 27 seconds was a satisfying finish time, and I was pleased.

I had been in my head for quite a while in the race thinking that I was definitely going to have a spectacular crash at the end. I slowly shuffled through the chute, grabbed a mylar blanket, a medal, a banana, and water, and tried to keep moving forward. To my surprise, I was starting to feel pretty good. By the time I passed the medical tent (I’m a frequent med tent flyer!), it wasn’t even a thought. It took forever to get through the sea of people, but finally made my way to Monroe Street, made a left turn, and walked the two or three blocks back to the hotel in good shape.

A ride up the elevator left me a little nervous when the door wouldn’t open on my floor, and started beeping at me like I had done something wrong, but it reset itself somehow and opened. I had expected Kari to be there, but she wasn’t so I got in the shower and got cleaned up. Some time in the shower my body was done with this nonsense and started to punish me for once again putting it through the mill. I got dressed, got under the covers, and started working on reversing the meltdown. Kari was giving me food and Gatorade to help me recover, but once I started in on the soup she brought for me, my stomach was not having it. I puked magnificently and immediately felt better. I cleaned up, exited the bathroom, and said “Let’s go.”

Kari wanted to go get the car, which was parked about a half-mile or so away at her work, but I told her I was fine. We got to the car and headed home. Another crash was coming, but some sipping on Gatorade led to some potato chips, some soup, and a sandwich. I was feeling better.

So all in all, it was a pretty good way to end my marathon running career. 10 Chicago Marathons, 23 marathons total, and some great memories along the way. And if you ever hear of me thinking about running another one, please remind me to reread this race report.

2024 Broken Anvil Backyard Ultra Race Report

Broken Anvil Backyard Ultra / West Point, Iowa / September 21, 2024

10 Yards/Loops – 41.67 Total Miles – Tied for 31st place with 11 others

Results: 2024 Broken Anvil BYU Results

Well-run and fun events always strike a chord with me, and this race is one of those that I really enjoy doing. Endless loops of 4.16 miles every hour on the hour may not sound like a fun time, but race director Nic, the volunteers, and the other participants made for an excellent day of pushing the boundaries and testing our limits.

It appears that we had 89 “finishers” out of the 102 that had signed up, and that made for some crowded running on portions of the course. But since I was bringing up the rear it wasn’t an issue for me. My usual plan for this race is to run for two minutes and then walk for two minutes, and I had no problem following that plan. During the walk I made sure I was drinking water from my handheld bottle, downing 12 ounces every loop. A few of the hills were walked even if it called for running at the moment. My splits looked great until yard/loop nine when it was clear that I was starting to slow down : (1) 52:29, (2) 52:56, (3) 52:38, (4) 52:12, (5) 52:07, (6) 52:21, (7) 53:06, (8) 53:44, (9) 55:18, (10) 56:36. Yard/loop 9 took longer because I made a dash to the toilet while on course. On the 10th yard/loop the chafing started to get to me and the slowing was more to do with that issue than actually running out of gas.

My wife Kari was once again dialed in to keep me going. On every return back to the tent I was met with all of the things that I needed to refuel and rehydrate. I was eating a gel, something solid like a couple of cookies or some banana, electrolyte pills, and she was quick to swap something out for me if I requested. She also had a wet washcloth to clean up with and refresh myself with. I swapped out shirts and visors about three times and made one sock and shoe change after dealing with rain for some midday loops. The rain was somewhat welcome, cooling us down and keeping the sun hidden behind the clouds. When the sun was out, I felt the worst. Fortunately, the course has good shade for about 2/3s of it.

It seemed that yard/loop two was a struggle for some reason, but the rest felt great and pretty much on repeat – run/walk/drink/eat/rest/refuel – and be back in the corral at the one-minute warning. One change I made this year was to eat more, which included taking a GU liquid gel with me and eating it around the two-mile mark, and also eating more in camp. Sometimes it’s difficult to eat when you don’t want to, but I knew that it would make a difference. Plus, I spent $$$ for some good snackies this year!

Even with dealing with the chafing when I sensed that it was starting, it wasn’t going to change the outcome, and that is what really pushed me to decide to pull the plug. I had gotten past the 50K mark for another notch in the ol’ ultramarathon belt and I didn’t want to make my evening uncomfortable for myself. I lined up for the 11th yard/loop, started it, and then walked over to my tent. Other racers and participants don’t like to see another pull out, but it was time for me. 41.6 miles and 10 hours of running made for a pretty memorable day, and an easy way to get that last long-distance training run done for the Chicago Marathon in three weeks. That’s the A-race and should be the focus.

I walked over to the tracker table and told them I was pulling out, grabbed my loser keychain, and thanked everyone for an awesome day. Back in the tent, Kari started organizing and packing up things while I took a few minutes to let my body come down. We finally got our tent put away and decided to eat a bowl of chili that they had made for the participants and anyone else who might like a bowl. Once we got the tent down, we loaded up the car and made our way back to the hotel. It was a terrific day.

Thoughts and Observations on the Day

~ Run the tangents! – I don’t know if it is the road racer in me, but it seemed at times that I was the only one running the tangents and taking the shortest line. I would think that if you could reduce even a few steps throughout double-digit miles you would take advantage of that. I was also staying in the shade more than some of the others. Simple things to make it easier on myself that others could have benefited from.

~ My pacing method may not be for everyone, but I can’t help to think that others could be missing out on saving some intensity minutes by dialing it back and walking more. I don’t know if they prefer to have some extra rest time between loops, or if they are just younger and don’t feel like they are working that hard, but I am only running for 26 minutes of that 52-minute loop, and they are running for 45 minutes or so. That is almost 20 minutes more intensity time spent than what I am doing, and burning more calories while doing so.

~ I met some great people out there and had some good conversations. One older guy like me seemed to be really enjoying the day. He was bringing up the rear but always had an “attaboy” for anyone out there. I could tell that he was struggling in the latter part of the race, but you couldn’t tell it by his demeanor. He ended up missing the cut on the 7th or 8th loop and I saw him coming in as we were heading out and gave him a bro hug for his effort. He also needed some medical care, which I believe was due to heat exhaustion. He was looking good after a visit with some EMTs.

~ Heat exhaustion could be sneaky, and fortunately it didn’t affect me on the course. But after a shower and resting back at the hotel, I could feel how hot my core was when I was lying in bed trying to go to sleep. I made Kari feel my back and she agreed that I was warm to the touch. I should have taken some anti-inflammatories before bed.

~ Don’t judge a runner by their look. I was guilty of this as well, thinking some of these people would not last very long, but I was proven wrong time and again. One woman was consistently coming in with just a minute or two to spare, and I thought that she was cutting it close. But as the miles wore on I realized that she was executing her plan very well. There were several that far exceeded my expectation for them. Congrats to everyone!

~ I have the main pieces of the “go far” puzzle established. I was solid with my pace plan, Kari kept me on point with my nutrition/hydration, and although the training miles I had done might have been on the low side, I felt great muscle-wise and felt like I still had a lot of miles left in me. It’s the mental side of ultra running that I have continued to struggle with. When the going gets tough I tend to fold my cards so as not to destroy myself. Chafing is no fun, and it was only going to get worse. I have to figure that issue out for next time. And there will be a next time.

Event Photos Link: Mile 90 Photography – 2024 Broken Anvil

The Forge Gravel Triathlon Race Report

When: 07/20/2024

Where: The Forge – Lemont, Illinois

Distance: Off-road Sprint – 14 miles total: ~ 540 yard SWIM, ~ 10 mile BIKE, ~ 3 mile RUN

Results: 1:20:34 – Overall & A/G placement – Who Really Knows?

Results Link: The Forge Gravel Triathlon Results

A lot can happen in three years. I certainly changed in that short period, taking time off from almost any type of race that involved going fast, and concentrating on going long and slow. But as I claw my way back into shorter and faster races, I find it difficult to get back to where I was. The Forge Gravel Triathlon has also changed since the last time I did it, adding a very technical (i.e. scary hard) section to the run course that involved a lot of walking and praying that I wouldn’t fall. I ended up with a time about 5.5 minutes slower than in 2021, which I can’t be too upset about. I’m actually somewhat impressed that I held it together through the last mile of the run. It wasn’t easy.

As I drove over a very potholed road into The Forge on Friday to pick up my race packet, I was reminded that this road is part of the course, and it was going to need my full attention on race day. I was up at 4 am on Saturday to get ready for the race. The drive to Lemont was an easy trip and I parked in my usual spot at Lemont HS and rode my bike into the park along the I & M Canal trail. Once there I racked my bike, set up my transition area, then started taking in the important Swim Out, Bike Out, and Run Out portions of transition. That led me to discover that the run-out now takes a narrow path, winding around and eventually dumping you on the trail. I decided a warm-up jog was in order, and headed down the trail to see what parts were changed and what to expect. I saw my friend Tony walking down the path and we exchanged pleasantries. He was there to volunteer as a lifeguard in a kayak, which is very much appreciated. He has a super-packed race schedule this year, so I was a little surprised that he finds time to volunteer for stuff like this.

Back to the warm-up jog, it led me to a very technical portion of the park that is used for mountain biking. It had steep drops and climbs, with many rocks and other gnarly stuff. I “jogged” through some of it until I finally decided I had seen enough and returned to prep for the race.

I saw another friend Leah, and I asked her husband Steve if he was wearing “the shirt”. “Oh yeah, I’m wearing it!” He wears this shirt that says “I DON’T DO MARATHONS, I DO A MARATHONER” to all her events and it gives me a chuckle every time. Leah and I chatted about our nervousness and then got ready.

Even though the water was 75 d. F. and wetsuit legal, I opted for my Roka swimskin, a sort of swim outfit that is supposed to reduce drag in the water. I love my wetsuit, but struggling to get it off after a swim can be a chore.

I was one of the first triathletes to head down to the swim start area and I found myself first in line in Wave 2. Looking at some of the athletes behind me had me thinking that I should probably move back, but I kept my spot and waited for the start. After the Elite Wave group of about 10-12 started, we all started to make our way to the dock and jump in, separated by about 5 seconds. It was a good swim for me – the water was a good temperature, I settled into my pace easily and had zero contact. I started to tire and felt a little out of breath on the last section heading back to the dock, but I got through it fine. SWIM TIME: 13:36

Into T1, I easily unzipped my swimskin and lowered it to my midsection, while sitting down, drying my feet, putting on socks/shoes, grabbing my helmet and bike, jogging to Bike Out, and then I realized I hadn’t fully taken off the swimskin! I stopped, leaned my bike against the fence, stripped it off, tossing it back to my transition area, and then off on my way to ride. T1 TIME: 2:32

I redlined the ride in true Gunner fashion. I was breathing heavily and my legs were screaming at me, but I soon found myself concentrating on my line on this twisty-turning trail and looking out for others as well. I passed a few and had a few pass me, but still felt like I was giving it my best effort. I knew that I wanted to press hard here and try to gain some time advantage because I knew I would be walking some of the run. BIKE TIME: 37:21

T2 was quick for me! It took me all of 44 seconds to rack my bike, take off my helmet and cycling shoes, put on my running shoes, grab my bib belt and visor while running to Run Out. I’m usually not that quick! T2 TIME: 0:44

A photo of the early part of the run course. The gnarlier stuff came later.

Once on the run I secured my bib belt, got my visor on, and carefully jogged through the opening path leading to the trail. It helped me settle down a little. As I got to the flat main trail, I started pushing pace and was doing quite well. Fortunately, a volunteer directed me over a bridge or I would have blown straight past her, cleaving off about 2/3s of a mile from the course. I was running pretty well on the flat trail and when I got to the technical part the walking began. There’s no way you could run up these little hills. On one of them, I was almost crawling up it. Fortunately, I didn’t have any mishaps and was about to finish that section when I heard a guy yelling about being confused about where to turn. I found that the run course was pretty clearly marked with arrows, but could understand how someone could get confused. He had been ahead of me, so I told him to follow me and got him going in the right direction again. I hit the gas for the last half mile back and finished pretty strongly. RUN TIME: 26:23

I was recovering a little past the finish line when I had a guy come up and ask me if my watch showed three miles. I informed him that it did and he said that he only had two miles recorded for the run. Five minutes later, a young lady also inquired about the run distance, saying she only had done two miles. Things were starting to get a little weird. It wasn’t long after the race that the race director grabbed a microphone and explained that somehow an arrow on the course had been moved, directing runners in the wrong direction. He advised that he couldn’t change the results, but if anyone in the crowd was aware that their run was short by a mile, to do the right thing and let him know. I didn’t see anyone approach him.

That somewhat explains the difference in my finish place compared to 2021. I finished 22nd overall in that race, and finished 60th in this one! And to add insult to injury, I placed 5th in my age group, but when I looked at the results, it was pretty clear that at least two of them had questionable run times. I should have been 3rd overall in the age group. I was robbed of an A/G spot!!! Oh well, it’s not that big of a deal. The bigger picture is that I raced well, felt good about my performance, and had a great time.

It was nice to get back to racing triathlon again.

Taking in the view waiting for the awards.

Paleozoic Trail Runs – Ordovician Spring II – 25K Race Report

Paleozoic Trail Runs – Ordovician Spring II 25K Race Report

When: March 23, 2024

Where: Willow Springs, Illinois

Finish Time: 2:48:53

Finish Place: 31st overall out of 74, 2nd in Age Group M60-69

Results Link: RunRace Ordovician Spring II 2024 Results

If there’s one thing I consistently do as a runner it’s having bad ideas and then acting on them. On Thursday I had already decided to skip this race having dealt with high hamstring tendonitis for over a month, a lack of running for three weeks, and the weather showing rain and snow the day before. Since this trail race has many stretches of dirt sections, I didn’t want to deal with it being muddy. But on Friday I opted for an easy 3 miles on the treadmill and found that my butt pain from the tendonitis wasn’t any worse for it, planting the bad seed in my head. What if I show up and just take it easy? Walk the hills, run slow, and have a plan to bail if things turn bad. And that’s how bad ideas get acted upon.

Saturday morning was the complete opposite of Friday weather-wise. It was bright and sunny and not horribly cold. I picked up my race packet and then milled around the start line waiting for the start. I joked with the race director that at least it wasn’t last year with its stupid 11 degrees F. at the start. Or the year before last, a mudbath of a run.

The countdown began and I thought about how I bolted from the start last year and led the race briefly. Maybe I could lead this race for a bit this year too! I took my spot on the line, but I wasn’t alone there this year. I was out-bolted by a woman who looked to be taking the race very seriously, and she would end up finishing third overall. Well, that was one bad idea averted.

The previous day’s weather left a small amount of an icy snow-like covering which was melting quickly. I’d rather my feet get wet as I progressed through the race and not at the start, but here I was dealing with wet toes not even a 1/4 mile into it. Thankfully, I had applied plenty of lube to my feet for just that reason.

As we got to the first hill, I decided to implement my hill-walking strategy. The hills aren’t overly difficult, but rather just a bunch of rollers one after another. By the time three miles had been run, I felt like I had warmed up somewhat, both overall and with my butt tendonitis, making running seemingly okay. I must be doing things right. About four miles into the run I decided that the windbreaker of a jacket needed to go, so I stopped at a little table that was unmanned and had a jug or two of water sitting on it. I took off my jacket and a couple of upcoming runners gave me a hearty “THANK YOU!” mistaking me for a volunteer. “Guys, I’m running too – but you’re welcome!” It lifted my spirits.

Soon afterward, I got to an open area and the cold headwind made my sweaty body rethink taking the jacket off, but I knew I’d be back in the woods soon. Passing a very vocal volunteer aid station, I was high-fived by a toddler who was enjoying his moment and headed into the technical part of the run.

An hour into the run, I ate one of the two gels I had brought along to keep me fueled for the run and tried to concentrate on my footstrike as I ate it. As I went to put the wrapper back into the pocket of my handheld water bottle, I realized that the second gel was not there. I thought I might be in bad shape without it, and I could have dropped it within the last quarter mile, but I decided to keep pressing on instead of doubling back to look for it. They will have something at the aid station to eat in less than two miles.

I pressed on and soon saw my bad influence of a friend Jodi, returning back toward the start finish. She was in the 50K and had an hour head start on me. She was walking and acting like she was in some pain, and I thought that maybe I might catch her before I finished if she truly was suffering. Fat chance, as I later saw her again with a mile to go running just fine. She’s not a quitter.

I was running through the area where I had tripped and fallen the year before, but I never saw the root that had tripped me up. The course was in better shape than the past two years, and there weren’t really any hidden dangers. I kept stepping on little sticks that would then be elevated and I would catch my trailing foot on them, almost tripping myself three times, but I was never really concerned with actually falling this year.

I had been running by myself for quite a while, nobody directly ahead of me or behind me and wasn’t really sure where I was in the field. At the 7.75-mile turnaround, I refilled my water bottle, grabbed a mini Snickers bar as a replacement for my lost gel, and then headed back toward the start. I was very surprised by the many runners still heading to the turnaround. I thought I had been bringing up the rear of this race.

I was feeling pretty good but decided I needed to hold back any uptick in pace until I was closer to three miles to go. As I neared the spot where I lost my gel I kept my eyes on the ground looking for it and when it appeared in the mud I literally shouted “YES!” and stopped to pick it up. The runner behind me was a little surprised at my enthusiasm at this spot in the race, but I explained how I had just found the gel I had lost and that it may be vital to me finishing the race.

At that point, I had a little surge of adrenaline and realized that this guy could be a good pacer for me. I matched his pace for a while, but as we hit the technical hills, he was more adventurous than I was and bounded up and down them with ease, whereas I exerted caution to not fall and break something.

I was starting to feel the effect of the hills and getting a little low on energy. At two hours into the run, I decided to eat my recovered gel. As I was eating it, another runner overtook me and I could tell he was probably in my age group. We chatted a bit and he became my second pacer, trying to keep up with him with four miles of the race to go. A little earlier than my planned push, but I tried. But even with eating the gel, I was hitting the wall. Not running in the past three weeks, having not done any long runs longer than eight miles in the past month, was starting to remind me that this bad idea may lead to a crash and burn. I walked more, and before long the guy was out of sight.

I was hoping for more hills just so I could have more walk time. I remembered that I had a Snickers bar in my possession and decided to start eating it. I’m so glad that I had it, or I might have been in really bad shape. I chewed it until it was basically liquid, washed it down with water, and hoped that the sugar would be quickly uploaded to my muscles.

Two miles left and I found my final pacer, a woman who was also walking hills but had a stronger running pace than I had at the moment. I kept trying to keep up but she was heading strong into the final stretch. At a mile to go, I heard another runner or two coming up behind me quickly. I said to the first guy “Can I borrow some of your extra adrenaline?” and he said he was using it all. And just like that we were both passed by the leader of the 50K. I knew that might be coming, but I was still surprised that it happened. “Oh shit! I just got passed by the 50K leader!” He offered some encouragement and I looked back to see who else might be coming.

I made the turn back onto the grass and looked back up the road and kept looking back – nobody there. I was spent and decided to walk the hill up toward the finish, maybe a quarter-mile to go and looked again – two people! Where did they come from? I picked up the pace. I saw my wife Kari and asked if they were gaining on me. I think she thought I was crazy, as they were pretty far back. But I was running on fumes. I kept looking over my shoulder and as I made the final turn I could see that I had no challengers. I began walking and about five feet from the finish, three guys standing around started yelling encouragement – “YOU GOT THIS!” I got this? I’m literally five feet from the finish. It struck me as odd and hilarious at the same time. I crossed the finish, hit stop, and was thankful I survived this really bad idea.

I met Kari, drank some Coke and Gatorade, ate a piece of banana, warmed myself in the truck, and then waited for the award ceremony. Second in the age group, finishing behind the guy who passed me at the 11-mile mark. He finished four minutes ahead of me, which was the time I finished this race last year.

Time to rest, recover, and start training for the next bad idea. Thanks for reading.

2023 Tunnel Hill Race Report

November 11-12, 2023

Start time: 7am Saturday
Finish time: 3:50am Sunday
Approximately 160,000 steps
Lots of memories made

Not in last place, but definitely bringing up the rear in the first couple of miles into the day.

Tunnel Hill 100 ended with me running 76 total miles, ending with a drop to a 50-mile finish officially. If I could just get the race director to add a 75-mile belt buckle, I’d be all set.

Lots of beautiful scenery along the trail.

Seventy-six is plenty of miles for me. I’m starting to believe that it’s my max running distance since I have now done it twice. What stings a little is that I was hoping that I could run one hundred miles. Silly me.

Coming into Vienna and finishing up the first 26 miles. Time for lunch!

This was my third attempt at running one hundred miles at Tunnel Hill, and the third time I settled for less than that. People who have run the race will make an effort to tell you to not quit, knowing that Tunnel Hill makes it easy to do so – the start/finish for the 50-mile race is the same as the 100-mile race, your car/family/crew are all right there, and the race director will also let you accept the 50-mile finisher time and buckle even if you “DNF” the 100. But that is not why I quit this time or even the last time. It’s just a very, very difficult thing for me to accomplish.

Funny story about this photo. The guy in the red hat is none other than Laz himself, who happened to be walking with another runner when I took the opportunity to grab a selfie. I think they both thought that I was taking a picture of the smiling lady, who unbeknownst to me had just set the course record in the 50-mile race. She had a good chuckle when she realized that I actually wanted a picture with Laz. I’m surprised Laz didn’t whack me with his walking stick.

I could go into a whole list of reasons for why I quit, but they are just excuses and excuses won’t change 76 into 100. I think that the truth is that maybe, just maybe I’m not capable of it, just like someone with a baritone voice not being able to sing soprano, or maybe in a sense that my level of ability in playing the drums would ever make me a rock star.

But that’s not to say that running 76 miles should be considered a failure. It’s actually pretty damn far! I wouldn’t want to drive that far in a car! It is interesting to see some of the comments to my post on Facebook from my friends. Of course, my non-runner friends are in awe of doing something like that. They feel that way because they aren’t even comfortable running one mile, let alone 76 of them. My ultra-running friend Jodi, who has numerous 100-mile finishes, was the opposite of that thinking and I think that she believed that all I needed to do was just keep going. Like it is just that easy. Maybe easy for her, but not so easy for me. She has an amazing skillset for this distance that I’m not sure that I will ever have. Another friend Leah, a TH100 finisher herself, made a very interesting point that I didn’t actually quit, in fact, I came back for a third time knowing all too well how hard attempting this dumb quest is.

The northern turnaround. A desolate, lonely place.

Another friend, Tony, came to TH100 to attempt to run it for the first time. He found out that running 100 miles is a tough thing to do, also dropping at 76 just like I did. I think he is motivated to give it another go next year. I hope he does because one attempt at this is just not enough to know what it really takes for some people. He’s just starting his journey to his Rubicon. I think that I have found mine.

Of course, I couldn’t have done the 160,000 steps of this run without the support of my wife Kari, and son Ben, who were there to crew me and run with me. Ben didn’t get the chance to run the last 24 obviously, but Kari joined me for the last 21 miles coming back into Vienna. That is a personal record distance for her and should not go without notice. They were outstanding at crewing me, getting me exactly what I needed, and keeping me moving forward until it was clear that moving forward was no longer possible. I’m blessed to have them both in my life. With all my love, thank you.

Thanks for the memories, Tunnel Hill!

2023 Broken Anvil Backyard Ultra Race Report

BROKEN ANVIL BACKYARD ULTRA RACE REPORT

WHEN: 09/23/2023

WHERE: WEST POINT, IOWA

RESULTS: 9 YARDS/LOOPS – 37.55 MILES.

THE DETAILS – Broken Anvil Backyard Ultra is a last runner standing format running event. 4.16 miles every hour starting at 7 a.m. and running until there is only one runner left to complete the loop. Make it back before the hour is up, or you are out. Not in the corral for the next lap, you are out. Decide to drop on your own and not start, that’s right – you are out. Most use this type of race to see how far they can go, often running their first ultra-distance run. The event was held in West Point, Iowa in the local park, with a mix of grass, gravel, paved road/path, and wooded trail. Lots of variety without being too technical. Lots of shade as well. This is a well-run event and a great place to experience this type of running. But in the words of Lazarus Lake: “It’s easy – until it’s not.”

~~~

Hey! You’re the guy… who wrote the race report I read. I heard that several times pre-race, at packet pick-up, at the hotel we stayed at, and on the morning of the race as we were all waiting for the 7 a.m. start time. Several of them mentioned that they were inspired to do the race because of it. Some even said they tried my 2-minute run / 2-minute walk pace plan and would utilize it during the race. I was beaming pretty good from hearing all the praise. I write my blog and these race reports so I have the memory for myself and my family, but when someone mentions that they got something out of it, I couldn’t be happier.

Kari and I sitting in our tent waiting for the start. (Mile90 photo)

Get on the bus, and head to the back… was the plan, and several joined me in that strategy. I told myself to be patient on the first yard and was glad that I executed that. No sense in going out strong on the first yard (4.16-mile loop) – which is a common mistake to make when race day adrenaline and feeling good early make you want to blast off. But this race format isn’t about how fast you can go, it’s about how far you can go. The bus should have had more, but the younger and more serious runners preferred to be ahead for some reason. I stayed in the back for all 9 of my completed yards.

Kari feeling good on the second yard. (Mile90 photo)

The sweeper… in runner parlance is someone bringing up the rear, and usually, someone who is keeping the bare minimum pace to make a cutoff. I was becoming the sweeper in this field. I was completing my yard in about 52 minutes, leaving just about 8 minutes to refill my empty handheld water bottle, take a cold wet towel and wipe myself down with it, and refuel with some food for the next yard. If I was ahead of anyone, I often wondered how close they would be to making it back in an hour. I think the others also knew that if I was overtaking them in the later stages of the yard, they might want to pick up their pace to make the hour cutoff.

I hear that you’re the guy… to beat, said another runner, which gave me a pretty good chuckle. It was early, and I was feeling good, but there was no way I was going to outlast most of this talented field. It brightened my mood, though.

Staying hydrated… was becoming difficult for some reason. Well, the reason was that the day was sneaky warm. It didn’t really feel hot, as there was a good breeze most of the day, and the clear skies would be replaced by general overcast conditions. But by the third loop or so, the heat was making itself known. Lots of clothes changes going on, as sweat-soaked singlets and hats were replaced with fresh ones. Plenty of shirtless runners ahead of me, as we made our way around the course. Dad bods were on full display.

Heavy sweating forced a clothing change.

The check engine light… came on around yard six or seven. I was drinking a full twelve ounces of water every yard, but I was draining it dry by the 45-minute mark. I was peeing nearly every time I came out of the trail at the port-o-let there, but the need to go stopped. I was still sweating somewhat, so that was a good sign, but I could tell I was getting dehydrated. Even with downing a Gatorade at my camp between yards, it wasn’t enough.

“You Got This”… shouted a kid, as he rode his bike past me in the closing half-mile of yard nine. “I got this? I don’t even want it!” was my response. The kid seemed a little confused. As I was running what would be my last yard, I had a Forrest Gump moment. I didn’t really want to run anymore. Not just running the event, but in general. I had already passed the 50K mark and I wasn’t sure that my dehydration issue was going to get better. I felt pretty good still, but I didn’t want to end in a crash and burn. It was then that I decided to call it a day. I just wanted to be done. 9 yards and 37.5 miles was a pretty good running day.

Kari and I finishing her last yard together. (Mile90 photo)

My wife Kari is… pretty awesome. Not only did she crew me once again, helping to set up the tent and make sure I had all of my junk, she also participated in her first backyarder, setting a personal distance record of 4 yards and 16.67 miles! Farthest she ever run in her life! And I think she might have enjoyed it, too.

Congrats to all… the others that I met. Many set personal bests as well. There was one guy named Drew, who had to be the most popular guy in the race. He had quite a cheer crew. I was watching him in the latter stages and he had slowed quite a bit, walking with his hands on his hips often. But he lasted a yard or two more than I did. The race director congratulated him and said that he had never run longer than seven miles before. Pretty impressive leap from seven to over 40. Congrats to Ben, Todd, Nathan, Brian, Allie, Clayton, and anyone that I met along the way. You all did fantastic.