Race Reports – Page 2 – an amazing run

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

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.

2023 WausaUltra Backyard Ultra Race Report

When: Friday, April 28, 2023

Where: Sylvan Hill Park, Wausau, Wisconsin

Race Format: Backyard Ultra, 4.167-mile loops/yards every hour

Results: Officially a DNF – 6 loops/yards, 25 miles – 48th out of 58 starters

Website Link: https://www.wausaultra.com/backyard

2023 WausaUltra Backyard Race Report

It’s hard not to like this race. The course is trail and is varied and is a ton of fun. The race directors are top-notch. I had looked forward to it for months. And then I ran it and it beat me up, not like last year by falling on the fifth loop, but physically wore me out by the time I finished the first loop. But I enjoyed every minute of it.

Fortunately, I had my crew chief/wife Kari with me to help me with all the junk I brought and to make sure that I wouldn’t end up like last year. We opted to stay at a nearby hotel for the night to avoid the hour-long drive in the morning. We had plenty of time to get up, have a great breakfast, and then head to the race to set up our tent.

Ringing the Did Not Finish bell of shame.

Time to sit and watch the others come in.

DNF’d loop 7 is way better than not starting it.

The course was very much like the year before. A little bit of sloppy and muddy conditions, but nothing a trail runner hasn’t ever dealt with. By the end of loop 1, I felt pretty beat up and I was already calculating how many loops I might be able to complete. The goal was to do 8-12 loops, but the course forced me to reconsider that. I was now hoping to do as well as I did the year before and get at least 5 loops finished.

I had some great conversations with some of the other runners. Cody, Ashley, and Robert were great to run with, as well as many of the others. Everyone was having a great time.

The weather was pretty good this year as well. Last year was a little colder, but we were all in shorts this year.

After finishing the sixth loop in 57 minutes, I didn’t leave myself much time to get some food and I had decided that I would start the next loop but probably wouldn’t finish it. I made my way back into the corral with a fresh water bottle and started walking when the seventh loop began. As the others pulled away, I gave a half-hearted effort to keep up, but it just wasn’t happening for me. I was done. I decided to walk up the hill and back down the next which would put me near camp. Kari met me at the bottom of the hill and I told her that I was taking a victory cool-down lap. We decided to walk up the next hill and around more of the loop and ended back at the camp, with an additional but unofficial extra 1.5 miles. I walked up and told the race directors that number 159 was dropping from loop 7. I rang the bell and thanked everyone for the well wishes and congratulations. Then Kari and I began packing up.

I could make a dozen excuses why I dropped out when I did, but it all really boiled down to being uncomfortable running across the highly technical rocky terrain on tired legs. It lead to me falling last year, and I just didn’t want to repeat that. So, I’ll take my 25 total miles, my awesome WausaUltra race swag, and my finisher medal, and live for another race. Time to heal up and begin training in the summer for the fall races I have signed up for.

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

Paleozoic Trail Runs – Devonian Spring II 25K Race Report

When: March 18, 2023

Where: Willow Springs, Illinois

Finish Time: 2:44:53

Finish Place: 20th overall, 4th in Age Group M50-59

Results Link: RunRace Devonian Spring II 2023 Results

I ran this race last year in rainy and muddy conditions and it didn’t deter me from signing up for it this year for some reason. This year has to be better, right? Nope. 11 degrees F. at the start with a feels-like temperature of -2. That’s because it was super windy too! Fun times. At least it wasn’t muddy. Nice and firm frozen ground, which I would become very acquainted with later on.

I got there early enough to see my crazy ultrarunning friend Jodi start the 50K race an hour before my race started. I picked up my race packet and sat in the warm car for an hour. I had brought lots of clothing options and I really thought that I was going to have to run in my coat. But after seeing what some others were opting for, I also went a more minimal route – three long-sleeved shirts, the race shirt over that, two layers of gloves, a balaclava with a visor and another hat on top of it, and a new windbreaker jacket I bought last week. I also wore my warmest running pants which might not have been necessary, and to add to that, the elastic wasn’t as strong as it used to be. I slowed several times to pull them up, but eventually stopped and tied the drawstring in a knot. Anyway, I was pretty comfortable and maybe a little too warm.

I walked over to the start about 5 minutes before and took a look around at the competition. The race director gave us some last-minute info and the countdown was on, but no one was anywhere near the start gate. As he declared go, I was the first to bolt through it and off to the races!

I wasn’t kidding that no one was willing to take the lead! Here I am bolting through the start gate! Photo credit Bill & Michelle Thom/RunRace.com used with permission.

I’m in first place! I had a smart pre-race plan of pacing slowly and not starting out too fast. Race day adrenaline took over and it wasn’t long before my labored breathing was forcing me to slow down. Being in first place in any race is kinda fun, but I would much rather pass people (encouraging!) than be passed (discouraging!). By a quarter-mile into it, a young lady joined me and we paced together until about a mile into it, when we got to a hill and I slowed and she didn’t. She would finish in 2nd overall. I had no business pacing with her. Another guy passed and I was now in third.

I kept up the count every time someone passed me, and I would tell them “you are now in 4th! or 5th or 6th, etc. I quit telling them after I dropped out of the top 10, which was about 4-5 miles into the race.

I was starting to sense that something was wrong with the way I was feeling. I felt like I was running on fumes and might be in for a slog. Thankfully, I brought along some gels to help get me through some rough spots.

I got to the turn-around of this out-and-back race and was feeling pretty happy about my time at that point. My split was an hour and twelve minutes for 7.75 miles and I was turning for home. But right about a half-mile later I came to a dead stop, tripping on some damn root or stone and falling to the ground with a thud. Since I have started running trails I have been falling, and I was super cognizant of that today, but it didn’t matter. The bill of my visor struck the ground causing my glasses to be forced into my nose causing a cut. I had the wind knocked out of me, yet that didn’t stop me from unleashing a string of curse words that had the forest creatures running. I was also seeing some stars after getting to my feet. That’s a new one. A few kind runners took time to stop and take stock of my dumb ass and offer assistance. One asked if I wanted her to walk me back to the turn-around for help and I initially said yes. Then I said no. I could walk, nothing seemed broken, and I felt like I could probably press on. And press on I did, albeit much, much, slower.

The rest of the way was a combination of running the flat sections and walking up and down hills and just moving forward. I was starting to get foot cramps and I was starting to think I was very dehydrated. I had water and I was drinking it, but I don’t think it was enough. I didn’t feel like I had been sweating all that much, but my wife Kari said my clothes were soaked when I got home.

I got to the finish and was glad it was over. One volunteer asked if I was okay, and I said no. I was mad at myself, but it was nice of him to ask. The race director asked how old I was and then said I had just missed the age group award. I kind of figured that out. It was actually a relief because it meant I didn’t have to hang around for any awards.

I walked back to the car and sent Kari this picture:

I sent “I’m all done with my 25K!”

Kari replied “Why are you bleeding!!”

Me: “The ground might have had something to do with it.”

Her: “I can’t let you out of the house!!”

I was a little concerned that my calves would cramp up on the 20-minute drive home, so I got out and walked around a little bit. I went into the toilet and peed some pretty dark urine, which was all the indication I needed that I was pretty dehydrated. I grabbed a nearly frozen Coke from the finish line and started drinking it. It turned me around pretty quickly and I drove home with no issues.

So there you have it, falling at trail races seems to be a thing for me. It’s a good thing that I only have three more on the calendar this year.

2022 Tunnel Hill Race Report

Ask any runner if they check the weather report weeks ahead of the big race and I would bet that most would say they do. I’m no different. We had really great fall temperatures the week before the race, but it was about to change – just in time for race day, naturally. Instead of packing several pairs of short sleeve shirts and shorts, I packed for a day in the low-30s, with evening temps below freezing. Kari told me later that the truck’s outside thermometer reading only reached a high of 34 degrees.

My super awesome sherpa/crew wife Kari and me heading to Vienna.

But as it turned out, the cold temperature for the day didn’t bother me at all. They say that you hope for the best conditions and prepare for the worst, and if some freezing-type temps were the worst of it, then that’s no big deal. I’ve run plenty of times in the cold. I knew it was going to get cold, but the two inches of snow we woke up to was quite a surprise. That’s the weather in the midwest for you.

Yes, two inches of freshly fallen snow greeted Kari and me as we went out to the truck for the trip to the starting line in Vienna. This will be interesting, I thought. We arrived, parked, and found our way to the start area to look for some familiar faces. My son Ben and become friends with a guy named Sean, and they had done a lot of running together. Sean was there to run the 50-mile race and I was glad to see him. We greeted each other at the pre-race dinner the night before and again just before starting our journeys, wished each other luck, and he took his rightful place in the front of the starting group and I made my way to the back. I found my local friends, Jim and Calvin, both doing the 50-miler, and we took some selfies. Jodi, Jennifer, and Lara must have been avoiding us, but I would see two of the three later in the race.

Sean and me at the start. He’d finish 4th overall in the 50. Impressive!

I’m not sure if I was just not hearing the national anthem or if they didn’t sing or play it this year, but the race seemed to start before I was aware it was time to do so. A trip around the parking lot led to the trail, and to the south, we all headed. As we trampled through the now slightly muddy trail, we all were taking the least sloppy line. But before too long, the trail firmed up, and only the edges of the trail and the numerous wooden bridges would show the icy reminders of the early morning snowfall.

Staying near the edge of the trail where it was less mushy.

I felt great as I pressed on, keeping on track with my plan to run for two minutes, followed by walking for two. I did really well with this method in September at the Broken Anvil Backyard Ultra, and it was netting me about 4.5 miles every hour. I met Kari at the second aid station located in Karnak, Illinois, and advised that all was good – and it really was. I tend to sweat, no matter if it’s hot or cold, but I wasn’t sweating at all. I must have picked the right amount/type of clothes for the day – two thin, long-sleeve undershirts, a pair of running shorts under a light pair of running pants, and my 2016 Ironman Lake Placid Finisher jacket, a jacket that is more like a windbreaker than what is typically offered by Ironman as a “finisher’s jacket” but was the perfect thickness for this day. I topped my head with a visor covered with a running beanie and of course a pair of gloves to keep my hands warm. I was shocked that I wasn’t sweating at all, and I attributed it to the run plan that I was following, keeping my heart rate down, and not heating myself up for too long. Of course, the weather and my clothing were contributing as well to keeping me dry.

Ran with Calvin for a bit and stopped for a picture.

Since I wasn’t sweating, and I was doing my best to keep hydrated, I was developing a new issue – I was peeing a lot. I estimate that I was drinking about 1/4 of a cup of water every couple of minutes. Early in the race, I was peeing every 10-15 minutes or so. By the later stages of the run, I was peeing about every five minutes. At one point it seemed like I would take a drink and then stop to pee. And since there was snow along the edge of the trail, I could clearly see that I was peeing very clear, not yellow at all. It was like the water was running straight through me. I took it as a good sign, but it was a little bit of a new experience for me and I thought about it a lot. Too much info, I know, and I’m sorry. It’s just a memory from this race that I don’t want to forget.

Chad Colson Photography – used with permission

There are another 3 miles from the first major aid station in Karnak to the turnaround and when I got back to Karnak again I decided to make an attempt at pooping. Into the port-o-potty I went, and was glad to take care of business. I walked back over to Kari to swap out my vest and I was approached by a woman who very delicately informed me that I had toilet paper trailing behind me from my pants. I would normally be thoroughly embarrassed, but when you’ve been whipping out your wiener to urinate in front of everyone for the last 16 miles, it really didn’t faze me that much. Kari got a kick out of it though. Another bit of too much info, and another memory for posterity.

Run for two minutes. Walk for two minutes. Pee. Eat a gel every half-hour. Eat something solid every hour. Repeat for hours. And that’s how the first fifty miles went. Very uneventful, and highly executed. I was dialed in. At a couple of points, I was pretty bored, so I pulled out my phone and called my super-fan Carl and chatted him up a little. I also called my daughter Rebecca who seemed a little surprised that I was taking time out of the race to chew the fat with her. Both conversations were big pick-me-ups.

The northern section of the trail has better scenery.

Upon reaching the 50-mile mark and being back at the start/finish again for the second time, I couldn’t help to think about how I was doing. The prior year I had quit well before I crossed the mat. This year that wasn’t happening. Kudos to Kari for being wise with where she set up her chair and had our gear; it was roughly the same place as last year, and I had no trouble finding her. Of course, she found me before I found her most of the time, but I wasn’t having to figure anything out. I would take off my vest and she would either refill the bladder of the vest I preferred or swap it out with my secondary vest with a full complement of snacks and water. Occasionally I would forget to swap my phone over, and once I realized that I didn’t have my gel flask with me. But overall all, we were dialed in.

Finishing 50, ready to eat, and head back out.

Kari had dinner ready for me again, more Ramen noodles and broth, a sandwich, some potato chips, and my favorite drink Lipton Lemon Brisk tea. I ate what I thought I needed and headed off for mile 51 and more. It was just a few miles later that I felt so good that I called Kari to tell her so. I was really feeling good, and that continued for most of the night trip on the south portion of the out-and-back course.

Upon getting back to Karnak for what was now the fourth time, things were getting a little weird for me. The energy I had in the mid-50 miles was no longer there, and I was struggling to get through the two minutes of the run portion of my run/walk. I was definitely running slower, and would occasionally skip a run turn. Another thing I noticed was that I was drifting while walking, not staggering, but just having trouble walking straight. I thought of an old childhood friend named Mike who did that type of walking normally, and it gave me a chuckle. I think that it being so dark and that I was using a headlamp to light my way was causing me to get a little off. It’s like when you are driving in a car and being okay when you stare off into the distance, but try focusing on the things speeding by right in front of you and it becomes hard to focus. And I was staring at a gazillion rocks passing by my feet very quickly.

Heron Pond aid station is between Karnak and Vienna, and I tried to eat something there. I had some more ramen and broth, and a portion of banana. Kari walked with me for a while, and I mentioned that I felt like I was starting to get drained.

One weird sensation I was experiencing was uncontrollable yawning. This happened a couple of times. I was perplexed by it because my mind was pretty sharp, having consumed caffeinated gels every 30 minutes. I think it was my body telling my brain that it was tired. A very strange sensation.

From around mile 70 to back to Vienna I knew the writing was on the wall. To continue on was going to be tough. I told myself that I would try to eat some more food, maybe drink a 5-hour energy drink, and see how I felt. Kari met me and walked me to the warming tent, and then scrambled to get me the things that might turn me around.

As I attempted to sit in a chair in the warming tent, I had already unofficially quit the race. I stumbled a little trying to sit down, which wasn’t surprising to me. I had difficulty walking in a straight line for the last six miles and felt a little wobbly for quite a while. But I had been telling myself all day to keep giving it the “old college try.” They say in ultras that if you feel crummy at some point, you may feel totally better a little later. Kari had gotten me some of the creamy potato soup they were serving inside the tent, and I began eating what I could. But it wasn’t long before I was covering my face with my hands attempting to hide my emotions, and through some sobs, I confessed I no longer had the ability, nor the desire, to continue. Kari, without a doubt the best crew/sherpa ever, would have tried to push me on, but she didn’t try to convince me otherwise. It was pretty clear that I was done and she could tell.

I scanned the faces in the warming tent and I could see some of them were making the same difficult choices. Continue or quit? Some had already quit and were at peace with it, others had that 76-mile stare like I had just before getting back to the tent. Then in walked a guy around my age, who threw down a shiny new belt buckle on the table and declared “I’m done.”

“Did you drop, too?” I asked through some foggy mind haze. “DROP?! NO, I FINISHED!” he declared. I sat there somewhat dumbfounded. Finished? Puzzled, I looked at his belt buckle again, this time a little closer – 100 Mile SUB 20. It became crystal clear and I sank further into my hard metal folding chair. This guy had just gone 100 miles in under twenty hours and looked like it was no big deal. I picked my jaw up off the grassy floor of the tent, offered a small apology for making an erroneous assumption, and advised that I just misunderstood. I told him that I was dropping and was very impressed with his accomplishment. I think at that point he realized that I was not quite all there at the moment. He offered some encouragement, but by now my body was going into recovery mode, and any further energy would be spent keeping myself from uncontrollable shivering and hobbling to the truck for the ride back to the hotel.

Last year I went into the scoring tent to notify them that I was dropping to the 50-mile finish, which resulted in them encouraging me to continue before handing me a 50-mile finisher buckle. But this year the volunteer just asked for my bib number and offered me another 50-mile finisher buckle with some brief well done’s. Kari had pulled the truck close, I stiff-legged to it and got in, and off to the hotel, we went.

Officially I am a Tunnel Hill 50-Mile finisher, with an official time of 11 hours and 50 minutes. But my Garmin watch told the real story – 76.8 miles in 19 hours and 23 minutes. Farthest I have ever run. Last year it didn’t take long to regret dropping at 50 miles. This year there is none of that. I’m damn proud of those 76 miles.

It took me three Ironman races to finally dial in my approach to that race distance, and I’m finding that it’s a learning process with the 100-mile ultras as well. I’m not sure if I’ll make it back to Tunnel Hill for another shot at 100 next year, but I’m not giving up on this quest. Hey – I made it a marathon further than last year!

Broken Anvil Backyard Ultra Race Report

BROKEN ANVIL BACKYARD ULTRA RACE REPORT

WHEN: 09/17/2022

WHERE: WEST POINT, IOWA

RACE FORMAT: BACKYARD ULTRA/LAST RUNNER STANDING

RESULTS: 2022 Broken Anvil Backyard Ultra Results

I had to juggle my 100-mile training plan for the Tunnel Hill 100 due to a planned 30th anniversary trip to Italy, and it was looking like I would have to sacrifice either the 50-kilometer run or the 50-mile run. I decided that the 50-miler was probably more important to the training than the 50K, so I started looking around and found the Broken Anvil Backyard Ultra that would work perfectly for me. Running an organized 50-mile race would be a lot easier than having to do it solo and provide my own support for twelve hours. So I signed up, told the wife (hint – always tell the wife after you sign up), got a hotel for the weekend, and then started thinking about how to run the course.

After doing some research into the event, it looked like a perfect opportunity to get in 50 miles without having to walk up really long hills, shimmy down rocky terrain, or duck under or climb over fallen trees (I’m looking at you Big Hill Bonk and WausaUltra!). Seeing that there wouldn’t be any hills to force me to walk, I decided that a run/walk plan of 2 minutes of running followed by 2 minutes of walking would probably do it. Just to make sure, I did a 4.2-mile run at home on Wednesday following that pace plan and finished right around 50 minutes. Perfect.

Friday night my wife Kari and I jumped in the truck and headed west on I-80 for a little under four hour trip to our hotel in Fort Madison. After arriving, we decided to drive the route to the event location to make sure there were no surprises Saturday morning. Upon getting there we found the super-cool race director Nic still there and a few of the other participants milling around. He allowed us to set up our tent so we didn’t have to worry about it on race day, and I grabbed my bib and the event sweatshirt.

At 7am on Saturday, 30 of the 36 registrants (there were six no-shows) got into the corral and were sent off on our way. The first loop, or yard as they are also called, went really well. I quickly came to realize though, that I was the only one doing a dedicated run/walk thing, as the others just jogged until they came upon one of the few small hills or when they needed a break before doing any walking. Most of the runners were finishing about five minutes or so ahead of me, and I was consistently finishing the 4.16-miles in 50 minutes. I was really dialed in and super consistent with my pace plan. Ten minutes after each loop is plenty of time to sit, rehydrate, refuel, make clothes changes, etc. My super-sherpa race crew wife Kari was also dialed in. All of my next lap drinks, food, electrolytes, and a cold washcloth/towel were ready for me without ever having to ask. I would make some requests for certain things here and there, but she was anticipating my every need.

Some pictures of the course, a mixture of grass, crushed gravel, pavement, and a short pine needle-covered dirt trail.

The loops went by quickly as usual. A couple of women dropped after one lap, but I think they were just there to experience some fun and support other racers. One guy was using the race to get his tempo miles in for an upcoming marathon and would quickly blast through the loop. But for the most part, we would all start each loop together and I would bring up the end. Seven runners dropped before the marathon distance of loop 7, which is a little surprising. However, it was loop 7 when the Iowa skies decided to open up and pour on us.

I wasn’t really worried about running in the rain. I had an extra pair of shoes, plenty of extra running clothes, and also a rain jacket that I decided might be beneficial to help keep me warm in case the rain made me chilly. The jacket actually just made me sweat more, and I didn’t wear it for more than a loop or two. However, the rain caused a problem that I hadn’t quite planned for – chafing. I had lubed up my inner thighs in the morning as is typical for me before a long run, but the rain and the running must have caused it to wear off. When I noticed the chafing I started applying Vaseline like crazy, but I think it was too little too late. I have never had chafing as bad as that. I kept applying Vaseline every loop, hoping that I could continue on.

Races always provide some sort of distraction, and I was trying to remember all that I could. There was a guy who was talking to his group ahead of me and said “Prince Charles is a DICK!” Not sure what that conversation was about, but it gave me a chuckle. Another runner was in the starting corral when he realized he didn’t have his watch, and after the loop starts you are not allowed to leave the course except for bathrooms, nor are you to receive any outside assistance. Another guy spoke up and said “Spoiler alert! It’ll take you an hour.” That got a good laugh out of the group as the bell rang and we were off. I think he got his watch just in time.

The course took us through Pollmiller Park, which included a small lake and a campsite. I joked with one camper and asked how he was enjoying “the dumbest parade ever.” He chuckled and said “See you in an hour.” He must have gotten used to our routine. Another group of campers included some kids and one teenager asked me “What are you running from?” I wasn’t sure what she meant and I replied that I wasn’t running from anything. I asked the guy next to me how was I supposed to answer that? He said that it was just a “smart ass kid being a smart ass.” But it gave me something to mull over for the rest of the loop and the next. She asked again on the next loop, and I said “I’m not running from anything, I’m running to something.” A higher purpose, maybe? I don’t know, I’m still searching.

I really didn’t have a problem with the course other than there was a steady stream of cars in and out of the park. They were generally cognizant of us and gave us plenty of room, except for one car that came right in front of me and cut me off from the course and stopped. I wasn’t sure really what she was doing, and I don’t think she knew that she was blocking the race route, but it wasn’t a place to park, and she was miffed that I raised my hands as if to say “what the hell are you doing?” She backed up and I carried on to the finish.

When I hit loop 8/50K I knew I had 50 miles in the bag. Aside from the chafing, I felt really fresh. My legs weren’t tired, I had plenty of energy, and I was really enjoying each loop. When I was on the twelfth loop I was telling myself that I would do one more, possibly two after that. I finished the 13th loop and decided that the goal of 50 miles was reached, plus one extra for a total of 54 was enough for the day. It was the furthest I had ever run. I lined up in the corral for loop fourteen, and when the loop was started, I walked over and rang the bell. I was taping out. Everyone was extremely happy for me and they were applauding my effort. I told the race director “Let the record show that I started loop 14 but did not finish it.” It doesn’t really matter, but it sounds better than stopping at 13 loops.

Ringing the bell – making it official that I was done.

It took a while for the results to get loaded up and when they were I was shocked to see what had happened. The results showed that there were two runners that finished with 66.7 miles, the top male and the top female. But in a backyard ultra, there can only be one finisher! What this means is that there was NO finisher! Everyone DNF’d this race! Kari and I were discussing this and we weren’t sure if they just didn’t know the rules, or if the weather turned worse and they decided to quit, or if they were both happy with being the top finisher in their gender. The other part of it for me was that I am sure that I could have run past 66.7 miles! That’s only three more loops!

In the end, I finished in 4th place, as there were two that did 66 miles, six that tied at 62 miles, and another runner did one more lap than me. But really I was the 10th out of 30 starters, which really pleased me.

The results of the race weren’t the only thing that surprised me. What really surprised me was how dialed in I was and how good I felt, minus the chafing of course. I could barely walk when we returned to the hotel, and the shower was extremely painful when it hit my sore groin. But overall, I had no tiredness or soreness in my legs or feet. I could have kept going. The hydration was spot on, as was the nutrition. It’s making me rethink my 4-minute run / 2-minute walk pace plan for the 100 miler in November. I might have to shorten that run time down to two minutes because it worked so well here at Broken Anvil.

Overall, I loved this event. It was super fun, and if I plan to do more backyarders in the future, this one will definitely remain on the list.