Category: Ultra Running

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.

Chad Colson Photography – used with permission

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!

When Running Clicks

I started running in the late 1980s and like most, I was just dabbling with it.  I was a recent college grad in a new job, living away from family and friends and pretty much bored.  I was also gaining weight and couldn’t afford to buy new pants, so running became my interest.  It was never easy at first.  A few trips around the apartment complex were all I could do initially.  But I stuck with it somehow.

One day I decided to attempt to go further than I had gone previously, and before I knew it I was at five miles before stopping.  But when I got to that mark I had a feeling that I could keep going.  It was at that moment that running seemed to click with me.  I could and would keep going.  Within a year or two of starting those laps around the apartment complex, I set a goal of running a marathon.

I started doing local races and marathons.  I was just winging it.  How complex could running be?  You just run, right?  There was no internet during this time for me.  It may have existed, but it was in its infancy, and I didn’t have a computer to even do any sort of research into how to train for a marathon.  The first couple of marathons went okay.  I ran 3:50 in the first one and followed it up with another 3:50 a year later.  I really thought that I would demolish that 3:50, but a lack of knowledge about fueling and hydration was my downfall.

It would be a couple of decades later that I would become a triathlete with the goal of completing an Ironman, and that is where my mindset changed.  I followed a plan for the first time and learned a ton about how to fuel for the race.  Successfully training for and completing that first Ironman was a big deal.  It taught me loads about how to train and I applied that to my running goals as well.  Although I feel that it took me three Ironman races before I finally dialed it in and set a personal best, it did finally click with me and I found personal success.

Not long after that, I applied what I had learned from the triathlon training to running and I found myself setting new personal bests in the marathon, and getting that once elusive Boston Marathon qualifier was now in reach.  I set new personal bests in the marathon distance, all in my 50s.  I have now achieved three BQs and run the race in 2018,  CLICK!

For the past few years, I have set my sights on becoming an ultra-distance runner.  Something that I hadn’t done in the previous thirty years of running, and I had to learn to apply what I knew from my triathlon and marathon running experiences to running stupid far.  I basically had to learn to run slower and pace myself.  It clicked for me when I started applying walk breaks into my runs.  I had more energy to run farther.  Even with four ultra-distance finishes completed, I still am adapting and learning about how I manage the run.  Last weekend I ran my fourth last-runner standing format ultra and went farther than I have ever run – 54 miles.  I was shooting for 50, but knowing one more 4.16-mile loop would benefit me mentally, I pushed on and it helped me understand that I could get past that 50-mile mark and keep going.  CLICK!

Yesterday, I ended my recovery week with a run that I was planning to last about ten miles.  But as I meandered my way around the community, I started thinking about doing more.  I felt really good.  I ended up playing it safe, finishing with twelve total miles.  When you find yourself thinking that ten miles are just okay and want to do more, then I think that the work that I have been doing to get me to the finish line of Tunnel Hill 100 in November might just be clicking with me.

CLICK!  CLICK!  CLICK!

When did running click with you?  What was your a-ha! moment?

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.  

Kari and I awaiting the start

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.

Screenshot of the rain heading our way

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.

OUCH! My Running Serious Injury List

I was wrapping up Week 17 of my training for the 2022 Tunnel Hill 100 and was feeling pretty good until Saturday when things took an unexpected turn. In the midst of running my Saturday 18-mile long run, it came to an abrupt halt at a little after mile five. I was in need of a bathroom break and I knew that there would be a port-o-potty at the next street crossing, just up the road to the left. I slowed to a walk and was looking for it but it wasn’t there. Was I just missing it? Did they move it? Then BAM! I walked straight into one of those metal posts in the middle of the trail that are there to keep cars from driving down the trail. All at once, I was dealing with a low blow and the feeling of falling down without having any clue what the heck was going on! I quickly put my palm down on the trail to keep myself from falling, but I was still stunned as to what was happening. Then it hit me – after many years of successfully avoiding those dumb posts on the trail, I finally collided with one.

For the record, this isn’t me, but it’s exactly what happened.

As I dealt with the pain of walking into the dumb thing, I was no longer really worried about the bathroom break.  Obviously, my next reaction to this dumb move was to look around and see if anyone saw me because embarrassment would definitely make it much worse.  The trail had been pretty busy and I had been running with other runners, walkers, and cyclists, but fortunately, I was pretty much by myself.  There were a couple dog walkers coming but I’m not sure they saw me.  Regardless, I decided to keep moving.  What did all of my baseball coaches say when I was a kid?  Rub some dirt on it and walk it off.  I always thought that was dumb advice, but walking it off is what I chose to do.  I wasn’t about to rub dirt on my now bruised groin.  

As I trudged onward, next came the expletives, as that always seemed to be my response to dumb acts, and after a few minutes of that, I started to feel a little better.  Not smarter, just a little less in pain.  I guess the pain wouldn’t make me quit the run, and I continued on for the rest of the run.

Upon getting home I was able to see how messed up I had made myself.  Pulling up my shorts revealed a huge bump on my inner left thigh.  It was definitely sore and I marveled that I was actually able to keep running with that bump the rest of the way.  I also had a bump and a cut on my lower left shin.  I inspected my running shoe and I could see rust and paint transfer on it from striking the painted post.  That had to be a serious collision to do that!

 

I’ll spare you a photo of the bump on my groin.  

In the movie Rainman Charlie Babbit pulls Ray’s neck and Ray responds by whipping out his “serious injury list.”

Charlie:
What are you writing?… What the f*** is this? “Serious Injury List”? *Serious* injury list? Are you f***ing kidding me?

Raymond:
Number eighteen in 1988, Charlie Babbitt squeezed and pulled and hurt my neck in 1988.

Charlie:
Squeezed and pulled and hurt your neck in 1988?

I’m thinking of starting my own serious injury list.  I have three entries already this year!

  1. WausaUltra Backyard Ultra – fell on loop 5, skinned up my arm, leg and knee, causing me to quit the race
  2. Hickory Creek Preserve/LaPorte Road Access – went off the beaten path and tripped on a tree root, scrapped up my arm and knee
  3. Old Plank Trail – walked into a stupid post, causing bumps and scrapes to my groin.

I chose to skip the 1.5-hour run that the plan called for on Sunday and opted to do a hike with Kari instead.  I’m happy to report there were no injuries on the hike.  But I’m sure that I will be adding to the list sooner or later.  

Kari made sure that I wouldn’t injure myself.

Continue reading “OUCH! My Running Serious Injury List”

2022 Tunnel Hill 100 – Improving on 2021

I have been quietly putting in the running miles for Tunnel Hill 100 in November.  As I run, I have a lot of time to think about the enormity of running 100 miles – the training, the race, the external needs, etc.  I attempted the 100-mile run in 2021, but ultimately dropped at the 50-mile finish and was allowed to accept the 50-mile finisher award.  I was warned as a 100-mile registrant to resist the urge to quit at 50 by many different people but quit I did.  I’m not ashamed of it at all, as completing 50 miles is a pretty impressive accomplishment.  But as all of the people warning me indicated, I would regret it sooner or later.  For me, it was sooner.  By the time I had gotten to the hotel, cleaned up, and had some food, I was already regretting it.  I felt that I let myself down, my son and my daughter-in-law who had come to pace me, and my wife who was there for support and provide all the dumb things I needed to go 100 miles.  They were there and ready to do their jobs, I just didn’t do mine.

Continuing past the 50-mile mark while attempting to hit 100 should have been a no-brainer.  I often say that the hardest part of any run is taking the first step, as once you get started you often will finish the job.  But I just didn’t take that first step past the halfway point.  I spent miles 30 to 49 debating with myself as to whether to drop at 50 0r keep going.  I vacillated back and forth many times, but at the time I was worn out, tired and sore and felt that going on would have been rough on me.  I guess I was afraid of what was to come and getting the 50-mile finish was a pretty good consolation prize.  Until it wasn’t.

I have spent many a training mile thinking about the mistake or mistakes I made last time, but I am reluctant to call them mistakes.  I think that making improvements on what happened would be more productive, so I am focusing on the positive and trying to make improvements.  Here are some of the things I have been thinking about improving upon.

DO THE APPROPRIATE TRAINING – My first attempt at Tunnel Hill in 2021 became a secondary event to Ironman Chattanooga when Covid-19 messed up my plans and put the two races in the same calendar year.  Nothing I could do about it, but at the time I chose to make Chatty my priority, and focus my training on the Ironman and hope that it would be enough to get me through the ultramarathon.  I’m not totally convinced that the Ironman training I was doing wasn’t enough to get me through 100 miles, but it’s really hard to substitute swimming/biking/running for just long-running.  This time I decided to focus my training on just doing the ultra.  I haven’t even raced a sprint triathlon or 5K this year, I’m just doing long, slow distance running.

TRAIN THE BRAIN – Ironman can be emboldening, making you believe that “anything is possible” (a motto of theirs), so I thought that if I can finish an Ironman (or now five of them) I can easily get through an ultra.  Boy, I underestimated the ultra distance and what it took mentally to get through it.  Pushing on was something I wasn’t able to do.  How do you get over that mental hurdle?  I’m still trying to figure it out, but for now, I keep pushing myself out the door when I need to do so.  In marathon training, you typically build to one 20-mile training run before the race.  I’ve done several 18-milers and a couple of 20-mile runs so far, with many more to do.  I need to get those distances in not only for my legs but for my mind as well.  I’m guessing with the miles I run and the time I put into them, my mind will get used to being along for the ride.

Right now it’s summer and it’s been a hot and humid one too.   I have to resist the temptation to judge where I will be in November based on where I’m at now.  My brain sometimes tells me that I’m going to struggle with this, but it’s all because I’m currently struggling with heat and humidity.  Got to get through the plan and get close to race day, then I will know where I stand.

USE THE GADGETS – I acquired what I thought I might need to run long distances – shoes with more cushion, shoe gaiters, trekking poles, headlamps, portable watch and phone chargers, and other odds and ends, but I haven’t really used them much.  Last year I did use the lights from about mile 35 to 50, but I wasn’t used to running with them.  I did very little training running with lights, and they can be kind of weird.  Some runners say that the bouncing movement of the light from a headlamp can make them feel a little unbalanced.  I didn’t really have a problem with that, but I can see it having a strobe light-type effect.  I did practice with the watch charger in training last year, but having a new watch with better battery life might make them unnecessary.  I think the watch will last the full 100 miles.  But I should probably refresh myself on how to use them while running.

DO SOME NIGHTTIME RUNNING – My wife Kari “coaches” me often with thoughtful suggestions, and one of them that I could benefit from is doing some nighttime running.  Tunnel Hill starts at 7am in November and you had daylight until about 4:30pm, so not even 10 hours of sunlight.  The majority of the race will be run in the dark.  Last year it was so dark in southern Illinois that without the light I couldn’t see anything.  There were people coming back to finish 50 miles without lights and I had no idea how they were staying on the path!  Some practice running at night with lights would be a good idea.  But I think she is also suggesting that I run at night when it’s the time of day that I’m getting tired.  I don’t really remember feeling “sleepy” tired last year, thanks to caffeine, more of a fatigued muscles-type tired.  But it is a good suggestion.  I will suggest that she join me.

RE-EVALUATE YOUR EXPECTATIONS – Last year I had no idea what to expect and just going off of what my training leading up to the race was telling me, I foolishly thought that a sub-24-hour finish was probable.  Heck, I was averaging 5.5 miles every hour in training and thinking a sub-20-hour finish might happen!  Man, did that race teach me a lesson.  I did happen to finish the 50 in 11 hours and 32 minutes, but there was no way I was going to be able to do another 12-hour 50 miles.  The experience from last year has made me adjust my expectations a little.  I’m still going to shoot for around 24 hours, but the overall goal, and one I can’t overlook, IS TO FINISH THE DAMN DISTANCE!

WHAT THE PACE? – One of the crucial elements of running 100 miles is going at a pace that won’t kill you too soon, and I think I blew this part of it last year.  That’s a surprising statement seeing that my local friends all went out much faster than me for the first 25 miles of it.  It was quite a shock to be bringing up the rear when I was holding a sub-20 pace myself!  With the exception of Leah, who turned in and impressive 22:54, Jim ended up slowing and dropping out around the 70 mile mark, and Jodi seemed to run out of gas as well, but added another exceptional finish to her ultra running resume.  I think that they tend to run until they can’t any more, and then walk some to recover.  I try to build walk breaks into my miles by run/walking, essentially running four minutes and then walking for 2.  But am I doing enough walking?

As I mentioned above, I could hold 5.5 miles/hour fairly well, which gave me the expectations of easily going sub-24, but I tired and ended up slowing down in the last 15 miles pretty dramatically.  I settled on a 4-minute run/2-minute walk method in order to give me a break and keep me from overdoing it.  But I think it was still too fast.  Since I hit the 5-mile mark around 50 minutes, I have tinkered with walking the remaining 10-minutes of every hour.  This will give me an additional extended walking break, and still keep me on track.  I will see how this goes.

GET THE NUTRITION DIALED IN – In my five Ironman races I have been fortunate to have been pretty consistent with my in-race nutritional needs.  For some reason, I just struggle with it during training.  Lately I have been a little better, but on race days I tend to skip eating solid food when I shouldn’t.  Sometimes what the race is offering isn’t all that appetizing to me.  Sometimes I don’t eat enough.  My two Backyard Ultra races this year I struggled both times with getting enough food, even though I was trying to do better.  It’s tough to run on a full stomach, so I might have to experiment with eating more over a longer period of time, rather than just scarfing down a bunch of food in a 2-3 minute break.

~~~

So there you have it, I’m sticking to the plan, trusting it, doing the work, and trying to avoid the mistakes.  I just hope I’m not overthinking it.  Future updates to follow, I’m sure.  Thanks for reading.

Long Run Motivation

I thought that I might try my hand at some poetry, so forgive me if I make a mockery of it. ~ Chris

~~~

LONG RUN MOTIVATION

Breakfast was had, time to head out / I have 20-miles planned, got to hit the route

Saturday long run is about to begin

I bring my phone, not a typical action / And choose some music for the distraction

I thumb through the artists held within

“Begin the day with a friendly voice” / I kiss the wife goodbye, with Rush as the choice

Out the door with my favorite band

I cue up the watch for running and walking / GPS finds me and off I go jogging

Spray on some sunscreen, getting very tanned

Over the tracks I’ve been told not to cross / It’s Barney Fife’s personal albatross

One mile in and the sweat has begun

The weather has been dry / But the wildflowers are high

The nature preserve never fails to stun 

Over the bridge, the creek filled again / Yesterday provided the much-needed rain

Two miles from home is the watch alert

Out of the hills and onto the trail / Once upon a time there were trains on the rails

Mile three, starting to sweat through my shirt

Up ahead, I see a lady running with her dog / It’s my friend Julie with Blue – out for a jog

That’s something new for Julie to do

Miles four through ten were somewhat of a blur / Runners and bikers enjoying the day I figure

Maybe for their races, they’re training too

I hit Cherry Hill road, just as predicted / Time to turn around, but I’m not conflicted

Not going away from home any longer

At twelve and a half, the vest needed filling / I replaced the warm with water that was chilling

Eat a gel and candy bar, got me feeling stronger

Off the trail and into the preserve, three miles to go / The pep in my step had turned slow

Finishing the run with hills will eventually pay off

Hit the stop button at twenty, go jump in the pool / The run is done, it’s time to cool

Recovery time has begun, a Gatorade I quaff

But Sunday comes, I awaken to realize / Another long run is the plan’s surprise

Motivation is lacking, I still put on running gear

Another breakfast, I skip the music and running vest / Just a water bottle and off on another quest

Running on some sore legs is what I fear

But to my surprise, I feel really fresh / Maybe back-to-back long runs make my legs mesh

I’m quite surprised and skip the walk breaks

A different route, to east this time I go / Running through the hills, but I don’t feel slow

Muggy but not hot, I feel few aches

Once again, I turn onto Old Plank Trail / Seeing Angela, Susan, and John running help me sail

This run is going better than I was expecting

I hit the neighborhood, a little shy of 90 minutes / I add a little extra, I have no limits

Feeling good after two days of running, I’m not objecting

The hardest part of running long distance / Might be trying to find the persistance

Got to fight the desire to quit or not even begin

An emotional finish to a couple days of long running / To the starting line I will keep gunning

I’ve learned that what it takes I might have within

Thanks for reading.

WausaUltra Backyard Ultra Race Report

When: Friday, April 29, 2022

Where: Sylvan Hill Park, Wausau, Wisconsin

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

Results: Officially a DNF – 5 loops/yards, 20.8 miles – 30th out of 36 starters.

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

2022 WausaUltra Backyard Race Report

I have to start by saying thanks to WausaUltra, the race directors, the staff, and the volunteers for hosting such a great event. Everything was well done. They made everyone feel welcome and became our biggest fans, even if we only made a handful of yards. They made me feel like I had a slim chance of winning. Ha!

On Facebook, the staff was welcoming everyone who had signed up with a short video and I was a little surprised at my welcome, as the guy thought that being 58 years old and doing this event was an amazing feat. Listen up, whippersnapper! I’m not old!

I drove to Wausau on Thursday afternoon and took a look around. I wanted to make sure I knew how to get there, and also know how long the drive would be from Minocqua.

Friday morning I got around and made it to the park in plenty of time to get set up. I opted for my one-man pop-up tent just because it would be easier to set up and tear down. The runners started trickling in and you could start to feel the excitement. This group seemed to be pretty serious about going deep into the event.

I set my little tent up right near the finish area to limit my walking.

We heard the 3-minute warning just before 10 am and everyone made their way to the corral for the start. The weather was cool, and there was no rain for now. It was shaping up to be a good day.

The start is somewhat anti-climatic as the first twenty yards after the pavilion area was very wet, and the road quickly became a hill. So there was no bolting out of the chute, we walked it.

Looking at the start/finish area.

I ran the first yard to get the lay of the land and then took my phone along for the second one to snap some photos. The first part of the course was crushed granite road and trail and was uphill. All uphill portions were walked.

Feeling pretty good early into the second yard.
After a short switchback, we were at the top of the sledding hill and had to choose our line. I preferred to be to the left, but that meant bending under a steel tow line a couple of times. It was less wet on the left side.
Upon getting to the bottom of the sledding hill, we made a turn through some very soft ground and had to climb this hill before climbing up an adjacent sledding hill. The guy with the red vest was the eventual winner. He wasted no use less energy on the course. Ran only when he needed to.
After getting up the hill again we wandered around and then had to descend this hill that fortunately had a very soft footing. It was like running on a hill of mulch.
After coming down the hill we had to cross some wet ground. Fortunately, the race staff had placed some stones here for us. Still trying to figure out if it was a good thing. I’m the last in line in this photo.
Photo credit: WausaUltra Facebook page
My favorite part of this course was this flat portion through the woods. Go figure.
My least favorite portion of the course was up there, a grassy portion near the local high school athletic fields. It was much cooler/breezier up there.
By far the most challenging part of the course were the sections of trail that were rocky. It took some serious concentration to get through these downhills. One misstep could really mess you up.
The race staff made a great effort to be all over the course to get photos and videos.
Some well-placed wooden bridges over some wetland areas. This is the section that would later end my day.
This gravel section led to another short hill just before the finish line.

So that is the course in pictures, which show what we dealt with better than I could explain it. It was a challenging course for sure.

The first few loops went pretty well, but I still struggled with sweating too much. It was tough to balance it because it was very cool in the higher parts of the course and warm on the climbs and lower parts. I eventually ended up shedding the pants I started with and swapped my trail shoes out for my regular running shoes for some additional toe space.

My big mistake however, was not taking in enough hydration and electrolytes. I don’t know why I have this dialed in so well for an Ironman but can be clueless when attempting these backyard events.

The fifth yard became my nemesis. I was giving some consideration as to how many more yards I could get through, and figured that I would attempt at least 2-3 more. But I started to get some hamstring and calf cramping here and there toward mile three and I wasn’t so sure anymore. When I came to the little wooden bridge section in the latter part of the 3rd mile of the fifth yard I wasn’t worried about it at all – it wasn’t technical, nor really anything that you had to concentrate all that hard about. But my tired legs must have kept my foot from clearing something and I tripped, falling flat onto the boards and bouncing into the moist dirt next to it. It happened so quickly that I didn’t even have time to really catch or brace myself. I hit pretty hard and was almost in shock by it. I struggled to get myself up, as I now found myself cramping pretty badly. I knew I had to get to my feet and keep moving. That’s when I got very light-headed and quickly grabbed a tree to keep from falling again. After a brief moment I was able to collect myself and start walking again, taking an assessment of the damage I had done. I had a scraped knee and a cartoon-sized bump on my left forearm, but other than that I wasn’t in any significant pain.

As I made the last little uphill climb to the finish area, a guy standing there asked if I was okay. I told him that I fell and he went and told the staff. I made it to the finish and told the others there that I had banged myself up. Staffer Ellen was kind enough to get me an ice bag for my swollen arm and bandaged up my knee. I was advised that I still had about five minutes left to get ready for the next loop, but I told them there was no way. My two or three more yards estimate was immediately quashed as soon as I got up from that fall. I decided right there and then that I would not push my luck. Had I fallen on those rocks it could have really messed me up, and I wasn’t prepared to go back out there being behind on my hydration and energy.

Sitting in my tent, nursing my wounds.

I let the 3-2-1 minute countdown pass and stood and watched the others parade by. My day was done. I went over and rang the DNF bell of shame and then began the two hour packing up process to head home. Five yards, and a little more than 20 miles. It was less than I was expecting to do, but not too bad for this difficult course. The day sure made for a great and memorable experience.

I may be a DNF, but I added some trophies to the collection.

NOTES FOR NEXT TIME

  • This was a very technical course. I need to practice that type of terrain more.
  • Running downhill wasn’t too bad here, but it always wears my quads out quickly. Maybe add some leg press strength work or run more downhills in training.
  • Get that nutrition/hydration/electrolytes figured out.
  • Make sure my wife is there to help me! It was tough without a crew member.

I really enjoyed this event and I will definitely be back in the future. Thanks for reading!

Big Hill Bonk 2022 – Wisconsin’s Backyard Ultra Race Report

When: Friday, April 1, 2022

Where:  Big Hill Park – Beloit, Wisconsin

Distance: Ten 4.166 mile yards (loops) for a total of 41.6 miles

Results: For the second year in a row I am a DNF, as well as 29 others, with Jon Noll once again taking the win and making it look easy.

Results Link: Big Hill Bonk 2022 Results

BIG HILL BONK – WISCONSIN’S BACKYARD ULTRA – LAST RUNNER STANDING RACE REPORT

April Fool’s Day can be cruel and fun at the same time, and since the second running of the Big Hill Bonk happened to occur on April 1st, thirty-one runners including myself set out to do some foolhardy running through the woods of Beloit, Wisconsin. Foolish as it may seem to run an unknown and unlimited amount of 4.167-mile trips around the park, it was also a ton of fun. April Fool’s Day treated us to a cold morning start, and a campsite with an inch of snow on the ground to place our tents upon, but that didn’t seem to bother any of us. The day would stay sunny all day long and warm up to the mid-forties providing a mostly comfortable day of running.

Kari and I set up our tent and I made my way into the Welty Center to check in and get my bib and swag. I said hello to the race director Tyler, made my way over to the table, and was greeted by Tyler’s dad, who knew my name and said he loved reading my blog posts about training for last year’s race. I’m always surprised when someone tells me they have read my blog. It wouldn’t be the last time I was greeted with “you’re the guy with the blog!” A travel coffee mug with the Big Hill Bonk on it was the swag in place of a t-shirt this year, and I gladly filled it up with some warm coffee and made my way back to the tent to get off my feet and keep warm, thanks to a little propane-fueled camp heater I picked up just for this occasion.

I believe I was one of three who had run the 2021 inaugural edition of the Big Hill Bonk to return for some more “fun” in 2022. Of course, the other two returning runners were last year’s winner Jon, and another runner named Zac, who would be the one to make sure Jon didn’t have a walk in the park win this time around. There were a couple of other significant differences between the 2021 event and this one. First, 2021 was held in August and started at 5:30 pm. This year it was moved to April, the race director Tyler’s personal preference, and we started at 10 am. So nine out of the ten yards I did was done with daylight, and I barely needed the headlamp on the last yard. It was also much colder, which I think helped prevent me from overheating and getting somewhat dehydrated like I did last year, although I was still sweating and couldn’t find a comfortable amount of layers. It was much warmer at the bottom of the course than it was at the top, and I would overheat walking up the Big Hill. Then when we hit the road for the last mile, the cold breeze was in our face and made for a slightly uncomfortable finish to the yard. Since there was snow on the ground when we began the event, I jokingly told Tyler that I was circulating a petition to get it moved back to August. But as the race progressed I’m not sure what time of year I prefer to run this type of event. I think I have more experience managing myself in the heat than the cold. It’s easier, too. Just one layer – no hats, gloves, extra pants, or other things to keep me warm.

ONTO THE YARDS

As we heard the first three whistles, letting us know that the race would begin in three minutes, we all started to stir and made our way to the starting area. I met a young man named Blair who advised that he had read my blog to gain some insight about this event. I took an immediate liking to Blair and I would spend almost the entirety of my yards running with him. We had some great conversations about ultra-running. It also helped that we were running at roughly the same pace. I was enjoying not only Blair’s company, but there were plenty of others to enjoy conversations with this time around.

Snow covered the ground for the first few yards, then it was gone. This is the first yard.

Finishing the first yard. Not sure if the people recording the splits remembered to do it for this lap, but we came in around 48 minutes. We had already started to shed layers.

Last year everyone seemed to be more serious and less talkative. A couple of ladies named Stefanie and Kerri would strike up a bond and provide a lot of positive energy for the rest of us. I asked them on one of the yards if they had known each other beforehand. Nope, they met that day and were instant pals. I loved seeing the others finding the right group for themselves. It was an eclectic group for sure. There was a guy wearing a yellow and blue jacket, who had to lead every lap and finish each lap before everyone else. Not always the best tactic in this kind of event, but he seemed determined to own that. Another guy wore just a singlet and shorts, while the rest of us had on a few layers. There was a guy who ran in sandals, which is something I could never do. Another entrant was a kid who looked about 15-years old, but I learned was 18. He was a machine and made each yard look like it was nothing. I think that I was the oldest entrant, most of the others were well under 40. The only other guy in his 50’s was very consistent with his effort and was locked in. He outlasted me.

The first yard was done with snow covering the ground, but I somehow avoided getting wet shoes/feet. By the third yard, the snow would be gone for the most part, with the exception being a few areas in the woods shaded from the sun. The most technical part of the course is the descent from the top of the hillside down toward the path that would lead to the lowest part of the course. It was a little muddy and slippery, and I had seen some muddy legs from a few runners who may have slipped on this portion of the course. I took my time on it, as losing my footing would have meant a pretty good tumble down the hill. Some of the runners commented on how they weren’t expecting the obstacles that we had to get over and around, but I think they all found the course to be a lot of fun.

As we came to the finish line of the first yard, everyone pretty much started shedding the layers that they had overestimated needing. I was certainly in that group. I took the windbreaker off and went to a thinner pair of gloves. One guy had said that he was switching to just a t-shirt. But figuring out the right combination of layers and clothing was one of the harder things to figure out for the day. One runner had doubled up on running tights and was stripping down to just a single layer after the first yard. I’d start slightly cool, but at about a mile into the run we would head up a steep hill and I would get warm. The lowest portion of the course was the warmest, thanks to the namesake Big Hill shielding us from the wind coming from the west. Getting up the hill and onto the road for the last mile back into the finish area was the coolest, and I often wished I had another layer at that point.

I switched out tops three times, about every third yard, because I was pretty sweaty. I also switched from my trail shoes to my road shoes. The trail had firmed up quite nicely and I wasn’t worrying about slipping. The trail shoes were a half-size small and were starting to bruise my big toe.

In regard to hydration and nutrition, I think I handled it a little bit better this year. I had a decent breakfast at the hotel around 7 am, and I saw an opportunity to use the heater I bought to not only warm up the tent but to toast a Pop-Tart, which I promptly ate just before the start. I had purchased a Jimmy John’s roast beef sandwich on Thursday and was able to eat about three 2-inch sliced portions of it throughout the day. I snacked on potato chips, pretzels, a Payday bar, and yogurt in addition to eating some GU gel every lap. I also downed some Gatorade and a Lipton Brisk Raspberry Tea for the caffeine. Blair had said that he was sticking primarily with liquid nutrition, but that is never enough for me. The young kid was eating a banana often and I was kicking myself for not having a few on hand.

As for the rest of the yards, I will summarize: The day warmed up, the whistles blew, we lined up and went again, occasionally someone would drop, the guy in the yellow and blue jacket would lead us all in, and we would come back for a quick rest in the tent, eat some food, and then do it all again. A guy named Doug said he read my blog, as well as the kid – well, the kid admitted that his dad had read the blog and told him about it. When the kid saw that I was still going on Yard 9, he was genuinely happy for me to get past what I had accomplished last time. It eventually got dark and the winner from last year would get the win after 25 yards (104.2 miles).

A section of stairs that we had to go down that were slick with snow at the beginning yards. They were only about 8 inches wide as well, and we definitely paid attention to our foot strike here.
Kerri and I wrapping up Yard 9 just before teaming up for one last yard.

I ran the last yard with Kerri, a runner from South Dakota, who had also said that she was dropping after ten laps. We teamed up to get through that last yard and she made the mistake of telling me that she was interested in doing an Ironman, and then had to listen to my lecture on how to do an Ironman. I’m not sure if she’ll still want to do one after that.

Kerri waving, myself and Blair getting our watches ready for Yard 10. I think Blair ended at Yard 12, 50 miles.

After getting back to the tent and giving my wife Kari and much deserved hug, I had walked over to Blair’s tent nearby and thanked him for making my day and dragging my butt through 40+ miles. The day ended with me sitting in the tent with a blanket wrapped around me and huddled in front of the heater to keep me warm as Kari began the process of tearing down our stuff and hauling it to the car. I spotted a gentleman walking by my tent and he backtracked after seeing me and said “way to go – seriously, great job!” I think he was impressed someone near his age could keep up with these young guys and gals for as long as I did. Maybe next year I’ll shoot for 12 yards. There’s still a lot of miles left in these legs.

Added another “bonked” loser rock to my collection. There will be more.
Kari, the best race sherpa/coach wife/partner in crime, and I enjoying some post-race down time in Minocqua, Wisconsin. Couldn’t do these events without her help.

~~~

Thinking of doing a backyard ultra/last runner standing event like the Big Hill Bonk? Here are a few pointers.

  • Having a tent as a home base is very helpful. You may not need it, but if the weather turns it could come in handy.
  • Bring extra running gear – shoes, socks, shirts, hats, etc. I sweat in summer and winter, and I made several clothing changes.
  • Sunscreen and lip balm are your friends. I had sunscreen on my face, but forgot to put some on my bald head. My chapped lips are still trying to feel normal three days later.
  • There are some common drop points in the race where it’s common to see people decide they are done – hitting the yards and covering the marathon, 50K, 50 mile, 100K, and of course the 100 mile marks. Make those your goals, or know to avoid them if you are not trying to hit a specific mileage.
  • Train for it like it was an ultra.
  • Have a support system or crew if allowed. My wife Kari was so helpful in having my water bottles replenished, my food ready, my change of clothes laid out, and give the emotional encouragement that is so important.
  • Although there’s usually some great ultra-type food buffet options at the event, bring some food that you know works for you.
  • Make some friends on the first lap and enjoy the company!

Back to the Bonk

In April I’m heading back to Beloit, Wisconsin to give the second running of the Big Hill Bonk another go. I’m so not ready. I already feel like I’m bonking. Winter running is not my friend, and as an older runner, I try to use winter as a recovery period of sorts from what I did throughout the previous year. That makes running spring marathons tough for me. My mileage is low and my knee kind of hurts lately, but there’s still some time to get my act together and give this race another try.

I find this race format intriguing. It’s pretty simple – run 4.16 miles in an hour and keep running that 4.16-mile loop every hour for as long as you can. People will drop out until there is only one runner left and that runner is the winner. For everyone else, well, thanks for playing.

I’m not fooling myself, I know I won’t win, but I had avoided ultra-distance running for so long that I thought that I should at least experience it in order to validate my running legacy somehow. Last year I made it through 8 loops (also called yards), a total of 33-miles. The goal was to pass the 50K mark, which I did – marking my first ultra-marathon distance – and to have some fun, which I also did. I learned some valuable lessons along the way, and I’ve been thinking about them a little bit.

There’s a little bit of strategy involved in this type of race.  You have to budget your effort to not wear yourself out too early, yet you have to expend enough energy to finish the loop in an hour.  I came to the race last year not knowing much about how to run a trail ultra, but I got a crash course quickly.  I walked more than I was expecting.  Some of the hills the others were walking I would have typically never walked.  I was also carrying too much stuff and noticed most of the others just had a small water bottle.  I made a change to just carrying a handheld bottle myself by yard number three.

Me and some of the field shuffling up the namesake “Big Hill” in the early yards.

This year the race will be in April and not August, so I have to plan for running in cooler weather rather than the warm weather of last year.  There’s no crystal ball for the weather this far out from the race, so I just have to assume that it could be much cooler, and possibly rainy.  I wouldn’t have minded getting a little cooling rain last year, but the thunderstorms of the area thankfully skirted around us.  I’ll just have to hope for cool and dry temperatures for April.

It will be interesting to see how the course is in early spring compared to summer.  I’m hoping the trail will be dry.  Last summer the course had a section that was a little overgrown with the typical forest undergrowth in spots, but it wasn’t an issue.  I’m guessing that we won’t have to deal with that this time.

A fallen tree and some of the foilage we had to navigate through.

One of the other changes this time around is that the start time will be in the morning rather than early evening.  Last year we were able to get in about three yards of the course before it got dark.  So we will have some daylight loops to start with this time.

So far the field is about the same size as last time, about thirty runners.  This is a good number for the course.  More than that could make for some clogged spots in the single-track areas of the course.  I won’t need to worry about it too much.  It’s not a speed contest, but you do have to finish the yard before the hour is up.  I think most of us will average about 50-minutes to do a yard.  Having ten minutes to replenish water and food, and maybe sit for a moment is plenty of time.  I think I will try to take on a little bit more food this time as well.

I looked at the registered athletes for the 2022 event and was surprised to see that at this time there are only three runners returning from 2021 – myself, Zac Lungren, who ran 13 yards/54 miles, and Jon Noll – the eventual winner, who ran a mind-boggling 34 yards, and a total of 141 miles! Last year there was a very solid group of six runners that all surpassed 100 miles and kept pushing Jon to earn his title. The rest of the 2022 field are all newcomers as of this post. I’m guessing some of the runners from last year saw that Jon signed up and said, “Well, what’s the point?” and decided to find another race to do. Maybe some of them found the course in Beloit to be a pretty good challenge, I certainly did. And since the race got moved back to April instead of August, maybe some are also like me and feeling a little under-prepared.

Of the newcomers, there are some serious contenders there. Jon will have his work cut out for him for sure.  Many of them will be like me, curious to experience this kind of event, maybe challenge themselves to experience trail running, or hit a distance milestone for the first time.  Maybe some think that they can win.  Only Jon stands in their way.  You just have to run one more yard than everyone else.  Good luck!

Tunnel Hill 50 Mile Run Race Report

Tunnel Hill 50 Mile Run Race Report

When:  November 13, 2021

Where:  Vienna, Illinois – Tunnel Hill State Trail

Results:  50.5 Miles, 11 hours 32 minutes 30 Seconds

Results Link:  My Results on Athlinks

I am truly humbled.

My last blog post was all about me asking myself if I was ready to run 100 miles. It turns out that I wasn’t. I found out that I definitely wasn’t prepared physically, and maybe I wasn’t quite prepared mentally as well. All 100-mile runs will challenge you in both ways, but I found out that I wasn’t quite up to the task. I was hoping that what training I had done would be enough, but there’s no substitute for running long miles. Running 100 miles demands respect, and I didn’t give it its due. I learned a valuable lesson. I was able to salvage something out of the race, and I am very proud of that. Here are the details.

Tunnel Hill 100 & 50 Mile Runs have been around since 2014, and the races have earned quite a reputation. The course is a world record course, and many runners have been setting personal bests there as well.

My ultra-running local friend Jodi has done the race before and provided the inspiration for me to give this race a try. A few other local friends also joined in on the challenge and came down to Vienna, Illinois to give it a go. I figured why not join in on the fun.

The pile of junk I packed for this dumb idea. Didn’t need half of it.

My wife Kari and I drove down on Friday and pulled into Vienna just in time for the start of packet pick-up. We didn’t waste much time there as the sun was starting to set and we wanted to take a drive to where the aid stations would be so that she could be familiar with the route.

Sun setting on the drive to Karnak, Illinois

After finding the southern aid station in Karnak, Illinois we headed back to eat the complimentary spaghetti dinner with the others.

Packet pickup completed!

After dinner, Kari and I drove to the northern aid station located near the Tunnel Hill tunnel and then headed to the hotel to check-in. It wasn’t long until my son Ben and his fiance Emily arrived, and we made some last-minute plans. I knew that Ben was going to pace me the last 25 miles of the race, but Emily also offered to run with me from Mile 50 to Mile 61 on the third leg, which I was very grateful for. Turns out neither would run at all!

Ben, Emily and Kari planning out their strategy to keep me alive.

After a peaceful sleep, we caravaned to Vienna to await the start. I was in a pretty good mood, with very little of the normal race day anxiety. I found the others and shared best wishes and then took a spot with the rest of the runners. The National Anthem was sung, the horn sounded, and we were off.

Trying to not freeze at the start.

LEG 1 – Vienna south to Karnak and the Southern Turnaround

After a loop around the parking lot, we made a right turn onto the Tunnel Hill State Trail for the first leg. One guy standing along the road shouted “YOU’RE ALMOST THERE!” which surprisingly gave me a chuckle. I was in a good mood. I was running with Jodi until my watch beeped and told me to walk. We were barely on the trail at this point! I felt a little silly slowing to a walk four minutes into a race, but I was dedicated to my pacing plan. It wasn’t long and others started to walk as well. Jodi was now long gone. And I would later find out all my other friends would leave me in the dust as well!

The trail was pretty crowded at this point and trying to find space on the trail was hard, as very few of us were running at the same pace. But we made the best of it and kept moving forward.

Prior to getting to Karnak, I found that I was sweaty, which surprised me somewhat. I stopped at the Heron Pond aid station and took off my windbreaker. Arriving in Karnak, I saw my crew and said I was crabby. We swapped my partially empty hydration vest for one they prepped for me and was fully loaded and I made way over to the food tables. I was expecting just a bunch of cookies and such, but there was bacon! And French toast pieces! I grabbed some bacon and was glad to have something that wasn’t sugary. The two pieces of French toast were some of the best French toast I have ever had. I walked and ate and then started running the remaining couple of miles to the turnaround.

Coming into the first aid station in Karnak.

My awesome crew! They did amazing for a first time crew!

The trip heading to the southern turnaround seemingly took forever. And it was into the wind, which made me regret taking the windbreaker off. But I think that was a little bit of a blessing, as it cooled me down and dried me off a little. As I was heading there I first saw my friend Leah, then I saw Jodi, then Jennifer, and finally Jim all coming back north! They were all kicking my butt! I was a little surprised to be bringing up the rear, as I was on my sub-20 hour pace and pretty consistent with it. It would turn out that they are much more awesome at this than my inexperienced ass.

LEG 2 – The Southern Turnaround back to Vienna

I hit the turnaround and was back to Karnak to talk with my crew again and I made the decision to swap hats, as my original ones were soaked with sweat. I was dragging on this part. I seemed to lack energy and was also a little off somehow. I found that when I was walking it seemed a little unbalanced. Running seemed okay, but I just wasn’t feeling right.

There were lots to keep my mind occupied. I was swapping places with groups of others as we took turns running and walking. There were three college-age guys running together who I nicknamed the “Bros” and they were fun to follow. They were enjoying themselves.

I finally got to Vienna and was relieved. 26+ miles done.  First up was a change of clothes. Kari expected that I would want to change clothes and I was happy to get out of the sweaty stuff. I sat down in a chair and was given a ham and cheese sandwich and a bottle of Lipton Brisk Lemon Tea by my family. It was nice to sit, eat and soak up a little sun after running a little more than 26 miles. The rest didn’t last long. Ben pulled me up out of the chair, we swapped a depleted hydration vest for a full one, and I started out on the northern leg of the route.

LEG 3 – Vienna north to Tunnel Hill and the Northern Turnaround

The funk I was in during the second leg seemed to wane now that I had a sandwich and some food in me. But I think the main reason I perked up was that I was now downing gels and hydration that had caffeine in them. It was the boost that I was needing. Mentally I was in a much better place, but physically my thighs/quads were getting very sore. After every walk break, I would gingerly start my jogging routine and try not to think about the soreness. After a while, I decided that the four-minute run portion of my pacing plan was not doing me any favors any longer. I pushed some buttons on my watch and lowered the run portion to two minutes. Two minutes running and two minutes walking was now the pace plan. There were a lot of other runners walking more as well, and for longer periods of time.

The northern part of the course was beautiful. The southern portion was mostly treelined with beautiful fall colors, but the northern section had that as well as awesome rock formations and numerous bridges spanning ravines and small creeks. Plus it had an awesome tunnel. The top of the concrete tunnel entrance was stamped “1929” and it really was a relic from another time. As you approached you could clearly see the exit on the other side, and the length of the tunnel is about 200 yards or so. But once inside it got dark, even if you could see the exit. It felt really weird, the exit was clearly visible, but you didn’t really know what your feet were stepping on. Ben had heard someone describe it as “trippy” and I think that is spot on. It was a strange sensation.

Ben greeting me as I came into Tunnel Hill and looking for a chair to sit on.

Not long on the other side was the Tunnel Hill aid station and Kari, Ben, and Emily were there waiting for me. I ducked into a toilet and then walked over to a chair and sat down. I told them I was feeling good from the waist up, but the waist down was in bad shape. Kari offered me some ibuprofen and I quickly turned it down. Then she offered some Tylenol and I turned that down too. I wasn’t sure how my stomach would feel if I took some, and it’s pretty well-known that taking ibuprofen is not the best idea for distance runners.

After leaving the aid station I continued north toward the northern turnaround, and I was giving taking some Tylenol some serious thought. By this point, I had adjusted my run time from two minutes down to one, and the quad soreness was not getting better. I was now walking more than I was running. I had some Tylenol with me, so I decided to take some.

LEG 4 – The Northern Turnaround back to Vienna

The turnaround seemed like it would never come. When I finally got there it was such a relief. As the trip south now began, I noticed something interesting. This trip north was uphill, but the trip back was uphill too! Uphill both ways!

Within 20-minutes after taking the Tylenol I could feel my legs getting better. By the time I was back at the Tunnel Hill aid station I was a new man. My attitude was great, my quads felt much better, and I was kicking myself for not taking some pain pills earlier.

Kari could tell I was much better off. The food table had just put down some freshly made grilled ham & cheese sandwiches. I took one of the triangle cut portions and it literally became the greatest grilled ham & cheese sandwich I had ever eaten. I went back and grabbed another and the aid station lady was laughing that I was looking for seconds.

BEST DAMN GRILLED HAM & CHEESE SANDWICH EVER!

Another hydration vest switch, and I grabbed a headlamp, and off I went back south toward Vienna. The trip through the tunnel was much better now that I could see the ground. There wasn’t any weird sensation going through it. The ceiling of the tunnel was still soot-covered from the long-ago passing trains, but now there was some modern spray-painted graffiti added for no good reason.

I held off turning the headlamp on permanently until the last bit of fading sunlight was gone. With the artificial light making the trail visible, I made my way along the trail. There seemed to be fewer and fewer people heading north and most were now heading the same direction that I was. Occasionally I would pass a runner without a headlamp and wonder how they could see at all. It was pitch black out, even with a half-moon shining in the dark sky above.

As I pressed on I decided that maybe I could run a little more, so I bumped it up to a 2-minute run. That worked for a little while, but soon I found myself tiring. Knowing that if I was to continue on I might want to be more conservative with my energy, and I went back to the 1-minute run / 2-minute walk.

Somewhere in this stretch, I did some soul searching. I rationalized everything, taking into account how I have felt throughout the day and how I was feeling now. I had told Kari and others numerous times before the race that they should be prepared for me to drop at the halfway point. This is an option at the Tunnel Hill Runs. Those that had signed up for the 100-mile race could drop down to the 50-Mile race and become an official 50-Mile finisher if they choose to. This was looked at by some as a trap, somewhat of an enticement, or a consolation prize to those running the one hundred to drop instead of pressing on. I knew this. I also knew that after enduring the miles I had gone through already, I clearly would be struggling to continue on for another 50. I would be miserable. At one point I said I’m going to keep going. A minute later I was talking myself out of it. It was a difficult decision, but I finally said to myself that I need to attempt this another time, a time at which I’m better prepared, both physically and mentally.

The Shelby Road aid station is only about 3 miles out from Vienna, and a little puzzling as to why it’s so close to the start/finish. I arrived and took a look at the food table and decided that nothing appealed much to me. I took a small piece of banana, squeezed it into my mouth, and pushed toward the finish line.

The Finish

As the lights of the Vienna aid station came into view I experienced relief for the first time. I turned off my headlamp, jogged across the timing mat, and hit stop on my watch. I was done. Fifty miles. The longest I had ever run in my life in one day.

Finishing 50 miles of running.

Ben was the first to greet me and I’m sure that he could have predicted what I was about to say. “I’m done.” He offered some positive words and did what all good crew will do, he encouraged me to continue on. But I had made up my mind. Then a race official did the same. “Walk a little. Go get some food. Think it over.” I walked over to Kari and Emily and sat in a chair and was getting a little upset having to deal with those telling me to go on when I made it pretty clear that I didn’t want to. It’s their job to do that, to tell you not to quit. But I was starting to interpret their positive encouragement as “don’t be a quitter.” It was getting to me. At some point they conceded and it was over.

Kari encouraged me to go into the warming tent and have some soup. Inside I found Jennifer, who had just finished her 50 Miles, and Tony, a friend from the local running/riding group who was there helping crew others, and he offered some very kind words. I went from hearing what I was wrongly interpreting that I was quitting on myself to knowing that I just did something pretty spectacular.

I left the tent and Ben walked me over to the timing tent. Another female runner had just dropped from her 100-mile attempt to the 50, which made me feel better. I wasn’t alone. I’m not sure what her reasons were, but I’m guessing it wasn’t an easy decision for her, just like it wasn’t for me. The volunteer said, “Great job, here’s your belt buckle.” It was official, Bib #536 was now a 50-Mile finisher.

Ben and I walked back to join Kari and Emily and we started packing up. I wrapped a blanket around me and we started to head to the car. Except now my body was shutting down on me. All I could do as I was shivering was to stagger very slowly back toward the car. Each step was almost excruciatingly painful. I started to wonder what if this would have happened to me later on during the next leg. What if it had happened miles away from the aid station? As we got to the car and Ben had to help me get my legs into the car, I realized that I had made a smart move to drop.

I am very proud of what I accomplished. Finishing 50 miles is pretty awesome in its own right. The option to stop at the 50-mile mark was actually a blessing for me. In retrospect, I just wasn’t prepared to go 100-miles. I lacked the time on my feet that running that distance demands. Also, I think the main reason I stopped at 50 instead of pressing on was that I was just tired of running and the prospect of another 50 wasn’t appealing to me at all at the moment.  I’ll have to overcome that feeling next time, I’m sure.

I will revisit this race again in the future when I’m better prepared and eager to make it happen. Thanks, Tunnel Hill!

Thanks 

My wife Kari continues to wow me with her love for me and the support she gives me when I tackle these challenges. I couldn’t do it without her.

Thanks to Ben and Emily for giving up their weekend to crew me and help out mom. Although I felt like I cheated you out of pacing me through the second half of the run, I sense that you guys were okay with it. (lol)

To my local friends:

– Jodi finished her 5th 100-mile race, which is just absolutely amazing. Thanks for providing the inspiration and sharing your ultrarunning knowledge.

– Jim, you are impressive as always. You have the wisdom and experiences that I seek.

– Jennifer, congrats on your first 50-mile finish. You provided enough enthusiasm for all of us.

– Theresa, way to go on that 50-mile finish!

– Leah, WOW! Way to kill it! Not sure how you held that pace through 100 miles, but WELL DONE!

– Calvin, your love for running and your unselfishness is amazing. Keep it up!

– Tony, thanks for the kind words in the tent, letting me know that even though the original goal wasn’t achieved, the finish I got is pretty damn good, too.

– Dan, I look forward to learning more from you.  Thanks for spectating and the encouragement!

Best consolation award ever.