The alarm was set for 2:00 am on Saturday, which even for me, is pretty darn early 😱 and we made our way on the mostly deserted roads to the race start. It was still pitch black when we arrived and I hadn't even thought to bring a headlamp. Oops. Luckily, Ryan had his car all packed up with gear to go pace Craig at Riverlands later in the evening, so there were two headlamps in his bag. In the end, because it was overcast it was still dark enough that I wore one of the headlamps out onto the trail at the start and was very happy to have it for the first 1 1/2 miles! It was also a bit chilly, so I wore my arm sleeves, which I ended up keeping on throughout the race, as there was a good breeze blowing up high for most of the day.
And so it was that at 5:00 am our merry little band set off to run north on the Wapack Trail. The first mile climbs steeply up to the right below the summit of Mount Watatic. Ryan had warned me that he had gotten off course and ended up at the summit in 2017, but despite that, I ended up following a large group that did the exact same thing! That being said, the trail junction right where the Wapack Trail turned was a bit confusing in the semi-darkness and we did at least catch a pretty glowing sunrise from the viewpoint before getting back on course!
I was in with the throngs on the uphill and then, as is typical, got passed by a lot of people on the downhill off Watatic. From there it was slightly downhill on some wider double-track to Binney Pond, which was incredibly beautiful in the early morning light. The singletrack wound through the rhododendron and mountain laurel along the pond's edge, and I smiled at all the painted trillium in bloom along the trail. Always so nice to see! Then up to the ledges of Pratt Mountain and New Ipswich Mountain, which offered sweeping vistas and shimmering early morning sunlight streaming through the parting clouds. Incredibly glorious. If I hadn't been racing, I would have been taking tons of photos! The trail wound up and around and down and along the ridgeline and high forest for a while, and was really lovely.
On the flip side, I wasn't really feeling all that great, with my stomach a bit off and my legs not feeling all that strong on the uphills, which is where I typically feel pretty good! So, it seemed like way more of a struggle than it should have, especially so early in what was no doubt going to be a long day. Still, there was nothing much to do except move forward. The long descent off Barrett Mountain down to Windblown was a rocky, leafy, muddy mess and then once we hit the ski trails, things were pretty squishy! There was a fair amount of slipping and sliding and some walking to avoid falling.
Made it to the mile 9 aid station and told Ryan I wasn't feeling so hot, but just focused on getting my bladder refilled and making sure I took the fuel I needed for the next stretch. Per Ryan's notes, I headed out at 7:07 am. I stopped at some point in the next mile and went off the trail to the bathroom - felt much better after that! I think that the super early morning had just messed up my system a bit and I was simply just not quite feeling 100% from that. But after the pitstop, it was full steam ahead up across a bit more of the ski area and then through a muddy, wet old road system stretch, along some dirt road, some pavement and up again to ridgeline on Burton Mountain before meandering along over that string of mountains and descending down to Miller State Park at mile 16ish on the a steep gravel road that I knew was going to be a pain in the a** going back up in the other direction! I stopped at the bathroom in the park and, after sanitizing my hands of course!, grabbed a few oreos and dropped my trash at the aid station before tackling the very steep rocky, muddy, wet uphill to Pack Monadnock. It was slow going.
I had, once again in typical fashion, been running mostly by myself, occasionally passing people on the uphills and getting passed on the downhills. But somewhere along the ascent up Pack Monadnock, I fell in with Kevin, who was going approximately my pace and who I had fun chatting with for a few miles. In between Pack and North Pack, we got passed by the lead one-wayers going the opposite direction and then not too long after, as we were beginning our final descent off North Pack, started to see more runners, both one-wayers and the front of the pack 43/50 milers who had already reached the turn-around. Man, the ledges going downhill were super slick with mud and wetness from Friday's rains so I was tiptoeing my way down in an effort to not slip, but it was so nice to know that once we hit the final wooded stretch that it was almost time to turn around!
Coming into the aid station, I was feeling good and moving well. I think Ryan was surprised by the turn-around in attitude 😉 The aid station volunteers were awesome as usual, and I took a cup of coke and some oreos while Ryan helped get me refilled and refueled and ready to go. I didn't linger long as the bugs had come out with the sunshine and warmer temps, and man, they were nasty! Time to get moving! Saw Jim Roche there, and he took off ahead of me but I caught up on the uphill and we chatted for a bit before I eventually passed him as we climbed steeply back up to North Pack. Whew! Per Ryan's notes, I left 21.5 miles at 10:23 am.
Eating oreos and feeling fine at mile 21.5 😃😎
Then it was the same, but in reverse, with more bugs, more people out hiking, moving a bit more slowly perhaps 😉😆, back to Miller, where Ryan met up with me at mile 26ish. Despite the nasty descent off Pack Monadnock, I was feeling pretty good and didn't stop too long at the aid station, leaving at 12:05. Then it was the long slog up the gravel road towards the ridgeline. Stopped to pee once I hit the woods, and Jim passed me, and then I passed him back again and on it goes 😂 Always leapfrog out there!
One more stop back at Windblown at mile 34 and I surprised Ryan by coming in about 10 minutes before he expected me. Ha! Another quick stop for water, more gels, coke and some chips before heading back up the ski trails. Left at 1:54 pm. Passed several people on the exposed climb up and out of that aid station and felt pretty strong, but the climb seemed to go on forever and was loose and messy. But once through that, the top of the ridge was deep hemlock forest and so lovely to run through, and then there were the nice sun-soaked ledges to cross.
Still, at some point as I descended to Binney Pond and knew I was approaching the Binney Hill aid station, which would also be the turn-around point for the 50, I was thinking, man, I've been out here for a while. This is going to be a long-a** day. Wouldn't 43 be enough? Honestly, I felt truly satisfied with the thought of doing just the straight-up out-and-back without the additional ridiculousness that was the extra mileage of the 50.
Russ Dresser and his wife were manning the small aid station set up for these later miles at Binney Hill and it was great to say hi while I filled up my water and took a few chips to go. Of course, Russ looked at his list and was like, "Oh good, we get to see you again!" and I was like, "well... we'll see how these next 3 1/2 miles treat me..." and off I went to their cheering. The next stretch heading up to Watatic wasn't bad, mostly runnable, slightly uphill old wide road, with some muddy rocky leafy sections that required walking but I was able to move fairly well at least. Or in my mind, anyway, I was!! Not sure the splits say the same. Ha!
Then the steep downhill off Watatic, and a guy and I caught up to a young woman who I knew had been way ahead of me earlier. By now it was 4:00ish and I was like, oh man, there are so many people on this trail and it's hot and I'm tired and I think I can convince Ryan to let me stop at 43....
Well, the joke's on me because when I tried to tell him I was satisfied with 43, he was just like, "Nope, here have some coke and your list says pack 3 gels and go back and out and get it done." And one of the guys sitting nearby was like, "well, 50 is a nice round number..."
Honestly, I wasn't feeling horrible, I just kind of wanted to not do that out-and-back again, but it is what I signed up for, so without much complaining, off I went. Before I left, RD Christopher was like that 1st place Yeti is all yours... there is one lady contemplating going back out but no one else has... So off I went with renewed fire to finish it up! Of course, renewed after 11+ hours means moving pretty slowly. Ha ha ha! Left at 4:24 pm. But there was lots of cheering from those finishing up either 43 or 50 as I was headed back out, so that was a nice boost, and I knew that once I got up Watatic that it was fairly runnable back to Binney. I felt like I was flying, although Strava says otherwise 😂😂, and it felt good!
A quick stop at Binney to refill my water - so thirsty! - and grab a final chip to go and then it was off with the knowledge that I only had this final stretch to go! Caught up with a woman doing the 43, her first ultra longer than a 50k at age 57 and it was so awesome! I love that! And one of the woman who I had passed somewhere before the 43 but who had originally been ahead of me earlier in the day was headed back out to Binney with a pacer, who was like, "Are you glad he convinced you to go back out now?" I had to laugh. Of course I was, even if I wasn't 😆😆 I moved as quickly as I could, even if Ryan said it took me longer than he expected, as I was determined to finish strong and definitely did not want to get caught! And then finally that last darn steep downhill off Watatic and to the finish line. With a sigh of relief and a smile of happiness, I crossed the gate and boom, 50 done!
Although in many other years, my time would most definitely not have been a winning time, in the end it's all about who show up on the day, so I'll take it! 13:11:51 for 1st female.
Although in many other years, my time would most definitely not have been a winning time, in the end it's all about who show up on the day, so I'll take it! 13:11:51 for 1st female.
Definitely got what I came for out there, with 13+ hours on my feet, almost 10,000 feet of elevation gain, steep ups and downs, some hard fought miles, a good test of my fueling and hydration and the happiness that comes from moving forward and finally finding the groove and feeling strong while enjoying the day for what it is and using what you've got to give. I still have some work to do in this final month+ of training for Western States, but this was a good step and a great boost.
Thank you to Christopher, Carolyn, Russ, Niki and all the other volunteers out there making sure us crazy runners were feeling good and happy and fueled up for our day. It is so much appreciated!
Also, as always, many thanks to Ryan for believing in me and especially for getting up well before dawn to crew me all day and then drop me back off at his parent's house before heading up to Riverlands to pace friends in their final 25 lap of their 100. An impressive feat of endurance in its own right! And of course, thank you to Irene and Dana for hanging out with Sam for the day. I know that she loves the special time she gets to spend with Grammie and Grampie during our crazy races! 💗
13:11:15
1st female
13/19 overall
13/19 overall
I won a Yeti and cookies!! 😍
Ryan and I with RD Christopher after the finish. Happy to be done!
Flora and fauna notes: Lots of early spring wildflowers in bloom along the course, including hobblebush, painted trillium, one lovely patch of purple trillium, bluebead lilies coming up, goldthread, violets, bluets, spring beauty, wild oats, ferns, and trailing arbutus. Also saw three red efts earlier in the morning when the trail was a bit wetter and then scared up three garter snakes sunning themselves along the trail later in the day. So much beauty in the woods!
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