Driving to Promise Land Youth Camp on Friday evening with
Zach Quigg and Andrew Dodson, I knew this was going to be an amazing weekend.
Zach was running PL for the first time; Andrew, Dylan Vining, and Lane Ruchte
were all running their first Ultras; and after completing the LUS last year, I
have made a good number of friends in this incredible community and now I got
to spend my weekend camping, fellowshipping, and most importantly, running in
the mountains with them. Food was great, weather was great, gear set out, tent
and sleeping bag laid out, teeth brushed and water vest filled up; I was ready.
4:30 came early. I woke up a few times in the night but
overall slept great. Beat the crowds to the coffee line, and had a bagel and a
piece of banana bread for breakfast. Got dressed, relieved, took some immodium,
and waited by the warmth of the fire, thinking about the 34 mile journey ahead. Soon we
were all lined up, and after a prayer we were off with a “5, 4, 3, 2, 1…”
(Horty never starts late, but I think he looked at his watch just in time!).
We were off. I was toward the back of the pack but tried to
maneuver my way up along the left side of the road. Soon I was past the crowd
and looked right to see Zach right beside me. Good! We could pull each other up
that long climb. My goal was the “End State Maintenance” sign and I made it
just past there to where it gets real steep. Walked most of the rest of the
gravel road, but as I got onto the single-track I stayed with a small group and
pretty much just mimicked them: if they ran, I ran; if they walked, I walked.
That went well until we hit the downhill where I caught up with then passed
Rudy, and got out onto the grassy road. Here I encountered my first inconvenience:
side stitches. I’m not sure why. I had popped a gu at the first aid station and
was sipping on the electrolyte drink in my bladder. I was forced to pull back
on the reins a little bit where I should have been bombing down the hill. Soon
Rudy and Guy caught up to me so I stuck with them. I knew if I could keep up
with those guys I was doing just fine. We stayed as a group past the ghost aid
station, and all the way up to the Parkway. Rudy pulled ahead and I think Guy
stopped to fill his bottle, so I was just trying to pick out people in front of
me on the downhill stretch to Sunset Fields. My cramps were gone by this point
and I was going at a good clip. Sunset Fields probably had the best PBJ I have
ever had, and I am so grateful to the volunteers for that! I hammered the techy
downhill pretty good, then got back onto grassy road. Passed a few more people
on the way to Cornelius Creek, saw my old English teach Mr. Gribbins and then
hit the gravel road. I saw Rudy in front of me again and I knew I couldn’t catch
him but I would try to keep pace.
Finally
off the pavement, I plucked along to Colon Hollow. I was feeling fine on the
gradual winding climb of grassy road on the darkside… initially. Eventually it
got to me and I was just so sick of running on that never-ending grassy road.
Up again, down again, turn again, endlessly circling the mountain. Just when it
seemed it would go on forever, I started going down and knew that was a good
sign. Saw a guy sitting on the trail and he wasn’t looking to be having the
best time, so I gave him some shot blocks and kept going. Made it to Cornelius
Creek again, got some salt, some water, and after inquiring about PBJ, was
given a MASSIVE dollop of PB on some crackers. Walked back toward the split as
I tried to get the PB down, but eventually had to toss it. I knew what was
coming would require my attention. I had done the training run a week prior so
it was still pretty fresh in my mind, and I knew where it was runnable and
where it would get tough. I had seen Guy coming into the aid station, so I was
motivated not to let him catch me!
Passing
the waterfalls was so refreshing. Despite the climb, this is probably my
favorite part of the race. I wanted to stop and soak it in but knew I had to
keep going. Plucked up the stairs and caught sight of Chris Bernard up ahead,
so I now had him pulling me. Jogging and
hiking, I caught up to and passed him, prodded by his encouraging words. Soon
after I caught up to Jack Anderson, who was CRUSHING his time from last year. I
kept along, passing some hikers coming down, happy to see other people enjoying
the beautiful day and beautiful mountain. Caught up to one more guy right as we
pulled into Sunset Fields. I think I grabbed some chips and grapes or something…
Heading out with two other people, we started downhill then all started hiking
the uphill. Once at the top, it was all-out. Unfortunately, not all-out enough;
two people, one of them being Guy, passed me like mountain goats. I was pushing
as hard as I could but I was fatigued. I hit the last aid station, chugged a
cup of water because I was empty, and started down the brutal gravel road. I
knew after the sign it mellowed out a bit, and I had a runner in my sights to
pull me along. I pushed with all I had down that hill, passing mental
landmarks, occasionally checking to make sure I wasn’t about to be passed.
Finally I saw that wonderful, blessed black squirrel and knew the descent was
done and the race nearly so. With all that was left I sprinted to the finish,
cartwheeling across the line in a time of 5:25:37, good enough for 16th
place (beat my seeding of #24!). Sam Dangc had given me the idea to try to for
top 10, and boy did I try, but I was happy with what I did. Last year I had a
lot of stomach issues, but this year I didn’t make a single #2 pit stop. I PR’d
by 16 minutes, and moved up 14 places. Jack finished behind me, with a stellar
PR.
I felt awful
when I finished. That course hurts! I sat around a little bit, expecting Zach
to not be too far behind me. Eventually hunger and the need for a shower
overtook me, so I followed my gut. Hung out and talked to other finishers, with
Rudy, with Sam, and with Lindsay as I watched Todd, Alexis, Keefer, then
Vining, Lane, Major D, Zach (after much concern!), and Andrew finish. It was a
great day and I wouldn’t have spent my Saturday doing anything else.
I am
graduating from Liberty in 2 weeks, going home for the summer, then attending
Ordnance Basic Officer Course and EOD school starting in October. I am hoping
to come back for MMTR, but the fact is it may be a very long time until I can
run another Horton race. This deeply saddens me, but I know I have another
chapter of life to open. Dr. Horton, if you are reading this, I want to
sincerely thank you. I can’t say this about many people, but you have truly
changed my life in a way that I will probably never fully appreciate. It was
Holiday Lake 2012, when after being injured throughout the winter, I badgered
you for a refund. You, of course, declined, and I ran. That was my first 50k,
and it was when I found out how much I love running in the mountains. If you
had given me that refund, I may have never run, and I would not be the person I
am today. I have learned so many things about myself, accomplished so many
goals, and made many friends because of you. Again, thank you and God bless
you.
A good
day for PR’s, first time Ultras, and fellowship with a challenge. Promise Land
2013, I salute you. You kicked my butt, but I like to think I put up a good
fight. Many MANY thanks to the aid station volunteers and kitchen staff at the
camp; you have no idea how much you are appreciated, and the race could not
happen without you.
