October 15-16, 2011 Boulder 100

21:54.  2nd in the 100, but probably really 3rd overall, as a guy in the 24 hour race finished 100 miles before the two in the hundred.  Apparently it was back and forth between me and the guy who won the 100, until the last lap where he blew my doors off. 

So much to say about this event – but I am going to keep this initial post short … I will probably look to throw up a few more things as I mull over them …  A few short things for now.

1.) THANK YOU.  I am hugely grateful, appreciative and honored to have such a caring loving family to support me in this folly.  I love you Tracy, Kali, John, Don, Carrie.   You are all way more than I ever ever deserve.  THANK YOU.

2.)  THANK YOU.  Holy crew.  I had the benefit on an incredible set of folks who came out to watch me, cheer me on, and run with me – even when my running was their walking.  Huge thanks to Marty K, J.P., Aaron, Brandon, Lucho, Peter H, Wyatt, Jeff, JV, Homie, Bob Sweeney, Pittbrownie.  There were no less than 10 guys pacing me!!  These guys took out their Saturday afternoons, Saturday nights – and when people SHOULD be sleeping and ran and walked around the reservoir with me, keeping me going, keeping me amped, keeping me on the mission. 

I was asked (during and after) if I wanted to quit.  The honest answer I gave was “yes, but I won’t.”  Part of the reason why was I did not want to have deal with the on going ridicule and sarcasm from these guys.  Yeah, it would have been in fun, but the message is this – their being there was one of those things I called on to keep going when I thought about not. 

I also did not want to disappoint my family.  I know that they wouldn’t have cared if I stopped at 50 or 75 or had not done this at all.  But I said I was going to do it.  They came out to see that.  I had to do it. 

Seeing my family at the aid stations, seeing the band of brothers sitting at the back of the car hooting it up, drinking brew as I stumbled into the lot in the middle of the night … I am an incredibly lucky and fortunate man.  If everyone in the world had this sort of support, it be a pretty magical place.  I live in an amazingly beautiful world.

Here is some video from Brandon that gives you a little insight of how these folks took care of me.  Keep in mind, this after they sat around in a parking lot for 2 hours waiting for me.

GZ @ Boulder 100 from Brandon Fuller on Vimeo.

3.)  OW.  Without a doubt, this is the most physically destructive thing I have ever done to myself (in endurance sport).  It hurt A LOT.  It still hurts A LOT.  I was woefully underprepared for this event, and my body began to tell me that at 35 miles.  I could begin to feel not only soreness, but the odd imbalances I have (that we all have) – as one will tend to feel as they flex something a million times.  By mile 70, I had a meat cleaver working its way in my right quad with ever step.  I had a rock hammer tapping at my left shin in off setting concert.  My under carriage was chaffed to bruised levels.

Did I say I was woefully underprepared for this event?  Wow.  I paid for that big time in the second half. 

4.)  But to talk about the physical and not account for the mental in this event would be a ridiculous oversight.  There are dozens of examples that I can give of this – but clearly the last few laps are a great example.  With three laps to go, I was physically done.  I had been doing the math all day and had gone from considering a 16 hour finish to an 18 hour finish to a 20 hour finish to a 22 hour finish to a 24 hour finish.  I had gone from popping about just over an hour a lap to two and a half hours.  That’s right:  2.5 hours for 7 miles.  I was struggling to hold 20 minute mile pace averages in light of my run-walk speed, aid station check ins, getting food.  I was convinced I would finish – but had set an expectation in my head that a sub 24 would be an okay debut.

I finished up my loop with Brandon.  It was 5AM.  I was ready to do my last lap.  Folks had been up all night and were either sleeping or had taken off.  I was ready to churn it out on my own.  Bob stepped in and said he would go with me.  I announced that I had four hours to go seven miles, and without missing a beat, he said “Bullshit.  You are going to be back here before 7AM and get under 22.”  I whined a bit that my run was not much faster than my walk.  I whined I was tired.   Bob told me to get on the tangent and keep moving and “let’s go catch that light up there,” pointing to a woman who (several laps behind me) was 100 meters up and had just left the aid station.

On the way out to the dam, he said, “okay, give me an every thing you got power 50.”

<insert whimpering sounds here>

Now, my pace probably went from 17 minutes a mile to a zippy 15, but there was a little improvement.  Over and over.  My shuffle run, and then a bit more of a run – most of which Bob could walk either way.  It was pure TORTURE.  But, as many have said, you can will your body to do things when it is screaming at you with every fiber not too.  Mind you, it may mean you are laying on the floor later that morning naked under a blanket unable to get to the shower but, well, you get the picture.

We got back at 6:56 for a finish time under 22 hours.  Left to my own devices, I would have strolled in a hour slower – easily.

5.)  Already the questions have come in if I will do one of these again.  Or what is next on the agenda.   I don’t know that – I certainly don’t outright rule it out.   I know I wouldn’t do it again in the same fashion if I were take another one on.

I have a whole new level of understanding on what it takes to perform in these events – and with that a more intimate respect for the performances now that I have done one.  I respected a 15 hour 100 mile before – I still do.  I just understand it a bit better now.  I have a new insight on what on a 44 hour HR is, or 2 of these hundred mile races in 2 weeks.  I don’t really know that stuff, but I have a better vision on it.

I learned a lot about fueling, clothing, logistics, pit stops,etc.  But probably most importantly,I learned that these events – at least for me at this point – call in a lot of people who care about you to spend a good amount of time and energy taking care of you.  I will admit that seems a bit selfish to me.  So while I will admit, I have already pondered what it would take to pull off one of these where I could “roll” with it for 100, I am not sure I am ready to quite be that selfish for a bit.  I am however very willing to provide that support back to the nut jobs that want to do this.

Again – more later …