Keys to success: I had a kick ass crew and set of pacers. The heart of my crew was new this event but any rookie fears they had were overcome with passion – AND that a few members of the crew had tons of experience. Nick has done more ultras than I will ever do and was vital in keeping the broader crew tied in on what to expect and how to manage the station. For example, when I was coming up to Treeline (crew access but not formal race aid) Nick said to the crew (I found this out later) “he is hurting. Don’t let him stop here.” And they did that. I also had a JT as a pacer who has five Leadville starts and I think 5 HR finishes. It was a wonderful blend of new folks dialed into help, and experience to course correct and it really made the broader part of the day go well. I probably only directly interacted with the whole crew for 30 minutes through out the 24 hours, but those sessions were positive, helpful and kept me moving well.
Points of failure: that theme is constant. The things I did not practice reflect where I struggled during the race. Chalk up night running there. It is challenging to be up for 24 hours. To be running after you have been up for 18 and then expect to run for another six into the dark is more challenging (particularly since it seems to be a known fact most of us start to slow in the dark). I slowed in the dark too.
More crazy stuff … (which is really to say “interesting spirit of the race stuff”)
6.) The pre race affair at Leadville is exactly what you’d expect it to be. You have heard the speech” “Dig deep like them miners. You are better than you think you are and you can do more than you think you can. Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth.” A lot of the race veterans skip this pep rally (in fact I am pretty sure neither of the eventual winners went to it) but as a first timer I felt obliged to go to get the full experience, and I was glad that I went. Even if there was an unnecessary 15 minute informercial in the midst of it where a guy read from his iPad
7.) There is this different level of camaraderie that occurs between runners, crew, pacers and volunteers during this race. I’d come across another runner and ask, “How you doing?” and the answer was almost always a loud and resounding “GREAT!” through a large grin. This of course is partly bullshit because we both knew that we were both hurting, and that there was usually some ridiculous number of miles of suffering to go. The point is that while we suffer in all races, this race – and probably ultras in general – just give a bit of room to share that with the broader public as a bond. You don’t have those conversations in a 5k. You wait until afterwards. But in a 100, you got the time and it is expected that you share, lift and take care of each other. Maybe just a little bit more.
8.) Jack met me at Winfield, and as another bookend Bill Lee met me at the base of 6th Street with the family. And then there was the whole crew and then Andy and Brandon. I know people do these things without crews and pacers but I was overjoyed to share the moment with this tribe.
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