MMT

(Photo courtesy of Aaron Schwartzbard).

Amazingly, I am doing okay. I accomplished a goal I set in 2005 when I first volunteered at the Visitor's Center for MMT. I told Mike Broderick that year that I would do my first hundred in 3 years (2008, which may still come true). In 2005, I saw people who didn't make the cutoff at the Visitors Center, one guy in particular from Florida who trained 50 miles a week. I wanted to make the cutoff and get my Visitor Award. I had a good year of running and training in 2006, but things haven't gone so well since February 2007. Even without the training I needed, I was still able to perservere for 19 hours and more than half the course.

The start was a little portentious. At the Hampton Inn, I was walking out with my family when I saw Alan and Pam. I asked for a lift so my family could stay at the hotel. Of course, when I got in the car, I realized I only had my water pack. No food, no electrolytes. I had to be careful.

I wanted to start near the back, but I was surprised at how fast Carl Camp and Phil Hesser went out. I never saw them until the Bird Knob turn around. I ran with Wesley Fenton (who runs with Rob Apple) and Prince Whatley (3:05 marathoner) once we climbed up Buzzards. That climb wasn't too bad. Ran with them down to Shawl Gap (7:15 am) where I met Anne and got my electrolytes and some food and on the road to Veach Gap. Climb up Veach Gap wasn't too bad either, as I was just with Wes and Prince. Ran along and hit a donwhill where Prince wanted to run. Then Wes needed to stop, so I was by myself. It is always very, very bad for me to be by myself in an ultra when I'm not confident. Greg came by me and said he was cut last year at Roosevelt because he was 10 minutes late. Now that freaked me out. I got to the road and it said 4 miles. I only had just over an hour until the cutoff, and I looked at my map and it said I would have to make a turn. Well, unfortunately, I really burned myself out. I got to Habron about 11:25 when I should have gotten there at 11:40 (with Wes).

The climb up Habron is when I knew I shouldn't have been running 12 minute pace on the road to Habron. I couldn't keep up with Prince and at the top, Wes passed me. Then Leonard Martin passed me. It was very disheartening to know that I couldn't keep up with Leonard this early in the race, because I knew I would finish if I could stay with him. Running to Roosevelt is when I passed Carole Smith. She was very upbeat even with the busted ankle. She had the foot problem last year which sidelined her at 68. She said she would finish this year. I ran a little ahead of her and she got to Roosevelt just a little in front of me, close to 2:30. I think I saw Wes at the aid station. I left Carole as we were leaving the aid station. Once again, I was by myself. I had the directions, so I was surprised that I was moving pretty well to Gap Creek.

I got to Gap Creek close to 4:30 and I was elated. I knew the Visitor Award was mine. And I was always happyto see my friends. I get in such a great mood when I see them at aid stations that everyone thinks I'm doing well. But about 10 minutes after the aid station, I mentally crash. And that's what happened climbing up Jawbone. I got really nauseous and couldn't eat what I had. I knew this was a bad sign. I also realized that I had been taking Succeed instead of Endurolytes. I had actually told Michelle and Katie to put Succeed into my pill box so it was totally my fault, since I had only trained with Endurolytes. I wasn't too slow up Jawbone but this was the second tough climb of the day. At the top, I started climbing the rocks of Kerns with Jeff Washburn. He said he had not run down Waterfall before and I said I was going to do it. So he pulled off when we got close to Crisman Hollow and I was by myself again. I was really moving down Waterfall as that was the best part of the race for me. At the bottom, I saw Mike Broderick, followed shortly by Justine M and Randee and Kari Brown. Once I got to the gravel road I was moving pretty well. Unfortunately I had lost a lot of time at Kerns and and Jawbone that I couldn't make up down Waterfall and I only got to 211 at 7:40. I was hoping under 3 hours for the section.

Once again, I came in very happy to see my friends. Brandon had a sign for me. Mark was there to pace me. They even had burgers for me, because all I was thinking about on Kerns was how much I needed dinner. Michelle swapped the Suceed for the Endurolytes. We left 211 and immediately I realized that it is uphill. I swung into a low again and Mark really didn't know what to make of it. I mean, truly, Anne doesn't even know how to deal with me when I get in a low. Mark really only knows me when I'm positive, he had no idea what to say. Many times I wanted to tell Mark to turn around and get them to pick me up at the Picnic Area. This slight uphill really sucked. Once we got to the Picnic Area and I knew what lay ahead, I just convinced myself to get up to Bird Knob. I sat down at a bench, took and Endurolyte and started the climb. Bird Knob is brutal at mile 50. Habron and Jawbone and then the running down Waterfall really spent my reserves. Although, I kept moving as best as I could, I didn't even realize that no one was passing me and we in fact passed someone. At the top of Bird Knob, I saw Prince and Wes. They really were only 2+ miles ahead of me. But I was in some dark deep hole and not really interested in running to the aid station. Mark and I slogged ahead and I think Mark realized that I wouldn't make it back.

We got to the aid station and I saw that Leonard was maybe 5 minutes ahead of me and Phil only 3 minutes ahead of me. I saw down and ate and let Jeff come and go. We left around at 10 and I thought I could make it down in 2 hours since it's downhill. Unfortunately Bird Knob is hard to descend in the dark with all those rocks. I did try to run some sections, but it's tough. Once we got to the Picnic Area, it was hard to find the trail. We needed to have someone in front of us, like Phil, Jeff or Leonard. We made it back to 211 E at 12:10 where I saw all my friends. Michelle, Katie, Lorrin, Joe, Mical and Paul. They were really positive and I was actually quite happy. I was done, I didn't have to keep going and I got a rock to show for my effort.

Well, some parting thoughts. While a few minor things could have gotten me to Gap Creek or Moreland, it would not have been possible to finish. I needed better preparation. I don't know when I'll have the time to get in the preparation though. My thought is twice a month at Catoctin. The time committment for preparing for a 100 versus a 50 mile is difficult because of all the issues after 16 hours. Like that wall at 16 to 18 miles in a marathon. Hydration, nutrition, footing and all the mental games. Rob and Wes are really great together because they help themselves through these mental games. Like pretty much everything, tough events are tolerable when you can keep going with someone else. All my friends helped me get as far as I did and I hope to train well enough to try again.