Laurel Highlands Accomplishment

Well Well here it is. My race report from the Laurel Highlands Ultra 70.5 mile run. Well it all started when I caught the Ultra bug. I have always wanted to challenge myself. And so it started with JFK and then numerous 50k's and then Bull Run. Then I thought to myself what would be the next challenge. I forget who had mentioned Laurel Highlands to me or if I had just found it on the net. But I looked it over and thought what the hell this could be the next challenge for me to tackle. So with the registration already completed I had no choice but to run it. And so that set the ball in motion.

And so on friday the 8th I finished packing my drop bags and everything else and headed out the door on my way up to Johnstown where I ended up staying friday and saturday night. It is just about 10 to 15 minutes from the finish of the race. So I set off on my journey to johnstown. Was supposed to take 3 hours and 15 min or so but I got up there quicker than that and checked in right around 2 in the afternoon. I settled in then went down stairs to check the weather for the weekend. Weather.com said about 80 or so and that was ok I guess but probably a little warm. Oh well can't do anything about that but suck it up and go running.

I then went for my custom breadsticks from pizza hut before the pre race pasta meeting. I got to the pasta shop about 5:30 just in time to pick up my packet and number and sit down with some of the Delaware TrailDawgs that I knew were going to be running the race as well. And we listened to the usual pre race briefing of what the course was like and how the aid was going to be. I decided on a little salad and a piece of cake. After leaving the pasta shop I headed back to the hotel to finalize my drop bags and get my number on my shorts. I had everything layed out and then I hit the sack for a good nights sleep.

2 Am comes around really fast. That is when I had my alarm set so I could make sure I had everything set right for the thousandth time. And I wanted to follow my traildawg friends to the finish where we had to get on the bus at 3:30 then travel to the start in ohiopyle. Once at the start I dropped off my drop bags which would hopefully be waiting for me at 46 and 57.

5:30 then came pretty quick and we were off for what would be a really really really long and sore day. The first part of the race is where the -5 comes into play. And then came the climbing. The first 8 to 9 miles is one of the toughest parts of the race. Those hills really sucked. And it was starting to get hot and humid already. And I thought this is really going to suck today. And although the hills sucked the scenery was really nice and it was shaded which helped. The first aid station was just some water and gatorade which was nice. Then of course I had to make a potty stop which sucked. But I did feel like a new man afterwords hehe. Had to sneak that part in there.

The first cut off aid station was around mile 19 or so and I was about an hour and half in front of that which was great. And I knew this with the help of Michelle and her awesome split/cut off sheet. That really did help me throughout the whole day. And I totally appreciated it. Leaving that aid station I felt pretty good and ready for the next aid station. Oh and it was also nice to have those mile markers at every mile. Most people did not like that them but I totally looked forward to each one. As the day progressed I was getting worried that the heat would get worse and the race would really suck. But to my surprise the extreme heat never really came through which was a deff plus.

As the cut off aid stations came and went I was staying ahead of the cuttoffs by an average of about 1 and a half hours which I knew would really help in the end. And so the 46 mile aid station/cut off staion could not have come any quicker. My feet were really starting to become pretty sore and tired. So I was looking forward to changing my socks and shirt. And boy did they both help. And it was also nice to be able to sit down for a few minutes before I had to get my ass up and keep moving forward. The next aid station at 51 or so was just water so no stopping for me. Oh yeah and I do have to mention and thank Katie alot for allowing me to use her headlight and flashlight again. I had decided to put it in the first drop bag to be on the safe side. So I had those both with me as I left that 46 mile aid station.

I was hoping that the 51 station would have a chair for me to sit in because I was already getting tired and sore for being on my feet for so long. By this time I had been on my feet for a very long time. Actually it was the longest I had ever been on my feet. I can't really remember the time right now. I just know it was a very long time. And after I passed the 51 mile water stop I said to myself wow not only have you been on your feet alot longer than you have ever been but you have also now gone alot further than you have ever been. So that right there was a big accomplishment.

Within an hour or so of passing that water stop I had to turn on my lights because it was starting to get dark quick. Then finally the 57 mile aid station came into view and I found the first chair to plop my happy tired ass down in. Boy did that feel good. Oh yeah and before I forget I have to mention how AWESOME the aid stations were especially the volunteers at the aid stations. Every time I would sit down someone was there to ask what I needed to be filled or what they could get for me. So as I sit down in that chair I must have had 5 cups of the noodle soup that was so damn good at that point in the race. I then got my drop bag and changed my socks again and ate some more. Boy I was getting super super tired by this time and just wanted to eat and finish the races. I then tried to stand up and boy all my muscles let me know what a bad idea that was hehehe.

As I started to walk around the aid station one of my traildawg buddies was there and I told him I would finish the race with him. That way we both had someone to finish the race with in the dark. I knew this would be a good idea to run with someone at night having done this with Angelo at MMT. And boy was I right. Running at night is already no fun but to have someone with you to talk to you and motor along with at night deff did help. So we were both off on our way to the last aid station at mile 62. We were both not moving very fast. But both of us had the same goal in mind and that was to just finish even if that meant finishing close to the cutt off. We were both very tired and really sore.

There was a long gravel/dirt road leading up to the last aid station. And again I was so excited to see that aid station because it meant I could plop my ass down again. And that I did. And I must have had 3 or so bowls of spaghetti O's that tasted oh so good. And so we sat there talking and enjoying our rest. We then realized that we needed to get up and finish this damn race and get our reward. That was alot easier said than done. It really did take alot to get up and get going again. Those last 8 miles were really going to be tough. And so we were off.

We quickly decided that neither of us really had any good running in so we pretty much walked the rest of it in. We knew we had some good time in the bank which allowed us to walk most of it in. Pete told me several times to go on ahead and finish strong. But I told him I was going to finish it with him. And all I wanted to do was finish even if that meant being close to the cut off. And so after a very very very very very long and tired day we trudged across the finish line in around 21 hours and 17 minutes. And as we crossed the finish line we were handed our awards which were a wooden replica of the 70 mile marker. They are awesome and I will totally treasure it for ever. I will deff show it off to everyone as soon as I see you all.

Overall I thought Laurel Highlands was an awesome yet pretty tough race. And I would totally do it again. So when everyone else decides to do the race in the future just let me know and I will be there to run it again. The views and scenery were awesome. And I can't thank the volunteers enough. Without them there at the aid stations waiting on us hand and foot it really would have been easy to give up and quit. Although that was never an option in my book. I am too hard headed to let that happen. I was going to finish that damn race come hell or high water as my mother would say. I totally had an awesome experience at the race. And I am so happy and glad that I took on the LH challenge and accomplished my goal of finishing at all costs. So again Laurel Highlands I KICKED YOUR BUTT AND FINISHED.

Thanks to all who helped me out and gave me all the encouraging words and support. Without you all none of this would have been possible.