The Umstead 100 Mile Endurance Run

This weekend I completed my first 100 mile run. The Umstead 100M starts and finishes at Camp Lapihio with 8 12.5 mile loops. The day was incredible. I exceeded my expectations by finishing in 17:28:02; half an hour faster than the fast end of my prediction. The day was not without unforeseeable challenges, nor was it without pleasant surprises.

I arrived Friday afternoon, picked up my packet, and found my cabin for the night. My assigned parking was much farther than I expected or wanted, but having reserved a spot in a cabin, THAT spot was dead-on the course and couldn't have been more perfect. The evening consisted of a pre race briefing and dinner, and then Greg (my crew) and I briefly went through my gear so he'd know where everything was. I'm slightly ashamed to admit, that I got a little worried about Greg. Not that he was ill-prepared, but that we hadn't discussed or settled on all our plans.

The night was a little fitful. Nothing unnerving, but business-as-usual sleeping in a rustic cabin.

Lap 1
Most ultras start dead-on time, and this was no different, leaving headquarters (HQ) at 6:00am. This first lap, the first several miles wer herd-thinning. Most of this section can be run, so I did. When I got to the Reedy Creek/Reed Creek Lake junction, I ended up running it. I've always run it in training and tell myself I'll walk it in the race, but I could do it without any major heart rate spikes, so I was OK at this point. Going through Aid Station #2 (AS2). I grab some usual snacks and keep on going. The second section is where the hills are, so I'm definitely walking some right away.

Lap 2
Back at HQ, I completely change my top as it has warmed up. Great transition. I grabbed more snacks and guzzled some more water/Gatorade. I'm in at 1:56. I shouldn't be going faster than 2:00. Oops, I'll try and slow down. As I head out of what's called mid-gate (Old Reedy Creek Road (ORCR) and Group Rd junction), a girl ahead of me heads the wrong way. I call out and keep going. She's come about and now we're running side-by-side. But of course not running together, she has some good speed, it's quiet, and I'm not a social runner. Nonetheless our strides match up, so I figure I'll chitchat a little until either one of us breaks off. There were plenty of opportunities for either to breakaway, but over the next lap and half, we generally stuck together and maintained a positive rhythm. Leigh Anne (I got her name later) was running the 50-mile option as her first ultra. She's damn fast for her first ultra!

Lap 3 & 4
I ditched my gloves. I was drinking a lot at the aid stations and water stops, but not a lot in between. Solid food wasn't tasting all that great, but I started eating some salted potatoes in keep up my salt intake. Leigh Anne and I started walking one of the smaller hills along ORCR, and the fatigue was getting to us. The unmanned water stop was out of Gu and cookies, but luckily we passed Blake and Rhonda heading down to the creek. Never hurts to tell the race directors. When we headed uphill past the ORCR/Reedy Creek Lake, Leigh Anne urged me to go on. Regretfully we parted. I was still running well, but solid foods weren't that great. At AS2 I took in some more potatoes, maybe some other snacks, but the eating was becoming an issue. Lap 4 was uneventful; I warn Greg this is only the second time I've gone past approx. 35 miles. When I passed Leigh Anne in and out of HQ, it was all smiles.

Lap 5
I sick of solid foods, and of chocolate-y tastes. The HQ volunteers were telling me to get salt, but even lukewarm potatoes sounded gross, they "offered" plain salt; no way. I took a salted potato half-heartedly, but only ate about half. They put me together a bag of fruit, which taste-wise was tolerable at best. Now I was able to pick up Andy my first pacer, I took a salt tab from Greg before heading out, fruit bag in hand, munching poorly. I was still running a good portion of the first section, though past the Lake, it was all walking. I grabbed some more fruit and a salt tab at AS2. I was drinking more Gatorade, but everything made my mouth feel like cotton and my stomach huge. I talked, but quietly. I can't believe I've gone farther than ever before (62.5 miles), but still have 37.5 to go.

Lap 6
Picked up another bag of fruit from HQ and a some hard candies; kinda solid, but high in sugar and the taste went OK. Traded Andy for David O. I knew I was done with solid food. When we got to the unmanned aid station, we decided to start putting Gatorade in my bladder to get a steady intake of water and hydration. Apparently Greg forbade me from eating the "simple sugar" candy. After some angry words, I choked down a Gu and some water. Whenever David encouraged me to take water from the water stops and I would just shove my bladder tube back in my mouth. They say you know you'll finish when you get to mile 75 (ending lap 6). My good point was a few miles before, but tempered when I knew I still had 25 to go. My taste buds and palette are settling, but I can't remember if I drank a half cup of ginger ale and if that helped.

Lap 7
Todd comes in. Greg knows I've switched to the Gatorade and has a bladder full of it. It's heavy on my shoulders. I grabbed a slushie at HQ. I'm well into that exercise-induced "drunk" stage (which for me means just talking uninhibitedly), though I feel like the walking dead. Greg has Todd put me on a 30 min salt tab regiment. I just stick out my hand, hand to mouth, Gatorade to mouth, swallow. I still don't want any chocolate-y flavors, but that's all that the aid stations have. Todd has some black cherry ClifShots. I've heard Mt. Dew called unicorn tears. Those ClifShots were their tears of joy. I still kept sipping Gatorade every time we saw/mentioned water. My pace had naturally slowed, and I was on about 2:30 pace. If I could manage that, I'd have an easy 3 window to still make an 18:00 finish.

Lap 8
The victory lap. David, my brother is now my pacer, and my parents are at the switch. Greg puts in a fresh bladder and I feel like Atlas carrying the world it's so heavy. I'm finishing slushie #2 (which took forever to make). I've got 3 hours to kill, so I walk a bit after the Airport Spur; oddly, I don't think my split changes that much. We're running low on salt tabs, but I'm still taking them in, and shoving the bladder tube in my mouth. It's become a very comforting routine. David and I talk about a lot of things. I just can't wait to be off this course. I'm getting excited (as much as one can after 90+ miles). Even though there's only ~2 miles to go, I actually take down a PB Gu after leaving Gralyn. Once we crest Cemetery Hill, it's all running. I tell David there won't be any kick and there isn't. I want him to run in with me, but then I get scared and send him ahead to let them know I'm coming. I cross the finish line with such incredible relief.

I know I'm giving lots of hugs and handshakes. I'm definitely out of it now. I just kind of let everyone muster me about.

Starting the fourth day since finishing, it's still amazing and surreal that it happened. For a day, I could barely stand. Now I can finally walk down steps without bracing myself. I think about how I ran the race, and how I dealt with the unexpected. I was lucky to have such phenomenal weather, a home-course advantage, and an competent support team. I didn't plan on another in the very near future, and I don't expect them all to go as smoothly. But I'm excited to see what more I can do, I am already forgetting the pain.