Pine Creek 100

     I have never wrote a race report before so I'm not sure I will be very captivating about it. With that said after my recent Race at the Pine Creek Challenge 100 miler I have had some ask to hear all about it, but first I think to get inside the head of an ultra runner you should know what brought us to this madness.
     My madness started at 260 pounds about 7 years ago, struggling to play with my young son without being worn out I decided that my condition wasn't fair to him I owed him more than that. And so the madness begins I started running. The little 3 mile loop that I started to run in the beginning felt like it could have been an ultra as far as I was concerned.
      As time would go on I found myself running a bit further with in a year I ran my first marathon, it was the Gods country marathon in Galeton, again this might have well been an ultra the way I felt in the end. Also the night before at dinner I heard some talking about doing double marathons and my thought was what is wrong with these people. Little did I know where my journey was headed.
     From there I was introduced to trail racing and man all bets were off after that. Not to be stopped there was an instant connection to it, the people the challenge the friendships this was where I belonged. I met a lot of awesome people and incredible athletes.
     My first year trail doing trail races was a bit bitter sweet I was doing ok but wanted to do better. So the madness goes up another level, more time in the woods bigger mountains steeper climbs and bone crushing down hills.
     Season 2 doing better and it wasn't long before I began to experience some nice finishes. So top ten then to top 5 and then a couple seconds and third still being denied the covenant spot. During this time of improvement I was introduced to the idea of ultra running. I heard Chris Mcdougal talk about his book born to run and was intrigued by the idea of running a 100 mile race. I kicked the idea around for a while being reluctant to commit but that didn't last long.
     Another step towards madness. A short time later I pulled off a 2nd place finish at the Mega Transect behind Jesse Johnson who took 1st, and it wasn't just the 2nd place it was the few minutes between me and him and the almost 18 minutes until 3rd came in. I went home all pumped up went to the signup page for the Oil Creek 100 and saw a few spots open and I committed, and a commitment it was because the race was in 2 weeks and i have never run past 30 miles.
     When my wife found out she said this is insane and you need to do this and get it out of your system and let it alone. Ha little did we know, but OC100 gave me my first real set back as I had to drop with less than somewhere in the neighborhood of I think about 15 miles to go. I went into seclusion experienced a lot of doubt at first, and then I started to feel this overwhelming sense of determination (coupled with the fact that when I returned home my son says you didn't finish and said you broke your promise and started to cry).
     Time to pound more mountains more miles longer harder further. My next shot was the Laurel Highlands and it was the last year that it was going to be 77 miles. I finished this in 10th. Now we are on the right track pushing forward. Then I go to Cheat Mountain 50 miler in West Virginia and it was an awesome race some great runners and I hit a fourth place now were getting some where.
     Now back to OC 100 and this year they offered a special buckle to any one under 22 hours new goals I love it. Well I finished in 22 hours and 3 minutes i think it was missed that Gold buckle finished in 6th. I hurt in places I didn't know you could hurt. I couldn't walk for almost a week, but I loved it.
     Then came a set back all together I started to get dizzy on the trails I would throw up and get really sick and it made racing very tough.
     Now according to the wife the madness was to end after 1 ha now I find my way to MMT 100 ready to rock the mountain, mile 9 dizzy vomiting overall struggling. By mile 31 i had vomited over 13 times was dehydrated way back in the pack and struggling to just keep moving. Decided to go 1 aid station at a time and i managed to get it together by the next aid station moved up i the ranks i made it to a finish, but it was bitter sweet as i finished but not as well as i would have liked.
     My next trip was back to OC100 with another blow i got injured on the second loop and dropped, but this time i learned that part of being an ultra runner was knowing what to push through and when to call it.
     Back to MMT knowing this will be a better year and sure enough got dizzy and vomited multiple times early on fell way back and i knew i needed to do something when i realized that i had fallen so far back that i wasn't even with the mid packers, i needed to dust myself off and get moving i was like back to number 50 at one point i believe. Gathered it in and off i went with much struggle and a mid run come back again for the second year i finished better than the year before.
    So this is what brought me to the Pine Creek Challenge 100. I needed to run a race where the dizziness wasn't going to be and issue, be cause it wasn't on single track trails through the woods which is when it would usually strike.
     After signing up i would watch the list of entrants and i was comfortable that i was really going to give anyone who wanted to bang their 170 dollars worth. A couple of days before the race John Johnson tells me that Connie Gardner had signed up. Having no idea who this was it made absolutely no difference to me, but John made sure to inform who it was.
     Now it was time to come up with a game plan and John gave me 2 suggestions the first being give it to them right from the start crush their spirits he said let them think it is not worth chasing you, the second was to shadow Gardner and pull it off at the end, and while doing so he says you can trash talk. What was i suppose to say hey all the pressure is on you because all my friends already expect me to get chicked today.
     The night prior i camped at the starting line and talked to the race director who felt the need to remind me that Gardner would be on the line. My reply was i may win i may not but most certainly anyone taking the line tomorrow will know i was here.
     5 am time for business. Last minute preps decided my strategy was going to be keep her in sight and try to battle i out in the end as this would be the most reserved and logical way to go.
     On the line 5 4 3 2 1 go and new strategy take to em from the line i decided to try the crush the spirits approach. Now for any who know John he wins just about every 5 and 10 k he runs i sure hope this strategy is adaptable to a 200 miles.
     The first 20 some miles was an out and back done twice so this was a perfect opportunity to gain a lead and put the spirit crushing strategy to the test. Well it seemed to be working because after the second time my lead was much bigger than the first time.
     Hammering through the second out and back on down the trail at this point coming into the darling run aid station i was in and out quick and now i was into the longest 2 legs on the whole course. I was all alone winding through the canyon along the creek and the sights where absolutely beautiful.Now i realize the first problem with a flat course compared to a hilly one. You can't justify walking even if for a short bit on a hilly course you can power hike up steeper hills.
     So i pushed on pushing pushing pushing. I couldn't even put my headphones in because i didn't want anyone to sneak up on me. Now i hit the aid station at tiadaghton  still the second long section to go. i started to push on after a short time out of tiadaghton i saw 2 runners coming up from the rear instantly i kick into rabbit gear and start really hammering on. Running running running and finally i said to my self i am certainly gonna be in trouble at this pace so i went back down to cruising speed and when the first of the 2 catch me i realize they are part of the 100k race and they were only at mile 20 something and i was approaching 50.
     Finally seeing black well aid station in sight hitting 50 mile mark Kim and the kids were there i was met on the trail by them and Bekah and Gabe ran to the aid station with me. Found out i was at 7 hours and 40 minutes and was off my projected time by a bit so i headed right out. Now in need of some real food not just peanuts and gummie bears any more needed some nice carbs driving still pushing on but not really trying to convince myself a nice walk for a few minutes wouldn't hurt but i just couldn't do it. My legs were screaming IT bands were humming quads were burning which brings me to the second down fall of flat courses same muscle group over and over.
     Still not going to walk though, into the next aid station at cedar run and i badly needed food but they only had snack foods and it wasn't going to work any more. So Kim said she will meet me at the next aid station with something solid. It was a long way there really getting into a mental battle at this point i was so hungry and still by myself in front but i found that quiet place in my mind and on we went.
     Arrived at the next aid station no real food again and all Kim could find was a wrap at a little store and the wrap it self with out the meat would have been okay  but it had mayonnaise on it. I got a little crabby and said you cant put on an ultra and offer only 5 k food. This was impart because of hunger and it was hot and i think i just wanted a bit of conversation. So i left there with a salt sandwich. They gave me 2 pieces of bread and i filled them with salt.
     On i went all this coupled together with a little darkness in my head i walked i was approaching the turn around at mile 61 and i was in a funk after a couple miles of half hearted runs and some walking i get a ray of light. Jenn McConnel and Judy Baguley showed up with bikes to pace with me. Some company and i knew Judy wasn't about to let me feel sorry for myself any longer. She had some apples and it gave me a nice little pick me up.
     Now we are at the Camel aid station which was right at the 61 mile turn around and i get my second blow for the day. Here come Connie after 61 miles i lose the lead and now i am really in a bad place. I had quite a few bad miles at this time and the aid stations became a blur on the way back i was just not with it anymore.
     Some where just before mile 80 or there about i seen this girl on her way out to the turn around that earlier in the out and backs said to me in passing when i see you after the turn around your gonna be my motivation to keep going and she said i have been waiting to see you and that was the boost i needed.
     At this point i decided it was time to get down to business and try to close the gap. 20 miles was a lot of miles left.So i dusted myself off and went to it, found that quiet place in my mind had some nice conversations with God and did my thing. I was really feeling it by now and it reminded me once when some one told me ultra running was finding that point of pain that was just about unbearable and holding it there. Well if i was going to do anything i had to push beyond that.
     It hurt i was exhausted but it was exhilarating, i think that for an ultra runner this is the point when you feel the most alive, this is the point when mind body and spirit become one. It is the feeling and the moment we run for, it is something you can never explain to someone who has never been there, it is this time that makes me a better father and husband. It is at this time that defines. It is at this point that you go into a place that most would never experience.
     I pushed hard i had the two long stretches between aid stations and now i had my brother in law Bill McConnell running with me and we started to pass people and each time i saw a light in the distance i thought it is her but it would turn out to be one of the 100k runners. But i went on harder and harder at this point it wasn't going to hurt no more and mentally i was rock solid done feeling sorry for my self. We finally made it back to darling run and only a 5 k left. (side note at one point on the trail when i hit 74 mile mark i said excitedly on 26 miles left and it was pointed out just how sick that sounded you just ran 74 miles and your excited that you have 26 more left.)
     At the last aid station i had a chocolate milk and a bit of soup walked about 15 feet from the aid station and deposited the milk and food in the weeds. The boy scouts at the aid station got a little excited over this but for me it was belly empty and time to get it done. Adrenaline really kicking in and me and Judy really cranked it out to a 17 hour and 35 minute finish.
     This was a bitter sweet moment i took 2nd and had a 100 mile pr but i couldn't pull it out in the end. But i certainly made sure anyone running that day knew i was there.
     Ultras are a journey and they represent something different to everyone who does them. In many ways it is a connection for me it is a blending together of mind body and soul, it makes me who i am. It makes me more committed to all that i do in life. It brings me closer to God it makes me a better person for my family and it gives me peace to my soul.