89 Bears - Biased Analysis

What worked and what didn't? Well, my waist lamp was a bust, but simply because it's defective. I know it would have been a great help especially on the 2nd night when the ground looked weird and dangerous. The waist light would have shown it without the weird shadows and coloring. I need to see if I'm doing something wrong or if it is truly defective. It was purchased specifically for this race. Ugh!

My Inov8s, the cancelled Roclite 275s, performed great. I think the LaSportiva Jackalls (also discontinued) are my shoe if I'm running less than 50k. They are lighter and feel like they give me more speed, but they are not as supportive as the Roclites. I think if I tended to my shoe lace issue when I first identified it, I would have saved me a lot of pain. Now, why was my right foot so much more beat up than my left? I suspect it's because of my suspect IT band on my left leg. I didn't think I was favoring it, but even just a little bit would matter over 102 miles and 27k' of down. I am very sad that I only have one more pair of new Inov8s. I do have 4 that have decent life left. I also have 6 pairs of Jackall's left with lots of life. They will be fine until I decide I'm not retired from running hundreds again.

Bucky's carbon fiber poles were a win, too. I hadn't trained with poles and worried that my arms and core might rebel against using them for so many miles. I even borrowed Todd's quiver again (which Billy brought down from Rumford, the village is big!) so that I could have the option of stowing them between the Bear and the steep down. Well, they are so close together, it was immediately clear to me that I would not be stashing them. The poles were so light, I didn't mind running with them at all. It did take me too long to figure out I could remove the quiver. It was annoying when looking over my left shoulder. Also, when I would lay down to use the balls on my glutes, the quiver bothered my back. And when I said for me to take it off, I meant to whine so that Janel would take it off ;) I think the poles ended up more useful on the ups than the downs which is not why I was carrying them. I never felt like the climb was hard. I think I should have practiced using them on the down. I couldn't find the right way to let them take some of the load.

My clothing was spot on! The pricey sports bra from Janji, which already paid for itself during training (filling the 3 pockets with ice, brilliant! Plus I never chafed in the thick of the really humid days), never made itself known - really what you want from you clothes. The pricey, but on sale, Oiselle Roga shorts also were key in training. I never thought about them during my run and was never surprised with that sharp sting in the shower when you discover just how chafed you are. My new sleeves that I bought just for 89 Bears were exactly what I hoped they'd be: comfortable and warm. At night, because I could in a warm, cozy place, I changed out of all those clothes rather than just pulling stuff over like I might have if I had to change outside. I put on my Nike pants that I bought at a now-defunct running store in Breckenridge. They were to be the pants that I wouldn't mind losing if I left them at an aid station during my first Never Summer attempt. Turns out, they are great pants. I wore them through the night at my RRR finish. A fresh sports bra would help not feel a chill so I change out of the janji one, but not at all because it was being uncomfortable even after all that time. Pretty sure I put on my long sleeved TMR Patagonia shirt. Over that, I wore an old Patagonia jacket that I claimed from the non-claimed drop bags of Riverlands. All worked fine. In the day light, I put on fresh nike shorts (the ones you see me in all the time), my short sleeved Patagonia TMR shirt, and my sleeves. No issues with clothes. Not a one!

Let's see, food and hydration. Well, I am a Tailwind girl. I was certainly well hydrated. I peed every 4 loops (4.6 miles) for the first 16 loops. After that, it was more like every 2 loops. And it's not just that I could pee. I needed to pee. That probably did waste a good deal of time. I was also drinking plain water every few loops to keep my mouth happy. I didn't eat much in the early miles, just some Belvita cookies and the like. Then I went through the hours of nausea in the night. I don't know if the nausea waned so I wanted hot chocolate or if having the hot chocolate help it go away. Maybe a little of both. I'll have to check with my crew. But once the hot chocolate was in, I wanted food. I started eating pancakes dipped in syrup. They were so, so good. I'd made them a few days earlier and froze them. Brian said I must have had 5 cups of hot chocolate overnight. In the day time, I was hungry, but tired of sweet. Janel offered her ham and cheese roll ups. Hmm? Yes, please! Just who am I? Eating? And it is good? Bucky heated them on my griddle. I think I had 5 over the course of the day! They were small, but still - ham and cheese?! 

The blessing and curse of having the First Aid building available. Really, having your crew available every 1.15 miles is a blessing and curse. The blessings far outweigh the bad. I'm not kidding about having a real toilet. Butt pasted stayed in my bag. There was no chafing in the tender areas. It was even a high toilet which was nice in the later miles, even though I stayed pretty bendy till the last lap or two. Being able to be warm while changing was pretty sweet. Having electricity to make coffee, heat pancakes, charge batteries, not bling each other with our headlamps because we had light! All that said, it's really hard not to stop. Stoppage time adds up. I don't know if I want to go back to see moving time vs total time. I did waste time. Or, was it time that enabled me to keep going. I'll never know.

I think my training plan falls into the worked category. I think I did the right amount of Lost Valley runs to prepare me. I think my yoga worked. I realized when I looked at pics of me at the finish that there was zero lean! I was upright!!! While I was more beat up after than any other run, it was more injury and not muscular. My toes and right foot were extremely painful for 3 days. With so many hours awake, I would fall asleep quickly, but the pain from my toes and foot would wake me and not let me go back to sleep. When I needed to get up, my IT band pain would make me buckle. The first night, I'd fallen asleep in the recliner after my shower. When the cat woke me at 1am for her kibble tea, I almost didn't think I could make it. I was able to hobble to the wall where I relied on it for support. I was able to get her tea, but it was humbling. 

Between my toes and band, I was a mess. Rick helped me to his vehicle so we could retrieve my car. I wondered if I was going to be able to drive. I made it! A week later when we were at Lost Valley for dinner and to see Jeremy's band play (KB's husband's band the Ditch Lilies), Jake (formerly known as Skinny Beard) came over to tell me he saw me when I came to pick up my vehicle. He felt so bad for me. 

Fortunately with yoga and time, that has resolved a good deal. I still can get caught by surprise when I stand after sitting a while. I am going to try some deep fascia work. My yoga teacher does that, too. I'm going to try to run at OSGR, but asked Brock if he'd lead it if I couldn't run.

Partnering with Lost Valley was pretty essential for 89 Bears to happen. I knew they were great to work with and full of good people, but I really didn't know the half of it.  

I can't help but mention again that the thing that worked the best was the support from my trail family. It makes it more than a running feat. It's about friendship, support, and love. That lasts the longest...well that and my buckle!!! Can't lie, that's pretty sweet!

 

 

89 Bears - To the Finish!

Before I start where I left off, I thought of a couple other things I should include from the dark. Well, it started at the very beginning. On my second lap, my waist light started blinking. Really?! It's fully charged and new. It was one of my purchases specifically for this event. I loved Don's when I paced at Laurel Highlands. It truly made the terrain much more defined. Well, it would be light soon. And I pretty much forgot about it until it was time for lights again. I told Don what had happened in the morning. He said sometimes the battery is just not clamped down enough. Maybe I hadn't screwed on the end caps securely. He played with it a bit and voila! I had light. It didn't even last a lap before it started blinking again. Don had brought more batteries and a charger. So when we got back to the shack, he changed out my battery and put mine on the charger. I don't know how long the new one lasted, but not nearly long enough. I decided to just use my headlamp and the light from his and/or Brian's waist light.

Ok, back to heading to (towards?) the finish. I'm not sure when or how often I went to the first aid station to use my yoga balls to roll my glutes. I think it was during the dark. I do know that I spent more time inside than I should. It's definitely a trap. Oh, the balls were helpful, but probably not enough to justify the time. Plus, did I mention that every time I sat for any length of time, standing was excruciatingly painful. We all came to realize it didn't last long. When I'd wince or yelp getting to my feet, whoever was with me would say, it will go away once you get started.

So, it might have been my very first lap with Janel that I said I wanted pancakes during the Bear climb. I think Brian was with us, maybe. She said she could run back to have them waiting when I came around on the guitar (Alice's Restaurant reference). We pointed her in the direction of the easiest way back and hoped she'd find it (just kidding, but she's not always the best at navigating). When I got back to my aid station, she was there with pancakes and maple syrup. So good! 

The laps were going pretty well. I was definitely slower, fucking downs! My toes hurt. The top of my right foot had a really grumpy spot. I guess I mentioned to Janel I should try changing the lacing. When I finally did it late in the day, I'd forgotten I had thought of it earlier. It brought so much relief. That's when Janel told me I meant to do it before. Did I mention that I had decided to wear my Inov8's even though I had done almost all my training in the LaSportiva Jackal IIs? It was a decision I made in the week leading up to the Bears. I had never gone more than 29 miles in the Jackals. When I did run long, my feet felt beat up. I had arch pain which was a totally new experience for me. I had run all my other 100s in the Inov8s. I felt like they never let me down. I don't know if it was before or after the lace change, but my toes were hurting so badly I decided to see if they'd feel any better in the Jackals. Setting out was fine. Up the Bear was fine, down the "gentler" down was fine. When I reached the steep down. Holy shit! That was pain. I almost sat down to take them off my right toes hurt so badly. If it wasn't so rocky I think I would have. I think this 0.1 mile stretch would end up taking me longer than my ups. I immediately changed back to the Inov8's. 

I'm not sure what time Brian left. I know he ended up with 20 miles. Thanks Brian! Hot chocolate for the win!! I'm also not sure of the times or laps the following happened. I'll try to get it as chronological as I can. But there is no difference to the trail to help. 

I know that Jason showed up in the morning and shared a couple of laps with me before he had to leave for a show. That was a spark! Kim and her pups showed up, maybe afternoon? As did the Landry's. It was funny, from running through the cool night, I'd developed a cough. It was a little annoying. Janel said she had some cough drops. On a stop back at the base, she searched, but found none. She must have put out a call that I needed cough drops. I was a little insistent that they couldn't be menthol. I was convinced my stomach would revolt. Well, I have such good people. We won't need to buy cough drops for years! However, none seemed acceptable in the moment. I think the Landry's had brought ones that were supposed to be creamy strawberry, gentle flavor, with no menthol. I think Janel warned me I wasn't going to like them, but I popped one in and immediately popped it back out, yucking and face making. That was the end of the cough drop trails.

Katie, one of the LV people, brought her horse, Buffy, to pace me a lap. The idea was really sweet and I'm probably one of the only runners to have a horse for a pacer, but at that point in my tiredness I didn't appreciate it like I would have expected. I love that Katie thought to do it though. When I would be on my break between Bears and my Postbears Bear, she'd show me pics of her horses. She was the person who taught me all the workers names and the reason they knew me as more than, "that crazy running lady." 

I started doing math more often. Janel tried to discourage me from doing it. Somewhere I had a chart equating Bears to miles, but not printed out. It was something to do and I didn't seem able to not. At some point, early in the afternoon, the math told me I wasn't going to finish in daylight. I can feel the tears well up again just thinking about that realization. Rick was at the aid station table. I told him with tears in my eyes as I headed out, "I'm going to have another night." He said he told the people at the table, that I was very sad, but I'd wrap my head around it.  

I think the very next lap, Beth joined! Janel, Beth, and I, under beautiful bright sunny skies, headed out on a Bear. She brought really good energy. I liked listening to her and Janel chat. I told her about not being able to finish in the daylight. "There's nothing for it, Mr Fodo." That's one of my mantras. You just have to do it. I think Beth stayed with us for three laps. When she left, Janel and I appreciated her together.

By this time, Janel had a lot of Bears under her belt. Maybe only second to me? Kind of a rock. I don't know if it was intentional for Nicole to take over, but she was with me next. Again, the right person at the right time. She was disappointed to learn no on had made bear puns during my run. What a missed opportunity! She went on to make a few which were fun, but I no longer remember. Sarah I also came along on some of the later Bears. I was a project!

My pacers would always comment on how strong I was going up. That was never the problem. I truly started dreading the down that had to come. The constant foot pain would become intense for that stretch. I couldn't go any faster to get it over with since I was worried about falling. When did Bucky think to rake the rocks from my line? I don't know, but what a difference! Not that I could go faster at that point, but fewer obstacles? Yes, please!

I'm pretty sure it was just before dark when Bucky did a lap with me. He was right behind on the down. It was a good thing! I did some weird stumble. I don't know how, but he caught something of me from behind and stopped me from falling. It would have been very ugly. The right person at the right time. 

Ok, time for headlamps again. Nicole went out with me on my second night. I had trouble seeing the way to the Bear. How could that be?! Once things looked so different. Heading on to the Summit, I pointed out a cooler in the middle of our path. Maybe someone put drinks up top for us! Nicole had me point to the cooler. Right there. The blue  one (not the dark blue, but the blue gray kind) with the white top and latch. You mean the rock? No, the cooler. Well, as we got closer, my cooler changed  into a rock. 

Starting down on the road, the ground looked bizarre in the headlamp. It was scary. The loose rocks and dirt looked white or whitish and unpredictable. It didn't look like any surface I'd run on before. I knew it was the lighting (boy, did I wish my waist light wasn't defective!), but I was still afraid of it. Then, right in the middle of the trail on the big curve before the steep down were two people, almost ghoul-like crouched. Huddled? Nicole, who are those people?!What people? Over there, right in the middle of the curve. Again, she assured me they were rocks.  As we got closer, I saw how the rocks spread on the curve came together to be the weird woman. The dude huddled with her was just a darker patch of dirt, slightly raised. Whoa! My first hallucinations. Sure, I see things in rocks, trees, leave, well, just about everything, but I know they aren't real, just faces my brain can make up. These were real.

Then the steep down where the pain would intensify, but also the strange ground would make scarier. It's so short, but so much trouble. I told Nicole there was no one better  to share my first hallucinations with as she handed me off to Jason! I forget when he came back. I didn't expect it, but as soon as his show was over, he was there! He made me tear up right away, telling me how proud he was of me. All the hearts!

Jason!  Wait till you see my hallucinations! It didn't take but a few steps, because just after the aid station, there was a race car in the woods. Jason couldn't see it, but there were rocks. Again, you're doing to good on the climb. Yep, not the problem! I was excited to see if the cooler was still there or if, knowing it was rocks, if I would just see the rocks. There! See it, Jason?! We stopped at a distance so I could point it out and describe it. Um, you mean those rocks? The one you always go over on every Bear? Funny, on the lap with Nicole, I didn't recognize them as those rocks. Too funny!

We made our way to the dangerous couple in the trail.  They were still there. I couldn't make Jason see them or really even know where I was pointing to. When we got to the rocks, I said that these were them. But now it meant the bad down. Ok, there would be just two left after this. Or was it one? I really don't know. I thought Nicole and Sarah were with me on the next to the last lap. I had wanted to pee before the turn with the ghouls, figuring I would take less time than if I went in the shed, but I couldn't squat enough. Nicole offered to help, but I knew  I could use an actual toilet in just 0.3 miles. That was preferred. 

On my way there, was it Nicole that told me I couldn't go in the building? Somehow people had decided I shouldn't stop since it was warm and comfy in there. Um, I laughed to myself that they thought they could tell me what to do. I also was amused that anyone thought I wouldn't get back out to finish that last fucking Bear!!! The toilet was heavenly as was the warmth, but I didn't dilly dally. I winced and perhaps gasped a little with the pain of my IT band, but it would relax as I moved.

Don and Squirrel were to be my pacers on the last lap. Sort of perfect really. Squirrel has been at every 100 finish (and a few of the dnfs). Don was with me during the worst of the Bears. The Bears of doubt. I was also with him at his Laurel Highland finish with Squirrel. Yup, felt right. I told Squirrel that we had resorted to children songs the night before, but Don knew some camp songs that I didn't. I suspected Squirrel would. They broke into song. Meanwhile, heading up the Bear, Squirrel was ahead of me. Um, Squirrel, I'm going faster than this. She stepped to the side so I could go faster! I might not be able to go down fast, but I was going to go where I could. This is it!

Squirrel saw my race car, but I don't think either of them saw the cooler or couple. I led down the stupid, mean, steep hill. Then, I ran! I don't know how fast I was going, but I felt that I was sprinting. There was KB with her girls cheering and sporting a sweet sign! Bucky and Nicole(?) held a caution tape for my finish line! A big hug from Rick and he awarded my buckle. Heavy relieved sigh. They got me right into the very warm First Aid building where John from LV had just delivered all our food and drinks! I had a burger and an Otterslide IPA waiting. A chair. I sat and sobbed a little bit. Relief, joy, community, I was feeling it all. Jason and KB released my feet from the Inov8s. My right foot/ankle look like I had sprained it. Only two of the toes showed reason for all the pain they were telling me about. 

We ate, laughed,  and I didn't want it to end, but knew it had to. Brock had come for the finish, too! Ok, good place to stop for now. I want to do a summary of what worked and what didn't, gear and strategy wise. But first, what worked the most was my amazing friends. Tears come easily when I think of each of them making 89 Bears a reality for me. I had exactly who I needed when I needed them, though I suspect any of them could have been the person I needed because they would be that.

 

89 Bears 100 - The first 24 hours

89 Bears was so different from my other 100s, starting from getting 5 hours of sleep the night before! Maybe because it was also the only 100 that I could sleep at home the night before. I did wake up before the alarm, but that was really about Rumor kitty and not my inability to sleep. Rick woke up not long after. I went over what I was bringing with me and what he should bring after the cat stabber was done (the guy that covers Rumor's insulin when I can't be home for the injections).

Another big difference: driving to the start by myself to a vacant building and trail. It was chilly, but I moved quickly to set up a table by my start/finish. I put my flasks of tailwind on the table, figuring I wouldn't need to drink much in the cold on a 1.15 mile lap. I also put my tally sheet on the table. I had two watches ready so theoretically should capture every lap, but I wanted a backup. I did not want any doubt that I covered every Bear.

With a headlamp and my new waist lamp on, I watched till my Coros said 6am and started, by myself - very different. A few steps walking just to get the parts moving and then I ran. The Bear climb comes quickly, less than 2 tenths in. Of course everything comes quickly (or in a short distance ;) in such a short loop. The first Bear felt good. I'd never done one in such cool temperatures. By the top, I was all warmed up. I approve of cool Bears!

From there, it's some easy down for a very short stretch before the up to the highest point at Lost Valley. The steepest part that can sometimes have very loose rocks making it more difficult seemed better packed than usual. Cool. Back at my table, I put a hash mark on the tally sheet, had a sip a Tailwind and kept running. I could see the darkness start to yield slightly. By the time I was up on the Bear, there was a pink glow in the east. On the next lap, I turned off my lights. Though trying to stay at a chill pace, knowing there were sooo many Bears to come, I was moving faster than on the training runs just because of the cool temps.

Bucky was there when I came in on my 4th or 5th lap. He ran with me on the flat stretch and picked me back up when I after I came down the steep hill. I asked him to put the gatorade jug of water on the table and to find my bars and other snacks in the cooler to put on the table. By this time, I was carrying a TW flask so dropped that one and picked up a full one. Bucky would fill that while I was Bearing so I could swap it out without stopping.  

Craig had to stop in at his job site before heading over so he arrived around 10am sometime. I'm not sure how much longer Bucky stayed (he had to head to Salem or the like to a job), but long enough to show Craig the set up. Of course, I was keen on making sure the tally board was tended to. 

Craig slid into the job seamlessly. He ran with me when I wanted company on a lap, tended to the aid station when I didn't. Rick (he came sometime before Bucky left) said he had Craig had good conversations. They always do. Sometime during the day, Karen G arrived to give me some encouragement and a little charm that said, "keep fucking going." I safety pinned it to my vest. She stayed for me to do a lap I think. Somewhere in the day, Rachael showed up for support, too! These visits were nice boosts. I almost forgot. Gordon also showed up early to check it out. I didn't even know he knew, but that's when I learned Bucky was posting updates on the TMR group page.

 I mentioned that this race was so much different than any of my other long runs. I'd never done a course with a lot of loops before. Haliburton, Squirrel's and my first 100, was the most repetitive and that was a 50 mile out and back done twice.  People always marveled at the detail I remembered in my blogs. Well, it was easy to tie what was happening with where I was. Not so much on a 1.15 mile loop. Loops pretty much all looked the same, especially on my sunny day. I do know I was peeing really often and it was a pleasure to have a bathroom available. I didn't need to worry about chafe on tender parts. That brand new tube of Baby Butt Paste wasn't needed. It did, however, add to the time. Dropping drawers and peeing pretty much where you are is fast. Stopping, heading into the First Aid building not only was slower, but I was likely to look through my stuff or talk to someone longer. 

The darkness started to descend when Don arrived for his shift. Big hugs and encouragement from Craig as he handed his duties to Don. We'll have to ask Don for some of the details, but I'm going to state right now that Don had me at my lowest. Meanwhile, I think I stayed in my shorts and tee, but added a jacket at this point. The temperature dropped quickly with the darkness. 

With still enough light to make out people, Don and I came around from a lap to see a new person at the aid station. Oh! I knew it was Brian as soon as I realized the dude was in shorts. Brian took Tuesday off form work. He planned to stay overnight and into the day to help. He would run some laps with Don and I and then drop off to heat up the coffee or hot chocolate for when I came around again.

So, again, we'd have to ask Don how long I was really down. I know I didn't feel like keeping going for quite some time. I was feeling like I needed to throw up. Despite dry heaves, nothing would come out. I felt like I needed a total reset. It's so hard not knowing how long it would last or even if it would pass. I must have said something out loud about not wanting to keep going or why should I or could I or something. I wish I remembered the exact words because Don said exactly what I needed. I think he might have said something very similar. It might have taken more than once for it to take. They gist of it was, "It's what you do." It's what I do. I keep going. I would keep going. It's what I do.  

Brian, a hot chocolate convert since his 100 Mile Wilderness, may have been the one to suggest hot chocolate. I knew I needed coffee. I may have had the hot chocolate first since my stomach was tenuous. I told the story of how I became a Hot Chocolate devotee. During my first finish at Never Summer when I came back from a near drop, the people at the aid station wanted me to get something into me, preferable something hot. I nearly hurled just at the mention of broth, but my chair neighbor said I should try to hot chocolate - it was magic. Well, I said I wanted the magical hot chocolate. And it was!!! From then on, hot chocolate has been my ulra friend. And it didn't fail me this time. I even wanted to try some pancakes. Did I do another lap while Brain heated them up or did I just wait. I don't know.

Oh! While out with Don and Brian, we saw two porcupines, two deer, heard many bard owls, and a feisty pack of coyotes. I wondered how I would have fared without people with me. I've been out alone when coyotes were pretty active, but never this tired. Luckily, I wasn't alone! Brian and I also heard two animals screaming on a couple of the loops, but had no idea what kind of critter. 

Next it was KB's shift. She took over from Don. I think I was pretty much over any of my doubts. From then on, I felt like if I wasn't on a Bear, I was drinking hot chocolate, munching on pancakes dipped in maple syrup, or peeing.  KB's energy was welcomed. She had asked me before hand what I wanted from a pacer and what I didn't. I pretty much said I didn't was to hear how good I looked or how great I was doing. I don't know why, but mostly I hate the feeling it's just being said. People say it to people who look like shit. I also don't like to hear how I'm going to crush something. I'd rather someone say they don't think I can do it. I like proving someone wrong rather then letting them down. So, KB said, "You basically don't want me to be me." We both laughed, but that really wasn't it. And it turns out she couldn't help say it and I liked hearing it. Maybe I actually thought I was doing great at that point. Who knows?

I know Janel came at 5:30am, 30 minutes before shift change. I think she knew KB had to leave right at 6am to get to work on time and wanted to have an overlap to get the routine down. Was she there when I almost fell asleep on the "bed"? I had been using the exam table or whatever you want to call it to roll out my glute and it band. I also kept emptying my shoes and would hop up there to do it. Well, I just laid back for a second and felt myself going to sleep. GET UP! I think I willed myself not to fall asleep. Back out. But coffee first. 

I'm going to post this. The finial 14 hours can be another post. 

 

 

 

89 Bears Looms

89 Bears 100 developed from a crazy thought Bucky had after we decided that Riverlands 100 was running for the last time in 2026. While Squirrel and I love what we created and had so, so much help from our amazing TMR community, it was still, well, a lot. Rick had had enough, too. Bucky and I considered for a minute continuing with him as my co-race director. Then we realized that wasn't going to work. Squirrel and Rick could never really be out if it was still running, especially Rick since we stage it at our house for weeks before the race and then all the dirty pots, pans, tents, Gatorade jugs, etc come back to be cleaned and packed away. Bucky's new job also ate up much more of his time. Yes, the 2026 race would be the last. I was amazed at how relived I felt when out course marking I thought, "This is the last time." As much as I loved most everything about the race, I could say goodbye. Though when people tell me it was their favorite weekend of the year, I can still feel the tears welling up.

One day, Bucky said he came up with a 100 that would be easy to put on. His name was The Fruit Loop 100. He thought about racing 100 laps of Knights Woods trail at Bradbury. Only one aid station would be necessary. We wouldn't have to rely on another club to help (Riverlands was made possible by the Turner Timberland ATV club's amazing dedication to helping ferry aid station volunteers and supplies out to Middle Earth in addition to bringing in dropped runner). Of course the name wouldn't be able to stay because we were sure Kellogg's would have an issue with the name. 

As I mulled over whether that was too crazy, I began thinking about runners and crews/family. The location had issues. Then I remembered something Jedi said to me when TMR first held its end of the year party at Lost Valley, "You could have a 100 here that would get so much vert." Lost Valley! So much parking, bathrooms, a brew pub, great people to work with... I pitched the location to Squirrel and Bucky. We could divest of sooooo much gear. That would relieve us of our storage issue (so much gear was required to put on Riverlands). 

They liked the location. It made sense. I started going to LV to find a loop. It needed to be short enough that the vert gain would be crazy. If you are going to do short laps, there needs to be a challenge, one might even say a gimick. There is good single track at LV and even a cross country course...but those trails added too much distance to a loop to yield the elevation gain we were looking for. Ok, try the downhill slopes. The Beaver is steep, but whoa! So much poison ivy!!! Next I tried the Bear. Using it and the gravel access road, I hit on a 1.15 mile loop that gives right about 300' of gain per laps (26,000' total!).  

Being a bit of a nerd from a very nerdy family, I loved that 89 Bears ensured us of 100 miles and it was a prime number!!! The 89 Bears 100. Yup. I think Mindy and Bucky took a little time to warm up to it, but they came around. The buckle design existed in my mind without any thought. I drew it up rough and sent it to the company that made our buckles for Riverlands 100 and the 100 Mile Wilderness. It took a couple of back and forths until it look exactly like what I saw in my head. Imagine my delight when Ann exclaimed it to be the best buckle she's ever seen (I brought it to TWMiH to display)!!!

We pitched 89 Bears to Lost Valley. It didn't take any convincing. They loved the idea! We chose the long weekend in October 2027 for its premier. We already put on a 100 this year and Bucky was taking over the dirt series from Ian so we felt waiting for next year was the smart move.

Being a race director, you don't get to run your own ultra. You have too many responsibilities. However, even though I said Run Rabbit Run was my last 100, I really want the Bear buckle. Bad. Ok, I decided I'd do the race this October to determine the cutoff. I don't think you can argue for more time if you can't do it faster than a nearly 67 year old woman. Originally, Bucky said he'd run with me the entire time (he had said we should do a 100 together even before this), but then his life took a dramatic turn and he was out. 

I developed my own training plan that focused on building miles and gaining vert. I ran at Lost Valley twice a week. Sunday was my longer plain old run, leading OSGR. Monday, I would back that up with Bear loops. Tuesdays and Thursdays were yoga. Wednesdays were moving days, either easy runs or walk/runs. Fridays were Big Bucks. It was a longer, steeper climb at Lost Valley where I get more vert for less miles than a Bear. Saturdays were supposed to be home yoga/ab work, but I rarely did it. 

I felt like I was getting stronger. People joked at OSGR that I better stop doing hills or they wouldn't keep up. Yup, going really well. Then one day on a day during lots of Bears, my left IT band started complaining loudly. I made it through the scheduled Bears, but it continued to complain. My Big Bucks on that Friday were not pleasant. I was dreading Sunday's OSGR. I felt pain with every footfall, what would the Sunday miles do? Well, it was only sore for the first mile or so. At the end of the run, my IT band was pretty quiet. I just had the ordinary aches and pains. The band still popped when I bent my knee, even audibly during yoga, but without pain. 

The next week of training went well. Taper next. The next OSGR I tripped landing on my left side. The upper part of my leg pretty much slammed into a big root. That hurt the most. I didn't even feel the scrape right below my knee. I hobbled for a bit but was able to keep running (we did all the trails on the east side except the O trail cause we're dumb, but not extra dumb). Things seemed fine.

Until my next run. My IT band was angry. Then I realized that my fall was pretty much right along the band with focus at the upper and lower insertion points. Both Bears and Bucks were painful. It didn't like ups or downs where before it was just the steeper downs. Huh. At TWMiH, it hurt for the run, but felt fine when I went up and down Big Buck to fetch things. The next day it hurt pretty much all the time, even just sitting. I still went to LV to walk a Bear and run a Bear both Wednesday and Thursday. Not happy. Doing yoga and using a ball to dig into my glute seemed to help some. Yesterday there was no pain unless climbing stairs. Today, it seems to be ok. I'll do more yoga and ball work today and tomorrow. Fingers crossed it holds up or at very least is pain I can tolerate without altering my gate.

Yesterday, Friday, it hit me. My nerves became obvious. I made lists and packed things. Rick and I loaded the car with my "aid station." Lost Valley offered, without being asked, that I would use the ski patrol building, so we brought what we could so there would be less to do on Monday morning.

Yes, Monday morning. Lost Valley (good for them!) was booked every weekend of October with events. The Brew Pub is closed on Mondays. We decided I would run on Monday and hopefully finish in time to have a beer and burger at the Pub on Tuesday. Did I mention I had 36 hours in mind for a time to beat or meet? I'm looking to start at 6am, just like the real race will. 

Before I knew that I'd need to do the run on a weekday, so many people told me they planned to turn out and support. Then I told everyone it was during the week. But our TM family is amazing. Without asking, KB said she could crew/pace me from 2am to 6am (she'd have offered more, but she's working Monday and Tuesday!). Soon, Craig told me he took Monday off so he could crew/pace me. He's in from 8am to 6pm! Janel, coming home from a vacation on Monday, said she took Tuesday off to help. So KB would hand me off to the capable hands of Janel. It wasn't long till Don texted asking what he could do. When he learned of the gap from 6pm to 2am, he was instantly down for that shift. Talk about feeling the love! Rick will be going back and forth from our house to LV since he'll be on animal duty. With access to home and stores, I feel a little less pressure to get the packing and aid station stocking perfect. Then! A little package came for me. Brian and Manuela sent me a morse code bracelet that says "mamma bear" just to say they're with me in spirit. Yup.

Just yesterday I heard from Brian. He was getting time off from work on Tuesday. I told him how I was covered, but I was 100% certain that his company and help would be appreciated by my team. And besides, I would love seeing him there. He paced me for 50 miles of my last Never Summer. I did tell everyone I probably won't want someone with me for every lap. Maybe at night, but we'll see; it's such a short lap.   

Now I'm just nervous again. I'm packing clothes for after. With no worries about checking luggage, I'm packing anything I think I might want. Hopefully my next post will include the cutoff time for the 2027 running of 89 Bears 100. Wish me luck!

 

 

Best Intentions and an Important Guest Race Report

 I really intended to write up a Riverlands race report. I also had planned so many other posts while I ran. On Ryan's birthday, I wrote (in my head) a tribute to him and musings about how we influenced each other. Squirrel and I have crewed three solo hundred adventures (not formal races). There was lots of material there. Oh well...

Meanwhile, Jeff Mikesell has continued to send me his race reports of his seemingly endless 100s. I still want to make a library of them. He includes helpful information that anyone planning on running a race would be smart to read. It also could be useful in deciding on a race. 

A race or two back, he sent me a report that I feel needs to be posted on its own. Jeff, about as veteran as it gets, learned an important lesson on the trail. He is fine, but it landed him in the hospital. Here's his story: Iron Will 100. 

 

Catching Up (or mostly recovered from Riverlands)

 I'm coming back from Riverlands 100. It is all consuming for many months. This year, with each step, especially the tedious ones, Squirrel and I would say, "Just one more year." It became our mantra. I never thought I would get to the point where I was ready to say, "I'm done." But I'm there. Putting on a successful 100 takes more work that you can imagine, unless you've RDed one. 

Mindy and I aim to make our race the best experience the runners can have. We know our race is challenging. It is unrelenting. Our roots, rocks, and constant undulation are enough on their own, but then throw in spring weather in Maine, giving us "The Hot Year" and 2025's "The Mud Year."  The Hot Year's finishing rate was 28.8%. Yikes!! This year's rate was 28.3% 

We have the best volunteers. Though Mindy and I fret every year about filling the slots, we've never been let down. Most are Trail Monsters or other runners, but, even volunteers new to aid stations quickly learn from the seasoned folks. I think every year we have a few runners that dropped make sure to find me or Mindy to let us know how great the aid stations were.

Turner Timberland ATV Club haul all our supplies and volunteers to and from Middle Earth (the aid station about 4 miles in  by ATV). It's been a great partnership. We don't know how we would have been able to do the race without them. I think it was the very first year when I went over to their Trailer to ask a question that I found them following the race on our tracker! They were in to it!!

 I am going to try to get a race report done from the RD perspective, but I still have to put together the photo album I promised for the FaceBook page. I received so many good pic and videos, but Facebook isn't letting me download the videos. I took a break from it to stop from being so frustrated.

 I also need to get more of Jeff Mikesell's race reports up. I at least want to create a list of the races he's done with links to the reports. It would be a great resource for runners considering what race to do next.

I also am starting to get back to a training plan. With Riverlands, my own running has suffered a bit. No races for this year yet, but I have some interesting ideas for 2026!

Guest Writer - Jeff's 2024 is worth sharing!

One of the things I love most about Riverlands 100 is getting to know some of our runners and feeling a part of their journeys. Jeff Mikesell is one of those runners. His finish this year brought joyful tears to my eyes! This 63 year old did not just run Riverlands in 2024. Sit back and read his recap of his amazing year:

2024 Recap

2024 is in the books. It was a great adventure driving from West Virginia to races in Maine, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, South Dakota, and several other states closer to home. I made some new friends and met up with old friends along the way.

By the numbers:

• 100-mile races started/finished in 2024:  18
• Consecutive 100-mile finishes:  22
• Life-time 100-mile and longer finishes: 55

2024 Most Notables

Best Attempt to DNF - RED Dirt Ultra, Provencal, LA: At mile 42, I was running downhill, probably a big too fast, stepped on a rock and rolled my right ankle. I heard the ligaments or whatever pop, cussed a big, and kept walking to keep it warm and loose. The ankle never became an issue, but the incident prompted me to slow down and run with more caution.

Around mile 78, I was drowsy when my headlamp died. I used my hand-held flashlight to swap out the headlamps and while doing so, I inadvertently rotated 90 degrees to my left. 

With both lights now functional, I continued in the night. After several minutes, I began to suspect something wasn't right. I wasn't seeing the reflective flags and tree blazes that marked the course, so I moved slowly along. This trail just didn't look or feel "right."

Eventually, I turned around and retraced my steps to my last know trail-marker. When I reached a t-intersection, there were 6 flags directing me past this trail. I suspect then when my headlamp died, neither of my lights lit up the reflective flags, I inadvertently rotated (away from the flags) and walked off with my back to them, doh! I wasted approximately 25 minutes with this snafu!

Around mile 90, my back began to tighten up and by mile 97 I was barely moving and doing so with my hands on my quads to support my lower back. That's how I crossed the finish line, hunched over and in agony in 30:48. While my back issue was unforeseeable, the ankle injury and getting off course were avoidable.

Dragon Slayed - Riverlands 100, Androscoggin SP, Turner, ME: 2024 was my third trip to Riverlands in four years. My first attempt in 2021 ended at mile 75. While struggling late in the third 25-mile loop and dangerously close to the cutoff, I missed a turn and short-cut a section of the course. Lacking the time and mettle required to retrace and fix my mistake, I walked to the Start/Finish and DQed myself. My wife (Lyn) was disappointed (to say the least) that she wouldn't pace me the final 25 miles.

I returned in 2022 without Lyn. Late in my second loop (mile 47) my feet were trashed (again) by the technical nature of the course. The 92-degree temps in early May in Maine caught many runners unacclimated and took their toll on me. I stopped at mile 50.

I told the RD, as I sat in the dark, dejected for the second consecutive year that, "I simply cannot finish this course in 32 hours." I would not return in 2023!

Sometime in 2023, I decided to take a third shot at Riverlands! I strategized for months, lost weight, began core and stretching programs, intensified weight-training and felt great as I progressed through winter and spring races. 

In April 2024 while running Capitan Mt. 34 hour in NM, the race prior to 2024 Riverlands, my nemesis 100 was in the forefront of my thoughts. I must execute one more additional strategic move; convince Lyn to accompany me to Riverlands and pace me through the night (loop three).

She agreed once I confessed, "Yes, I need you."

We executed "the plan" flawlessly and I finished Riverlands in 30:50!

Most Stressful Entry Process - Kettle Moraine 100, La Grange, WI: On January 1st, 2024, I logged into Ultrasignup to register for the Kettle Moraine 100-mile Endurance Run. Trail talk suggested this race fills up within seconds.

I anxiously scanned our laptop and GPS clocks as the minutes very slowly ticked towards noon. Precisely at noon, the "Register" button activated; I hit is immediately. I began to complete the entry form, my mouse hand shaking to the extent that I struggled to click on each box. I finally steadied m right hand with my left and selected, "shirt size" and proceeded through the process.

Final step, "I'm not a robot". I watched for what felt like several moments as it spun and spun and...timed out! Crap! Again, I checked the box. And once again, it spun and spun, but finally recognized me as a human and not a robot.

It seemed forever for the registration confirmation to arrive but eventually, it did. Whew!

Best Vibes - Hallucination 100, Gregory, MI: Hallucination 100 is part of the Run Woodstock Festival held each September in Gregory, MI. The weekend event is attended by ultra-runners and non-running hippies, young and old. The event provides floks the opportunity to break out their psychedelic-retro attire, listen to live music and to party like it's, well, 1969!

The end of each of the six loops consist of two stretches through busy and energetic camping areas and this runner was usually greeted with loud, enthusiastic cheers, encouraging words, and even a gong bang! The final 100 yards of the race is one of the coolest and far-out trips I've ever experience.

Slammed! - Indiana Trail 100, Albion, IN: I signed up for the 2024 Midwest Grand Slam. To complete the "slam", I needed to finish Kettle Moraine 100, Burning River 100, Hallucination 100, and Indiana Trail 100. A fifth option was Mohican 100.

I suspect upon reflection, my most notable take from this four-race event was the comradery that manifested between myself and a few other "slammers."

"Don't Give Up! - Cactus Rose 100, Bandera, TX: Cactus Rose was possibly the toughest 100-mile course I've ever completed. The 4pm start provided a unique challenge in that I was awake almost 8 hours prior to the start. The 4pm start also meant that sunset would ensue shortly after the start of the race so much of my first and all of my second 25 mile loops were in the dark Texas night.

Sunrise was welcomed relief...for a while. Much too soon, cool morning temps gave way to oppressive heat as temps approached 90 degrees on the exposed course. I informed my trail partner, a Texan gal named Charmin, that I would need to spot at the Equestrian AS (mile 65) to evaluate my condition and situation. I was hot and struggling!

As I approached the AS, my resolve had broken and negative thoughts crept into my head. I had accepted defeat and was eager for the shade of the pavilion followed by the short walk by to my truck where a cold beer awaited. I rationalized:

•  There was no way I could stay awake for a second night to complete the final 35 miles!
•  The heat had simply overwhelmed me!
• I can't manage 35 more miles of the rock and scree laden steep ascents and descents!
• I had complete 14 100-mile races at this point in 2024 and 18 consecutive 100-mile races, so one DNF isn't a big deal!

All that - bunk! We've all been there!

 

Prior to her heading back out on the trail alone, Charmin put her hand on my shoulder and said, "Don't give up!"

 

My 30-minutes (or longer) in the pavilion consisted of an attempt to sleep (benches too hard, too much noise and activity), and time in the "DNF" chair soul-searching and trying to formulate a plan to escape from the sad state I found myself in.

 

Finally, I chugged an energy drink, gagged down a gel and headed back out. I was still hurting, but soon found myself running some and power-walking with a new-found intensity. I managed to reel in Charmin at the next AS (mile 69ish). We would finish the race together in 37:58.

 

(The devil said, "you can't handle the storm." I replied, "I am the storm!")

 

C'mon Man!!! - Firefest Ultras, Logandale Trails, NV: During the inbound of my third loop, I came upon some caution tape lying on the ground with fagging marking the trail to my right, so I followed it. I wondered about this turn because I didn't recall it from the previous loops.

The second indication that suggested something was amiss was the wind which had been at my back was now directly in my face. Still, I pressed on, somewhat confident that I, a veteran trail runner, would not end up running the wrong direction on the course.

The third indication was a trail sign telling runners where to turn around on the final out and back. On the outbound, I'd see the sign from the front. On the inbound, I'd approach is from the rear. I approached the sign from the front and was now certain I was running in the wrong direction.

Be it fatigue, the mystique of the Nevada desert at night, aliens, I don't know, but I still couldn't convice myself I had become turned around. Then two runners came toward me. I asked from which AS had they just come. Their response finally convinced me I was running in the wrong direction.

I noted my watch time and it took me 20 minutes to retrace back to the caution tape. Forty minutes total time and by my estimate, 2.5 miles! C'mon man, trust your gut!

Thanks for reading

Scout here now. Thanks for sharing, Jeff! What a year!!