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!!