Hurricane Heat #071 (Boston/Barre)

Rule #1, Always look cool (in Fit challenge shades, and zombie charge buff #racelocal)

 So I did a hurricane heat last year, and frankly, I was disappointed, so I wanted to give it another shot, and always wanting to push the envelope, I wanted to do the race afterwards, after all I did that last year.

Anthony Looking cool,

It started (6/19/15) off with a warm up jog, maybe a 1/4 mile, as a group, we did it twice, because part of the group was separated at the start, with bathrooms and late comers, and we wound up starting at 530 instead of 6. (we also ended our HH, which is normally 4 hrs, at about 1130, he was going for a time record, and we got it, I think). Followed up by 118 push ups in 3 minutes, which was randomly shouted out. We made it to about 35ish, then had to restart, and got another 40ish, then they had us stop, so we could get on with the day. This was an interesting night, as Anthony would repeat several times through the night, "lets go into the woods, and do some fucking weird shit" He reminds me a little bit of the crazy guy from that fantasy football tv show, Rafi, (still not sure if that is a good thing or not) I was hoping for more Playing on the obstacles. The group I was with (we broke into 2 groups, then back to 1 big one, then 3 group, back to one, then into 2 teams twice more) The first split we hung out in the pool of water under the rope climb, for a wile, wile passing out ammo cans above our head, and holding for a wile. Next my team played around on the Tyrolean traverse rope for a bit, but we went on them a different way first, through, instead of across. The point was to make us work as a team, so we lifted teammates, and then they touched the ropes, and then we divided up into smaller teams and raced the regular way across the traverse ropes. Next we did squat holds, wile holding a penny, another required gear list item. The lead guy was told that they did not run enough at his last event, so we did indian runs, but it was a slow jog, most like walking, but shuffling our feet, until it was your turn to go to the front. Then we explored for a bit, found some trees, and were told we were going to carry one. But wile Anthony was climbing on top to pick one out, you just hear, "man I am listening to some fucking angry music right now" and he was visibly getting more amped up.

Anthony climbing the tree pile

For those that were not carrying the tree, you carried the ammo cans, at least 2 (oh yeah, some people still had water in them from when we all played in the water under the ropes) we carried logs from another pile a little farther away. Then wile we moved along the trail, and got way ahead of the people carrying a tree (trust me that ain't easy, especially through trails!) we got to the spear throw. The field be hind, we went from sprinting, to lunges, to crawling, all to different points, and then repeated until we got back to the point we started, when the trees joined us again. Then we got to throw the spear if we wanted, but if we missed, we had to do 40 burpees, luckily, I stuck the spear in! At some earlier point Anthony got annoyed that people were talking, so when we stopped we had to squat, or do some exercise wile waiting for whatever we were waiting for. so wile we waited to throw a spear, squats, when we finished and waited for others to finish, squats, you get the point, it went on all night. Then more indian runs, split into the 3 groups, I did lunges and whatever else came to mind from the guy leading us, Lucky for me, when we did burpees, I found the one spot with poop on course, but because it was pitch black out, i did not realize until after my knee was in it, good thing for tights! Then more indian runs, and what seems to be a standard when their is a HH, we stacked the fire wood for the start line.

The field where we lunged next to spear throw

I really do not understand why that seems to be a standard, but hey, it is what it is, they usually find a way to make us do work for the race/venue some how. That is not all that different from the Other stuff, like death race that spartan like to compare a HH to (which i do not understand, they are 2 very different animals, trust me) where people constantly do "yard work" or "construction" or adding stirs to joe's mountain as just a part of their fun. After fire wood, we moved lines of rocks into piles of rocks (again to help venue, and this is where my ammo can magically was the only one to disappear, horrible luck on my end) and the last task we did, was move bushels of hay into a barn, 100 yards (ish) away.

Log again, But later in the night

Then just afterwards, we had a chat about how this was meant  to show us what we can do, literally anything, as long as we believe in it, and just do it (which is true, and a nice touch) Jumped up with all our might several times, also did burpess, and maybe squats, wile smoke grenades were thrown around us, which was kind of a cool way to end it all, it paired well with his speech, then we got our dog tags, and shirts. I am a little disappointed with the finishers shirt, it is 100% cotton, unlike the regular finishers that are softer, and 50% polyester, and personally I like the design from last years shirt better than this year. Then we got food and drinks from the venue, which was pretty cool, since it was close to midnight, and nothing would be open anywhere near there.

Finish Photo, Post Food

TIPS FOR A HURRICANE HEAT:

• Do not be late, trust me, you penalise the whole group
• Do not ask questions before or during the event (except when and what time, these things may be monitored fyi)
• You get a gear list just a few days before the event, be careful asking, I know about 3 people that did not get sent a list, That I think is an exception
• Do not ask questions as to why you need an item, you could get penalized
• Stay with the team, it is a team building exercise
• Know that they will be trying to break you in one way or the other, just to build you back up, and show you what you can do

Basically If you have done a goruck, you have done the same thing, but harder, and not just because rucks require weight, I prefer the goruck light compared to a hurricane heat. If you played on the obstacles more, then maybe spartan would win, but the whole "psycho" aspect seems to take away from the team mentality they try to push. The whole system is even more confusing now that they "killed" the death race, but for all intents and purposes, they just re branded it, and put it under the spartan brand completely, rather than the peak company. As well as adding various different options, and pulling in the hurricane heat events into it. You have to be approved for, the whole thing seems very weird to me. And again, even on the spartan post, that first released the new one Named "AGOGE" are saying it is ripping off goruck, I wouldn't go that far, but i see the point they are making, I would strongly encourage everybody do a goruck light, or at least shadow one, it is an awesome experience.

So The main reason for so much of my dislike for this event is based on the decryption that they post on their page for the hurricane heat.

What is the Hurricane Heat?
The Hurricane Heat gives runners the chance to meet and run with the staff and sometimes even the Founders of Spartan Race in a unique and memorable way. This special heat is held early in the mornings of the race and occasionally on the eve. There is always a mandatory gear list and all Hurricane Heats will venture on and off the Spartan Race Course at the Race Director’s desire. The goal of the Hurricane Heat is to finish as teams. There are no chips, no clock, just a fun run Spartan-style that represents what our company and our athletes are about…getting up when you’re knocked down and finishing what you start.
The Hurricane Heat is designed to break you down over and over again crafting you into a unified team, capable of overcoming the most difficult of objectives. It will reveal your weaknesses and exploit them until they are strengthened.
Every Hurricane Heat is unique, they are designed to utilize a combination of what is on the course and the areas that surround the course. Often times, there will be a series of missions or challenges that will need to be completed in order to succeed. Burpees are the currency in Hurricane Heats, if something can’t be accomplished for whatever reason there is often times a burpee cost that can get you out of it. Do note that not all challenges have this option so don’t bank on being able to just bust out burpees to finish the Hurricane Heat. We will cover a solid distance in the 3-4 hour time span that Hurricane Heats typically last. Come prepared with food, water, and anything else, like salt tabs, that you may need.
Successful finishers earn a finisher dog tag medal*,entry into a closed networking group, a finisher t-shirt, and the chance of a lifetime discovering the camaraderie derived from becoming a Hurricane Heater.

The decryption used to say that you run with the founders, and that is the idea I got in my head, at least it has been updated since my first hurricane heat. The stories I have heard from the first event were the entire reason I signed up for these events. I have several friends that remissness about their first event, but it has morphed into something different. So I may be unfairly judging it, but I would prefer the stories from the first events, where you are playing a lot more on obstacles, and less of a crazy element to it. Not to say that I regretted it, I still had fun, and was reminded even more of what I need to work on. The people running it were pretty cool, take away anything you want from this (very long) post, but their goal is to break you down and show you what you are made of, and what you can do, just remember, never give up.

Also Special Note, Thank you to Henry, he took all the photos, and as you can see did a great job!

Until next time
Never stop, Never give up
Stephen

Ragnar Trail MA

NHRR post race team photo

So This whole ragnar thing is awesome! as a far as details go, it is a relay race, just like the road race, but this is around 3 trails, coded green, yellow and red. varying in difficulty, But they all start off with about a mile uphill, which I love! So the trail both starts and ends with all the colors together, which was pretty coll, always another chance to get another kill (Ragnar term for passing another runner). The Parking was on site and free, if you got there early, then you could easily set up your camp cite close to your car. Otherwise they had a drop off area, and you needed to get your teammates help to carry, as they did not want you to be parked for long. So basically, this is another one of those do this race posts, because if you like camping and running, then you should do it, again, like the last ragnar post, make sure you have a cool team, and then it will be a pleasure. This time was no different, well a little different, I managed to hop on a team of people I had never met before, by way of a friend of a friend. But I knew I needed to be at the race because of all the people I knew that were there. Now I lucked out, my friends friend is very nice, and the team he put together was fast! so fast that I did not have much time to sleep in between my 2nd and 3rd leg, like I did on the cape, and that is not a bad thing, I stand by my original statement in my last ragnar post, this race is all about the team, they make the miles go by with pleasure, and this was another great team to be a part of. We were able to make camp next to friends, so I bounced around all the tent cities, and hung out with so many people, it was truly a great experience. They had sunnto loaning out watches for the laps, they also had salamon loaning out shoes as well, which was a pretty cool! They also had a guy making smoothies, a charity that I forget the name to, that is a partner with ragnar. They had free massages from students at a local school, boloco served dinner and breakfast. The food was good, but when I get told pasta, I want pasta, they served burrito bowls the at night, with beans, I do not think that was a smart move, I still ate them, I live dangerously like that (note you could have opted out of beans, but i like them)

So a few things to keep in mind for a raganr trail events

• A camp cite near the portapotties is nice for when you have to pee with all water you will be drinking, but the flip side is you do not want to be right next to it, because the doors slamming shut will keep you up for a bit when you try to sleep
• Pack a change of clothes for each leg, in the own bag, trust me you would rather an extra change of clothes unused than not having it when you want it
• Pack extra snacks for the group, again, the group makes these events so much more fun
• The medals are awesome! and sharp (so be careful) and a useful multi tool
• Pop up tents are worth their weight in gold, you will want them to give you shade, and rain coverage as well. don't forget your chair either
• bring plenty of water, they had "potable" water, but no guarantees on the taste, it will not kill you, but it may not be what you are used to
• They probably will not have showers, but the mileage is lower, so it should be closer to the 24 hr mark, rather than the 36 hr mark
•  Bring extra TP, some of the portapotties ran out of tp, and before they emptied some of them the ones without tp were not full
• Make sure to take in the scenery, people have so much fun with the teams, and post fun stuff all around the camp site, it is worth it to wonder for a bit, and really submerge yourself in the ragnar experience. It is well worth the time to wonder and chat with people

Post race selfie, cool medal

For this race, I loved the hills, it let me focus on running by effort, which is my newly favorite way to run, it feels to easy for some of the parts, but when you are going up for so long, it is great, so you have some more in the tank for the next 2 laps, especially when you start off easy (my legs where green, red, yellow)

The green loop: This is the easier loop, about a mile up, then, gradual down, with a few flats, a pretty fast loop about 3.39 miles long

The yellow loop: This loop was medium difficulty (some people preferred the red, I am torn, I think I like the red better in reflection) was about 5 miles (my watch was not getting a gps signal, I waited too long to sync my watch, and i was not waiting for it to link before I ran)

The red loop:This was the hard Loop, 1.5 miles up, 1/2 down, then 1 mile up again, then all fast down hill, with a few inclines, but nothing to notice comparatively. It was 6.29 miles long, and in the dark was scary, it had plenty of  4x4 boards in ground, great when you go up, and in the day, scary when you throw safety to the wind and go for speed.

Overall trail map

Elevation Close up

 

So until next time
Keep training
Stephen

Samurai Sprint Review

So this is the second event that this company has done, I missed out on the fun from the first, so I was not going to let that happen again. Especially after hearing about all of the fun that it was last year from friends that ran it. The obstacles are challenging, you have the typical walls, and heavy carries, and rope climbs.

But I love traverse ropes, they have ninja warrior type obstacles a reverse stair case, and a swinging bar that you leap from  to a sideways bar, I love a challenge, and this race has stuff you will not see at a spartan! There was also a slip and slide (always fun!) He also had a box jump obstacle, you jumped up about5 steps. That obstacle seemed like it needed work, it did not inspire confidence jumping down, but if that is the worst thing I can say, it is a good thing.

They had a typical 10 dollar parking, they did not have waivers on race day, but they did send out several emails to inform us to bring our own though, which is nice to give the heads up twice in the week leading up to the race, it (sort of) makes up for not having it.

They also have a lot to offer in the perks department: (Copied from the email)

FREE Services:

• There will be FREE CHAIR MASSAGES by Mary Lou.  She is great and helped me through many injuries. 
• Health Source Chiropratic  will also be offering the following services including stretching, muscle work, RockTape (kinesiology tape), and foam rolling.
• We also have FREE product from Muscle Milk and Hint Water.

 So to be fair, the massage table was not there, however, the chiroprator, was awesome! He is very knowledgeable, and explained what he was doing wile he was fixing you, he was very nice as well. He was also able to help out a friend who was hurting worse than me. He was also tapig people up, all free of charge, and with a smile.


 One thing that i really want to make clear here is this. A very big reason that I am happy with smaller races, and the whole #racelocal movement is that a bunch of that money goes to charity! Here is a post from Facebook, from FIT challenge

 I have spoken with Steve the RD about the multi-lap donation money. He would like to donate ALL the proceeds that come in from extra laps to the Greater New Bedford Suicide Prevention Coalition as this organization has special meaning to him. F.I.T. Challenge will match the donation amount received by you folks up to $500 for this very worthy organization and cause. Again, this is NOT required but ALL the money raised will be donated! Can't WAIT to see you all tomorrow! Its going to be a BLAST!!!

And then post race details
47 extra laps $470 brought in, plus our donation gives $1,000 to The Greater New Bedford Suicide Prevention Coalition! AMAZING my friends just amazing! THANK YOU!!!
(sent from FIT Challenge. Fyi there were about 500 runners that day, so if you ask me that is a great number considering how small, and new a company this is

That, on top of a fun event, is a large reason as to why everybody should really take a look at these smaller races, For small companies to pony up that kind of cash, i feel like that is more than some of the big guys give away to charities, i could be wrong, but I have more faith in the people in the smaller races, they are nice, and humble people, that know how to give back!

So I would really love for any readers out there to seriously look into the smaller companies, they are usually cheaper, kinder, and put their money back into the communities. I am so happy that race local came around so that I can learn about all these cool races in my back yard.

Also One of the fun things I feel like I do not always get the chance to do is the fun lap, my last lap, I was hurt, and most of my friends were tired from the extra laps that they did. So we all went kind of slow, mostly walking, and playing on the obstacle. The great company, from at least 6 of my friends, really put the smile on all of our faces, as we played on the obstacles, and really brought back that social aspect to these races. This was absolutely a highlight of the day, I have said this before, and will say it again. Friends help make the miles pass by quickly. And any race (or time spent regardless as to how) with my fellow new englnd spahtens, makes for a wonderful experience. 

To check out their web cite click here

So until next time
Keep training
Stephen

Zombie Charge Review

Soapy Slip and Slide finish

Zombie Charge in Ct, is one of those fun ocrs that you get to run, wile being chased by zombies! what is not to love about that? you still get obstacles, and the zombies go after flags on a belt that you are given, (like flag football) The big draw (as you would expect) is the zombies, you can play a zombie, i think it costs around 30ish (i did not pay attention, I prefer to run!) And the make up looked great, and the people really got into character, and made it hard to keep your flags! So as a part of Race local I did 5 laps (gunning for top milage) and each time the zombies had moved slightly, which is nice. They had several ambush areas, making it impossible to keep your flags for the end. I just barely kept a flag for the 3rd lap, and got better as the day went on. It had nothing to do with the fact that they had been out all day, nothing (kidding, i got lucky). They had typical walls (6ft, and an 8 ft) solid, slatted, Traverse (or some people treated as an over wall, a bit confusing, and if it was a traverse wall the support frame was in the way, if it was an over wall it needed to be clearer). The obstacles were not all that challenging

In case you can't tell, it is a rope, then cargo net

I could go into the obstacles more, but it is the typical stuff. You could buy more flags for a dollar a pop, and they had 2 places on course that you could get another flag.The first was in a fenced in area with 2 zombies, then the other was given out of you could do a rope climb. But then they had zombies waiting to ambush you for your new flag. By far the best zombies were just after the rope climb, It was a Santa (who was a very quiet runner) and a clown, that often hid behind a very small, very see though branch, very funny. Oh and he had a horn, it was great, those two, and the rest of them were great, very into the character. when i ran out of flags (most of the laps before 2 miles, probably one before mile 1 marker) most zombies just let you pass, all you had to say was I am dead, or no flags. At that point most of them left you alone, a few broke character, just wanting to grab some flags as the day went on. But there were a few that followed you and snarled all along you. They were not allowed to shove or touch, just to go after your flag. So keep that in mind, you will have your but grabbed because that is were your flag will be, but it really isn't a problem, just a heads up. The last obstacle was a slip and slide (pictured above)

So the parking was on site, typical 10 bucks, and real close to the festival area. The end of the parking lot had a great view of the course

These hills were filled with zombies

This race has a cool finishers shirt, a buff, and cool medal for swag, they had food and beer on site, but I spent the day running the course, so I did not see much else. they did not have as detailed story as you get with panic in the dark, but they did set the scene by shooting a zombie at the start line before each wave, which was cool. I think probably 3 water stations, no changing tent, but i have gotten the hang of using a towel, and the typical garden hose to clean off. 

Bottom Line here, this was a blast, I got to run (jog, I have not recovered from Infinitus yet, but I was still able to have a bunch of fun, and completely fall into the gimmick of zombie fun through the race, So the obstacles were average (except the rope to cargo, as pictured above) But the energy that the zombies gave was great, it really made the race, I had so much fun. My friends even hugged the zombies to help others get passed them, it did not go as planned, as sometimes the zombies still grabbed a flag, but that was the fun, and I really can not say enough about how perfect the venue is for this race, whoever scouted it out was amazing, The course looks like it is pulled from a zombie movie. I really loved the vibe of this thing. But It is a gimmick race, if you have a love for zombies have at it, they seem to have no problem getting people to wear make up and lungs, and run after people for about 4 hours. If you are looking for a local version of a spartan or a tough mudder, that is not this, but they are not trying to be that, so just go out and enjoy the day, running from zombies!

Until next time
keep training
Stephen

OCR 101

With the summer quickly approaching, and the popularity of ocr continuing to grow rapidly, here are some things you may want to know. In no particular order here is some advice gathered from all the fun I have had:

Anybody can do one of these, literally anybody. Worried about an obstacle? Don't there is bound to be somebody there that is willing to help, many other racers are nice and will also need help, plus most volunteers are nice, and if you ask are willing to help you over that wall, or pull down that hurc hoist, just ASK!

Worried about price? Don't be, there are almost always discount codes! (except tough mudder). But best practice is to buy them on pre sale, those are always the best price, dis you miss that as well? Then my friend, you should volunteer, race day is good, you get to experience what the race is like before you run, parking is sometimes free, most races have a volunteer wave so you can run with somebody you have been working with. I prefer build days, so race day i can run multiple laps (the second one is often more fun) and if the volunteer spots are full, or no build shifts pop up on the cite, you can always email the company, the worst they do is say no

Cotton is not your friend, if you only want to do one in your life, don't worry about it, it will not kill you. But almost every company out there has water, and mud, and cotton holds onto that moisture and it adds unneeded weight, and discomfort. Plus cotton socks, and prolonged wet feet lead to blisters (you can still get blisters with wool/synthetic/wicking socks, but cotton is the worst), not always, especially if it is a short course, but if it is avoidable I would. (I switched over to wool socks last year, but they are pricey, you can get polyester sport socks that wick moisture that will do just fine) 

A second point about clothes, nothing too loose fitting, or you will get caught under barb wire. And long socks, or some sort of calf coverage is great for dealing with rope climbs, rope burn can get infected, and it is just easier to deal with when it is covered. You can go the compression route, it is not a requirement, that is preference, but if you like it go for it.

Go with a friend, it can help make the day even more fun, or better yet doing a team (I am on the new england spahtens, and it makes races so much more fun with this group)

Unless you are doing a spartan, tough mudder, warrior dash, or some of the other national races, research the company first. This sport is still really new, and they companies are going under and not giving refunds, so do your homework! An easy way to figure out if the smaller companies have a good reputation is to check #racelocal that is the whole reason it was created! And again that is where being a spahten comes in handy!!

Odds are if you are doing a short race, anything under 5 miles you will not need to carry water or food, every race has water, and you really do not need food for that short of a time, regardless of how long it takes you, even the mid range races you should be fine with (under 10 miles, think spartan super range)

SHOES! No big secret here, I just bounce around different trail runners, I am not that knowledgeable there, but any shoe will do the trick, trail runners give you more support, and you will not need those fancy $100 plus shoes, unless you want them. Most of my shoes have been 50 to 75 range, and they do the trick (that doesn't mean I do not want the fancy ones, but my money usually goes tot he races I can not volunteer for, and to gas and motel rooms)

Train right for these things, body weight stuff is great, it is free, and most of these races you are moving your body up, over, under and through things, so get used to it. Also run hills, all of then actually it helps, even if you only walk up then in races, I usually do that, and then make up my time running down hill pretty fast. But every race has several hills, you mine as well get ready for them

Looking for easier races, that are also fun? And less dirty? Stadium races are super fun, usually over priced, but you get a great nostalgic value running through fenway park (or any other stadium). They are shorter, and most do not have mud. 

Be aware that you will be faster than some, and slower than others, so when you are on a trail that is narrow and you approach somebody slower than you just say on your left, and be polite and either say on your left (or right if you pass on the right) or step aside when others pass you


Bottom line, this is a new sport, and it is all about fun, challenging yourself, finding new limits, and being social with new people. You may be surprised at how easily it can be to make friends on the race course! It is easy to fall in love (I know I was hooked after my first one) and it is a great way to stay in shape, by making it fun. A vast majority of the people that you will encounter at these races will be highly positive, and just an all around great group of people, so embrace it, have fun, get muddy, and feel that sence of accomplishment when you cross the finish line, and make it fun!

So until next time
Keep training
Stephen

#whyIrace

So recently spartan race has asked the question why do you race. This is an interesting question, with a long answer. I first started racing to see what I had in me. I had just started getting back into shape, now I wasn't fat, just a few extra pounds, but it had been a wile since i was in shape, and I wanted to change it. Then I started working out with a friend, and shortly after i heard about the race in amesbury ma, back in 2013. So in 2012 the price was too high, and I spent the next year prepping myself for a bran new experience, i went in knowing nothing about what I would face, and it was fun. Shortly after that first race, i found my racing team, the New England Spahtens, and now I do it to improve my times, and hang out with so many friends that I met along the way. So on top of running all the laps with carious friends, or on my own, i never have to run alone if i do not want to. And running with friends is an absolutely wonderful experience. So on top of learning new tricks on course, making new and lasting friendships, I discovered how awesome the local ocr scene is. New England is home to races all year long, and you can race almost every weekend. You have some winter ones that are such fun like blizzard blast, or challenging like polar beat challenge. The spring you can race every weekend, i just did 3 months of races every weekend, and all within 2 hours (or so) of my house. So now after almost 2 years of racing I do it to push my limits, making each race longer and longer, and race local has been a big part of that, challenging me to out down as many miles as i possibly can each week, and with a big grin on my face as i find my new strength. So i guess i race for a whole lot of reasons, but basically now it is my escape from life, it is my therapy, it is my joy, it is the most fun I have all week!

Now as I write this I think a out my most ultra, it is an 88k in vt, I have no idea what I am doing, but luckily (or not, depends how you define the word) those friends of mine that I was talking about help me along my way, as I transition my focus each race, i have plenty of friends that do ultras that help me out win a smile on their face.   So a simple question with an answer full of over sharing but hey its my story and I hope you enjoyed it

Infinitus 88k DNF Recap

Pre race

Post 30

So this past weekend I had my second shot at an ultra (the story of my first ultra here), it is called Infinitus, from the awesome people at Endurance Society. There were many options to run in this race. You could choose from an: 8k, 88k, 888k, 48hr, and 72 hr events. The 88k i think had about 10 days to complete it (and somebody actually did), the 88k had 24hrs, the 48hr had to complete 100 miles and you get a belt buckle, 72hr needs 150 miles or the buckle. There were 3 courses on the race, all centered around a figure 8 course. The figure 8 was a 10 mile loop, and a 16 mile loop closely connected, and centered around Blueberry Hill Ski Center (in Goshen, VT) where everything was set up from, it is where you had your drop box, bathrooms, tents, parking, and a grill set up for the after party. They also had water, and plenty of food at the base. This place was incredible, such a fun day. So for the 8k there was a shorter course, obviously, but I do not know much about that course as I did (or tried to do) the 88k.

 The 8 and 88k started with a bang, literally

The 88k course started with a 30 mile "run" through the mountains, starting on the catamount trail for a bit, and then to blood route and back to the inn. there were about 4 aid stops (2 you saw twice, one of which was only water), which were well placed through the course. From the Ski center it was 10 miles to the infamous bloodroot, then 10 miles in a loop, then back the 10 miles you ran there.

 There was one point early on were the whole field of runners got lost, just before the first first aid station, so there was about 50 of us, but we found our way back, it wasn't too bad, maybe about1/2 a mile. Luckily that was the only main course marking problem, and Andy was on trail, checking in on us, and he asked us at several times where we got lost, and he even went back and marked the course some more, he really is awesome, and a great reason to do any of the races that the Endurance Society puts on. Also seeing how some of those runners were going fast up the mountain, and then even faster down, was crazy! I was very jealous, my quads would not have lasted for too long if I tried to do that!

Then  once back at the Ski center, you o to the 10 mile loop, and then a 16 mile loop. Now around mile 15 or so, I felt hot spots on the balls of my feet. Then over the next 5/10 miles, with all the unavoidable mud and water on course, it turned into giant blisters. and on the last bit of road (about a 1.5 miles from the lodge to the trail) as I was hobbling back, one of them popped, yeah, that didn't feel good at all. But I new when I felt them miles before, as they grew in size that I would DNF (did not finish) this race, all I could think about was getting back to the Inn and getting my feet fixed! One of the many reasons I love ultra runners! They are the nicest bunch, and there were many conversations about how bad our feet were, and I got help from people that I had just met that race. Such support, and from some of the amazing people that were doing the 888k, and were hurting as it was. Runners continue to be some of the best people on the planet. I have noticed that the longer/harder the race the nicer they are. Road runners, trail runner, ocr, and then ultra runners, they just get increasingly kinda, and cooler attitudes and outlooks on life. It was pretty cool to be talking with some of them, and the way that everybody was talking about 100 mile races that they do on a regular basis was awesome.

Post 30 semi muddy miles later

And Something that was brought to my attention recently, there was a blogger out there that put out an entire post basically slamming anybody that has a DNF on record because he has never done that, and that he is some badass tri athlete according to his post. Now i only read part of it (it was long, and condescending) and i am no wimp, and truly believe that it is a part of our duties as humans to build people up! I personally love that i get the chance through racing and workouts to help people improve there self image, because it can be a hard thing to get, and harder to keep. I personally think that you can learn a whole lot from a DNF, I have now "Failed" 2 races, the first was hard to swallow at first, but with support from friends, I took it as a learning experience, and went into my second ultra with more prep, and more knowledge. Thanks to PLENTY of very kind friends, sharing the wisdom that I desperately needed for the race, and which also helped tremendously calm my nerves about the race! and even though I did not finish, and my feet were sore from giant blisters

a whole bunch of amazing athletes

So What I would love for you to take from this experience is this, you should always try to find some ways to get out of your comfort zone, regardless of what it is, an ultra, lifting heavier, whatever, just something scarier, it helps you grow as a person. And yes, being on a 30 mile loop was out of my comfort zone, largely because I wanted to do it fast, (I have a large history of hiking) as well as the other miles i had hoped for. But I did get a new distance record, probably just over 30, hiked mostly, ran maybe 1/4 and in about 10 hrs. For the record, i got a ride for about 1/2 mile from the Inn, in perfect timing, right when my blister had popped, thank god, it got way more painful then, and my hobbling got incredibly worse. But help came pretty quick, I got help from a new friend, in the form of epsom salt bath, and foot car, wile another friend shared her roasted chicken, to say I was in heaven is an understatement, going from pain, to relaxing, and back to chatting with my other friends. Then more foot care from a talented athlete, and just enjoyed the company in the lodge, wile the rain came down hard, and it got packed. So keep learning from each experience, and ignore all the negatives, running is a great way to do that, and the longer you run the more fun, with the right people, it makes a world of difference, as the miles pass you by, you can easily louse track of how many you have gone, it is by far one of the best things about running in my opinion.

So until next time
Keep pushing your limits
Stephen