Redemption at Arkansas Traveler 100

(So it’s been nearly two months since this race, I figure it’s about time I get this report posted!)

“Remember, finishing is winning.” – Chrissy Ferguson, AT 100 Co-Race Director

I clearly wasn’t a winner in 2010 when back spasms forced me to DNF (Did Not Finish) at mile 73 of the Arkansas Traveler 100-mile run. After surviving the nightmarish ride back to the finish line in the box of the pickup truck where I laid with a couple of other runners who had suffered the same fate as me, I promised myself I would return to the Ouachita National Forest in 2011 to take care of unfinished business.

Last year during the pre-race briefing, co-RD Chrissy Ferguson shared a story about the time she dropped out at Leadville 100. She kept her race bib on her fridge as a daily reminder of her failed attempt at completing the race. Chrissy returned to Colorado the following year to successfully reach the finish line.  That same year she also eventually completed the Grand Slam of ultra running. Remarkably, her husband Stan Ferguson, also completed the Slam and the couple became the first husband and wife duo to accomplish the feat in the same year. Their story was featured in the July-August 2010 issue of Marathon & Beyond.

(Note: The Grand Slam consists of officially finishing the following four 100-milers in the same year: Western States, Vermont, Leadville, and Wasatch. The races take place in a span of just under 4 months.)

So following Chrissy’s lead, I pinned my 2010 DNF Arkansas Traveler race bib on the cork board in my office and was forced to reflect about the race practically every day over the course of the next 12 months.

Minutes before the start of the race all the runners gathered for the final instructions where Chrissy proclaimed: “If you have any questions…too bad, it’s too late”!  And the starters pistol set us off on our journey.  The first aid station is at Brown’s Creek just past the 5-mile mark. I remembered this place from last year because of it served bacon. I planned ahead and had an extra Ziploc baggie on me in order to load it up with a few extra strips and eat later on. You can never, ever have too much bacon!

At the Flatside Pinnacle aid station near the 9-mile mark, I caught up to my friend Monica Scholz who invited me to join her. For the next 7 miles the course follows the Ouachita Trail, the only single track trail on the Arkansas Traveler course. Most of the course is run on gravel and old jeep or ATV roads. Monica suggested that we take it exceptionally slow on this trail section. She felt it was the “prettiest” section of the race and said far too many people don’t enjoy it enough and go too fast this early in the race. Dozens of runners passed us easily but Monica believed that we would catch them later in the race. Who was I to argue? This was after all Monica’s 113th race of 100-miles (or longer) and her 9th go-round here in Arkansas.

We chatted and chatted, zipped in and out of the aid stations and put miles and time behind us. In fact, the first time I remember even looking at my watch we were already nearly 6 hours into the race. Every year over 200 hundred volunteers help make the Arkansas Traveler a memorable experience. Many of the aid stations even have themes, complete with decorations and costumes. At 39 miles, this year the Club Flamingo aid station was transformed into a replica of a M.A.S.H. set. Many volunteers were wearing army fatigues and there was even the ugliest (and hairiest) Major Margaret “Hot Lips” Houlihan I’ve ever seen. Clad in a tight white nurse’s dress and wearing red lipstick was none other than aid station captain Paul “PT” Turner. This guy is hilarious and it is the second year in a row I see him in a dress. This disturbing image only further encouraged us be in and out of that station quickly.

Smith Mountain at 43 miles was a 70’s party and you could hear the music blaring from far away and there was a luau and invitations to get “leied” by volunteers in grass skirts at B.M. Road three miles later. Before we knew it, we had reached Powerline (48.2 miles) and the first medical weigh in checkpoint. We both had drop bags here so we elected to grab a dry long-sleeve shirt and our flashlights because it would be dark by the time we get back to this point on our return trip. At just under three minutes, this was our longest aid station stop of the entire race. The next time I looked at my watch was at the 50-mile mark. The first half of the race took us 12 hours and 16 minutes. Monica predicted a 26-hour finishing time for us.

I’ve known Monica for nearly ten years, joined her and others at countless “fun runs” she has hosted with Phil, captained an aid station with her father Dieter at the Sulphur Springs many times, yet these hours together on the AT100 course allowed me to get to know her even better. Not only is Monica a remarkable runner, she is a fascinating person in many aspects and has accomplished many other incredible athletic feats from cycling to scuba diving to sailing. On top of it all, she has many interesting courtroom stories as she is an accomplished lawyer. Monica, you should really write a book!

About an hour after the turnaround we finally crossed Phil. On very little training, Phil was attempting to finish his 5th AT100. In 2010 Phil completed seven 100-milers and crewed/paced Monica at several others. He is one tough dude! The miles kept passing by and the thought of not finishing never once occurred to me. I once heard an ultra runner say: “the key to running a 100-miler is not to let the highs get too high, nor the lows get too low”. We kept an even keel and plugged along. I especially did not want to spend much time at Smith Mountain at mile 73. This was where my race ended last year and the U-Haul trailer which I had lied down in was once again parked there.

We got to see a second sunrise (I’ve never finished a 100-miler in the dark yet!) and shortly after that Monica picked up the pace quite a bit. She wanted to finish in enough time to allow her to drive back to her hotel room, take a shower and return to see Phil finish. My swollen and blistered feet couldn’t keep up and Monica faded out of view. As much as I enjoyed Monica’s company for all those miles, I also enjoyed my time alone. It allowed me to reflect on the magnitude of this Monumental Effort. These events really force you to dig deep both mentally and physically. Monica helped keep the mood pleasant and the feet moving. Not a single runner passed us from the turn-around at mile 58 to the finish, yet we managed to leapfrog a few, including one poor guy who sat motionless in the middle of the road for nearly three hours with less than a mile to go as his crew and pacers waited patiently for him to find the strength to get up and slowly saunter to the finish.  He eventually got there to much applause!

I had not completed a 100-miler in over two years and I was starting to wonder whether I would ever be successful at running this distance again. As I ran as hard as I possibly could down one last hill and up another one along the final mile, I was filled with joy and relief. I hollered a few (very loud) “whoo-hooos”, along with many fist pumps as I crossed the finish line. Awaiting the runners and offering handshakes, hugs and congratulations were Chrissy and Stan. I can honestly say that I had never felt happier upon completing a race before.

During the entire run I carried with me the DNF bib from 2010. At the awards presentation I gave it to Chrissy as she handed me my finisher’s buckle. I told her I never wanted to see that bib again and she promptly destroyed it. With my confidence in running 100-milers restored, this week I submitted my application to the Western States Endurance Run lottery. The draw will be held on December 10th. Fingers are crossed!

Gotta run,

Vince

(Photos in this post are from: www.endurance buzz.com…check out this excellent site)

My future events: JFK 50-miler, November 19th; Honolulu Marathon, December 11th.

Tagged as: 100-Miler, monumentalefforts, Places, racereports, trail running, ultrarunning