Summer Racing

I have never ran more than two ultramarathons in a year (not counting training runs). This year I did three in the span of three months.

Kettle Moraine 100 Mile

On June 4th, 2011 I ran my first 100 miler at the Kettle Moraine 100 . The Kettle 100 is completely on trails with about 8800 feet of elevation gain and loss. That day eclipsed 90 degrees and at 77 miles into the race I spent 3 hours getting sick followed by a 23 mile walk into the finish with a time of 26 hours and 13 minutes.

On June 4th, 2016 I started the same race. This time around I had a lot more experience and my training this year has been great so my expectations were that I could get close to 20 hours with a great race or at a minimum a sub 24 hour finish if things did not go too smooth.

For training this year I stuck once again to running three days a week. Two runs very early in the morning on weekdays of 5-8 miles and then one long run on the weekend. My long run was a marathon or longer for nine consecutive weeks until I went shorter the week before the race. Additionally I half way did my low carb high fat diet throughout my training until I committed 100% to it for the last three weeks.

I have told people that the biggest thing I have learned so far in ultras is managing the high and lows of an ultramarathon since they are inevitable, especially in a race of 100 miles. So I will use a visual to describe this race.

My mental and physical state subjectively plotted on a scale of 1-10 with miles as the series.

At 81 miles I was in fifth place and closing in on fourth place. I finished 32nd after averaging over 26 minutes per mile including breaks over the last 19 miles. My final time was 23 hours and 47 minutes. In hindsight I may have been able to keep pushing, but I did not know what was happening to my body so I decided to shut it down. Racing in temperatures more than 20 degrees hotter than my hottest training run did me in once again. I chalked it up as a learning experience. The doctor guessed that my bladder was so empty that the walls were chafing against each other, I don't recommend that experience.

Dances with Dirt Devil's Lake 50k

My next race I was registered for was the Marquette 50 100k race in August. As I planned my training runs I realized I planned a marathon up at Devil's Lake on July 10th during the Dances with Dirt Devil's Lake race that starts at 5:30 AM. Since it is 45 minutes from my front door the convenience factor was too great to resist so I signed up for the 50k.

During the Kettle Moraine 100 I ran with someone (his name was Jeff) who was running primarily on a sports drink named Tailwind that is supposed to be very easy on the gut. I decided to go ahead and give it a try. It does taste good and I used it for my 50k. It was my third time doing this race and I finished 19 minutes faster than my previous best time and fourth place overall. Most importantly, I ran a good race with consistent effort feeling exhausted at the finish without falling apart towards the end. This is what I needed after the rough finish at Kettle. Nutrition worked well with only Tailwind, but honestly most things work in a 50k for me.

Marquette 50 100k

The Marquette 50 course is the toughest in regards to terrain (footing, not elevation change) that I have ever raced. I knew that going in thanks to some great GoPro YouTube videos out there of the race. My friends Alex and Scott were racing in the 50k so I was excited to see them while getting to race a new course.

The 100k is unique in that it starts at 12:30 AM. It is nice that I could finish closer to the 50k racers that start 5 hours later and for my wonderful family that could sleep through the first half of my race and then still come support me, but it does limit the amount of sleep one can get before the start. I managed to get almost 3 hours of sleep, woke up at 10:45 pm, and had a taxi drop of off in the middle of the woods just before midnight. The cab driver admitted it was not his average job.

For the first 5-6 hours there was a light drizzle here and there, but it was relatively dry as we completed the easier part of the course (relative to the four peaks later). I ran most of the first 22 miles with Matt and then found myself in the front while leaving to start the first of two "big loops" that are 20 miles each and contain four of what I like to call "Michigan Mountains". The first couple in the dark were interesting to navigate, but at least it was dry. Then it started to pour down rain as I approached the peaks known as Top of the World and Hogsback. Hogsback already has sections where you have to use your hands to climb up and in the downpour it gets a bit hazardous so there is no running on these sections. After making it down Hogsback in the rain I was done with my first big loop a couple of miles later and headed out for a second loop in the opposite direction. At this point I saw I had a three mile lead. I had to once again make it cautiously back over the rock covered peaks on the way back, but with tired legs I found myself falling and bloodied several times. When I reached a flat stretch along Lake Superior my legs still felt good and I found myself running 8:30 miles. I once again took my time over the last two peaks and finished with a time of 11:04 in first place overall.

Picture with the race director after the finish.

This is probably the smoothest any ultra has ever gone for me. The only thing I consumed during the race was about 1300 calories of Tailwind and I felt energized and had no stomach issues.My legs were feeling it a bit the last four miles, but I was not at all in a position where I fell apart towards the end. This race leaves me curious as to how far I can go on only this sports drink, I may need to sign up for another long race to test it out...

Since this was only the second year of the 100k at this race and I finished faster than last year's winner I now own a course record! I will say it is the first time I have owned a course record since I don't count an inaugural race when it gets broken the second year.

I need to mention a big thank you to Kendra, Carson, and Kinley for hanging out in the rain and tracking me down to see me a few times during this race despite the conditions. Even when things are going well it is awesome rolling into an aid station and having your family there.

What is Next?

Now that I seem to be recovering well (five days post-race) it is time to start signing up for more races! I will likely do one fall 50k or 50 mile close to home, there are a handful within a couple hours. The next big goal to work towards is a 24 hour race in Febraury... IN LAS VEGAS! It will be slightly different than my training for Tuscobia last winter, but I am excited to try another 24 hour race.