Staff Adventures

Staff Adventures

This webpage is dedicated to reporting by the Fleet Feet Staff on their athletic ventures

Going to a Dark Place by Boots

 

Running Through The Fog

 At the Bel Monte Endurance Run

March 28, 2009 - By Kim Rapp

It was with great anticipation and excitement that I left Rochester, NY to head to the Shenandoah Mountains in Virginia. I was looking forward to my first ultra challenge of 2009. The Bel Monte 50k would be great training for the Mohican 100 that I am running in June.

The race takes place in the George Washington National Forest at Sherando Lake Recreation Area in Waynesboro. It is truly a magnificent setting. The weekend weather brought us mist, light rain, humidity and a “mystical” fog (as described by the race directors). Runners would miss out this year on the stunning views but the ambience was peaceful with the mountain shrouded in fog.

My husband Chris and I checked out the race start the day before…it was obvious that I was in for a treat. It was going to be a tough course. Technical trails, climbs, descents, rocks. I started getting nervous.

We headed back to my father-in-laws house (conveniently only 20 minutes from the start!). I mentally made a list of what I needed to do the next day:

1. Practice walking fast (this is a true skill that comes in handy in ultras, especially 100’s. Some people are great at it…I’m not).
2. Test out my new Ultimate Direction Wink hydration pack. I’ve used it in training but this would give me an opportunity to practice filling it at aid stations, etc.
3. Keep evil thoughts at bay. Remain positive.
4. Remember, there is a 9-hour time limit. Be patient. You have plenty of time!

Pre-race briefing at 6:15 am. My worries about trail markings for 3 different events (25k, 50k and 50 mile) put to rest. We all started at the same time! 336 runners split between 3 events. We hit the single track early on and came to a standstill! Awesome pace! In the past this would have bothered me. Not the new me, I stayed relaxed, I knew I had hours ahead of me and there was no rush. It wasn’t long before we were all running into the woods. I must admit that I took a nice spill within the first twenty minutes…how embarrassing! I’m fine! Thankfully, that was the only fall.

The day turned out to be spectacular for me. My husband, always a very supportive crew, planned to be at the 13.1-mile aid station. He would have bottles to refill my pack, dry clothes, and lots of things that I packed that I never need….THREE HOURS it takes me to get to that aid station! No worries! I tell Chris don’t rush to get to the finish! I added 20 ounces to my pack and went on my way.
For the first time in quite a while that I can remember, I had some hydration issues shortly after that aid station. My hands were puffy, stomach queasy and I was light –headed. I think I just didn’t drink enough. Here I am carrying all this fluid (I usually just carry 1 -20 ounce bottle) and I’m not drinking enough! After a few miles and before the next aid station I felt much better. I did lose some time, however on that stretch.

There was a long climb before the aid station at 23 miles. We were being encouraged with cowbells. One spectator yelled out to me, “Was your hair that color before you started the race?” I do stick out with this mass of white hair! At the aid station I added some water to my pack, and skeddaled on out of there. Folks were catching up to me on that incline…climbs are not my strength…I kept moving and ran just about the last 8 miles solo. One runner I caught up to remarked that there were more rocks here than in the Rocky Mountains! Yes, indeed, but I have already witnessed this phenomenon at the Massanutten Mountain 100 so I could bear it just fine. After all, I only had a 50k to complete, not 100 miles!

I was very glad that I chose to run the 50 k and not the 50 miler. Many runners would not be able to make the cut-offs. Some day I will return to tackle the 50 miler. I highly recommend this event, especially to those who love technical trails. What’s great about this course is that you climb, but there are fantastic downs that you can have fun with. The course was very well marked. Runners and volunteers were splendidly nice. I was so pleasantly surprised to have a good showing with an age group win!

So what did I take away with me from this foggy run in Virginia?

1. Continue to practice walking fast. Downhills continue to be my strength.
2. It pays to embrace the day and all it has to offer. If something goes wrong (dehydration)- remain calm and do what you can to fix it.
3. I can only carry 40 ounces comfortably in my pack. But make sure you drink!
4. Ultra running continues to amaze me.

I’m also thankful for the support that my family continues to give me. Even if my sixteen year old son, Colin, asked me, “does 30 miles even count as an ultra?” Even if my husband and crew extraordinaire, tells me, “I took 88 pictures race day but only 4 are of you!” And my daughters both made an interesting observation. After the race my ten-year-old daughter, Chloe, told me that I looked great. I thanked her and asked her what she was talking about. “You’re not crying like you usually do after you race”. When we got home the next day I talked with my daughter, Quinn, who is at college. She remarked, “You sound happier than you usually do after a race…you’re not crying!” That is something for me to ponder as I head on out to the next ultra adventure.

Kimberly Rapp
ultra runner

 

Mohican 100 by Kim Rapp

 
First, I am fortunate that I did not get lost on this course. I happened to just be lucky that I was around other runners who knew the way when there were no course markings. I can understand why so many runners are frustrated. A simple pie plate at intersections directing you is all that was needed. During the night I had to stop a few times and wait for runners to catch up to me to make sure I was headed in the right direction. It seemed most runners had a pacer, I did not.

The results are not posted yet but I believe I was 32nd out of 145-150 starters and 5th woman. Two of those women are veterans! My time was slower than I would have liked: 27:17 (not exactly sure about the minutes). I'm probably the only ultra runner whose first 100 is their fastest (25:05 is my PR).

My biggest obstacle for the day was the heat and humidity. Within 20 minutes of the start I was drenched in sweat. I have the chafing to prove it, too! For this race I packed everything.. .I even had gloves and a hat... I read about 50 degree temp changes that can happen during the night...not this year! After the race my top was covered in salt, I had salt crystals all around my neck...

The course is quite pretty. I was surprised by that. I even had the sensation that I had run those trails before...maybe parts reminded me a little bit of Highland Forest. It's hilly but nothing major. Very runnable as Ryan had informed me. But again, humidity can take a toll. At one point I stopped in the middle of a hill, with my hands on my hips just contemplating my next steps up ...two runners came by and offered encouragement: keep moving, small steps...perpetual forward motion. I had some bouts of nausea but took care of it with crystallized ginger...it really works.

I had some hallucinations before nightfall and again after the race at my hotel. I did a pretty good job staying hydrated but when so much is leaving the body it's tough. Who needs drugs? Just run a 100!

Once evening approached, cooler temps, I felt more like myself. I seemed to be the only runner without a pacer. Guess what they have lots of in Ohio? Fireflies! Sometimes I wasn't sure if I was seeing a headlamp in the distance or if it was a firefly. Lots of stars, too. Really beautiful.

I managed to pass quite a few runners in the dark. I really like the night running. Has anyone seen the movie Deliverance? Well, I'm pretty sure this had nothing to do with hallucinating, but someone was playing a banjo...must have been from a campsite. What is odd is that my husband mentioned this movie before the race as a joke. He told me that his stomach hurt more this race than any other with being worried about me during the night. An aid station volunteer asked him if I was running alone..just adding to his worry!

I tried to run smart. I wanted to break 25 hours. I walked more in the first half than I usually do to conserve but it didn't pay off. I had hoped that once I got to the last 10 miles of road that I'd be able to run and make up some time. My quads were too sore. The downhills especially hurt so I mostly power walked...that' s a long 10 miles.

I didn't change my shoes or socks...my feet become one with the shoe! Yes, I have some blisters but they will heal. The river and stream crossings were a nice touch. The day would not have been complete without a snake sighting...a nice black one on the trail... and my first skunk sighting during an ultra.

Something new I tried this time was having my husband provide cold iced tea at handler stations. I even put some in a hand held bottle to drink along the way at one point. It was refreshing.

For runners with kids, the Mohican State Forest could be a nice vacation spot...canoe and rafting along the river, camping, etc. It was a torture to glance at the rafters floating down the river as we ran alongside them!

I ran the best I could this weekend. I'm happy.

Kimberly Rapp
Macedon, NY

"Going to a Dark Place" (Le Templiers in France - October 2007 by Boots)

I may very well be the dumbest person you’ll get to meet. Why do I say that? Well Ellen and I just got back from France where I ran a 66 kilometer trail run with 11,000+ feet of climbing. Now ultras are not dumb but running one on no training certainly is. I think I have run 12 times this year due to work and too many injuries. But I said I was doing it so I had to toe the line. In my racing past I’ve had to go to what I call a dark place many times. It is that spot where you either quit or finish. It’s going to hurt and you’ll have to use your mind way more then anything else because your body will abandon you. On the plus side you do learn a lot in a dark place. Here’s the story.

The first 35k running with Fleet Feet’s very own K-Robb and his wife wasn’t too bad. I thought to myself that since they had trained a ton maybe they did enough to cover my lack of training. I was wrong. I came into the aid station and met Ellen and the rest of our crew and said I’m done. I figured stop before I do too much damage. Then they tell me it is a 3 mile walk to the car, so I decide to run the 10k to the next aid station. This leg was 5k straight up and then 5k straight down. The 5k up is when things started to get dark, not outside but inside me. This didn’t feel good and my body did not wish to keep doing it. I would have to use my head to get me to the next aid station as I had just told my ride to leave. Well I made it to the top and the descent begins. I chose the mantra “Gravite et Gratus” Which apparently is made up French for Gravity is free ‘because that is all I was thinking. I hammered the downhill having a blast jumping over all sorts of stuff and flying by the poor saps that planned to run further then the next aid station. Not me I thought I’m done.

Well I get to the next station at 45k and pound some sweets and soup and of course more nectur of the gods, carbonated water with high fructose corn syrup and artificial colors, Coke. I hung out for a bit and then stupidly ask to see the map. I ask how bad does the next section look and it really didn’t appear that bad so I announce that I am dumber then they all thought and head out. Again tons of up hill and the legs immediately announce that they do not wish to go up hill any longer. Lots of bad thoughts are in my head now but I have no choice but to continue. You can’t just drop out in the middle of a leg as we were running in the middle of the Mountains with very few towns around. I get to the first ropes section and the field comes to a stop. There goes my free gravity. Once we finally get moving after the ropes I go back to hammering the down as I used my anger of the 30 minute delay as fuel.

So a mantra saved me once and now anger did. I doubt I’ll get lucky a third time.

I arrive at the 55k aid station and have no choice but to go on. I’m only 11 k from the finish. I grab some quick sweets and coke and get moving. I felt really pretty good. The map didn’t look too severe and it started out on an easy trail with very little up. I’m finally running on something other then rocks and the trail is wide. Then it all goes to crap. Straight up and rocky with a ledge on one side. I’m done. I’m moving on fumes. The tank is empty. The good news is I must not have much more to go as I left the aid station 1.5 hours earlier. I’m pushing on my legs to make them go up hill just to try and get moving. I find a race official on the course and ask fini kilometer. His answer was 7. How did 4 k just take me 90 minutes? I go around the bend in the trail and sit down. My mind is fried. This may be the darkest moment in my racing career. If it took 90 minutes to go 4k and I have 7k to go I’ve got a real long ways to go. All I want to do is sit here and wait. Wait for what I don’t know, maybe I’ll feel better, maybe I’ll just sleep out here tonight, I don’t know but I did know that I didn’t want to keep going. I think that I used to be half way decent at this stuff and now I can’t move. I kick myself for not training, for putting fitness on the backburner for 3 years after 20+ years of it being my sole focus. I sit there sucking on what little water I have left watching others trudge by. They try to encourage me to come with them and finally I do but this is going to hurt. My body isn’t working and now my mind is smoked. All I can do is stare at the pair of calves in front of me and try to stick with them. We climb for what feels like an hour or more and finally hit the top, with 3.9 k to go. At least no more climbing. Just some flat and then a technical descent with ropes down to the finish. I’m still in a pain induced dark place but I’ll make it to the end. I finish with a “full Doyle salute” (it’s a FF Roc thing) get changed and head home.

So what did I learn in this dark place. One I gotta train for these things. Two your mind can get you out of a really tight spot if you just use it. Three and most important for me I learned I gotta train for these things. I used to train 20+ hours a week as a pro duathlete and I don’t like not being in shape. Being out of shape has made me a person that I didn’t use to be. Not only do I have 30 extra pounds but I am a different person. I get tired easy, I’m more tense, and my fuse is shorter. These are all bad things and I need to get back out on the roads and trails just enjoying being in shape so I can be the person I used to be. My family deserves that, my wife certainly does and so do my employee’s, teammates and customers.

So don’t be afraid to push yourself into a dark place by taking on a new challenge. Sign up for that triathlon, even though you can’t swim yet, or find an ultra to do, or heck, decide to walk an extra mile on your loop tonight. The challenge is individual to each of us and one is not tougher then another as it will be a big leap no matter what you choose to do or you current level of fitness. You might be surprised at what you find. At least learn from me and train for it though.

I’ll see you out there, it might be on the trails or the roads, on a bike or running, snowshoeing or just hiking with the dog, but you will see me out there.

Boots