A slow and painful race for me.
- Aidstation sheet (Full service with tailwind) ((aid stations were TOP NOTCH))
- Race website
- Ultrasignup
Thank you
To Corie, Champy, Pete, Mara, James, Michelle, Sergio, and all the runners, aid stations, volunteers, and the RD’s
The aid stations were seriously awesome and this says something, especially from a plant-based person who doesn’t usually go the aid station route.
After Action Report
What went well:
- Run / walk about 4 min / 2 min good strategy
- Nutrition and intake
- Crew was super on point – Corie stayed at start finish (Manidokan) (miles: 0, 39, 69, 100)
- Aidstations and volunteers were the best I’ve ever experienced.
- Gear was spot on, a patagonia H2NO jacket, along with a poncho put in work and kept my pretty dry and warm throughout some cold and heavy rain spots.
What didn’t:
- Shin issues
What would I do differently?
- The race went as good as it could have gone given the situation, not much I would’ve done differently – maybe have given myself more rest after Swammie 200 in february
- I need to figure out this shin issue. It’s so painful and happened my last 3 races (November, February, April) Going to do a set amount of no running to get this shin healed up (12 weeks min – through July)
- Slowly get back into running and slowly build up mileage.
- This year 2024 is about recovery so that I can come back strong next year 2025
- Try hop test and see if there is pain
The weeks leading up to the race
I ran Swammie Shuffle 200 towards the end of february and had major shin issues that caused a slow and painful finish. C and O canal was at the end of april so this left me about 2 months to recover and train.
Reflecting back, I think I did not recover as hard as I should have and got back into running a little too soon.
The reason I ran this race was because I randomly had off from work that weekend, so I signed up with 2 weeks notice. This is a pretty local race (3 hour drive) and I knew a handful of people running it. Plus, it was coach Pete’s 500th mile at the C and O canal.
Did I have to run it? Could I have just gone and shown support? These are some thoughts that have been coming into my mind.
But leading up into the race I felt so good, I thought I might be able to get a 100 mile PR and a sub 24 hour finish… that plan went out the window around mile 60.
Race day
We got to the start / finish the day before the race, Pete rented a cabin along the course and let us crash while we were there. We got the room set up, along with my pack and anything else I might need throughout the race (food, cooler, gear)
A great night’s sleep followed. We woke up at 5 am, and made our way to the starting line around 6:30. We checked in, shot the shit with friends, fueled up and hung around until 7 am start time.
Goal, Strategy, and Tactic
I do this for every race:
Goal: to try and PR my 100 mile time (24 hours) OR if shit hits the fan, just finish
Strategy: 4 minutes running/ 2 minutes walking. Stick with Pete as long as possible (until one of us gets dropped)
Tactic: give my best all the time with a positive attitude
- not too much time at aid stations
- Per hour intake:
- 200 calories
- 750 sodium
- 1L of water
- Gear: usual long run stuff + weather and night time gear + back ups
- Post race clothes
- Crew: stay at start finish (Manidokan) (miles: 0, 39 / est 9 hours, 69 / est 7 hours , 100 est 7 hours )
3,2,1, GO
The course starts off with a (maybe) .25 mile loop to free up some congestion before the single trail descent onto the rail trail. Pete and I fell right into the middle back of the pack to just take it easy, it’s going to be a long day.
The first 20 miles we sat at around an 11:00 minute pace, a little fast but not by much. We ran for about 4 minutes and would walk for a minute.
Then we fell into a 13:00 pace for the next 20 miles
Miles 40 – 60 we were at about 15:00 pace per mile
Shit hit the fan
By mile 60 my left shin went MIA and this was when Pete and I split up – it was a long walk to the finish, with about an average pace of 17:00 miles.
I ended up staying at mile 70, the start and finish area for about 3 hours and took a nice nap to help bring some relief to that shin. This was the lowest point for me throughout the race. Pete also brought his hiking poles and let me rent them from him (we say it like that because I use his poles more then him in these races, plus it sounds funny)
PS: The nap really helps when shit starts to go sideways. It doesn’t fix everything – I tried to drop out after I woke up from that nap, but Corie wasn’t having it – the body did feel alot better once I got moving, although it really was hard to get moving.
“Time out over drop out” is something I always say, but it’s so much harder practicing that in the moment when everything hurts and your SPENT. So many logical reasons why I can’t go on, and Corie (my love/ crew chief) just kept doing her thing and got me back out there.
With this new damage control plan, I had about 45 minutes of time left before the cut offs would knock me out – something that I constantly thought about. I ran these last 30 miles mostly alone, found a rhythm, and just went to work – slowly, but it was something. My last 20 miles sat around 3.5 mph, 6 hours of pretty focused effort.
My shin hurt if I flexed my food, but I could walk pretty pain free. Luckily this course is super flat on the trail, but I’d pay for it at the last climb – having to peg leg it the entire 400 ft ascent.
I crossed the finish line with Corie and Champy in tow, I was hurting.
Immediately got some food and headed down toward the cabin, Corie drove us down because there was no way I was walking the .1 mile to the cabin – it was downhill and my left shin was in a lot of pain already.
Thoughts
This race is dubbed as a beginner friendly course, but no 100 miler is beginner friendly. There’s going to be highs, lows and figuring it out with every 100 miler. This course is simple though, pretty much a few out and backs done three times each.
I’d run this race again, once this shin heals up. I liked how – since it was out and backs – you could see most of the other runners at some point vs one big loop or a point to point style of race, you may never see another runner until the finish.
Congrats to the 120 runners who finished, the most finishers this race has ever seen!
I’ll be back for more!
Joe DiAndrea 