Saturday, June 14, 2014
Canaan Valley, WV
I registered for Highland Sky this year after hearing Jeremy Ramsey sing its praises for over a year, he spoke of its beauty and swore I would love it before I registered but then it seemed he changed gears after my entrance was solidified and discussed the courses varied demands and difficulties. At that point it didn't matter, a large group of us had signed on for whatever the course and day would bring.
Earlier in the year I had thought about making Highland Sky my "A" race but then as I focused more and more energy on the trail marathon coming first in early June I decided it may rather end up a "C" race. When the marathon went even better than I had expected I spent the next two weeks running very little, no long runs just a few higher intensity runs was all. Racing Highland Sky was the furthest thing from my mind yet in retrospect this may have all been for the best.
However, I know what 'training through' a race looks like. At least I know what it looks like for me, Iron Mountain remains the ugliest race I've ever had and I swore I would always have goals when attempting a run that long, whether it's a race or not. When the week of Highland Sky arrived I really tried to focus on a goal or two, I wasn't nervous other than for the fact that I wasn't nervous, that I had no goals set.
Then luckily Jamie Swyers started inquiring as to what I thought I might do, when I told her I had no idea she helped me out, somewhere in our conversation she said something about 7:48 being tenth fastest time at HS for females. Unfortunately, this information wasn't accurate, turns out last year was a pretty fast time for girls. But 7:48 stuck with me, I thought I might try for 7:45.
The night before the race a large group of Blue Ridge Trail Runners stayed in a local cabin together, there were friends pouring from the loft and hanging on the deck. Sometimes I can be wound tight and high strung, a little too controlling and a little less than fun, especially when a race is looming. I vowed for my friends sake, upon arriving at the cabin, and for the preservation of friendships, to just roll with it. I liked the sound of that and decided to make it my mantra for Saturday's race, just roll with whatever the day delivers.
After an evening of preparations and a night of poor sleep we were on our way to the race with just a stop in at the Canaan Valley Resort for coffee and check-in. In the banquet hall I saw Horton. He asked if I was going to beat my 'seed', 106. I told him I was going to try. He remarked that I had been running well as of late and told me to save some to run the last few miles well.
At the start line Tammy Gray and Todd wished us well and we were on our way. The first section was on road and a group of BRTR that included Dennis, Charlie, Sam, Kevin and I ran along together. I was looking for Jamie but she had set off like a rocket down that road. At the first aid station (1.8 miles) I stopped to fill my bottle, having only a 20 oz to see me through the day I vowed to fill it at every possible stop. I had to run a little harder to catch back up with my friends but I was feeling surprisingly good. We caught up with Jamie just before the trail section. Once on trail I kept up at a good clip and with Charlie still in sight I thought I might use him as a rabbit. For a few miles I ran with him in sight, though never able to catch him. Finally in a climb of switchbacks I lost sight of Charlie for the day.
Not long after I lost sight of Charlie the terrain changed. It went from woodland to a somewhat rocky range. There were countless white rocks or varying size, shoe sucking mud and black water puddles. It was hard to find a rhythm, it was hard (for me anyways) to set a good pace. It wasn't terrain that suited my strengths and once of twice I thought I might be off course which caused me to slow further. As the miles ticked away I found myself having less and less fun. I heard a cheery sounding female behind me, I figured it was Jamie.
I came into AS2 (10.5 miles) in 2:05. I wasn't all that happy about that but was surprised when Horton said I was first female. Then out of the woods behind me came Jamie. I wasn't too happy to be first female, not at mile 10. I don't usually win ultras, and never ever from the start. I like to take it out slow and steady and keep it that way. Being first but not feeling like being chased I was in a funk. I drank two cups of water and had my bottle filled. I left running down a gravel road but once we turned on trail again I heard Jamie talking to the man with her, something about us running a lot together back home. We do run a lot together, I thought, why don't you run with her now. She caught up with me and we started chatting and then I fell down. She said she'd already fallen twice but the fall I took just lowered my spirits even more. I let her get in front and I told her I wasn't having a good day. She immediately set about raising me up, she tried to remind me that I am strong and that I would find my race in the miles to come. She was running very strong and was such an uplifting presence I was so thankful for her being there during those next few miles.
She said there was a female right behind us but wouldn't it be nice if we could secure first and second. She sounded confident in our ability to do just that. We talked about other Blue Ridge runners and hoped they were having a good day. When she took to walking up a hill and took a salt pill I ate three more Tums (I had taken three at the start) and a salt pill (my only one for the day). Then we got lost for a quick moment and I was further thankful she was there. We went back to where we had gotten off track and there was a second roped creek crossing. At this point, having gotten lost and feeling Jamie's confidence rubbing off on me I started wanting to push a little. Jamie was running well and setting a good pace.
We came into AS3 together and I drank a cup of water and had my bottle filled. We took off once more hoping to make it to the next AS in 4 hours. There was some climbing though immediately and I began to doubt us. Then a short while later I had to go to the bathroom. I looked for a good spot to go off course but finally decided to just let Jamie pull ahead and then just stop on the trail to pee. With my bladder empty I decided to try and catch back up to Jamie. I started running a little faster than I had been and I slipped on a rock, threw down my water bottle into some thick black sludge and caught myself. With my bottle and hands filthy I got back up for the chase. I didn't think I would catch her before AS4, but I convinced myself if I could, that maybe I could win the race at hand for the day, it was about the only time all day I allowed myself just the littlest cockiness. Smooth, just roll with it.
I caught Jamie just before the road that takes you to AS4, she said we were doing great, that we only had to maintain a 12 minute pace for the second half to break 8 hours. It sounded so manageable (spoiler alert: it sounded way easier than it was!). Coming out to a gravel road we saw Horton and Brenton. Horton was yelling at us before I was even close enough to hear him, he was yelling at us though something about our jaw muscles getting more work than our legs, this was a race, a R-A-C-E, there would only be one winner.
If I have a trigger word, Horton had just used it. I immediately took advantage of the glorious road ahead and the ability to fall into a pace, any pace, and be able to maintain it. It was a longer stretch before the aid station than I expected after seeing Horton but I still made it there just shy of 4 hours. Tammy was cheering for me, Todd and Jordan were there to fill my bottle and had a chair set up at the back of the van that I took advantage of to empty debris from my Hokas.
Grabbing a few more GU and two more Milky Way minis I set off on the 'Road across the Sky', as I left Todd handed me my filled bottle and Horton offered me some golden Oreos. Taking two I was on my way. I looked back once to see Jamie, she was still right behind me. The next seven miles were really pretty great for me. I could set a pace and keep at it, I could let my mind wander. The first half had been a little taxing with all the technical rocks and puddles of unknown depth. I ran but four short stretches along the road, all uphill and in the shade, never for more than a count of 30. At the aid station in the middle I had a piece of watermelon and met a fellow runner who lived in the area, had run the race 10 times I think he said. He warned of the Tundra like terrain of the Dolly Sods, he said they always seemed to get him. I had allowed myself my ipod at AS4 but turned it off when I came across a runner.
Finally, I reached the Dolly Sods. At the aid station before the turn I drank a little Mountain Dew, ate a piece of chex mix and decided I couldn't do anymore. I filled my bottle and asked about the terrain ahead. Then I met a group of hikers and they asked where I was from, I said Virginia and they said I was the first girl they had seen. The first 27 miles had been unique and enjoyable but I absolutely loved the Dolly Sods. They reminded me of Western States a little and also of nothing I have ever run along. If I was encouraged to return to Highland Sky it would be this section, the open ranges, the big white boulders and the blue sky. They were tough, gradual deceiving climbs, more puddles and shoe sucking mud, bright shining mid-afternoon sunshine, but they were also breathtaking. The trail was marked well but being a first timer it was still hard to follow a time or two.
I kept waiting and waiting for the boulder hopping section and was so delighted when it finally arrived. It meant I was allowed to drink my water (I had been preserving it) and that I wasn't too far off of the next aid station. It was harder to follow the path than actually hop the boulders and I was glad when AJW passed me because I could follow him for a moment instead of having to stop every 30 feet to look around and locate the next flag or marker. But as comes as no surprise from a several time top 10 finisher at WS, I could not match his graceful pace, it wasn't long and he was out of sight. He was the only runner in the entire second half to pass me, if it was going to be anyone, it may as well be AJW, a man I admire from afar.
I arrived at AS7 and Aaron S. of the infamous Hellgate description was there. We left the aid station behind AJW and I re-introduced myself to Aaron having met him at Hellgate. He let me lead but then I let him get in front after a run in with a herd of horses. I asked him to describe what was ahead and his description was rather entertaining just like that of Hellgate. On the climb up the slope I pulled ahead because I still thought I could keep with AJW (I couldn't). The course then took you back into the woods and I tore off down the trail in pursuit, clearly I wasn't paying as good attention as I should because next I knew I was back out of the top of the ski slope, no sign of AJW ahead, no Aaron behind me, no orange markers to guide me. Up until this point I had been running the second half really well. But now I was at least temporarily lost and I had to run back in hopes of finding orange markers again. When I did I wasn't even certian which way to follow them. I felt like I was losing precious time, I couldn't see any other runners to help guide me and I completely lost my mental mojo.
The next section, that I believe they reference the butt slide section, was awful. I kept stopping because I really wasn't sure I was on the right path and feared getting lost again though I managed to follow the streamers correctly from there on. I didn't know how long I had been lost or how much time it had cost me. When I came across Aaron again he was a little turned around and was just getting back on track, I told him I had taken a wrong turn and he assured me he had seen no females in my absence.
We finally came out of the woods and Horton and Brenton were waiting there in the grass. We stopped briefly and then I remembered it was a race and I ran on. I came into AS8 and drank a cup of Mountain Dew as I looked everywhere for Todd. I asked Tammy if she had seen him but she said she hadn't and that he would have been there already if he was coming, she said maybe he wanted to make sure he was at the finish line. They told me it was a little over 4 to go, mostly roads, and I was off.
I would love to say that I ran really well here, but I don't feel like I did. I walked only once through this next section and it was just the top of a hill but the running I was doing seemed slow. I ate a GU, I didn't want to, I knew I could finish without it but I remembered Todd telling me after another race I could have run better if I had eaten a GU. I looked behind a time or two and I saw a man running hard catching Aaron. Then later I looked again and he was even closer, I wandered if I was mistaken, maybe it was a female chasing me down. I ran a little harder. Through the grassy field that was even more difficult to traverse than it looked like it should be. And then I crossed the road and ran again what felt hard but slow. I was so thankful when I saw the mile to go sign but I told myself that it wasn't over to the finish line. Much of that last mile was on trail. I ran the first part hard but I was further from the finish than I had hoped, I slowed, then slowed further. Then a hill made me take to walking. Finally I emerged from the trail and saw Todd, I was so tired that I even faltered for a moment to figure out how to get across the grass 'on course' but I managed. Coming down the concrete hill to the finish I was a little crushed when I saw the time clock, I hadn't made 7:45. But I reminded myself that I got a little lost, and I still did ok, 7:46:17.Once across the finish line Dan Lehmann told me that I had won a better sweater, free entry into next year's race and accommodations. I was surprised, I had no idea, I laughed that I had decided I was never running that race again but now I might reconsider and that had I known I might have run a little harder, but it was all in jest. It was a beautiful course and I want redemption for a few mistakes along the day. I want Todd, who was amazing crew and support as always, to go back and run it too.
I pleased myself in several ways, I drank fairly well for me and ate nearly perfectly (8 GU, 6 peanut butter crackers, watermelon, 2 Milky Ways, 1 Oreo, 2 cups Mountain Dew, and a few bites of odds and ends at aid stations) but I know I didn't push hard enough most of the day. I can't really comprehend racing an ultra like Frank talks about. I try to push but running outside of comfort when you're running for 40 miles is still a little difficult for me to comprehend. My quads were a little sore Sunday afternoon but I didn't have any cramps during the race and my calves felt better than they did after the spring ultras. I feel like I could have gone about it a little better, run a little stronger and yet I am not sure really how much stronger and I am happy nonetheless with the turnout.
As ridiculous as this may sound I was most disappointed that my 7:46 was not an all time top ten time. I think that proves that where as I may know I may not be course record setting material for an ultra of this size that competitive streak still runs a little deep within. But then, we knew that already.
-Alexis
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