Two nights before the race the overnight low was 41 degrees F, with winds at 20-30 mph. A cold night. Our dome tent near the bay was not handling the weather well. This night our air mattress also collapsed, leaving us sleeping on the cold hard ground. My fiancé and I slept four hours at most this night.
The next night we cooked up Fiddleheads & chicken sausage, and had some wine along with the meal. Armed with a new air mattress, we aimed to get more sleep. Falling asleep at 9pm I slept well until midnight. From then until my alarm went off at 3:30, I was up and down heading to the bathroom for diarrhea issues. Dinner had not settled well. When I did finally get up for long enough to get to the shower, standing upright made me feel light-headed and nauseous.
Even though I felt horrible, we still left for Pinelands at 4:30 am. Both my fiancé and I had the same stomach virus/food poisoning. After arriving at Pinelands and getting my bib, I saw my friend Chris. “You look haggard, Su,” he exclaimed! I felt awful.
I suggested to my fiancé that this race might be a bad idea. My stomach felt as if it was going to melt, and I was sure when I started running everything would come out. But I found myself lining up at the start line, near the front.
2015 start, I was not a happy camper.
On any of these races I do, I measure my wellbeing level on a scale of 1 to 10. L1 being so weak that I can’t stand up, and an L10 feeling on top of the world.
The bell rang and we started running. My stomach felt bad, but not horrid, I was at an L2. I knew the first hill was going to be up soon, which would be my first opportunity to walk. The first 3 miles was a small loop that the 50-milers had to do. I walked a ton on this bit, and very quickly found myself at the back of the pack. Which was really fine, the quietness helped me focus on keeping my stomach settled.
As we approached the Start area again, to being our 25k loop I briefly thought about stopping for the day. Instead I used the bathroom, then headed back out on the trail, and quickly kissing my fiancé. I was probably an L3 at this point.
I ran past the Valley Farm (VF) aid station, and got out into the fields of the 25k loop. Not having seen anyone in awhile I didn’t feel the need to have to keep running–else be overtaken by others. Alternating running and walking I continued my journey to Yurt 1. the 25k loop took us past the Yurt three times every loop. My GI issues increased at the end of this section before Yurt 1. As I climbed the last hill I thought about ending. (L2)
The Yurt provided a Porta-John, which I used. After I got out one of the women at the aid station asked if I was feeling ok. I confessed my GI issues to her as I munched on an antacid tablet. After a short chat I headed on down the path again. In about 100 feet I asked myself, “What the hell? Why didn’t you stop?”
Truthfully I felt ok, and figured I could go until at least the next Yurt aid. I was still feeling an L2 while running through two hot open fields. While taking a walking break at one point I could hear someone or something walking slowly through the woods. Something bipedal, I wasn’t hearing a four-step pattern like a deer or bear. Also it was something that was slow moving, almost stalking me, like a human or a Bukwas. I stood very still and peered into the dappled light of the forest. Then I saw it — a wild turkey. I smiled at the sight of this graceful bird walking, then continued on my way. (L2.5)
Making it to Yurt 2, the same woman came to ask how I was fairing. I told her I wanted to make it to Yurt 3, but also asked if I wanted to quit then if there would be an easy way back. She was sure they could call for one of the ATVs to come pick me up.
I sipped some Gatorade, and headed out again (L3). Through this next section I was running alongside the 50k runners. That gave me a bit of energy as well. Around mile 7 or 8 I threw up which also helped a bit. About half way to Yurt 3 an ATV flagged me down, and a gentlemen named Ian asked to see how I was doing. He said he had gotten a call from Yurt 2 about me not feeling great. Ian let me know the details of the terrain ahead of me, but also assured me that I could stop at any point and they would be able to get me back to the Start area. Having these conversations with people who run ultras, or at least know ultra-runners are very useful. I don’t believe that a non-ultra or non-runner can easily understand the highs and serious lows one can get into in a race like this.
The chat was useful, and I motored on feeling at about an L3. One of my thoughts which I said to Ian was that I would get to the Start area and end my day there, which would be a total of 21 km. Upon hitting Yurt 3 I saw Ian and the woman I chatted with earlier, I thanked them both for all the help. My energy level was up to an L5. The Gatorade seemed to be better for my stomach than the Tailwind.
Climbing the hills heading to VF and the Start area were relatively uneventful, however I could feel my stomach tossing again. I knew I was going to stop before the “Back 9,” at the Start area. I was feeling about an L3.
The Start area had people, music, and the smell of barbeque–which even with my GI problems, smelled delicious. I ran through the area, across the street, and found myself at the first aid station on the Back 9. “What the fuck?” I thought to myself. “Why am I here, why didn’t I stop back there like I said I was going to?”
After some more Gatorade, I continued into the woods toward the Oak Hill aid station. Most of this trail was in the woods, wide snowmobile type trails. I hovered between an L3 & an L4. After Oak Hill was the Final Mile aid, and beyond the Start area again.
During this last bit I mulled over continuing on to do another 25k loop. My stomach was feeling somewhat better, and the Gatorade was helping in keeping everything down. But I knew I hadn’t had any solid food since 7pm the previous night. Also the amount of water I was intaking wasn’t sustainable without the risk of muscle injury. The summer was just beginning and I wanted to enjoy it by being outside running. I wasn’t here to prove I could finish this 50-miler. I was here last year and did finish.
(L3) Coming into the Start area I saw Ian, and stopped to chat with him. This time for real–I stopped. Ian said he would let them know to mark me as a DNF. I thanked him for all of his help, and headed off to enjoy the rest of the day.
DNF – did not finish
DNF – did nothing fatal
30km running with food poisoning. I don’t recommend it, but I was glad to have found a new boundary for myself.
Catamount 50k next…
