Day 4,125—Getting Back and Reflections on the Badger 100 Part II—

Yesterday, I ended up moving everything out of my new office and cleaning the best that I could. No one mentioned if I seemed sore or tired, so considered that a success. I was up at 5, but I wish I had gotten up earlier because the video is going to take longer than it usually does. I wish it wouldn’t but with school starting now I am just busy. 

         Today, on my run, I crossed over into Webster and saw this bench at the school where I like to sit and think sometimes. I also saw two deer at Blackburn Park and watched as they crossed the street together. When I ran through the wooded trail at the end, I saw a woman hiking whom I had seen there at least a dozen times. I wonder how many miles she does on that tiny trail. 

The Badger 100 Part II: All the Way back to Bellville at mile 30.x

         I was running with Travis initially, and we were both going faster than we had planned. We started at around 9-minute miles and gradually increased our pace as we ran. Travis dropped off to use the bathroom, but he kept catching up, and he said he had to stop three times before we hit the first aid station.

         He started recognizing people and was introducing me to a guy who had completed the Grand Slam of Ultras, which is either 4 or 5 prestigious 100+ mile races across the country. We started pacing with a different runner whom I talked to until the first aid station. She told me a little bit about her running year, and it was exciting to meet someone who had completed a lot of the bigger, more prestigious races like the Cruel Jewel, and I thought it was interesting that she had her 100-mile race PR in her first race. For me, it was the second, but I have thought about why that is. I mainly assumed that it was because of how much easier the Lighthouse was compared to almost all the other races I have done, but I don’t know if the Lighthouse was that much easier than the Huron 100. They both had cool weather. The Lighthouse there was rain, and it was almost all pavement. I also was thinking that fewer aid stations can make me faster because even when I am only staying long enough to get my water filled, I will usually lose 3-5 minutes. I lost her after that, but I figured it wouldn’t be long until she passed me. I was trying not to think of anything but focus on my run, and I was planning to sub 20 hours if I could do it!

         I wasn’t sure how fresh I felt, but it was such a nice day, and I was starting to see why someone would want to do a race on this trail. It was beautiful! All the greenery was encroaching on every section, and there were many beautiful bridges that we ran under. The air felt fresh and invigorating, and I couldn’t help but smile as I noticed I was easily getting under 9-minute miles. Travis caught up to me, and we started talking to Nicholas, whom we both had met during the Aslinger 24-hour in April. He was attempting to have the record for the most 100-mile finishes in one year for a 23-year-old, which will be 16! 

         He said the guy who has the record for all time completed 52 in one year! At first, I thought about how cool that was, but I don’t know if I could imagine that would be a goal I would be interested in. Even if I had the money and resources, there is the time factor. I wondered if they were independently wealthy, but I wanted to just be happy for them. What an amazing accomplishment! I would like to do it maybe once a month if I ever get an opportunity, but any more than that would be a lot to ask for from my wife.

         I also started thinking about how this was already my 3rd 100-mile race this year and my 5th, counting my 200-mile and 24-hour races. That’s by far the most 100-mile races I have done in a year. The most I had officially completed before this year was only two. One year, I ran the 100-mile distance but unofficially, so 5 is a lot! And I am already signed up for 1 more, and I am almost confident I will do one in December too, for my birthday. Right now, I am looking at the Hitchcock 100, which is a 20-mile loop in Iowa for my birthday. Now, I am more seriously thinking about completing as many ones in different states as possible. If I do at least 2 different states a year, I could foreseeably reach my goal in the next 20 years. Some years, I will need to do three, but I think I can do it if I start planning in advance.

The first 20 miles flew by, and I was pacing fast, but I was breathing through my nose, and my HR was averaging 130. I started talking to Nicholas again. He had caught up to me, and I started running with this guy PJ, who was from Chicago. It was his first 100-mile run, and he was doing amazing! He had a light mustache, and I wondered if he had grown it for the race.

          I was loving the aid station experience! I was downing 5-7 pieces of watermelon at each stop and drinking the hydration they provided. I got it by accident when I filled up in the morning, and I was finding it refreshing. After 20 miles, I knew we would hit the detour soon, and everyone was giving me different distances, but it sounded like it was between 1 and 2 miles and hilly. I felt like so far we had gone almost all downhill, so I wasn’t going to slow down until I got to the detour section. By then, PJ had caught up with me with another first-time 100-mile runner, Holly. She looked strong, and both she and PJ were powering up the hills on the detour, but I was determined to walk. I was still pacing at the point where I would be able to finish 50-miles under 9 hours, so I was very happy thinking about the possibilities and embraced walking up the hills. By the time I hit mile 30.x miles I was back to race headquarters where I had camped the night before I was running alone, but I was smiling big and raced over to change my shorts and shirt in the bathroom. I knew it was early, but my clothes weren’t drying, and my shorts felt so heavy.

Tomorrow, Part III: Running to Dot’s and finishing 50 miles at a 10:12 pace!