Buffalo Run 100

Antelope Island - Buffalo Run 100 miles - my 2nd attempt at the 100.

My first 100 attempt was at Pony Express last October which ended with a "DNF" at mile 80.  Come to find out, my kidneys don't mix well with ibuprofen when I am running ultras.  To me that was an easy fix!  Everything else at Pony Express went fairly well (hydration, nutrition, etc.), so I was going to stick to the same game plan and go with it.  My goal for this race was simply to make it to the finish line and if I could do it under 24 hours that would be a bonus.   

The weeks leading up to the race, I could feel the anxiety building.  For months the "DNF" at Pony Express had haunted me.  I so desperately wanted to reach the finish line.  I had a lot of fear, but was trying to replace it with excitement and hope.  You know how they say you can worry yourself sick.  Well that is exactly what happened.  The week leading up to the race the "butterflies" turned into a knot building up in my stomach.  No big deal.  Just race anxiety and nerves.  The night before the race, I didn't sleep well at all.  I kept waking up with a pain in my stomach.  Race morning, Chad went bought some ginger ale to help settle my stomach.  I really thought I would be fine once I started running.  

The race was scheduled to start at noon on Friday.  I chose the Buffalo Run since I ran my first 50 miler out at Antelope Island last year and loved the course and race organization.  For the 100 mile race, you basically run the 50 mile course twice. The first 19 mile loop has the most climbing then the second half is relatively flat.  Then you repeat!

After a brief pre-race meeting, the race director marked the starting line by dragging a stick through the dirt road and it was go time.

There was the countdown, and then a send off from the race director, "run you fools!" It was already warm outside and not a cloud in the sky, so I carried plenty of fluids in my hydration pack.   It felt good to be running.  The first few miles were uphill.  I just kept reminding myself to take it nice and easy and keep at a comfortable pace where I am not exerting too much energy.  I joined up with Leslie Howlett and started running with her since we were keeping the same pace.  It was good to have someone to talk to.  The first aid station was about 5.5 miles in.  I didn't need anything, so we headed out on the Elephant Head trail (a quick out and back totaling about 3 miles).  On the way out, a runner warned us of a few snakes up at the top of a hill.  Luckily we didn't see any.  On the way back on the Elephant Head trail, I tripped and fell.  It was not very graceful, but my hands took the brunt of the fall and I knicked my left knee.  I got some good looking bruises on my hands and knee, but no major damage.  Press forward.  After the Elephant Head trail was completed, the next section was 5.5 miles on the Split Rock loop.  The knot in my stomach, which was supposed to go away didn't and as I was running down the trail my stomach starting turning.  Just before the switchbacks, I told Leslie that I was going to run/walk up them and to go ahead.  (By the way, she had an amazing race and ended up with the female course record - AWESOME!)  By the time I finished the Split Rock loop, I started to worry since the pain in my stomach was getting worse.  I headed back down to the Start/Finish area to complete my first 19 miles. 

Finishing up the first 19 miles

As I ran into the aid station, I downed some ginger ale.  I told Chad that I didn't feel good at all.  I kept on running to the next aid station, hoping and praying that things would turn around.  I had made sure that I was staying well hydrated, but nothing I seemed to do or eat would settle my stomach.  I hit the Mountain View trail aid station.  There is a short out and back and then you run 11 miles down to the ranch.  Coming back from the out and back I started to walk and debated whether to stop and sit for awhile.  I figured that the next aid station, Lower Frary, was only 5.5 miles away, and I could see Chad and sit there if I needed to.  This ended up being the lowest point in the race for me.  A half mile in and my stomach was in full rebellion, which meant I was puking my guts out every quarter of a mile.  I stopped running and was at a dreadful slow walk.  I felt miserable.  Each runner that passed by could tell something was wrong and stopped to help.  How incredible and supportive each of these runners were!  Each runner offered a solution.  I tried Tums, salt pills, and ginger chews.  It didn't matter what I took, it came up within a matter of minutes.  4 more miles to the aid station.  I wasn't even a marathon into the race and I felt completely spent of energy.  And then I hit rock bottom.  I sat down on the ground just off the trail and as I was dry heaving I felt like wanted to crawl under a rock and just be done.  And then the negative thoughts began to flow.   I was failing, AGAIN.  I was not strong enough to take on this distance.  How pathetic to drop out of a race only a 1/4 of the way in.  I completely sucked as a runner.   I got up and continued walking to the aid station.  3 miles.  2 miles.  1 mile and finally the aid station.  Mile 28. 

Coming down to Lower Frary

Chad already knew as I came into the aid station that I was not alright.  A few runners had come in and reported a "vomiting girl" that was not doing so good and Chad was hoping that it wasn't me, but knew I should have been at the aid station a long time ago.  I laid out on a sleeping bag on the ground in the shade trying to get my stomach to settle. I was on empty.  I was afraid Chad was going to tell me I was done, but he didn't.   After awhile of laying down,  I tried little sips of this and that a few bites of this and that and it all ended up in the nearby bushes.  I had been at the aid station for quite some time.  Several runners had come in and out.  I finally sat up.  A decision had to be made.  I thought Chad would try to convince me to drop and race another day, but he didn't.  He told me that I had friends who knew I was struggling and that were praying for me and that loved me.  He knew how much finishing this race meant to me and said that I could do it.  I remembered my blessing he gave me the night before the race (it's tradition to have a blessing before all my races) and in it he said multiple times that I would be strengthened and that I would finish.  I got up and grabbed my handheld water bottle.  I told Chad that I would head to the next aid station just to see what happens.  I was on fumes and even though I nothing left in my stomach, I was refilled with the desire to make it to the finish.  As I ran out, Chris Pope (who was volunteering at the aid station, he was racing the next day and may I just add -an amazing ultra runner) yelled out, "Go get it, Melissa!"  At this point, I turned to powers beyond my own and remember praying, I'm in your hands now, give me the strength.  I made it to the next aid station at the Ranch.

2 things to celebrate.  I was running again AND I could keep down water.  I still didn't feel great, but I was moving forward.  I had a few sips of Heed and then headed back to Lower Frary. 
At about mile 38, I finally had to pee.  Burnt orange isn't what you would like to see.  My goal was to try to get hydrated, which was tricky because I couldn't take in too much fluids at once or it would come right back up.  My stomach would start to turn with just the opening of a gel packet so I had to go without for the rest of the race.  Luckily the sun was going down, and it was cooling off.  At Lower Frary, I grabbed my headlamp and had a few sips of Heed.  Now I could down water and Heed.  Things were looking up!  My stomach was sore the entire race, but I wasn't throwing up, and it was a pain that I could deal with and keep moving.  Off to the next aid station!  Mentally I just focused on the distance to the next aid station.   I loved running at night!  It seemed like I was starting a new race, even though my legs and stomach wouldn't agree, but my mind was starting out fresh.  Mountain View aid station.  Check!  And then just over 6 miles to loop around the other side of the island and end up back at the start/finish for my second go around.  It took me about 10 1/2 hours to complete the first 50.  As I came into the tent to check in, Jen Richards came up and gave me a big hug.  It was great to see her.  I met Jen a few months ago at the Revolution Run.  She is an incredible ultra runner and person.  A volunteer handed me a cup of broth.  I had a few sips and then headed out.  For the 19 mile loop, Chad was my pacer.  It was nice to have company.  Even though my legs were starting to feel it and the hills seemed steeper than the first time around, this was my most favorite section because I had my best friend with me.  There was part of the trail that had a lot of loose dirt and dirt had gotten into my sock and was rubbing the back of my heels raw.  I stopped and dumped the dirt out.  I should have worn my gaiters.  By the time we hit the aid station I was getting tired.  We completed the Elephant Head trail and then hit the aid station again.  I needed something to wake me up so I drank some Mountain Dew and managed to eat part of an orange slice.  Heading down on the Split Rock loop, I could really feel the soreness in my stomach.  My legs were getting heavy and tired, but at this point the soreness in my stomach trumped anything else I was feeling.  All that mattered to me is that I was moving forward, one mile after another with the determination to reach the finish line.  Up the switch backs and then back around to the aid station.  At this point, Chad was getting tired.  He likes to run, but long distances aren't his favorite.  As we headed back towards the Start/Finish aid station I would turn around every once in awhile to check to see if he was okay since he would fall back a little bit.  He would catch up and then I would tell him how many miles were left until the aid station.  He is such a good sport and an amazing supporter.  I loved that he was willing to have a "date night" in the middle of the night climbing hills and running long distances.  As I came back to the tent to check in I was in for a surprise.  My good friends Tami, Caroline, and Kylie came out to check on me and cheer me on.  I gave them a big, sweaty, stinky hug.  It was so great to see them!  I had a few sips of broth and headed out.  Only a 50k left!   

At this point, I was getting really tired.  I headed out to the Mountain View trail following the course markings (by the way the course was very well marked).  I went up a hill and then the course turned onto a road.  In my mind, I told myself that I hadn't crossed the road the first time to get to the trail and that this must be the direction to the final loop of the course, so I ran back down the hill to check the course markings.  Come to find out, I was on the right course.  So back up the hill I went.  I had to laugh at myself - here I was throwing in hill work at mile 70. :)  I checked in at the aid station completed the short out and back and headed to the ranch.  At this point, I could hear squealing in the distance.  I wanted to make sure I wasn't just delirious and asked another runner that happened to be close by if he heard it too.  Yes he did!  At the pre-race meeting, the race director warned us of a wild boar out on the island.  I am pretty sure that was him squealing and I was hoping he would keep his distance.  As far as other night wildlife, I saw a lot of mice, rabbits, and birds.  At one point, I looked out and wondered why there were runners with their headlamps in the field.  As my eyes adjusted, I figured out that I was seeing the eyes of bison that were glowing.  And speaking of bison, as I was running I turned to the side because I heard a noise and there was a buffalo and his glowy eyes about 6 feet away from me.  It scared the crap out of me!  I hurried and covered my headlamp, thinking this would make me invisible or something (yes I was tired), and then bolted down the trail.  At Lower Frary, about mile 78, I met up with Chad.  I told him that I would head to the ranch and come back and that would give him a couple of hours to sleep.  He reminded me that by the time I hit the ranch I will have passed mile 80 (the point where I dropped at Pony Express).  That was exciting to me!  I was going to finish this race.  Heading down to the Ranch, I started getting cold.  I wasn't moving as fast, but being cold kept me awake.  Checking into the Ranch I knew I only had 17 miles left.  From that point I started counting down with each mile I completed. 16, 15, 14, only a half marathon left!  On my way back to Lower Frary, the sun came up.  It was sweet!  With 11 1/2 miles left I checked in at the aid station and gave Chad my headlamp.  I was getting closer.  I kept trying to do the math in my head to make sure I could finish under 24 hours.  Let's just say doing math is tough towards the end of an ultra.  I finally figured out what pace I needed to keep and realized I could easily go under 23 hours if I kept my pace. 

Heading into the Mountain View aid station, the volunteer asked my number.  I had been giving my number the entire race and at mile 94, I couldn't remember and had to look on my bib attached to my shirt.  I was tired and just had to laugh and the volunteer laughed with me.  Heading out of this aid station there were 50 mile racers (their race started at 6 a.m. on Saturday) coming down the trail.  I had the pleasure of seeing Ben Kroff and gave him a sweaty, sticky high 5 as we passed each other.  As I went down to Bridger Bay, I yelled out my number at the final aid station and didn't stop.  I was so close to the finish line.  Just over 4 miles to go.  I picked up my pace and started tearing up thinking about the finish line.  In this moment, I turned in gratitude for the strength that I was blessed with.  With less than 2 miles to go, I could see the finishing area.  I was exhausted, but anticipated that long awaited finish line, I picked up my pace down the dirt road. 

 

Crossing that line I had so many emotions.  I fought with everything that I had in me to get to this point and I crossed feeling victorious!  I ran into Chad's arms and didn't want to leave.  There is so many reasons why I love this guy and him being there throughout the race and at the finish made it perfect!  22 hours 22 minutes.  I had conquered 100 miles!  

2nd overall female

Post race stuff:
*That moment when you pull off your socks to access the damage.  I just have to say I love, love my Injinji socks and Altra shoes! Not a single blister!  A few black toenails, but that was from stubbing my toes on rocks.

*There were many motivating people that uplifted me out on the trail.  Thank you Kelli Rogers and Janice Cook for your encouragement.  You 2 are AWESOME!



 

*My wonderful young women and leaders has this sign on my garage door when I came home.  

*Is there another 100 miler in my future or do I check it off the bucket list and be done?  There is a part of me that says I need to go finish what I started out at Pony Express - I am guessing that part of me will be signing up in the near future.  :)