Twenty-Eight Miles To Go

Twenty-Eight Miles To Go Before I Finish

By Kathy Vaughan
                                            

     The rain began just as dusk started to set. It was Saturday, and I had been running around Lake Youngs since 6:00AM Thursday. I was starting to feel a little bit tired. I still had many miles to go, though, and I would continue to push on through this rain storm. I saw that underneath a huge cedar tree the ground was still dry. I tucked beneath it for just a minute to make a few adjustments before I continued. I put on my rain shell and pulled my hood up over my head. I turned on my headlamp and once again set out into the rainstorm. It came down in sheets, although the rainfall felt light against me. I leaned my head back so that the cool rain could hit my face. It felt good to have the moisture soak my skin and rejuvenate me. I ran the flats and downhills, pushing to get back to the dry shelter at the main aid station. 

     I wanted to rest during the storm if it was going to continue. I had completely forgotten that I had asked my friend Susie to join me for this last night of the race. She would be waiting for me when I got back to the aid station. I would only have time to change into some dry clothing and head back out onto the course. This would be my last night out there. I needed to move well and get some loops done as quickly as possible.  

     Each Memorial Day Weekend for the last five years, ultrarunners have gathered at Lake Youngs Trailhead Park in Renton, Washington for the Pigtails Challenge. Van Phan, an accomplished local ultrarunner, began the race in 2011 so that she could take on the challenge of running 200 miles. She ran the race while directing it that year, and it has continued to blossom and grow. The 200 mile distance starts on Thursday morning at 6:00, the 150 mile runners begin on Friday morning, and Saturday 100 mile and 100k runners start. These distances must all be done by 2:00 on Sunday. A 50k is also held on Sunday, with the same cut-off time. 

     The loop is 9.4 miles long with 900 feet of elevation gain on each loop. Runners reverse direction on the loop after completing each one, checking in at the main aid station first, by running a short lollipop stick trail to reach it. I was running the 200 mile race and began with a 2.6 mile out-and-back. I would then have to run 21 loops to complete the distance. Having completed both the 100 and 150 mile distances here on this course, I knew a little bit about what to expect. This time I would run 5 more loops than I had in the 150 distance. I felt pretty confident that I had it. 

     I lined up with 8 guys at 6 a.m. The other female 200 mile racer had not arrived. I felt a sense of excitement. If I could finish this race, I would be the only female finisher. I even voiced this excitement to a few of the other runners and some volunteers. Terry Sentinella, the Race Director, counted down the Start, and off we went. 

     Ras stayed with me for the out-and-back. We chatted happily, feeling a sense of relief that this race was finally underway. After months of training, philosophizing about and preparing for this race, it felt good to finally be on the course. 


     I planned on checking in at the Main Aid when I got done with the 2.6 mile out n' back, and then heading out again right away for my first loop. I wanted my turn-arounds at the main aid to be quick and efficient. I planned on handling the first 100k as if it were just that; a 100k race. I wanted to just keep going, without sitting down or taking any kind of significant rest until after I had that first 60 some miles completed.

     I knew that I would fall behind all of the guys pretty early on in the race. I reminded myself to “run my own race” and not let what everyone else was doing effect how I was feeling. Two hundred miles was a lot of ground to cover; there was no reason to rush this early. Patience with the process would help me to the Finish like it did last year when I completed the 150 mile distance on this same course.

     About a half hour into the race, I saw Amanda (I later learned she goes by Mandee), the other female 200 runner. She had arrived late and was now in the race. She looked strong and happy to be out on the course.  She was also nearly 15 years younger than me. I now had a little competition. She seemed to be going out pretty fast, so early on in the race. While still running my first loop, Mandee came towards me again. It didn't make sense. She should have run the out n' back, checked in at the main aid and then headed out to do her first loop in the counter clockwise direction, like everyone else, even though she started late. I shouldn't be seeing her coming towards me; she might catch up to me and come up from behind, but not towards me. I stopped her just briefly to ask if she had taken the wrong direction after the out n' back and she just answered a short “ No”. I let it go and again reminded myself to run my own race. It did occur to me that she was having a rough start, and as far as competition goes, this was in my favor.

     By evening, some of the other runners had begun to slow down a little bit. Mandee was limping quite dramatically from what appeared to be a calf strain. She seemed pretty stressed out about it, but was still smiling on some of the loops. She was still going quite fast, sometimes power hiking, but we were staying pretty close in our loop finishes. Van Phan paced me for a loop. It was wonderful to have her company and we ran a pretty fast one. We visited about upcoming goals, how this year's race was  going, compared to the past year's races, and about all kinds of other things. It meant a lot to me to have Van offer to run a loop with me when I had seen her at set-up first thing in the morning. 

     Van offered to bring Ras and I a pizza without cheese to have in our shelter, knowing we would be getting hungry as the night wore on. The volunteers at the aid stations were getting tuned into the special needs of all of the runners and the first night we were on our own for vegetarian fare. By the second day, there was black bean soup with avocado & corn chips; veggie burgers; veggie dogs; butternut squash soup; bean burritos and vegan pizza. It was pretty awesome having so much food to keep us all fueled. In addition, I had Honey Stinger Waffles, both Caramel and Lemon; Honey Stinger Energy Chews; Expedition Espresso Trail Butter pouches; Picky Bars in several different flavors including Smooth Caffeinator & Cookie Doughness; several cans of vegetarian soups; instant Starbuck's Via coffee pouches; and some Kickstart drinks made by Mountain Dew. 

     Kathleen and the Mann's, Jules & Mihaela, arrived at the same time to run a loop with me after Van said goodbye. I enjoyed having the evening company, but I told them from the beginning that I would enjoy hearing them visit, but they shouldn't expect me to chime in too often. I said they could lead the way when they wanted to. I was ready to settle into some more “in my head” kind of running. I wanted to run all the flats and downhills, and power hike the uphills. I set out on the loop with these three pacers with a cup of soup in hand, a Mrs. McDougall's Pad Thai with peanut powder sprinkled over the top.  It tasted delicious and I sipped it as quickly as possible as I hiked. I didn't want the pacers to get cold or feel like the progress was going slowly. It was good for me to feel the slight bit of pressure. This was still only the first night. I was also beginning to visualize going out solo on the next loop and what I would need in order to do this. I already had my headlamp out on this loop and would be turning it on soon.

     We got around the loop. By the end I felt done with having company and was ready to head out solo. I like everyone that was spending time with me on the trail, but I didn't want to engage in any conversation. I wanted to listen to my mp3 player and just move for some miles. When we got back to the shelter, Ras was there. He offered to join me for the next loop, and this was perfect for me. I felt safer having him with me, now that it was getting late at night. I was getting sleepy, but it was too early to sleep yet. We would get one more loop in together and then probably both lay down for a couple hour nap. We had some food at the aid station as we sat in chairs. It was fun to visit with some of our friends and other people in the trail running community, as we sat for a little bit. Maudie and Brandi, two young woman ultra runners working at the aid station, took my shoes off for me and fetched my Altra Lone Peaks from our shelter. I had developed a blister that I had successfully taken care of earlier. I now wanted the open mesh, foot shaped toe box of the Lone Peaks. I had been wearing the Altra Olympus 2.0 for the max cushion on the mostly packed gravel trail. Then I changed to the Paradigms, also with a comfy max cush. It was now time to change things up a bit, as I had planned. I also had 1 more pair of 
Altra Running shoes in my arsenal: the Lone Peak 3.0's which I was wear testing and allowed to wear in a race format. I was wearing Injinji toe socks. My feet were holding out quite well, aside from the one blister which was now under control.

     It felt good to have the girls massage my feet and get me all set up with the Lone Peaks and gaiters I could now wear again. The Paradigms don't have the Gaiter Trap, so my gaiters work better with the Lone Peaks. Maudie and Brandi set me up by the heater and fed me, and then sent Ras and I on our way when we were done with our night time adjustments. It was great having the crew help and I feel so appreciative of the supportive community that was around for the whole weekend. I was now ready to get a good night time loop in.

     Instead, I got out on the trail and felt slow and sluggish. It was fun to be out there with Ras, but I lost some motivation. I drudged on, feeling ashamed that I wasn't moving faster and showing Ras how well I had been doing. I had moved without sluggishness up until now. This was not good. We stopped several times to just sit, once on The Bench of Temptation and another time at the midway aid station. I knew this wasn't ideal, but it at least confirmed that it would be helpful to take a nap in our sleeping bags when we got back to the main aid. Our shelter was all set up for this nap time, complete with an alarm clock and instant coffee (to be made using our Jet Boil) at the ready. As soon as we got back, we checked in at the main aid and told them we were both napping. We asked if they could wake us up in two hours and they were happy to do so. I also set the alarm, put cozy, soft fleece socks on my feet and fell asleep before I knew it. 

     I awoke to the sound of the 150 mile racers getting ready in the start area. They were full of excitement. I crawled out of my sleeping bag and made coffee. I wanted to get back out there right away. It was light out and time to be moving. It wasn't as hard as I expected it to be. I was soon out on the course and moving pretty well. I felt motivated again and was happy to think about the miles I had completed. Ras had told me Heather “Anish” Anderson would be showing up and wanted to join me for a loop or two. This was awesome news and I was very excited to be having Heather join me. Heather holds the speed record for thru-hiking, in a self-supported fashion, both the Pacific Crest Trail and the Appalachian Trail. [Note: in the intervening months since the 2016 Pigtails Challenge, Heather set the Fastest Known Time for the Arizona National Scenic Trail in self-supported, feet-on-the-ground style.] I got through the loop as fast as I could, expecting Heather to be there when I got back.

     Sure enough, she was, and she was just the pacer I needed. I was getting deep enough into this now that I needed someone to help me with some numbers. I knew I just had to keep going, but I wanted to make sure I still had time to rest again that night, make the cut-off and take the time I needed between loops to be ready to head out for another 9.4 miles. She knows all about spending time on the trails going after huge goals. She knows what it takes to stay motivated and to be able to figure out splits, pacing and the importance of fueling properly to get it done. Not only did we have a blast chatting, we had a lot in common to talk about; but she was great at helping me feel confident that I would be able to get this mileage done within the allotted time.

     Heather stayed with me for 2 loops and then it was time for her to say goodbye. I made a quick turn around as she first helped me with everything I needed. We had discussed ahead of time what I would need to do before my next loop, and she set me up before saying goodbye. Then I was out there again, on my own. The rain began on this loop, only increasing in intensity as the evening wore on. I got around the loop, grabbed more coffee, hot food and rain protection, and then headed out again into the weather. 

     I got out there on that gravel path and made it around another loop. When I got back, it was time for another nap. It was Friday night and I was getting mileage done. I only had another day and a half of this race left. 

Race Director Terry Sentinella briefing the runners starting Saturday morning.

     I awoke Saturday morning to the loud and enthusiastic 100 mile and 100k runners. The rain was still coming down. It was damp and a bit chilly outside, as I made my way to the outhouse and to see just what was going on in the start area. It was busy, that's for sure. I needed to feed off of this energy and get back out on the course. I made myself a cup of coffee in my shelter while I put on new layers and prepared for going out in the rain. I would wear my Gatewood Cape and take my hot coffee with me. I just needed to start getting around another loop. I needed to wake up. I felt so sleepy and slightly unmotivated. The busier trail would be a challenge for me, although I would be seeing some friends like Kathleen Leonard and Arya Farahani. I looked forward to this.

     I got out on a loop and felt almost like a zombie. The rain was really coming down. I had to get to the point where I was awake and actually running. This pace would not cut it. I drank my coffee as quickly as I could with this in mind. I would have to try taking off my cape at some point, as it was hindering my ability to move very efficiently. It was actually keeping me too cozy and making me feel as though I were inside of a warm tent. It wasn't until the midway aid station that the rain let up enough for me to take off the cape and get going again. I was at least making some progress though, and I did not let it discourage me. I was now awake and it was time to move faster.  When I got back to the main aid, I took some other layers off and got back out on the course with food and music. I was motivated to get some miles done.

     I kept going all day, making progress and staying not too far behind the rest of the 200 milers. I felt good and ate well. I was happy to have food to eat each time I came through the main aid station. I had heard that Mandee had a rough night out on the course and Terry made the decision to pull her out of the race at 150 miles. He awarded her a buckle and she went home to sleep. She had given it her all, and then some. That girl has heart.

     I got in one last loop solo, as the dark of night came on for the last night of the race. It felt good to be at this point, although I was beginning to feel quite drained, physically and mentally. Pushing myself to move with any speed was becoming very challenging. I knew it was getting to the point where I was getting close to the cut-off, even if Terry was allowing me to at least be on my last loop by the cut-off time. I had a pacer coming on, Susie. I hoped that this would help get my motivation level back up and help give me the push I needed to complete the mileage and earn the buckle I so desired, the buckle I had trained so hard to receive. 

     I had asked Susie ahead of time if she might like to pace me for a loop or two. We had met at Evergreen Trail Run's Echo Valley 50 Miler a couple of years ago. I enjoyed her energy and wanted to get to know her better. She had given Angela a tent when she needed one for an internship she did in the Sequoia National Forest one summer. She has a cute daughter named Addy and, both of us being moms, I figured we would have some things in common to talk about. She had invited me to join her for a Wonderland Trail challenge she had last summer. I was unable to make it work. This was a chance for us to finally spend some trail time together. I warned her, it may get ugly. “Dress warmly”, I said to her in a facebook message. “I could be doing more hiking than you might expect.” 

     Susie had already been waiting at the aid station about an hour by the time I got back around the loop. She came into my shelter with me and we started talking about the strategy of getting back out there into the rain, into the dark, into the deep miles. She was game and would do whatever it would take to get me around some loops that would take less than 3 hours each. She had chatted with Ras, and he encouraged her to help get me moving a little bit faster. I was feeling so lazy. I didn't want to try to get in any “fast” loops. I didn't want to quit, I wanted to finish. But as Susie later confessed to me, I wasn't communicating that to her. 

     We took off into the night. It was probably about 10:30 on Saturday night, the final nighttime hours of the race. Susie reminded me of this. This was the last night I had to be out in the dark, cold, tiring hours of the middle of the night. I would get so tired I was staggering around on the trail, like a drunk. I wanted to curl up anywhere and just take a nap. It was so hard to keep moving when my eyes were shutting and I was having little, short dreams. They were just flashes, but when I awoke for whatever reason from my sleephiking, I knew I had just had a little snippet of a dream. This was a part of pushing forward and using my endurance experience. This was not the first time I had gotten “the drowsies” on the trail, and it would not be the last. I had to keep going now. I could no longer afford to take a nap. I divided a 5-Hour Energy into two doses, taking one right when I realized with Susie that I had the drowsies, and then taking the second part of the dose when we got to the aid station. Sometimes these doses worked, sometimes they didn't. It was worth a try.

     Susie and I stopped at the midway aid station, where Brad Hefta-Gaub was kind enough to share some of his coffee from his thermos with me. It tasted so good. I sat in the comfy camp chair, sipping the coffee and listening to he and Susie talk about different things. I just listened. It took too much energy to say much. I was just wanting to wake up and feel more motivated, but enjoying the chair. “Beware of the Chair”, they say.

     Susie and I got up and said good bye to Brad. He had been a big help out at the aid station in the middle of the night. It was good to share his company for a little while. We continued on around the loop and then struggled around for another. It would get light on this loop. We were both looking forward to it. 

     I know I was terrible company, all drowsie and whiney. Susie was a good sport for sure and tried to motivate in all the ways that made sense. She reminded me that if I dropped, I would really feel terrible about it afterwards. She let me know that I had enough time to finish, especially since Terry was being so supportive in giving me some extra time to do so. Of course, the cut-off had already been extended from previous years when others weren’t able to finish it. Seventy-two hours had been the previous cut-off; beginning this year, it was eighty hours.

     We made it around the loop. I felt a little more awake once the sun rose and the sky was light once again: the final day. Fewer runners were on the course. My feet hurt and I had some piercing pains in my calves, my knees and my feet. These shooting, piercing pains would come and go. I felt pretty beat up. Susie had to go when we returned from the loop. We said goodbye and off she went. I curled up in my sleeping bag for what I hoped would only be a few minutes. Ras came in from his loop and only had one more to go. I had three more to go. He offered to stay with me for a loop. I could get up right then, pull myself together and go out with him. I could still finish this thing off, but it might not be until 5 hours or more after the cut-off. I didn't have a pacer. I didn't know if I could stay awake or keep motivating myself. 

     Ras needed to get going again and so he did. I stayed in the sleeping bag; torn as to what to do, feeling defeated and needing to turn that corner in my mind. I had sheets of paper with motivational quotes and inspirations on them. I had a chart with splits and mileages remaining all written out by hand. I had done the work ahead of time, but here, in the moment, I was unwilling to do the work it took to finish. I was unwilling to have others wait for me as I pursued a goal. I had thus far not been able to keep a good enough pace to keep me in the game with the others. I was too far behind. I gave up and stayed crumpled in that sleeping bag, until finally I went out to the main aid and admitted my defeat. 

     It was up to Terry whether nor not to award me a 150 Mile Finisher's Buckle. He gave me the choice of whether or not I wanted to accept it. I did. I now have two of those. Next year I'll be back to earn my 200 Mile buckle. I know I can do it. There is something special about the Pigtails Challenge, Lake Youngs and all of those involved that keeps drawing us back, year after year.  As I think of it now, Memorial Day Weekend 2017 can't come soon enough.

     

2014 Echo Valley 50 Mile Race Report

Sun, Sand, Dust & Determination:
The 2014 Echo Valley 50 Mile Trail Race

By Kathy Vaughan

     I awoke early and the camping area at the Echo Valley Ski Resort above Lake Chelan was silent. It was only about four in the morning, but I had 50 miles to run that day and I was apparently ready to start my preparations. I was able to use the warm bathroom in the quiet morning while everyone else was asleep. I appreciated this very much and helped make my race morning very relaxing. I went back to the tent and crawled into the warm sleeping bag, pulled the cozy wool afghan over the top of me and changed my alarm clock so I could doze for another 20 minutes. I began to visualize the start of the race, the climb up the dirt fire road and the turn onto the single track. I was excited and ready.

     When my alarm did sound, I was in a calm state of mind. I had my race gear in the tent and put everything on while I stayed inside the warmth of the down filled sleeping bag. Ras slept beside me, not needing to get up quite yet. The air outside was cold, but not uncomfortable. I pulled my down jacket on over my race outfit and walked over to the check-in area inside the ski lodge. I was immediately greeted by Roger Michel, the race director. He was friendly and showed me how to sign up in exchange for Ras' volunteer gig he would be doing while I ran. I got my bib number, picked up some fun freebies (a sample of Flora oil, a fruit leather and some Irish Spring sports wash), and headed back to camp. I then set up our Coleman camping stove. I wanted to make coffee and have a bite to eat before the start of the race.  

     I laid down a soft towel in front of the stove so I could sit down and feel the heat of the propane flame as I prepared the coffee. The grass lawn was soft underneath me and I felt comfortable. I had my pack beside me so that I could make the last minute preparations I needed to make and filled my water and Hammer Perpetuem bottles. Now it was time to enjoy my coffee until the pre-race briefing. 

     The camping area was still quiet since I was taking the six a.m. early start while most runners were taking the regular start or running a different distance. Only about 12 runners were at the start area when Roger called us all over to explain some important details about the race. Ras had gotten up with me and packed up our tent. He walked to the race start with me and would take my puffy jacket and coffee cup off my hands when it was time for me to start running. I liked having his company at the start and it felt good to have his support.

     I knew or recognized a few of the other runners. I was one of only three ladies and I knew there were only a few others taking the regular start. I had a chance of finishing in the top three in my age group or over all. This was kind of exciting for me. Taking the early start, this wouldn't be official; just a statistic that I would be aware of and a chance to have this happen could only occur in this type of situation: a small field on a hot day with lots of miles ahead of us.

     Roger said “Go” and we unceremoniously started our 50 mile trod through the trails of the Echo Valley Nordic Ski area. I felt relaxed and calm as I got going.  My gear and layering felt good and I wasn't distracted by any immediate discomforts or mistakes. I was ready to take this on. The front of the pack put a gap between myself and some other runners, but I still had a few folks behind me. I didn't want to put too much energy into worrying about my place in the back-of-the-pack yet. The race started with an immediate 1,000 foot climb. I power hiked up the hill and cut onto the single track, mixing in running on the gentler sections of the climb. I passed one if the other women, Shelley, who had hiked strong in front of me from the start. I liked that I felt in a good groove so early on in the race and had strategies and plans flitting about in my head.

     I had run this course two years ago and had some familiarity with where it would take us. After the initial climb, I knew there would be some nice, runnable trail for several miles until I got to the first aide station. Ras would be volunteering there and I was looking forward to seeing him. I knew he would give me a hand with whatever I needed and lots of encouragement as well. I didn't know the exact mileage, but I thought the aide station was about five miles from the start. I pushed hard on the good trail, in the cool of the morning.

     When I got there, it was fun to see him. I had a couple of snacks while he refilled my water bottle. I took off pretty quickly as I had lots of miles ahead of me still. I had gotten there in 1:03 and I was happy with that.

     I thought Roger had explained at the pre-race briefing that we would run the loop that leaves the aide station twice. This was confusing for me and I hadn't remembered doing that the previous time. I knew that once I got around this loop and back to the aide station, I would get it all straightened out. It seemed to take a while and I wondered at one point if I had missed a turn. I went by a water supply point and decided I didn't need any quite yet. I thought it was cool to have the water there though and it reminded me of my recent thru hike on the Arizona Trail where water stashes were part of how Ras and I had water to carry. Trail stewards would set these out for thruhikers in remote locations that they could access by four wheel drive.  We were very grateful for these water supplies left by local, kind volunteers so that we could enjoy the trail.

     When I hit the aide station again Ras explained to me that I would run the loop another time only when I came back around for my second 25 mile loop of the race. Now I understood. I had wasted energy in those miles wondering and worrying about whether I was doing the right thing or not. It gave me renewed energy to know that I was done with that loop for now. I took off in the right direction and enjoyed the rolling single track trail for about seven miles. It then dropped down to soft fire road for a mile run into the next aide station where my friend John was working. 

     I was happy with how the race was going so far. I had lots of energy, was running well, staying well fed and hydrated and enjoying my reggae music on my mp3 player. I ran up to John's aide station and had some delicious, juicy watermelon. He was impressed with how I was doing compared to my first year and this gave me a good confidence boost. There was a four mile loop to run from this aide station that would bring me right back around to it for a second time. Then I had a 2.5 mile descent to the main aide station & start/finish/turn-around area. I enjoyed this shorter loop after the long run that was near the other aide station. There had been a burn through some sections of this trail and other sections were fragrant with bright green foliage and grasses. It was about half uphill and half downhill as I made my way around the loop and before I knew it I was back at the aide station again. I snacked on some more watermelon and took off for the fun trail downhill to the turn-around. I knew I wanted to change into my Altra Olympus at this point and take advantage of the max cushion comfort, now that my feet were feeling the miles.

     There were tons of people around the area now as shorter distance races were in progress as well. Finishers from the 10k and half-marathon were flying by me and running into the chute. I came through and got cheers, although most folks were completely unaware that I had another 25 miles to go. I grabbed my drop bag and changed into my Olympus. My Altra Lone Peaks had been great so far, but I was ready for some cushion. I quickly changed out a few things in my pack and went to the table to fill my bottles and have a snack. I grabbed some Clif Blocks and put my drop bag back, used the sani-can and went on my way. I was on my own now for the climb up the road. The other runners were elsewhere; ahead of me, behind me, in the chaos & crowd of the start/finish area. I didn't know, but I was fine being on my own and climbing away from the hustle & bustle below. I climbed quickly away from it, again being reminded of my days on the Arizona Trail. When Ras and I would arrive in resupply towns, it was always very distracting and overwhelming. We were in such remote quiet areas and then suddenly surrounded by people and noise, food scents, gasoline vapors and unhealthiness. This start/finish area reminded me of that with pizza boxes on the tables, barbecue smells wafting through the air and beer being consumed by thirsty runners already done with their miles for the day.

     The further I got away from this scene, the better I felt. I paused in the shade of a large pine tree and took in a deep breath. I had about 23 miles ahead of me and I knew I could do it. I was still feeling lots of good energy and my legs wanted to run. I kept going.

     Before I knew it, I was at the first aide station on the loop again. Ras was gone now. He would be sweeping the course, coming up behind the last runner and picking up the course markers as he went. The new volunteers were helpful. My friend Bob Wismer was here filling his water and it was fun to see him. He said he had just seen Ras on his way down the hill to sweep. Bob, his wife Amy and I had run Pigtails Challenge 100 mile trail race together the previous year. With runners becoming so spread apart on the course, it was nice to see a friendly and familiar face.

     I enjoyed some fruit at the aide station and went on my way to run that loop for the second time now. It went by much smoother since I knew what to expect. I stopped at the water station to fill my bottles and wet my bandana. I liked having the water here and I popped one of the provided  Nuun electrolyte tablets into one of my bottles to help manage myself in the hot temperatures. There was a nice cloud cover and breeze for the most part, but at times the clouds would shift and the direct sun was hot. I kept my pink Altra hat and my bandana wet and this helped immensely.

     Hitting the aide station for the second time, I now had 14 miles to go to the finish. I didn't feel overwhelmed by the distance, but I knew I had to continue to take good care of all of my needs. I stopped in the shade for several minutes and sat down to make some adjustments. I knew it would be worth investing this time now to take care of these distracting needs. I was right. It paid off. I took care of everything quickly and efficiently. I was then able to pick up the pace after changing my music, taking some supplements and having a Clif bar. 

     Staying well hydrated, consuming low fat & low sugar foods and paying attention to stomach discomforts were all on my mind. I had to consider these aspects to prevent pancreatitis from occurring. I have to do this every day as with only a partial pancreas, I am prone to chronic pancreatitis. If I want to keep running and hiking ultra distance, I have to pay even closer attention to this while on the trail.

     Clif bars and fruit are good sources of nutrition for me while running and hiking. I used both of these foods during the race. Clif bars are fortified with nutrients and about five grams of fat per bar. I need to stay at 20 grams per day. It adds up fast. I also used Perpetuem in the early miles. I forgot to pick up my resupply stash of it at the half way point, partly due to the chaos there, but I used my extra bottle for Nuun from the aide stations instead. Sipping on both Nuun and water was a good way for me to stay on top of my hydration needs and I did not have any problems. I also used Clif Blocks and Shots that were provided at the aide stations. These gave me quick energy and were really easy to consume while on the move. Bananas and watermelon were provided and they tasted good in the heat of the day. I stayed away from sweet cookies and acidic oranges and my stomach stayed strong. I had ginger chews and Tums with me in case it decided to go south, but I never had to use either. I had a few cups of Coke throughout the day as well. This helped to make me burp and release gases being built up in my tummy. I think its a good thing to have a little bit of carbonation to encourage this release. I had one Hickory Smoke flavored soy jerky which helped provide some salt and a nice savory flavor for a change. I do not take any S-Caps or other form of salt capsules, but I do like to take in some salty snacks if I'm sweating a lot on hot days.

     Back on the trail after my brief self-care stop, I felt really good. The running felt nice in the Olympus; springy and light. The downhill felt like less impact on my feet with the max cushion protection. I could easily dodge rocks. The rocker effect helped me lean forward into the hill and let gravity assist me, and seemed to encourage a fast gait for the uphill power hiking. I liked the way the Olympus felt on my feet and I feel like they helped my performance. I had no hot spots or problems from them, this being the first time I'd worn them on anything but dirt and gravel roads. Going into the race, I still had some residual foot soreness from my long, 800+ mile trek through Arizona. When I switched from my Lone Peaks to the Olympus at the half way point, it was such a good decision. I had done this on a 40 miler back in April and I liked how the Olympus felt on tired feet. It was the same during this race. They revivified my feet and encouraged me to keep going at a good pace, miles deep. When you love both shoes so much, it's a good way to take advantage of the positive qualities of both. I wanted to check out the rocky conditions of the trail in the Lone Peaks for the first half as well as what kind of traction would be necessary for the descents. When I scouted this out, I could tell the Olympus could handle the terrain fine and the max cushion would make a difference just when I needed it for the second half.

     Now having passed through the first aide station for my second time, I had a rolling stretch of single track to run. I couldn't remember much about this section from my first time through for some reason. I knew that this was the biggest remaining challenge. It would be about a seven mile stretch. After this section, I had a mile of easy fire road and then the final aide station. Once there, the 6 miles were all fun and the final stretch would feel welcome. I began to run with ease and confidence. I knew I would beat my first year's time on the course and by a good margin. I was happy and motivated. I pushed hard and greeted John with a huge smile. Jerry Gamez, Roger's co-race director, was there. He had helped me get back on course when I went off of it my first year. Both of these guys were amazed at my improvements in two years time. I smiled with glee and took off for the final time on the four mile loop called the “Outback”. I thought to myself that I would like to cross country ski on this trail sometime. I hiked to the top of the first little climb and turned left toward the start the loop. I could see the aide station down below. I only had to make my way around this loop and then down the hill to the finish. I had this.

     Just before the aide station, I had passed a young woman who had been way ahead of me for all of the race. When I got to her, I could see she was struggling. I wanted to make sure she was okay. She said she thought she might have to drop at the aide station as she was having problems from the heat. I encouraged her to take her time at the aide station and cool down. She could wet her headband and wet down her head as well. She could sit down in the shelter there and drink some cold water. She had plenty of time before the cut-off to still finish the race. I ran past her and would not know what she had decided to do. I didn't know if other runners were still behind me or if I would be last. I just knew I would PR and that made me feel good.

     I got back around to John's aide station and had a vanilla gel. I was feeling pretty depleted and I wanted some energy for the final 2.5 miles. I was really excited about being so close to the finish. John told me I was 5th woman and that the younger lady had decided to continue. This gave me the encouragement I needed to wave goodbye and hit the single track trail with the fun little dips. The tread was soft, sandy and dusty. I kicked up a cloud behind me and descended easily, now turning onto more fire road. This meandered gently through aspen forest, fragrant with wild rose bushes. Bird song came from the trees and I felt as if I were floating along. I turned up the final single track stretch that went by old ski hill equipment to the finishing chute. I could see the colorful flags and people ahead. I laughed out loud and ran with all the strength I had left. “Leave it on the course”, the saying goes. I ran towards Roger and Jerry waiting at the finish and gave Jerry a High Five. Roger said, “This must be a course record for you by about an hour!”  I finished in 12:44, exactly 44 minutes faster than my first year's time on this course.  

     Everything came together for me at Echo Valley. My thruhike fitness gave me the strength I needed to keep running for 50 miles. I had the endurance I needed. My mind was strong and used to spending hours on the trail. I was conditioned to the heat and I knew how to take care of myself to prevent issues from happening. I utilized my available gear well and was fortunate to have both Altra Lone Peaks and Olympus, provided to me by the supportive and innovative company. After DNFing (Did Not Finish) at mile 53 of the Pigtails Challenge 100 mile race only 10 days after finishing the Arizona Trail, I had made the decision to run Echo Valley 50. I knew I had enough time to get more rest and be ready for it. I would have two weeks. I wanted to test the strength and endurance I had gained from my long hike. I felt like I could run a good race and I did.  

Kathy being paced by her daughter Angela (at right) during the 2014 Pigtails Challenge 100

     After the race, Ras posted a picture on Facebook he had taken of the six o'clock early starters. It was a little bit cool, but we all knew the temperatures would heat up and our bodies would warm up as soon as we started to climb. I like the photo and what it evokes. We are taking our first few steps of a journey of 50 miles. I watch the ground, smiling for the camera, anticipating the day's adventure. I know how the day played out for a few of us in the photo: my friend Chris (a 280 pound runner who calls himself “The White Buffalo”) dropping to the 50k distance after missing the cut-off at the turn around, pushing on for 6 more miles to have another ultra finish; the young woman in the photo being the same strong gal who continued on despite thinking she might need to drop due to having a hard time in the heat; my new friend Shelley, also opting for a 50k finish.  

     I look at myself and I see a different “me”.  I am 20 pounds leaner after hiking through Arizona. I look almost unfamiliar to myself. My childhood friend Tabby saw the photo of the race start on Facebook and said I looked “fit”. It makes me think of my high school days and how different I was then. I would never have imagined at that time in my life that I would be physically fit and mentally tough enough to run 50 miles, 100 miles, or to hike 800 miles in 35 days 5 hours and 2 minutes (establishing the Women's Fastest Known Time for a thruhike of the Arizona Trail). I was shy, soft and had exercise induced asthma. I cried easily and had spells of brooding. I was scared of balls in any sport whether it was softball, basketball or dodgeball (which I especially hated). I was on the track team in junior high school and I wanted to run the longer of the distances, 2 laps around the track. I loved it, but I was slow. I was always the last to be chosen for any team during physical education classes and I was surrounded by athletic, tough country girls. I enjoyed going for long bike rides or walks by myself on country roads, downhill skiing on the quiet slopes of White Pass, canoeing peacefully in Riffe Lake near my home with my friend Norma, or coming home from school and playing the piano by myself for hours while my sister and brother participated in after school sports. I had always liked being in nature, but I never would have guessed at that time that I would become someone who could move for miles and hours, sometimes all day and night, through the wilderness on my own two feet.

      We all have this capability. We can all make changes in our life to reach goals or become what we want to be. For me, it's been to explore ever further on trails, both my surroundings I'm running or hiking through and my own ability to push my limits of endurance. I've had life experiences that have forced me to be strong and courageous in the face of intense challenge. These have happened during different eras of my life, in my teenage years and beyond. Now, nearly 48 years old, I have the strength, endurance, perseverance and mental fortitude as an endurance athlete to handle whatever may come my way. I can even prevent some life events from feeling like obstacles or crises, instead approaching them as puzzles to solve and enjoy working.

Kathy during the 2014 Pigtails Challenge 100

2013: The Year In Rear View

2013: The Year In Rear View

by Ras

     I couldn't have asked for a fuller or more rewarding year than 2013. It was an amazing year to be a human being. I achieved epic wins and suffered epic fails, exceeded my own expectations and fell short of my own goals. It was a year of extreme highs, yet it was a year of balance. There were corresponding lows that maintained equilibrium.  

     This year I began learning the value of failure. Not to embrace it, not in the least. Failure will never be met by me with a resigned handshake. Failure will always get my fangs and claws. I will only enter into it with kicking and screaming and flailing; with wailing and gnashing of teeth. But in those instances where my best efforts fail to ward off defeat, there is so much to learn; about myself as a specific individual, and about us, humankind as a whole.

     And in many ways failure is the goal. The only way to know for sure that I am pushing the boundaries of my own capabilities is to occasionally overstep those bounds and plummet into the abyss on the other side. So along with detailing a year of incredible triumphs, I will tour you through a few desperate chasms, as well.

      Being chosen as an Altra Ambassador really helped take my running and adventuring in new directions. I had discovered Altra Zero Drop Shoes by googling various descriptions of the features I was looking for in running shoes, and Altra kept coming up. I bought a pair of Lone Peaks and have run in nothing else since. The support and confidence Altra showed in me, a quirky back of the packer, was both humbling and inspiring. And it showed the broad-minded vision of the company's leadership, which includes sponsoring thru hikers as well. And I'm stoked to be representing Altra again for 2014.

     It was only my second time ever attempting the 26.2 mile distance when I ran the Fort Ebey Kettles Trail Marathon on February 17th. Leading up to Fort Ebey I had been running fartleks every Friday, the first time in my running career I've ever focused on speedwork of any sort. My finish time of 05:29:53 for 10th Men's and 12th overall seemed to show that Fartlek Fridays were reaping benefits. Here's the complete race report: Fort Ebey Kettles Race Report 

     I surprised myself with a 100 mile PR at the Badger Mountain Challenge 100 Miler on March 30th. My finish time of 27:17 was a big improvement over my 29:02 PR at the 2011 Cascade Crest 100 Miler. Matt Hagen insists that the course at Badger was a few miles short this year, but I took a wrong turn and added a few miles (with a steep climb), so I know mine was a legit 100 regardless. Here's the complete race report: Badger Mountain Challenge 100 Miler
Kathy gives a Crew & Pacing Report on the Badger Mountain Challenge in episode #001 of the UltraPedestrian Podcast here: UltraPedestrian Podcast Episode #001

     Two weeks later, on April 13th, I set another new 100 mile PR of 26:44:00 at the Lumberjack Endurance Runs 100 Miler. Kathy gives a Crew & Pacing Report on the Lumberjack Endurance Runs in episode #003 of the UltraPedestrian Podcast here: UltraPedestrian Podcast Episode #003

     Seven days after Lumberjack, on April 21st, at the Spokane River Run 50k I set a new 50k PR of 5:35:08. Fartlek Fridays start sounding a little less silly at this point.

     A fortnight later, on May 4th, I began the 68 hour and 10 minute odyssey that was my World Record Rim to Rim to Rim to Rim to Rim to Rim to Rim, that being the first ever sextuple crossing of the Grand Canyon. One of the hardest and most enjoyable things I've ever done, the R2R2R2R2R2R2R got me noticed on a level that I was not expecting. It was not as difficult as my 2012 Double Wonderland, but the Grand Canyon is a bigger stage. And just a couple days after I completed my run, Rob Krar blew the collective mind of the trail running community with his stellar Rim to Rim to Rim Fastest Known Time, further focusing public attention on The Big Ditch, as many are want to call it. My complete trip report is here: Grand Canyon Rim to Rim to Rim to Rim to Rim to Rim to Rim
The complete recording of my talk at Seven Hills Running Shop about my Grand Canyon Triple Double Crossing is here: UltraPedestrian Podcast Episode #002
The TrailRunnerMag.com interview Tim Mathis conducted with me is here: Ras Vaughan's Unsupported, Sextuple-Rim-to-Rim
The GrindTV.com article is here: Trail runner is first to complete sextuple Grand Canyon crossing
Ken Michaels interviewed me for his podcast Running Stupid, direct download here: Running Stupid CXXIII (Ras Jahson Ites Interview)
And Ian Corless interviewed me for Talk Ultra here: Talk Ultra: Episode 36 - Ultrapedestrian Ras, Calitz, Kremer, Davies, Cardelli, Browy

     Two weeks after finishing my Grand Canyon run I ran the Sun Mountain 50 Miler. I was still very tired and only partially recovered from the triple double Rim to Rim, but I wanted to run this race as part of a two race project that I was calling the Sun Pig Mountaintails Challenge 250, which entailed running the Sun Mountain 50 Miler on Sunday, May 19th plus the Pigtails Challenge 200 Miler starting Thursday, May 23rd, for a total of 250 miles in one 7 day period. I struggled all day, was DFL for a number of miles, then managed to pass two people in the last two miles of the race to finish in 12:45:01, my slowest 50 mile finish ever. For comparison, in 2011 I finished this same race in 9:45:53.

     Three days later I started the Pigtails Challenge 200 Miler. At this point I was 1/5 of the way into my Sunpig Mountaintails Challenge 250 miler, and 1/3 of the way (mileage wise) into my attempt at completing the WA Super Slam. This was another long-term project of mine, running all the longest distances at all the 100+ mile races in the Washington Grand Slam With Ham. So my goal was to run the Badger 100, Lumberjack 100, Pigtails 200, Cascade Crest 100, and Plain 100. I had run the Pigtails 200 its first year, in 2012, and was one of only two finishers from the first year returning, Ken Michaels being the other. Unbeknownst to me, I had contracted giardiasis from drinking tainted water in the Grand Canyon (completely my fault, and a risk I knowingly took at the time). 

     It hit me for the first time about 4 of 21 loops into the Pigtails 200. I completely lost my appetite, and my digestion seemed to stop working. A very small amount of food or liquid would make me feel immediately stuffed, and would produce ridiculous amounts of gas from both ends. My stomach was bloated and distended and felt over full all the time. Throughout the rest of the 67 hours and 27 minutes total that I was on the course I ate very little. When I tried to lay down and rest on two occasions I just tossed and turned for an hour and a half or so, never getting any quality rest or relaxation.

     When Allen Skytta joined me as a pacer on lap 20, I was filling my water bottles with half Coke and half water, which was all I could manage to take in as a calorie source. At this point I was in 4th place overall with Francesca Carmichael in front of me, putting me in 3rd place for the Men. This would be my first podium finish ever. Then about halfway through lap 20, the second to last loop, Ken Michael appeared out of nowhere from behind us and with George Orozco pacing him. They passed us with Ken giving his trademark "All Day!" greeting. I watched their headlamps disappear ahead into the night, and it just didn't sit right in my mind. Not only was Ken breezing past me to take away my first ever (and possibly only ever) podium finish, but he was being paced toward that goal by a good friend. I suddenly found myself thinking, "No." I turned to Allen and said, "Let's not let those two out of our sight," and started running, trying to match their speed. Allen grinned and slapped his hands together, and the race was on.

     We turned off our headlamps so Ken and George wouldn't be able to tell exactly where we were and caught up to within about 50 yards of them, then just hung on. We discussed strategy for the turn around. I planned on dropping my trekking poles, refilling with Coke and water, and getting back out as quick as I could. Allen told me Ken and George would be doing the same. We were both in and out of the main aide station within a minute or so. Allen had to get ready to take over the midway aide station, so I was on my own.

     I was able to keep about the same 50 yards back from Ken and George for the first two miles of the 9.6 mile loop, on a couple of occasions stopping behind bushes in well-lit areas in hopes of keeping my two friendversaries literally in the dark about how far behind I was. As we were nearing the first real climb of the final clockwise loop, I found myself catching them up without meaning to. I tucked in behind them and matched their pace, running quietly and not knowing if they knew I was there or not. Finally George said, "Nice work, Ras," and I speedhiked behind them, matching their pace as they jogged up the hill. George said to Ken, "If we don't do something now, when we get to the downhill he's just gonna take off and we'll never see him again," but at that moment Ken didn't seem to have anything to answer with. After a minute Ken said, "Ras, I guess we can run it out and cross the finish line together."

     I said, "Well, I don't mean to sound like an a******, but I don't think that was your plan a few minutes ago, so let's just see how it plays out," pulled around them on the left, and ran off up the hill at about 98% effort, and into the rolling section where George know I would make up time on the downhills. Ken and George had doused their headlamps as well, so now I couldn't see how far behind they were. I was running all the downhills and flats as fast as I could and even running many of the uphills. At the midway aide station Deby Kumasaka refilled my Coke & water mix, and I sped on. She later said she could see the fire in my eyes and knew something was up.

     Throughout the rest of miles 195 through 200, I would catch the occasional glimpse of my pursuers in the form of a silhouette on the crest of the hill behind me. I was passing friends heading the other direction so quickly that I couldn't recognize them in time to say hello. I know I startled a couple of people emerging suddenly out of the darkness and disappearing again into it just as quickly.

     I have spent a lot of time running in the dark without a headlamp, to a great degree by feel, so the ambient light of the city of Kent was plenty for me to see by. And although I was haunted by fleeting glimpses of my pursuers, in the end I took that final podium spot with a 1:55 final lap to Ken's 1:57. This gave me a finish time of 67:27:00 to Ken's 67:29:00, and a new 200 mile PR for me by just under two hours.

     The Pigtail Challenge was also Kathy's first 100 mile race. Her complete race report is here: 2013 Pigtails Challenge: My First 100 Smiler
Race Director Van Phan's Race Director's Report is here: Pigtails Challenge 2013
James Varner's 100 mile race report (including a sighting of my and Ken's 21st lap battle) is here: Race Report: Pigtails Challenge 100

     After Pigtails I was incapacitated by giardia. My weight plummeted to 170 lbs. I usually walk around at about 190. Even in the UltraPedestrian Video that Tim Cash made for us, you can see that I am abnormally thin. For all of June and July I was unable to run. If you look at my Altra Ambassadors Page you can see that I had to pass up at least four Only Known Time attempts I had planned for 2013. To this day I still do not feel 100%.

     I only got in two or three short training runs before August 11th and the Angels Staircase 60k, which was to be my final tune up race before the Cascade Crest 100, and the Plain 100 three weeks after that, the final two races in my WA Super Slam attempt. I love this course, and had a great time, but my running was labored and forced and difficult, and I wasn't all that happy with my performance. And it didn't bode well for the two 100 milers I had coming up. I finished with a time of 10:22:51, 45 minutes behind last year's time.

     On August 24th, I struggled through every step of the Cascade Crest 100. I am a very meditative runner. I usually float along for miles, for HOURS, in a zen endurance fog, moving easily, almost on autopilot. But not this time. Every stride, every minute, every step of the Cascade Crest 100 miler was an effort. It was never easy or cruisy or floaty or zen. It was work and pain and exertion and a constant sensation of moving through a viscious fluid, or against elastic bonds. I finished, and I made the 32 hour cut off, but not by much. I turned in my personal worst 100 mile time of 31:38:30 and took home my third CCC buckle in as many years. And I had completed 500 of the 600 miles of my WA Super Slam. But I was not feeling optimistic about the upcoming Plain 100, and I only had 21 days to be as ready as I could be.

     On September 15th the Plain 100 became my first Did Not Finish. It's easy to brainstorm a long list of excuses, but they don't change the fact. I failed to complete the Plain 100, thus failing to complete both my personal WA Super Slam and the official Washington Grand Slam With Ham. It's okay to say it. I failed. Yes or no, did I accomplish what I set out to do? No. Fact.

     The supreme challenge of the WA Slam is that the toughest race, the Plain 100, is the final race in the series. And it is just two or three weeks after Cascade Crest, the second toughest race in the series. This year, when it counted, I was unable to meet that challenge. I did, however, still qualify as the only finisher of the 2013 Washington Grand Slam Hold The Ham, that being completing four out of the five 100+ mile races held in Washington state. Here are the complete results of the Washington Grand Slam With Ham: WA Grand Slam With Ham

     Over the summer we hosted the first annual UltraPedestrian Wilderness Challenge, an adventure blogging contest we dreamed up as one step in the ongoing UltraPedestrian goal of Democratizing Trail Culture. Read the complete results here: 2013 UPWC Complete Results & Awards

     October 5th my entire family ran the Baker Lake Ultras. I ran the 100k and Kathy and Angela both ran the 50k, it being Angela's first organized race of any sort. I came in at 16:20:26 for my first ever 100k finish, Kathy ran an 8:24:23 for a PR on that course, and Angela finished her first ultramarathon in 7:36:11, officially making us an Ultra Family. Kathy's complete race report is here: 2013 Baker Lake 50k Trail Run: Third Time is a Charm

     On October 18th Kathy and I set out to attempt a North to South to North double traverse of the Kettle Crest Range via the Kettle Crest Trail No. 13. Due to significantly more snow that we had hoped, 100+ blow downs across the trail, and significantly more elevation gain than we knew of, we called it quits at 6:43AM on October 19th after 46+ miles, 23 hours and 56 minutes on the trail, and the Garmin measuring 19,000 feet of elevation gain (although I find this number suspect). However, our North to South Traverse of the Kettle Crest stands as the Only Known Time for the complete Kettle Crest Trail No. 13. Kathy's complete trip report is here: Kettle Crest Traverse: North To SouthThe Fastest Known Time page detailing our attempts on the Kettle Crest is here: Fastest Known Time: Kettle Crest Trail

     The Second Annual Highland Halloween Hundred Trail UnRun, aka H3, was hosted by Kathy and I on October 26th. Distances of 42 miles, 84 miles, and 126 miles were offered. This was another of our efforts to redefine endurance and build new paradigms of hominid locomotion. Kathy's complete Race Director's Report is here: H3 2013: The Second Annual Highland Halloween Hundred Trail UnRun 

     November 18th Kathy and I ran the Baker Lake Fat Ass 50k. Our goal and intention was to run the 100k, but after 50k in 4 inches of fresh snow, rain all day long, standing puddles on the trail, temperatures in the upper 30s, rising winds, plummeting windchill, and 11 hours and 12 minutes on the trail, we tapped out. Terry Sentinella was kind enough to give us a 50k finish. Kathy's detailed trip report is here: Baker Lake: Take Two

     On December 15th Kathy and I ran the Deception Pass 50k together for the third year in a row and the third year of the race. Kathy and I finished in 8:21:05 and 08:21:06, respectively (yeah, she outkicked me by a second at the end there).

     In December it was a further blessing to have TrailRunnerMag.com choose Tim Mathis' interview with me as #3 in their top 10 best stories of 2013. Read all ten top stories here: Best of Inside Dirt 2013

     Also in December, I won a Grimey Award. It was an honor to be selected as one of the honorees for the first annual Washington Ultra Grimey Awards. Thank you to Tim Mathis, also to Trey Bailey of UphillRunning.com. And I'm in excellent company. Read all the awards here: 2013 Washington Ultra Grimeys

     What an amazing year and what a Blessing to be alive! Give Thanks for Life!

2013 Pigtails Challenge: My First 100 Smiler

2013 Pigtails Challenge: My First 100 Smiler

By Kathy Vaughan

     I awoke at 4:30 a.m.and glanced over at the tan easy-up shelter from which I'd been crewing my husband Ras for the past 2 days. I was looking for the glow of his headlamp to see if he was in from one of his loops.  This was his third morning of running around Lake Youngs in Renton ,Washington, where the Pigtails Challenge was being held.  This trail ultra race has 3 distances: 200 miles, 150 miles and 100 miles.  Ras had completed the 200 miler last May and was now in the process of completing his 2nd 200 miler on this same course.
  
     The course is a 9.4 mile loop around Lake Youngs, which runners glimpse only in one spot. The loop has 900 feet of elevation gain along rolling terrain.  The lake itself is surrounded by chain link fencing, as it belongs to the city of Renton.  A thick forest surrounds the lake inside this forbidden territory.  The trail is mostly double track, with a few sections of what became known as single “crap”.  At times the trail is alongside residential roads, behind houses, meandering through the woods and running near small wooded pastures.   The course is very easy to follow.  Runners reverse direction on each loop.  At the end of each loop, the runners tag up at the main aid station and their splits are recorded.  They can access their own food & gear at this time, plus a restroom with running water.  This is also where their crew is waiting, ready to help as soon as the runner checks in .

     I had been sleeping in the back of my Subaru Outback.  Warm inside my sleeping bag, I tossed and turned.  I would be starting the 100 mile distance of the Pigtails Challenge at 6 a.m. , my first 100 mile trail race. Ras had begun the 200 mile race at 6 a.m on Thursday. Twenty four hours later, the 150 mile runners had begun. I had been camping here during this time, helping Ras and enjoying visiting with other crew, pacers and runners arriving early to pick up their race packets.  

     Now it was game time.  I could see that the shelter was still dark, meaning Ras was out on the course somewhere.  I would soon be running also and would pass him each time we went around and around this loop.  He was 2 days deep though, and I would be fresh. He'd been rained on a lot.  Now the weather was turning.  The sky would be cloudy but the sun promised to shine. The air was chilly and the ground still damp in the early dawn.  I knew my morning plan as I had gone over it in my head many times. Eat a banana; drink coffee; put on running clothes; start drinking water; relax; fill water & Perpetuem bottle; stay warm until race time.

     The 100 mile runners were now arriving and soon I was laughing and nervously interacting with the group as we mingled near the starting area.  The ultra running community is very supportive and non-competitive for the most part, and runners were friendly and encouraging towards each other. Many runners already knew each other and lots of warm hugs were going around.  Occasionally a worn out 150 or 200 miler would come through the aid station to check in after having completed one of their loops. The fresh energy may have felt either welcome or overwhelming to these runners.  

     To complete the 200 miles on this course, runners start with a 2.3 mile out n'back and then run 21 loops around the lake.  The 150 milers are led just a short distance out the trail by Van Phan, the race director, to their start and then run 16 loops.  As a 100 miler, I would run a 6 mile out n'back first and then 10 loops around Lake Youngs. Each odd loop I would take a left at the  T, or the end of the lollipop stick (in runner's trail description terms) . For each even loop, I would take a right.  The distance from the start/finish/main aid station to this T where the loop begins is only a few hundred feet. 

     Van called us together for a pre-race briefing.  Oddly, she had to mention to us that we should be aware of Canada Geese families that had attacked a couple of runners so far, threatening many others. I had been hearing the reports the 2 days previous and had even seen a good size bite on the back of Francesca Carmichael , the women's winner of the 200 miler.  She cautioned us to not turn our backs on them. I chuckled with the others, but inside was secretly hoping I would not come across these guys out there!  

     And then we were off.  I had trained & planned for this day for over 6 months now.  Since December, I had put in over 900 miles in training.  January through March, these miles included lots of long cross-country skiing days.  All of this training had been good, but it had token its toll on my Illiotibial band. A common injury amongst runners, straining this band causes outer knee pain and has to be massaged & stretched to heal. It had reared its ugly head with me only 4 weeks before Pigtails.  I was in my peak mileage week, running the Spokane River Run 50k, where I set a  PR.  I was about 10 miles from the finish when the knee pain came on.  After looking up the symptoms when I got home, it was classic IT Band Syndrome.  I had spent lots of time since then stretching, using trigger point massage and rolling out with foam rollers.  It felt better, but was not completely healed. 

     I would run this race anyway. It had been my focus and this was my chance. I would make it happen. I would believe in myself. I would focus on my basic healthiness and not on my pain. I would visualize the finish and remember why I wanted it. Everybody on the course would be feeling pain to a certain extent or other. I would not be alone in this. Together we would all be suffering at some point, some more than others, as the miles and the hours would be long. 

     I ran the first 6 mile out'n'back with ease. It was a delightful way to start the day. The sun began to shine and the runners were in good spirits. I visited with some folks I had met the day before as they came to get their packets. It now felt good to just cruise along with them, knowing in later miles I would be setting my own pace.  After this 6 miles, my friend Beth Glander would join me for 2 loops. We had met last summer on a 4 day trip running around Mt. Rainier together on the 94 mile Wonderland Trail.  This was easier trail, yet a different undertaking. I was happy to have Beth be a part of it with me.

     I completed the 6 miles in 1:14, 16 minutes faster than my goal time. I at first didn't see Beth, but by the time I shed a few layers, grabbed my sunglasses and got ready to head out on my first loop, I saw Beth appear in perfect synchronicity.  It was awesome. My journey was becoming ever more real and my planning was paying off.  Now I had a friend to run with me.

     Beth was ideal. A petite and fit little runner, she was up for the task.  She almost immediately made it clear that she wanted this to be all about me:    “Run where you want on the trail and I'll find a spot”,  “We can talk as much or as little as you want”, “You got this Kathy”.  She was totally encouraging and positive. She reminded me that my only true goal was to finish. My finishing time was that 32 hour cut-off.  I had a pie-in-the-sky goal of 29-30 hours and had charted out the splits necessary for that.  It was all a big question mark though, as this was a first. It was ok to not know. Hearing Beth say that 32 hours was my goal to finish this, helped me to accept that as a back-of-the-packer and a first time 100 miler, that would still be a legit accomplishment. 

     These loops went by fast and soon it was time to say good-bye to Beth and run 3 loops on my own. I planned on listening to my mp3 player and was pretty excited about getting pumped up on some good raggae dancehall music. The universe had other plans.  In my pre-race organization I had definitely charged my mp3 player. I had definitely not listened to it, saved it for this day. This moment. But now it was dead as I set off on this first of my solo loops. I saw Ken Michal, a 200 mile runner and host of the podcast  Running Stupid.  He said “Control what you can and let go of the rest”. Right. I tucked it away in my running vest and kept going.

     The middle miles went great.  I had good energy and lots of running legs left.  I cruised along happily, going by the other runners and smiling, sending good energy everyone's way.  I liked hitting the mid-way aid station each time, refilling my water bottle and nibbling on a salty snack mix, one of the volunteers had put together.  It was a tray filled with a mix of pretzels, potato chips, corn chips and cheetos (which I avoided due to my vegan diet). This was a good way to get some salt and I never did take any additional salt supplements during the event.  Because of such easy access to water, I only carried one hand bottle as I ran. My running vest was light and had a small 10 oz flask of Perpetuem in one front pocket.  The other pocket held a small ziplock bag of tums, ibuprofen and ginger chews.  Also in that pocket I carried a mix of Justin's Nut Butter pouches, salted nut mixes, Gu Chomps and soy or shiitake mushroom jerkeys.

    As the day wore on, I started drinking a delicious cup of Butternut Squash soup each time I hit the main aid station.   For fresh food, I nibbled on some cherry tomatoes Tracey Brown was kind to have brought  to the mid-way aid station and some celery sticks and watermenlon provided at the main aid.

     Away from the roads, the trail does wind its way through a delightful forest, filled with a variety of trees.  Some old cedar still stand. Large ferns and mossy stumps line the trail. Buttercups and other spring wildflowers were lush amongst the wet, green grasses.  A variety of birdsong came through the trees and once in a while a chipmunk or squirrel would appear.  Sometimes the trail would pass small wooded pastures where people kept horses, chickens and goats. A white pony grazed in one of these and it seemed almost fairytale like.  Old fence lines sagged and rusted. I was curious about the old homesteads that once existed here.  At dusk, a wonderful chorus of frogs began to croak.  It was fun to hear them start up so loudly and then suddenly stop all together.  Enchanting moments were present along this route, though lined mainly by a prison-style fence,  keeping us from the inviting forest inside and the lake we could not see.  

     I grabbed my Black Diamond Z poles on my 4th loop to help with the IT band discomfort. I could use them on the climbs and carry them easily while I ran.  The downhill was becoming more uncomfortable too and the poles could help take some of the impact on the descents. My goal was to finish and I would use whatever tools I had in my tool kit to accomplish this.  

     It was fun to see the elite runners dash by on each loop.  They had now lapped me many times over, but I didn't care. I fed off of their energy as they passed and observed their form.  Tim Stroh won the 200 miler last year and came back to do the half this year.  He was strong the whole time and finished the race, 1st overall in 16:58 minutes.  It was fun sharing the course with him. I happened to be at the main aid station right after his finish.  He had dashed by on his final lapping of me as he pushed for that sub 17 hour finish.  It was amazing.  He held out his hand towards me for a handshake when I saw him.  I love in this community, that the overall winner has the humility to shake hands with a lady runner who would be the final finisher. DFL (Dead f'ing Last, for those of you who don't know the acronym)  I do prefer how my friend & veteran 100 miler,  Matt Hagen referred to me though, as “Our lovely caboose”  .

     With this well thought-out race design, spent 200 milers can encourage first time 100 milers.  Elite 100 milers can spur on the downtrodden. Back-of-the-packers can run with others. Solo lady runners can rest assured they will see other runners regularly.  Most runners at least said hi as they passed.  As pacers came on, they took over this job.  When runners fell silent because it took too much energy to talk, it was understood. James Varner, the race director of Rainshadow Running,  ran the 100 mile distance.  Each time he passed me he called out positive words.  This felt great. As an aspiring ultra runner just several years ago, James was someone I looked up to.  He is part of a group of runners I've become friends with that have helped me to believe that I can achieve these distances I attempt; doing it my way. 

     By loop 5,  Ras and I had synched up.  I rushed him out of the aid station and we stayed together until the mid-way aid .  He had to push himself to keep up with me as he was on loop  19.  He developed an unusual toe pain and slowed to the point where I had to leave him behind.  I took off with great renewed energy after having spent some time with Ras.  I was also excited because after this loop, I would be joined by my two friends Angel Mathis and Tonya Hoffman.  These gals would stay with me all night and bring me in to the finish.  Tonya is a mountain climber and a really strong runner.  She finished her first 100 miler in December.  Angel is a strong runner as well and will be running her first 100, Cascade Crest in Easton, Washington, in August.  I felt really honored to have these amazing women willing to join me in this challenge I had set before myself.  They would be with me during my hardest times, when the going got rough, and rougher.

     Deby Kumaska, another experienced 100 miler finisher and great friend of mine, would be helping to gear me up for the night. She wanted to make sure I was ready with all of the nighttime changes attended to before I set out on the loop where darkness would fall.  I was still 10 minutes ahead of my projected splits and this was a good thing. I was about to slow and slow considerably.  I was heading into new territory, mileage wise.  This would mean a lot of things to me that I could not now foresee.  Deby could, thankfully.  She prepared me as well as she could.  She put fresh batteries in my headlamp for me, as I had been using it all weekend to crew Ras.  She helped me think through what I should have in my running vest for the colder temperatures.  She got me another cup of the hearty, warm soup. This allowed Angel to get ready herself. Tonya had accidentally dropped a hammer on her toe the week before and decided to wait until the next loop to join us.  

     Angel and I took off on loop 6. She was feeling fresh and I was 53 miles deep. This is what pacing is all about.  Angel would help remind me to sip water and nibble on my snacks.  She would visit with me and help keep me motivated, now that I was feeling the miles.  It was awesome to have her with me.  Angel is a real sweet lady and we immediately fell into great conversation.  For some reason I felt compelled to give her ongoing trail beta, very detailed.  I don't know if she appreciated or needed this on such a straightforward course, but its what my mind was doing. She was patient with me.  We cracked up later when I realized what I was doing and promised to not do it for each of the remaining loops.  

     Loop 6 done, Tonya now joined me and Angel. I was doing a lot of hiking at this point, more like trekking as I am good with using my poles.  I have a lot of experience with them both through skiing and fast packing.  I was able to use them to my advantage.  The trekking did not aggravate the pain in my IT band as much, so I made better time with this movement. Angel had come up with the idea to attach a toe warmer with a sticky backing to my outer knee and then hold it in place with my Zensah calf sleeve.  This was very soothing.  I could still intersperse some running on this loop, but by loop 8, almost no running was happening.  I felt bad for my pacers who were likely expecting to run more, but when I expressed this concern, they assured me they were about helping me get it done.

     My mind was playing funny tricks on me.  A pile of wet leaves looked like large shards of clear glass. A bike coming towards me in the dark with flashing lights (pacing a runner) sent me into hysterical laughter that was hard to stop. Sometimes I'd completely forget where we were on the trail, even though I had become  so familiar with it.  I was surprised at how slowly my brain was working. Answering questions that Tonya and Angel asked seemed to take so much effort and the answers seemed disconnected from my thoughts. 

     With loop 8 came tears.  It was hard to set out on that loop when I thought of the 28.2 miles I had left to cover.  Deby had finished her volunteer gig at the mid-way aid station and was back at the main aid now.  She was a huge help. She told me to not think about what miles I had left to cover but to think instead about how far I had already come, 71.8~this was more than I had ever covered in one shot.  Pretty awesome.  Okay.  Then she told me to remember the hardest thing I'd ever been through and how I'd gotten through that.   I could get through this too. I was here to do this. Jess Mullen, a local accomplished ultra runner working the aid station,  told me to remember that I wanted to be here.  She and I both laughed at this, as I replaced tears with this good feeling of shared understanding.  Van felt my running vest and said it was too heavy.  I remembered now I was carrying my lights that I no longer needed and all of my extra night layers. I replaced it with a small vest I'd been wearing earlier in the run.   All of this support and encouragement helped me get out there again.

     Once out on the trail, Angel and I began to work more and more like an intuitive team.  We made plans before we hit each aid station. We used strategy to keep on moving forward, no matter how much I had slowed. I moved steadily and my splits remained surprisingly consistent throughout these rougher miles.  Angel and I played “Truth” and told each other great stories about our lives.  We learned a lot in those dark hours about each other, and about ourselves. Tonya stuck with us until her own toe pain was too intense.  Her husband Allen Skytta was working at the mid-way aid station and so she joined him when her going got too rough.

     At the beginning of loop 9, the cut-off loomed ahead in my mind.  I began to think I was going to get pretty close.  It was time to amp up the speed. Angel helped by having me run to different signs hanging on the endless chain link fence.  This worked and helped push me through to the fastest loop I'd had with her yet.  I was suffering blisters and all kinds of pains here and there at this point. It was rough going. I pushed on. I wanted to finish. Angel had invested so much energy and time with me. It was necessary to remember it was not just about me at this point. It was about us. It was about Angel and I and everyone I'd mouthed off to about running my first 100 miler. I was going to finish this thing .

     Our turn around for loop 10 was super fast. I wanted to put on my new Pigtails bandana for this loop.  It had been in my swag bag I'd gotten before the race. This was part of the plan. I'd earned that adorable little bandana now, and yet I hadn't quite.  Jess made us coffee and we took off down the trail with the cups in our hands.  We had to go down the  steep hill first and so I slammed down my coffee before I got to it.  It was an interesting and ridiculous looking movement that got me down that hill.  Ahead in the distance I saw a Rasta man and some others.  The red, gold and green tam stood tall as I looked far ahead down the trail. I wondered what his business might be. A young, athletic looking runner flew by and I called to her that I wished I had her form right now.  Angel laughed.  The runner ran through the Rasta man and the others alongside the trail up ahead. I was now getting closer.   My brain had not been working clearly for many hours and now its fuzziness was thicker.  I got  to these people along the trail . I looked up and before me were friends, Ras Scott and his wife Tasha.  They had with them their two children, their daughter Ilah and their son Nijah.  They were here for me.  They were along the trail to cheer me on, on my final loop around Lake Youngs.   It was very surreal and touching. We hugged and they trekked a short distance with us. I said goodbye and off we went.

     Now Angel and I carried with us the good feeling we had gotten from this familiy's presence on the trail.  They had come for us.  Soon, a vibrant and experienced looking ultra running couple came towards us in good form.  I'd not seen such good form for a while on the trail on any ultra runner.  Shortly Angel called out because she could see it was our friends Sophia Walker and Joel Bellezza out for a morning run.  They greeted us warmly and continued on.  They were here to both get in a good run and to cheer on Pigtails runners this morning.

     We marched on and on.  The end was in sight.  The final loop.  It was getting harder to keep moving,  yet easier at the same time.   I was on a roller coaster of emotions.  When I'd see the hills up ahead, I wanted to log roll down them; it seemed like it would be really fun and a much easier way to get down.   I could see other runners running it in on their final loop and this felt great. My friend  Stacey Nievweija was working at the mid-way aid station now with her son. As Angel and I approached it for our final time on this adventure, she came running towards us like a deer.  She looked so light and graceful. Her cute 12 year old son Keegan then ran up and said “good job”.  This felt uplifting.  The end was getting nearer.

     Just when Angel and I thought we could come up with no other distractions for our worn out minds, up came Sophia and Joel from behind.   They would escort us in the final 3 miles or so.  It was such perfect timing.  It proves the beauty and selflessness of the ultra running community I am amongst.  They had come back around and would slow to a crawl to help me finish my first 100 miler, because that would feel special to them too.   

      I felt distracted and happy to have lively conversation now all around me.  Occasionally Joel would ask me a question that was easy to answer, yet funny or meaningful.  It helped a lot and he sprinkled these in at just the right times.  Soon up ahead another runner came towards us with two dogs.  She had bright green compression socks on and cute pink running shoes.  I wondered what she was up to for the morning.  She had no race number on and I didn't recognize her.  She started hooting and calling out in a friendly way.  I thought it was nice and that she was a local runner, happy to help encourage one of the Pigtails runners.  When we got right up to the runner, I could clearly see it was Tonya.  She had come back to run with us the final stretch home.  This was a special moment. It was odd that I was recognizing no one this morning.

    I could "smell the oats in the barn".  It was just the single crap section, the houses, the water tower, the junk yard, the T.  And that was it.  I ran down from the T and hooted. No matter how much trekking I'd done on any of the loops, I always ran it in from the T, in good style.   A group of voices sounded from below and I just kept heading towards them.  It was time to cross the finish line and then I could stop moving.  I could stop with the relentless forward progress already.

     It felt unreal. It still feels unreal.   The little family had stayed at the finish line to wait for over 3 hours.  Ras was there, resting in a chair after finishing his 200 miler in 67:27. Allen was there, waiting for Tonya and to cheer for me too. The final finisher before me and a new friend, Jules Mann was there with his wife Mihaela, his new Pigtails bandana tied scout -style proudly around his neck.   Trey Bailey of Uphillrunning.com was there with his girlfriend Laura Kay, who had brought me a huge and yummy soy mocha from Starbucks.   Jess , Van and her husband Ken were patiently awaiting my finish before they could close down the race scene for the weekend. Van had spent 4 days taking excellent care of runners. She had put together a great event, and held it together all weekend.  Matt and Betsey Rogers were there.  They'd also been at my first 50 mile finish where I'd also DFL'd.  And they didn't care that I'd DFL'd.  Turns out nobody did.   Van handed me the cute Pigtails Challenge 100 Mile belt buckle.  I'd finished in 31:37 minutes, beating the cut-off and the 8 runners who didn't finish.