2015 MASSANUTTEN 100-MILER

MASSANUTTEN 100-MILER

MMT-100 Belt Buckle

May 16-17, 2015, George Washington National Forest, Shenandoah Valley, VA -  The race is called the Massanutten 100 (MMT100) but the official distance of the race 103.7 miles. If I had truly known how difficult this race was, I doubt I would have attempted it. From research after the race I discovered it was ranked the 8th Hardest Ultra in the USA. I decided to run this race solo & entered the solo division, meaning no support crew, pacers or listening devices.  The race had 15 Aid Stations (AS) with 11 where we could drop off small bags with any special needs.  The 11 bags I dropped off each had 10 ounces of beet juice, 2 Gu Roctane Gels, 2 S-Caps and then depending on my anticipated time of arrival, small flashlight, headlamp, long sleeve shirt, extra batteries and/or Aleve.  I will discuss how I used these during the race.
MMT-100 HeadquartersI arrived at the race check-in Friday, deposited my AS bags & picked up my packet.  Ironically the very first person I met at the check-in was Gary Knipling. Dr. Knipling is a legend in ultra running.  He has run MMT-100 over 17 times, completed the Grand Slam (Leadville, Western States, Vermont & Wasatch in the 10 week window!).  In the 2006 MMT-100, Dr. Knipling & Kerry Owens were featured/followed in the film “Massanutten:Two Runners, 100 Miles.”  I bought the DVD prior to running MMT-100 & watched it to get mentally psyched up for the race. Dr. Knipling is 70 years young still runs 100 mile races.
Gary Knipling

I made a last minute decision that worked fairly well for me.  I really did not want to run with a vest for my hydration so I just used the bottle and stuffed it down the back of my pants. 

StartThe race began at 4:00am at Caroline Furnace Camp. 199 of us started and headed out across a meadow.  I could immediately tell this was a much more experienced running crowd, as there was none of the attendant yelling, talking, singing, etc…  We headed out across the field. The weather was awesome at close to 60 degrees with high humidity.  The first 4 miles of the race were basically uphill mountain crushed gravel service roads that would take us to the trail.  My goal was simply to reach each Aid Station ahead of the prescribed time cutoff and try to accumulate a larger cushion at each cutoff.

MMT
#1 AS Moreland Gap (4.1 miles - 4.1 total)
This was basically a water stop as we entered the Massanutten Mountain Trail.  There was no time cutoff to reaching this point and I was just keeping up with a group of runners.  I do not like to chat during a race as it wastes my energy so I did my typical hanging back but close enough to listen. 

#2 ASEdinburg Gap (8.1miles - 12.1 total)
I remember this portion because the Whipporwhills (nocturnal bird) were so noisy.  It seemed like they were right on top of us. I also could hear a bunch of owls.  After a couple miles of fairly inclined trail running this quickly became an incredibly rocky march/climb up the mountain in the dark. I was the lead climber in a group of about 5 guys, 2 were vetrinarians as I had listened to their conversations earlier. I asked if anyone wanted to pass me but they said they liked the steady pace I was maintaining.  The sunrise was not spectacular as I was not where I could see it but the lighting of the forest was quietly beautiful.
Cutoff for Edinburg 7:50am / my arrival 7:05am = +45mins

#3 AS Woodstock Tower (8.2 miles - 20.3 total)
As with every one of these sections the pattern persisted, we left an AS headed a couple thousand feet up rocky, muddy, wet (or actual streams) mountain trails, across the rolling ridgeline and then back down similar single track to the next aid station. The elevations were basically between 500-3,000 feet with roughly 11 summits. Altitude profileI fell pretty hard at mile 15.  I strained my left arm but luckily nothing involving my legs.  The fall was enough to scare & remind me I was on my own. By this point, the worst part of the entire run started to become apparent.  The horseflies slowly and relentlessly began swarming.  They were awful & I felt I was locked in a battle of wills.  Oddly they kept biting my left shoulder.  They were like a plague.  I remember at one point if I had been in the Civil War in the Army of Northern Virginia, marching in these woods, in wool uniforms, with all these dang horseflies, I would have deserted!  It is amazing how something as small & unanticipated as horseflies can have such a negative impact on your attitude.
Woodstock Tower
Cutoff for Woodstock Tower 10:30am / my arrival 9:32am = +58mins

#4 AS Powells Fort (5.6 miles – 25.8 total)
It was during this section that the heat really started to become an issue.  I could hear the runners around me who had run the race previously begin to talk about how hot the weather was becoming.  We were running in mid 80s, in the shade but it was the fact we had close to 100% humidity and absolutely no breeze with all the surrounding canopy.  I was dripping sweat.  It was at this point I realized I had miscalculated carrying only one water bottle with me.  I began stopping at the stream crossings, splashing water on my arms, neck, face, head and soaking my shirt.  It was refreshing but not sure it had any significant anatomical affect.  It was at this AS, the beet juice I had planned on drinking at each AS became more and more difficult. Beet juice is bad.  Warm beet juice is horrible.  Hot beet juice is damn near caustic.
Powells Fort
Cutoff Powells Fort 12:10pm / my arrival 11:01am = +69mins

#5 AS Elizabeth Furnace (7.5 miles – 33.3 total)
This was one of my favorite early sections as several miles were on logging type road and fairly flat.  I was able to actually run, yet the heat was really becoming an issue for everyone.  When we arrived at this AS, I saw many runners who were in really bad shape and were already beginning to call it quits. I tried to drink as much as I could and decided to walk right off the bat for a while to give the fluid a chance to be absorbed. I took my time at this AS as I knew I was heading into the hottest part of the day.  I drank my beet juice (last beet juice I drank for today), drank lots of water & gatorade, iced up, packed my Roctanes, grabbed a couple dill pickle slices and headed out.  Immediately as I left Elizabeth Furnace, I felt horrible.  I was dehydrating.  I was walking but was in trouble.  After about a mile, I heard the distance rumble of thunder but unfortunately felt a storm brewing in my bowels.  I detoured about 20 feet off the trail.  I found a tree to squat behind but also to hold onto so I could lean back.  Any ultra runner recognizes this as the traditional evacuation position.  My bowels exploded and just as I was through and starting to feel better, I violently vomited several times until I was just dry heaving.  It seemed everything liquid I had consumed during the race had just left my body.  The good news was I felt better and I could tell it was getting ready to rain.  The bad news was obviously I was dehydrated and was in a dicey situation if I expected to finish this monster.  I decided to be conservative and if push came to shove I would drink stream water from the higher elevations as it was very clear and less likely contaminated.  The rain felt wonderful.  Unfortunately the rain quickly made the streams murky from the runoff.  I decided to hold out the best I could.
Cutoff Elizabeth Furnace 2:30pm / my arrival 1:19pm = +71mins

#6 AS Shawl Gap Parking (4.7 miles – 38.0 total)
I actually made it to this AS without losing hardly anytime I had accumulated.  I was surprised given my condition.  I took my time at this AS & drank lots of water & as much fluid as possible.  My plan was to walk for 15 minutes before running trying to simply absorb.  I also only had 3.1 mile to the next AS.  The distance was not always the issues but the terrain.  I was worried about the upcoming section as I had talked to a guy previously who failed to finish the previous year and he said he failed to meet the cutoff for Veach Gap.
Cutoff Shawl Gap 4:10pm / arrival 3:00pm = +70mins

#7 AS Veach Gap Parking (3.1 miles – 41.1 total)
This turned out in my opinion to be the easiest and most unable section.  It was a crushed gravel mountain road and I ran almost the entire time.  I felt great.  I was hoping my system had some how miraculously bounced back after the great purge!  I passed numerous runners and accumulated 30mins of cushion!  Shocking!
Cutoff Veach Gap 5:05pm / arrival 3:20pm = +105mins

#8 AS Indian Gave Trailhead (9.0 miles – 50.1 total)
I thought this was the most difficult section for me.  The path up the mountain was one giant climb diagonally up the side of one of the faces of the mountain.  You could see up the climb and it just appeared to go on forever without being able to see the top.  it was mentally intimidating.  I just grabbed ahold of my compression shorts, stared at my feet & just methodically kept putting one foot after another. It was a complete grind.  Eventually we reached the top.  it was at the top of this mountain across the ridge line where I found the black snake on my path.  I was exhausted and of course I could not let pass an opportunity to catch a snake.  Here is a photo from the video I have previously posted.  Snake The snake was a great distraction as it reminded me I was supposed to be having fun!
Cutoff Indian Grave NONE / arrival 6:45pm

#9 AS Habron Gap Parking (3.9 miles – 54.0 total)
I had also been told my another runner when I got to Habron Gap to each as much as possible because getting to Camp Roosevelt was a long section in time and distance and would need the energy. I took this advice to heart.  I ate 2 cups of soup, some grilled cheese, an ice cream sandwich & took a bean & cheese burrito with me.  I rehydrated and filled everything up as best I could and started back up the mountain.  I had also placed a small LED flashlight in my bag just in case.  I had optimistically (and unrealistically) hoped to reach Camp Roosevelt pro to sunset, which is where I placed my headlamp.  I also noticed when I took my LED flashlight out of the bag it was already on and appeared to be weak.  Sigh!  I did not know how long the battery life would be.  I had about 30-45mins but the forest would be dark.  I conserved my flashlight.  Once evening set in and I ran into other runners, they kept asking me about why I did not have better lighting.  I explained my predicament and most were kind enough to hover around me before I passed them or they passed me to share the lighting.  It was another example of poor planning on my part and I hope I was not going to self-destruct.
Cutoff Habron Gap 9:00pm / arrival 7:57pm = +63mins

#10 AS Camp Roosevelt (9.8 miles – 63.8 total)
I arrived at Camp Roosevelt and this was a significant milestone to me.  I had heard some veterans mention that if you could get to CR in good shape with a good cushion you had a great shot of finishing.  I noticed at this AS, several runners around me were quitting and it was not because of injuries but just a lack of will.  I took my time to eat well, grab my headlamp and head out for the night time labours.  I was feeling optimistic but each successive climb was taking a greater and greater toll on me physically in particular my feet.
Camp Roosevelt
Cutoff Camp Roosevelt 1:15am / arrival 11:27pm = +108mins

#11 AS Gap Creek/Jawbone 1 (5.8 miles – 69.6 total)
I had heard one of the female veteran runners mention she thought the climb through Gap Creek I was the hardest part of the race for her in years past.  (FYI she was one of the runners who this year DNF).  The climb was rough but it was at night so I was not really sure what it looked like.  I did know that this portion of the race was basically a large circle that sent us out and around and eventually back through this area during daylight.  It was also the beginning of where it seemed several of the 'trails/paths' we ran were rocky streams. No way to even try and keep the feet dry.  Just at times a mile or moe or running through rocky streams made muddy from the sporadic rain showers.  My feet were raw.  They ripped with each step. This is where you can see I started given back significant time to the course.  I could maintain a steady pace climbing and even on flat sections.  It was anything downhill that kept causing my skin to separate from my feet and the nerves were raw.
Cutoff Gap 1 3:45am / arrival 2:15am = +90mins

#12 AS Visitor Center (8.5 miles – 78.1 total)
This section just seemed to go on forever.  I lack a lot of specific memories as I ran it in the early morning hours and was just trying to make the next cutoff.
Cutoff Visitor Center 7:30am / arrival 6:14am = +76mins

#13 AS Bird Knob (3.5 miles – 81.6 total)
This section had probably the worst steepest climbs of the course.  They were short but even I could not maintain a steady pace up them evenly slowly.  I say that with some pride as although I am not fast I am strong and usually do not have to stop on a climb but can pace myself and methodically push up.  At this point and with these steep climbs, I would occasionally need to stop for 10-20 seconds to lower my heart rate just a bit.  Another runner and I were pushing forward together without speaking.  The mountain kept tricking us.  We thought we had submitted only to have another spur taking us higher.  My feet were such a huge problem.
Cutoff Bird Knob NONE / arrival 7:50am

#14 AS Picnic Area (6.4 miles – 87.9 total)
Mentally I kind of zoned out on this section.  My Garmin had long been dead and I had no way of knowing how far or fast I was traveling.  I tried to maintain a sense of urgency but although my mind was willing the pain in my feet was over ruling everything else.  It was around this time that I started to worry from a purely physical standpoint if I was going to be able to finish.  The pain in my feet was increasingly difficult to block out. The AS workers told me I was in great shape with plenty of time, almost an hour, but I knew I was rapidly losing time back to the course.
Cutoff Picnic Area 11:00am / arrival 10:05am = +55mins

#15 AS Gap Creek/Jawbone II (8.9 miles – 96.8 total)
I finally made it back to this section.  The last 1-2 miles to Gap Creek 2 was on crushed gravel mountain road.  I was able to jog as I knew I was dramatically losing time and I need to gain or hold onto as much of a cushion as possible. I had hoped to reach this AS and head out with a solid 60min of cushion.  I arrived at this last AS.  I drank & ate anything and everything I could find with sugar and/or caffeine looking for whatever last boost of energy I could find.  I also continued taking advil, aleve, aspirin, tylenol or whatever pain killers I could scrounge from any spectators.  The AS were not allowed to dispense any medication for liability purposes.
Cutoff Gap II 2:00pm / arrival 1:28pm = +32mins

FINISH - Caroline Furnace Camp (6.9 miles – 103.7)
People ask me why I do these long events.  This right here is the answer.  I had been on my feet for over 30 hours, no sleep, vomitted, diarrhea, alone, fatigue, pain, despair, etc...  The easy thing was to quit. My body had quit several times.  My body had been telling my brain it was time to quit.  That it was but to quit.  Even my brain agreed that it was better for the organism to quit.  But I want to see at these moments how do I react.  I had 2 and a half hours to run 7 miles.  That sounds so easy.  I started back up the mountain.  There were 2 women in front of me. A runner and her pacer.  Both had ski poles.  They looked like they were flying up the mountain.  I tried to push.  They quickly disappeared.  I knew there were a handle full of runners behind me.  I knew If I could get through theses early miles of brutal climbs, I would eventually exit onto the mountain gravel road with 4 miles largely downhill to the finish.  All I kept thinking about was getting to the road.  My feet were raw throbbing stumps & my shoes had long since fallen apart. I remember thinking if I saw a bear I would hobble toward him hoping he would put me out of my misery.  I heard voices behind me.  That simply meant other runners were catching me as I struggled.  Two more ladies caught me.  Again another runner with her pacer and they both had ski poles.  They offered to each give me a pole with I find so kind but politely refused.  Again they seemed to pass me like they were running 4 minute miles.  I eventually exited the forest.  I got to the road with 55mins left to run 4 miles (I had finally turned on my iPhone to use the clock, nothing else worked).  I knew the remaining route was largely downhill as we had run uphill to this point to start the race.  I stood for a second looking to my left, which was uphill a couple hundred feet to the crest and then appeared downhill from that point.  To my right was downhill and then curved out of sight. I was delirious, dehydrated, in pain and knew I was not in the best from of mind to be making decisions.  Nothing looked familiar as we had run this section at night.  There were no landmarks, houses, signs, cars or runners anywhere.  I headed right.  I ran with deliberate speed hoping to simply catch sight of the runners who had passed me so I would know I was going the correct direction.  Two cars came around the bend and passed me going the other direction.  My immediate thought was they were heading to the finish line to pick up their runners, meaning I was running the wrong way.  I continued to run with purpose.  After running about a mile I cam around bend toward the bottom of a swale and I Could see a great distance ahead of me.  I did not see any other runners. I cannot express the despair that overcame me in that instance where I determined I had turned the wrong way.  There was a pile of gravel rocks on the side of the road and I just sat down.  I had run over 100 miles, for over 35 hours & I screwed it all up by turning the wrong way.  it was too late to head back the other way plus I was broken.  I guess that was the best word to use.  I was not mad.  I was just done and broken and finished.  I tried to rationalize, "If a car comes by you can have them drive you the equal distance from here to the other side from where you exited the woods!"  I was bargaining with myself.  Thankfully no car came by and I was not presented with that choice.  I just sat there.  It seemed like forever.  I was wondering how do I even get back to the finish to get my truck.  I was just staring down at the ground.  All of a sudden I heard a guy say, "You okay?"  I was so startled.  He was running and there was a girl about 50 feet behind him with a race number.  I jumped up and asked, "Are we heading the right way?'  He said yes but that we needed to probably average 10:00 minute miles to beat the cutoff.  I was now angry that I might not finish because I had stopped.  The anger though squeezed the last remaining drops of adrenaline out.  I put my head down, leaned dramatically forward, over pumped my arms and started chugging.  There were still some uphill sections of the road but I never stopped.  I was hot and knew I was dehydrated as my skin was dry and I was not sweating. I knew the sign I was looking for that would take me up the final dirt road.  Around every bend I looked for it, to no avail.  I eventually did pick up the gentleman with whom I had run Bird Knob.  He was spent too and trying.  So it was the girl, her pacer, the guy and I trying to make it all being led by me.  I finally came around a corner and won about a quarter mile I could see the splint in the road we needed to take.  I yelled to the others.  I kept running as it was going to be close.  At the split, we had to run up a dirt clay road which was super slippery from the rain.  I could not run up it as it was so slippery.  I had to move to the edge of the forest so I had some traction.  We had to run about a quarter mile straight up.  A car was leaving and they said we were close, "Only 2 bridges & the meadow!"  That was not necessarily reassuring as I did not know how far that was and I know the time was expiring.  The path through the woods seemed quite long util finally it bottomed out and we crossed 2 small bridges.  We emptied the forest perpendicular to the finish but a large square the size of a quarter mile had been staked into the meadow to bring us around to dramatically enter the finish line and give the announcer and spectators the opportunity to cheer.  I remember when we appeared out of the woods everybody started yelling, "YOU HAVE 4 MINUTES!  HURRY!  4 MINUTES!" I still was not sure I was going to finish.
Finish 1
Finish 2
Cutoff Finish 4:00pm / arrival 35:57pm = +3mins! Only 60% completed.  40% DNF Rate.

IT WAS AWESOME!

I put my feet through a lot but they carried me 103.7 miles in under 36 hours so I would be remiss if I did not post them too!
Right Foot (top)
Left Foot (top)
Right Foot (bottom)
Left Foot (bottom)
Left Foot (post op)
Right Foot (post op)

*As always, I write these 1) so I can try and capture the memories while they are fresh, 2) leave some autobiographical history for my children and 3) some people may actually be interested.