I ran this race 2 years ago in 2019. It was my second 100 mile buckle...after my first attempt and 3 DNFs in 2018. This year in 2021 I was going back to hopefully take away my 18th buckle. We really enjoyed going to this race last time because the RD, staff and volunteers are really great people, the beach is incredible and its a fun trip and challenging course....though admittedly boring at times because there are endless stretches of nothing to see but beach homes, sand dunes, sand scrub, and more sand dunes. However the glimpses of open ocean and just the vastness of the sky have its own beauty and I was going back to hopefully get a better finish time.
Friday we arrived for the pre race meeting and had an amazing giant burger and fries at a little beach side restaurant to fuel up for the next day, and had a chance to go out and enjoy the ocean for a bit at sunset. Jason decorated our car for crewing which I loved! :) Got an early bedtime after popping some nighttime sleep aid pills, something I've started doing to prevent anxious pre race tossing and turning. I take it 6- 8 hrs before I have to wake up so that its out of my system by race start. We were up by 3 am because we had an hour drive and a 5am race start. We got pulled over by a cop for a headlamp being out but he let us off without a warning after Jason told him about my race. Ha.
The weather looked to be perfect but there was a chill in the air so I started out in a jacket and mittens that I shed after the first mile and ended up wearing around my race for the next 38 miles till I met Jason for the first time. :P That was a tad annoying, ha. I've been training all winter to try and increase my pace. This was a heavy hormone week so I knew it would be a struggle with a high heart rate, and it was, but I was able to maintain a 10-11 minute mile through most of the first 30 miles. As soon as the sun rose, above the trees pace slowed and the sun wearing.
I love this race because they do things so professionally and they are so nice and have awesome shirts and bumper stickers and the buckle this year was gorgeous... however being their 3rd year (and 2nd a virtual covid race) they still have much work to do to improve their aid stations. The pickings of food is rather limited which can be tough for finicky ultra stomachs. The key to getting through this race was having Jason as a reliable road crew that could fill in for the lack of aid station support. We will definitely plan better for that in the future if I ever run this again. After the 18 mile aid station the sun started feeling tough, thought I had a hat and suncreen. There was not another aid station for 12 miles, and Jason was back at the hotel in bed because I rarely need help that early in a race. Luckily at mile 23 there was a gas station and I had remembered to pack my credit card so I grabbed a bottle of diet pepsi and potato chips. Luckily I stopped because with the sun, I was mildly dehydrated by just the next 7 miles. I felt badly for the other runners who hadn't used the gas station and I think I will suggest to the RD that they really need an early water drop at least. That same section got me last year from the sun and wind and no access to water. That slight dehydration started playing with my stomach so at the 30 mile aid station I really couldn't eat anything they had put out, nothing was appeaIing and there wasn't much selection other than granola bars and trail mix & such. Luckily I had packed 4-500 worth of candy calories in my pack and was able to refill with water and I knew Jason was only a couple miles away. I poured water into my hat and down my shirt to cool off.
Was running through Nags head, a cute beach town on the OBX, but was really slowing down from the sun. I was going to meet Jason at the hotel which was right on the course at mile 32...except it was actually closer to mile 40! Ack! We didnt track that mileage very well, so being short on fluid and food I knew I was already calorie deficit and would probably pay for it later. Jason met me around 38 miles with aid and I got to our hotel feeling a bit discouraged about my slowing pace. It felt truly wonderful in the hotel to use a clean flushing toilet, wash my hands and face of salty air grime stuck to sweaty skin. Refreshed, I took enough calories to get me through to 50 miles. Jason planned from there on out to meet me every 10 miles knowing I couldn't really depend on the aid stations for much.
Dubbed with the nicname "Macaroni" by another crew, since I was walking eating the giant bowl of mac n cheese that Jason had made for me at the hotel, haha.
After a few miles through beach house neighborhoods I finally approached the beginning of the long and desolate highway stretch from Nags Head to Hatteras, almost 50 miles of nothing but sand and sky and scraggly brush with some ocean views and a really nice run through the beautiful town of Rodanth. The biggest highlight of that stretch is the bridge at around 50 miles, it towers above the surrounding beaches, swamps and open ocean and the view is breathtaking. It was invigorating and though we'd been running into a steady headwind for miles, I was making decent time and well on pace to beat my first year 26.28 hours. Jason met me at mile 50 with a couple tacos. For some reason I was really craving tacos. I devoured one, then knowing I had some desolate miles ahead I stuck the other one in my pocket. I think I carried it for 2 hrs before eating it haha. You know you're an ultra runner when a sweaty limp soggy taco still hits the spot! :-D
I was carrying a picture of Nate, the brother & son of my friends Sally and Mollie, who passed away almost one year ago. I know how painful those anniversaries are. Actually I hadn't planned to re-run this race initially but something told me to go ahead and register. After I registered I found out that Nate loved the OBX and his family had scattered some of his ashes there. I knew God had a purpose in that so I thought of him and his family often. As I ran a beautiful stretch along the ocean listening to a song by Rachel Platton "Stand by you." It felt like a little angel reminder that he knew their sadness and to share with them that he would always be with them.
Around mile 55 there was a nice beach access stop with running water and clean bathrooms and the aid station there had hot, real food for the first time and a slice of cheese pizza was delicious! The next aid station was at 64 miles. The temps were nice and the sky had clouded over sometime in the afternoon so it was comfortable running and though I was probably slowed to around a 14 minute mile at this time but it felt very steady and maintainable. About the time I rolled into Rodanthe, mile 60, it was approaching sunset and as I progressed through the town the sky started looking very threatening as a storm began to roll in. I met Jason for drink and food and my jacket.
Here was another challenge with this race. After 50 miles there are literally no resources, so Jason had to heat up mac and cheese or ramen in the hotel for me at Nags Head, then drive out to meet me, then drive back. At least an hour round trip! So by the time he got to me the food would be cold and even mushier than my taco. I was pretty far behind on calories and especially hydration, from the sun and head winds. I wasn't able to eat much when we met and I hoped in vain that there would be hot food at the 64 mile aid station. The next 4 miles were... a bit terrifying. A massive lightning storm rolled in after Jason left me and it was dark. It started to rain and I was surrounded by the biggest bolts of lightning I'd ever seen. I really started to get worried and then I felt reminded to pray for safety. As I prayed, I felt waves of this happy comfort all over in my heart and mind, that I would be safe and that I had my angels watching over me. I stopped being afraid of the lightning knowing I would be safe but I was pretty anxious wondering if I should continue on or seek shelter. Like a stupid ultra runner, I kept running, fortunately the race director made the decision to pause the race until the storm blew over and they pulled runners off the course both by notifying the aid stations for runners to seek shelter, and driving along the course and getting runners into cars. Exactly at this time when the race was paused I hit the aid station. Just as I was about to really feel irritated that there was only fluid and trail mix to eat, all weather hell broke loose. Myself and another runner, Will, got sheltered under a covered poolside patio at a KOA. There we sat and talked for an hour, while a deluge of rain and purple lightning thundered around us. It was really fun getting to know him! This was his first 100 so he asked me lots of questions and for advice and like every runner I was happy to have a captive audience to give advice haha, though my brain was already muddled and fuzzy. I snapped a pic of us so that Jason could cook him some ramen noodles and find him on the road...as he was also needing real food and hadnt been able to count on the aid stations. Luckily even in the dark and heavy fog that rolled in my super nice husband tracked him down and got him his ramen. :)
It really felt good to break from running but it wasn't really great for my body. I started getting quite nauseous and my legs started tightening up and cramping. I tried to massage them and nibble on skittles while we waited out the storm. There was also a full bathroom with flushing toilets there haha so I was able to wash all the salty sandy sweat grime off my face and skin and try to tame my hair that was blowing all over coming out of the braid from the wind. After an hour the storm let up so we were allowed back on course. I wished Will good luck and started back into the night. There were still pockets of heavy lightning periodically but for the most part it let up. The night at this point was indescribably beautiful. A fog was rolling in over the dark and desolate long stretch of island, the almost full moon had risen, lighting up the sky and off in the distance was black as night from the storm rolling out, with massive bolts of lightning shooting through the sky. It was a little bit scary still but breathtaking. As this race was named after Blackbeard the pirate, I mildly hallucinated that I could see a ghostly pirate ship in the fog that was swirling over the ocean. It was kindof neat and spooky especially feeling fairly isolated with runners stretched out far away. I tried to snap a pic. I dunno, can you see a pirate ship?
This is a very mentally difficult part of the course. Its so dark except for the moon with occasional cars speeding along the highway, with nothing to see but a long stretch of highway and single white line that disapeares into the distance. My legs had cramped up and my stomach was so 'off' that I had to start walking.... for the next 24 miles. I did speedwalking trying to maintain a 16-18 minute mile but my legs just really had a hard time bouncing back from that hour break. Also still too low on calories and was nauseous. Most runners I saw were in the same shape. Another runners crew offered me food so I grabbed a pickle and a handful of tortilla chips and I literally counted each song on my playlist as a signal to eat 1 chip and 1 bite of pickle. That little trickle of salt and calories kept me going. It was finally far enough from our hotel at 70+ miles that Jason just stayed out for the night to help me. Sadly another cold soggy ramen didn't help, but I was able to choke down half of a cold fully loaded hot dog. And btw never try holding one while you put on lube. I got a big glob of ketchup-mustard-relish down the front of me and partially into my running pants haha. Around mile 86 is an aid station and then a stretch to the Hatteras lighthouse where you pick up a pirate eye patch, then turn around and run back to the aid station. They made me some hot ramen...which I was very glad to see at the AS but I didn't have any salt and it wasn't salty enough for me, so I just drank the broth and tossed the cup. I was relieved to be down to the last half marathon but was feeling so bad at this point. Jason was meeting me every 2 miles with drinks and candy I could nibble on, and I'd lay down in the car for a minute trying to settle my stomach wishing I had the will to quit and call it a night but knowing I'd continue to suffer to get that beautiful 18th buckle. I really struggled for the next 6 miles. Every runner I saw looked as miserable as I felt. My son Adam had loaded his music from Sabaton to my playlist last race, and their music is all about warriors and heroes and famous battles....so I paced my walking to the beat and tried to invoke that warrior spirit to keep going. As I approached the lighthouse a song that reminded me about Dexter and his viking spirit came on... "Swedish Pagans" and I burst into tears and really felt him strengthening me and helping me tough it out. As sunrise approached I passed a few runners, only because I was walking slightly faster than them haha. I tried sticking my finger down my throat to throw up to see if it'd ease the nausea but it really didn't do much.... I decided at that point to choke down fruit snacks. Though I was sick of sugar I figured if I hated it enough it might make me go ahead and throw up and possibly re-bound and re-set. I was praying for strength to finish and the fruit snacks worked some kind of magic and 7 miles out from the finish I found I could run again. A very slow 14-`16 minute pace but that is speedy for me after 93 miles ha, and it was slightly more than the dreaded pain cave shuffle I'd been doing since the storm. At sunrise I saw this great UFO house, and then a funny "Thank you Jesus" yard sign and it made me laugh and reminded me to pray and be grateful for this additional strength I'd received and amazingly my stomach also settled out. :)
7 miles is a long way after 93 miles. Figure somewhere around 4 hours of suffering. Jason still met me around every 2 miles and kept me supplied with a pack of fruit snacks and water. With 5 miles left a very heavy fog rolled in and covered my hands with a heavy salty sticky grime, and the temps would feel hot, then cold and I'd started shivering but I kept running. There is a long stretch here with sand dunes and the ocean just on the other side so the sound of waves crashing was loud and beautiful. They made me think of the waves of grief that we learn to live with. After each crash that can threaten to drown us, the pain subsides for awhile, until another wave rolls in. I spent each of the next 5 miles praying for each one of these guys...SSgt Taylor Wilsons family, Sgt Jacob Grays family, Nate and Kaysons family (Kayson, another suicide victim I often run with) and the last mile for Dexters family. Goodness knows my whole family needs a whole lot of prayers. I also scoured the ground for freshly washed-in sea shells from the nights storm but only found one in particular that was meant for someone.
The race was technically 100.5 miles long. When I hit exactly 100 miles I was ready to stop running again and walk it in, I just had nothing left to give, when right at the very moment my watch showed 100 miles, Swedish Pagans started playing again on my shuffle playlist. I just laughed and felt such a sweet feeling of love from Dexter and also from my US Marine boys and I said out loud...something like..."ok guys I am going to tough it out. run with me and thank you."
As I saw the finish line positioned at the Graveyard of the Atlantic museum, through the fog I spotted the American flag at half mast and I had tears running down my cheeks. It was so perfect. I really felt their strength and that felt like a beautiful sign of honor to Dexter, and Jacob and Taylor.
So so sooo relieved to cross the finish. It was definitely a harder course than I remembered it being. I took 2nd place Womens Masters, and beat my course time from 2019 by almost TWO hours. this ended up being my 3rd fastest race by only 20 minutes. (not including the treadmill 100) I think I would have finished an hour sooner if we'd not had that emergency shelter in place experience.
The race photographer remembered me from 2019 and that I had run for my son and he asked if he could take some photos with the flag in the background. I thought they turned out beautifully. So meaningful. It chokes me up seeing them.
....
Being low on calories and dehydrated and exhausted I spent the rest of the day dozing in the car while Jason drove us home. He did some crazy traffic maneuvering to satisfy my taco craving and I ended up eating 11 tacos with salt dumped all over them. Haha They were definitely better tasting than my 60 mile soggy pocket taco! :-D I'm not sure I can express how grateful I am for all Jason did for me this weekend. Crewing is tireless and I get pretty particular in my needs late in a race and he works so hard to be where I need him and to have everything ready for me. It would be very difficult for me to pursue my goal of 100 without his constant support. So many other things one can do with time and money, but he's made my finishing a top priority. Thank you sweetheart. I'm happy we are on this mission together!
This was a good race to have done. With spring time my mood and sadness feel lighter, and being at the ocean always brings a sense of peace and a reminder that God is so much bigger than our problems and sadness and that we can turn them over to him. With Easter approaching it fills my heart with hope as a reminder of the Resurrection. I am so grateful to have the healing and strength and energy to do these 100s more often and hopefully continue to raise veteran suicide awareness.... and mental illness & suicide awareness in general. :( I have another race in 2 weeks, while I recover I'll paint some of my race sea shells and take them to Dexter's grave on Easter Sunday.
I miss you every day, son.
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