My Race Reports and Plans

Last Saturday, November 13, 2021 I ran my 4th Tunnel Hill 100 mile race; my 10th race of at least 100 miles.  This year, as was the case with my first race here back in 2017, we stayed at the Holiday Inn Express in Metropolis, and until recently didn't know I was supposed to be looking for superman while there.  We rented a RV for 2018 (stayed onsite at the park, the best experience) and 2019 (stayed at the RV park at the Vienna exit) and unfortunately missed the sign up for COVID-19 2020 edition as I was probably in my best physical shape.  My goal is to eventually run 5 of these races as I really want the 500 mile buckle, but I digress. Early this year I had decided to have a crew  (Kelli and Stewart)  in addition to my family   to attempt my best effort to date; my results thus far were  21:01:39,  19:00:27,  17:10:24.  My wife and daughter have always been my rock and have worked hard to support me the best they can, but I've n...

  My first experience with GSER was in 2018, I only signed up because I was trying to earn a stupid jacket and I needed a 100k.  It’s funny how one silly thing can lead you to finding something you truly enjoy (my 2018 race report is somewhere on this page).  I tell everyone I know that this race should be stocked full of participants, there should be a waiting list for this race, you need to run this race!!! GSER kinda always starts out with a thud, there’s no pomp and circumstance, it’s almost as if someone or everyone doesn’t want anyone to know there is an accumulation of people setting off on a 62ish mile adventure; although for me, that usually means at least 65 miles.  With that said, it seemed this year people were even more laid back, strolling to the start with very little purpose, possibly trying to figure out if any new norms existed, possibly for spacing, could have been just that it was 5AM. My plan was always to run light, start out with nothing more t...

  Tahoe Rim 100 2019  Race   Report  with extended travel info because I didn't put much thought into that before I signed up. I still have no clue what details people feel are appropriate for a  race   report , but I figured I would nclude a little bit of everything, including travel considerations.  First off, this  race  requires you to do volunteer trail work as part of your entry (I would like to say my reward was the gratification of helping others, but instead it ended up being a round of Elimite cream and itching for 2 weeks).  When I signed up for this  race , it was solely for UTMB points, as I felt I needed a target to keep my training elevated as I waited another several years for a WSER ticket (although now the UTMB guarantee is gone just in time for me having the points, that's an entirely different discussion).  The only reason I bring this up is because long after I paid for the  race , we started looking a...

  Like most 100k(s), especially the best ones, getting up at 3AM for a 5AM start - somewhere technically you shouldn’t be-, should be enough alone for long lines and lotteries, just to have a chance to participate, but then maybe it wouldn’t be the GSER?   The race started out with a view over my birth place like I had never seen before, and that alone garnered my gratitude, and I assume is what gave me such a positive outlook that even with a multitude of screwups, I never ventured into the land of self pity.  Leading up to the race I had lamented about the weather for as long as there was a plausible undesirable forecast, it turned out perfect. There was never a time where the breeze wasn’t coming at you, not enough to complain about, but the perfect amount that only helped you by drying your shirt and keeping your core temperature where you needed it.  The temperature itself was great, not the by the book temperature of 41 degrees, but not mid 90s either. The ...

I would like to preface this  report  by saying I loved this  race  and wish more people would run it and also that  it's full of bravado and product placements! With that said, "I finally won a  race "!  I have achieved 2nd and 3rd  before and am usually content to be in the top 20% of the field, but as I am quickly approaching 40 it  happened; I crossed the finish line first and I did it without assistance, although there's no video evidence to  prove it.  The 50 mile course consist of a series of 8 uniform loops, with a slight extention made to the first.   The course is 100% asphalt and garners less than 1000 ft of elevation in totality.  The location is ideal as the  start and finish is less than 50 yards from your accommodations.  Temperatures are also ideal, although this  year might have been considered slightly cool, with the temperature ranging from the mid 30s at the 7am start,  up to ar...

Tunnel Hill 100 (2017) Race Report  I saw an amazing display of athleticism and it was always heading in the opposite direction and fast.  I am just embarrassed I didn't realize who I was watching for the total of less than 2 minutes amid my 21 hour journey. I did get to spend some time once again with a Bad-ass multi year Badwater finisher and 1997 winner, that's always a treat. I ran the first 50 miles at just over 8:30 and hobbled along the last 30 to finished at 21:01. I saw angles and even my wife and dog, but unfortunately I saw all of them just after the last aid station with about 3 miles to go and they all left me in the dark mumbling to myself. I think I am happy, at least only 2 people picked me off in the last 50 miles, but was shooting for sub-20 so not elated. I met a lot more cool people and loved the race.  My family also appreciated the course as they could handle me without themselves being ran ragged. I highly recommend the race, but just try and forget...

MOAB 240 - 2020 I registered for this race on January 13th earlier this year and have studied it almost every day since.  That’s 9 months of pondering, asking questions and watching every youtube video available.  In the end I managed to pull together an outstanding crew and a solid game plan.  The plan, I thought was good enough for a top 10 finish, nothing flashy, but respectable.  The crew was stellar and deserving of a better caliber runner.  The result was nothing short of a miracle and something that both gave me solace and helped extinguish the demons I have with both heat and time in longer races. The plan started out with a 2:30AM arrival into MOAB on Thursday, prior to race day.  Luckily two of my crew members chauffeured me from Salt Lake city in the dead of the night, I was sound asleep the entire 3.5 hours drive.  We stayed at the start/finish in a 6 person cabin, next door to another Georgia runner (Beth and her pacer Beth).  We chec...