The Yeti 100 Endurance Trail Run Race Report

If I fall asleep right now, I will get 4 hours of sleep...

Yeah, those nights never work out well.  I tried to will myself to sleep with every trick there is but nothing worked.  I ended up just getting out of bed to eat my nut butter bagel.  Then thankfully fell asleep for an hour and a half.  You would think it would have been difficult to wake up considering I only had 90 minutes of sleep but nope.  When the alarm went off, my eyes popped open.  I laid there a minute listening to the rain.  

Michelle and Kirsten drove me to the start.  There was an amusing incident on the way involving my fairly new headlamp, turning around and then turning around again but I will save that for another time.  
I stepped out into the rain in a calm.  Felt so surreal.  How was this finally race day after all this time?!? 

Last minute picture before
stepping out of the car.

"Everyone here has worked so f*cking hard to be here.  It takes a lot of guts just to stand here!  

This is your day. F*cking enjoy it!  

Ready? GO!"

Miles 0-30

And off we went up the mountain in the dark and pouring rain. Ok to be perfectly honest, I was bumbling in the back trying to switch from my water resistant rain shell into the 99 cent rain poncho since it was already pouring rain.  

It was a steady 3-4% incline up the mountain in the dark.  Despite the rain, trail rivers and mud, I was in good spirits.  This is when my experience at Antelope Island 50 miler in 6 hours hours of rain came in handy. I kept telling myself I survived then and I will survive again.  

Mile 7 quick stop!

I struggle with dehydration so I was trying to keep myself at 1L of water an hour.  Of course, I did not take the rain and cooler temps in to account so I was peeing every other hour or so! At mile 7 it was still dark and I was making the turn towards the aide station to refill my pack when I heard my name and cowbells! I could have cried- my crew surprised me.  Kirsten and Michelle refilled my pack and disposed of my trash.  It was so nice to have a moment out of the rain under the rear hatch of the car.  Kirsten solved the poncho hood problem for me by putting her hairband around the poncho hood and the headlamp holding up the hood.  At this point in the run, I was exactly on pace as I was hoping to average 15 minute miles for the first out-and-back.

I took off again up the mountain riding the high of seeing people I love.  Every so often we would get a short reprieve from the rain only for it to start again.  Even with all the rain, WOW the trail was gorgeous! The sun came up and we ran along Laurel Creek all the way up to the turn around at mile 14 Taylor Valley.  This is a rails-to-trails path so this was actually the old Taylor Valley train stop.  It was so beautiful.  I kept thinking if it wasn't raining I would drop a pin for us to visit it later. Stunning.  Oh and fun fact, there was a bit of the course that overlapped with the Appalachian Trail!  I kept thinking that exact section was hiked by a few old campers I had a million years ago when they completed the trail a few years back.  (Funny how the mind wonders when it has hours and hours to itself!)  Anyway, the aide station volunteers were amazing.  They helped me refill my reservoir and were just so full of positive energy.  I love them. Leaving the aide station, I inhaled a bag of Ruffles while waiting in line for the pit toilets.   

Downhill. I love downhill so much I want to marry it.  It's the best.  Especially this downhill because it was at that nice 3-4% grade which made for a comfortable easy nice pace.  This was appreciated as miles 7-14 were a muddy muddy slow sloggy slog.  Downhill muddy I could do.  The rain swollen river alongside the trail raged loudly and I just had a great time on the way down.  One last time: I LOVE DOWNHILL!

           

So down the mountain I went practically giddy with downhill happiness.  I made it back to my crew at mile 21.  I decided that I should change my socks despite knowing the new ones would be wet within a mile.  I just wanted a little dry for just a little bit.  So Kirsten changed my feet while Michelle helped get food and Lisa refilled my pack.  They were an amazing machine but more about that later.  I would like to point out that this is when Kirsten took off my socks and visibly flinched with a little squeak/groan.  Yep at mile 21 my feet were already macerated.  No need to dwell; it was going to be an ugly 100 miles for the feet but there was nothing we could do about that beyond trying our best with dry socks.  

So off I went.  Those dry socks were beautiful...for about half a mile.  HA! Oh well, it was great while it lasted.  My happy happy downhill trek continued.  We crossed many small bridges over the raging creek.  It was beautiful.  I gave up going around the puddles and just crashed through them.  It was fun and comical.  

I made it back to Damascus and gave my bib number to the volunteers: 118! I then hit the port-o-potty.  You know you are tired of the rain when there is a moment after using the toilet when you just stand there not wanting to go back out despite the trail runner extra special smell inside.  It was just for a beat but then I was out and off again.  The remainder of the course was 4 out-and-backs in the opposite direction.  My crew was in tent city about 1.3ish miles out.  

Miles 30-45ish

Oh what a fun crew.  I had my two sisters, Lisa and Kirsten, and friend, Michelle.  They were the best.  The tent was decorated and festive.  More than the turn around in Damascus, this tent would become my green lantern during the miles to come.  At about 12:45PM I reached my crew at mile 30.  We refilled my pack, nutrition, changed my socks but opted not to change shoes because there was still no point with all the rain and mud. Michelle saved the poncho hood day with a mini binder clip on the bill of my hat!

I took off for the first time heading towards the Alvarado aide station and the "big ass bridge." This direction followed the creek which then turned into Middle Fork Holston River.  We passed farms, a rooster crowing and rolling hills. Minus the rain and so so much mud, it was idyllic. 

I hit my first emotionally dark patch on the return at about mile 43. I don't know how but I swear the miles were longer and longer.  I kept thinking Crew City was just around the next bend.  I was confused by mileage and I got caught in a very negative loop.  

Miles 47-63ish

The upside to the crew area being about 1.3 miles from the turn around was we got into the habit of swapping my pack for a handheld.  While I made my way to the check in at Damascus, they refilled my pack according to my super nerdy google doc instructions.  This system worked wonders.  I changed into my dry shoes this time around.  Lisa joined me earlier than planned to help get me to the first threatening cutoff at mile 64 by 11pm.   

It was sooooooooo wonderful having company.  We talked about everything.  Ok when I say we talked, it was mostly her.  But that is exactly what I needed.  I needed entertainment and a pacer to get me back by 11pm.  At one point she even broke out into some Sound of Music.  It was perfection.  

At mile 51 we had a mini celebration in honor of my furthest run to date. Then it got VERY dark.  (Thank you Heather for loaning me your waist light!) I was grateful to have someone I trusted with me. Lisa guided me through mud and kept me on pace.  The river provided a constant white noise which I appreciated because it helped with my tinnitus.  Then we passed what we thought was a wedding on the water.  They were playing music that we got to enjoy.  I enjoyed sharing the "huge ass bridge" with Lisa.  It was spectacular in the dark.  The far side had colorful glow sticks along the railings. 

My brilliant plan for my second pair of shoes was a bust.  See it was brilliant but there was a problem.  I started the run in my Hoka trail runners and I brought along my Hoka road shoes as an alternative.  I put a lot of road runs during COVID on those shoes and thought they would be perfect.  The different style would change any locations of hot spots.  What I did NOT plan for was my feet already were swollen at this point and I size up my trail shoes. SO, I got blisters from these dry seemingly happy shoes.  It was a well-intentioned failure. HA! I thought I was being so smart. 

Miles 65-80ish

Lisa took a pit stop at the crew tent while I did the 3 or so miles out and back to check in at the turn around. Lisa rejoined me and I switched back into my wet trail shoes.  It was pitch dark and muddy. Half her job at this point was to run a few steps ahead of me and guide me through all the mud. 

We passed the time with mindless thoughts and even played the alphabet game. We took turns thinking of random words that started with each letter of the alphabet.  It was silly and easy and perfect to pass the time.  

About 2 hours in, she told me to give it a bit more.  I asked why? what's our speed? She turned it around and asked what I thought we were doing?  I thought somewhere in the 16s and she laughed! I kid you not.  She was like oh no sweetie we are barely making 20! I was truly shocked! I said, "I thought we were flying!"  So we picked up the pace a little but there was not much in the tank.  

Lisa, my sister and pacer, was introduced to a new world of food.  She devoured the quesadillas at Alvarado Station.  (Man-oh-man, I wanted one. Lactose intolerance is sad.)  Those aide station volunteers are top notch! Plus, I introduced her to my world of Honey Stinger yummies.  She had her first chews and waffles and loved them both..as I knew she would.  

It is always amusing to see what I crave during a race.  It usually changes.  Most of the items I told my crew that I love, I wanted nothing to do with this time.  For this run, I wanted easy sugar.  I was obsessed with Sour Patch Kids.  During these miles Lisa took it upon herself to get calories into me (Good Job Lisa!).  She literally would fed me Sour Patch Kids, Swedish Fish & HS Chews like a bird.  Late in these miles when my brain went to mush, I accidentally bit her finger! HA HA HA it was hilarious! So sorry Lisa! Your finger was not lost in vain. 😘

Miles 81-100

Kirsten took over at about 4:30AM. I was slow moving during the final check in.  On the way back her tone changed from come on a bit to no seriously, give me more.  So I asked, what times do we need?  That's when she very clearly told me if we leave the crew tent at this time we must do 16 minute miles.  And then I know she kept telling me other times but I kind of blacked out since I just did two out and backs with 20 minute miles and thought I had nothing left in the tank.  I remember saying, do we even have time to stop at the crew tent and do blister care?!?! We decided it best to skip and go on without which allowed for 17 minute miles flat.  

Kirsten said, "I don't care if you hate me.  Use the pain. Stay right on my hip."  So off we went down the trail listening to a fantastic surprise music playlist from my sister-in-law. I don't know how many words I spoke for the eight miles out to the turn around but I just kept repeating in my head: You LIKE this pain.  Weird, a bit twisted and definitely dark but it worked.  We made it to the turn around maintaining miles right around 17 (one mile was even in the 16s!) and snapped a final picture with the sign.  Mile 91. Only 9 to go.  

Final Turn Around

I love a final turn around.  At that point every step was one step closer to the finish line. Not another turnaround- the finish line.  After we left the final aide station I remember say ok, we have 2 gates, the road with the glow sticks, the seemingly never ending section next to the road that makes you feel like you are closer than you think and then Crew City and the finish line.  Mini-goals were key at this point since my brain was in an all out fog.  One step at a time; one landmark at a time.  

Lisa & Michelle joined us for the last mile and a half.  They were giddy and overtired.  I listened to their joy as we walked in the final mile.  It was a special experience.  We made the final turn at the caboose and crossed the two bridges to the finish line.  Jason Green, the RD, was standing at the rainbow arch ready to give me my hug and buckle.  I remember seeing him in disbelief.  I did it.  Well first I had to make my way about 15 yards to him which seems simple but comically was down a mini hill which might as well been a cliff for the balance that I had remaining.  A woman standing by suggested I do it sideways which worked.  I got my hug (ah-mazing!) and then he presented THE BUCKLE.  It is truly beautiful.  Silly in reality but a symbol of the miles, the strength training, the insane support from coach, family and friends.  And my crew.  Well, damn now I am crying.  I owe them all so much.  I could NOT have done this solo.  Truly a team experience. Thank you. 

I officially finished in 29h 34m.

...and yes, I want to do another one. Just not anytime soon! 😂 October is for sleeping late on the weekends!