Falling Behind: TGNY100

The Great New York 100 (turned 100k)

(June, 2014)






Class of 2014 100k/m group photo

On Saturday June 21st, at 5am, I toed the start to the TGNY 100 mile run, which takes runners on an "urban adventure" throughout the many boroughs of New York City. There are no blocked off roads, no police officers manning the intersections, no "real" course markings other than some chalk painted arrows on the roads and flour on the trails, and really no true "aid". Its an adventure because you, the runner, are forced to find deli's, restaurants, hotels (for bathrooms), etc, to complete your journey.

The idea of this race appealed to me as I've never done a 100 in the city, never off of set trail, and never without someone holding my hand turn by turn. The lure of this race was that it was running through New York City in all its glory.... just with a belt buckle waiting at the finish.



My directions....

I started off with the pack, but quickly fell behind in my slow pace (and by slow, I am talking 12-13 min miles with walking. Funny how that's not the 'norm' in a hundo). I had my trusty 4 page turn-by-turn direction sheet in hand and I thought I was ready to roll. Unfortunately, less than a mile in, I made a wrong turn in central park, adding close to 3 bonus miles before I reached what was suppose to be aid station (AS) #1 at mile 5, but mile 8 to me. I tried to regroup my thoughts and forget about my bonus miles, but early on... I felt like I was already falling behind.

Running through the streets of the Bronx was an interesting experience so early in the morning. There weren't many people out, the houses were quiet, and many places were still closed at 6am for grabbing 'breakfast on the go'. So I putzed on my merry way, taking in the sights, until arriving at AS 2 (mile 10ish), still WAY behind on pace. I was a bit upset because my actual 10 mile was right on for where I would've liked to be during a 100 (somewhere around 2:05). Karen Braswell was hanging out volunteering so it was a delight to see a familiar face. She quickly hugged me and bid me well wishes as we headed down the trail and into Dyckman Fields.

Much of this race, aside from being in neighborhoods throughout the city, was run on bike trails. It was really nice running, but not great for finding fuel. I figured the farther into the race I got, the better I'd be able to find nutrition. I was hungry early in, so I ate a cookie I stashed in my pack and continued. It was going to be a long day... so, just as in a text I got from David Lettieri, I  did what he instructed: I "kept on truckin". And trucked I did. Down streets, on sidewalks, via bike paths, over bridges, through the woods and up the trails... I pressed on.

Mile 20 I met up with Joe del Conte, and was so happy to see that they had PB&J slices out. By this point I was famished, so I took two quarters, refilled my Gatorade, and set off towards Orchard Beach. This section was a mini loop out and back. It was pretty uneventful at first; yet once onto the boardwalk, I was plagued by getting lost, again. I missed an arrow onto trail after descending the stairs, and ended up running about a quarter mile too far before turning back and realizing my mistake. Demoralizing... getting lost.... again.

50k AS
Munchin' on Pretzels

I quickly returned to Joe at mile 25, grabbed some more water and ice, and headed down the trail towards my 50k. I met some bikers along the route who must have already seen some other runners pass through. They were hilarious, offering me water, ice, and ironically, beer. As a hasher, passing up beer on a run is an absolute No-No, so I took my mini cup and continued to the mile 31 AS where I met up with another runner. Linda was struggling to get to the 100k, so I decided I'd stick with her and see how far I could get her. She wanted to quit, but she looked too strong, so I overloaded her with running talk, life talk, and general bullshit talk to keep her mind off of bailing out.

We made it to mile 36, where I was met by Elaine Abercrombie and Anne Pumfery... MY KNIGHTS IN SHINING ARMOUR!! They brought me my first real food for the day, a Pret a Manger sandwich, and some ice. It was so refreshing to have them meet me. Elaine was hoping for 30 miles, and Anne somewhere for a "good run" range of 10-20ish. We ran along until we hit the first aid station, refilled our water, grabbed a few pieces of watermelon and moved along straight into Queens. Linda stuck with me, happily, still maintaining her awesomeness by not dropping.

The miles came and went, and there weren't any other runners in sight. Elaine tried to run ahead, pushing me to keep going, and Anne held the rear, never allowing me to slow down. Anne at one point said "promise me, you will run all the downhill's". I promised, and for the remainder of my race, I never broke my word. Thank you Anne!

Somewhere around mile 48-49, we lost Elaine. She was having some blister issues and I had to leave her behind. I was off on the cutoff and needed to "do work" as David told me to catch up. I felt strong, a little hungry, but still able to run, so I pressed on. Linda dropped off somewhere behind me, and unfortunately I learned later that she ended up dropping. I was happy though in knowing that I think I got her farther than she's ever run before, just sadly short of her race goal.

Worlds Fair: Unisphere

The sun was starting to set in the distance as Anne and I ran to the mile 56 AS, in Kissena Corridor Park. I grabbed a cookie and some fresh water and we pressed on towards the Worlds Fair and Unisphere, where David was there waiting to pace me in to the finish. I was so excited he had been able to make it to the city to save me. All I could think of was how amazing it would be to be able to run in an 100 miler with my partner and crime, and best friend. I was tired, but I knew that together we could do it. He's been my rock for so long, I knew he'd carry me.

I met him just past the Unisphere, and I was more or less, out of gas. I was emotionally tired, but physically still able to run. I hoped that by finding some food and fuel, I'd recover and be able to press on a little faster than the 15-16 min miles I was still maintaining. We trucked it to the 100k aid station, a mere 6 miles, before I realized that my night was over. My almost 6 bonus miles (by this point) had put me an hour behind the 16 hour cutoff. I heard as they were trying to close the further up aid stations, and I knew that that was it for me. I sat down in the chair, received my 100k certificated from Trishul, and ate a few pieces of watermelon.

I was elated that Anne traveled nearly 30 miles with me to get me to David, and then pressed on to the 100k. I was happy she was there to see me finish. I was even happier than David made it out to meet me and finish a part of my race, but I still couldn't help to feel disappointed that I let him, and everyone else, down. I had made it to the 100k point, almost faster than I have in any other 100, and with 6 extra bonus miles. That should've made me feel good, but instead, I felt defeated. I've never been so strong physically in a race, but so mentally exhausted. I've never felt like I could still run, but just couldn't find the energy. I know now that I needed more food early on, and I needed to keep fueling to keep my energy level up to meet that of the power in my legs.

We left the 100k aid station around 10:30pm, took the metro back to times square, and went back to the hotel. A quick shower, and Dave and I headed out for Pizza and beer. It was nice having him there with me. It was nice sharing the moment of a 100k finish, but it was not the 100 miles I set off for. I've decided to go back to that race, first in the coming weeks to finish off those last 38 miles, and then next year, to finish what I started.

I know that I put in a great effort, I know that I am getting stronger and learning more about myself and my running day by day, little by little. I'm hoping that the little bit of defeat I had this past weekend will be enough to fuel my desire for a win next time.

Bonus thought secondary to dropping: I got to sleep in Sunday, head over to Rutherford to sit outside amongst two amazing people, eat Greek food, and drink a whole bottle of Kettle One and Bloody Mary Mix. That there, my friends, was my weekend win.

Thanks for listening,
Melis
 

Tales from the back of the pack....

FROM THE BACK OF THE PACK

 

I’ve never really considered myself a runner. When I started my journey in 2009, I was barely able to sustain a 17 min mile.  I felt like every step I made towards becoming a runner would be a difficult one. I trained hard and only managed 5k’s in the 30min range. I pushed forward to longer distances, and continued to feel like no matter how hard I tried, I would always be on the slower side of the group. Once I finished my first marathon, I was intrigued by the thought of running distances beyond, but worried that my slower than average pace wouldn’t be enough.  Finally in 2011 I ran my first ultra, managing 50 miles barely within the cutoff.  I ran several marathons and ultras the following year, getting slightly faster and more efficient, but still maintaining my ‘back of the pack’ status.  Only when I finished my first 100 miler in 2013 did I feel like I could FINALLY call myself a runner (and an ultrarunner at that); but that finish wasn’t fast, it wasn’t glorious, it didn’t break any records, and it was barely under the cutoff.

 

Being a distance runner has never come easy to me. I am the one who starts at the back of the pack and generally finishes somewhere near the back of the pack. When the gun goes off, I watch as the crowd blows by, leaving only a scarce few runners who may, or may not, remain with me. The majority of the time I am alone on the trails. I am wondering if I’ll make the next cutoff, worried that if I stop too long, I’ll be pulled from the course.

 

I don’t have the luxury of not worrying about my pace during most races. I know that if I slow, I may not make it. I also know that in most long distance events, I’ll be on the course for time much longer than the rest of the pack. I worry about my friends finishing before me and the burden I may place on them having to wait around. I worry about what will happen when it gets dark and the field thins. I worry about being alone at night, and about the gear I’ve packed and if it’s enough to carry me through till morning.

 

When I think about running a hundred mile event, I think about the normal cutoff of 30 hours. I think about the fact that while many are finishing, I’ll still be out on course…. hours after they have long celebrated their victory, put their feet up, and headed home for a warm comfy bed. I know that within my race, I’ll have seen the sun rise twice. I’ve had to calculate my hydration and nutrition for the longer haul. I’ve had to learn to trust in my body, trust in my gear, trust in knowing that I can and will find a way to muster the strength to finish. I’ve learned that loneliness is my friend, and that I’m not racing anyone else but myself (and that damn clock).

 

I’ve learned to accept being part of the ‘back of the pack’ crowd. I’ve learned that running is about enjoying myself and my time on the course. While many are out there pushing themselves to their limits to break new records, I’m content just running for the pure joy of running. I have met some incredible people who share the ‘back of the pack’ with me. I’ve laughed, cried, limped, and rejoiced with these athletes. Victory is finishing something amazing that we’ve started (let it be a 5k or hundred miler)… it should not be about the time or place at which our journey is completed.

Pistol Ultra 100 miler

The Pistol Ultra

Relay 50k 100K 100M

(January, 2014)

 

            Once just a fatass, this ultra was "upgraded" to a full fledge event for 2014. Race director Will Jorgensen and volunteers outdid themselves in putting together this event. The Pistol Ultra 50k, 100K, 100M and Relay took off at 8am on a frigid 14° morning along the fairly flat, paved, Alcoa-Maryville Greenway in Tennessee. Runners, walkers, first timers, and vets took to the trail embarking on a journey that would last a handful of hours through until Sunday afternoon.  

             I showed up in Tennessee despite Mother Nature's wrath of an east coast storm doing everything possible to prevent me from toeing the starting line of Pistol. Initially I only signed up for the 100k (as I hadn't ran since my last race in November), so I started off slow as the majority of elites flew down the trail! My goal was just to finish, and along the way I made several new friends who's goal was also just to finish.  

            The race was an out and back with a baby loop upon return to the start (a nice change in that there were multiple opportunities to see and cheer on runners). The aid stations were perfectly situated, with the main aid at the start and a far aid station (the infamous Woody Aid Station) 4.5miles out. The 50k was 3ish loops, the 100k 6ish, and the hundo 9 loops.

            Somewhere around mile 50 it happened. It might have been the lure of that buckle, the great volunteers and aid station fare, the inspiring runners I ran with, a mental breakdown, or possibly all of the above; but somehow, I decided to "upgrade". After seeing the coveted Pistol Belt Buckle, I knew if I dug deep, I could finish this race and take home a 100mi buckle for 2014. Needless to say, the remainder of the night was long, cold, sometimes lonely, but always feasible. I drew inspiration off walkers Heather Whiteside Ward and Diane Taylor toughing out the 100k overnight. I held on to runners completing races in honor of loved ones. I smiled whenever I saw "Run it Fast" shirts, and pressed on hearing of first timers attempting (and crushing) their first hundo's, as well as vets like Travis Wilcox from the UK completing his 43rd ultra!! I ran into old friends and made new, I found runners like Brian Chiles and John Kent Leighton who share the trails with me up north in NJ. Even more inspiring was watching some of the fastest runners prance through the night with ease to some amazing finishes!

            Not saying this hundred was easier than any one the previous. I suffered my share of shin splints and tendonitis, nausea and dry heaving, dehydration, chills, a few "fun" hallucinations (amongst one or two that caught me off guard), and even one or two moments of temporary breakdown crying; however, in the end I continued to press on. I continued to seek out and conquer this race, my goal... that buckle.

            One hundred miles, and some twenty-eight hours later, I picked up a final jog and crossed the finish. Special thanks to Gail Jorgensen for her cheers that entire last stretch!  I learned a lot throughout the course of this race (one being the importance of training... but we'll talk about that one later).  I walk away with respect for the many who showed up to run that Saturday morning, and even more respect for those who chose to "upgrade" their race distances and tough out the long cold night with me. I valued each nod,  wave, good job, and keep on going. We can run anywhere... but I think that its the people we run with that make all the difference.

C&O Canal 100miler

Thoughts post first 100 mile run:
(April, 2013)

"Perhaps the genius of ultrarunning is its supreme lack of utility. It makes no sense in a world of space ships and supercomputers to run vast distances on foot. There is no money in it and no fame, frequently not even the approval of peers. But as poets, apostles and philosophers have insisted from the dawn of time, there is more to life than logic and common sense. The ultra runners know this instinctively. And they know something else that is lost on the sedentary. They understand, perhaps better than anyone, that the doors to the spirit will swing open with physical effort. In running such long and taxing distances they answer a call from the deepest realms of their being -- a call that asks who they are ..." - David Blaikie



I thank Elaine Abercrombie for sending that quote to me. It's so true.

I wanted to just take a second to thank everyone who has supported, despite maybe not understanding, me in my quest to tackle becoming a runner. It has been a long 4 years since I began this journey from barely running a mile to completing my first 100mi ultra run this weekend. I'm honored to call so many runners and ultra runners not only my mentors, but my friends- you all are such inspirations to me.



This weekend I learned that anything is possible if you want, and believe, in it enough. We can try all we like to will ourselves to greatness, but the truth is that nothing comes without work. The best things in life are those we work hard for and earn... the things that our blood, sweat and tears are poured into. (And I don't just apply this to ultras, but to all things important to us).

I refer to and quote the above: "In running such long and taxing distances they answer a call from the deepest realms of their being -- a call that asks who they are ...".

Many times throughout ultra running, I've had to look into my heart to gut it out and finish; however, this first 100 finish I looked deep into my soul to break down just who I am, what I'm out to conquer and WHY I want to finish. I thought about all the things that make me, me. I thought about my relationships, my friendships, my family, and my future. I thought about what I want in life, what I'm willing to sacrifice, and what I will allow myself to endure to persevere in the end. I thought about how in the grand scheme of things running a hundred miles is just another obstacle that I need to conquer to say "you, too, won't defeat me".



I'm pleased to say this race didn't defeat me (slightly broke, yes. Defeat, no); if anything it has made me stronger. I realize I am not perfect, and I don't intend to ever try to be, I'm happy as I am. Im proud of who I am, and who I have yet to become. I'm a rockstar...try to tell me I can't do something, and ill show you a thousand different ways I can and will :)

Thanks everyone again. Until next time....