I was signed up for this race last year but needed to cancel so when I saw that there were some slots still open only a week before the race… i figured why not. And the price was right.
This is a “Fat-Ass” run which typically means 1) there is no entry fee, 2) there is minimal support, 3) there is no swag, and 4) there are no awards. Well for the VTU they had: 1) no entry fee, 2) two fully stocked aid stations and a third water-only aid station, 3) if you brought a shirt they would spray paint a logo on it and 4) finisher awards and winner awards. The VTU offers many of the amenities that traditional fee-based races offer.
The race director Carl and his family with the help of a number of other volunteers really do a fantastic job of creating a friendly and safe environment for all to enjoy.
I should have packed sooner…..waited till Friday night to pack up all my gear, so I didn’t get to bed till after 9pm. At midnight I was awake and packing up the car. I had picked up an iced coffee earlier in the day for the ride. I was set to arrive at the race start in Lanesboro, PA at about 4am, but I made a wrong turn about a ¼ mile from my destination. I pulled off to the side of the road to figure out where I went wrong when a car pulled up and asked if I needed help. It was a couple of guys out delivering news papers. They had me follow them….i had to stop a few times as they delivered papers and they got me back on track.
Parking was limited near the check-in so I parked right under the Viaduct (which is a pretty cool structure). I checked in and went back to the car to get all my stuff together. As I locked the car and headed to the race start, the runners came running around the corner….oops I missed the start. I kept moving in the opposite direction of the runners to the start line (I didn’t want to cheat myself out of 100 yards + I had some water to donate for use at the aid stations).
I caught up to the pack quickly knowing that this road section could be tricky and I didn’t want to get lost. The pack stayed together for awhile and at a comfortable pace. I chatted with a few different people and the miles passed pretty quickly. As the sun came up the pack started to thin out a bit. The leaders were about 20 yards ahead of me when they stopped and were looking back. They were not sure which way to go. (I had no idea) we figured it out and were back on our way. About 2 minutes later the lead runner did a quick jig and I looked down and saw a porcupine turning away and it looked to be expanding its body with its quills ready to defend. Other than that encounter I only saw birds and deer with respect to wildlife for the rest of the race. I knew my pace seemed a bit quick but I was feeling good. Hit the 7 mile aid station (Melrose) where I had a drop bag but I didn’t need anything so I just kept going. I was however feeling a bit of pressure which would need to be released very soon. II noticed some ATV tracks leading off the tail into the woods. I followed this a few yards and came to what I guess must have been a hunting blind. I made good use of my wet wipes and I was good to go (and a little lighter). As I was off the tail I noticed a few people pass by but it’s a long race and there is a lot of time and miles to catch them. The temperature was still nice and cool and I was feeling really good. I was at the 12.5 mile turnaround point in about 2:10. The turnaround point did not have any staff, just a piece of paper and a pen to write your name and time to show that you were there. The return trip was mainly a very slight downhill which if nothing else is at least a psychological boost. I stopped at the Melrose aid station this time (now mile 18) to refill my bottle of GU Brew (electrolyte drink) and drink and Enure. Shortly after leaving the aid station I noticed that there was a pop-up on my watch. I could not read it (without glasses) but I guessed that the max number of laps had been reached and that the watch was no longer recording data. I got back to the start/finish….got my glasses out of the car and deleted some of the old data to get the watch working again. I filled my backpack with water and ice and then checked-in at 4hrs 19 minutes and headed right back out for one more loop. I was still feeling good and I was thinking at this point that I was in 3rd place. Heading back out onto the road I missed the turn to get back to the trail. I nice guy in a truck saw me looking lost and pointed me back to the missed turn.
By about mile 30 I could tell my legs were getting tired but I was still moving at a decent pace. Once nice thing about an out and back race is that even though I was running pretty much alone at this point I would still be able to see runners going in the opposite direction and there is always a kind word exchanged. There is something about seeing other people (runners…spectators) that makes me pick up the pace and at least look like I’m not in pain. Again I stopped at Melrose – this time I ate a few pieces of honeydew melon before continuing out on the trail. I hit the turnaround (mile 37.5) and started back on my last 12.5 mile leg. About ¾ of a mile out of the turnaround I passed a couple of runners: Leslie who was running her 1st 50 miler who i met were she parked next to me before the race. Congratulations on being 1st place in your 1st 50! And Joe who I had leap frogged with a few times during the race.
I kept trying to keep moving as fast as possible but now my stomach was getting a little queasy. I really need to get a handle on why this is happening. My nutrition for the start of the race was good. I was taking a Gel (alternating between Hammer and GU Roctaine) ever 5 miles for (5, 10, 15, 20, (skipped 25), 30, (skipped 35), 40). Guess I need to start training with and taking in some solid food on long runs. I stopped at Melrose and grabbed some ice water and ice in a 20oz bottle that I was carrying. The water in my backpack was getting pretty warm and I did not want to take to time to fill it with only 7 miles to go in the race…..especially because I caught a glimpse of who I was thinking was in 2nd place just leaving the Melrose Aid station as I arrived. Got my water and ate a few more pieces of melon then off I went.
The last 7 miles were tough. I had to stop and walk a number of times and I was using the ice water more to dump on my head/back than to drink. Time seemed to stand still….i would run for what I thought was about a mile and then look at my watch to see it was more like a ¼ mile. Very discouraging! I gave up any hope of moving up in the standings even though I would see the runner/walker in front of me every so often. I was also worried about betting passed by the runners I saw back near the turnaround. In the end – I didn’t pass anyone nor did I get passed. Unfortunately I was not in 3rd place – I was actually 4th overall. Not bad ….but if I was 3rd I would have gotten a nicer spike. The finisher and winner awards were railroad spikes. J
I got to meet some of the other (previously nameless) 50 milers at the finish. Congratulations to the top 3 runners in the 50 miler – Byron, Clifford and Tom!!
Carl’s (race directors) son spray painted a shirt that I brought with the race logo. He did a nice job!
I cleaned myself up with a bottle of water and some wet wipes. Changed my clothes and then headed out to pickup my drop back at Melrose and then to find some food…..i was staving and I had a craving for a chocolate milk shake and double cheeseburgers from McDonalds. It took me a good hour to find McDonalds and their Milk Shake machine was broken. I did get a couple of double cheeseburgers and scarfed them down while driving on I380. Shaun & Tracy picked me up a Milk Shake and another double cheeseburger after I got home.
Congratulations to all the runners!
Note -- (there was a 100% finish rate for the 50 miler !!!!)
Thanks to the race organizers and all the volunteers (aid station support, Guy riding up/down the tail on a bike to make sure everyone in ok, people at road crossings). You guys are great!
https://sites.google.com/site/viaducttrailultramarathon/home/results/2013
Thanks,
Chris