2018 MTR Reports

Mayapple Trail Run - 100K, May 19, 2018

From: Michael Wilson

Date: Fri, May 25, 2018 at 10:51 PM

Subject: My race report thanks again

To: southmtn100k@gmail.com

So I completed my first 100k ultra on Saturday Mayapple 100K ….

Started in Millburn NJ @6am….

I’m feeling like the whole day was set up as a challenge I hopped in my Jeep to meet my friends at 4am the first song that came on was Warrior by Scandal…. I played it over and over till I arrived to meet my peeps.

So we met @ Lifetime to drive up we were all ready to do this thing! We all knew the weather would be an issue to some degree. I had in my head that I was completing the distance no matter what we would encounter. The last time I ran over 50 miles at one shot way the Virgil Crest Ultra In NY 4 yrs prior. But that was 4yrs ago I trained hard for that race and it was pre accident / pre metal hip

My hip was throbbing from the start do to the damp rainy weather. So i had some concerns but I also knew I’m tough and I’ve build up serious endurance over the past 4yrs so that was on my side.

So we arrive it was a little tricky getting to the start but we quickly figured it out. I remember er eating and drinking a bunch not sure what to expect. We go to check in it’s raining the tents are sinking in the mud the RD is getting frazzled, so I helped get the aid tent up with them, and I’m like here we go! We get our bibs and we’re about to start and I’m like be calm stay calm but I’m off the wall with anxiety because I don’t know if I’m up for this day. Then we ran into Keilynn before the start she was all Smiles wished us well and she was there to do her long run 20 miler! Just like that we’re walking down the road and Kurt, Keila, Norm, and I have started this thing passing the RD worn just blew the horn to start …. It was an up hill battle for the first few miles and I couldn’t wit my breathing under control…..

The weather was annoying at best but mostly terrible… Seemed to have a pattern for a while steady rain, heavy rain and wind, and the all out downpour…. The trails were ok to start but it had been raining all week so the second we started hammering through their quality diminished quickly. A wide mix of varied terrain that when super saturated became our biggest obstacle. Some sections we had to skip rocks because they were surrounded by water, river crossings, wet grassy fields, bridge crossings, long rocky uphill climbs, leap frog across highways, technical trails along waterways, open running around the reservoir with no cover, mud bogs , rock fields, and the ever popular tails that looked like streams ….

So all was good for me after mile 10 the mental lock down happened and my breathing became normal. We were all still together singing, laughing, planing on what we’d do later, estimating times, and just making the most of it. It was good yet difficult and challenging and the weather really was making it more difficult by the moment. Then Keila took a spill around mile 20 it was scary because it was face first luckily there are no rocks and she just got muddy. Then a few miles later I went down but face fist cheek and shoulder smashed into a few rocks and oh boy did that hurt (thought I broke my collar bone). It took me some time to get up but my confidence was toast after I was so uncertain about the conditions. I quickly switched my thought to the trails waged war on me and I’m gonna fight them with all I’ve got and get this done.

So we were headed into base camp to hit the halfway point and Keila screamed out she couldn’t go on anymore she was hurting. It was very sad I didn’t know how to react because you never wanna see your friends unhappy or in pain. So Kurt, Norm, and I were about to continue on once we knew Keila was okay…. At that moment John, Sarah, and Chloe show up in perfect time to comfort her everything happens for a reason right? Okay ten more miles before we’re back at base camp to check in with everyone and it’s starting to get difficult.

Kurt was buzzing the trails I really don’t know how his feet moved though the slop like they did it was amazing. Norm and I paced ourselves not being a nimble as Kurt we hung back a bit and let him

Trail Blaze Ahead …. Norm and I kept pushing though but the aid stations felt like they were getting further and further apart out compartmentalize game was in full effect. The only things keeping me motived was Laughing about the conditions with Norm, Singing the Warrior And Munching Cool Ranch Doritos while running trails in the rain….

We were keeping it simple, made lite of the situation, and never let it go to the dark place.

Ok base camp mile 40ish Keila, John, Sarah, and Chloe there to Cheer Us on It felt Awesome…. The volunteers and race staff too but it’s always nicer when it’s people ya know. So at this point I needed some food, pain relief, and some powder for my man parts. I was so excited to change which and put on clothes that were dry all of 10 min. They let us know Kurt was 10min ahead and we were feeling good. We were all geared up ready to head back out when we saw Kurt returning. Very surprisingly to us he said he was done his head wasn’t in the game. I was like dude this isn’t good he’s awesome on the trails in these conditions maybe we’re making a mistake by going back out.

The adventure continues with just Norm

and myself. We knew ten athletes signed up to do the 100k and we also knew that there were only 2 guys ahead of us now. The conditions were getting worse and the trails were getting destroyed by other Runners as well as the weather. We had 22ish miles

left and we were set to get it done. We continued talking about beer, pizza, and all food that sounded better than my Swedish fish that fused with beef jerky in my pocket from the rain… what’s worse I was shoveling this mix in my moth with cool ranch Dorito flavoring on my fingers …. so I was grossed out then Norm brings up Cinnamon buns with raisins Blah vomit I thought …. We quickly decided all we really wanted was beer and not to be pounding on rocky trails. We get to the aid station am the volunteer was nice enough to give us some extra aid that was left behind by some 50k peeps that left their sop bags.

Ok we headed out for 5 miles to base camp when we’d hit our last ten mile loop.

We arrive at the base camp 52ish miles and we’ve done the math Michael race math and Norm accounting math none of it is ending up than we finish at the 15hr cut off. So upon arrival we clearly state we’re going out to finish it support or no support…. The RD was surprised that we were prepared to continue but the top two were about to finish soon and we were the only crazies going out to also finish. The RD understood the conditions and told us he would honor our time as long as we emailed him our info. So with the help of our Awesome Friends We Got Some Encouragement and Help getting out packs together to Head Out on that last Loop!!!

I remember going out all jacked up on Red Bull and a split dirty bastard 9% that John gave us thinking damn this is it…. So Norm and I quickly realized it was getting dark quick so we decided to enjoy a little run / walk action but it was so bad between Run 10sec damn Crazy Rocks . Run another 10!damn River you call this a trail?. Run 10 damn not this freakin up hill again….. ugh so then we played look last time we will see this game for all the landmarks we’d never see again (that day).

So we were set in Run we can, speed walk when it was technical, and hike the uphills….

So night fall is here and headlamps are useless kind of so much fog that the lights just reflect back to us…. So we proceed with caution moonlight, animal noises, and only a few things seem out of place …. Mainly the sightings of stalagmites, stalactites, and the Grim Reaper !!!! Lol

We’re trudging through the darkness and mud coming into the home stretch. After

15 hours of straight rain we get about an hour or so break and we’re stoked with only about 2 miles left. What happens Mother Nature says no way guys your gonna finish this in the rain. So it was dark, cold, and with the rain coming down we knew this just had to come to an end soon!!!!! We saw a point we recognized and we knew the end of this epic day was coming to it’s end. So we pushed on and moments later we had picked up the pace heading hopefully out of the wilderness… I hear screaming, yelling, and cheering at that moment I knew the journey that Norm and I endured was over. They were all there our buddies pulling us in though the darkness the best feeling of the entire day. The speckled headlamps headed into the parking area and were greeted by our friends. But Norm

And I had to go all the way to the check in pavilion for our victory finishers lap….. Exhausted, Freezing, and Disgusting we took our finishers shot…. Soon after I fell in the mud just to finish it off super dirty!!!!

Special thanks to Kurt for getting us back safely!!!!!

So we fuckin did it!!! We tied for 3rd !!!! I’m like how the hell did we do it but it comes

Down to being our Own Stubborn Bastards!!!!

We had lady waters, our plans of hitting a bar dissolved, and we arrived home to hit the hay! It was a long day and I’ll remember it always. My friends, the trails, feeling free, being tough, being me, strong when I felt week, companionship, taking it all in, the suck, the good, and everything in between. I’m an ultra endurance athlete down to my every fiber and I love it…. Damn Norm we preserved and made it through Awesomeness!!!!

So it’s almost a week later and I miss this kick ass feeling… I’ve done Ironman but nothing compares to ultrarunnimg!!! I love it I live for feeling alive and enjoy the feeling of being lost. So I’m gonna say I’ve been badass settling into a no race weekend feeling great.

Last few weeks go like this…..

New Orleans RNR full 3/4 decent 3:43 Marathon

Adrenaline 5k 3/17 PR 19:45 min

Love run 3/25 1:42 fastest 13.1 stand alone

Hot Chocolate 4/7 Pacer

River valley 1/2 trail 4/21 PR

Enabled 5K 5/22 Over All Winner

Salisbury MD 1/2 4/28 Pacer

Ohio Full Slow 4/29 Pacer

Kinetic 1/2 Tri 5/12 PR

Mayapple 100K 5/19 Finished

Geeze I’m an kinda an Animal and So thankful for every amazing adventure!!!!! I seriously don’t know when I got this strong but I know there’s no looking back…. Georgia Jewel 100 miler I’m coming for you!!!!

I appreciate every crazy day!!!!

Runner Always

MDW

Sent from my iPhone

Michael Wilson

Thanks

2018 MTR 100K 3rd Place Finishers: Norm Bittner (l) and Michael Wilson with time and distance