Comments, race reports and
thanks from the 2006 participants of
The Heartland 100 & 50
Mile, Spirit of the Prairie race.
From Ben Holmes
Whew! What a
weekend.
Last Tuesday, I
finally decided to do the 50-mile Heartland "Spirit of the Prairie"
run. It was a last-minute decision. It was originally an idea that Raul Flores
had put into my stupid head a week previously. I try to stay in (at least)
50-miler shape year-round, but I'm getting over a pretty severe injury from 7
weeks ago, so I wasn't sure how I'd do.
We headed down
to Cassoday, Kansas on Friday at noon. It's about a 2-1/2 hour drive from
Kansas City. We left in a convoy of two vehicles "loaded to the
gills" with supplies...more on that later.
Raul and I got
to race headquarters and registered for the race. We had the pleasure of
meeting some new ultrarunners and running in to old buddies, as well. Fellow
Kansas City Trail Nerd, Gabe Bevan was going to have this be his first
100-miler, and he looked ready for it. We hung around there and had the great
pre-race supper fixin's hosted by the Kansas Ultrarunners' Society (KUS). We
ate well, and then headed south 22 miles, to our motel stay.
We stopped at
Walmart first, and picked up a couple of bags of Pepperidge Farms cookies. I
had a keg of my homebrewed India Pale Ale in the back of my vehicle, so I threw
the tap on it, and Raul and I had a couple of pints of beer and a bag of
cookies each to nibble on while we watched TV and got ready for an early sleep.
Kyle Amos and his family showed up at the motel at about 7:30 p.m. Raul and I
had "lights out" at 8:30, to try to sleep as much as we could before
the 4 a.m. alarm setting.
We got up at
4:00, got ready, found a place with some coffee, and headed up the road eating
bananas and cookies. We arrived back at the Cassoday starting line about 1/2
hour before the 6:00 a.m. start. It was about 39 or 40 degrees F. We would be
running in dark conditions for at least an hour. The race started, and I
quickly found my conservative first-half pace. I found several folks to talk to
on the way out to the 50-mile turnaround. Many were doing the 100-miler, and
they had a long way to go to their turnaround.
The course was
on farm roads through tall grass prairie and ranch country in the middle of
"Nowhere, Kansas." There were some hilly sections with long, 200-300
foot high hills, but everything was indeed "runnable." Talk about
desolate! On the entire 50-mile course, I only saw 6 or 7 viable dwellings and
one ghost town.
About
45-minutes or so from the halfway point, I saw Kyle Amos and (newby
ultrarunner) Josh Pool in 4th & 5th place, running together back the other
way. They looked strong and determined. (They would run the entire race
together). I was surprised to see Raul at the last aid station before the
turnaround. His sciatica was acting up, so he dropped at 25. (He
had run a fast marathon the weekend before, though). I got to the mile 25
turnaround, and got back to the aid station to dig into my drop bag. I tried a
new caffeine drink and took a PB & J quarter-sandwich with me. I had been
eating Sharkies on the way out, and they had worked okay so far, so I would
continue with this pattern. I kept my long-sleeve Golite top on, because the
course had absolutely no shade, and I wanted to limit sun exposure. It was
supposed to get up to 70F, but I wouldn't be too hot in that top, I thought.
On the way
back, I put on my earbuds and cranked my IPod Shuffle. I concentrated on
running all of the hills that I had walked previously on the way out. I was successful
with this plan, for the most part. I didn't want to get passed, and wanted to
take as many "roadkill" as possible on the way back. It started to
get hot in some sections, but at the top of the hills you could feel a cooling
breeze. I turned up my music louder. I passed 5 people in about 20 miles.
At about 5
miles from the finish, I noticed two side-by-side runners slowly gaining on me.
They were 90 seconds behind me. I would get over a hill or around a corner (out
of sight) and hit it hard. They must have been doing the same, because they
didn't fade back. About 2 miles from the finish, they were less than 1 minute
behind me. At this point, I could see the finish line off in the distance. I
also saw a live rattlesnake in the middle of the road sunning itself. I about
jumped out of my shorts! This was the turning point. I poured on the
speed, and kept thinking, "turnover, turnover, turnover" to give my
legs a boost. There was one last 3/4-mile straightaway before we turned onto
the last 1/2 mile of the only pavement in the race. They were just 45 seconds
behind!!! I pushed my pace up to my PPL, (pre-puke level), and held it there. I
rounded the corner onto the pavement, and hit it hard. I was doing about a
7:30/minute mile pace, at that point. I turned around and looked, and they were
just rounding the corner. I was a full 1/4-mile ahead. This meant that I
had them by almost 2 minutes!
I ended up with
a finish time of 9:48:16. I was satisfied with that time; it meant that I am
finally back from injury and moving along well in my training. Fellow
Trail Nerds Kyle and Josh did REALLY WELL in the 50-mile race. They had moved
up in the race order and tied for 2nd place with a time of 7-hours, 42
minutes!!!
Synopsis: I did
great! My hamstring and back didn't bug me at all. I ran a smart race. I went
out conservatively to the mile 25 turnaround, then hit it harder coming back.
I experimented with a new food and a new drink, and now have a couple
more in my ultra-arsenal.
The rest of the
story:
Directly after
the 50-miler, I ate a little and took a sponge bath with baby wipes. Then
Raul and I initiated the rest of our plan. We drove our vehicles out to
the Mile 95.2 point on the 100-mile course and set up a "gypsy" aid
station (where there wasn't one). We wanted to help the 100-milers finish
their race and lend them some help at a critical point in the race.
We called it
the "Mirage" aid station. Man, we had everything at our
station. Music, ultrarunning videos, a generator, Christmas lights,
pizza, tasty homebrew, hot Starbucks coffee, hot homemade chicken/ramen soup,
water, Coke, Gel, S-Caps, Salty Snacks, Energy Bars, First Aid Kit, Toilet
Paper, bananas, M & M’s, crackers, spare LED flashlights, spare batteries,
and about 20 other things that I'm forgetting. We had forgotton some
critical things, but with our slightly warped but inventive minds, we came up
with some viable solutions that would've made MacGuiver proud.
The aid station
was a hit, especially during the lightning and rainstorms that hit at about
2:00 a.m. and thereafter. I mean, it really got ugly for the runners.
Fellow Trail Nerd Gabe Bevan came running through with his pacer (Rick
Mayo), and was happy to be on a sub-24-hour first 100-miler. Sue Johnson came
within 4 minutes of taking the overall 100-mile race, because Mark Henderson
found our station to be so hospitable. He had taken a nap and hung around
for almost 30 minutes!
At about 10
a.m. on Sunday morning, we started taking down the station and loading up.
We got back to the finish area, hung around for a little bit, then headed
up the road, back toward KC. We only had had a couple of 5-minute catnaps
since 4 a.m. the previous day. I arrived at home okay, unloaded the
homebrew and other "fridge items," and took a hot bath and then a 3
hour nap with my grandson. Then I was up until my normal 11:30 bedtime,
to keep on my normal sleep schedule.
Next year,
we'll do it again, but we'll have it down to a science. We've already
made plans.
If you want to
do a fairly fast, beautiful and fun ultrarun next year, set your sights on this
one. It's a winner! The KUS folks definitely know how to put on a
quality event.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/65423964@N00/sets/72157594331470861/
Race web site: http://www.ksultrarunners.info/hlpage.html
Happy trails,
Bad Ben
Trailrunning
website: http://www.psychowyco.com/
Group site: http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/kctrailrunning/
Trailrunning
blog: http://kctrailnerds.blogspot.com/
**********************************************************************************************************************************
Dear Randy and Jim:
I just want to thank you both for putting on the race and for being so
kind and encouraging to an old, fat walker. Saturday was my first 50 and may be
my last but it was a terrific adventure and the experience of a lifetime. It
was truly an honor to have been in the company of such unpretentious, dedicated
athletes. It is difficult to imagine the amount of time and energy that must be
required to hold the event and I know that the two of you and, no doubt,
several others, have sacrificed much for the runners' community.
I was fairly proud of myself
for finishing the 50. When I got out of my warm, Best Western bed and gimped
into the parking lot to load the car at 5:30 Sunday morning, it was cool and
windy and starting to spit cold rain. I thought about the people still on the
course for the hundred and my mind literally reeled. Let's say I got humble
again, and quickly.
You are special and amazing people. It's a privilege to have met you.
Warm regards, Alston Jennings. Little Rock.
***********************************************************************************************************************************
From
Peggy Ward
When
I showed up for the pre-race meeting on Friday, I was finally among people that
I didn’t have to explain the reasons for running an ultramarathon. The comradery was wonderful. Experienced ultramarathoners were sharing
their insights. Everyone was sharing a
piece of their strategy. It wasn’t
about competing against each other, it was about surviving the race…making it
to the finish line.
As
I was getting ready for the race Saturday morning, I kept wondering why I ever
started this journey in the first place.
As I went through my pre-race routine, my why was remembered but new questions
came to mind: Could I really do
this? Would it be too much for me? Once my crew member, James Fox, showed up to
get me, all that did not matter. The
motions toward Cassoday were set.
It
appeared the weather was in our favor.
At the Towanda stop along the turnpike, the weather said 44 degrees in
Wichita, only 28 in Cassoday. Thank
goodness I threw on that extra fleece.
Once in Cassoday, the pre-race routine continued. For one moment, I doubted myself…that lone
moment in the cold, dark morning. Then
we made our way to the starting line.
It was dark and cold, but the comradery was there. It was that comradery that put my mind at
ease. Yes, I knew I belonged at that
starting line. Once the pre-race
announcements were done, and the gun was fired, we took our first step toward
finishing.
I
have to admit; I was very apprehensive about running in the dark. Watching the various lights, you knew where
some of the runners were, but others were running with no light and they would
show up out of nowhere. Most of the
runners would strike up conversations with whom ever they were next to at the
time. It was a nice way to take the
edge off not knowing what was out there in the dark and where your foot was
going to land next. Once the daylight
hit, it was hard to know if the runner beside you was someone you had already
talked to or not.
The
volunteers at the aid stations were superb to say the least. They always acted happy to see us and where
very helpful. When I saw the volunteers
at the last manned aid station, they were a much welcome sight. I hadn’t seen anyone since mile 33.2. That is probably something one should know
before they start this race. There
could be long periods when it is just you, Mother Nature, God, and whatever you
carried along on the trail. Luckily,
the trail is really well marked. Only
once, when I was south of the last crew station, did I fear I was lost. Luckily, I recognized a rope that was in the
road, and knew the ‘hard right turn’ they warned us about was not far away.
The
trail map they send you showing the elevation changes is true. Believe it…and then some. After the first manned aid station until the
second one, it is really hilly and rocky.
In fact, at a few points it was so steep that I felt like a kid on a
roller coast and would literally raise my arms in the air at the top of the
hill as I started to go back down the other side. The down hills really help your time. Don’t be afraid to power walk the up hills. I hadn’t planned on walking until after mile
25, but with the hills, I had to walk sooner.
I have holes in the toes of my socks from the hills, and I had even
shortened my toe nails before the race!
Looking back, a trail shoe from start to mile 16.8 and mile 33.2 to
finish might be a good choice.
As
I mentioned before, the weather was in our favor. The wind was ESE and very light.
It was a relatively cool day. As
it warmed up, layers could be shed. If
you enjoy great sunrises, the smell of the country breeze, and the view of the
Flint Hills, this race is for you. I
went to high school in northwest Kansas where running dirt roads was the normal
training mode for track and field conditioning. This felt familiar.
For
the race directors, organizers, volunteers…thank you. You make this race so comfortable from registration to
finish…including the post race massage.
There is so much that goes into making this such a smooth
operation. Your efforts are
appreciated.
To
my crew member, James Fox…thank you.
James is a triathlete. If you
can find a triathlete to be your crew member, you will do well. He had every crew stop set up for me with
everything I would possibly need laid out.
It saved time on the clock and didn’t allow me to stop long enough to
get tight. He also helped me pace in at
the end. He coaxed me to dig deep and
find any strength I had left.
To my
daughter, Paige Bergmeier…thank you.
She could not be at the race as she had a volleyball tournament. Yet, she understood I was going to miss her
tournament. When she is home, she
always stands by the front door, gives me a kiss and tells me that she loves me
every time I leave for a run.
****************************************************************************************************************************************
From
Tonya Siltman
I just wanted to thank you for a great first 50
and the TLC at the finish line. I will highly recommend this race to
everyone I know who runs and is thinking of getting into ultras!
*****************************************************************************************************************************************
Randy,
I wanted to thank you and the
volunteers who made my 100 memorable and "doable". The experience is one that I will reflect on
for as many years as I live. The stars,
the sunrise, and the sunset were very spiritual on the prairie.
The only thing that I found you could
improve upon is to make it not so wonderful at the aid stations, so people
aren't tempted to join the volunteers (ha!).
Truly, it was a very profound
experience, and I would not have been able to pursue it without the team of
knowledgeable and capable people to show me the way.
Kansas Rocks (literally, as
well)
****************************************************************************************************************************************
Dear Randy & Jim:
Thank you so much for hosting the Heartland 100 miler. We really enjoyed your race. We would like to thank ALL your wonderful volunteers and in particular, the aid station volunteers who were the best we have ever experienced. They took care of our every needs and then some.
Marion would like to especially thank Jim for his support and encouragement on helping her get through those last miles.
***********************************************************************************************************************
From David A. Hughes
Randy—thanks again for hosting us and for putting on
such a wonderful event. Each year I look forward to the time on the
prairie trudging on like the pioneers. The aid was simply among the best
I’ve had—lots of variety of both hot and cold foods. Having the same
soups at night eventually disagrees with my stomach, but your sloppy Joes,
lintel bean soup, and “prairie pellets” stayed down and provided a lot of
energy. The last ad-hoc aid station about five miles from the finish was
most welcomed. It was a good place to drop a lot of extra gear for the final
push. I kept looking ahead and back looking for other runners. I
saw them just ahead or gaining on me from behind, but upon further inspection
they all disappeared. Thanks to God helped us all whether we finished or
not.
"...let us run with patience the race
that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus..." (Heb. 12:1,2, NAS)
****************************************************************************************************************************************
Heartland 50-Miler
Cassoday, KS
October 14, 2006
Report by Karen Riddle
It
all began on a pleasant clear Friday the 13th in the a.m. (no – I’m
not superstitious; it’s just what day it was!). I went out to check the fluids in my brand spankin’ new shiny
silver Honda Civic (actually new to me, 1999, 41,700 miles at the unbelievable
price of $5,700 !!!). I break the hood
release lever right off in my hand – luckily the hood released, but here I am,
with the lever broke clean off – cracked off – not good. Worry about it later.
So,
then I go out and feed the goats and dogs before I load the car and leave for
Heartland 50 miler in Cassoday, KS, only a 5 and a half hour drive away – if
you are doing the speed limit – imagine – two states away and closer than San
Antonio (at least for me)! Anyway, I
greet two of the dogs that are out in the kennel – behind an angle iron barred
door, hinged at one side, hooked closed, with some play in the door. Well, those dogs were so darn happy to see
me, in unison, they leapt up with paws up on the door, (now, remember, I said
there was play in the door), that door came thundering to my head, an explosion
deafening in my brain, the reverberation so intense, I knew it knocked my front
teeth out! I reeled back, staggering
and wobbling in a hunched over position, holding my head, feeling for the blood
with my gloved hand – it was wet! Oh,
that was just the glove. Took off the
glove and felt a half walnut sized lump forming on my forehead just at the
hairline – that’s good – it will be covered by hair if I work it just
right. After the pain left, I went out
to tell Al I thought I cracked my skull open and I was getting ready to
go. He asked if the metal door needed
repair and maybe I shouldn’t go, seeing my luck was not up to par, so far! I hmmfed at the door and told him I’d just
take some aspirin or ibuprofen for the pain.
So,
off I went – 5 and a half hour drive to El Dorado, checked into the hotel –
drove to race check-in and dinner in Cassoday – town of 99, at the Senior
Citizen Center. The shirt was a good
quality red 3-button Henley, with the race logo. Race briefing was exactly that, dinner was supplied by the local
café – not your normal race fare!
Salisbury steak for the hard-core meat eaters, chicken, in addition,
scalloped potatoes, beans, corn and pie for dessert. It worked for me! The
pastor of the local church said the blessing and invited all the runners to
church on Sunday, smelly or not.
I
rudely leapt to the front of the line and hogged down my food, so I could get
back to the hotel, get things in order and rest. I thought I had my drop bags organized, but not so and it took me
an hour and a half to sort everything out, get things ready, when I thought I’d
be taking it easy, reading my book. I
finally got bedded down, got some excellent sleep in spite of the thin walls
revealing a dog barking and people talking.
In
the a.m., runners were leaving the hotel about the same time as I was and as I
paid the toll in Cassoday, the toll man was getting a kick out of all the runners
heading that way. It was cold, cold,
cold!!! Registered 38 degrees!!! But, I planned and had warm clothes in my
drop bags, two shirts on, gloves, hat and buff to cover my ears. I had grits, a banana and rice pudding for
breakfast, along with coffee and was keeping hydrated with water.
I
used my Golite pack that has two mesh pockets in the back that can hold two
bottles, easier to mess with than a bladder and I needed electrolyte in one of
the bottles. I had all kinds of goodies
in my pack and my drop bags, one of which was at the Battlecreek 8.2 and 41.8
mile aid station, the other at the Lapland 16.8 and 32 something.
At
the port-a-potty I met Brian Tidmore – wasn’t hard to spot him and he reminded
me that Thomas Okazaki was there and I hadn’t seen him at the dinner. I found Thomas right away, as we were about
to start and we ended up running together.
He had gotten in at midnight and slept in his car. My original plans were to run my 8’s and
walk the 2’s, make it to the turn around in 6 hours. That would give me plenty of time for my run back, which
unfortunately usually is way too slow.
My goal was 13 and a half hours – this was my training run for Mother
Road 100. Talking and running with
Thomas was super! He is a kind, witty,
honest soul and if anyone needs a running partner he is highly
recommended! He carries such positive
thoughts – I don’t think a negative thought could reside in him! What a wonderful person! It was pure pleasure and the miles just
melted away, though slower than I had planned.
The
course is run on dirt, gravel, and rock, jeep and single track roads (with a
stretch or two of regular gravel road) across the last remaining prairie grass
in the U.S. and across open range. Part
is also in the Flint Hills. The countryside
was inspiring, it was prairies from the real out west wagon drives. You could just visualize the wagon trains
amongst the flowing grasses, see them circled at night, with the buffalo
surrounding them. It was true unspoiled
rolling land, it was America! The
scenery was beautiful and just amazing!
And Kansas is not flat! One
hill, Thomas nicknamed mini Wasatch.
The hills were Umstead-like, though sometimes steeper and sometimes
longer. I maybe saw 3 houses in 25
miles, and no people. The only vehicles
on the road that I saw were two trucks and the rest were race people getting or
dropping off water, people or drop bags.
The weather was cold, then cool, clear, clear skies, later the sun
warming me.
Thomas
and I ran and talked, walked up the hills, so my 8’s and 2’s somewhat
dissolved. Everything reminded Thomas
of something, the rocks – Rocky Road Ice Cream! Ha! He was trying to
think of songs with the word ‘road’ in them – me, not being as trivia inspired
or as witty as Mark Henderson, couldn’t really help out and I think we only
ended up with two or three songs.
We
reached the turnaround in 6 hrs. and 30 minutes. Oooooops. This just
means I will get in, in 14 hours. Oh,
well, nothing I can do about it now! I
just hoped that now Thomas could get to his turn around in 13 hrs. We exchange hugs and good lucks and are off
in opposite directions. The sweet
little lady from Colorado that I met at the check in the night before was about
half an hour ahead of me and shortly I saw her! There were 5 people behind me and I was feeling super! I had not had one issue, save for the
sciatica, which I was stretching every ten minutes. I caught up to Rima and she was doing so badly, she didn’t want
to talk about it. A volunteer had
stopped and was going to keep a check on her.
I’m feeling great! I see another
runner ahead and we meet up at an aid station – he lingers and I go on. Oh, the aid stations – they were set up with
all the regular fare, Conquest was the drink, some had actual tents, which was
a great idea, considering the weather could do anything out here. It was said that the volunteers who manned
the stations stayed there throughout the entire race! And they did this every year!
They were very accommodating and my favorite was the homemade oatmeal
cookies at the Lapland station. There
were also unmanned aid stations, which I loved!
Okay,
now there were seven people behind me and I saw one more up ahead. I catch up to him and he’s not doing
well. Stomach problems. He did look odd – his stomach was all
unnaturally distended and he wasn’t a large man. He was either going to implode or explode and I had to get out of
there!!! We walked up a hill together,
but it was paining him badly and he bid me adieu.
About
mile 40 I started feeling tired and took about 8 minutes to change my watch to
7’s and 3’s. Oh, I forgot to mention, I
was back doing my intervals. The hills
were steeper, the rocks were bigger and they moved Battle Creek! I did not remember the rocks being this
brutal! The downhills were wonderful,
but the ups were strenuous. Where was
Battle Creek? Finally, I got there and
yes, they admitted, they did move it – also they added hills and rocks and in
some places swept the road of rocks, just to keep things interesting! I was thinking – this is great – I could
actually break 13 hrs.!!! On and on and
on and a volunteer pulled up and asked me if I knew where I was! I said – I sure hope so! He said
- look ahead! There was the
water tower! There was the finish! I thought – two minutes away! Five ?
Ten? It was actually 20 minutes
away and I made it! Negative
split! For me that is tremendous! 12:54
! ! ! I was very pleased. I had some hot potato cheese soup, put on
more clothes as it was getting very cold, and headed back to the hotel – I was
very gritty and in desperate need of a shower.
Got in bed and the legs acted up – twinged and ticked and cramped and I
just couldn’t get to sleep; the paper-thin walls not helping, with some guy
talking on his ham radio – I could hear everything, someone else watching a
movie – how loud do they need it? Woke
up at one, at two, at 4, at 6, then finally at 8. and my legs felt fine!
Packed up my stuff and headed back in the rain! I thought of those still on the trail. It rained the whole way home! I stopped a few times to stretch and walk
about, but my legs really felt fine. It
was a great run! I would do the hundred
there sometime! Oh, and the lump on my
head still hurts, but it subsided! It’s
more like a squashed egg now!
*****************************************************************************************************************************************
From Dale Perry
"Rollin' rollin' rollin', keep my
feet a rollin', God damn these hills are rollin', Heartland....."
Where's Frankie Laine when you need
him?
Who said Kansas was flat? Not me, having grown up in the area. I know well and true how the hills roll in
Eastern Kansas, particularly in the Flint Hills Region of Kansas, where
Heartland is held. No matter how many
trips I made through the Flint Hills to visit my folks in Wichita while I was
stationed in the St Louis area, or in the last several years visiting my folks
in the nearby town of Andover where both of my parents lived out their
remaining years in assisted living and nursing home care. Alas, those visits have come to end, as both
my dad and mom passed away this summer.
It wasn't until my mom died in July that I decided I wanted to run
Heartland again, in memory of my parents who lived the majority of their lives
in the Wichita area. Mom and dad never
quite understood this passion for ultrarunning, particularly 100 milers, but
they were supportive and never gave me any grief over it. My dad was a very stubborn person and I
think this has rubbed off onto me, as I was going to need his stubbornness to
get through this one, although I didn't know it at the time.
This was my second year running
Heartland, and the beauty of the Tallgrass Prairie never ceases to amaze
me. Having made numerous trips between
Topeka (where my brother lives) and Andover on I-35, which goes right by the
course near mile 43, I always made a habit of looking for those telltale
landmarks that dot the course from 43 miles on: the bridges over the turnpike, the dirt road near the interstate,
and of course that god awful transmission tower you see from other points on
the course. I made the trip down there
with Vince Gerber and Ron Wright, both from Colorado. Vince was doing the 100 miler, Ron wanted a 50 miler.
After checking into our hotel in El
Dorado (pronounced El-Doe-Ray-Doe in Kansas parlance) we headed up to Cassoday
for the packet pickup and dinner. Having some time to kill, we had our pictures
taken in front of the "Welcome to Cassoday: Prairie Chicken Capitol of the World" sign, talked with old
friends and new ones. Fellow SLUG Ben
Holmes called me over to the back of his "Bad Ben's Ultramobile" to
show me the keg of IPA homebrew he had.
He told me he and Raul Flores were going to do the 50 miler, then after
that head back out to the last unmanned aid station on the return leg and set
up an aid station and serve brew to any and all who wanted some. Yep, it was looking to be a fine weekend.
After the pre-race feed (chicken, steak
patties, mashed potatoes, corn, rolls, apple pie...this is Kansas guys. No sissy-fied pasta offered here) we headed
back to the hotel for last minute race preparations. We got up bright and early Saturday morning, got our stuff
together, and headed out into the early morning darkness towards Cassoday. It was a bit brisk standing around checking
in, so we stayed huddled in the car until the last possible moment.
Soon, we had to get out of the comfy
confines of the car and toe the start line with a 100 or so others. Soon we were off and I immediately went into
my own feel good pace. I wanted to go
out easy for the first half and hopefully save it for the last half. As we were making our way on the dirt roads,
I noticed my flashlight was dimming.
Dammit, I put brand new batteries in this before I left. Since there was some decent moonlight I
opted to turn it off and go by moonlight.
I was going to have to remember to get some spare batteries from one of
my drop bags for later, as my main light was awaiting me at the 75 mile aid
station at Teterville, and I was going to need some light from 64 miles to
there..
The first 8.6 miles of the course is
relatively flat, some rolling hills, but the real rolling starts after the
Battle Creek aid station at 8.6 miles.
I was trying to stay in my comfort zone, and I would periodically look
at my GPS to get a pace finding out I was a minute per mile faster than I had
planned. I kept slowing it down but
would find myself picking it back up again.
I decided after battling with this for nearly an hour I was going to
relent to what felt fine and not worry about technology determining my pace.
Bad mistake, as I would find out later.
I got to Battle Creek in 1:23, about 8 minutes faster than planned. I figured the hills from here to Lapland
would slow me down some. They didn't
much.
By now the sun was out and the air was
warming up nicely. The wind was a
little breezy so I decided to keep my long sleeve on for a while. I found myself running halfway up the hills
then forcing myself to a walk. I was
hoping this would slow me down enough so I wouldn't be so wasted later on. Before I knew it, I was at Lapland aid
station (mile 16.8) in just under 3 hours, still faster than planned, but only
by 5 minutes. I grabbed some food while
I got my bottles filled, then headed out the long descent towards
Teterville. This hill would suck coming
back. The next 7.7 miles to Teterville
(mile 24.5) and my drop bag went uneventfully.
I was playing cat and mouse with Ben along this stretch, and eventually
lost him as I pulled away. At least the
hills weren't so many here, although there were some hills to walk. I got to Teterville in 4:34, just about even
with my projected splits. I spent some
time here changing clothes (got rid of the long sleeve and opted for a heavier
weight short sleeve) and replenished my waist pack with food and extras for the
trip to the turnaround. As I was
heading out I saw Ben coming back from his 25-mile turnaround and waved goodbye
to him, telling him to save me some beer for later.
I was hoping for a noneventful 6.7
miles to Texaco Hill aid, but found myself getting low on water by the time I
got to Texaco Hill. I had two bottles
and I was sucking them dry by the time I covered the distance, in about
1:22. I was starting to sorry about
dehydration at this point, although the temperatures were only in the
mid-sixties, but the sun was blaring down on all of us. I talked to Matt Watts after the race and he
also mentioned he was going through water like I was. I found myself walking more of the hills in this section and just
going easy. Just before
Texaco Hill I spotted the dreaded
Transmission Tower from Hell, just ahead.
Boy, if I just go straight here I can knock off about 10 miles. But the course made a left turn away from
the tower. I would see it again later
on. Got to Texaco Hill and refueled and left for the next 5.3 miles to
Ridgeline. Thankfully, this sections'
hills are more forgiving and is mostly flat.
I still was able to maintain my 9/1-run/walk mix, and eventually got to
Ridgeline (mile 36.4) in 7:07. By this
time I was starting to get behind my splits and figured I wasn't going to make
the 50-mile turnaround under 10 hours.
Oh well. Again I got my bottles
refilled and I ate a sandwich (saving the return leg for the Prairie Power
Pellets offering).
By now I settled into my pace and
continued doing 9/1's. The only
exception to this plan was the numerous cattle guard crossings that forced me,
at least, to walk the crossings. These
crossings consisted of a series of 3 inch steel tubes or slats stretching
across the roadway. They varied in
length from 3-4 feet, so one had to be careful crossing over them. Pretty easy to twist an ankle so I opted on
the side of caution and walked all of them.
This is one of my favorite sections as it is pretty gentle and you get
great views of the prairie as well as all the grazing cattle. In fact, I had to slow down a bit as a herd
was crossing the road in front of me. I
didn't want to spook or provoke them, so I gave them a slow down. I was starting to feel better now, as I was
getting closer to the next aid station at Matfield Green, mile 42.5. I crossed the turnpike on the overpass, and
turned right onto another road right next to the aid station. They asked me if I wanted a hamburger, so I
said sure and ate it while they filled my bottles. Just as I was getting ready to leave the leader Mark Henderson
was coming in from his return leg! I
left here at 8:31. I thought if I can
push it to the turnaround at 50 miles, I might make it under 10 hours.
Upon leaving, we head down a road then
up over the second overpass over the turnpike, then parallel to the roadway for
about a mile before turning and heading up the hill. The longest hill of the course was just ahead of me, waiting to
taunt me as I made my way up the hill.
The top of the hill is landmarked with that damned transmission
tower. Four and half miles of hell. Then an easy 2.5 miles to the turnaround aid
station (Lonetree) at 50 miles. I was
hoping to run and walk this section but I ended up walking more than
running. I was getting low on water by
the time I reached the Tower of Doom and yelled out loud "Thank You!"
when I saw an unmanned aid station there ready for me to dig in. I filled one bottle up as the next 2+ miles
are pretty easy and downhill. I picked
up the pace a bit feeling I might make it in 10 hours. I finally caught glimpse of the aid station
below me and hustled my way in. I got
there in 10:08. I sat down to take of
business (change clothes, refill my pack with food, change batteries in my GPS
and MP3 player, etc). I was offered the
most satisfying sloppy joe ever as I was tending to my issues. Boy, was this yummy. I gulped down several cokes. I also took the first of many double shot
espressos in a can. At this time my friend Matt Watts buzzed in and out with a
sloppy joe in hand. He was a bit bummed
when they didn't have any beer there. I
was getting a bit pissed, as I couldn't find my replacement salt caps. I thought I put a container in my drop bag,
but it was nowhere to be found. I had
two left from the first half. I guess I
would have to take rock salt being offered at the aid stations until I get to
my next drop bag at Ridgeline. I
finally got out of the ass chasm chair and made my way out. On my way out I ran in to Anne Watts and
Vince Gerber (who were running together since Teterville) and I asked them if
they had any extra salt. Anne, bless
her heart offered me as much as I wanted.
I only took 2 as this would get me to Ridgeline. Vince took my picture with Anne and we went
our separate ways, at least for now.
Now I had to climb the big hill outta
there. When I finally got to the top I
saw Matt in the distance ahead. I was
hoping to catch up with him but wasn't going to worry about it either way. I ran most of this part towards the Tower of
Death, and opted to stop at the unmanned aid station and fillup just in
case. I then made my way back down the
road towards Matfield aid station. By
now I changed my 9/1 run/walk to a 4/1 run/walk. About halfway down the road I finally caught up with Matt, but he
was on a different schedule than me so I ended up getting ahead a bit. I figured he'd catch me later on
anyway. Got back to Matfield in 12:01,
grabbed some coke and a sandwich (the burgers were a bit dry before so I passed
this time) and made my way out. Saw
Matt coming in as I was heading out.
It was still light out and I realized I
never stopped to get extra batteries at the earlier drop bag. Shit!
I hope I can get to Ridgeline and "pray" they have some AA
cells to give me. I was into a nice and
comfortable 4/1 routine for most of this section. I did have to stop and get by what was now a huge herd of cows
blocking the road. Some stared at me,
others ran away, and others ran ahead of me.
I just didn't want to get charged.
After wasting some time there Paul
Schoenlaub drove up from behind offering me words of encouragement. I stopped him to ask for some batteries, and
he HAD SOME! HOORAY! He gave me a couple from one of his lights
and offered to give me an extra light, but I declined, as this would get me to
Teterville. Thanks a million Paul! With that worry off my shoulders I made my
way towards Ridgeline. Matt Watts
passed me around here and I kept him in sight as I made my way to
Ridgeline. I was able to get there
without using my light until the last 1/2 mile. As I was pulling in, Matt was munching on the cup of power
pellets. I got my drop bag, sat down to
change clothes and refill my pack. I was
looking for some double shot espressos but couldn't find any here. Oh well, it'll be at Teterville. I replenished my salt, grabbed more food and
stopped for some power pellets myself.
Beans, weenies in a BBQ sauce.
Yummy! Boy this hit the
spot. I finally bid adieu, leaving here
at 13:35 into the darkness.
This section leading to Texaco Hill is
summed up by one word: BORING. Flat as hell, so I just went into a 4/1
routine to get me to the next aid station 5.3 miles away. So far the light was holding up. Not sure what was going on with that, but I
wasn't going to complain. Finally got
to Texaco Hill aid 1:26 later and sat down for a bite to eat and some
beverages. I wasn't here too long and
when I left the tent, boy was I chilled!
So I stopped to put on my jacket.
The wind was giving me fits trying to put it on, but I managed and made
my way down to Teterville. This section
of the course is very rocky. Thank God
for a light cause this would have sucked without it. I guess I slowed down quite
a bit here as I got to Teterville in 2:12, or 17:13 into the run, half an hour
behind my projected splits. One factor
was my light. It crapped out 1/2 mile
from the aid station on the dirt road.
I could see the aid station ahead but it was pitch dark out. This put me in crawling mode, as I couldn't
even see the road surface. I guess I'm
going to have to get a replacement light, as this was pretty new. I used it at Hardrock with no problems, so
not sure what the issue is with the battery consumption problem with this
light.
Finally got to Teterville totally
pissed. Sat down next to Don Ryan and
rummaged through my drop bag. Shit, no
double shot here as well! WTF! I started going into a tirade complaining
about my light and no this and no that, Don offered me one of his lights. I said no thanks. I have my dependable light here so all should be fine in that
department. Then I looked at the aid
table and saw a container of Ensure. So
I grabbed it for some calories. It
tasted great. Gulped down some coke,
got my bottles refilled, and stepped back out into the darkness. Turned on the light......and voila! I had light! And gawddam! It was
bright. Life is good.
The section between Teterville and
Lapland is a grunt. Lots of hills, and one
huge hill leading up to Lapland itself.
What really sucks is you can see it over 2 miles away all lit up like
Christmas. I kept thinking it's just
ahead and realized it wasn't. I finally
got there, taking 2:20 in the process over the course of 7.7 miles, about a
half an hour slower than earlier in the day.
I sat down and got into my drop bag to refill my pack, refill my
bottles, and grab some food. Paul
showed up again and I thanked him for the batteries, and told him they lasted
almost to Teterville. As I was leaving
he offered me a back up light (since my original back up light was now
kaput). Once again Paul saved my sorry
ass. I can't thank Paul enough as he
walks out with me a bit to make sure I'm okay.
As I was in the aid station Anne and Vince showed up. They were doing really well.
This next section I was dreading, as it
just sucks the whole way to Battle Creek, 8.6 miles distant. Lots of hills. So I did the best I could and made my way along, by this time I
was in walking mode. My running
(ha! More like shuffling) mode was not
any faster than my power walk so I walked it in the next 16 miles. This was going to be a lonnnngggg ass 16
miles. About a mile or so before Battle
Creek, Anne and Vince passed me. Then
we were treated to a wonderful lightshow of nature: lightning! Lots of
cloud-to-ground strikes ahead, to the left, to the right, overhead. It was so awesome. Your running along in total darkness except for your light, then
all is bright and your light is now worthless for a fraction of a second.
Anne and Vince were just ahead of me when there were two cloud-to-ground
strikes just ahead. I yelled out "AWESOME!". Then it started to rain. Luckily for us, is was only a moderate rain
for about 10 minutes. However, at this
time the finish line was getting pounded with rain. By the time I got to Battle Creek aid 3 hours later, the rain had
stopped. Anne and Vince were hanging
out. Anne looked like she was having a
hard time of it. I sat down and ate and
drank. Then it was time to head
out. Vince and Anne came out with me
and were together a bit until they pulled out ahead of me.
All I was thinking now was 3 miles to
Ben's aid station, then 5 miles to the end.
I saw what was their aid station all lit up in the distance. I wasn’t sure if it was them or not, as I
wasn't sure what they were setting up.
As I got closer and closer I realized it was a full-blown aid station
tent. I got there and Ben offered me a
brew. I happily chugged it, with a
comment from Raul "That really lit up his eyes!". But they had everything you came to expect
from an aid station: food, beer, hot
food, drinks, beer, munchies, beer, hospitality, and beer... I hated to leave but wanted to get this
thing over with. Only 5 miles to
go. Still in walking mode. In the distance I saw the lights from Vince
and Anne ahead. I was really happy they
were doing so well. I continued to chug
away at what seemed like endless straight road. Okay, where's the turnoff?
Not here yet. Shit. Finally I got to the turn. I saw the lighted radio tower in Cassoday
near the water tower at the finish line.
Before I knew it, it was light enough to turn off my light. Then I realized, "Hey! The light lasted the night!" Happy
daze. I saw the old high school building
about 1 mile away. I kept chugging
away. I saw the turn off for the
pavement, marking 1/4 mile to the finish.
I was never so happy to see pavement in
all my life. Dirt roads are nice, but I
was getting tired of them by now. As I
was making my way to the finish line (still power walking) I started thanking
both my parents for getting me here. My
eyes started to well up and I had to keep wiping them away so I could see the
blasted road. Crossed the finish line
with Vince, Matt, Anne and Ron cheering me in in 25:43:37. I shook Vince and Matt's hands, then gave
Anne a big hug and broke down bawling.
Even though Heartland is a relatively easy 100 miler, this was by far my
most difficult finish. I don't think I
have ever been delegated to such a long walk in a 100 miler as I was in this
one. Not a PR (as I was hoping for in
the back of my mind) but I finished rather well. A finish is a finish.
I again want to thank Paul
for all his help during this race. I
don't think I could have done what I did without his help. Also, Ben and his homebrew pulled me out of
despair if for a brief instant. I also
have to thank my parents, Bob and Jean, for seeing me through what was my most
hard-fought finish. Thanks tons! Your spirit kept me going despite what nature
or the course or fate threw at me. And of course the RD Randy Albrecht and all
the wonderful volunteers for making this event what it is: a first class 100
miler.
***************************************************************************************************************************************
From Jeffrey A. Genova
Hey
everyone,
I did it! I finished the Heartland 100, Ultra Marathon. I finished
in 24:48:49 and 20th overall.
It started out as beautiful day with clear skies and the temps stating in the
40's and reaching only the low 60's by afternoon. My partner for this
race was Joel Kahl, a friend from Rogers, AR.
Joel is the very same person who talked me into running an Ultra marathon last
year. We started off great and ran strong following our plan of 25
minutes of running then 5 minutes of power walking. That is until we
reached the hills (yes Kansas has lots of them) and to be honest the scenery reminded
me a lot of the area around the cabin in New Mexico that we go to. While
in the hills we power walked the up hills and ran the down hills and
flats. We made it through the first aid station eating and drinking as
planned. Then it was on to the next aid station through a section of the
course called appropriately called the roller coaster for all of its straight
ups and straight downs.
Joel
and I were running strong until the Ridgeline aid
station. At this aid station I ate some prairie pellets (the Kansas form
of beans and franks) and maybe shouldn't have. Because the next 8 miles
to the Texaco Hill aid station I was not feeling well. The sun had me
beat down and I really didn't want to go like I should have. But, Joel
pushed me and we made it to the next aid station. I got some 7up and ice
that settled my stomach and off we went to the Matfield
Green aid station seven miles from the turn around. Along the way to the
turnaround it was Joel's turn to feel bad, he didn't get enough fluids in him
at the aid station and his water bottle ran out half way between the two aid
stations. I shared some of my bottle with him and we made it. The
strategy we employed worked like a charm pushing us to a 10 hour 45 minute -
50-mile turn around.
This
is where the wheels kind of fell off. I think that mentally Joel and I
felt such a sense of accomplishment reaching the turn at a time 15 minutes
faster than planned that we let our guard down. We spent too much time at
the Lone tree (50 mile, turn around) aid station, 30 minutes in fact, that it
was like all of the energy was sucked out of Joel and given to me. From
mile 50 on Joel kept telling me that he didn't have any running left in his
legs. This was bad because I was charged up and ready to go. I had
asked my pastor Jamie Alexander to write some inspirational passages for me to
read during the race. These devotionals that he wrote were so powerful
and up lifting that they gave me a surge of energy every
time I read one of them. I tried sharing some of them with Joel
but his heart was not in its right place for them. I think that getting
dehydrated early on had really taken a toll on him and he was not all with
me. We made it back to the Matfield Green aid
station where one of the other runners had found a chair right up in the middle
of the food tent and he proceeded to throw up just as Joel went to get
something to eat. Joel does not do well in the presence
of vomit. Needless to say Joel did not eat anything and this proved to be
disastrous for him the rest of his race. He had no energy to run and all
of his stored energy had long since been used up earlier in the day.
Luckily we found him a granola bar in his pack which helped him to regain
enough energy to make it to the Ridgeline aid station
were we met my wife Kristie and Cliff who was to be my pacer for the rest of
the night. They helped us fuel up with some ramen
noodles and they filled our bottles for us. Then we were on our
way. Kristie and Cliff told us that they would meet us at the Teterville Road aid station in 12 miles. This is where
Cliff would join us to run the remaining 24 miles.
Somewhere
in those 12 miles Joel kicked a stationary rock and broke two toes and lost a
toenail on the opposite foot. This caused us to walk a large portion of
the section and was the ultimate cause for Joel to drop from the race at mile
75. Teterville aid station was where I had
planned on Cliff joining us to run the last 24 miles. This was not to be.
Cliff was not able to join me until Lapland at mile 16 because he had to help
Kristie with Joel. At this point I felt great after walking the majority
of the last leg and I was mad that Joel had DNF (Did
Not Finish) so I ran the stretch between Teterville and
Lapland as fast as I could covering 8.5 miles in just over 1 hour and 45
minutes passing three runners like they were stuck in the mud.
Then
at the Lapland aid station Cliff was ready to go. He was awake and
anxious to run. I on the other hand was tired and ready for a nap but
very glad to have someone to run with, as the night was getting lonely.
We kept a quick pace as much as I could stand. I think that the greatest
amount of enjoyment Cliff got out of the night was hearing me tell him
"uncle" the first time I had to walk. I think he had me
repeat it three times since he was in shock having never heard me say it
before. Back at home Cliff and I run together and he is usually the one telling
me to slow down or stop trying to run him into the ground. Tonight it was
the other way around. At somewhere near the halfway point of this stretch
to the next aid station the sky started to illuminate with lightening and then
there was tremendous claps of thunder that edged closer and closer toward
us. Since we were in the Kansas Prairie, Cliff and I felt like giant
foolish lighting rods. The electrical storm became a great incentive to
run as fast as we could to the next aid station. This aid station was at
this point about 3 miles away through the roller coaster like hills.
We
did eventually make it safely to the Battle Creek aid station where another
runner showed up a few minutes after us talking about how he was lying down in
a ditch for safety as we went running past him. At this aid station I
almost fell asleep while waiting for Cliff to get our bottles filled. I
really wanted a nap by now since it was somewhere in the wee hours of the
morning and I had been running for twenty some hours. Luckily I had Cliff
along and he got me up and on my feet. We went back to running at our
speedy pace. This was what Cliff wanted and I wanted no part of it.
In the end I am glad that Cliff pushed me and kept me going. We passed
more runners and Cliff told me that he thought we had passed a dozen while he
had been running with me. I was doing all I could to keep up. Just
barely moving as Cliff was urging me on. All I could do was run a couple
of yards and then I had to walk my legs were like Jell-O. Then I saw a
light behind us and thought that runner might catch us. I had been trying
to calculate what position I was in at this point in
the race. Some one at the turn around had told us we were in 36th and 37th position there. I
figured that with everyone that I had passed in the last 25 miles I might make
it into the top 20 finishers so I took off at what I thought was break
neck speed but, it was probably in all reality no more than a quick
hobble. The combination of the exhausted legs, body, mind and the fact
that I really had to go to the nearest Prairie Port o Pot made the last 5 miles
of the race very, very long. I thought that we would never get to the
finish but we did just after 6:48 am Sunday morning and that light that was
right behind me ended up being 12 minutes back. The first thing I did was
run to the nearest Prairie Port o Pot. I
couldn't think of anything else but that. Then I came back to the finish
line for some pictures and hugs. I got lots kisses from my wife who I
think was just glad that I was alive at this point. Later on I have found
out that Kristie really enjoyed the whole race and wants to do more in the
future. I couldn’t be any happier than
to hear that because I really enjoyed myself too!
Thanks
to everyone who helped out and supported me before, during and after the
race. Thank you so much to all of you that prayed for my safety and
ability to finish the race. I could feel you lifting me up out of the
really bad spots. I will talk to everyone soon and maybe give you some
more details on the race as I remember them but for now I am going to sleep for
a while. God bless and good running!
****************************************************************************************************************************************
Back from Kansas with a report of the
Heartland 100
My wife Caryn and I made a road trip
from Chicago to the heart of the country this weekend. Normally we would have
flown close to the race start but we decided on a road trip in our pickup truck
this time allowing us the opportunity to see parts of America we do not often
get to see.
The ride to Cassoday was a good nine
hours. We took a few back roads once in Kansas to see some of the Flint Hills
scenic area. There were a few small towns along the way and lots of open range
for the cattle to graze on. The roads were rolling with sweeping views of the
grasslands. Finding Cassoday was not a problem. They have their own dedicated
stop off the Kansas turnpike. The Prairie Chicken capitol of the world is the
sign that greets you when you enter the town.
The race headquarters is at the
community building right on the main road, you can't miss it. A large banner
from the Kansas Ultrarunners Society welcomes you. Inside there are rows of
banquet tables and chairs for the meeting and for the great dinner that follows.
Check in is smooth and the race director Randy Albrecht is there to greet you
with your race bag, which includes your shirt, number and some goodies from
Hammer gel. There is a short meeting that started on time and Randy discussed
the race history and what we can expect out on the course. " There will be
cattle out there" he was telling us. He informed us of how to deal with
them on the roads we will be on and he also described the dangers of the many
cattle guards we would have to cross. Dinner followed buffet style graciously
prepared by some of the volunteers.
There are little options for staying in
Cassoday for the night. Camping near the start line is the only option that I
heard of being offered. Most runners hop on the turnpike and go 22 miles south
to El Dorado or north 35 miles to Emporia. There are plenty of hotel options at
either place. We opted for Emporia only later finding out that it was
homecoming for the local college there.
Race morning went very smoothly. We
went to the community center to drop off our drop bags then drove another
quarter mile down the road to the race start where there was plenty of parking
for everyone in the field near an abandoned school building. If you wanted to,
you could sit in your car about 100 feet away to stay warm till the run starts.
The crowd of people was not overwhelming. There were 100 runners total entered
for both the 50 and 100-mile races. We took some pictures and wished everyone
we met good luck.
The weather was cool about 38 degrees
with a clear sky full of stars. The course was pretty flat for the first 7
miles or so before the terrain began to roll. There was an unmanned water stop
half way to the Battle Creek aid station consisting of two large coolers and a
box containing the usual dry ultra food like pretzels, cookies, M&M candy
etc. There were a few of these types of stops on the course, which helped to
provide aid about every four to six miles. Garbage bags proved handy to drop
off used gel packets I was carrying around. The major aid stations for the race
were manned with enthusiastic volunteers. Among the many staples offered were
varieties of soups, beans, burgers, sloppy joes and cookies. One biggie for me,
which I think, should be an unwritten rule for all races was using real brand name
sodas...like Coke... Mountain Dew... 7up...no off brands! The race director
also made an investment in some tents that proved helpful to get out of the
wind and to warm up. Drop bags were nicely laid out on tarps.
Just before the first manned aid station
and for the rest of the course the rolling hills of Kansas present themselves.
There are no major climbs like that of Western States or Leadville but there
are hills nonetheless. Caryn and I ran most of them in the morning and when
they became a little steeper and we became slower, we would then walk them. We
could see cattle now on both side of the road grazing from time to time. They
stayed out of the way watching us as they ate. I only saw cattle on the road
once the whole time I was there. There was a wind that picked up out of the
east, a 10 to 15 miler which by Kansas’s standards is as calm as it gets.
Did I mention that the whole course is
on road? There are times when it is a mix of dirt and gravel, and then just
gravel. Sometimes the gravel is small like the crushed limestone trails near my
home but other times the gravel grows to golf ball size. Most of it is
compressed however from being driven on. Part of the strategy I found was
trying to run on the softer portions of the road shoulder when possible. My
feet really hurt today but I did not have any blisters. My legs and joints do
not feel any worse for wear then if I run a trail ultra. I am surprised at
this.
At mile 25 (Teterville Road) is where Caryn and I parted company. It is the turnaround point for the 50 milers and I continued out into the Heartland till my turnaround 25 miles later. The Teterville aid station had the most drop bags compared to the others. From here the terrain seems to rise. There is about 10 miles of high (by Kansas standards) ridge running. It is windier here but with grand 360-degree views of the Flint Hills. I was able to see cowboys working rounding up cattle, later driving them out of a valley in semi trucks right past me. This is about the only traffic I would see on the roads I was running. The few runners I saw on this stretch were pretty spread out on the course. One thing I should mention is that it is warmer now, probably in the high 60s. I was thankful that I had switched to a short sleeve t-shirt at Teterville. There are two manned stations along this stretch the famous prairie pellets being offered by Dave at Ridge Line mile 36.5.
From Ridge Line to Matfield Green the
hills get a little more numerous. I was
looking forward to this aid station as it is the most strategic from a drop bag
point of view. One can visit their bag here at 42.5 and 57.4 after the
turnaround. Late in the day most of the mid to back of the pack runners are
near here and the chance to get lights and switch gear for the night is important.
I decided to wait for the return trip for my lights. Sunset is around 7 pm and
the last light fades about 30 minutes after that. It was dark by the time I
returned to the MG. I bundled up for the cool windy night ahead.
On my inbound trip to the Ridge Line
aid station it was all about walking for me. I had my portable radio and was
able to pick up the Cardinals / Mets baseball game to keep me company. The wind
speed was around 20 now with some gusts depending what part of the course you
were on. The sections around Ridge Line and Texaco Hill are the most exposed on
the course and thus the windiest. The temps were cooling and it started to rain
a little then stopped. Started then stopped again. I was anxious to reach
Texaco Hill at mile 68.7 as Caryn who is now crewing for me would be there with
our truck containing more clothing and gear options. She was able to park on
the road right next to the aid station tent. I only had to tap on the window to
wake her up. I switched from a windbreaker to something more moisture proof.
The potato soup here was excellent!
I would see Caryn twice more before the
finish some ten hours later. We were able to meet up at Teterville mile 75 and
Lapland mile 83. It was between these two stops I could hear the coyote choir
starting up about three in the morning. There was a group of them to the left
howling at a few on my right. They kept making noise till the wind shifted and
lightning appeared on the horizon. This was a big concern because the lightning
was in the direction of the finish line. I watched the light show and prayed
that the winds would blow the storm to the north away from Cassoday. There were
a couple flashes near where I was walking but for the most part the storm was a
short one. Later I found out that the storm did hit the finish line area just
as the 23 - 24 hour runners were finishing up. I was still 18 miles away and
received only a few sprinkles. I walked the rest of the night till mile 93
running the last seven in from there.
After making it to the finish Caryn and
I thanked Randy for a great race and made our way to the community center where
there was some food available. The drop bags were there for pick up and we left
shortly afterward for Chicago. The Heartland race turned out to be more than either
of us expected. The race is well directed with great volunteers. The nice thing
that I will always remember is that the spirit of the Heartland is in the
people that make the race happen for others. They want to know how they can do
it better. Runners serving other runners as they would like to be served.
That's the way it should be.
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Cassoday Kansas is nestled in
the “Flint Hills” region of South Central Kansas. The “tall grass prairie”
remnant this region is famous for used to
stretch from Texas to Canada but it now exists only in patches except in the
Flint Hills. Here there are green, golden, rust and silvery grasses on hills
stretching as far as the eye can see. Here is where the buffalo roamed in times
past. Now the area has over 20 head of cattle for every human. Mark Henderson
and I traveled to Cassoday to run the seventh Heartland 100 Mile October 14/15,
2006 sponsored by the Kansas Ultrarunners Society. Mark has run all six before
and won 4 of those races flat out. He “snatched defeat from the jaws of
victory” once by running 3 hours off the course. Another time he was beaten by
a man who still holds the course record time – 14:30:27. Mark was psyched up to
win but also to set a new course record. I just wanted the big silver and gold
belt buckle with the gold buffalo in the middle. To get that buckle I needed to
complete the race less than 30 hours.
We
drove up Thursday night, leaving after work. It was a 10-hour trip that
stretched to 12 with stops. Mark talked to his girlfriends on and off all the
way up (he has quite a few). Each of them offered encouragement and moral
support. I was preferential to “Becky” who sent inspirational text messages. We
arrived tired at 4:30am in El Dorado, 25 miles south of Cassoday, where we had
a room. We slept until about 10am, got some breakfast.
and
trucked up to Cassoday to check in. Cassoday looks like a Norman Rockwell painting with its antique railroad depot,
tall white steepled church, café, antique shop and post office on Main Street.
A few homes, a school and a senior citizens hall make up the rest of it - population
95. 103 runners doubled the population
that Friday, 59 for the 100-mile and 44 for the 50 mile. They came from all
over the country and several foreign countries. I thought it incredible that
folks came from New Zealand, Belgium, Iceland and Quebec to run in Cassoday,
KS. But they did.
The Senior Citizens Hall was Race