Heartland 100

Tony Clark

Wichita, Kansas

With this being my first attempt to run 100 miles, needless to say I was a bit nervous. I am the type of person who does not except failure very well and figured either I would finish the race or end up in the ditch trying. Up to this point I had spoke with many runners who had either ran the 50 or 100 at Heartland and I listened very closely to what they said and took all of their recommendations to heart.

Race morning I had my drop bags placed where I thought I would need them, first mistake. I found out the hard way that I would need to plan a little better with my equipment later in the race, I will get to that. Took off my long sleeve shirt at Battle Creek, refilled the bottles, and kept cruising. My friend Kyle Amos (KC trail nerds) who gave me some very helpful info said to make sure I was quick through the aid stations, which I found out later was great advice. After Battle Creek, I was still feeling great and coasted right into Lapland, topped off my bottles again grabbed some small snacks and down the road again.

Up to this point, I was taking three endurolytes and one hammer gel at the top of every hour, and did that the entire race, seemed to work good for me. Gabe Bevan (KC trail nerds) who had run Heartland the year before told me that he kept those bite size snickers on him and ate one every once in a while to keep his calorie count up. I love snickers so I definitely took that advice to heart!!!! When I reached Teterville, I could tell that my energy was dropping just a bit and I needed to eat. I ate probably the best mustard and turkey sandwich that has ever been made. That sandwich hit the spot and off it was to Texaco Hill. Once I got to Texaco Hill it started getting very overcast, refilled my bottles ate some off Stacy’s AWESOME ultra cookies and I was ready to roll. As I was leaving Phil said, “your going to get wet” and kind of smirked. I just shook my head, laughed, and kept going. Not two minutes later, it was down pouring, but it was blowing right into my back. The rain pushed me to ridgeline, where I grabbed a handful of snacks and off I was to Matfield.

Ate another sandwich at Matfield, still feeling great and started to get excited because my next aid station was the turn around. Once I hit the straight away to the tower, the wind seemed to be blowing in my face about a hundred miles per hour. This was my first low point of the race, worked through it, made it to the turn around and told myself, I just had to keep my legs moving. When I got back to Matfield my wife Angel was there, this is where I said earlier I thought I had my drop bags where I needed them. I put my headlamp and long sleeve shirt in this drop bag, thinking it would be getting dark. Well I was moving better than I ever imagined and asked her to meet me with it at Texaco Hill. Another Mistake. I then left Matfield and made it back to Ridgeline, ate a handful of snacks and off to meet my wife at Texaco Hill. What I did not know is that Texaco Hill is damn near impossible to get to, so when I crested the hill and saw the aid station and didn’t see my wife’s car, my heart sunk. Phil and Stacy like the truly awesome people they are offered me a long sleeve shirt and headlamp. It was still light out, but I did not know when or where I would see my wife again. The first two miles or so out of Texaco Hill were the worst for me. I walked most of the two miles I think, cussing at myself for not placing my drop bags better and not bringing enough gear. Once I stopped feeling sorry for myself and whining and realized that I must have looked like a damn fool out in the prairie talking to myself aloud, I got to moving again. Once I started moving, I remember hitting a high point, and thinking that my wife would definitely be at Teterville waiting on me. The light outside was almost completely gone when I reached Teterville, but I saw my wife’s car and I just about started crying I was so happy. She started to apologize for not meeting me at Texaco and I laughed, told her no problem, kissed her, and I was ready to finish this run. Teterville to Lapland just flew by, stopped at Lapland ate a little saw my wife again and told her I would see her at the finish. She said I was looking a little tired and then we laughed together and I kissed her by. I knew my little brother Adrian would be at Battle Creek, so I was really looking forward to getting there. I struggled a little, because at night those hills are so deceiving, you think that light ahead is the aid station, but it never is! Once I hit Battle Creek I topped off the bottles, grabbed some snacks and we were off.

The best thing I think I did was ask my brother to bring me in that last leg of the run. He updated me on all of the College Football scores, we mainly talked sports, and the miles just passed. About five miles to go we hit Ben Holmes mirage aid station, which had more of a party atmosphere than anything to me. We were in and out of there quick and a new burst of energy hit me, I think my brother and I walked one time after we left Ben’s aid station. I felt like we were blazing at marathon speed, which at that point may have been a 10 or 11-minute mile. When we made the final turn I heard Randy clanking that bell and it sounded great. I have absolutely no complaints about this race, great aid stations, great course and great race directors. I want to thank all of you for the great experience and many more to come.

SEMPER FI,

Tony