Just watched Jim and the other Cowboys on their Ginger Runner Live interview from last night, and he played it a little coy when he was talking about his race plan, but it sounds like he's not planning on doing anything different from last year.

if anyone can pull it off, its Jim. However, its proving hard, even for him. Maybe the drier conditions will allow him to expend less effort earlier in the race this year.

on a non-WS note, I have a little run this weekend myself in Ohio. First time doing 100 miler with no crew or pacers...should be interesting after about mile 70.

Cat Bradley also withdraws.

Good luck at the 100. That sounds incredibly difficult to do it solo.

coop-aero-06 said:

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Good luck at the 100. That sounds incredibly difficult to do it solo.

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solo wasn't the plan, but after having to change races three times and having a very pregnant wife, solo is the only option.

hoping to pair up with another runner or maybe get lucky and have a random pacer from someone who dropped out, but mentally preparing for 100 miles on my own. Regardless, this will be the biggest challenge I've undertaken from a mental perspective. But I HAVE to finish b/c this is my WS100 qualifier, so that should keep me going.

Mohican 100 is saturday. It looks to be pretty warm, with a high of 88 on saturday. Sunday is even worse, but if everything goes well, i'll be done long before the sun comes up.

tracking here:

http://www.ultralive.net/mohican100#tracking/runner/181

flying out in the morning, going solo, but just found out two of my old NYC teammates will be there. One is running the 50, the other crewing for her. Will be nice to at least have some familiar faces around.

Good luck!

How are you doing your nutrition since you'll be solo? Drops bags?

aid stations and drop bags. Hopefully, i can rely on aid stations for hot stuff, but will be putting broth in a couple double insulated yeti-knockoffs. I figured out that putting instant mashed potatoes in snack-sized ziplock bags makes it really easy for consumption. Just bite the corner off and squeeze.

I'll have a few gels, tailwind, beef jerky, mini-snickers etc. as well. Will rely on the aid stations for most of my solids though.

Camille Heron has also withdrawn from Western States.

Her and Cat Bradley are arguably the two biggest names in the women's race. What a bummer.

Not surprised at all, she's been nursing a strain.

Hopefully OO is finishing up soon. Web link shows him still on course but near the front of the pack. Not sure how accurate their splits or web info is though since they skip several. Also shows him booking it from mile 63 to 86 at a 7:40 pace.

Absolutely nothing went right. I got cut off at ~77. I'll post more later, but it was one thing after another, and those things all compound at this kind of distance.

Sorry to hear. Enjoy some rest. And that tracking site is worthless.

Dang, sorry to hear that. Good for you for giving it a shot running solo. Rest up and let us know how it went when you get a chance.

Coop - how much do you know about rio del lago? Quick pass over the WS list and it's looking like that or javelina.

Wife is already trying to figure out how I get a qualifier in. I don't see how it's going to happen with the baby coming.

Ignore fatherhood, focus on running?

I was ridiculously lucky and didn't have much issue with sleep (knock on wood), YMMV. Sneaking another long weekend in there soon may not be an issue if it's just you going and you have in-laws staying with your better half.

I'm more worried about sustaining training.

AggieOO said:

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Coop - how much do you know about rio del lago? Quick pass over the WS list and it's looking like that or javelina.

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I don't have any personal experience at the race, but among my group of running friends it has a reputations for being a relatively easy 100 miler. Its at low elevation and there isn't much climbing. I've run various sections of the course during training runs around Auburn and Folsom, and the hilly sections of the race are the same trails as Way Too Cool. Although it is fairly hilly in some spots, it's pretty runnable. It's not hard to get into the race either; I don't think it sells out until a week before the race, if at all.

I would offer to go down there and help out, but it's the same weekend as the nyc marathon and I'll be up there this year.

AggieOO said:

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I'm more worried about sustaining training.

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You won't know until you get there. Just don't be a total lazy SOB like me and you'll probably be fine.

not really a race report. dont' feel like typing something else up, so here is part of the email I sent the guys coaching me. This thread is on endurance running, so have to assume no one will care when I talk in detail about chaffing...and I typed up the "nice" version of the situation.

Quote:

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So I'll start with the good:

- The course was pretty great. Lots of climbing/descending, mostly non-technical. 99% shaded in beautiful lush vegetation (also negative, i'll get to that). Gorgeous river gorge, covered bridge. Aid stations were great. Race staff was awesome. Very well-oiled machine.
- Post race, I'm not very sore. Stiffness is mostly non-existent, and general aching is non-existent. All things that are normally regular. I didn't go the full hundred, but I'd attribute most of that to solid training base...i still covered almost 80 miles over 23+ hours.
- I fought until the end. This wasn't a mental breakdown.
- I hit two really low points, way worse than where I was at Wild Canyon and crawled back out of both. Both I directly attribute to blood sugar deficit and the heat/humidity. I'll explain these later.
- Despite those two low points, mentally (during the race), I pretty much stayed in a good place. Sure doubt crept in, but I pushed it aside and kept going until I was able to
- I made almost 80 miles completely solo, and would have had the mental strength to push on past that. This was one of my worries going in. Not that I want to be out there solo for the entire time, but I really feel like I can if I have to (and probably will later in the year).
- Despite the humidity, I was able to stay hydrated, which has been an issue recently. During the heat of the day, I did get a little low on fluids based on somewhat dark urine, but made a recovery plan and successfully returned to peeing clear. Dehydration became a big worry of mine when I realized how humid it was going to be.

If we were sitting and having a conversation, I think I could probably come up with some more positives. Trying to concentrate on those b/c I really am pretty devastated with the result.

Here's the bad. Going to highlight things, but probably not really do a "race report." We can talk that out when we get a chance to circle up, either individually or all three of us at the same time.

- Two random, weird things happened that almost felt like omens when I look back. And both contributed significantly to my failure. I'll highlight here and then explain more in further bullet points. First, I mentioned. A raccoon got into my drop bag, at the aid station, and ate almost all my stuff. My bad was the ONLY bag it got into, and the bag was at the aid station with volunteers there when it got hit. Second, my when I finished my first loop and got to my start/finish drop bag, I pulled out my body glide, and there was nothing in the container. The physical plastic "tube" and cap were in my bag. Everything inside was gone. No idea how this happened. I used the body glide right before the start, re-capped it it, and put it in my bag.
- Losing everything in my drop bag at the far aid station created an issue. The aid station foods were great, but they didn't have anything i could throw in my hydration vest and take with me to keep calories coming in (outside of liquids). I know only had half the amount I had planned for the race and it was only at the start/finish. Another issue was that the two longest sections were after the raided drop bag. They were 6.2 and 6.9 miles each. I really needed calories out there. I tried re-distributing calories and tried to take in more while at the aid stations, but I couldn't get it right.
- The body glide issue. This might turn into TMI, but it is what it is. I started chaffing on loop 1. Clothes were soaked probably halfway into the loop. I forgot to ask for lube at the last aid station, but figured I'd be fine until I got to my bag. Came in, body glide was gone. For some reason, I guess it threw me off when I saw mine was gone and I didn't even think to ask about anything while at that aid station. By the time I got to the next one, the chaffing was already getting bad. I started re-applying vaseline, chamois cream, and mixture of the two at almost every aid station, but it wasn't working. I was too wet, and it wouldn't stay on. Over the hours, the chaffing got worse and worse, not matter what I tried. Remember when I said the chaffing at Wild Canyon was the worst I've ever had? This was worse, by a long shot. The inside of my legs were actually swelling from the chaffing, which was making the rubbing even worse, which created more swelling...you can see how this goes. Eventually, this is what did me in. I couldn't run anymore. I tried. I really did. You can ignore alot of pain, soreness, muscle aches, etc...but chaffing that bad can't be ignored. Eventually even trying to apply vaseline or chamois cream was excruciating due to the burning of application to raw tissue. Chaffing was everywhere in the lower region, as well as under my arms and on my back. When I couldn't run anymore, I walked. Even walking was painful, but more tolerable. By the end I could only manage about ~37 minute miles hobbling on the trail. I left the last aid station knowing i could still finish if i could manage ~18 min miles. I tried. First one was about 23 mins, then 30...it took me over 4 hours to make the last 6 miles to the start/finish, my walk of shame.
- The weather. It was almost 90 degrees by about 11a. The course was shaded, but all the lush vegetation made the already high humidity even worse. It was like running at McKinney Roughs, down by the river in the summer...the entire race. Humidity was predicted at 50%. It was closer to 100%. Temperatures were supposed to drop over night to the high 60s. Never made it out of the 80s.
- My two low points...which, i'm not sure if these are a negative other than them sucking, b/c I was able to pull out of them. First one was at about mile 40. I bonked HARD. One of the worst I've experienced in my life. 6 mile stretch prior to mile 40 with no aid, hottest part of the day. Ran out of fluids and didn't have enough calories on me (thanks, mr raccoon). I rolled into the aid station and subsequently set a new record for the longest I've ever stayed at one, but I don't think the medical staff would have allowed me to leave if I tried. I ended up taking off my shoes and sitting in the river for a while to cool off while taking in fluids. Got calories, fluids in, and some caffeine. Was probably there for 30 mins. Had a lot in my stomach, so hiked the long climb out of the aid station. By the top, I was good to go again. Felt fine until just before the end of the loop, about mile 53 and hit another low. Another runner gave me some chews, which brought my energy level back up. Really low #2 was that last aid station before I missed the cutoff. I had been walking for 2 miles. Made it to the aid station. They saw me and a guy immediately sat me down and got me a blanket. It was still in the 80s, but I was shivering. got calories and fluids in and snapped out of it. Volunteer was awesome and got me psyched up to suffer through the last 29 miles. After about 20 mins of recovery, I got up and he pushed me out. I tried to run, but after sitting my legs didn't want to move and somehow the chaffing got even worse. This was the section that I hobbled the walk of shame on, and that was the end of my race.
- I also happened to fall on loop one...on the same knee I screwed up in NM. In the grand scheme or time lost, that was pretty minor, but did slow me down for quite a while on my first loop.

The end result was very frustrating b/c I still had the mental strength to push on. I had the energy to go for the last 7 hours. But I couldn't run. I can at least take solace in that I kept moving as long as I could. Luckily, Katie is awesome and immediately said we can discuss options so I don't have to use my one-time pass on the WS lottery. I have no clue how I'm going to manage training with the baby, but it is what it is.

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coop-aero-06 said:

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AggieOO said:

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Coop - how much do you know about rio del lago? Quick pass over the WS list and it's looking like that or javelina.

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I don't have any personal experience at the race, but among my group of running friends it has a reputations for being a relatively easy 100 miler. Its at low elevation and there isn't much climbing. I've run various sections of the course during training runs around Auburn and Folsom, and the hilly sections of the race are the same trails as Way Too Cool. Although it is fairly hilly in some spots, it's pretty runnable. It's not hard to get into the race either; I don't think it sells out until a week before the race, if at all.

I would offer to go down there and help out, but it's the same weekend as the nyc marathon and I'll be up there this year.

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doesn't matter anyway. I spaced on the deadline to get your race completed. Nov 4th. So I have to find something earlier in the year.

AggieOO said:

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coop-aero-06 said:

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AggieOO said:

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Coop - how much do you know about rio del lago? Quick pass over the WS list and it's looking like that or javelina.

---

I don't have any personal experience at the race, but among my group of running friends it has a reputations for being a relatively easy 100 miler. Its at low elevation and there isn't much climbing. I've run various sections of the course during training runs around Auburn and Folsom, and the hilly sections of the race are the same trails as Way Too Cool. Although it is fairly hilly in some spots, it's pretty runnable. It's not hard to get into the race either; I don't think it sells out until a week before the race, if at all.

I would offer to go down there and help out, but it's the same weekend as the nyc marathon and I'll be up there this year.

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doesn't matter anyway. I spaced on the deadline to get your race completed. Nov 4th. So I have to find something earlier in the year.

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According to https://www.wser.org/qualifying-races/, you have THROUGH Sunday, Nov 4th to complete the qualifying race. RDL starts on Saturday the 3rd and finishes on the 4th. I know people who have used RDL as their qualifier for the lottery the following month. It's viewed as a "last chance" qualifying race.

Sorry to hear about the drop bag incidents. Those are really unfortunate, and I know that they can really mess with you when you get to an aid station and you're expecting something to be there and it's not.

good to know that's still in play.

However, thinking it may be easier to go back and run Arkansas Traveller 100 again. I know what to expect and I can drive there. Plus, barring a bout of near renal failure, I should be able to take revenge on that course. I'll have to stay hydrated though b/c I doubt I'll have dave along to review the color of my pee this time.

wife has to give the final approval this time around though, so we'll see what she's ok with.

Tough break. Good luck trying again before the kid. Things will definitely be different training wise after the kid's birth but there are a lot of variables to how much training you can get in. It's different for everyone. Treat it as some time off to focus on different training while you figure out what works for you.

Reading these is awesome and makes me feel terrible at the same time... keep up the good work yall!

https://instagr.am/p/BkOrw1DlL-Z

Jared Hazen is out for Western States.

I ran with a buddy this morning who is hoping for a top 10 finish. Now I'm so stoked for the weekend.

Saw paul terranova posting a pic of TSA inspecting his small bags of white powder. Guessing he'll win master's again and will challenge for top 10.

AggieOO said:

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I'll have to stay hydrated though b/c I doubt I'll have dave along to review the color of my pee this time.

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It's not easy confirming the color of pee in the middle of the night when your headlamp goes out. Only in the ultra world is this "normal."

Paul terranova withdrew, and "handed" his spot in person to a guy from NJ who was on the wait list and flew out, just in case.

"Ultrarunning can be thought of as a life journey. My journey at #WS100, this year, is to hand my slot to Sean O'Connor, which I had the privilege to do in person after he made the trip from New Jersey with the dream to get off the wait list. Sometimes the smartest thing to do is NOT start a race. Since Memorial Day weekend more people than I can count have given of their time and talent to give my right leg every fighting chance to race. I have rarely been more fit, but my leg has continually refused to "shut up." I knew after a short test downhill that starting WS merely to try and see is not the right approach. I look forward to properly healing and getting after it at TDG in September. As I handed Sean my planned split card he can now enjoy every mile for both of us on Saturday. "Live to race and fight another day."

Nice! Enjoy the race.

That's a classy move by Paul Terranova. The WS wait list is seems to be dramatic every year. There are 6 folks left on the wait list, and #5 is one of my training friends. He's the only local of the remaining 6, so if anyone else drops in the next few hours, the spot might fall to him. I don't know if anyone else on the wait list flew in from out of town. Rumor has it that Gordy won't be starting, so that might do it.

You going to volunteering again?

Yeah. My wife and I will be at Foresthill. I'll be on the mic announcing the runners' names as they come in. I'll try to get some photos of the leaders and post them here.

Jim just came through Foresthill. Looked pretty good considering the heat.

Looks like he's dominating. Just can't miss that last turn

When Cody reed came through Foresthill as the 3rd out of the 4 flagstaff "cowboys", I made the comment on the mic to keep it up bc you don't want to be the 4th cowboy. He got a kick out of it. Then when Tim Freriks came through, I was going to make a similar comment but he looked really really rough and decided I'd better not.