Running for the "Triple" on the trails of PA!

I have been gearing most of my training for the past 11 months towards finishing the 2016 Eastern States 100 trail run. I ran the inaugural event in 2014 and made it 75.6 miles. This year I was determined to finish because I knew this would be my last attempt to finish the grueling 102.9 mile course! I had 2 of the best crew/pacers you could ask for in Bert Crooks &  Charlie Bolek. They have both paced me to 100 mile finishes in the past and are a great fit for my trail temperament! Having these two friends made for an actually quite pleasurable experience as far as brutal 100 milers go!

Bert, Me, & Charlie about to begin our awesome journey!

Ready to rock!

 Charlie and I arrived in Waterville Friday afternoon, and Bert made it later that evening. I can honestly say I have never been so focused before a race. Fortunately for me I was able to maintain that focus for the duration! I had the advantage of knowing what to expect from mile 75 on since I paced my friend Stacy Kotsko the last 40 miles of her 2015 finish.


Congratulations to Stacy & Christopher Agbay whom I met at ES100 in 2014. They have both now completed the race all 3 years!

I DO NOT see myself ever attempting this one again. Honestly!

Also, kudos to my trail "brother" Eddie Carrigg, for not only finishing Eastern States in his first attempt, but completing the inaugural Pennsylvania Triple Crown of Mountain Running.  Out of 258 runners that were in contention back in April, only 20 of us (4 women, 16men) were able to complete all 3 races that compromise the triple crown. Stacy finished 3rd female and Eddie was 12th male and I placed 13th. Lake County Ohio was represented quite well as Mentor resident Krzsztof Jamroz was 11th male! I must also congratulate fellow NE Ohioan Paul Lefolhocz on his ES100 finish. Especially amazing since he did it without pacer or crew and just ran the Burning River 100 the previous week!!!

It was great seeing so many friends out there either running the 100 or the Call of the Wilds marathon or volunteering. The remoteness of the area also makes for some unique challenges to crew and pacers. It doesn't help when a crazy storm blows through and fallen trees add to the fun! Speaking of fallen trees I had to go through at least 8 that had blown down on the trail. I was actually under a pavilion at the aid station when one blew down and almost crashed on the volunteers there. Fortunately for me the weather was about the only real adversity I faced during the race. I went into this race with the goal of just finishing within the allotted 36 hours. My plan was to start off slow and just stay ahead of the cutoffs by between 30 & 45 minutes until I got to Slate Run at mile 63.8. With day time temps in the low to mid 90's and the heat index topping out at 109, I knew slow was my only chance. The problem with that was that I got caught in the storm about 15 minutes from the aid station I knew I was not going back out on the trail until it blew through. There were people huddled in the woods as trees were dropping all around! I quit counting downed trees after I reached 24 in about a 2 mile section of trail! Luckily I only lost about 35 minutes by waiting it out.

 Time for a little watermelon, cantaloupe, & a sugary drink before heading back out into the relentless heat & humidity!

Charlie started pacing me at mile 51.1 and would run with me until 63.8. I love the solitude on the trails but was glad to have some company out there. We finally made it to Slate Run at 2:55 am which was almost 2hours later than i wanted to and I think only 5 minutes ahead of cutoff, although I thought I heard they extended some cutoffs due to the storm. Not quite sure what I remember and what was actually real after being up for 23 hours. I only knew that even though I was way behind my time, I was feeling pretty great and felt my game plan was working perfectly! Bert picked up the pacing duties from here and would take me the next 16.5 miles.

 When I reached Long Branch aid station at mile 75.6, I knew barring injury, I would finish this race! I only say that because by conserving myself the entire day, I managed to make it to Long Branch 45 minutes earlier then when I dropped in 2014. This in spite the fact that I was at Slate Run 1 hour and 10 minutes later than 2014.

I would love to describe to you the relentless 1000' climbs & drops, not to mention the loose, wet, moss covered rocks but feel I would not do these trails justice. Even when you are on a six inch wide trail canted to the left with a 300' drop down to the river you can't help but notice the sheer beauty & serenity of the PA Wilds! I am thinking I would appreciate this much more if it were not at mile 78 and 27 hours into the "run". Charlie took back the pacing duties and we began climbing out of the Blackwell at mile 80.3 up up and way. I didn't have my phone with me but the view at the top was awesome!! With Charlie keeping me moving forward we pulled into Skytop aid station at mile 84.8 about 45 minutes ahead of cutoff. That "last hill" before Skytop sign on the tree was just plain cruel! With a great blueberry pancake and a 2 minute break it was time to push forward to the Barrens aid station at where bert would pick me up and pace me in the final 10 miles.

  This course is relentless and even after you get through the Hacketts aid station you still have work to do even though there is only 3.8 miles left! I thinking getting down the last part of the course is just someones idea of a bad joke! Maybe it isn't that bad but after covering 101 miles in a little over 34 hours my feet were screaming at me with every step! Bert seemed to be appreciating the beauty much more than myself! When we finally made it to the bottom and were greeted by a smiling volunteer. She said the best words I had heard in a while, "just cross the road and 200 yards to the finish"

                                  My official time was 34 hours 50 minutes and 54 seconds.

Finisher # 50!......197 people started and just 66 of us finished!

 There were too many familiar faces out on the course running, cheering, and volunteering at the aid stations to name. I don't want to leave anyone out, but you all rock! If you toed the line but didn't reach your goal, don't give up! It will not be easy but you can do it with the right approach! As always thanks to my bride of almost 20 years for always inspiring me to strive to be better and follow my dreams. I learn a lot about myself on the trails and it isn't always pretty, but it does allow for growth & reflection! As Mary likes to say, "it's about progress not perfection"!

Thanks to Race Director, Craig Fleming, Volunteer Coordinator, Luke Haile and all of the volunteers for everything you do year round to make The Eastern States 100 a great event!