I haven’t written a race report since Bighorn 100 this summer, but I’ve done a little racing since then. I did High Bridge 50K in October looking to see if I could get the legs moving for a fast 50 K. I’m still chasing a sub 4 hour 50K (I hit 4:00:58 at New River Trail a few years ago). High Bridge didn’t work out. I had to settle for 4:17, which was good for 5th overall.
I parlayed that fitness into a solid day at JFK 50 miler in November. I thought I might be able to sub 8 there, but I couldn’t find the turnover on the tow path, and settled for 8:39. This was a good time at an iconic race. But, it wasn’t the complete day I was hoping to have. That’s OK. This is what I love about running ultras: Chasing dreams and learning about how to get better.
My work year allowed me one more opportunity to see what my legs could do in 2018. David Horton accepted my application for Hellgate this year, so I was pumped to toe the line at this “special race” for the first time. To be honest, I had no idea what kind of time was realistic, but I decided to shoot for Sub 14 hours.
Here’s the story about what happened.
Side Note: If you want the BEST info to prep for this race, check out Aaron Schwartzbard’s blog
Racing Hellgate for the First Time:
I’ll skip all the normal preparation talk other than to say that I tried to get some sleep after I dropped PT off at daycare Friday morning. What you need to know here is that Hellgate starts at 12:01 am. That means most folks arrive at the start after already being awake all day. That was essentially the case for me. I managed to get about 45 minutes of sleep before Josh came to pick me up Friday afternoon. We grabbed Sean and headed to Camp Bethel for packet pick up and the race brief. Once all the niceties were out of the way, Josh, Sean, Ryan, and I drove to the start to try to catch a couple of ZZZs before the 12:01 am start.
The energy at the start line was electric. The race really did feel special from the start. I gave Jordy, Hannah, Jonathan, and Darren a quick high five and said: See ya at the finish. Then, I walked back to my spot with Chris Miller, Ryan, and Sean a couple of rows back.
We sang the National Anthem and O Holy Night before Horton said GO!
And off into the cold night we went.
It was cold.
As far as Hellgate weather goes we were really lucky. It was a clear and beautiful night. No rain, no snow falling, and very little wind. But, it was cold. I’d later be very happy I chose to wear tights and a jacket. I only wish I had brought an extra buff to serve as a “tater buff” (looking at you John Anderson/ Sean Raines has made this part of his game for a long time) because I had to hike one of the later climbs with my hands stuff inside my tights. My hands weren’t what was cold. You get the picture, I’m sure. But, I’m getting ahead of myself.
Here’s an elevation profile with Aid Station info:
Section by Section Story of the Race
I had broken the race down into 5 sections to help manage the distance.
Section 1: Start- AS 3 Camping GAP
Ryan and I ran pretty much every step of the climb to AS 2 at Petites Gap. We were running comfortably, chatting, and enjoying the miles ticking off. It was so cool to look back down the switchbacks and see the train of lights coming up behind us. Through Camping Gap Ryan and I were just about perfectly on my sub 14 hour predictions.
Section 2: Camping Gap to AS 5 Jennings Creek
A little bit after Camping Gap, I mentioned how close we were to my planned splits for sub 14 to Ryan, and he said: Man, that’s a dream time. It wasn’t for him. On the next technical descent, he cruised off into the night. I had to let him go. I couldn’t hold that pace. We were having a blast together, but I had to stick to an effort that felt sustainable. Time started slipping away here, but I felt strong and made the choice to keep a steady effort that wouldn’t result in a bad fall in all the leaf litter.
As I ran the ups and downs heading to Headforemost Mtn, the cold really started to settle in. I was grateful for the new tights I bought from Runabout on Thursday (Thanks, they were awesome! And Yes: I enjoy the thrill of trying something new on race day).
But, here is where I really hit my low point for the race. One comes in every race. This one was early. It was where I had to do all the bargaining and all the thinking about WHY I’m doing this.
Finding the why was really easy this time. Ginger and Paul were going to be at the finish. For me, the why was so easy: Set the example. WE can do hard things.
So, I kept pushing myself to climb strong and descend smart, but fast. The “Horton Miles” were weighing on me. I was frustrated because my time predictions were spot on for where I “should” be based on distance, but not for where the actual aid stations were. I knew this might be the case. I had tried to do some conversions based on data I could find on Strava. But my guesses were wrong. And my margin for error was nothing. It was be on pace for Horton Miles or go over 14 hours.
I wasn’t on pace for the reality of the mileage on the course. I had made an error in planning what I thought I could do and what my legs could really do. But, I kept pushing. I forced myself to just keep hope alive that I might magically be able to run the last section faster than I thought. A big part of being successful in ultras (I think) is being able to ignore the numbers. If you don’t try to outrun reality, you never will. So, I did my best impression of a cartoon character who sees the ground dissipate under his feet. I kept running along thinking I might find traction in the thin, cold air.
Section 3: AS 5 Jennings Creek to AS 7 Bearwallow Gap
I came into the first crew spot at Jennings Creek about 45 minutes after I needed to get there for sub 14. I was also badly in need of a change of clothes.
I was wet and cold.
Luckily, I was greeted by the smiling faces of Pawel, Josh, and Brett, and Butch. They got me changed, fed, and on my way in good spirits.
(I've never had to put on my puffy coat while changing my socks. I'm glad I did here)
I walked out of there stuffing my face with all the food they gave me with this mantra in my head: Survive and Advance. Light Always Follows Dark.
To be honest, I was proud that it was still dark when I left Jennings Creek. That meant I was still on pace to have a time I could be happy with. I just had to keep pushing. As I climbed the gravel road out of there, I turned off my headlamp so I could enjoy the early morning darkness and catch every ray of the first light. There were probably some pitches of that climb that I should/could have run. I was trying to measure my effort so that I would be able to run hard at the end. I maybe have left a little in the tank. Maybe. Maybe not. A lesson for next time.
I focused on getting to Bearwallow Gap where I could pick up Josh. I kept eating and drinking and reminding myself that I was lucky to be in this race. I also kept the advice from Jordy fresh in my mind about not settling or talking myself into being happy with less than my potential. That would prove to be crucial thinking later.
Section 4: AS 7 Bearwallow Gap to AS 9 Day Creek
I came into Bearwallow in need of another change of clothes. I wasn’t happy to lose another bit of time in an Aid Station, but it was the smart move. I had take care of my body to take care of my mind. That meant I had to avoid the chafe monster to set myself up to run these last 20 miles hard.
And, it’s only 20 miles from Bearwallow to the finish. Don’t get confused by all the different information out there. For this one you can actually believe Horton when he tells you it’s really only 20 miles. The “Horton Miles” really all happen before Bearwallow Gap. Brett, Pawel, and Josh got me fed, changed, and out of there without wasting too much time. And then we were off.
Josh and I climbed strong out of Bearwallow heading towards Bobblets Gap. I kept eating and drinking and dreaming of breaking 15 hours even though the math would say it was not really possible. Cartoon character thinking is important. We got through Bobblets (AS 8) quickly. It was a grab food and go situation. Then, we suffered through the “forever” section. Aptly named because it feels like it goes on forever. You keep winding and winding. Up and down. Back and forth. You get the idea.
I had trashed my ankle on this section pacing Brett a few years ago, so my goal was to keep it vertical. I almost managed to pull that off, but not quite. I fell twice in this section, but managed to avoid any injuries or blood. I ran everything I could run, and hiked where I was falling because of all the leaf litter that was hiding the rocks.
Section 5: AS 9 Day Creek to the Finish: 3 up and 3 down.
Josh and I rolled into the last aid station (Day Creek), and Brett sorted me out quickly. He made me take a flask of Mountain Dew, and this was clutch. Other than the bit of food I snagged at the aid station and one more gel, this would be all I ate for the last six miles. But, it was enough.
I hiked the last climb steady if not fast. Then, I did my best Pawel impression and tried to drop Josh on the final descent. Everything hurt. Bad. But, I knew it would hurt the same if I ran fast or slow. And the faster I ran, the faster I would see Ginger and Paul.
That was my main objective: Finish this thing strong and see my family. Here Jordy’s advice really paid off. 15 hours had come and gone. But I was still racing. I was racing myself and trying to pass anyone I could see in the distance.
Mile 65 clocked in at 8:08 followed by a 7:09 for mile 66. I am pleased with that. I was able to snag a couple of spots I’d lost in the finishing order in the “forever” section, which was a nice bonus. But the best part: Seeing Ginger and PT when I came around the corner to the finish.
That little guy can MOVE!
It just doesn't get any better than this!
My final time: 15:45:49
This was 1:50 slower than I my “dream” time. I had 45 minutes of non-running time. That’s far too much for a 100K. Heck, that’s more than I want in a 100 miler. The reality is that I had 30 minutes of unplanned AS time. Two lessons here: First, I should have stuck with my normal compression shorts under my tights. The insulated compression shorts I wore caused a bit of the chafing problem and I had to change twice to address that. Second, I should have managed that better and changed faster. But, that’s the cool thing about ultras: You always learn a lesson about how to get better.
So, what do I think of Hellgate?
It really is an amazing event. It’s small, intimate, and an awesome challenge. I knew it would be hard. But, it was harder than I thought it would be. It’s 66.6 miles and not 100, but I think you can’t try to pace it like you would any old 100K. You have to treat it with the respect of a 100 miler. I’m glad that I did. If I hadn’t let Ryan go early, I think I would have ended up blowing up in spectacular fashion. Pacing it smart allowed me to finish it strong. And, I’m happy with that.
If you get a chance, you should do Hellgate. Horton puts on an amazing race, and he really does care about every runner out there. He makes sure first and last are taken care of equally. The aid stations are top notch, and the volunteers are amazing. Thank you all!!
Running Ultras and Living a Balanced Life
I’ve written about this before, but it’s worth saying again: Ultra running is a hobby. Just like tinkering with cars, building model trains, or fishing. Any hobby can enrich your life. You just have to be careful to strike a balance. That’s been a big goal for me since PT was born. I want to set an example for him that involves chasing dreams, doing hard things, and learning from both success and failure. For me, it’s become increasingly important to figure out how to excel at my hobby without my family wondering where I am all the time. I think I’m getting better and finding time to run while also ensuring that family time is my priority. I need to keep getting better, but Hellgate was a nice indicator that I can run a lot and still be present at home. It just means getting up early, running after bedtime, and running at lunchtime.
Yes. Sure, I wish I had run faster. But, it was my first time at this race. I think you have to learn how to run Hellgate to run faster at Hellgate. This might seem obvious. But there are sections of the course where I think it really pays to know how they’re going to feel. So, my time was slower than I wanted, but I am quite happy with my mental game this time around. Unlike BigHorn, I never allowed myself to just be “happy” with the clock and slog it in. That’s been a challenge for me in longer races. Jordy has been encouraging me to put an entire race together at the longer distances. I think I’m getting closer to that, and I’m hoping to build on the success I had in this area at Hellbender 100 in April.
I am eternally grateful for Ginger supporting me and helping me go chase these dreams. Having her and PT at the finish was so important to me!
Thanks to Josh Clemmons for some expert level pacing.
Thanks to Pawel and Brett for the crewing.
Congrats to Sean on his first 100K finish. Proud of you, buddy!
Thanks for reading.
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