My Oil Creek 100 DNF

I'll keep this report short. Overall, even though I DNF'd, the race and the experience was awesome. First there's the trail. I thought the trail was very runnable and it was extremely beautiful. The weather was great, too. When we started at 5am on Saturday the temp was around 40 degrees. After the sun rose the temp climbed to the upper fifties, it may have even reached 60. The sky was clear and sunny all day long. There was also a nice breeze blowing throughout the day.

When we began the race I went out easy and tucked into a line of about 5 other runners which included Donna Utakis (who won the inaugural Grindstone 100 miler). We all were at the same pace and we were cruising along nicely in the dark. I was feeling good, walking all the inclines and my legs were feeling good. In fact, the first loop was rather uneventful. I ran the first 50k loop in 5:50 and was mentally and physically in a good place.

Then I got to mile 45 and that's when things began to change. My stomach began to bloat and I would get nauseous off and on. I found myself walking a bit more between miles 45 and 62. My legs were feeling good and and I could run my legs continued to feel good, but my stomach was not cooperating. I walked to in hopes that it would subside and I could continue on. But when I drink or forced a Hammer Gel it only made it worse. This caused my nutrition to get out of whack. The calories I needed to continue on were not there during this time. However, my legs still felt good.

When I returned to the main aid station the second time (mile 62) at the start/finish area I sat for a while (the first time since starting the race). I drank some Pepsi and a cup of chicken broth because that was all my stomach could handle. At this point I was feeling really bad. I wrestled heavily with even going back out for the third loop. But after a few minutes I put on my headlamp and gloves and walked back out to start the third loop. I walked the bike path to the trail, then I walked the big incline that immediately appears on the trail. Then after about 4 miles of walking my stomach started to feel better. Oh yeah, I though, I can continue on! Game on! The sun was setting over the ridge and the trail was just as beautiful as when I first began at 5am. I was still walking the inclines and running everything else. things were going well again. I was in a "valley" but I stuck with it until it turned around. I'm proud of myself for that. It only took my 20 miles to get through it ;-)

Once the sun went down the temperature began to drop quickly. Before I knew it, I was freezing. I had on my running hat, a long sleeve tech shirt and the cotton gloves I had when I started the race. I also had on my Zensah calf sleeves. But I found that after a few miles in the dark my hands were going numb and I was very cold. After walking an incline I began to run again but something was different. Now when I ran I felt even colder. The cold night air just went right through me. I thought I just needed to tough it out and run until my body warms up, but it didn't work. I found myself walking again. Eventually I made to the Petroleum Center/aid station 2, which is the turn around point on the trail. I refilled my water bottle, drank more Pepsi and sipped chicken broth. I also had my drop bag here. This is were I made my biggest mistake of the race. I did not have any of my cold weather gear in this drop bag. My jacket, heavier shirt, beanie, etc. were all in the start/finish area drop bag....and I left that aid station without them. I did have another short sleeve tech shirt and I quickly put that on over top of my long sleeve tech shirt but it didn't help me at all. I stood by the camp fire at the aid station while sipping my broth and I began to warm up again. But once I turned to continue the next 17 miles back to the start/finish area I began to shiver pretty strongly. I knew I could have continued on, my legs were feeling good overall. But with all the blood going to my stomach to help there, the rest of my body was left to fend for itself and thus all the shivering in the cold. It was at this point I dropped from the race. The volunteers were awesome. They could see my shivering and put me in a van and turned on the heater. I sat there out of the night air but I was still shivering strongly.

Eventually they took me back to the local middle school which served as the start finish area. I quickly grabbed my shower supplies and warm clothes and cleaned up and got dressed, but for the next few hours I was still chilled to the bone. I hung around the middle school wearing a fleece pullover, jacket, beanie, gloves and jeans but it took hours before I finally felt warm again. In hindsight I think I made the right choice. It was difficult of course, but I think my system might have gotten worse if I would have continued on.

I went farther than I have to date, even though I didn't finish. The experience was still a good one and I learned a lot once again. This year was a mixed one for me running wise. I had one top ten finish at a 50k and I won a 75k but on my longer running attempts I suffered two DNF's. I'm going to take a couple weeks off from running before getting back into training. Watchung Winter 50k is coming up in January and that will be my next race.

One final note, the people of Titusville, PA are amazing. The whole community backs this race and supports it in many ways. The local hotel were Dave and I stayed moved up their free breakfast from 6am to 3am to accommodate the runners (and it was a good spread, too). The local superintendent of the school district volunteered at the start/finish aid station, wearing her snowmobile suit of course :-) It was great to see such support. And race directer Tom Jennings is a super guy. He did an amazing job organizing this fantastic race.

I'm grateful to God for the oppotunity and ability to even be out there giving it a go.