The above quote went through my head with every thought of dropping out of the Ultra Beast this weekend.
I started to really get an awful case of "naysayers disease" when a random back pain started on Wednesday (and kept nagging through Friday night). Fearing the unknown, anxiety took over for my entire drive to Outback Pizza in Killington, VT. While enroute I periodically checked the Ultra's facebook page to make sure I didn't miss anything. The first post I saw was from Matt Davis asking if anyone had extra glow sticks. I had brought more than enough so I offered mine and we met up at packet pick-up. Matt was really appreciative of my over preparedness, and I certainly wasn't against building a few alliances against the mammoth ski mountain about a mile from Outback.
Check out Matts Podcast
On Friday night I didn't expect to be able to sleep much with the race just a few short hours away. I also didn't expect to cough, sneeze and sniffle all night either (Another reason to doubt my ability to complete the whole course).
Race Day
I woke up at 4:15 AM and headed up to Killington. I kept wondering "why do I feel like such crap?" I probably had about 14 cough drops out of nerves and kept drinking fluids to maintain hydration. By the time I had parked my truck I had psyched myself out so bad that I sat contemplating whether or not to even get out of the truck and face the windy 40something degree morning air, BUT I had to piss so I gathered my shit, realizing I had left a few important items at home and headed for the base lodge. In the staging area I signed the Ultra Beast board and shuffled through my drop bin looking for more excuses NOT to toe the line. I found none so I spent the next hour telling myself "I will do one loop and see how I feel." A few familiar faces showed up and pre-race small talk took over.
The Start
I lined up towards the rear since I didn't plan on having an incredibly fast first "Beast" loop and was feeling a little better. The race started uphill (weird) and after 2 insignificant obstacles went into the woods where a few hundred people bottlenecked onto singletrack. George Craft and I felt it would be better to bushwhack than let people in front of us set a slow pace. We weaved in and out of bushes and trees just parallel to the single file line forming on the trail. I tried to run/jog conservatively keeping in mind that I will be on the mountain all day. My slow and sickly pace seemed to be faster than what a lot of others were doing.
Found this video of the start. I'm the fool in the white shirt and Lime green CamelBak
BEAST Lap 1
This first lap had many high and low points. The thought of dropping out after one lap was looming over my head as I coughed up mucous and cursed myself for even starting. I noticed a very large, and very clean (lack of mud and water on clothing) crowd running downhill seemingly very lost somewhere around the middle of lap one (7mi.). Later we would find out that a wrong turn was made and blame is now cast in many different directions from a few of those in that group. The morning was extremely foggy making it easy to miss a course marker. Some of these racers were able to work through the SNAFU and eventually finish the race, while others came back for another shot the next day. I was pretty satisfied with my first lap time, I managed to get only 60 total punishment burpees (failure to complete and obstacle) which is just 2 of the obstacles (Tyrolean Traverse and Spear throw). I normally rush through obstacles and get punished for failure, however during the ultra I knew I would be on the course for well over 10 hours so I took each obstacle slowly and carefully (a technique I will be using from this point forward). I can't remember the split times but my first lap was at or around 4hr30min which would have been a pretty competitive time in the open/elite regular Beast (single lap). Although I was very conservative on the first lap I knew I wouldn't match it on the second.
PIT STOP
Knowing my first split was pretty decent was all I needed to get pumped up to get back on the mountain for round two. I had seen that there were still a lot of people out on the course who hadn't reached the drop bag area yet, so I tried to be quick. I replaced my calf sleeves with longer (and dryer) compression socks re-stocked the camelbak with a little more than what I had consumed on the first lap (1 gallon of electrolyte enhanced water, 2 gu's, 4 packs of clif blocks, 1 clif bar). I tried to force two or three pretzel rods down but nausea took over so off i went. I spent about 20-25 minutes in the drop zone forcing nutrition on myself and decided that an upbeat facebook status would really help the morale.
"LAP TWO...F******G BRING IT." 1:10pm Facebook status
LAP 2 ULTRA BEAST
Jumping back on the course felt good, especially in dry socks. I spent a long time not seeing any more green armbands (designator for ultra beast participants) and worked through the first few miles alone periodically chatting it up with some Beast runners from later heats who tapped my mind for information. I was asked some of the following questions:
-"How F***ing long is this hill?"
-"Am I almost done?"
-"Is there more barbed wire?"
-"Twice!? are you nuts!?"
-"is there more water?"
It was around mile 4 of lap two when I happened upon Todd Gothberg, who seemed to be the only person willing to entertain a conversation for the next ten miles. Todd and I helped each other out from that point until the finish line. We talked about family, fundraising our amateur athletic careers etc. Later on I would find out Todd had completed 39 marathons, and was a quadruple Ironman, which puts my mediocre resume' to shame. It was when I found out his career revolved mostly around motivational speaking that I decided "I need to stick with this dude." Motivation would really come in handy around nightfall when my left leg would no longer bend without excruciating pain. Todd lost his headlamp at some point, so with my illumination and his motivation we set out to become Ultra Beast finishers. The last 2 miles or so was a dangerous muddy and rocky descent. Lucky for me I treated it like a water slide and babied my left knee the whole way by essentially crab walking to the final flat section of the course. With the finish line in sight we each failed our spear throw (I am yet to stick a spear since Amesbury 2011). The last 30 burpees were the easiest of all and we finished the race in 11 hours and 36 minutes. While I didn't win a dime or a season pass, I felt like I had conquered the course. The Michael Phelps(esque) dual medals (standard Spartan medal for the Beast and a giant glow in the dark Ultra Beast medal) was enough prize for me.
"Dear Killington,
I WIN. That is all" Facebook status at 9:03 pm
What's next?
The race for which I started this blog is now over. I finished. I hope next year those who were removed from the course for not meeting time/gear requirements or dropped out for whatever reason (there are MANY good reasons for dropping out of a 10+hour race) get a shot at redemption. I would like to thank the EMT that allowed me to continue after noticing that I was "swaying" around mile 8 of the first lap, I appreciated your concern and judgement after I tried to joke "I always walk like that". Thanks to:
Mom and Dad-for taking my hypothermic, sick and muddy ass into your home Saturday night.
Alisha and Ms. Jeanne-for standing in the rain to watch me finish(if i did finish) and coordinating my ride home.
Todd Gothberg-who kept me talking and drinking/eating.
All the volunteers-I hope you enjoyed the race and got a chance to run the course.
Chris Davis-Congrats YOU DID IT!
The Facebook group "Spartan VT Ultra Beast"- You guys really helped each other prepare.
USCG STA. Merrimack- for fillin in while I'm on leave. Listening to me babble about this had to be annoying...it doesn't end here...sorry.
BEYOND...
I guess beyond begins now, I'm taking a few days off but I will be back on the trails soon, There are a few other races coming up I will likely write about (Bobby Bell Road race and Bay State Marathon). Please keep an eye out for my fundraising page link to show up on my blog. Until next time...
Burpees in the Rain
380 started 150 finished
Great job David!
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