by Carol King
Titusville, PA
October 10, 2009
It’s official…I am a real live SLUG now
Warning…you know me…this is long. I can’t apologize. For me, writing about a 31 mile race takes almost as much time as it does to run it.
As a newish runner, I can honestly say that when I started running a little over two years ago, I never really imagined running more than a 5K. That was all I aspired to be able to do. Lose a few pounds, achieve a goal…move on to the next thing. Well, funny things happen to a person when they start running. We get sidetracked or in my case…super focused on running farther and farther. We all run for some reason or another. I am sure my reasons are not unique.
So, somehow I run the 5K, and then a half-marathon and a few other short distances. Next up, I run the 25K version of the Double Chubb the year we had to do out and backs on the West Tyson side only. So then…I decide I have to do a full marathon, then a trail marathon, then I wind up becoming a Marathon Maniac, and next I sign up for my first 50K during what is probably a run-induced high and a little peer pressure from some friends.
So there I was on Friday, October 9th on an airplane flying to Cleveland by myself, to rent a car and drive to Titusville, PA to run the Inaugural Event of the Oil Creek 100 Trail Runs. I am pretty sure this will be one of those races that is immediately sold out next year based on the reviews and the difficulty of the course. I am just happy to say that I got in on the ground floor because I knew the RD from an online running group I belong to and a group of us signed up to support Tom Jennings in his huge endeavor.
I meet up with my friends, meeting most for the first time in person. We arrive at the Titusville Middle School for the pre-race dinner and meeting where there are tons of giveaways taking place. I got a brand new Nathan handheld (same as the one I already have, minus the gross sweat smell and remnants of Gu in the pocket. Others got microspikes and some supercool hydration packs that are not even for sale in the US right now, among many other cool items up for grabs.
So, after a good night’s sleep at the Comfort Inn, I get up with my friend Brent and we head to the start less than a mile away at the middle school. This is really happening. I think I should be more nervous or scared, but I am not for some reason. I am unusually calm. Maybe I am finally over the pre-race nerves that I used to have.
The race starts with an air horn blast and we are off in the dark, headlamps aglow. I purposely start in the back of the pack, as I know I will be there anyway. We run through the town and out to a paved bike path for basically a 5K before we hit the Gerard Hiking Trail in Oil Creek State Park. The trail is pretty much all single-track and gorgeous. The tough part is that you are immediately thrown into a huge uphill climb that seems to go on forever. It is so steep that my calves are screaming at me. The 5K paved run was all flat so the calves need a little more time to acclimate to climbing mode.
I keep thinking…”when do we get to just run on something flat or downhill?” Note to self…praying for downhills is kind of a mixed bag.
I do get my wish and find that at the top of this huge climb was the most beautiful running for a long time. Nice, flatish, runnable trails that go on and on. We had been warned we may see bears and were told to have a bear bell along. I opted to wear my dog’s tags from her collar as she went to heaven just 4 days before the race. Appropriately, her name was Miss Bear. So….I am running along at a nice pace when I hear something rustling to my right and at the same time the dog’s tags pop out from where I had them tucked away and begin to jingle. I look over to see a black bear clinging to a tree about 2/3 up. Of course this is very exciting and I am trying to get out my camera, but by the time I do, the bear is out of sight. I have to figure that my dog warned me from heaven. (awwww….)
Her tags would pop out from time to time along the course. I didn’t see any more bears, but they usually started jingling when I was in a particularly dangerous section. I know she was watching over me.
By the time I reached the first aid station at mile 7, I was feeling totally exhilarated. The best part was I ran into two of my friends who were hiking the 50K and had started an hour earlier. I was surprised I had caught up to them so fast. I had a hot spot on my foot that I had Vaseline slathered on, refilled with Gatorade, a potty stop, photo op, and a bite or two…I was gone again. The climb out of that aid station was epic to say the least. Switchback after switchback that seemed to never end. I just walked and walked until I could finally get to a runnable section again. I kept making comparisons in my head to the Chubb and Berryman, but this seemed to be way more intense. I was with my friends for the climbing and left them as soon as it got a little easier. This would be the last time I would see them until the next morning. The next 8 or so miles were pretty good again. I was making good time and feeling fine…except for the nagging spot on my foot that I just know is going to be a blister soon. I enjoy the beauty of the trail. Waterfalls are flowing and just add to the incredible journey. This trail is very well maintained and marked. I have a few dicey moments going down slippery stairs and footbridges, but I manage to stay on my feet.
There are funny signs placed on the trail along the way to entertain. My favorite is the one labeled. “Pioneer Section – The Birthplace of Rocks”…it was no joke, but I have run on worse rocky sections on the Chubb, so I am not intimidated at all. I know that aspects of my training have paid off. Another great sign just said “Unforgiving”. This served as a nice warning. Several of these signs would be seen along the trail.
Perhaps the most beautiful part of the trail is a section called “Hemlock Run”. The trail opens up to a wider path of pine needles and the trees are so tall and the forest is dark and cool. I don’t think I have ever seen a more peaceful place in my life. I really should have stopped for a picture here, but I was just enjoying the running so much I couldn’t. I just felt when I was able to run, I better. There would be much more walking in my future.
Getting the 7 or so miles to the next aid station seemed to take forever, but it was such a great place when I got there. One of my friend’s crew was there waiting for me and I ended up having him take care of my newly formed blister…it was pretty huge. I sat there while he popped and fixed up the blister…aid station workers brought me soup and a grilled cheese sandwich, filled my bottles and I also got a couple Tums. I was really hungry as my pre-race meal was a little sparse and the trail was working me really hard. After getting my foot fixed, changing socks and dropping off my headlamp, I was ready to leave. I thanked and hugged Gene for taking care of me and took off.
Huge climb again. Geez. This one was the worst. On top of the fact, the blister is burning now. The fresh socks feel weird too. I am still puzzled about the blister because I have never gotten a blister running. Really, I just want to focus on something to get me up this monster climb and make me forget my foot. I guess it works because after a mile or so, I don’t feel the blister at all and I feel good as new. I guess Gene knew what he was doing.
The miles from AS2 to AS3 are a blur. The trail is gorgeous at every turn and things are starting to look the same now. I get to run through more hemlock tree sections. I get startled by chipmunks playing in the woods a few times and it makes me laugh.
The slanted nature of the trail is making my right foot take a beating and I stop at a big rock to tie my shoes differently. I decided I better put on the heel lock and this seems to help a great deal. While I am stopped, I meet up with another runner, Terri, and she and I pass the time chatting while we make some pretty big climbs. I find out she is a race director from South Carolina and she operates free races for donations only. Pretty cool gal. She has been running ultras since the 80’s and is a very neat lady to hang with. We run together for a bit, but she is more suited to walking so I leave her. I see her again at AS #3 for a few minutes when she arrives. She had taken a little spill, but was still moving along fine. She went on to finish the 50 miler.
AS#3 was uneventful except for the fact that I was really hungry for salt. I had salted potatoes, hot soup, a piece of a banana, and a Hammergel. My fingers were really swollen. This doesn’t normally happen to me, so I can only assume I was just working really hard. I didn’t notice how much I was sweating because it was so much cooler than normal conditions I had been training in. There is a lot of traffic at this station as the first of the 100 milers are now lapping me. I think I saw 3. One was in the woods behind me right before we hit the road for the aid station and then I saw two more come through as I was refueiing. Lots of 50 milers were also coming through from the opposite direction as they were finishing their extra loops on the back of the course. I really loved the festive atmosphere out there. I can’t say enough about the volunteers for this race. It seems that the entire town of Titusville, PA was born to work an aid station at an ultra. Tom Jennings must have trained them well. No one would ever know they had never worked an event like this one. They were pros.
I leave the last aid station and know that I have about 8 miles to go now. It is the longest 8 miles of my life for some reason. I am trying to think to myself…”just a little shorter than a loop from home to Forest Park and back” That doesn’t work as I know that my loop to “the Fo” is not even a fair comparison to the epic hills I am about to encounter. If I thought the other hills were bad before, these are monumentally harder to me. Steep and long…they go on forever. I even attempted walking up backwards for a bit so that I couldn’t see how far I had to go. That was too hard on my calves so I had to turn back around and just face it. I would see a Facebook friend and runner Thomas Tan coming and this is where we officially meet in person. What a nice guy. We comment on each other’s status’ all of the time online, but have never met. It was so fun to chat. He looks great and is eating the monster climb, even walking it. He tells me that he thinks he is bonking. He didn’t look like it to me. He was running the 50. I say goodbye and he tells me that I look great and to keep moving.
I see a few more runners along this section and know I am getting closer. One woman in a running skirt flew past me singing to her iPod. She was having a blast and told me to finish strong. I just wanted to finish…strong or not. The miles kept clicking by and I just kept thinking that the woods would go on forever. I could hear sounds of human activity and possibly industry. There must be a mine or something around there. I even heard an end of work whistle (reminded me of the Flintstones). I finally see a bridge and know that I am coming out of the woods soon. Bam! I am on pavement for the first time in a really long time. A quick jog across a bridge and I am directed by a volunteer to the asphalt bike path I had been on at 7 a.m. that morning. I can’t believe how hard it is to run on pavement now. Every step is excruciatingly painful for some reason. I guess soft mud and pine needles all day is kind of a nice way to spend your day running. I end up walking a lot of the 1.5 miles on the bike path until I see the turn to the street which heads to the finish. For some reason, I am able to run like crazy now. Heading to the finish I still can’t believe that I am almost there. Crossing the finish line is a blur. I am handed my belt buckle and a sticker for my car that says OC100 50K finisher. Then I look up to see my new friend Thomas Tan standing there to give me a hug. He had been sitting there at the finish line waiting for me to come in. I am totally flattered that he waited. I still haven’t checked his finish time to see just how long he was there, but it was a really nice gesture. He said he wanted to see me finish my first ultra. I know…awwwwwww.
I wander into the school to look for my friend Brent, who I find sitting in the cafeteria chatting with another runner. He is totally shocked that I am finished already and hugs me so hard. He gives me the low-down on the cool plan to shower the mud off of my legs in the locker room and then go to the gym for my free massage. How awesome is that?? After the massage, Brent and I return to our hotel for real showers, warm, dry clothes and then back to the school to wait for our friends to come in to finish or to help out at the aid station before sending them back for their last 15 miles. Waiting there to support our friends was a great feeling.
So, it is 8 days later and I am still in shock that I did this race. Not only did I finish a 50K, I think I may well have picked one of the most difficult out there to be my first. There is big talk around about this race and how some of the big name ultra dudes are all wanting to run this course. Hmmmm…all I can say is that I did it before it got cool and big and out of reach. I ran it first. I was there for the Inaugural Run and no one can ever take that away. Next year….I think I might try 50 miles. We’ll see.
