Approaching 500 Miles of Glacial Trail Runs

2010: 50k 3rd 4:09
2012: 50k 5th 4:26
2013: 50k 3rd 4:06
2014: 50 Mile 1st 7:32
2015: 50 Mile 5th 9:25
2017: 50k 2nd 4:40
2019: 50k 3rd 4:25
2020: 50k 1st 4:19
2021: 50k 16th (no cup) 5:39
2022: 50k 1st 4:40
2023: 50k 5th 4:42
2024: 50 Mile 4th 8:31
2025: 50 Mile 3rd 8:54 -- 479 Cumulative Miles

More Updates

25 Polar Stroll 7:17 3rd
25 Milwaukee 26.2 3:29 Pacing

25 Ouray 100  DNF

25 Glacial Trail 50 -- 8:54 3rd  -- This was my 95th of 26.2 or Longer

Additional Results...trying to get this thing going again

Updating my results...

23 Kettle 50k - DNF

23 Marquette Trail 50 - 10:19 6th

23 Marji Gesick 100 - 25:36 1st

23 Glacial Trail 50k - 4:42 5th

24 Milwaukee 26.2 - 3:34 Pacing

24 Maritime 26.2 - 3:20 7th

24 The Crusher 50 NFR - 12:56 1st

24 Marquette Trail 50 - 11:40 19th

24 Glacial Trail 50 - 8:32 4th

24 Glacial Trail was my 92nd 26.2 or longer event...

Tour de Dodge

 https://www.strava.com/activities/8938089600

Lakefront & Glacial

 

Every fall I pick out some kind of running challenge for myself.  In the past it’s been 50 miles on the roads of Door County, or multiple trail runs, or some mix of both.  I tend to get my best training in during the summer months, and then September and October weather provides a great opportunity to run a big event, before it gets too cold, or the kids’ school and sports schedule gets too hectic.

This fall it was a back-to-back challenge of the Lakefront Marathon on Sunday, October 2^nd, and then the Glacial Trail 50k on Sunday, October 9^th.  Two very different courses, within a week.  It challenged my mindset and my body, and my training for the summer months right up in to October.

Going to the the marathon, I was hoping to get a “Boston Qualifier” time, meaning that I ran a specific time for my age that would allow me to apply for the Boston Marathon.  In my case, it’s 3 hours and 10 minutes.  I was confident that I could do that, and I was right on pace until the proverbial ‘Wall’ which I abruptly hit at about Mile 23.  I lost about 30 seconds per mile in my pace, falling behind the 3:10 pacer, and finishing in 3 hours and … eleven minutes. 

There was a time in my life when this would have been devastating to me.  However, at the age and life experience I am now, I was able to simply accept it, and understand that I did as good as I could on this particular day.  My body did it’s best, my brain did it’s part (despite, in that last 3 miles, there was a lot of “SHUT UP LEGS” repeats going on as my tired legs were asking my brain to simply walk), and I was content with a 3:11.  I even posed for a photo with Tyler, the 3:10 pacer, who did his darndest to get me to the finish in 3:10.  Sorry, Tyler!

On to this past weekend, where I ran the Glacial Trail run for the 10^th time.  I again had high hopes and expectations for myself, and was excited to begin the run on Sunday under an incredible sunrise and beautiful fall temperatures.  In my 10 years of running this race, I think this year featured the prettiest fall colors of any of them. 

I got to the turn around point of the run (Mile 15.5) in 2 hours and 15 minutes…which at first I was disappointed in.  I thought I was in better shape and I thought I was faster than that.  I quickly turned that mindset around, though.  You know what?  I ran a cool and collected first half.  My body and my stomach felt good.  Now I get to return to the finish, and see my kids and family and enjoy the scenery!

It’s all about mindset.  Something in life or in any event can be the worst possible thing to ever happen to you, or it can be the best thing for you in that moment.  It’s up to you.

I finished Glacial Trail in 4 hours and 40 minutes.  It was far from my fastest time at this event, but I’m not sure I’ve had a more joyous smile at the finish as I did this year.  And running the last mile with my kids was a memory I will not soon forget.

Keep in mind your mindset.  What happens in life is far less important than how your respond to it.  In my case, that old and slow body finishing in 4 hours and 40 minutes actually earned me 1^st place overall.  Not a bad consolation!

Marquette Trail 50 Mile

 

"Hey--Heads up.  There's a bear up ahead on the trail.  Just past Sugarcube, near Wetmore Pond.  And she has cubs with her."

That's what I was told at the Sugarloaf Aid Station, which is at Mile 47 of the 51-Mile "Marquette Trail 50".  This is one of my favorite events, and I had completed the 50-kilometer distance up in Marquette 4 times in the past.  But this year I set out to the to whole 50 miles...well, 51 miles.  40 of the 50 mile course is on the "Four Peaks Loop" near Marquette, which takes you over a set of granite outcroppings that are simply incredible to see both from a distance and up close.  In the 50k, you do them each once, but the 50 milers do them each twice.  In between the big mountain climbs and descents is incredible trail running along Lake Superior and also along the North Country Trail.  It is truly a beautiful course.  In fact, I highly suggest you go to YouTube and search "NTN Marquette Trail 50" to see some absolutely incredible footage from the event.

But back to the bear.  I had 47 miles under me, had been on my feet for 9 hours and 30 minutes by this point, and I knew I still had 4 miles to go...and they weren't easy miles.  They involved a climb over "Sugarcube" mountian then a steady, and sometimes steep, climb back to the the finish line.  This wasn't going to be fun.  And now I am told that some of the faster runners had spotted a bear with cubs on the trail.  Yikes.  Suddenly, as I made my way to the Wetmore Pond area, where the bear had been on the trail, literally every relatively large dark object was a bear.  Thankfully they were only boulders, or turned over tree stumps, or standing tree stumps, or shadows.  And I also was startled big time by a red squirrel scampering to a nearby tree.  Alas, no bear was spotted by me.  I wouldn't have minded seeing her from afar, but I also don't mind not seeing her at all.

My friend Jason (great friend with terrible ideas) came up with me and was a perfect 'Crew Chief', navigating the course via the local roads, and finding me in different spots along the run with Coke, Gatorade, and ice-cold bandanas.  The humidity was at 100% all morning, and those bandanas were a life saver.  Another friend, Chris, joined me for about 16 of the miles and kept me running when I should be running, kept me in 'race mode' when I wanted to just throw in the towel.  We also shared some laughs and got a couple photos on top of the peaks.  The photo in this article is from when I had FINALLY reached the last of my "8 peaks", and then I simply had that eventful 4 miles to go to the finish.

There were many moments, especially in the first 10 miles, that I wasn't sure I was going to finish the whole 50 miles.  In fact, I was seriously considering stopping at the 31 mile mark...as when you reach that point, you're actually at the finish line.  Oddly enough, or perhaps completely planned...Jason and Chris didn't go to that mile marker.  They weren't there.  Instead, they were two miles down the trail at Mile 33.  So I had no choice but to keep going.  And am I glad I did!  

Strava Sez

Kettle 50k - 5:25 8th

 Having run the Kettle Moraine 50k 4 times previously (In 2016, '17, '18, and '21), I was aware of the format of the event and familiar with what I was getting in to this year.  In those first 3 years, I actually managed to win the race twice and finish second in 2017.  Last year I also finished second, despite the fact it was a rough event for me, and I wasn't happy with how I ran overall.

This year was another lesson and opportunity to learn.  Now, as I write that, it becomes apparent to me that all of these long distant runs I do are 'opportunities to learn.'  Maybe that's why I continue to do them despite telling myself 'never again' as I'm running them.  

I finished the 2022 Kettle 50k in 5:26 and in 8th overall.  The weather this year was incredibly kind, considering past years at this event.  It was overcast with a nice breeze and temperatures in the 70's.  Most long distance runs I do start early in the morning, but this race starts at 1:00 pm and is a point-to-point run along the Ice Age Trail of the Southern Kettle Moraine State Forest.  It's a really pretty course, and despite the fact I have said repeatedly that I will NOT do this one again--5 times is enough!--I'm quite certain I'll be signing up again for the 2023 version.

Because of those winning runs I've previously had, perhaps I'm in denial that I have aged a bit since 2016.  I often joke that my kids keep getting older, but I am not.  That's possible, right?  ;)

I had trained pretty darn well for this run and was confident in my preparation.  While I didn't have a 'crew' along for this one, I had drop bags set up and was ready for a good run.  My goal was to break 5 hours. 

That's not what my mind and body had in store for me.  Perhaps I'm just a bit slower...perhaps it just wasn't my day.  I still finished up and looking back, I don't regret for a minute taking on the challenge.  Maybe next time I bring some people with me to help out a bit...but no matter what the 'next time' is, I'm confident I'll show up and I'll learn something along the way.

Run Your Past Off 2022

 https://www.strava.com/activities/6458713963

Great Start to 2022 :)

Glacial Trail 50k

 Rough Day.  Big Time.  But...I finished, and put another 31 miles towards my 500 Mile Blanket!

Strava Sez.

Marji Gesick

 

After running the “12 Hours of Road America”, it was definitely the toughest event I have attempted. It turns out it was just an incredible training run for what is now the toughest event I have ever attempted—the Marji Gesick.

This thing, from the legend of the namesake (more on that later), to the “Self-Supported Ethos”, to the course markings and course design, is the real deal. It is not overhyped. It is absolutely incredible. I signed up for the 50 mile, which was actually 60.7 miles, and I turned it in to 63.54 miles due to what I’ll call a ‘course alteration’.

First…what’s with the funny name?  The “Marji Gesick”?  Man-je-ki-jik was a man who came from an “important local family.” A common practice by the U.S. government opted to lend the title of “chief” to Indian men who possessed roles of leadership.  It doesn’t appear he ever held a role as an official Chief.  His name also has been translated to Matji-gigig (Bad Day) or Man-je-ki-jik (Moving Day)…both of which would be applicable to the event as well!

Starting at the Ore Dock in Marquette just before sunrise, I covered the 63.54 miles and 7,661 feet of elevation gain over the next 13 hours and 21 minutes to finish just after sunset in downtown Ishpeming. This is primarily a cycling event.  Of the 40 people registered for the “50 Mile” event along with me, only 23 started.  12 finished.  Meanwhile, there were 207 biker finishers among 300 starters.  Along the way and the trails, bonds were made with every cyclist I saw. We encouraged each other. We miserated together. We laughed together about the sheer ridiculousness of it all. I would hike past them as they walked their bikes up the hills, and then I’d step off the trail as they came flying past me on the flat sections and downhills. Yes, there actually were a couple downhills.  Just not many.

I mentioned the “Self-Supported Ethos.”  The organizers make sure you know what you are getting in to.  They literally say, “If you get badly hurt, call 911.”  There are no official aid stations either…but there are ‘Trail Angels’ out there and along the way I scored a Grilled Cheese sandwich at one of the Trail Angel Stations, the most delicious can of CocaCola I’ve ever tasted at another, and the most wonderful and refreshing WetWipe I’ve ever had applied to my face from some ladies along the trail at mile 50-ish.

My crew of Craig and Matt had it all dialed in. They’re both experienced in these crazy ideas, and they were assertive in making sure I was addressing any small issues I was having before they became BIG issues.  They made me eat..much more than I would have on my own, and this was crucial. They saw me often at road crossings and they even hiked up the trail on occasion to see me. They kept me focused. They managed to have some fun along the way themselves. In fact, at one point I was eating a ham and cheese sandwich and noted it could use some mustard.  Sure enough, the next time I saw them they had mustard.  What service!  We had a plan and we adapted as needed, and we finished. I found out I was capable of more than I thought I was…but it took HELP and PEOPLE to bring it out. I look forward to going back in 2022 and helping Matt & Craig as they take on the 100 miler.

Thanks to Jason and Cheri Schneider as well.  They were quite familiar with this event, and they were there to help Matt and Craig with logistics and road intersections, and they’re also responsible for planting the seed of this event in my world about 4 years ago.  The Marji Gesick is an amazing weekend and like nothing I’ve ever done before.  You—yes YOU—can do so much more than you think you can. Find your limits.  And seek like-minded people to help you out along the way!

12 Hours of Road America

 Last weekend I ran the "12 Hours of Road America". It is a fundraising event for a GREAT organization (My Team Triumph) that has people complete as many 'Laps' at Road America, either on bike or on foot, or as a combination of the two, from 7 PM on Saturday Night through 7 AM on Sunday morning. I attempted this event last year and it did not go well. This year I came in with a different plan and a new mindset and I managed to finish 15 laps of the 4-mile course, finishing with 60 miles and an incredible experience.

Lap 1 was spent with Scott as we did our best to keep the pace easy and catch up on life.

Lap 2 was the highlight of the event, with the exception of finishing that brutal FINAL LAP. I had my pacer join me. Eddy was a constant supply of questions about the course (where is the King of the Hill segment?), comments on running in general (when can I try run an ultra?), thoughts on the course (holy cow this is a steep hill), and of course the inevitable how much longer (less than a mile to go Buddy). Lap 2 with Eddy was a lot of fun and I look forward to more miles with him.

Lap 3-9 was spent with Chris. Chris was looking for the same goal I was, and we spent time talking and talking and thinking and then talking some more. We saw some other running buddies along the way as well (Matt, Brad, Jeff, Mel).

Lap 10 is when the Sleep Monster jumped on my back. It shows in the lap time...and it especially shows in...

Lap 11 began and ended with my walking pretty much the entire time, and also I had some GI issues from both ends that set in. Probably the lowlight of the entire adventure was throwing up in a portapotty. I don't need to go in to details.

After Lap 11 I decided to take a nap. Oh, and I puked about 7 times. That too. Once I actually puked in to the hole of a portapotty... 1 star, I do not recommend.

I didn't want to quit...but I NEEDED to rest/reset. I wanted to get back out on the course and reach my goal of 50+ miles (I was currently at 44). So after getting a jacket and a vest from Chris and Matt (they noticed immediately I didnt look great and was cold), I went to my car and rested/slept in the backseat. Lap 11 took me 1:16 to complete, almost all of which was walking. So, I decided I needed about 2.5 hours of walking to complete 2 more laps and reach my 50 mile goal...so I set my alarm for 5:30. In my addled mind, waking up at 5:30 would give me 2.5 hours to walk before the event ended at 7:00. I know...the math doesnt quite work out. At about 4:15 am I woke to a text, and I was feeling awake, and my stomach was doing better. I then realized my math error from earlier, and got moving. If I could be out on the course by 4:30 AM, then I WOULD have 2.5 hours to finish my 2 laps and complete my goal.

Lap 12 was recorded as taking me 2 hours and 21 minutes. That's the total of my rest/reset/nap and also actually completing that lap. Upon completion of that lap, it was about 5:15 AM. Tony M. was waiting for me at the finish line. I updated him on my plan to just complete one more loop...reach my goal of 50+ miles...and call it a day. And Tony being Tony, he simply said, "You have time for more than one loop. You have time for two more...maybe 3." Tony is a great friend who has terrible ideas. But I'll never forget that moment, and how it kind of changed everything inside me. Why settle for 50+ miles? I have TIME. I had not quit on the run...I had chosen to rest and reset. And here I am. And he was RIGHT. I had time and had the capability for more that I thought. So I set out.

Lap 13 and my mind was back in the game. And my body was listening. Keep a pace...walk the hills...catch that sunrise! Lap 13 was done and I was back on pace.

Lap 14, which I began at about 5:40 AM, was my fastest lap of the entire event. I knew that if I could be back at the start line at 6:20...then that left me 40 minutes for the final 4 mile loop, and that means I could grind out 10 minute miles to the finish. I ran more of the hills on Lap 14 that any other loop. I had music blasting loud in my ears. I had moments where I wanted to cry, but I kept my emotions in check. It was a profound moment, to say the least.

Lap 15, as you'd expect, was the toughest one for sure. I said to myself over and over again "Shut Up, Brain" because I knew my body was capable of finishing it, but my brain kept saying that I should just stop, or take the shortcut back to the finish line, or just walk it in. Shut up, Brain. As I was about 1/4 mile from the finish, Tony and his crew saw me and cheered me in. I finished at 6:58:30 AM...90 seconds to spare, 60 miles completed. Thoroughly wrecked but fully satisfied.

After having a rough previous Friday night and Saturday, before starting the event at 7 pm on Saturday, Ellie had said that this experience would be good for me. "Feel the feelings. Shed some old skin." That I did. I'm thankful for the talks with her and the support.

Growth and change isn't fun...but you can either not have fun and not change, or you can not have fun but go through it and experience it and reap rewards along the way. And there's fun in that. That's life :)

I can't thank Tony and his SJB crew enough for their support. Coach Tony got me to 60 miles by planting a seed with seeing something I didnt see...and the cheers of the SJB crew were a lift every time. What a 12 hours of LIVING.

Strava sez. Strava also sez.

2021 Kettle 50k

 This year’s Kettle 50k was held on June 12^th, and it was a HOT ONE. I should know that this is a possibility, considering it’s June and it’s Wisconsin, and I’ve completed this event 3 times previously, in typical “June in Wisconsin” weather. But this year, it was a memorable one despite the fact I should have been prepared and expected it.

We hadn’t had many really hot days leading up to the run, but I did my best to run during the middle of the day, on lunch break, to get some ‘heat training’ in my system. The Kettle 50k starts at 1 pm and is held in the Southern Kettle Moraine State forest, running for 31 miles along the Ice Age Trail and a few wider ski trails. The first half of the run goes through what is known as the “Meadows” and is infamous for mid-day heat and direct sun exposure. I knew this and did my best to slow my pace down to leave some energy for the last 15 miles, which are run on rocky, rooty, hilly trails.  Basically, you trade in flat and runnable but HOT HOT HOT terrain for shady, but hilly and technical terrain. 

Anyway, I tend to start races way too fast, and I did my best to slow down through the Meadows this year…but looking back at my splits, I definitely didn’t slow down enough. By the time I had reached the Half Way Aid Station, and was about to enter the woods for the last 15 miles of hills, I had run myself ragged. Three little letters had started to make an appearance in my head: D. N. F.

One of the many aspects of trail running that I enjoy is the mind games. Our brains are always working for self-preservation, and having already spent about 2.5 hours in 90 degree heat, my mind was saying, “yep, good enough. You can quit now.” 

The thing is, our minds will quit a LOT sooner than our bodies will. I knew this. I also knew that if I quit, I would regret quitting almost immediately. So, I resorted to a lot of walking, several bouts of pity parties, and plenty of self talk about how I’m never doing this again. This is the last time I sign up for one of these. I even started to make arrangements to be picked up at the next road crossing. I chose this particular road crossing, at Mile 22 of the run, because nobody would be there. I also knew that at the next road crossing, at Mile 24, there was a group of great people and an aid station…and if I made to that aid station, there’s no way I would drop out. Those friends wouldn’t let me.

Alas, I arrived at the road at Mile 22 and just walked right through, and back into the woods. I didn’t drop out at that point. Not long after that, I walked into the aid station at Mile 24, where I was treated like a rock star. I had my short pockets stuffed with ice. I had my water bottles filled. I was given a Styrofoam cup of ice to take along with me…and I was also given 2 icy pops to eat along the way. It was absolutely incredible, and I can’t thank those volunteers enough!

Because I stuck with it, I managed to finish 2^nd overall. My finish time of 5 hours and 50 minutes was by far the slowest 50k I have ever done. I gained a good dose of mental sharpening, I was reminded about how truly important connections with other people are, and I have a new found deep appreciation for icy pops. 

Also, my ‘never again’ mentality didn’t last long. I’ve signed up for a 12 hour event in August!

Sinawa 6 Hour

 

Escape to Camp Sinawa!

That’s what I did on May 15^th, at the first annual Camp Sinawa 6 Hour.  There were trail running events on Saturday and mountain biking on Sunday, and it was a great weekend!  Jason Schneider and his family of St. Nazianz has spearheaded a trail building effort in the land to the west of Camp Sinawa Road, and the efforts have resulted in some amazing single track trails that have a mix of soft pine needles, rugged rocks and roots, and plenty of elevation change. 

I participated in the 6 Hour run and had a great time…for the most part.  Doing anything for 6 hours is probably going to cause some low moments, and for me those came on the 2^nd last of the 7 loops I completed.  I wanted to be ‘done.’  I ended up finishing the loop with about 70 minutes left in the event.

And I didn’t sign up for the “Sinawa 5 Hours and 50 Minutes”.  So, out I went for one more of the 5 mile loops.  My pace was the slowest on the 7^th loop but that also allowed me to really take in the nature of the trails.  Oddly enough, I noticed parts of the woods that I hadn’t noticed in the previous loops, and the slower pace seemed to help my stomach and my legs recover a bit. 

I finished the 7^th loop with 9 minutes left in the event, and at that point, when asked if I wanted to run another mile, the answer was an immediate ‘Nope!’, and I sat down.

I highly encourage you to wander around a bit out at Camp Sinawa sometime soon!  The trail system will continue to grow, and the things you will notice out there throughout the seasons will grow as well.

Glacial Trail 50k

 
Well, it had been a while. I haven’t had what I would consider a ‘successful” trail run in quite a while.
You may recall back in August, I wrote a column about my attempt at running a 100 Kilometers at Road America. The run did not go well.  Several factors culminated in my decision to quit the run much earlier than planned.  Earlier this summer I also attempted a trail run in the Southern Kettle Moraine State Forest, and stopped early due to it being hot and me just not being in the right mindset to finish.
Over the last 15 years, I have really enjoyed taking part in trail events, but this year has been difficult. Almost all events have been cancelled or moved to become “virtual events” or something along those lines. My favorite all-time event is the Glacial Trail Run, which starts and ends in Greenbush and runs along the Old Wade House Trail, before joining the Ice Age Trail. There are 50 km and 50 mile distances, and this would be my 8th time running at the event. The weather and peak fall colors could not have set up a better venue for the event.  Unfortunately, due to COVID limitations and permit restrictions, the only people there were the runners and the volunteers. It was definitely an odd environment but one which made me adapt my plan for the run.  I carried all of the nutrition I would need in a backpack and started off at 7 a.m. last Sunday. In training for this event, I had put in several long runs varying from 23 miles all the way up to 31 miles. Today was a 50 km, or 31 mile run. I felt pretty strong and had a decent nutrition plan, and with the exception of the last two or three miles, where I was super tired, I felt good all day. In addition to that, I managed to win the event!

That had always been a goal of mine – to win my “home event” at the Glacial Trail Run. I had previously won the 50 mile event but had always wanted to win the 50k as well.  Upon finishing, I felt such relief and gratitude that the event was held and then I was able to complete it in 4 hours and 19 minutes.  

I did a decent job of pacing myself through the first 7 miles, arriving at Hwy 67 in 56 minutes (I was hoping for 55 minutes) and in second place.  1st place ran right through the aid station, as did I.

Hwy 67 to Butler was 51 minutes and I was still feeling good.  I ran to the turnaround in 16 minutes, and on the way there saw several 50 milers and was able to share some encouraging words.

On the way back I caught the leader, who I had been told "was dying up there...go get him!", at about Mile 17.  I offered salt/sugar/water, and kept going.  From there I cruised, trying to maintain an honest pace, and finished in 4:19:09.  11 minute victory.  Huge congrats to Andrew M. in second who ran a GIANT negative split to come home second!

Damn I love that race.  Love that trail, and LOVE when things FEEL GOOD.  I just love to FEEL something, and that FELT great.  

Solid long run training, with LONG runs of 33, 26, 31, and 24...THAT helped big time.

A photo from trail work the previous day with my daughters and Tony & Erin

 

12 Hours of Road America

 

As you probably know, I enjoy running.  Specifically, trail running and longer distances.  I did not grow up a runner but signed up for my first marathon with my sister, Kathy, in 2004.  I was looking for something to fill the void of competitive team sports, and running a marathon (26.2 miles) seemed like something that I wasn’t quite sure was possible.  I remember being at the start line with Kathy in 2004 in Chicago, and truly wondering if I could do it.

Since then I have run 31 more marathons, 28 50-kilometer runs, and 7 50 milers.  During those events, I’ve never run later than 10:00 pm.  I’ve never been on my feet for more than 9.5 hours.  And I’ve never gone longer than 50 miles.

So, why not sign up for an event at the last minute that entails I run through the night for 12 hours, and hopefully ends up with me running longer than I ever have?

What could go wrong?

At 7:00 pm on August 22^nd I started the “12 Hours of Road America”.  It started as a cycling relay event, where teams of cyclists would ride around the 4.048 mile Road America course for 12 hours, accumulating as many miles as possible.  It then morphed in to a solo cycling event as well as a team event…and this year they added a solo running and team running category.  Having received a discount code on the registration fee, I signed up.  For the first time, I’d be running straight through the night, hoping to earn a cool belt buckle by covering 100 kilometers—just over 62 miles. 

Like I said…what could go wrong?

For the first time since that 2004 marathon, I was truly wondering if I could accomplish this.  Why scary, it’s also motivation, and I kind of enjoy the headgames I play with myself as I tried to prepare and plan.

How’d it go?  Well…it wasn’t my day.  Or night, I guess.

Perhaps it was the late start or the humidity, or both, but my stomach didn’t cooperate.  I thought I had a pretty good plan for the event, and kept my pace under control, and took in fluids and fuel as well as I could.  I finished my first two loops feeling strong and in control.  A friend of mine joined me for several loops and we had good conversation and kept putting in miles.  I finished up the marathon distance (26.2 miles) in just under 4 hours, and at about that time, I was starting to notice that my stomach just wasn’t feeling great.  It felt like it just was not emptying.  I’ve experienced this before and normal some salty foods or salt tabs, or just some time will turn it around.  But that didn’t seem to be the case this time.  I tried having a banana at this point.  Something different than what I was taking and something that could be considered “real food” rather than sports drink or sports gels.

It wasn’t long before that banana came back up, along with everything else in my stomach.  Ugh.

I was correct in feeling like my stomach wasn’t emptying…but now it had!  I had a bit of a post-puke “high” for a bit and put in some decent miles before the low spell returned.  This time I just tried to walk through it.  Keep moving forward, let my digestive tract figure it out.  I headed out for Lap 8 and (see photo) tried to put a smile on my face.  It was now about 11:30 pm.  Let’s figure it out.  Fake it until I make it…maybe.

Or maybe not. 

I tried taking in a Dixie cup of water and that didn’t stay down for more than 30 seconds.  Now I had dropped off of any real goal pace that I had, and I was tired…and getting more tired by the moment.  I decided to stop after that eight loop, after 35 miles. 

All of the factors and aspects of this event that had me worried ended up teaching me many lessons.  As I stated earlier…I had never attempted an event like this—over night, in heat, and for this long amount of time.  And the fact that it started in the evening rather than in the morning probably played in to the outcome as well.

Nonetheless I tried.  I learned.  I will try again and see if I can get beyond that 50 mile goal.  Live and learn and keep getting better, one day at a time.

Frozen Gnome

Another one in the books!  Not my fastest...not my strongest...but I'm happy to have smiled as much as I did, and I'm thankful for the volunteers and to have my sister and bro-in-law there at the finish as well!

 Strava sez...

Glacial Trail 50k

4:25 3rd

https://www.strava.com/activities/2786367764/overview

2019 Bunkhouse 50k

For the first Saturday in 2019, I had a free Saturday morning.

Between basketball, and then soccer, and mix in some baseball and some Cub Scouting or family events, my calendar was full. With the soccer season not over, but taking a weekend off for Memorial Day, I was fortunate to find a run last Saturday relatively close to home. I hadn’t run a race since New Year’s Eve, and this time of year in Wisconsin is a great one. There are several pretty big races going on right now. Last year, in fact, I ran the Ice Age Trail 50k in honor of my dear friend Kim. And the first weekend in June is the “Kettle 100,” an event that features several distances from 31 miles to 100 miles, and is one of my favorite events. That first weekend of June has soccer on the schedule for my family, and we are leaving for camping “Up North” on Sunday, so it didn’t work. Therefore I gladly took the opportunity and the “OK” from the family to get away for a race last Saturday, May 25.
The Bunk House Trail Runs offer 50K, 30K, and 10K distances for runners of all abilities. This event is dedicated to the legacy of Tom and Loraine Bunk, who have been a cornerstone of the trail running community in Wisconsin for a long time. Construction of a year-round shelter building at the Scuppernong Trailhead was started in June 2017, with all proceeds from this event donated to the shelter project ($13,866 to date); future proceeds will be used to complete the shelter, and other projects in the Southern Kettle Moraine State Forest. Being from the Northern Kettles, which are often referred to as the “Better Kettles” by those who live up by me, I enjoy events in the Southern Kettles, and the people I get a chance to see and catch up with.
The course is a challenging 10-kilometer loop (the loop is considerably longer than a 6.2-mile 10k); 50K runners will do multiple loops, reversing direction each lap. There was a fully stocked manned aid station with various food and fluids located at the start/finish area, and I had a chair set up with a cooler full of everything I thought I’d need for this Saturday morning adventure, planning to access it between each of the five loops.
Friday night was a rowdy one with some pretty impressive storms working their way throughout the state (I’m glad I wasn’t camping!), and unfortunately Saturday morning brought one of the very first “warm” days of the spring. Normally I would never, ever complain about 70 degrees. But to have a hot and humid day on my first long race of 2019...well, the timing could have been better. Oh well. Mother Nature is impervious to criticism, so we take what she provides. 
Race morning proved to be humid. At 7 a.m. we were off and running, and the first loop felt pretty good. Unfortunately, by the middle of the second loop I was beginning to feel that I had overestimated my training and fitness, and underestimated the difficulty of the course! My legs were feeling the constant hills, and my mindset and mood had soured. I simply wasn’t having fun. I started to come up with reasons to quit. My legs hurt. I was hot. My stomach wasn’t processing calories. The mental list of reasons and excuses lengthened with every hill. I managed to finish the second loop, regroup, grab some more sports drink, and head out for my third loop. I was currently in second place and was on pace to finish in under five hours (which was my goal), but my mind had already checked out a bit, and I was pretty sure that I’d quit the race after completing the third of the five loops. I was fully invested in a self-pity party and continued to add to my list of reasons to quit.
The only real reason was...this just wasn’t fun. I wasn’t having fun. And you know what? That’s an OK reason to stop. I have run over 60 races like this...and this one, with my lack of training and the difficulty of the course, this one was especially “not fun.” So as I worked my way through loop three, I was pretty content with getting back to the start/finish area, packing up, and heading out. In addition, the temps were getting hotter and it was even more muggy out.
Then...it started to pour. It rained hard for about 45 minutes. In that rain, I thought to myself, “well, there goes that excuse about being too hot,” but I was still 99.9 percent sure I was going to quit. It was still raining when I reached the start/finish line. I sat down for a moment, then started to pack up my supplies and my cooler with water bottles in it. Then a friend who was there watching his girlfriend noticed me packing up, and walked over, in the rain, and asked how I was doing.
My reply was pretty much a grunt. But Craig wasn’t having any of it. He offered me different foods. Then he started in with some simple math.
“You have three loops done. So then you just have one more to go. Then you’ll only have one more to go.”
While that sentence sounds odd, it made perfect sense to me. He was convincing me to keep going. I didn’t like the sound of needing to cover another 13 or 14 miles...but if I just started my next loop and took it one step at a time...then it seems a bit more manageable. Finally, he closed the deal with the following:
“Your brain will deal with all of this a lot better if you finish.”
He was right. Quitting after three loops would have made my body much happier. But my mind would have known I had quit. And that would have bothered me for a long time. So...I went back out.
I finished. Those last two loops weren’t fast. They weren’t all that fun at times. But I finished. There were some brights spots too...I got to play in the mud. I had a new pair of shoes on, and they weren’t so bright by the end, but they worked well. I also came within about 10 feet of a Baltimore oriole, which was beautiful. I also was able to come to terms with not meeting expectations in terms of time. And I was taught once again that our bodies are capable of a lot more than our brains allow. Our brains want us to quit long before our bodies need to quit. 

My finish time was 5 hours and 18 minutes, good for third place overall. After resting a bit and then hosing off my shoes and legs, I made the drive home and blasted loud music, and relaxed. My brain allowed me to be satisfied with my morning—I hadn’t quit!

https://www.strava.com/activities/2396804481

2018 Run Your Past Off

On New Year's Eve of 2017, I took part in the Inaugural "Run Your Past Off" 6 Hour Endurance Run at High Cliff State Park.  It wasn't my smartest decision, as the temperatures bottomed out at 25 Below Zero that night. The event runs on the trails of High Cliff from 4:00 PM to 10:00 PM, and by the end of the night, some layers of my clothes were literally frozen in to my beard.  My goal was to run my 'age' in miles (My birthday is December 30th), and in 2017 I succeeded.  Due to some fatigued brain function, I actually ran .5 miles beyond my goal, finishing with 37.5 miles on the night.  It only took about 15 minutes next to the roaring fire in the shelter to actually detangle my beard hair from my neck warmer upon finishing.

This past New Year's Eve, I returned again. Once again, I was hoping for my 'age' in miles.  I worked at the office that morning before running a couple errands (or, "aarons"...as my mother would say) and then heading up to High Cliff for the 4:00 start.  Leaving Kiel, it was raining.  By the time I arrived at Sherwood, it was snowing.  Heavily.  While it was very pretty, I actually had to move in to 4 wheel drive toward the end of the trip to get up the 'cliff' to the shelter (the one near the tower, if you've been to High Cliff).  

It looked like once again Mother Nature was going to make this event...interesting.  At 4:01 we were off an running.  Well...not all of us, as some of the participants didn't make it to the start on time on account of the snow and road conditions and especially that road that goes up the big hill at the park!  

It was just cold enough for the snow to remain snow...but plenty warm for it to melt pretty quickly.  For the first hour or so of running, I was constantly wiping my eye lashes and eyebrows with my gloved hands to remove the snow...and resulting in drenched gloves from the snow immediately melting.  Nonetheless, I kept moving, pretty much "post-holing" those first 4 or 5 miles through the snow.

Every 4 miles the runners would 'check in' and have their mileage verified before heading back out in to the woods and the trails.  By the second or third loop the course had been packed down by the participants, making the footing surprisingly steady, and allowing me to kind of look around at how truly beautiful it was out there.  It seemed every single tree trunk, branch, and twig, had been outlined in snow.  As the sun set and the snow continued, it only became prettier.  

In addition to the 6-Hour even, there was also a 3 hour event this year.  I happened to be checking back in at the shelter right at 7:00 pm, and I was feeling some definite fatigue and I was also just flat-out WET.  It actually snowed steadily until about 9:00, so I only really had 2 options:  keep going to keep running and keep some warmth...or quit. 
I'll be honest.  The thought of quitting was a pretty strong thought, especially when seeing all the 3-hour runners warming up and smiling and chatting.  I'm glad I still had the ability to weigh the consequences though, and one aspect that kept me going back out of that warm shelter was that if I quit...then I'd need to leave and drive home...and those roads were going to be terrible.  So, I might as well just keep running for another 3 hours, right?  Seemed logical at the time...

As the night kept ticking away minute by minute, I kept covering miles step by step.  I was even treated to some New Year's fireworks along the shores of Lake Winnebago below...and the trees and forests only became prettier.  Each time I was back in the shelter, I spent a bit more time in there warming up, trying to dry off my gloves or clothes, and grazing at the aid station food (RAMEN NOODLES--YUM!).  

In fact, a bit too much time.  Eventually 10:00 rolled around, and I fell a bit short of my goal.  I finished with 36.5 miles--not my age of 38.  Then again, maybe I'll just tell everyone I'm 36 and a 1/2 this year!

The drive home was also an adventure.  The roads hadn't improved really at all, but I managed to stay safe and stay in my lane, and I was heating up some pizza in my kitchen when I heard a firework go off outside and realized it was midnight.  

"Not a bad New Year's Eve," I thought to myself.  

I haven't run all that much in 2019 as of yet.  Between those miles and then hovering my right foot over the pedals on the drive home, the top of that foot has been kind of sore.  I don't have any additional events on the schedule as of now, but I was happy to end 2018 at High Cliff and hope to return next year.  I can't say enough nice things about the event and would encourage any of your to consider it!  You don't need to run your age...or run for 6 hours...or even run for 3 hours!  In fact, some of the listed finishers tallied between 4 and 8 miles in total.  All you have to do is start.  You can stop at any time.  Just take an opportunity do something new and put a new twist on New Year's Eve!