Western States 100

I'm not completely sure where to start on my Western States experience. There is a lottery to get into the race, and a qualifying time at a 50 miler or a completed hundred miler under your belt before you are allowed to enter the race. It is one of the oldest hundred milers there are so there are an incredible amount of people who enter the lottery to race. It was my first time entering and I got in, so I didn't want to pass it up.

Returning from my cross country trip left me a little bit nervous about the distance I hadn't covered since last August and being on roads left me nervous about the trails for 100 miles. So when I got back I immediately hit the trails and started training hard. A semi-failed attempt at a 24 hour race the week after I finished left me a little shaken on the mental side of things but it was all the more insentive to get back on the trails and work harder.

When my dad and I flew out to Reno, NV on Thursday I felt ready for the race and generally stoked that I was about to partake in a race as legendary as States. We flew into Reno and drove the 30 min or so to Lake Tahoe where we were staying that night and the next. I had never been to Lake Tahoe and to be quite honest, sitting on the plane ride back to Virginia not knowing the next time I'll be back is a bit disheartening. It is absolutely incredible there. I am truly jealous of anyone who lives there, or Squaw Valley, CA or in any big mountainous region similar to those.

Thursday my Dad and I went to a casino's buffet and after we destroyed the place we found the hotel in Kings Beach, Ca, which you can see the state line of Nevada from, and crashed after a long day of traveling.

Friday morning I woke up at 5 because I was still on Virginia time and realized it wasn't all the way light yet so I threw on some clothes and ran down to the lake and was able to snap some pics of the lake while it was very still.


My dad had gone out driving very early when he got up so we met up and grabbed some breakfast and headed out to Squaw Valley, where the race starts.

It was the home of the winter Olympics in the 60s, and when I saw it I understood why.


Let's just say I liked it and move on. We also met my grandpa there. He was out on the road in his trailer with his wife Doris and when he found out I'd be racing in Squaw he came out for a visit in his new trailer. I hadn't seen his since Plains, Texas on Feb 12th so it was great to see him.

I attended the equivalent of a road race's "packet pick-up" except this was no ordinary "packet." We formed a line where we received a technical shirt, fleece jacket, Moeben sleeves, bumper stickers, and other various promotionaly items all donning the Western States name and a backpack to put it all in. Then we lined up for the medical check-in. In long races sometimes they have a weight check-in at the aid stations so that you know how well you are keeping up with your nutrition. They were also doing research on how long distance running effects some of the chemicals in the human body, or something like that. I weighed in at 161 with a blood pressure of 132/86 and a heartrate of 83...I was a little bit excited to be there as my heart rate showed.

We had some time between that time and when we had to be back for the pre-race meeting so my dad and I went kayaking on Lake Tahoe. I know, rough life. It was really nice out on the water, a little breezy because there was a storm on the way but pleasent nonetheless.

When we returned to Squaw for the meeting I saw the faces of the elite runners, which I wouldn't see again until Sunday at the awards ceremony, as well as the man that started it all: Gordy Ainsleigh, the first man to run the race intended for horses. He ran again this year at the age of 63.

After the meeting my dad and I took the tram up to the top of the mountain that would be close to the 4 mile mark on race-day. It was 360 degrees of awesome up there. Surrounded by snow, we walked around a little and got a feel for what it felt like to be at 8200 feet. It was also the site of where some of the Olympic events were held. As we got talking to one of the workers I found myself asking about prices of rent in the area and the potential for employment there.



Afterward, we talked with Keaton, an old friend from highschool who lives in California and would be pacing me from mile 80 to the end, and made plans to meet up for dinner with three of his friends, one of which was running the race as well. We met for pizza with Grandpa and Doris and we killed a few delicious pizzas and each went our separate ways to make last preparations for the morning.

-- Patrick

The race

I woke up on Satuday at 2:58 am, took a quick shower, because I don't like to start really long run already dirty, and grabbed the stuff I had layed out the night before. By 3:55 we were in the parking lot of the Squaw Valley resort and I was walking into the building to receive my number. #318. It was chilly, maybe only in the 40s and of course still dark. I stood around with Dad, Keaton, his friends, Dave Snipes and Grandpa, staying warm, trying to relax, and snapping a few pictures.

Finally, people started lining up at 4:55 and at 4:59 Gordy Ainsleigh stepped up to the microphone and said, "You are about....to enter...the Holy Grail...of trail ultrarunning." With that, we counted down the last 10 seconds the gun went off and the blob of 400-some runners made their way forward.

The four mile up to the top of the first mountain was great! Snow all around and when we got to the top someone had carried a gong up there and was smashing the thing like crazy. It was very loud and added a sense of excitement to start off the day. As we crossed the top I looked back over all of Squaw Vally, the surrounding mountains, and Lake Tahoe in the distance. The sun was illuminating everything in an orangish glow and it looked like a postcard. It almost made me want to stay at the top and hang there for awhile, then again, it was cold an I had another 95 or so miles to go.

Up until almost the 13 mile mark we were in snow and crossing streams and bigger streams. Keeping dry feet was not an option. But then again, if I wanted a nice comfortable day, I probably wouldn't have entered a hundred miler.

The majority of the day was spent monitoring my nutritional needs and staying conservative in my pace. I wanted to break 24. That's all.

At mile 80 I sat down and felt terrible. The climbs were tough, it downhilla had been tough, I was blistered and felt beaten. I knew I would keep going but just needed a minute to myself. So my dad helped me change my socks for the third time and Keaton was there ready to roll and got me some crackers and cantaloupe, pretty much the only food I ate other than Gu. After about 5 minutes of sitting there my dad said I had 5 more minutes of sitting and then I had to get up. So, I went to sleep. The second I put my face on my hand I was out cold. I slept for 5 minutes while my feet air-dried. From there Keaton and I made our way toward the finishline - twenty miles away.

Having a familiar running buddy with me was priceless. Having him along to crack jokes made the last twenty fly by. The second to last aid station was "No hands bridge" and was mile 96 ish. We had 3.4 miles to the finish and was right on the line of whether I was going to make it under 23 hours. If I was, though, I'd have to pick up the pace in this last section.

Keaton pointed out that it was do-able and made me go for it. We ran a lot faster than what we had been doing. Up hills, down hills, steep hills and tiny hills, Keaton made me run them all. If he could tell I wasn't doing so well, he'd say, "Alright you've got one minute to walk then we're running again." In actuality though, I took him up on the offer once for the full minute he rationed me.

When we reached the last aid station I didn't stop running and just called out my number so I didn't have to stop, they cheered and it made me feel good and like I was doing something right. We hit the last little hill and then the last downhill that led me onto the final lap around the track at Placer High School in Auburn. From the last aid station I sprinted and for some reason went even faster once I hit the track. I've never been a fan of track workouts but that lap might have been my fastest yet. My time was 22:59 and some change in seconds.

I'm writing this after a full day of non-stop hassles from the airlines trying to get home in time for work tomorrow. But unfortunately, we're spending the night in the airport in New York, and I won't make it to work on Tuesday....technically today.

It wasn't a very restful weekend. By the time we get on the plane tomorrow I will have gotten 9 hours of sleep over 3 days but hey, I got a sweet belt buckle in the process.

Mountain day

In recent news, I got a job. I start one week from today, so, to
celebrate, I went to the mountains to run. I ran part of the Massanutten 100 course and some extra stuff just for fun. I went up to the top of Kennedy Peak and took a video.

After taking one nasty spill on the rocks early in the day, a total of 3 hours and change of mountain running, 96 oz of water, a handful of Gu's, one YooHoo, seeing several squirrels, various birds, a fox, and no human beings; I decided to call it a day.

I have gotten my trail legs back and I am ready for the Western States 100 mile endurance run in late June. I'm really stoked.

As far as getting back into real life, I'm getting there. I do miss the fact that everyday it was my job to run far. I do not, however, miss the running on the road. Trails are much more interesting to me.

Since I've been back a lot of people have asked me what country I'll run next. While I would love to travel to other countries to run, I think I'll stick to trails. I'd love to do a long trail; but then again, who knows. Not me, that's for sure. All I know is I'm still running, and still loving it. The other thing I know is that I need to work. This unemployed thing has got to go. That's why it's good news I've got a job.

-- Patrick

Mmt 100 pacer

On Saturday I went to the massanuttens to pace Dave at the Massanutten Mountain Trail 100. He was allowed a pacer after mile 63 at the Camp Roosevelt aid station. It was a new course this year and there were some tougher spots in the beginning that were at the end in past years. I got there around 5 and waited for him to come through. In the mean time, I talked with lots of people at the aid station. It was good to see some of the people I hadn't seen in quite awhile.

Dave came through at about 8:30 pm and ate and refilled his bottles. We grabbed our headlamps and hit the trail. For the next 9 hours we would only be seeing the tunnel vision of the trail our headlamps provided for us. As we made our way through the winding trail and up and down the mountains we caught up on everything. He was in good spirits and was running well.

Then on our way up the trail we saw a rattlesnake moving very slowly across the trail. Dave was leading, of course, and he stopped abruptly. There were a couple of runners right behind us and Dave saved all of our lives by pointing out the snake and making sure it didn't get mad and start biting us all.

At aroud 3 am it started raining which made the already cool 50 degrees even chillier. Dave said it was because he was listening to the iPod shuffle that his friend snuck "it's raining men" onto and everytime that song comes on during a race it actually starts raining.

We reached an aid station at mile 88 at about 5:30 am and there were bacon sandwiches ready to be eaten. So we sat down for awhile to rest and eat. Soon enough, Dave was ready to hit the trail again to make his way to the finish line. It was getting light now and we didnt need the headlamps anymore. I could tell there was a renewed sense of energy in him because he was running faster and stronger. Leaving the last aid station was very difficult. We had 6 miles left and after running 95 miles, 6 miles is an eternity. (the race was actually 101 miles)

Long story short, 14.25 hours after leaving mile 63 we rolled on through the finish line. It was a total of 29:30, way ahead of the cutoff time and looking very strong.

-- Patrick

Week or two after

I meant to update this before now but being away for 4 months means you have to catch up on a lot if stuff when you get back. I have been very busy finishing up things with the run, sending out resumes, looking for a job, catching up with old friends, and of course, running. Last Saturday I ran a race in Triangle, Va. It was called the 24 Hour Endurace trail run. The idea was to run around an 8 mile trail loop as many times as you could in 24 hours. The temp got up into the mid 90s and I had completely forgotten how to run on trails. I was falling all over the place. After 56 miles I called it a day it took 12 hours or so and I was done.

It was discouraging to have my first time back on trails be a race that I didn't do well in. But that's just the way it goes.

Running wise I'm doing better, running strong and getting out on trails as much as possible. All systems go for the Western States 100 mike run at the end of June.

Job wise, I had my first interview on Friday and I got the job! Stoked.


-- Patrick

I think I'll go home now.

Sorry about taking so long to get the posted.

Where do I start with the finish?

I guess I could start at the beginning. I had 18 miles to do. And it was in the mid 80s and lots of sun. A perfect day for running.

My brother started running with me and said he would run until he got tired and then have my dad pick him up. He did the whole 18 miles on a whim. Way to go Kevin!

As we got closer and closer to the ocean the mixture of salt from the air, humidity, and heat from the day was stifling. Kevin didn't wear Sunscreen and he now has blisters on his shoulders from the sunburn. Sore muscles, sore skin. I've got one tough brother.

The finish was huge. After the bridge getting onto the island, with 4.5 miles to go, I was joined by my friends Adam and Thomas, my brother was still running, and my sister Colleen. Later down the road my cousin, Chris, joined me after inhaling a burger. We had one police car in front of us and two in back.

Katie and a ton of my friends came drove down from Virginia for the finish.

There were more people lining the beach than I could count. I passed through the Fleet Feet arch two paper finish lines, several signs, and flags. Ahead of me was the Atlantic ocean. I was there. I was done.

I crossed the sand and tore off my shoes. Right next to the water's edge stood Katie and all of my friends. Those last few steps before the water were a blur. A combination of relief, and pure joy washed over me when I jumped into the Atlantic Ocean. Besides, it was awarm day so jumping in the water felt really good.

I came out of the water and people cheered. I hugged my parents, my friends, my family, Katie, everyone.

Later that evening there was a party at the restaurant, Fannie's. All the food was donated and we were on the third floor with a 180 degree view of the Atlantic Ocean. Tons of people came out to the party and we all had a great time.

As soon as I see some of the pictures I will post them.

There were three goals for this trip.
1) Finish
2) Raise Awareness
3) Raise $50,000

While I didn't accomplish the third, I'm not counting this as a failure. More people now know about JRA, we were able to raise $21,000, I was able to see the country in a way not too many people do, and I met people I would have never had the opportunity to meet. I am incredibly thankful for the last one.

I'll keep posting on this blog because it is a "running blog." I'll keep posting any stories or adventures I have as well as stories from the races I do. Besides, I have the 24 Hour Adventure trail run this Saturday.

I have decided this won't be my only long run. This was far too fun to never do something like this again. I don't know what is next, or when it will be, but this won't be the end. Now I need to find a job and go back to real life.

I hope to keep in touch with everyone I have met and everyone who has followed me.

Thank you.

-- Patrick

Tomorrow.

Everything revolves around tomorrow. Everything revolves around tomorrow. 18 miles left. One short day's run.

I am so lucky to have been able to do this run. I have met incredible people that I would've never has the opportunity to meet. I have seen things that I would have never seen otherwise. Seeing the country at 6 miles an hour was the perfect speed. A cruise control running trip to see the country and tell people about kids with arthritis. I'm not done yet. I'm close, but not yet. People are congratulating me about finishing. While I do appreciate it, I haven't done it yet.

People have helped me in so many ways I can't even name everyone or everything people have done. Thank you everyone for supporting me and following this blog and sending encouraging me. Your words have helped me get this far.

Last night my dad and aunt flew in and I enjoyed spending today with them walking around Savannah and figuring out specifics for tomorow.

Good day. Nice people.

-- Patrick