RUN RABBIT RUN 100

Run Rabbit Run 100: Never Give Up.

RUN RABBIT RUN 100 Course Profile

“Am I seriously going to drop right now? I left the last aid station and going back down after only leaving 2 miles out of the aid was sad. I have to keep going. I need to get to the next aid. I have to see my friends at mile 45.”

GEAR ready!

I am going to keep this race report brief and hope to convey how special it is to write about the race and the event. 

Race Check in. Pic by Paul Nelson

Even before diving into Run Rabbit Run 100, I want to tell you about an injury I received via the trail 1.5 weeks before the race. I was doing one of my taper runs with some friends who were in town and we went out to Staunton State Park. We were doing the 9 mile loop. It was going to be one of my last runs before the race so then I can start getting squishy and relax a bit.

Literally half a mile from the car/ trailhead I going flying superman and flip into a tree. I get up to find… 

Branch to the KNEE! 1.5 weeks out from the race. FM!

Holy SH%T! Is that?! NO?! Bone? No? Branch?! HOLY Gosh! Branch is ~3 inch deep in my knee. I can’t walk. or move. Breathe. You’re okay. Marcos, Erica and some Berkley Park Running Company folks saw this and were there to help me down. They got me a ambulance and I was transported to the ER. After that, the doctors pulled the 3.7 inch branch out of my knee. They cleaned out the wound by irrigating it with Saline and lukewarm water. It was disgusting as I saw my knee skin start to bulge out like a balloon. But they apparently got everything out. Then they did an X-Ray on my knee and it didn’t show any damage. So they cleaned it again, then bandaged it. No stitches. Just a hole in my knee and a prescription to a week supply of antibiotic. No pain meds either. Fun! Okay, not fun. How can this happen? I’m literally so fit after having fitness from my second place finish at High Lonesome 100, six weeks earlier. I have to accept this. I have to rest. I have to decide if I can race. It was bad timing.

Anyways, now it’s race day. Fast forward the 1.5 weeks and I’m now standing at the start line of the race at Noon on Friday. The race has a hard start time. 12PM or Noon. High and hot Sun. 

Thinking back now and will think more later on, I had an interesting breakfast. I don't know if you guys have seen one of the funniest The Office episodes, but it’s the one where Michael eat chicken fettuccine past a right before the Rabies 5K Fun Run. So, I made a chicken fettuccine pasta 2 hours before the race. Carbo loading. Smart! Nope. Rule #1: Rookie move. Nothing new on race day. Okay, so standing at the start line, I get up to the front where I’m surrounded by so many elite athletes in the Hare race. I say “hi and good lucks” to Michele Yates, (Jeff) Browning, (Jesse) Haynes, and other friends and people I’d get to meet on the trail.

Pic by Jacob Hanson

Pic: by Wes Thurman at the start

From the start, I was feeling kinda queasy. Probably from the pasta, you dumbass. Stay calm. Don’t freak. You can still do this. The knee is not going to make an excuse not to run this race. I tried to not let it distract me, so I did what any ambitious runner would do, use the adrenaline and sprint to the front of the race with all the big boys and get a sweet photo out of it. By the first several miles, I was in second and climbing up Mt. Werner with a big crowd of elites hiking after me. By the time I reached Mt. Werner, I was maybe in the top 15 and feeling very smart for being calm and patient sticking to smart runners, like Browning and veterans that run 100s well. So after refueling my bottles and grabbing more gels at the first aid at mile ~4.4, we set off down to Long Lake. It was beautiful and it was on top of 9850 foot mountain at around mile 11. Cool things are starting to warm up. I’m starting to hydrate with my VFuel drink and water. I then feel nauseous. I puked going into Long Lake. I try to settle the stomach with some ginger and coke and ate some watermelon and some gummies. I headed out and heading down to Fish Creek Falls TH at mile 17ish During that downhill it was amazing golden aspens and sweet rock slabs to run on. Oh! Rule #2: (Maybe) Wear and break in new shoes before a 100 mile race. I decided to wear the Adidas TERREX Agravic XT trail shoe for the first time after getting a sample from some friends. The shoe was great. It had great cushioning with he Boost midsole. It had great traction for climbs and descents. I loved it, but I noticed some hotspots forming cause I hadn’t worn them in. 

Okay, heading down to Fish Creek Aid, I’m seeing tortoise runners and a some Hare racers coming back up going back to Long Lake again. I see my friends, Andrew Jones from Arcteryx Denver and my fellow Hare competitors. I start to puke going into Fish Creek. Great… there’s the pasta. A little watermelon and some ginger. Everyone’s crew and volunteers were looking t me. They must’ve thought what I was thinking, “OMG? What is happening?” I was thinking this is so bizarre. I haven’t puked much or ever during a race. I ate once I got to Fish Creek and then resupplied up for the trip back up what I came down. I saw Jacob during this section and leaving the aid I start puking again and the food I literally just ate prior to leaving for energy to climb up the creek to Long Lake #2. The heat was around 90 and it was baking in this little canyon. The climb back up I was cheering for folks coming down. I’m struggling. Climbing is hard when you puke up your energy supply. I vomit more. Jacob sees me. I tell him I feel like crap and puke in front of him. I sit and lay in the shade about 2 mile back up the trail. I’m in the 6 mile section back up to Long Lake. I pull out my phone and Instagram Stories the moment. I thought it’d be funny and make the race less dramatic in my head even though I wanted to be competitive. 

Puking. Walking. Puke more. Walk a little. Sit down. Have runners ask if I’m okay and getting some extra gels for the climb. Thank you to the folks that saw me on the climb and on your descent to check on me. Your help and encouragement helped me get to the aid. I latched onto a couple folks that were moving well and we got to the aid. Some folks had apparently told the aid that I was struggling and drove down to meet me. They were asking if I wanted to drop. I politely declined seeing how hard it was for them to get down to the point they met me. It meant I was close to the aid and I can make it. 

I get into the aid and immediately start eating watermelon, potatoes and drinking coke. It was way later than I anticipated. I didn’t make a drop bag for this aid thinking I’d be down to Dry Lake, mile 45 by 9PMish to see Jacob and to get a glimpse of this supposedly EPIC views of “Flash of Gold” aka the golden aspens that were unreal but didn't get to see as I was puking more after Long Lake and on my way to Summit Lake #1. From Long Lake to Summit Lake it’s a 9 mile section with some climbs and descents. I was losing sunlight as it set around 7pm. I was screwed. I didn’t see anyone around me. I ran hard but still puking bile and dry heaving going down a rocky hill. The Moon then shined bright in a crescent shape. I saw some headlamps start to turn on in the shadows of the trees and caught up to some tortoises and some hares that had passed me earlier. They lent me their light as I tried to make my way down the trail as fast as I could. It was dark and I was tripping over rocks, but I got to the aid and was so relieved. I told them how my day was going and let me sit next to some heater. I had no calories and I was puking up salt tabs. I was not really sweating and knew it was as sign heat exhaustion. So now at Summit Lake #1 at mile 32, I was trying to refuel on all the food I ate but couldn’t hold down. The heat of the day had gone away and things were starting to turn around. Not entirely but starting. I got some broth, coke and potatoes with NaCl down. I was perky and headed out. I linked up with a gentleman named, Steve, I think and we ran our way to Dry Lake (via Flash of Gold, which I missed cause it was dark and late now). Getting to Dry Lake was hell. The endless switchbacks in the dark was a nightmare and I don’t want to relive it. But I knew I was secretly in a beautiful section, I just couldn’t see any of it. From Summit #1 to Dry Lake, we drop around 2100 feet in ~11 miles. That’s fine but also brutal. I want to say right here, that at Summit Lake, i have to thank Jon and the volunteers for giving me a down jacket and a headlamp. It saved my race and I wouldn't have even come close to finishing. 

So I get down to Dry Lake knowing I’d see my friend, Marcos, Erica and the Speedgoat Karl and possibly my friend, Jacob who was helping me/ taking photos of the race. I knew I was arriving very late. Cutoff was 1AM. I got into Dry Lake with 10 minutes to spare and seeing Marcos and Erica. I met a new friend/volunteer, JP 3. and he and the volunteers helped me eat and warm up in a short time. I had less than 10 minutes to get out or be timed out at mile 45-46. So After showing my knee injury ti the volunteers. I then left Dry Lake with a few minutes to spare to run a “10k” down to Olympian at “Mile 51”. Mileage in this race has always recorded long. This year no exception and I was actually living it. I was upset. Drake’s song “I’m Upset” turned on. What a coincidence. It was great and cheered me up. I was feeling loads better as weather was very cold and the jacket saved me, but i like running in the cold and this is where I made up time. I had to be down to Olympian by 2AM. I only had 63 minutes to run a 10k. I was going to cut it close. It’s all downhill for the most part with a  few rollers and then a paved section to the aid. I pushed hard, passing folks and seeing elite folks coming back. Ugh, I wish I was having  better race but this was where I’m at. I run the downhill hard and into the aid. I think its past the time. I see Jacob, bit am so upset that my race is done. He says, “No, dude. Race is still on, it got moved to 3AM. so I had like an extra 45 mins to spare. Yikes. I definitely would have cut it close but i made it in before 2AM so I ran a 10K in less than 60 mins but again barely. Olympian is bit over halfway at mile 52. People were getting all sorts of mileage but its around mile 52… 

Jacob got me food and my warm gear, plus lights. I saw friends, Jeff Wanner and his runner. They headed out before me, but I eventually got back up to them on this next section. I want to curse but don’t. In my head I’m thinking about it. The next section is a 14 mile looped section up and around Emerald Mountain (I was told) with a limited aid in at “Lane of Pain” at around 53 and you hit that twice before coming back down to Olympian #2 at “mile 64”. So I climb really strong with a new sense of purpose. I am feeling loads better. revived from the dead. I reset, and was a new runner. 12+ Hours after puking my guts to the point of spasms, I was running sections where people were hurting. I caught lots of people and made up more time. I couldn’t afford losing anymore time. After getting to Lane of Pain aid and doing the loop, it was back down to Olympian and I was feeling confident. I was running really well when people were walking or hiking downhill. I made up time knowing I had to get back down by 7AM. and I made it back with maybe 1.5 hours at 5:45AM. Jacob welcomed me back and got me warm solids. I asked him to give me 20 mins of sleep. I laid in fetal position but not really sleeping just my eyes closed and trying to block out the aid station noise even though I was in the “Tent of death”. Jacob said the tent of death was where everyone was dropping or looking like a dead person. Haha. I felt alive for the most part. My race was turning around even though i was still at the very cusp of cutoffs. Hiking after the nap was rough. Rule #3: (Only) sleep if it’s needed and you’ve been up for a long time. My body had to rewarm back up and it was a bit stiff. My knee was still good, but also a bit achy. Got to keep going. SO I hiked out with some folks and warmed back up as I made the stupid climb back up to Dry Lake #2 where we had came down. Sunrise was coming up and I was still warming up on the hike. I kicked so many rocks and know I have three toes that will be falling off in a week or so. The climb was cold but knew it’d be another hot day so I had to get done before heat really screwed me again (potentially) on my second morning. 

Olympian #2 to Dry Lake #2 was a 10K with 2,000feet of climbing. We descended it which was fun, bit going up was hell again. I had maybe 40 miles left if the course was known to be long which it was. After getting to Dry Lake again, I was super warm and made the cutoff at 10AM. I made almost 2 hours up as I arrived around 8:15AM. Jacob took my cold gear and I was back in my tee ready to do an 10 mile section with a limited aid spot around half way in the section. I get to the limited aid and tell them how far off the miles are. They know and I cant complain to much as I know I wanted a finish. I then notice racers catching me moving fast. I forgot the 50Miler was also going on and had been routed onto our course. After the awesome short 2K climb in 5 miles to Billy Rabbit its another 5 miles to Summit Lake #2 where I had been 12 hours earlier at night and given the jacket and lights. 

Summit Lake #2 is Mile 82. It feels like and probably is but by the time I get to the aid my watch has been dead. I’m now just using my watch to know when cutoff are coming.  I get to Summit #2 way at 12:15pm about an one hour and 45 minutes from cutoff at 2pm.

Feeling way better, I keep moving and chasing after everyone in sight. 50 milers, people with poles, people running alongside people with poles and hikers that were out on the trail. So after getting to Summit, I knew I was 20ish miles from the finish. I ate a ton of food and headed out quick not trying to dilly dally. 

20 miles left, the next section back to Long Lake #3 was in 9 miles back uphill with some rolling flats but it was taking forever and i lost my patience after tubing my broken black toenail for the 900th time. I swore out loud around other runners. They freaked but understood. We climbed hard and eventually made it to the aid. 

At Long Lake #3, I was only drinking coke and eating potatoes and getting salt at that point. It was the only thing i could get down. We’re now at like mile 89 according to the race but its like mile 91. Knowing I had 15+ miles left, I knew I was going to finish but how close was it going to be. 

After Long Lake its a rolling climbing back up to Mt. Werner. It was fun descending from Mt. Werner at mile 6 at the start of the race but now 90+ miles in my legs were beyond depleted. After the 12 hours of puking I can't believe i was still standing yet alone moving. 

Seeing hikers coming down, I asked how close and they said not far but close to 1.5 miles. Thats a good 15 mins if you’re only hiking and so I took off running as much as I could on really weak knees and quads. I got to Mt. Werner #2 with Denise Bourassa on my tail and she pretty much pushed me to the end cause I knew her profile and didn't want to give up anymore spots. After reloading for the last 10K bomber downhill, I let it rip big time. I ran the whole 10K+ down the gravel road winding road. Passing people that had blown quads and that were hiking. It was an unbelievable feeling but I was a bit over my head. 

A ~4000ft descent in “10K” after 95+ on this winding downhill was bonkers. I passed another 20 people at least but it hurt beyond anything I ever felt. I just wanted to be done. But I was ambitious. I don't know how fast i was clocking but good enough for people to be thinking I was really fresh. 

It was a great feeling seeing the finish line a few miles from the finish but I still had those miles to cover and I ran 150% all the way down. I gave it my all and sprinted and then came another load of puke/bile. My stomach revolted in the last 20meters of the race and as I was crossing the finish line I hugged the Finisher Chute person signifying my race was done and I had finished! 

DONE. Left it all out there.

28 hours and some change I think. I still don’t know my finishing time but all I know is I finished around 4PM and that I am done and now sitting writing this race report about a day post race for you guys. (EDIT: Finished in 28:14:43, for 36/95 Hares. https://ultrasignup.com/results_event.aspx?did=51385#id774714)

I gutted the race out and it took everything I had. I think I left some of my stomach lining out on the course and I don’t want to run those trails for maybe a half year or so. My brain needs some therapy after that long day in the mountains. It tested my will and my mind. 

Run Rabbit Run 100 (Hare) Race, the race that took my “indomitable” stomach for a hellacious rollercoaster. 

So now that I’m done, I have so many people to thank. I couldn’t have done it without the support of my family cheering from the PNW and all over the world as some were traveling for work, (like my sister in Korea). Endless thanks to SO SO SO SO SO many friends that wished me luck before the race and that knew about my knee injury going into it. I thought about all of you guys so much in my darkest moments and as I was lying face first on the trail at mile 19. 

Thank you to the Run Rabbit Run Race organizers and team. You guys put on a wonderful, hellacious race. I can’t wait to comeback for some redemption in the future. Also endless THANKS to all the volunteers that saved my race with a jacket and lights when I didn't have any in the night section.

Thank you to Jacob Hanson for being my crew I pulled in last second. He got a few photos of me as I missed Paul Nelson, the race photographer at key points cause I was so late to the spots he was shooting at.

Thanks for following along. I couldn’t lastly couldn’t do it with my sponsors. I felt like death and I wanted to quit but I didn’t want to let my sponsors down. Thank you, rabbit for your gear support. VFuel, my nutrition sponsor. It was hard to eat and have food stay down, but i trust VFuel and love their stuff still. SingleCBD and Fully Activated CBD helped my muscles stay relaxed as i used the Salve rub on my legs and achy destroyed “branch” knee. 

CONGRATS TO EVERYONE THAT ALSO RAN AND COMPLETED THE 100 whether you were a tortoise or hare and in the 50 miler. That was so hot and a rough race for everyone. 

Race Tallies:

Gels:  Only 10 VFuel gels (Unlike High Lonesome where I ate 80 gels)

Gear: rabbit ELITE tee, rabbit 3” FKT short shorts, VFuel Hat, Goodr Glasses, Smartwool socks, UD Flask, Simple Hydration Flask, and race belt.

Shoes: Adidas TERREX Agravic XT (50+ miles), and Salomon Ultra Pros (50+ miles).

Other Food: Potatoes, salt tabs, like 4 liters of COKE and 9 cans of red bull.

Sleep: 20 Minutes at Olympian #2

Miles run: According to the RDs: 101.2. But it was more like 107 give or take. 

Post race. Buckle!

Now time to rest after running 2 hundreds in the last 6 weeks. Going to eat a ton to regain all that I barfed up and left on the trail. Let my feet get feeling back and let my nails fall off before I get back to any formal training. 

Happy to just chill out and see what’s next! Thanks for all the love! See you on the trails and bar soon!