Finally, my Cajun Coyote 100 mile RR. After recovering from a long run this summer by taking a few lite months, I finally decided to sign up for the CC100. I had been looking at it for a while but I wasn't sure I could fit it in between family stuff and an upcoming business trip.

Anyway once I signed up I crammed in a few good weekends of training in order to then taper to the start. Ultra logic I guess.

I also convinced a running buddy of mine to also sign up. We showed up mid-afternoon the day before the race. Unfortunately missing the official Trailer Trash fun run held by lace_up, Jo, LB2, EDRW and Weegee. But we did stake out a bed to sleep in in a cabin near the start, rustic, but ok. Hey they had heat!!! Had dinner with a large contingent of TX runners at the nearby "Crawfish Barn", a large Cajun restaurant in the middle of nowhere. The food was good though.

Ok here is where I reference all of the details in EDRW's RR, please see her great RR for all the details on the weather and trail details. (Yup I'm a lazy sod...)

I will say that I like the cold so I was ok all day, but it was a little dizzying because it was very grey all day, kind of like "flat light" and you couldn't get a sense of direction without the sun. The other thing is.... I thought it was going to be a lot like the trails at Rocky Raccoon, but the CC100 seemed to be a bit more technical.

The goal was about 24 hours and then see what happened. I ran with my friend for the first 65 miles just kinda keeping things under control, me in front and my friend following, but he'd also dictated the pace from the back at times. Then he told me to keep going because I was still going strong and he was starting to fade. I just kept the slow n steady run and crept out away.

At some point I saw lace_up going the other way, he looked great. A while later while on the reverse-direction 3rd loop I saw EDRW, she looked good and told me that Weegee was up ahead of me. I soon caught a runner, turned out it was Weegee (aka Matt). We had a nice time running together for a while until I had to pull over to pee. When I started running Weegee was long gone, he took off like a bat outta hell. Guessed that would be the last time I saw him. Kept going about my business running slow and steady.

Finally it was the last time thru the S/F area, this time I didn't see LB2 (who had been there offering assistance each time), cause I knew he'd be out pacing lace_up. I was just glad to be out of there before they got back, yay I wasn't lapped.

On the last loop I was playing games trying to remember what came next... the concrete bridge, the AS, the berm, the mounds, the swinging bridge by the AS, the tricky turn by mile 12, the long bridges and then the last AS 4 miles from the end.

To my surprise, after about 25 miles there was Weegee again. We were running for a little while when I casually mentioned, "you know if we scoot along to the finish we could possibly sneak in under 23 hours". That was all it took, it was on... we started a slow increase of the pace and before we knew it we were cruising along. We were probably doing 9 to 11 min pace, but it felt much quicker. The other amazing thing is we passed a few people in those last few miles. After a while I told Matt that I was fading and that he should go ahead and get that sub 23, so off he went again. I started feeling ok again and the finish was just ahead, so what the hell...... push !!!!!

I made it, run time on my watch said 22:59:47 !!!! Matt and I were cracking up laughing, feeling good. Got the buckle from the RD.

By the way my loops were about:

1) 3:54

2) 4:28

3) 4:47

4) 4:51

5) 4:56

Total 22:59

There were 58 starters, 35 finishers and I came in 8th. I also came in 1st in my old geezer age group. I had no idea until a few days later, how 'bout that?!?

That's it, hope you like the RR and thanks for reading.

Big congrats- getting in 100 miles in under 24 hours sounds so superhuman to me. Reading EDRW's report sounds like the weather turned a little (a lot) ugly- makes the finish that much more impressive!

Nice consistency with those laps, Sandy!  But I can't believe you let Matt beat you 

Thanks. Yeah I think he was sandbagging it for the first 99.75 miles, then pipped me at the line !!!

 

Thanks. Yeah I think he was sandbagging it for the first 99.75 miles, then pipped me at the line !!!

Quite the opposite.  You pulled me along during those final miles, and I was only able to speed up because I was feeling awful and just wanted to be done with the whole thing.  Your finish was FAR more dramatic than mine, squeaking in what… 15 seconds under the line?  Priceless!

Thanks so much for goosing me to a strong finish, and I look forward to running with you again sometime.

Very well done. I feel like we run a lot of races together but never have enough time to hang out. Probably because you owe me a beer from the 2012 Leadville 100. That must be it. You're dodging me. I'll eventually collect, but in the meantime, keep up the good work!

Awesome job, Sandy, congratulations on winning your age group and making it across the finish line in sub-24!

Thanks for the report, I always like reading your reports because you make it sound easy (that's what tempted me into running ultras myself).

 

Those fast people had it easy, I tells ya!  They only got rain for the last few miles.  I had to walk through 6' of snow, and hail, fire & brimstone and locusts to finish.

 

Now get off my lawn!

  Sorry.

 

Your finish was FAR more dramatic than mine, squeaking in what… 15 seconds under the line?  Priceless!

We should do it again sometime...  And hey, it was 13 seconds, 15 seconds wouldn't have been all that exciting !!!!.