I ran the Indiana Trail 100 this past weekend and finished 50 miles. We had rain all day, but my first two loops of 16.7 miles were uneventful. When I went back out for loop 3 everything had changed - for the worse. We had mile after mile of a mud quagmire where you could barely walk through sections (almost as bad as on 2013). Dirt and mud are part of trail running, but it became risky on hillside sections. I took several very bad falls, along with sliding all the time, hanging on trees and doing the splits! At that point I was risking undoing months of therapy and dropped at the end of loop 3, around 9 PM. Many of the hundreds of runners dropped out as well - including Michelle Yates.
My run was also a fundraiser a - "Run for Eva" . This was for Eva Kor - Auschwitz survivor and Dr. Mengele twin survivor. She is a friend of mine and has a Holocaust museum in Terre Haute, Indiana - CANDLES. I was hoping to raise at least $10,000 and we made it! I promised to do 100 miles, so I will go out this week and next and get in 50 more miles for Eva. I found that 50 miles was not hard for me (well, not super easy, but . . .) and given drier conditions I would have made it to the 100-mile finish line. At the start of loop 3, I was excited because I knew I had this. First two loops of 4.5 hours or less and feeling good and ready for my pacers starting on loop 4. It was not to be, but I am going back next year. One of my pacers will instead be a running partner and we will do 100 miles together. And now I fully put behind me my near-fatal car wreck on March 23, 2014. No more talk of it - and I am so blessed.
Tim
Nice job, Charles. You've come a long way. Glad you continue to progress. Congratulation on the fundraiser, as well.
“Paralysis-to-50k” training plan is underway!
Congratulations, Charles! And thanks for sharing the race report.
Congratulations on the 50 mile finish. It may not have been what you started out to accomplish but given what you've been through it's a big accomplishment.
If I remember right, you seem to have a lot of bad luck with poor weather conditions at your races.
running under the BigSky
Congrats! Agreed- quite a feat considering you were barely walking not too terribly long ago
2023 goal 2023 miles √
2022 goal- 2022 miles √
2021 goal- 2021 miles √
Great job!!! 50 muddy miles are certainly enough. Congrats. Also great job on the fundraising.
tbd.
Congrats on both accounts.
The magnitude of what you have done in light of your crash is truly astounding. Congratulations.
LB2
Le professeur de trail
Amazing! I am curious if your doctors/PTs have said anything about your recovery - with how well and quick it has gone?
My favorite day of the week is RUNday
Both my ortho doc and PT folks are pretty amazed by how well it has gone.
And my lawyer too.
I am the old poster boy of rehab for sure.
I am still doing it daily for an hour or two - especially my core and it has really paid off.
A little video report about my experience art the Indiana Trail 100 last weekend,
Moman IT 100 Report
Keep Going
Congrats Charles well done! I heard the conditions were dreadful from some folks on Instagram as well. When a women as tough as Michelle Yates drops you know it's got to be bad.
100 milers are my favorite
some call me Tim
Congrats - on the run and on reaching the point where you feel like you can put that trauma behind you. Beginning a new chapter is a beautiful thing :-)
ME WEBLARG
few fun facts about the Indiana Trail 100 race I was in last weekend.
• 130 50-mile runners - 24 DNFs (did not finish)• 193 100-mile runners - 97 DNFs with 84 earning a 50-mile medal (like me).That is a pretty high DNF percentage for an ultra like this - reflects the course conditions we had.
Now and then Michelle Yates and I have messaged each other on FB.
When I was in line to get my race bib and swag bag, I turned around and Michelle was behind me.
She knew me and we talked a little.
She asked how I felt and I wold her the remaining issue was tightness of pelvic ligaments and likely scar tissue too.
She said she had pelvic issues too - she DID have a baby not that long ago.
Her family was there and baby is a cutie!
She won a 100k recently and was still recovering from that.
She did not drop from the race so much because of the conditions.
She was having pelvic issues and the sloppy deep mud certain did not help.
I found this photo of her being worked one - not sure if this was before or after deciding to drop.
I believe she was the fastest female 50-miler but it did not count as such because she was a DNF 100-miler.
Both my ortho doc and PT folks are pretty amazed by how well it has gone. And my lawyer too. I am the old poster boy of rehab for sure. I am still doing it daily for an hour or two - especially my core and it has really paid off.
Would you consider sharing some of the exercises you do? I am always looking for new ones. I get bored easily.