Thank you everyone for your kind words of support! That picture of Sandy and I is misleading as we both look very unenthusiastic about the current task at hand. But believe me we had a blast having lunch together and great conversation with many of my other beast coaster running friends who also ran. Sandy was such a pleasure to chat with and one hell of an ultra runner. I saw him off and on the course almost for the entire duration of the race. I would catch up to him and pass him as he trotted along in his road Asics. Then he would catch me at an aid station as I sat and ate then he would leave and miles later I would catch back up. It was funny. He is a beast running that course in road shoes with no crew or pacer.

The course was savage. Plain and simple. I see why it's a Hardrock qualifier. It was much more difficult then Massanutten which is a very hard race. The climbs were never ending and the descents so punishing. It rained for the first 28 hours nonstop. Then when it stopped a very cold wind would pick up then it would rain off and on from then on until 3 am Sunday morning. The fog also made for very tricky navigation at night. Your eyes already strained and tired had to work that much harder to find your way under the headlamp or handheld lights. But with all that it was the second night that really was the one two punch for this race. I love night running and I had no issue staying awake for the first night but when the darkness came on Saturday evening that was something that you just cannot prepare for ahead of time. No amount of caffeine or pre race prep can get you ready for it. When that second darkness came it brought the demons. I fought them off until about 11 pm and had to take desperate action to salvage a finish. It was mile 87 and I had 9 hours left. I told my pacer Kiran who was fantastic in her first pacing gig for a hundred that I needed to take a nap and she agreed and was supportive instead of fighting me on it which would have been a big mistake. So I sat in front of the raging fire in a camp chair and put my head back and slept for close to an hour. But I knew it had to be done. I knew in my head I could still travel 13 or 14 miles in 8 hours if i could leave by midnight. I had until 8 am to finish. Afterwards Kiran said a lot of runners passed me as I slept and she was getting worried. But apparently I passed all of them back in those last miles to finish in 35:38. One poor guy we found halfway up the final climb lying half on the trail as the rain fell in the fetal position sobbing. Others we passed who were death marching at the same time vomiting off trail. The human will and fight you witness during these events will bring you to tears. Each event s truly special. And just like meeting Sandy I feel I could call him and fly down to Texas and spend a weekend with him. All because of running and this passion we share. So, mission accomplished even though my feet are demolished along with my hips and quads. I was able to redeem myself from well myself I suppose from a bad summer of DNF's.

Congrats Keystone. The 2 night thing does sound tricky. I had a 2 day thing once up in MN that was sort of tricky as well. Ugh. Anyways, sounds like some fun carnage there at the end... sobbing and vomiting.. and they signed up for it! LOL.

Hey Bryan!! Congratulations!!  It was great meeting you and your friends in Virginia.

I think everyone who survived Grindstone 2016 rain- and wind-fest showed their mettle and you are certainly no exception.  Let's you and I just say "screw those past races".  I was trudging along as best as I could, but knew before I'd get to the next AS you (and later you and Kiran) would be passing me. Although all the AS people were great, it was really nice bumping in to you and Kiran out there.  At the end I was wondering where you were as you didn't invite me to your little sleepover.

Here's a little secret; just put on Dirtygirl Gators and presto, road shoes become trail shoes.  My feet are pretty good, little blisters on the sides of my heels, but the real problem is that my ankles are so swollen you wouldn't believe it.

Call any time.

Pardon the intrusion of an occasional lurker.  Hi everyone!

Great work out there Keystone and Sandy!   I ran it this year as

well and while fortunate enough to only be out there one night, can attest it was a pretty brutal course  especially with the constant rain and fog.  I did see some bears though, including a mama and her three cubs during the day.  Also tons of night life (wild life) moving around in the dark rainy night.  That right there was worth the suffering.

Nice job keystone...sounds like hell... Maybe I don't want to run a 100.

Pardon the intrusion of an occasional lurker.  Hi everyone!

 

Great work out there Keystone and Sandy!   I ran it this year as

well and while fortunate enough to only be out there one night, can attest it was a pretty brutal course  especially with the constant rain and fog.  I did see some bears though, including a mama and her three cubs during the day.  Also tons of night life (wild life) moving around in the dark rainy night.  That right there was worth the suffering.

Damn man congrats on 7th place!! Wow that is crazy fast in those conditions! Luckily I didn't see any bear or any wildlife. But I'm sure the bear saw me haahaha..

I read this a little more carefully just now. Congratulations to both you and Sandy for finishing this race. I was a little surprised that they continued with the race, but I am glad they did. One thing that interests me about this run is the late start that forces everyone to run all night, and most people run into the next night, which must be a whole new shock on the system. I have often wondered how I would do if I laid down and took a nap during a 100 mile race. I don't know if I could get back up, physically. At the end of a 100 mile run, I normally sit down or lay down for a bit. After about 20 or 30 minutes of that, I am so stiff and sore that I can hardly move.

I totally agree on the nap thing. I would probably never take a nap during a "normal" 100 one with only one night of running. However that second night was really really tough and luckily I had enough time in the bank to take a nap. I knew I had to do it, just one of those I know my body and I know what it needs so lets give it what it wants sorta thing. But I think my brain knew it wasn't done running in a weird way and it let my legs know that it was just a rest. Because after sitting there for close to an hour, I popped up wiped my face and started the last climb.

Sandy made a good point in that Hardrock and UTMB have two nights so Grindstone gives you a little taste of running through two nights which is what you will need in those two monster races.

But yeah at the end walking to the showers was torturous and a slow agony as my legs were shutting down.

For some reason I thought I commented on this.  I read it a while ago but...

I retold your story of the runner in the fetal position on the side of the trail to some co-workers.  I think I was trying to deflect their thoughts about ME being crazy.  I am not sure it worked.

Thanks for sharing.  That is a good way to get redemption for your races over the summer.

So what's next year look like for you?