Notes
GPS shut off at 23 hours. Wow, that was hard.
Going into this I had 3 main goals: 1) Stay conservative the first 50 miles, 2) Linger at aid stations longer because I am usually in and out way too fast, 3) Don't get caught up in racing before 70 miles.
Well, I only was able to accomplish #2. After 25 miles I passed two of the leaders not because I was going crazy but because of the carnage you can expect from a course like this. I did manage to fuel okay though. Nothing really special with the fueling.
The first couple miles were pretty gentle hills and from the start there are 12 in front of me. Within the first five miles we are already climbing with views of waterfalls. I probably saw three or four waterfalls within the first 10 miles, plus running the ridgeline with amazing views of lake Superior. By mile 20 I know this is going to be a tough day as the first 20 was supposed to be the easiest but it was already relentless. I pass probably 4 runners in the first 25 including one of the initial leaders just after the mile 20 aid station. The hills just keep coming and most of the runners I pass are already looking tired. Mud is also starting to become a factor as my feet are soaked inside and out with mud.
Somewhere between 30-40 are the most amazing views of lakes carved deep into cliffs of granite surrounded by pines. It is a hell of a climb to get up there but once you do you are rewarded. Deep blue of the water, green of the trees, gray granite cliffs and boulders, and blue sky is just breath taking. And the sheer drop over the edge is just crazy... Not 50 feet, or even 100, but easily 500 to the lake, straight down.
By mile 51 I am in 3rd place due to runners dropping and passing the rest. There were easily 7 big climbs in the first 50 and the rest is constant up and down. I am feeling it in the quads but otherwise feel pretty good. I spend about 10 minutes at the aid station getting my night gear, a little solid food, and making sure I get some solid food down. Within 10 minutes of leaving the aid station I get passed by a runner blazing by even though I am going at a decent clip. The Sonju lake trail section is notorious for relentless roots and this is where I started to feel the first pains in the bottom of my left foot. I stopped a few times thinking I had a rock in my shoe but everytime I dumped the rocks out it didn't help. I keep going but pretty close to limping at this point.
By mile 70 I know my foot is bruised and I am going to have to spend the rest of the race babying it. That basically meant running the few sections I didn't have to step on rocks and roots and hiking the rest. Even a steep downhill sent shooting pains through my foot. I actually am looking forward to the steep climbs because those are the only sections where I don't lose time compared to other runners.
From 62 to 90 I am passed 6 times and each time is soul sucking as I see my finish time get slower and slower. The mud continues to get worse throughout the night and there are many stretches where I couldn't run more than 100 yards without having to slosh through a mud pit. At some point around 6:30 AM I feel like I am going to pass out I am so tired. Not muscle fatigue but sleep fatigue. If there was someplace to lay down I probably would have.
Around mile 93 the trail gets a little easier for a couple miles and I am able to get some flats and trail without rocks and roots every step. I pass one runner and continue to try to run as much as I can, and now with 10 miles left I can focus on handling the foot pain rather than babying it. Still tons of mud and at least every quarter mile I am running into a mud pit.
With 2 miles left I am convinced I took a wrong turn and doubled back because the trail looks way too familiar. I'm not sure if I should turn around or keep going risking that every step I take is extra distance in the wrong direction. I decide to keep going and after another 10 minutes I finally get to a section I know is new. The final mile is on the road and I push it as hard as I can to the finish. The clock says 26 something. I am so relieved to be done. I find out I made it into the top 10 by 3 minutes... There were 220 registered, probably 200 starters, and 141 that finished the 100 mile.
Splits from the race: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Ob3AcS-yLq_AHipdlzxkhyi_nWIQqAGDvPmX6P8-8sY/edit?usp=sharing
Ian Coreles blog: http://iancorless.org/2014/09/07/superior-100-2014-minnesota-nice/