Notes
100 miler race number 3 is now in the books as I was able to complete the Vermont 100 in my fastest (though not fast by general standards) 100 mile race time.
Though very hilly, Vermont was the easiest (though not an easy race at all) of the 100 milers that I've finished or attempted. What made it easier was that it wasn't extremely technical. You didn't constantly have to watch your step or worry about rolling your ankles or twisting your knees. The relentless hills, though, varying in steepness and length, just kept coming at you all day and that's what made this race challenging.
I did have bad gastrointestinal problems like I did at Western States that had me unable to run a lot in the second half. I probably stopped to go to the bathroom more than 10 times, just in the last 50 miles. That was demoralizing. I also pulled a muscle or something in my right shin that caused significant pain while running downhills, so much so that I had to walk. Later in the race, I tried to employ a tactic of really walking fast, trying to hike the uphills hard, and then fast walk the down hills. I did occasionally try to run but the pain was so severe that I couldn't really maintain it for long.
I'm not exactly sure what I did to cause such shin pain, but I think it occurred sometime between mile 40 and 50 when I ran up a long hill. I may have strained the muscle then. I just hope it heals completely with rest, ice and elevation. I will definitely have to be taking at least a month off from running since I can barely walk right now.
I did meet and run with several people throughout the race, which was interesting. A few of them were running their first 100 miler.