On October 27, 2012 I headed out to Fountain
Hills AZ for my first attempt at running an ultra-marathon (101.4 miles). The
race was Javelina Jundred, and it took place on the 15+ mile Pemberton
Trail just outside of Scottsdale AZ. The race is a series of 7 loops with each consecutive loop being run in the opposite direction.
I have been an avid runner my whole life. My resume
includes having finished a full Ironman in a little over 14 hours, and competing
in many marathons and I have even qualified for the prestigious Boston
Marathon. Running and finishing an ultra-marathon is the
pinnacle of endurance running and is often just a dream to many elite
athletes in this sport. I have always thought that people who run ultra-marathons were either insane athletes, or beasts in human form. This has been an immense goal of mine that had seemed impossible and out of reach for so long.
What made me want to run this? Well, after completing my first Ironman, I heard about ultra-running from a friend. Like I mentioned above, I thought it was for people who were inhuman. Every time I would mention ultra-running to people I would hear the word 'crazy' too often than I had hoped. When I started dating my boyfriend Ryan, he did not think ultra-running was AS crazy as people thought it was. He knew my passion for running, and my ability to aim high. This made me start to think. So, I did my research on what races people recommended, and the Javelina Jundred came up. At this point the race was three months away. Three months of training hard for a 100-mile run seemed a bit out there, but I thought to myself, I have done crazier things. So, I confirmed the race with Ryan, found myself two more pacers, and the training began. The training consisted of three long runs in a row each week. I work from 9-5, which made me have to run 25-35 miles after work, and on the weekends. Most of the time, Ryan would ride his bike beside me, passing me water and food when I needed it. The main reason why it was so important for Ryan, who was also one of my pacers, to be with me while I trained, was he began to understand how my brain and body reacts during my long runs. We had heard stories about people who run ultra-marathons and how their brain start thinking weird and crazy thoughts. During training we also learned ALOT about nutrition. Water and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches weren't going to cut it. We experimented with some different types of Hammer Nutrition, and ended on a supplement called Perpetuem. It is a powder you mix in liquid that supplies your body with proteins, complex carbs, and works with your body to use it's stored fats and not eat your muscle fibers. We would mix this with half water and half pedialyte. We also had to keep my salt intake up with electrolyte pills. We used two types in training, Endurolytes and Sport Legs. About 1-2 per hour, in normal weather, 2-3 in higher heat conditions. These two supplements needed to be taken about every hour, and it was extremely important that I not go to long without them. These products were our base, our must-haves. Beyond that, if I got hungry for something specific like cold sliced fruit, salty pretzles, or sweet candy I ate it. During the day lots of cold water and pedialyte, and into the night when it got colder I turned to hot chicken noodle soup.
With years of running and 6+ months of endurance specific training, I was off to accomplish a dream of mine. I was ready to do battle. The race went off at 6am with 364 people starting.
What made me want to run this? Well, after completing my first Ironman, I heard about ultra-running from a friend. Like I mentioned above, I thought it was for people who were inhuman. Every time I would mention ultra-running to people I would hear the word 'crazy' too often than I had hoped. When I started dating my boyfriend Ryan, he did not think ultra-running was AS crazy as people thought it was. He knew my passion for running, and my ability to aim high. This made me start to think. So, I did my research on what races people recommended, and the Javelina Jundred came up. At this point the race was three months away. Three months of training hard for a 100-mile run seemed a bit out there, but I thought to myself, I have done crazier things. So, I confirmed the race with Ryan, found myself two more pacers, and the training began. The training consisted of three long runs in a row each week. I work from 9-5, which made me have to run 25-35 miles after work, and on the weekends. Most of the time, Ryan would ride his bike beside me, passing me water and food when I needed it. The main reason why it was so important for Ryan, who was also one of my pacers, to be with me while I trained, was he began to understand how my brain and body reacts during my long runs. We had heard stories about people who run ultra-marathons and how their brain start thinking weird and crazy thoughts. During training we also learned ALOT about nutrition. Water and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches weren't going to cut it. We experimented with some different types of Hammer Nutrition, and ended on a supplement called Perpetuem. It is a powder you mix in liquid that supplies your body with proteins, complex carbs, and works with your body to use it's stored fats and not eat your muscle fibers. We would mix this with half water and half pedialyte. We also had to keep my salt intake up with electrolyte pills. We used two types in training, Endurolytes and Sport Legs. About 1-2 per hour, in normal weather, 2-3 in higher heat conditions. These two supplements needed to be taken about every hour, and it was extremely important that I not go to long without them. These products were our base, our must-haves. Beyond that, if I got hungry for something specific like cold sliced fruit, salty pretzles, or sweet candy I ate it. During the day lots of cold water and pedialyte, and into the night when it got colder I turned to hot chicken noodle soup.
With years of running and 6+ months of endurance specific training, I was off to accomplish a dream of mine. I was ready to do battle. The race went off at 6am with 364 people starting.
I started the race in the back, due to the fact that I showed late to
the start line. I took too
much time putting on my shoes, and 'pull over' socks (that helped so rocks would not get in my shoes). These socks were made
minutes before I headed over to the start because I did not think about the little details like this. Once the gun shot off, I told myself, only 15 more miles
until I get to see everyone again.
I stayed in the back, trying to keep calm so that I would not get worn out by the first lap. I did not even turn my Ipod on yet. Jogging
along, I came to mile 8, which is where the competitive side in me came out. I thought to myself, ‘pick it
up, you are totally fine, you were born to move your legs.’ I came in from the first 15-mile lap at 2:42, 15th female. I was so excited to see my boyfriend Ryan at this
time. He had been waiting for me,
probably thinking ‘why is she so far behind’. Looking cool calm and collected, so I was told, I set out on
my second lap at a blazing pace in an effort to show off my newfound speed.
I went from 15th to the top ten females in the second lap with the time of 2:38. The rhythm of
the race was on as I left the pit for my third lap. By the early afternoon
temps had reached the low 90's and runners were paying the price.
I did not even notice the heat, until I was starting to be cooled off by volunteers with water bottles on the racecourse. At about mile
45 I started to break down a bit, not physically, but mentally. For some reason I was concerned
about my friend Megan. No she was
not at the race, but every time I would think about her I would start to
cry. This of course caused my
heart rate to go a bit higher than I wanted. Megan had been my running partner ever since I was 14 years
old and has been my best friend ever since. I think
the thought of her not being there made me think how proud she would be of
me. I came
in at mile 47 to a crew ready to ice me down. They changed my socks and some other
articles of clothing, and gave me food and water. At this point I stopped
thinking about Megan, and was now concerned with Ryan being upset that all my
toe nails were now gone. He
laughed at me when I told him my concern. I left for my 3rd lap determined to get to that next pit at
mile 62 where I would be able to pick up my FIRST pacer of the race. My first pacer was a friend of Ryan’s and local professional mountain bike racer Daniel who would
run the next 15 miles with me into the night. The thought of FINALLY
being able to talk to someone, and share the experience with him or her was beyond exciting to me. At this point in the race I was third
female. The other girls ahead of me were dropping and my consistent lap times were chopping away at the competition. On this lap, Daniel gave me the motivation to pass the second place girl. As I approached the second place girl, I was thinking, this cannot be right. This is my FIRST Ultra Marathon, and between you and I, I could have trained a little smarter. While training, I should have run more hills, and I should have done more trail runs, but those were lessons I learned for next time. I passed her with my head held high, and not looking back. I was
55 minutes behind the lead female. At about mile 70, I started to have stomach issues. Poor Daniel had to deal with that. He had several things to deal with; my
stomach, the setting sun and helping illuminate the trail for me with flashlights, and keeping up a much faster pace than he had anticipated. I was feeling
great. All I could think of was
how I was MORE than half way done.
Coming into the pit, I was only 1 minute behind the lead female. At this
point, I was told I was no longer my jovial, talkative self. I only had a few
things to say, which were what I needed to eat and fuel my body with, and get me a pacer who
can keep up! I made sure to
tell Ryan what I needed right away, because a couple of times when I came into the pit I would forget
to tell him what I needed. My crew fed
and watered me, and at this point I left with local triathlete and new found friend, Mandi as a pacer for mile 77 to 92. I left
the pit with Mandi 1 minute before the other lead female putting me in the lead physically. Ryan told me before I left that I was going to
win this thing if I keep it up… at that point I thought he was crazy. The next 15 miles would prove to be
quite a challenge forcing Mandi and I to briskly walk the 7 mile uphill wash that the
trail snaked through with deep sand and prickly cacti. I ran MY race this whole time, so if I thought my body needed to walk then I walked. At about mile 88 I took a fall
over a rock, which was surprisingly my ONLY fall the whole race. The fall caused me to tear up my knee and arm. I felt I
scared Mandi a bit, probably having her think… ‘Is this it? Is she done?’ I looked at Mandi, wanting her to know
I was okay. I just needed help getting up. My legs could not push my body up. Thankfully she was able to lift my dead body weight and bring me to my feet. With blood running down my legs staining my compression socks, and my back on fire with pain, I
jogged as best I could with flashlights illuminating the trail into
mile 92. Finally I was at the point where I wanted to be the whole
race… mile 92, which is where Ryan would be my pacer. The last loop was 9+ miles. It took us almost 2 hours
to complete this final distance, which in training runs can be accomplished in
just over an hour. Between a horribly upset stomach, aching legs and
joints, and a back that could no longer support my upper body. The back pain was caused by the fact that I had too many sports bras on, which caused too much pressure on my back. We had to
stop every 100 yards or so to stretch my back and every time we did I would let
my head fall on Ryan’s shoulder and look at the completed section of the trail
behind us for upcoming lights.... the second place girl was gaining on us and
only behind by 40 minutes. Without Ryan I would not have been able to
finish my last lap as fast as I did because he was able to push me mentally. He helped me stretch my back when needed, and take my mind off it as much as he could. With a half-mile to go we could see the lights of the finish line and hear the cheers of the crews and spectators. With one
final back stretch at the summit of the last hill, I ran into the finish
line, chin held high, and all smiles in a final time of 19 hours, 59 minutes,
and 45 seconds. 9th place overall, 1st place female and only female to
complete the race in under 20 hours! The second place girl came in 5
minutes after me, making it one of the closest races to date. There were
only 160 finishers, 44% finished.
I will never forget the feeling I had when I crossed the finish line.
This was by far the greatest thing I have ever done. I will never forget this day. Everytime I think about it I become emotional. I could have never done it without the support and love of everyone who came out to help me. The main person who I can not thank enough is my boyfriend Ryan. He helped me complete each lap, knowing I would see him in 15 more miles. But, by far the greatest thing he did for me was believe in me. His faith gave me the courage to not only believe I could complete this 100-mile race, but that I could win it.
Here are some pictures and articles from the race.
