The Stats….
Race: TARC Ghost Train Trail Races
Location: Camp Tevya, Brookline, NH
Location: Camp Tevya, Brookline, NH
Lap distance:15 miles
Elevation: ehh, not totally sure but since its 95% rail trail and only one tiny deviating hill, you can be assured its not much.
Laps completed: 6, plus the final ten mile out and back
Total distance covered: 100 miles
Time: 26 hours and 19 minutes
Foods: California rolls, Bacon, Watermelon, Grilled Cheese, Frank's Pulled Pork, Chicken Noodle Soup
Guys who look like the bad guy from Billy Madison: 1
Guys who look like the bad guy from Billy Madison: 1
Popular artist on the iPod: Grateful Dead, The War on
Drugs, Steely Dan
Finsh: 40 out of 65 in the hundred mile distance category
Where to start... I first ran Ghost Train in 2009, when it was a brand new race and only a 15 miler. At the time, it was the longest race I had ever entered and probably the longest run in general that I had ever done. I wasn't sure what to expect. I was just going to treat it like a regular training run and take it easy. But as soon as we started, I found myself up front wondering what the hell I was doing with the lead guys. This was either stupid or the way awesome things began. Turns out it was the later, as I finished in 3rd place. This put the thought in my head that maybe distance and endurance was my thing and not so much about the shorter, faster stuff, that I had blindly grown up on.
With the exception of 2010, I have attended every Ghost Train race, mostly as a competitor, but also as a crew member and pacer. I came back each year to hit new distance milestones. It was my first 50k, my first 60 miler (also first 100k), and first 75 miler. It was the 75 miler that bothered me most. I had every intention of that 75 being a 100 miler, but alas, I didn't have the skill set or knowledge to get me through those dark, early morning hours. After a day or two of being pissed about it, I decided to look at it as a learning experience. What really happened at 5am and what would have gotten me through it?
2017 was the year of testing out strategies to hit that 100 mile goal. Pretty much everything I came up with that would have been helpful at 5am turned out to really work wonders. One of those things, pushing more calories via foods I actually want to eat because the aid station stuff just looked unappealing, worked great! And, as a testament to that, I am currently eating the left overs from yesterday's race for breakfast this morning as I type this....ummmm, California Rolls.
Per accordance with the ultra athlete handbook, I checked in with the long range forecast no fewer than 8 times a day for the 15 days leading up to the race. And due to the fact that I checked it so often, we were treated to sunny, mid 70s temps during the day and a clear, cool night in the 40s. A far cry from last year's warm humidity>rain>cold rain>cold rain and wind>windy wind>snow and wind.
The race is run on an old, 7.5 mile stretch of rail bed with the exception of one hill, which on any other course wouldn't be worth noting but its literally the only real change in elevation. Participants run out and back for 15 miles and can run any multiple of 15 as its own race. There is a marker on the course for those that are running 100 miles, which they will run out to and turn back on their final lap.
As one would expect, the race started off rather relaxed and I bumped into Jennifer "Witch Costume" Sorrell, who I met at last year's race. We ran a lap and a half together and enjoyed some good banter. Its in these early miles that I tend to find myself just wanting them to pass and to get into the meat of the race, so talking with someone is always a great distraction for me.
The turn around spot is in Milford at the DPW. I was greeted there each time by my lovely girlfriend Jenn, and some of the Scores Running Club crew. Jenn was a huge help to me the entire race. She was eager to help me get what I needed, helped change my clothes, and didn't let me hang around long (ok, I get it, I smell). I had my own stash of food and premixed tailwind there. That was one of my take aways from last year. Bring your own food when you can. Don't rely on what might or might not be there.
Miles 22.5 to 45 where rather boring. I was by myself and never really seemed to pair off well with anyone else out there pace wise. The only slight amusement I had was pointing out a fellow racer to anyone nearby who looked just like the bad guy from Billy Madison.
By mile 45 the course was headlamp worthy. Frank, who just finished his first 100 miler two weeks ago, was there to crew and cook. So before heading out I enjoyed some of his tasty pulled pork and grabbed a pair of headphone. Tunes were now needed.
Heading off on that 4th lap, I began to piece together a run/walk strategy. The course breaks well into segments and I came up with a plan that allowed for large chunks of running and good recovery walks. With the exception of the last ten mile out and back, my plan stayed in place for the rest of the race. It also became a lot easier to move along with music.
Coming back into the start/finish area at mile 60, I picked up my pacer, Chris Barry who would stay with me through mile 90. If I could rate Chris as a pacer on Yelp, he'd get 5 stars. He knew all the right things to do and questions to ask. He made sure I was staying fueled and was sticking to the predescribed run/walk plan I mentioned. We came back into the start/finish at mile 75 feeling good. Real good. This was my breaking point last year, where I had no point of reference on what to do or what I needed. It was where I quit. This year I sat down. I enjoyed some soup, some sushi, and a good bit of iced coffee. It was time to avenge the demons of last year.
Back out for miles 75 to 90, we kept on trucking. We were running large chunks of the course at a real solid pace late in the game. I was feeling good. By mile 84, headlamps could go away. Daylight is a game changer.
We came back into the start/finish at mile 90, well ahead of our expected arrival. Frank cooked me up a chocolate chip banana pancake, Jenn helped me change my shorts, socks and shoes, I thanked Chris for his outstanding pacing, and headed out with Jenn to finish up the final ten miles. For some reason, the clothing change didn't help for the better. The shoes messed with my feet to the point of getting a blister on my right foot and the shorts only further aggravated the chafing I had. We walked a good deal of those final ten miles. That was fine. The goal was finishing and I had plenty of time to do so. The final two miles of the course, or the first two depending on which direction you're going, are my least favorite. They're just boring and don't break up well into segments. It only seemed fitting to have to tough my way through those two miles to what was the end game. 100 miles.
Finally being able to see the gate and pavement that was the start of Camp Tevya was incredible. This was what I had imagined for the past few years. What it would be like to actually run into camp and finish. To run down past the tennis courts, past all the other runner's camps and the main aid station, to pass through the little covered foot bridge, round the pumpkin and bring it on back to the finish. It was actually happening, and strangely, as I had somehow imagined it. I crossed the line in 26:19, breaking a finishing tape that the Scores guys had made for me. My parents had shown up too, which was fitting, considering that they had watched me trip over myself time and time again play baseball as a kid and saying to each other, there's one thing that kid will never do, and that's run.
The race is run on an old, 7.5 mile stretch of rail bed with the exception of one hill, which on any other course wouldn't be worth noting but its literally the only real change in elevation. Participants run out and back for 15 miles and can run any multiple of 15 as its own race. There is a marker on the course for those that are running 100 miles, which they will run out to and turn back on their final lap.
As one would expect, the race started off rather relaxed and I bumped into Jennifer "Witch Costume" Sorrell, who I met at last year's race. We ran a lap and a half together and enjoyed some good banter. Its in these early miles that I tend to find myself just wanting them to pass and to get into the meat of the race, so talking with someone is always a great distraction for me.
The turn around spot is in Milford at the DPW. I was greeted there each time by my lovely girlfriend Jenn, and some of the Scores Running Club crew. Jenn was a huge help to me the entire race. She was eager to help me get what I needed, helped change my clothes, and didn't let me hang around long (ok, I get it, I smell). I had my own stash of food and premixed tailwind there. That was one of my take aways from last year. Bring your own food when you can. Don't rely on what might or might not be there.
Miles 22.5 to 45 where rather boring. I was by myself and never really seemed to pair off well with anyone else out there pace wise. The only slight amusement I had was pointing out a fellow racer to anyone nearby who looked just like the bad guy from Billy Madison.
By mile 45 the course was headlamp worthy. Frank, who just finished his first 100 miler two weeks ago, was there to crew and cook. So before heading out I enjoyed some of his tasty pulled pork and grabbed a pair of headphone. Tunes were now needed.
Heading off on that 4th lap, I began to piece together a run/walk strategy. The course breaks well into segments and I came up with a plan that allowed for large chunks of running and good recovery walks. With the exception of the last ten mile out and back, my plan stayed in place for the rest of the race. It also became a lot easier to move along with music.
Coming back into the start/finish area at mile 60, I picked up my pacer, Chris Barry who would stay with me through mile 90. If I could rate Chris as a pacer on Yelp, he'd get 5 stars. He knew all the right things to do and questions to ask. He made sure I was staying fueled and was sticking to the predescribed run/walk plan I mentioned. We came back into the start/finish at mile 75 feeling good. Real good. This was my breaking point last year, where I had no point of reference on what to do or what I needed. It was where I quit. This year I sat down. I enjoyed some soup, some sushi, and a good bit of iced coffee. It was time to avenge the demons of last year.
Back out for miles 75 to 90, we kept on trucking. We were running large chunks of the course at a real solid pace late in the game. I was feeling good. By mile 84, headlamps could go away. Daylight is a game changer.
We came back into the start/finish at mile 90, well ahead of our expected arrival. Frank cooked me up a chocolate chip banana pancake, Jenn helped me change my shorts, socks and shoes, I thanked Chris for his outstanding pacing, and headed out with Jenn to finish up the final ten miles. For some reason, the clothing change didn't help for the better. The shoes messed with my feet to the point of getting a blister on my right foot and the shorts only further aggravated the chafing I had. We walked a good deal of those final ten miles. That was fine. The goal was finishing and I had plenty of time to do so. The final two miles of the course, or the first two depending on which direction you're going, are my least favorite. They're just boring and don't break up well into segments. It only seemed fitting to have to tough my way through those two miles to what was the end game. 100 miles.
Finally being able to see the gate and pavement that was the start of Camp Tevya was incredible. This was what I had imagined for the past few years. What it would be like to actually run into camp and finish. To run down past the tennis courts, past all the other runner's camps and the main aid station, to pass through the little covered foot bridge, round the pumpkin and bring it on back to the finish. It was actually happening, and strangely, as I had somehow imagined it. I crossed the line in 26:19, breaking a finishing tape that the Scores guys had made for me. My parents had shown up too, which was fitting, considering that they had watched me trip over myself time and time again play baseball as a kid and saying to each other, there's one thing that kid will never do, and that's run.
