So as not to sound hypocritical, I decide to enter the 135.6 at Pumpkin Holler to mark our 5th consecutive year to Tahlequah, OK (haven't missed a Pumpkin Holler yet). I don't like to have the BW go to races just to help me out, so we signed her up for the 50k even though I knew this would probably mean I wouldn't have a pacer. Made a late plea on FB for any of our friends down in the area to hike a lap with me overnight and headed out.
Being socially connected at all times, we got a FB message from our friend Deanna on the way down to OK saying she would probably be able to go out on the second overnight lap with me. Good news indeed. Her and the BW work out some details and it looks like I'm good to go for 32 miles of pacing. We rolled into Tahlequah mid-afternoon and I tried (mostly unsuccessful) to close my eyes for a couple of hours before packet pickup/meal. The 135 actually starts at 10pm Friday so runners have one overnight by themselves before being able to pick up a pacer. The meal/meeting gave us a good chance to catch up will all the awesome people from TATUR and visit with our friend Lisa from CO, who came down to do the 135 also. I could give you a big list of names of people you don't know and forget several more, but suffice it to say this is one outstanding group of individuals. Get Pumpkin Holler on your race list for 2016.
The forecast for the whole weekend looked good and it was a crisp clear night to start the adventure.
Obligatory pre-race photo of the BW & I
Most all of the 135.6 starters right before the race. Should have been called a Masters Race. Two people in their 30s, the rest of us in their 40/50/60s!
For the 100/135, the course starts with an 8 mile total out and back that peaks with a "Waffle Stop" at the turnaround. When you hit this, you're ready for some good food as there's a decent climb to get to the aid station. Somehow I block this out every year and never remember it being as long as it it. Jason & Sue Ann Bement make up for the inconvenience with waffles. And bacon. And bacon inside of waffles. All this and it's 10 hours before the "normal" races start at 8am Saturday. The return 4 miles are smooth and I arrive at the start finish well within my expected time. Now it's only 4 laps left - 50k+ laps, but only 4.
The first 4-5 miles of the loop are pretty mellow, until once again you have to pay the price of an aid station with one of the longest climbs on the loop. "Mad Dog" is manned by Kevin LeMaster and family (Ultragator shirts)who hook me up with Ensure and their famous "dog bones". Once again, someone out there 10hrs before the other races start and will be there the whole weekend. The rest of this "pre-race" loop received coverage from a roving aid station, which this year was provided by JBob Jones (winner of last year's 135). For some reason this year I was REALLY having trouble staying awake the first night and about 2:40am a call on my cell wakes me out of the stumbling stupor I was in. Look at the screen and it's the Carrot calling! Dude got called into work to run some jobs and thought he'd give me a call to see how it was going. Needless to say, things like this give you a little boost when you're out in the middle of nowhere. The next three aid station aren't open yet, but JBob keeps all of us going. The sleep fog is still pretty heavy on me at around 5am. Now normally in the summer, 5am is great because you can just *tell* it's going to get light soon. Not so much in Oct. 5:30..no light...6:30..no light..7:00..aaaaaarrrrggghhhhh!!!!! I text the BW since she's getting around for her race.
Me: This was a stupid idea. I'm done racing this year.
BW: It get's better when the sun comes up - you always say it does.
Me: But it's almost 7:30!!! (insert tear).
BW: Just keep going.
Me: Yeah, I know. I'm still not doing any more races this year.
Daylight finally arrives and I'm headed back the start/finish with 40 miles in. I end up picking up Kathy and Mitch around Last Gasp and get their company the last 3.5 miles in. The sleep walking didn't help at all and I get in too late to see everybody leave for the start of the 50k/100k/100M. A quick check of all systems and head out for the second loop.
Rollin' in from 40 with Kathy and Mitch
The BW after her 50k finish and our good friend Donnie who was entered in the 100
Whatever I'm saying, it's bound to be BS. Getting ready to head out on the second 50k+ loop
Loop 2 was slow, but enjoyable. It's a beautiful area to have a race in and I just enjoyed looking around. Just shy of 1/2 way through the loop (about 54 miles for me) a big downhill leads into Savanah Corner. Normally a group of dudes wearing half shirts Daisy Duke style and clangin' cowbells may be cause for alarm but it's my buddy John and Justin & Justin. One-liners and hassling ensues, good food is eaten and I'm out. I pass through East of Eden (58 miles) quickly and head for Hard Up Ahead. Been waiting...they have Mushroom Barley soup that is excellent! Had felt what might be a blister coming on (had trouble the last couple of 100's with big blisters) so took my shoe off to check it. Hmmm..yea, kinda looks like a little blister starting. Pull off a safety pin from my bib and give that sucker a big poke. AAAAHHHHHH!!!!!! My foot was just tender but no blister so I just jabbed that pin right into my foot! Mental note to not do that again. Hard Up takes me just past 100k and leads into Bathtub Rocks. Wes and a couple I don't know their names plunk me down for some egg/cheese/bacon/potato in a muffin cup goodness and a short discussion on the finer points of Cake (the band) before it's onward and upward. No really. Upward. Bathtub leads into the other bigger climb area of the course. Much heavy breathing later and I get to Last Gasp and the final 3-3.5 miles of the loop to the start/finish with (about 72 miles complete).
Haven't seen the BW for almost a full day, but she completed her 50k and was at the start/finish with Deanna to see what I needed, decipher my rambling and get everything I was asking for to head out again. I love my wife :) It looked to be a fair amount cooler than Friday night so we brought out the tights and a heavier quarter zip for this overnight. My good friend Shannon & his wife Jody from AR give me a little pep talk and a bunch of "I love ya man's" to send me out with a smile. A little food, all points lubed up and fresh batteries for the torch mean it's time for Deanna and I to head out on lap three.
I don't realize until almost Mad Dog that she has never actually been on the course out here before. The trip up the hills into the aid station win no grace points from Deanna, but I don't yet hear the swearing that is yet to come. Right out of MD is a pretty sever downhill, that while fine the first couple of laps really isn't all that pleasant right now. After we level out again, I hear some branches crack in the trees and I expect a deer to bust out across the road in front of us. It was a Wild Boar! He wasn't interested in us and just darted across. We look at each other - huh, never seen that before! Casual runner conversation takes us through Out and Back I & II (83 miles +/-) but the trek to Savanah seemingly takes FOREVER! Finally we crest a hill and see the big downhill into Savanah, which is lit up like National Lampoon Christmas. Where the hell is John? He went out to pace someone. Now that's full service... We crash for a minute and enjoy some warm food and I unveil a gift for the Justins. A small bottle of Fireball (from my friend Michelle), as a token of my gratitude. Big smiles, quick swigs and all the sudden they're thanking ME for being out there. Treat your aid station people well my friends. Runners do/say stupid things to entertain themselves and forget about the suck for awhile. Some can't be repeated really, but every once in a while I would just spout out "I'm very pleased with my attire selection for this lap". Of course I really was, as I was smart enough to listen to the BW to put a heavier quarter zip on and smart enough for tights on my own since it got down in the 30's and we weren't moving that fast. But to normal people it would have been one of the dumbest things they ever heard. At 90 miles - it was funny. East of Eden comes and goes (roughly 90 miles) and again I'm all about the Mushroom Barley at Hard Up. I end up getting the last cup of that soup - WIN. At some point I make a comment followed by "You're probably not in to drag racing." but find out Deanna is all about drag racing - worked in the Timing tower at a track in OH, wants a 62 Nova, loves John Force. Hell yea. That's what I'm talking about. The smiling talk of drag racing suddenly fades with a "Are you *&#*ing serious?" as our headlamps only illuminate the very bottom a pretty steep asphalt uphill in this section. Casual talk changes to the porta potty but luckily we are arriving at bathtub rocks, porta potty and about 97 miles. More excellent aid and we're out to start craptastic section #2. I feel it my civic duty to inform Deanna that she may not like the next section. We start up a climb and she says "This is the hill?" Uhh,well...no. A couple of hills later we come to the steep part. "AAAAHHHHH!!! You have got to be &^%$ing kidding me!" only to be followed with "What the &^$^?" after it takes a turn and keeps going. But all good (bad) things come to an end, and the breaking daylight has us hitting Last Gasp and 100 miles. The last 3.5 are pretty quite and we just get it done. Even getting a small trot going to cross the finish line. It had become apparent that I wouldn't have enough time to complete the 4th 50k+ loop, so I was pretty content to "Drop to the 100" after 103.5 miles.
Bummed that I don't have any other pics of Deanna and I. Too low carb apparently to request a photo with my awesome pacer.
That pretty much wraps it up, but we have to give an extra shout out to our friend and pacer Deanna. You might think pacing is just pretty standard and not that big of a deal. I'll tell you from experience it's a huge deal for the runner! Deanna worked at packet pickup with Michelle on Friday and was signed up for the 50k. She started her race about 12 hours late to go out on the overnight lap with me. She had never run in the dark or used a headlamp and had only ran one 50k race previous to this. She went a pr distance of 32 miles in the dark...with a headlamp..to help some friends out. The BW was going to do that, but I made her do her own race. Deanna stepped up to save me from my own decisions and make the overnight infinitely better than it would have. If that's not a friend, I don't know what is. Thanks Deanna!
All in all, an outstanding weekend with friends and the BW. Part of me doesn't understand 5k/10k and shorter distance runners who can't get in there car fast enough after a race to leave. Some of my race enjoyment comes from spending time afterwards hanging out with friends, talking about parts of the race, telling lies and generally being around people you consider family. If you don't take any time after races to get to know people, give it shot - you'll be surprised at the lifelong ties you make.
Do yourself a favor and give Pumpkin Holler a shot. TZ & Dana, Susan, Brian, Brian, Kathy, Ed, Stormy, Shannon, Jody, Elden, Dave, everybody I mentioned already, everyone I didn't squeeze in and the whole TATUR crew will treat you just like family - probably even better.
