As it turns out I am TUF enough

The gathering started at Burgdorf Campground on Thursday as my crew and I set up for the epic weekend we had all been planning for, for so many months. Our camp was off the hook amazing! We had everything we needed and more thanks to Hannah, the Clooch Crumpster crew boss! After getting the details for the Clooch 4's aid station set, we relaxed at camp until the pre-race meeting. I felt great as we headed over to get signed in, then Jeremy started talking about the course -- I thought my heart would burst out of my chest. My thoughts swirling -- rugged, epic, back country, wolves, steep climbs, water drops, limited aid, bear bags, we do not want lost runners, long nights, hot days -- the meeting was woven with excitement and seriousness. In closing we took a few group photos and headed back to camp to study the map -- thank goodness for Jim and Jane -- map masters and Ultra grounders!

I slowly started to settle in and get my head in the game. I was ready for the night to pass and for the morning to come. I slept well, running in my dreams so when I woke up at 4:00am I was warmed up and ready to roll. This was the best race day morning I have ever had - surrounded by my crew, my husband and Gage. I felt ready and settled. 6:00am struck and we were off, the climb up to Cloochman was swift -- time moved quickly, as the sun rose we were traveling up, up, up, in a small wonderful pack of runners -- I felt at home. Reaching Cloochman was in a word -- AWESOME! It was ten months ago in that very spot that I fell in love with Ultra running and made the lofty commitment to run IMTUF 100 2013. It was blue sky day with a chance of rad with a capital "R"! I left Cloochman with some food and a smile -- seeing my crew for the first time was sweet, they ran a great aid station at mile 9.5 -- "I was Clooched!" I moved on down the trail feeling strong and steady. I had committed to power hiking all the big hills and keeping a super smart and steady pace -- I wanted a finish after all. I had the honor of running the first 44 miles with a beautiful Ultra runner -- Rachael Bazzett. We fully enjoyed the miles as they ticked off. The Crestline Trail was wicked rad and had its tough moments -- it was many, many miles between aid stations, it was rugged! Moving up and up and up we soon came to a seriously technical downhill, loose rock, steep descent into the green lushness near mile 44.

It was here that I would see my crew again and hook up with my pacer Mike Blessing -- who would take me through the night and a good portion of the following morning. Rolling into 44 I was happy and on fire from seeing "my people". I was ready to run it out and enter into the unknown that the night would certainly hold -- Mike was ready to help me chase down some runners and that is exactly what we did. Mike pushed me in ways I am sure would not and could not have done for myself -- in a word he was "Awesome!". As the night sky surrounded us -- moonless with billions of stars we ran on, passed a few runners and came upon a few that were mixed up on the trails direction -- we picked up a two runners on the ascent to Snowslide. It was very dark and very steep, Up and down we went running, shuffling and scooting to the sound of Moe's voice -- one of the most committed and excited volunteers of the race. Her hoots and hollers were welcome sounds and the warm embrace was pretty perfect too! Soon we would hit Duck Lake and mile 60 -- a celebration I was now well over half way. The Duck Lake volunteers were kind and familiar faces -- I LOVE THAT! I ate well (maybe too well) and moved ever forward. Heading for mile 70.1 -- somehow hitting mile 70 meant I was home free in my mind and that I would most certainly finish this bad boy! I was extremely pleased that I have been running about an hour ahead of schedule the entire race -- super consistent. I got to see my team again and again I was pumped! Upper Payette Lake meant 70.1 miles I ran in happy and so excited to see my crew -- Jim and Jane asked questions to make sure I was warm enough, they got me food and set me straight for what to expect the in final 30 or so miles. When I heard I would not see another full aid station for 16 miles I broke just slightly. Paul Lind came to me and said "It is time for you to go, you are too happy to be hanging around here. Get it! Get to the finish line! Time for you to go!!" Or something to that effect. I lost it, shed a few tears into the shoulder and neck of Hannah.

The last thing I remember as I turned to leave the aid station was the amazing encouragement of my crew and the awesome aid station volunteers. Now, this does not mean I was not doing a "Mad Stomp" up the hill and out of the A.S -- I was a little pissed; to the amusement of my pacer and the the benefit of my finish time. It turns out that the "Mad Stomp" is pretty fast and very efficient! Anger can be an asset late in the race. Victor Creek was a crusher at over 2000 feet elevation gain over a few rough miles. Daylight came and the new day gave me hope, the light was a welcome sight. The miles between Upper Payette and Chinook Campground were in a word "Brutal"-- was it the miles, the time on my feet, the dust, the fact that is felt longer than it should, the space between aid, my own exhaustion -- I have no idea but it was hard. It was between Victor Creek and Willow Basket that I saw cars and tents that did not exist, I hear voices and felt the miles slow. When we finally made it to Willow Basket it was a long 3 miles to my crew and my next pacer Randy -- I was ready to get a boost and I know that my pacer was ready to sit down and have a beer -- a WELL DESERVED beer! As we approached the bridge to the Aid Station and my crew I was on a mission.

I needed to change my shoes and socks and I needed Jim to fix my feet. In a word my feet were "trashed" -- I had been lucky enough to keep my feet mostly dry until about mile 80. My feet were soaked and not happy, I had hot spots and wicked rubbing. I was all business at this point -- I said something to the effect of "I need Jim, I need new shoes and socks , I know they are bad -- please do not say a word about exactly how bad they are, I don't want to know..."

A quick good fix and I was on my way a short 16 miles to go -- yeah that 16 felt like 30 miles! Randy and I hit the trail and slowly made our way home. The first few steps into the final miles -- Pacer asks Runner "How do you want to finish?" "What do you have left?" "Can you run the down hills?" Runner to Pacer "I want 33 hours but I do not know if I have it in me." I want to run as much as possible and power hike the hills." "Randy I want this! Bad!"

What would follow in the coming miles was a few ups and several downs. To put it blunt my feet hurt and I was bonking!! Everything else was great but my feet got the best of my mind several times. Randy bossed me, pushed me and let me lag behind -- he has a gift. The final miles are wildly vivid and at the same time a total blur. The on going joke was that I had 10 miles or so to go -- no matter how far we had gone. I have seldom passed other runners in the end of a race -- it just so happens that the pacers I had looked at this event as a race -- therefore I passed people and this gave me an odd unfamiliar strength, thanks to my pacer I found a little extra energy in the tank to run strong at the very end of a long day, night and day. I was emotional -- I was both full and empty. Oddly I hesitated as we made the run to the finish line. So much planning, training, such a fast track to my fist 100 mile race and now the finish line.

I crossed over with a smile, gave myself a few steps and turned around to see the most amazing people I know, my crew, my family, my fellow Ultra runners all ready to congratulate me. Hugs, tears, relief, gratitude, elation, and a cold beer! Boy that beer tasted great!

27 starters 19 finishers, 3rd women and 11th overall but very very very best of all I did it and I did it my way on a fast track from IMTUF 2012 -- this was my 8th ultra and my first hundred all in less than a year. I ran this bad boy 33 hours and 28 minutes...

Pretty cool -- no.... pretty friggin RAD! Shoes off time to celebrate!

Next up Standhope 60K