Three Days in the Park 24hr - Saturday, October 15th, 2022

AKA the Stahr Wahrs Ultra 

I told people I wasn't dumb enough to sign up for 72hrs two years in a row..

..so 24hrs would have to do.

I had worn my Vader costume for the last couple of hours in 2021, so of course I figured I needed a new costume for 2022. I started buying and assembling parts and pieces, putting probably 20 hours of work into sourcing and creating elements both for wear and the aid station. I wouldn't be setting up my own tent this year, as I had no intention of taking any naps or long breaks - the aid station had doubled in size to 20' x 20', so I figured I'd just set up a little table inside with my supplies and decorations.

There was kind of a lot going on

Fortunately I managed to get it all done with enough time to get some good sleep in the final few days before the race. I had dealt with a lot of stress since we got back from Bon Echo - long days catching up at work, then month end, and little Trixie managed to get her paw painfully stuck under the fridge (twice!) - plus I had some minor injuries, like a grouchy achilles, a toe I broke stepping into the tub a week before the race, a 2nd degree burn on my right middle finger from some hot glue, and a hefty gouge taken out of my heel while rescuing my idiot kitten from the heckin' fridge just 5 days ahead of go time.

I love her to pieces, but she may actually be the death of me.

Fortunately, logging off right around 5pm during race week and getting my butt to bed earlier - coupled with about a million heel drops for the achilles, and taking Monday and Wednesday completely off running - helped quite a bit. My final run on Thursday was very promising: my heel and finger were fine with hydrocolloid dressings on them, my achilles was cooperative, and I felt stronger than I have in months. 

I was also pretty pleased with how my jetpack turned out
(made of marine foam, pool noodles, styrofoam craft pieces, plasti-dip spray, a few colours of acrylic paint, some silver pulver, and SO MUCH HOT GLUE)

After the usual up-at-stupid-o'clock and oatmeal in the pre-dawn darkness, it was time to finally put the whole costume together.

The shorts, shirt, dress, hoodie, and hat are all new - my socks, shoes, and calf sleeves were not

The trip up to Elmira - after a stop at T.Ho's for breakfast for Tank - was not encouraging. While the first 40-odd hours of the three-day event had stayed dry, of course I wouldn't get off so easily! It was 10c and bucketing rain, which was predicted to continue until just after 10am. 

I joked with Tank about the start going off and just wandering into the aid station to wait out the weather for an hour

Arriving on site a little before 8am gave me lots of time to get set up - fortunetly there was a good amount of room in the 20' x 20' aid station for me to set up my little table (just a little over 2' square) and stow my 72L tote full of extra clothing and kit. I was a bit dismayed to discover only one of my two hand bottles had made it, so I wouldn't be able to leave one behind to be filled while taking the other on course, but I'd just have to deal with the results of my failure to double check. If things got desperate, I could use the lightweight vest I'd brought with me that had its own pair of soft bottles (both of which definitely arrived on site). 

My table also increased the Star Wars-iness in the aid station by approximately 3,000%

The 24hr runners were sort of the only ones there, apart from Race Director Clay, volunteer Sandy, and Dree, who had been putting in laps here and there since Thursday evening. Brad C. (who'd raced the 72hr with me last year and put in the most mileage overall) had started the 72hr again this year, but knee trouble had him bow out after 100 miles - he reached home in Indiana not long after the 24hr start, and I was sorry to have missed him. Mark (whom I don't know) had started the 72hr as well, but hip issues had forced him to make an early exit. No-one had turned up for the 48hr start on Friday morning, though Debbie B. had put in some laps Friday afternoon and was planning to return Saturday evening for some more. I guess I remain the only person to complete the full 72hrs at this event so far!

The rain subsided a bit as I headed over to the portajohns to take care of essential business, for which I was grateful - the wind was still chilly, though (and predicted to increase quite a bit), and the skies foreboding.

I was just going to focus on the clearing in the distance

It wasn't ideal that the kinesiology tape I'd applied to my left hip and butt came off during the portajohn stop, but I couldn't do much about it now. I gently trotted about 100m or so of the way back, just to get a feel for how my body was responding that morning; things actually felt ok, with only some minor grumpiness from my achilles. With about 20mins left until the start - after probably offending everyone in the aid station by lubing up profusely to prevent chafing, which resulted in a whole lot of skin exposure that no-one needed in their morning - I decided I'd throw on the full costume I'd spent so much time on. I knew a lot of people who had signed up for 24hrs had no intention of staying through the night, so I thought I'd show them the absurdity I planned to bust out for my final lap on Sunday.

I intended to wear the dress and hat for most of the race - you can also see the cut-off burgundy socks I used as gauntlets, and I wore a yellow neck gaiter for warmth and in place of Boba Fett's yellow spaulders

I'd only run with the jetpack for the final lap, as I didn't want to damage it (or me) with any more than that! The shoulder cape I was uncertain about and would make a call later

With my dorkery now well out in the open, I gave my jetpack and cape back to Tanker (who put the jetpack back in the car for safekeeping til morning), and the rain began to fall once more. 

I mean if it actually worked I'd put it on way earlier, but I'm not quite up to that build

It let up again as Clay called the 30 second warning and we all headed out of the aid station tent to the unmarked start line. Without delay, Clay gave the word and we were off in a flurry of cowbell!

Optimistically jacketless and bare legged at about 9c/48f

You can just see Brian M. ahead of me and Patty S., with Moy H. & Jeff H. walking

I left my water bottle behind with Tank for the first lap, but took my phone so I could get some photos of the conditions off the start. Wanna come for a loop? 

You should be fine - Brian and Patty will come along, too

One of the two willow trees at the northwest corner fell recently, so the left turn at the portajohns comes a few metres sooner than last year.

The one that likes to get fresh and smack people in the face, though?
Still standing

The new trail rejoins the old one at the first of the fun signs out on course this year

I'm gonna need it, little beaver

Now you're into the long downhill stretch along the west side of the big field - the most runnable part of the course.

Also the windiest, as the cornfield to the west allows the gale a good long run-up before it hits you

Left turn at the bottom into the tunnel of trees at the base of the hill

This is where the fun begins

The fall colours were lovely through here

This flat singletrack takes you past the sketchy outhouse, which had acquired a couple of signs this year

I believe you, Admiral Ackbar, but it's still better than the washroom facilities at a lot of races

Continue on to the T-intersection, and hook right

The wet morning made the colours so vibrant

"But K?" you ask..."When will we get to climb a hill?"

Never fear - Bonus Hill #1 is here!

It's not a big one, but it's definitely enough to make me drop to a walk even while fresh. Fortunately it wasn't as leaf-covered as it had been early in the race last year - or perhaps we had Brad, Mark, and Debbie to thank for that?

Onward through another tunnel of trees

You emerge from the forest on the east side with a wide-open view over a field past a bank of raspberry bushes and other tangled growth.

It was green again, but not as vibrantly green as last year

The sun tried to come out for a moment, brightening all the colours even further

Even raising a bit of mist

Plunging back into the forest, you're now on the downhill journey along Stump Alley

They retained a tiny bit of last year's blaze orange paint, but not much

Left at the bottom - watch the last little stump! - then left turn into the forest loop

The course is so well marked, and you get a little more downhill after this

This section - which felt like coming home, in a way - had acquired a new name that I absolutely adored

I'd later get booed out of the aid station for:
"Why do ewoks run? Because they love the Endor-phins!"

This brings you - as you begin to climb a very gentle rise - to the halfway point of the 1.091 mile/1.756km loop.

The sign lights up at night!

A bit more gentle rise through pine forest, so lovely and soft underfoot

There was already a thing signed BONUS HILL - Qui Gon has clearly been into the gin

Curling past the giant stick shelter

I didn't actually go into it this year

Now for a disappointingly terrible photo of one of my favourite spots on the whole course: a little straightaway through rows of tall pine trees with beautiful green undergrowth. It's flat, it's soft, and it was the place I'd start running again after hiking past the halfway mark.

Usually right at that tree in the foreground, that encroaches a little from the right

Just a few strides take you to the right hand turn toward the south

So many helpful markers to keep us on track

Then another straightaway - very subtly downhill - past the line of metal posts

People often tell me a 1mi loop must be boring, but I disagree

Hard right at the Shining-esque Han Solo picture

Heeeeere's Han-y!

There were lots of course markers as well, which was probably a good thing for me!

This is the corner I blew on my third lap last year while trying to send directions to a friend on my phone

This takes you into the most densely forested part of the whole course - where you could honestly believe that the woods just go on forever, and you're totally alone

I love it

This is also the most technical section, with a few little twists and stumps and very narrow trail

Even Solo is on high alert

Then - oh look! Another bonus!

It's not very big - yet - but enough that you feel it

It also features a pair of step-over fallen trees at the top

The dirt below them being severely undercut by the passage of many toes

I'm as shocked as anyone that - to date - they've never sent me sprawling

Once over the top, you immediately turn right onto the main north-south trail

You'd honestly have to try to get lost

Now there's a short downhill toward the entrance to the Endor Loop

Mind the toe catcher root on the right

Another new sign here - apparently all as a result of my post about last year!

It does seem the natural name

Uphill through the stumps this time

With lots of little round-bottomed pinecones about

Now you're on one, long, straight path out of the forest toward the start/finish area.

..but you're not out of the woods yet.

You'll crest a rise, then head back down bonus hill #1 - I thought I could hear the rain beginning to fall once again

Past the bench - watch the roots

You'll come across the top of the T-intersection at the base of the hill, and then...well..

There it is.

While I remembered it being slick with mud - as it had been for the second and third day last year - it was surprisingly firm so far, with the rain not having really penetrated the surface.

..making it less difficult, but not what I'd call easy.

I remembered the trouble in the back of my right knee last year - triggered (I think) by allowing my heel to drop while climbing this beast, overstraining the upper attachment of my calf muscles - and made sure I stayed on my toes the whole way up.

It starts to ease off a bit as the grass returns

..but it still seems to go on forever.

Starting to get wet as the rain picks up

You'd think it would flatten out at the top, but it merely reduces in grade as you reach the sparse stand of pine trees

At least you can walk normally here

You rejoin a wider dirt path that runs east-west along the south side of the field

This was one of the slickest spots at the end of last year's event, but was thankfully only slightly damp now

If you look to your left here, you get a spectacular view of the fall colours beyond the cornfield that borders the long downhill near the beginning of the loop.

Quite muted so far in the cloudy morning, but that would change!

Keep following the singletrack due north along the east edge of the field on top of the hill.

Still moving - you guessed it - ever so slightly uphill

As the aid station and start/finish come into view - with spectacular fall colours behind them, across a field on the other side of Seiling Road - you finally get a small stretch of gentle downhill to finish the 1.091 mile/1.756km loop.

..and repeat as many more times as you have race and/or inclination left.

Garmin generated map of the course

I'd laid down about a 15-minute first lap, stopping here and there along the way to take photos, and ducked into the aid station to drop off my phone and pick up my bottle before heading back out

I also collected a smooch from this guy, who'd be on site with me the whole way

It was so far, so good here - at approximately one ninety-sixth of the way through: I hadn't heard a peep from my broken toe or the gouge out of my heel, and just some initial non-painful stiffness that faded to nothing as my achilles warmed up. The rain wasn't awesome, but it wasn't supposed to last. I just bopped out of there and worked on getting some laps in, without really working too hard because there was still a long way to go.

Sexy pace FTW!

A couple more people showed up in the first hour or so - Wes F. and his wife (whose name I never caught), and Maria M. and Nat V. turned up on course. With my rather pedestrian pace, I found it a bit chilly now that I was damp, and threw on a wind vest to try to keep my core warm.

It didn't exactly work for the costume, but preventing hypothermia felt a little more important

The wind began to rise, and after one particularly nasty spatter of light hail (as I ran directly into it across the field toward the portajohns, inspiring a great deal of foul language), the rain faded and the sun came out at last.

To be fair, I'd have slept in too, if I could

Blue skies were a welcome sight!

I started eating after my second lap, at 30mins in - just 3 fuzzy peaches, which were unpleasantly hard in the chilly weather, and were the only ones I ate (despite having gone through an entire bag of them last year). 

Pfft - shows what you know, buddy!

I had an Endurance Tap 45mins later, but then got chatting with Maria and totally forgot to eat for a bit! I was drinking a lot less water, too; I really am terrible at remembering this stuff when I'm wrapped up in conversation.

Not to mention gaping at how pretty the woods look in sunshine!

Fortunately I had Tank helping me take notes to keep track of when I ate (as well as marking my laps for me), so I was able to see and correct things pretty quickly. This helped a lot since my watch was buried under my glove cuff, cut-off sock "gauntlet", and the sleeve of my shirt; I hadn't actually looked at it at all yet, so had no real sense of the passage of time and was very grateful for Tank's assistance! Several times throughout the day and night, he'd even fill my water bottle for me and bring it over to meet me as I exited the portajohn, despite the biting wind.

I'm so lucky to have him to support my dumb arse with this stuff!
(Brian M. and Agnes J. - who turned up for a couple of hours - ahead, with Patty S. crouched down by Clay's van in the background)

I got a couple of my most recent mid-race love into me: gluten-free Oreos!

Tank actually had to point out to me that "GLUTEN FREE" is baked right into the design of them

I cannot tell you how many of these I've eaten without noticing, but this is a wonderful way for those of us with food allergies to be able to confirm before munching away!

I followed the cookies up with a Skratch Labs "anytime" bar to catch up on calories a bit - it was still less than 3 hours in, and I didn't want to get behind too much. I'd also begun taking in S!caps for electrolyte replacement; I wasn't sweating that much due to the cool weather (the temperature never got above 10c/50f) and blustery wind, but I had to remember that I'd be at this for a little longer than your average run.

..and there was really no way to keep from sweating when climbing the main and bonus hills.

Things were definitely not getting any warmer, though, and I noticed the skin on my bare thighs was red and covered in goosebumps. That sort of thing might fly for a 6-hour, but I couldn't afford to get chilled and have hypothermia potentially end my day: I had to stay ahead of the chill, particularly as it was supposed to drop to near the freezing mark overnight. I had brought lots of extra clothes, including a pair of compression tights that would probably be a great option to keep on as the hours passed (I'd worn the poor things for 40+ hours last year), but there was a problem: my shoes felt good, and I didn't want to disturb them.

I'm a big proponent of not messing with what's working in an ultra

As I came in from a lap around 3h15m, I asked Tank to have a pair of running pants (the same Champion ones I used last year - they're heckin' awesome and I have 2 pairs) ready for me when I returned; he was as good as his word once I helped him find them, and I managed to roll up the legs and pull them on over my shoes while sitting down just long enough to do so and eat a stroopwafel. 

Then it was back out there!

Now that I was a little warmer, I asked Tank if he wanted to go out for a lap with me: I figured the pants would keep me from getting chilled if I walked a whole lap, and he agreed to come with.

He's a sweetheart like that

He was actually the one who noticed that the mesh back of my wind vest - by some hilarious coincidence - perfectly framed the little cartoon jetpack on the back of my Boba Fett dress!

Too bad this one doesn't work, either

You can see in the pic above how soaked the back of my dress was - well, I was still wearing the shorts I'd started out in under the pants, and the back of them (which comes up to my ribcage; they're high waisted, and I barely have a torso at all) was very soggy as well. This meant my lower back was pretty chilly as I walked along, and I hoped they'd dry out soon. In the meantime, I was showing Tank the various points of interest along the course.

Like this big bone - which as far as I can tell is half a coyote pelvis - on the rock at the T-intersection

I also realized how programmed I was at the various points along the course where I would start to run again after a walk break: I crested bonus hill #1 while chatting with Tank, then started to run down the other side before I came to my senses and dropped back to a walk!

I kept myself in check for the rest of the loop, and did get a much better photo of my favourite little stretch of trail!

Tank pointed out some things to me that I hadn't yet noticed, too - particularly through the latter half of the Endor loop, I was so focused on the ground and watching my step so I wouldn't trip or damage an ankle that I completely missed things at head level or above.

Like this tree - cracked so badly by its top breaking that you can see right through it!

I found some new things along the way, too - moving more slowly through the runnable stretches revealed wonders of the trail that I'd overlooked on previous laps.

Like tiny flowers in the undergrowth

Tank got to see the lovely forest in the beautiful sun - such a rare thing in all my time spent here.

I think a little piece of my heart will live here forever

There was also a new development: on my previous lap, I'd been behind Brian, Patty, and Agnes when Brian had tripped over the little stump at the bottom of bonus hill #2. Patty wondered why they hadn't been painted again this year, and said she'd seen the blaze orange paint sitting in the aid station tent. I guess they must have picked it up and gone to work while I was getting my trousers on, as there were suddenly slicks of wet orange paint on some of the toe catchers as you emerged from the forest loop.

Including the little rotted out stump on which Brian had tripped

A little later on, Gary came out and thoroughly sprayed all of the tripping points, including many I hadn't even realized were there! The irony being that just after he sprayed them, I actually caught the toe of my left shoe on two separate obstacles, leaving a dot of wet orange paint on my shoe. I guess I was better off not knowing they were there!

It may also have correlated with me starting to get tired and clumsy

I dropped Tank off after our lap together and started running again to warm myself up, and fortunately my shorts ceased feeling cold and wet against my back by the end of the next lap.  It was a little disconcerting, though, how early on in the race things started to hurt: my neck and shoulders got very stiff and sore by 3hrs in from looking down in front of my to watch my step (whether effectively or not), and my adductors were complaining about the steepest climbs and slanty bits of trail by 4 hours. I had recently got over an issue in my left adductors/groin, and hoped it would hold up to what was certainly beyond the normal amount of strain.

The wind continued rising - at times screaming through the woods - and my arms got chilly, so I asked Tank to ready the wind jacket on which I'd spent close to 6 hours drawing Boba Fett's armour and gauntlets, so I could finally actually try running in it!

The plain sage green jacket was $30 shipped from Old Navy

I was pretty confident it would be a winner as it was very lightweight, soft, and very well vented...but I'd never actually taken a step in it before. I had some trepidations as I stripped off my cut-off sock gauntlets and threw it on: I had brought other jackets in case I hated it, but to my delight it was absolutely perfect! It was actually much quieter and less swishy than my other wind jackets, so I may even have a new favourite!

If you think I care about looking like a dork in a Boba Fett jacket while just out on a regular run, you're clearly new here

Of course, I hadn't been doing myself any favours when it came to staying warm: sure, I'd put some clothes on, but I was forgetting to eat again. I came into the aid station around 1:30pm (4.5hrs in) and saw my friend Rich P. had arrived - he had been kind enough to pace me through the Friday night last year, and he came with me as I left for another lap with a turkey wrap (small corn tortilla with 2 slices of hickory smoked turkey lunchmeat and a slathering of mustard). I ate the turkey wrap as he and I chatted and walked or ran along, but it was over an hour before I remembered to get any more calories into me!

Good company just makes the time fly!

Rich did a few laps with me, then hung out with some other folks on course and shot some video (you can see his final edit, complete with Clay's spiel about the race, in his facebook video). I finally got another Endurance Tap gel and a crisp rice square into me just before 3pm, then a stroopwafel to catch up a bit at 3:30pm. Rich headed out not long after 4pm, by which time I had slowed significantly. My knees were getting quite sore, I think from the rather hard-packed gravel and dirt on the long downhill stretch. It was the least soft portion of the whole course, and it was beating me up!

It's the most runnable part, but that just means it does the most damage

In an attempt to give my knees a break and catch up on calories, I set off at 4.23pm with a butter tart in hand, a shot of vitamin B12 spray in my throat, and a determination to walk the full lap. I also began to formulate a plan to just walk through the night, as I wasn't sure how much longer I'd be able to run anyway. Fortunately it wasn't the same issue as last year - and I'd already run more consistently than I had on day 1 of 2021 - just an ache under my kneecaps from all the pounding.

I'm not some willow-thin little thing like so many runners...partly thanks to butter tarts!

I had brought my phone with me as I walked along, and decided to check the weather. As I'd suspected, it had got a bit chillier, and the wind was still quite fierce.

The wind gust speed it cut off, but was certainly 50kph+

It was supposed to stay dry - and the wind had admittedly helped dispel some of the damp from the morning's rain - but it was going to get chiiiiiiiiillllllllllyyyyyyyyy.

I'd have to bundle up and hope

I got a bit cold as I got back on top of the hill and into the wind again - the forest stayed warmer during the day as it insulated you from the gale, but the full force of it would come whipping across the field.

It wasn't so bad on the way to the aid station as you'd warm up climbing the big hill, but making the left toward the portajohns put you right into it

I started running again, and my knees felt ok for a bit, but rapidly got sore once more. I probably only had a couple of hours left of being able to run without severe pain, so I formulated a plan to deal with all of this: sunset was at 6:39pm, so I figured I'd get a few more laps in and then head into the aid station and do an almost full change of clothes as the sun was setting. After that, my goal was just to walk through the night - preferably staying dry, if I could manage it - moving efficiently with minimal stops. In the meantime, I'd take advantage of the remaining daylight to get as much mileage in as I could before the dusk came with just shy of 13 hours til sunrise.

I'd make hay while the sun shone, which it had deigned to do once more

I felt better having a plan in place, and got down to the work at hand - I was moving slower and slower, running a bit less each lap, but I was still running!

Feeling much stronger than I had last year

I got through the first 50km (according to my watch, which reads a little short for distance) just under 8h10m, which actually made it my second fastest 50k this year. 

Between my jacket, shirt, and glove cuff, my watch was still pretty buried!

I wandered along thinking about how many laps I'd done, and how many I might be able to get in: I had some goals in mind, and giggled at the thought that I might end up with 69 laps, because I am a heckin' child no matter what my birthdate might say. I had another stroopwafel after that lap, just as we began to creep into the golden hour - that last hour before the sun sets, when it seems to drench everything it touches in honey.

My favourite time to be out on a trail!

As I passed the portajohns I had a pretty unique race experience - the sight of a horse-drawn buggy passing the gate, most likely taking some Mennonite home for their dinner.

"Tell me your race is rural without telling me your race is rural"

Our worlds were as foreign to one another as if we'd grown up on different planets, sharing naught but the coincidence of a single moment in time and place. I turned to head down the hill, and they continued their drive east along the gravel and dirt of Seiling Road.

The fall colours in the distance putting on a show in the evening light

Things were getting more and more painful, but I kept pushing as best I could, knowing that the coming darkness would spell the end of my running for the day. I made the decision partly for safety reasons: it's not the easiest course, with its many stumps and toe-catcher roots, and I had not lined up any pacers (Rich coming out was a welcome surprise!). Most of the others who had started the 24hr - including Brian M. (whose back was giving him too much grief to continue); Moy and Jim; and the late starters like Wes, his wife, and Maria - were already off course, having done as much as they wanted or were able. Debbie B. was planning to return, but I'd likely be alone for long stretches of the night, and if I were to trip on a stump and go face-first into another, it might be awhile before someone found me. Walking would reduce the risk of me tripping as I got tired and clumsy.

Well, clumsier.

Fortunately the wind was finally starting to drop, and it had actually warmed up ever so slightly.

That, however, was the last of the warming

At 6:15pm - nine and a quarter hours in - I slammed another Endurance Tap gel for some quick calories, grabbed my headlamp (as it was getting quite gloomy in the shade of the pine forest already), and told Tank the things I'd like him to get ready for me to change into. Then I headed out for my final daylight lap, on loudly protesting knees.

The sun had dropped below the visible horizon by the time I returned 18mins later

With 5mins before actual sunset and about 59.5km/37mi done, I wandered into the aid station tent and stripped off my hat, the wet tubular gaiter covering my ears, my wind jacket, gloves, dress, wool longsleeve shirt, and my soggy sports bra. I donned a wool sports bra first, then a grid fleece base layer shirt, fleece running skirt (that I'd made myself last winter, with Darth Vader sugar skulls on it), a soft shell jacket with insulation through the chest, upper back, and arms, a pair of dollar store glow-in-the-dark skeleton gloves, and a fleece-lined tubular gaiter (with the Star Wars logo and a storm trooper on it) for my head plus another tubular gaiter for my neck.

I explained that the one on my neck might not look Star Wars-y, but since it features outlines of the Isle of Skye and I was now a walker..

I stuffed a turkey wrap in my face and my headlamp in my pocket, and Tank came out with me to walk my first night lap. I explained to him that the inside of my left knee - my VMO - was starting to get cranky as I climbed the two steepest hills (the top of bonus hill #2, and the big hill; the ones I was doing on my toes). I suggested that if it got any worse, I'd probably pick up at least one trekking pole to help me with those. 

Just as it got dark enough to need lights

Walking flats and downhills felt ok - I was shocked that my feet were still quite happy in my original pair of shoes, which meant I was still in the shorts and pants I had been wearing for hours as I hadn't wanted to disturb my footwear - and I was still moving pretty well, taking about 25mins for the lap even with a somewhat slow stop at the portajohns as I now had a brand new set of layers to figure out. It's not super easy to figure out pulling up shorts, then pants, then pulling down shirt tail, skirt, and jacket before closing the lid of the john and retrieving my right glove from my pocket. Yes, I took it off for every portajohn stop this year; sometimes I do learn from past mistakes!

The aid station looked amazing with all the lights Gary had put up!

I dropped off my phone with Tank as I headed off into the last of the light, knowing that my best bet was just to keep moving - no matter how slowly - and that I would take very few photos in the dark.

The sky went even redder as I took off for my next lap, but of course I had no way to capture it!

As I hiked through the darkness, I got myself into a pretty good rhythm and was moving well - Merlin F. had showed up to volunteer and came out for a lap, he and Debbie following me up the big hill and expressing some concern over a "limp" he saw, but I knew it was just my toes-only way of toddling up the hill to protect my calves. My knee had actually stopped hurting on the steep climbs, for which I was grateful! I also had options available to me for further assistance along the way if I needed them: namely, my trekking poles and my waist light. Furthermore, I'd only had a single cup of coffee (that Tank sweetly brewed for me before we left home) an hour or so prior to race time, so I could use caffeine through the night to help me stay awake and hopefully alert.

I was burning fewer calories, so my nutrition intake slowed down a bit but I could take in more at a time without any fear of GI issues: I had a delicious chocolate macaroon around 8pm (11hrs in), and celebrated passing 70km with 3 more GF Oreos around 9pm. Tank joined me for a night lap (after getting changed into warmer clothes himself) around 9:40pm so I could show him the awesome lights that Gary and Dree had set up in the Endor loop.

Approaching the halfway mark - note all the painted roots, which had a coating of retroreflective paint to fluoresce in our headlamps, too!

I had another macaroon around 10pm after my lap with Tank, and a shot of B12 plus a crisp rice square after 2 more laps in 45mins (10:45pm - heading for 14 hours deep). Debbie B. showed up around 11pm after having attended a wedding reception that evening, and we chatted for a bit but she simply walked too fast for me and soon ditched me in the woods. I could hear either a bunch of dogs barking, or maybe coyotes? Shortly after that I heard something that was maybe fireworks, or possibly gunshots - I couldn't figure out which.

Puck lights and lumicord light the halfway point, but threw no light on my queries 

I'd had a bit of trouble as darkness set in following the trail as it winds through the forest past the halfway marker - I find it devilishly difficult to follow a trail through pine woods in the dark as there's no undergrowth to set a border to the trail, and the carpet of pine needles doesn't really show footprints well. I had basically been tracking the painted roots to keep me on track, but Gary made a full path of puck lights around the east end of the Endor loop that helped immensely.

I could have grabbed my waist light, but now I didn't need to!

I suggested that Tank try to get down for a nap around 11pm so he could hopefully sleep while I was still fairly fresh - he agreed, and wandered off to our car to try to nap in the passenger seat. I passed 80km on my watch around 14h25m (11:25pm) and celebrated with a butter tart, delighted that I was still moving well. Let's keep in mind that I was only able to cover 90km in the first 24hrs of last year's race, and while I had taken a couple of naps during that time and it had rained, I felt that with more than 9.5hrs to go I could well exceed my 2021 mileage. The course was in great shape, and I was still hiking along quite efficiently.

I wasn't even really feeling tired

Tim N. showed up in the night to volunteer at the aid station, with he, Gary, and Merlin checking in on me when I'd come in to see if I needed anything while Tank got his head down. I kept up salt, calories, and maybe a bit more water than I ought to: I was having to use the portajohn every 3 laps (about once per hour), but I also have to pee a lot when I rehydrate myself after a period of dehydration - it's very likely that I'd been a bit behind on water intake while I was running, and my bladder was a little overactive now that my stores were replenished. 

Puck lights at the foot of the metal posts (whose tags are retroreflective already) made the east end of the Endor loop incredibly bright!

Another turkey wrap at quarter to one (15h45m), and I returned to the aid station at 1:05am (16h5m) to find Tanker back up and about - he had been too cold to sleep, though, so I hoped he might get another chance to try later. 

It wasn't as cold as they'd predicted (yet), but I also hoped they'd be wrong about the incoming rain shower!

I ate a chocolate brownie Larabar for some solid calories, hit the portajohn (again!), and a little more than 30mins later I equaled the total distance I'd achieved in the first 24hrs of 2021.

I still had another 7h22m to rack up more!

By this time I was definitely feeling the effects of my time on feet - my neck, shoulders, ankles, and knees were all getting very cranky, though I'd figured out by this point the pain in the inside of my left knee was from my leg collapsing inward as I climbed on my toes. I could control that, but not the increasing ache in the rest of...well, almost everything. I was also starting to get a bit tired and clumsy, so I put in one more loop, then came into the aid station at 1:57am - just about 17hrs in - and sat the heck down for a few minutes to drink a cup of coffee.

Oh, sweet bean!

I thought I'd been in that chair for ages when I got back to my feet - still without my poles or waist light - but it turned out to be just under 10mins. I shuffled slowly back off into the night, zipping my jacket up to my chin in the cold air: there were propane heaters in the aid station so it was lovely and warm, and I'd have to zip down my jacket on bonus hill #2 and the big hill each lap as I'd feel the heat bloom in my chest from the effort of climbing, but I'd always have to re-zip as I turned at the aid station into the cold night breeze. It was a constant cycle of zip/unzip to regulate temperature, but I was staying on top of it and mostly staying sweat-free.

The moonrise had been amazing, too

I tried to keep myself to a schedule of walking 3 laps (with water fills and portajohn stops as required) before coming in to have something to eat, scarfing back a handful of tortilla chips at 2:50am (17h50m). By 4am I'd just passed 100km - which had been my base goal for this year - and decided that was worthy of another sit-down to give my poor legs a break. My right knee was getting very grumpy on the downhills; a sort of runner's knee thing below my kneecap, which I think I'd got a taste of last year.

It was at this time I commented "Only 5 hours to go! Wait, that's longer than a lot of whole events. Nevermind."

Tank had sweetly boiled up water and made a packet of instant noodle soup for me in a thermos around 10pm, as I knew the thermos would keep it incredibly hot for several hours and it would probably be at a good eating temperature by deep into the night. Well, here we were, and yes it was! I enjoyed every bite - my first hot food since oatmeal at 6am Saturday, 22 hours prior - and once again thought I'd spent at least 30mins in the chair that turned out to be only 12mins.

Then I was back out there again, with less than 3 hours until first light

I told Tank he should try to go for another nap before daylight - he had to drive us home, after all! - and he went to go do so as I toddled off into the dark once more. I wasn't sleepy at all, but I was getting a bit clumsy again - I tripped over a couple of things here and there, giving a nasty jolt to my left hamstrings that they did not appreciate in the least. I'd carried my phone with me through a lot of the night, and checked the weather again hoping that the rain had dropped out of the forecast.

Nope.

I kept telling myself that either poles or my waist light (or both) were options I could grab at any time, but I felt like I was doing ok without, despite increasing pain from my right knee on downhills. I went over an hour and a quarter with no nutrition, then came in at 5:25am (20h25m) for another cup of coffee, another macaroon, and another 9mins off my feet. Then I was back out the tent door - which inconveniently had a chair in the middle of its narrow opening for most of the night that was a bit hazardous to get 'round - hitting 110km minutes later.

My stretch goal was possibly in reach..

Years ago, the race director of the Dirty Girls Ultra had posted that 120km in 24hrs at the Mansfield Outdoor Centre was the equivalent of a 30hr 100mi at Sulphur Springs. Now, I don't believe that Three Days in the Park has quite as much elevation as Dirty Girls did, but I had set my stretch goal for the 24h this year at 120km nonetheless. I couldn't afford to lose a lot of time and would have to move pretty efficiently, but with a little less than 3.5hrs to make 10km I thought it was do-able even as I struggled with my sore knee and general poor condition. I had sort of crunched the inside of my right ankle (an ongoing, intermittent issue this year) with an ill-advised step near the top of the big hill earlier, and everything else was rapidly deteriorating, too.

But Endor is calling, and I must go

It took me an hour and a quarter to make 3 more laps before allowing myself to sit down for another 5 minutes at 6:42am to eat another crisp rice square and take another shot of B12. I had hoped that Tanker would be back from his nap by then, but he was still in our car trying to sleep. I left the aid station after my little snack and tapped on the window to wake him, for one of the most pathetic conversations of all time.

K: "Taaaaaanko"

Tank: "Hmph? Whaaa?"

K: "Can I get you to do me a huge favour?"

Tank: *opens car door* "Whaaat?"

K: "Can you please get up and make me grilled cheez? I really just want to sit and eat and let the sun come up."

Tank: *sighs* "Ok.."

I thanked him profusely, and hobbled off into the night. 

As I made my rather painful way 'round the loop, though, the first light of dawn began to break!

Across the big green field

The light grew as I wandered through the forest, to the point I no longer needed my headlamp once I'd tiptoed my way up the big hill.

Such cool light in the overcast

Bless my dear man's heart - when I stumbled back into the aid station at 7:08am (22h8m), he had a gluten-free, dairy-free grilled cheez sammich hot and ready for me!

He'd made me one at 4:30am on the final morning of the 72hr last year that I swear was magic, and this one tasted like heaven!

Twelve minutes later, I realized I had to go if I wanted to get in 4 more laps, which I hoped would bring me to my stretch goal and definitely fulfill my prophecy from the prior evening. At 7:20am - with 1h40m left - I marched off in the pre-sunrise light to go get it the heck done.

Though first, portajohn again!

I was definitely not in great shape by this point - I nearly threw my back out twice in the next couple of laps by coughing, and even my top lip was sore from drinking from my hand bottle for untold hours - but I was smelling the barn and had a mission to complete. I laid down two of my quickest walking laps, not longer caring if I worked up a lather of sweat as I strained up the hills and limped down the descents.

Petition to call this thing "The Emperor", because he's one evil bastard

As I came in from my 67th lap - almost 118km/just over 73mi - I asked Tank to get my dress (which had been hanging up over a support beam in the aid station tent to dry since I took it off at sunset), hoodie, and jetpack ready for me when I got back from my 3rd post-grilled-cheez lap. I'd have to do a quick change if I wanted to finish this in costume!

Yet I still took a moment to snap a pic of these little flowers, which had been closed all night and re-opened as day broke

My sweet man did just as I asked, and at 23h20m I pulled into the aid station tent to whip off my fleece skirt and insulated jacket, then throw on the dress, hoodie, and jetpack for my final loop.

Dree was back up from a sleep and caught me emerging for my victory lap!

Clay was filming as I took off, so of course I had to run now! I only managed about a hundred metres or so before my poor legs and tired body put a stop to that nonsense, though, and I dropped back to a walk. I realized that I still had about half an hour to make this lap (and partial laps don't count), so I actually slowed quite a bit and just tried to enjoy my final tour of the course.

I may have also done something dorky like set my phone's camera on a timer in the woods..

As I crested the hill for the final time, I pulled out the last bit of my costume from the pocket of my hoodie and threw it on - I hadn't wanted to do so earlier as I wasn't sure how badly it would impair my vision, and I didn't want to fall now!

Fortunately the optics were way better than I expected!

As I reached the final gentle downhill, I broke into a run once more - Tank even had the foresight to meet me with my blaster for the last few feet, so I took it from him and ran it in while firing a victory shot or two.

Dree once again with the capture

Then it was all over for me except a high five from Clay

And some very kind congratulations from my dear friends and loved ones

Official total: 69 laps / 75.3mi / 121.44km

(Garmin data is here)

I actually had the most distance of anyone in any race other than Brad, who'd done 100mi before bowing out of the 72hr

Better yet, I was able to far surpass my fundraising goal and bring in $600 for the Mood Disorders Society of Canada!

Thank you so much to everyone who made a donation!

I honestly don't believe this could have gone any smoother - I didn't even have any chafing apart from a tiny bit in my hip creases (as I'd kept forgetting to re-apply lube at all), no GI problems (despite taking in approximately 3,950cal and eight S!caps), and no blisters. No issues with the broken toe, gouge out of my heel, or really anything except some over-use issues with my knee, sore hamstrings from my clumsiness in the night, and a bit of lace bite on top of my ankles as I hadn't loosened off my shoelaces. I attribute a lot of my success at this event to the soft surface of the trail, especially in the forest - with my longest run of the year to date having been 52km at Sunburn Solstice in June, I was surprised by how long I was able to keep running without too much discomfort. The hard-packed gravel on the long downhill beats me up badly, though - I'm grateful that there's no pavement or cement, otherwise I'd have been in much worse shape! I also believe the dry conditions this year were a huge factor: with no mud there was no slipping, and after the initial bit of rain my shoes and feet dried out, which meant all my tape stayed intact and I never developed any blisters.

Getting ready to pull it all off, while flat on my back in bed

I also believe I was successful due to discipline: eating regularly (and recording what and when I ate for reference and to show any gaps), drinking plenty of water, and getting the heck up and going even after sitting down in the night. I did not fall prey to the time suck that a chair can be, and usually thought I'd been sitting longer than I had - my breaks only totaled 1h10m (apart from portajohn stops), which is a massive improvement on my 72hr performance when I was only actually out on course for about 2/3 of the available time.

Of course, I also have to give huge credit for any bit of success to my sweetheart Tank. He's an absolute rockstar and I could never do this stuff without his unflagging help and support.

Thank you for everything, my love!

He was even sweet enough to give me a ride over to the portajohns after Patty finished (the only other person to go the full 24hrs - congrats!), and I'd sat and drank a cup of coffee, plus hugged and said goodbye to Clay and Dree as they packed up the aid station while the wind began to rise once more.

Because they looked to be about a million miles away

I've been taking it pretty easy since the race - have only gone for walks, with no strength work or running at all - as I would really like to get myself properly healed up before going into winter running. I suppose having done the 72hr and 24hr now, all that's left is for me to try the 48hr..

..but I wasn't willing to wait any longer to get this done.

If you're looking for a great low-key challenge, I can't recommend this event enough. The loop has so much variety I never find it gets dull, and you'll receive the best support you can imagine from folks who know exactly what it takes to get through as many laps as you care to attempt. Hope I'll see you there next year!

I'll still be a dork though