When last we met, I'd just got up from a nap to find someone's leftovers on the trail, and the overnight rain had just ended. Ron Gehl had returned from his day at home (after a rough night Thursday in the 72hr that led to him leaving mid-day Friday; I'd been the only one on course for about 22hrs now), having slept for 11.5hrs and warmed up sufficiently to give it another shot, and Merlin had come out to run the 24hr as a way to test nutrition strategies for a future 100mi attempt.
So now I had some company as I poled my way around
The morning remained overcast and the forecast predicted rain would continue, so I'd layered up the same as the overnight (in fact, I hadn't really changed when I went for a nap; I slept in the same grid fleece base layer shirt and sweater, and even the same tubular gaiter over my ears. I had put on a fresh pair of tights before the nap, and just slapped on the fleece skirt, hat, and water-resistant jacket before heading out the tent door), hoping the hill wouldn't get too much more slippery with two extra pairs of feet now out there to squelch the wet into the dirt.
In the daylight I could see a couple of spots where my foot had slipped in the mud the night before
Morning had brought more dog walkers: this time a woman with no less than two large off-leash dogs, who came absolutely pelting at me as I turned into the Endor loop. They had no recall at all, and one of them - while excitedly running past me - cracked me right on the shin with its back leg. I don't blame the dog, but it hurt and I may have said something rather sharp to the woman.
I had enough to worry about just trying to keep moving and not trip over stuff on the trail, like this little fellow I call the Scary Stump
I did try running a little, but my knees immediately said NOPE - the pressure on them was unbearable when I'd land, so it looked like Saturday would be an all-day hike. Forward is forward, though: with no-one else in the 48hr it's not like I was in competition with anything except for my own bodily breakdown, and since I've never done a 48hr before it would automatically be a PR distance.
I have had "Just walk the mile that's in front of you" written on a piece of tape stuck on the top of one of the big plastic totes I use for bringing gear to these events since I did the 72hr in 2021
The temperature came up a bit from 7c overnight to around 10c, but the wind was rising as well. Fortunately it blew some of the cloud away, and a bit of blue sky began to peek through before 10am.
Ron out and about, just having stepped over the deadfall
It was nice to see that the combination of footsteps and rain had repaired much of the damage done to the trail the previous evening by the kids on dirt bikes: their tire tracks had basically been obliterated in the Endor loop, so you'd never really know they'd been there except a bit of a hole (that Gary had kicked a bunch of dirt into, patching it up) by the fallen logs that had stymied them at the end of the loop.
You can also see that the knobby tire tore a bunch of new splinters off the lower fallen log
I wasn't feeling particularly Star Wars-y, and wanted more pockets - the jacket I wore overnight only has one on the chest; same with the sweater I wore beneath it, making it inconvenient to carry both snacks and my phone. I did eat a big oatmeal raisin cookie around 10am, just munching it back as I walked toward the portajohns; it was pretty easy to take in calories at any point since I wasn't trying to run anymore.
I had even moved more to stepping sideways over the deadfall and alternating my lead leg, to change up muscle recruitment
I was experimenting with just using my hand bottle for fluids instead of putting on my little vest (which I bought specifically for the 72hr so I could hold a bottle hands-free), hoping it would help me remember to drink more - I find the bottle in my vest kind of easy to forget about or ignore, and dehydration wouldn't help anything.
It was looking rather more pleasant out now, too
The lack of pockets might lead to me not eating enough, so - with it now looking much less like it might rain any moment - I switched up to my Boba Fett wind jacket before 11am.
As you can see, I was even able to ventilate a little in the emerging sun!
Speaking of eating enough: I had made sure to bring 4 eggs and a mess of shoulder bacon with us, as I had figured Tank could cook himself up some breakfast on Saturday and Sunday morning. Now that Saturday morning was actually here, I realized that we'd really just be packing up on Sunday (as the event ended at 9am), and I was hungry. I talked to Tank between loops, and asked if he could pretty please make us some bacon and eggs?
I had just finished my 65th loop - about 114km
He had to wait a few minutes for one of the other volunteers to cover marking laps, but by the time I got in from my 66th he was busy over the stove making bacon!
That man is a keeper!
I would have gone for another lap while he made eggs, but I stopped (at 66 laps/~116km) for a couple of reasons: first, I knew I'd be gone close to 20mins if I did, at which point there's no way things would still be hot. Second, poor Tank needed the portajohn, and we never leave the stove running while it's unattended for safety reasons. So, I hung out and made eggs for both of us.
Then loaded up my bacon & eggs on a piece of bread with a bit of mayonnaise, because I was looking for a meal
As it turned out, there was still some coffee left in the thermos from Friday night as well, so I washed down my brunch with a cup.
Still fairly hot, too - let it be known that a really good thermos is a huge asset for stupidly long events!
It was nice to sit down out of the wind, too: possibly entirely too nice, as I was off course for another three quarters of an hour! That did include some light cookery, that delicious cup of coffee, and the most minor of wardrobe changes.
Got my stormtrooper hat back on!
The forecast continued to predict rain, and the wind kept blowing in nasty-looking clouds: I kept saying to myself that it may start coming down any moment, but then it would suddenly clear to sunshine again. I just adjusted the zips on my jacket and sweater as I felt too warm or too cool, which often happened on the same lap: no matter how easy I tried to go, I'd always end up with a bloom of heat in my chest after climbing the big stinkin' hill.
Which was nice, before reaching the wind-blasted field
The wind did actually help with one thing: despite the lack of sun, it dried out the bottom of the hill enough that traction was no longer an issue. I kept the pole, though, as my legs were definitely not improving, and it was a great help in getting up the climbs. I made about 118km by noon, just trucking along at what I'll generously term a "power hike" while Merlin and Ron ran and shuffled and generally moved much faster than I was able to.
But hey, I probably got to see more stuff, including this healthy little fellow
I ate a few more fuzzy peaches, but even they were losing their appeal - I didn't have a pocket that would keep them close enough to my body to warm them up, and they were quite stiff in the cool weather, and would stick in my teeth as I chewed them. Dree showed up sometime a bit later, and after checking in at the aid station with a bunch of food and decorations, got into her own stormtrooper running kit to share a few laps with me.
I got to hear all about her epic 1,000mi journey run across the UK!
We did 4 loops together, but I was getting weary - before she came, Dree had asked if there was anything she could bring, and I had requested tea as I'd stupidly forgot to pack some along. As I finished a lap, I asked Tank to put the kettle on so I could have a brew-up.
The skies were looking really threatening at that point
With 72 laps down (just over 126km, so past three-quarters of my minimum 100mi goal) by just after 2pm, I had a seat and treated myself to a cup of Lady Grey and a butter tart. I can only drink a limited amount of coffee before it badly upsets my stomach, but tea tends to treat me more gently while still offering a bit of caffeine to perk me up.
And while I adore coffee - I won't hear a word against it - I've never found that it comforts the way a cup of tea does.
I added another squirt of vitamin B12 to help the caffeine along, but I was off course for half an hour - man, I was being lazy! - before getting back out again with Dree, who had kept on going while I sat and sipped. We did another 3 laps together, bringing me to 75 (131.6km), then she headed off to change into warmer clothes and help out at the aid station. The temperature never rose above 12c all day, which is admittedly fantastic running weather; less so for a tired girl walking, though.
We did get some moments of blue sky, but somehow there was always a cloud preventing full sunshine
It could have been worse: Merlin had been zooming around the course all day, but had run into some trouble. He mentioned first that his foot was hurting, and that changing shoes hadn't solved it - apparently it only got worse. I felt bad for him, as I'd dealt with some foot pain myself the day before, but it had fortunately buggered off and left me alone except for the occasional mild ache. Cookies helped: I eschewed any more gummy candy in favour of gluten free Oreos and stroopwafels, which were much easier to chew and of course quite tasty in their own right. I did a couple of solo laps, then Tank joined me for my 78th around 4:40pm.
I think I can be excused - after nearly 32hrs - for looking a bit knackered here
As we ambled around the course, I discussed my plan for the evening: I was once again feeling the need for a substantial meal, and my friend Dion was planning to arrive at 8pm to pace me for some night laps. Since he had offered to stay until the wee hours of the morning, I thought it would be best to get another nap in so I'd be "fresh" for his arrival - I told Tank that I was starting to feel like someone was lowering a weighted blanket onto my head and shoulders - and also so I could snooze through the dusk and twilight that seem to trigger even more mental fatigue.
Soon the lights would be lit once more
I also ran into Merlin again, and I guess my brain had been thinking over his foot pain in the background: I wondered if his feet had swollen, causing pain in his feet due to the shoes effectively becoming too narrow. I mentioned this idea to him, and asked if - when changing shoes - he'd tied the fresh pair up all snug like he usually does. He confirmed he had, and I suggested easing the lacing off to see if it helped. He thanked me and said he'd try it, then I headed off to the Chowhouse to take care of myself a little. I knew it would likely take me at least an hour to sort out food and a change of clothes (as I had managed to sweat a bit, and Saturday night was going to be colder) before I even got my head down, so I stopped just after 5pm having completed lap 78 (around 137km) to give myself the time I needed.
As the sun began to tint the sky gold to the west (far right)
My first order of business was to get my shoes off: I had been loosening the laces off from time to time as my feet swelled (I practice what I preach!), but that had led to a bit of slippage in the shoe, particularly with my right foot. I had a rather nasty blister on the inside of my big toe from this, which had been quite painful when climbing the big hill all day. I had another pair of the same shoes in a half-size larger, but I thought that might just lead to more slippage, so I planned to change to a totally different pair, and hopefully alleviate the pressure on the blister. I was astonished upon removing my gaiters to find my shoes crusted with salt!
I knew I'd done some sweating (and had been wearing them for the whole 32hrs so far), but DAMN!
I had only taken a couple of salt tabs on Friday, so I figured the salt must have come from alternating between a bottle of water and a bottle of Skratch electrolyte beverage every hour or so for the last day and a half. Still, I was happier sweating it out than going hyponatremic! I took my socks off as well, having a look at the blister on my poor toe.
I put on some fresh socks, then made a big, fat sandwich each for Tank and I for dinner while he fired up the propane heater to keep me warm. The cold sandwich wasn't as much of a letdown as it had been the day before: some hot food might have been better, but I think by this point I was too hungry and tired to care much.
Also pictured: why I chose that particular hat - out of the 2 stormtrooper caps I have - for the majority of this event
The temperature was already starting to drop, so I knew I'd need warm, dry kit for both the nap and the night to come. Pulling things out of the big plastic tote was a bit disappointing: the damp from the previous night's rain had crept into everything, so all of my clothes felt chilly and clammy. I had to hold them in the blast of warmth from the propane heater before I could even consider putting them on. My tights had stayed pretty dry all day so I didn't bother to change them, but Tank actually held a wool sports bra over the heater for a minute for me before I threw it on, adding a longsleeve wool shirt, then a sweater to keep me warm while I napped. I topped it all off with my ridiculous stormtrooper ear flappy hat, stuck in some earplugs, put my Garmin on charge again, set an alarm, then kissed Tank (who helped me arrange blankets over my legs, propped up on a stack of pillows) before he killed the heater and left the tent for a nap in the car.
Part stormtrooper, part squid?
Settling down at 6pm with clothes laid out for the overnight, I set an alarm for 7:30pm so I could be ready to go by the time Dion arrived at 8...but then I awoke at 7pm to what sounded like Tank greeting someone, saying "we didn't expect you for awhile!". I scrambled out of bed, as I thought Dion had arrived early and didn't want to keep him waiting. It took me a bit to slap on my fleece skirt, fresh shoes, jacket, toque, headlamp, waist light, and gloves, then grab my bottle and pole - I wasn't moving terribly quickly at that point.
I knew that it was going to be a colder night, so I needed to bundle up.
I went bopping over to the aid station tent by about 7:30pm, and asked where Dion was - I couldn't spot Tank, either. Nobody had seen either of them: Tank was still napping in the car, and nothing had been heard from Dion since just before I went down for my nap. I had a seat in the aid tent with Dree, Tim, Gary, and also Merlin: he had tried loosening off his shoelaces and it had helped ease the foot pain a bit, but unfortunately he was also having some ankle and knee pain now. I ate one of my blueberry muffins and one of the hardboiled eggs that Dree had brought, and waited for Dion...who stubbornly did not appear.
Looking back at the Chowhouse and our car from the aid station tent
Tim saw me looking antsy, and asked what I needed, to which I replied "A lap...and then another one". At that point, I realized there was no reason I had to wait - I could just go, and Dion would either appear or he wouldn't. At 8:02pm, Tank awoke from his nap to watch me step out of the aid station, click on my lights, and march away into the night alone. A few minutes later, we both got a ping from Messenger.
I kept going after the first lap as he hadn't arrived yet
I saw Merlin and Ron still out on course, but Merlin wasn't doing well - he was down to basically just walking, with the pain in his knee having crept up to his hip. I suspect that his foot pain made him change his stride, which led to the pain in his ankle, and that then cascaded further upward - as these things tend to do. It wouldn't be much longer before he'd call it a day to prevent further damage, though to his credit he did stay at the aid station for the rest of the night to help out. When I was out on the second lap - my 80th - Tank had just got himself up from his nap and was shuffling toward the aid station, when he saw a headlamp approaching him. He was pretty sure it wasn't a runner (as they'd be going the wrong way on the course), so called Dion's name and got an affirmative reply. Not only had Dion arrived, he'd brought Tank a full meal from A&W - his absolute favourite! They headed over to the Chowhouse to wait for me to come in.
I gave Dion a quick hug, then we wasted no time in heading off together because I needed the portajohn. I ought to have grabbed some more food, but I didn't think of it: for some reason I wasn't entirely at my best!
You didn't even really need a headlamp for the first hundred metres or so of the course
It was a pleasure to have company again, though, and I had a really lovely time chatting with Dion. I won't say the laps flew by, because I was definitely in rougher shape than the night before, but by and large I was able to focus more on our conversation and less on my increasing decrepitude. I will say that my right foot was a little happier after the shoe change: it eased the pressure on the blister that had come up on the inside of my big toe. However, my sacroiliac joints - badly damaged in a hockey incident a few weeks before the race, and cranky ever since - began to kick up painfully. We did 5 laps together - making seven since I got up, and 85 total (149km) - then I had to sit down for a few minutes to give my sore back a rest. This also let me escape the cold wind that had shifted so it whipped across the open field: as I left the Chowhouse with Dion to start lap 86, I immediately began to shiver violently, and scurried into the heated aid station tent to warm up again.
Not a cloud in the sky to trap any heat, but the stars were beautiful
Tank was sent to fetch me my warmest running jacket - the insulated one I typically only wear for if it's -15c/5f or below - and I changed into it gratefully, also adding a tubular gaiter around my neck and a warmer pair of gloves. I knew if I could just get myself around to the big hill, I'd generate plenty of warmth as I climbed it, but I also knew it would take me nearly 20mins just to get to it and I wouldn't make it with the way I'd been shaking unless I bundled up some more. Now absolutely absurdly dressed for the 7c/45f conditions (admittedly made colder by the wind, and my cumulative fatigue) and with a cookie in me, Dion and I set off once more for another push.
Progress was happening
I managed another 4 laps, but I was having trouble: Dion walked along behind me, a bit over to the right. That made me unthinkingly talk sort of over my right shoulder to him, which made my feet start drifting off to the left of the trail. For the most part it wasn't too much of an issue, but there was a spot near the entrance to the Endor loop where a stump was concealed by a tuft of grass at the left side of the trail, and I kept catching my left foot on it.
It wasn't exactly the easiest thing to spot
Not only was I hurting my left foot (which was already tetchy: I had a plantar wart coming up on the outside of the ball of it, and it wasn't happy in the shoes I'd chosen) by whacking it off this heckin' thing, but I'd frequently trip and stumble, which made my cranky hips and back even more painful. I only managed four laps - asking Tank to brew up fresh coffee as I went out for the last one - then collapsed in a chair around ten past one in the morning (at 89 laps/156km) to drink a hot cup of coffee and eat a stroopwafel.
I really hate that I never got a photo of Dion and I, but since he was such a star for me this photo of Orion shining bright to the north of the course will have to do
A little less than 30mins later, we were back out on the loop - I only had 3 more laps until I'd pass the 100mi mark, but I was a bit annoyed that the warmer gloves were giving me a hotspot as I poled my way along. To take my mind off it, I made a little gift to Dion: I knew that fuzzy peaches are his favourite candy, and since I had basically stopped eating anything gummy in favour of cookies and muffins, I gave him a snack baggie with most of my remaining sour peach slices (Allen's version of Maynards Fuzzy Peaches, which I buy by the bagful from Bulk Barn for race fuel). He had himself a nice little sugary snack on the trail, and confirmed what I'd suspected: that there was no detectable difference between the brands, at least in this highly unscientific test.
Connoisseurship takes many forms
I wasn't doing any better at avoiding the stupid little stump, but I was still moving - as a matter of fact, on my 92nd lap (in which I would reach 100mi), I told Dion that I didn't want to stop afterward, as I thought I could milk that cup of coffee for one more before I'd need to go down for another nap. We confused everyone at the aid station: they had my 100mi sticker ready for me, and I just cruised on by after picking up one more fresh bottle of water to see me through! I did have to pause on the trail, though: I was on the trail out of the forest when the urge to pee struck, and I knew I would never make it up the hill and to the portajohn, so I actually stopped and peed on the big fallen tree while Dion diplomatically hung back and looked anywhere else. I did have the decency to step off the trail a bit, but that caused problems when I had finished and pulled up my tights: my feet had become entangled in the weeds and raspberry canes that grow between the trail and the big open field, and I almost faceplanted when I went to take a step!
What I get for being a feral trail creature, right?
I did manage to stay upright, and trudged up the giant hill once more. Reaching the Chowhouse, Dion offered to stay while I went for a nap, but I didn't want to risk him getting drowsy for his long drive back to Hamilton, as it was now about quarter past three in the morning. I gave him a big hug and thanked him profusely for coming to pace me: I so appreciated his company, especially since Merlin had stopped around 10pm, meaning there was only one other runner on course (Ron), and we were moving at similar speeds but on different parts of the loop so I'd seldom see him for more than a moment.
In spite of the out-and-back, we wouldn't even necessarily see each other every lap
When I headed into the Chowhouse after bidding Dion goodnight, Tank had my sticker for me as I folded myself into a camp chair at 3:20am, at 93 laps (just over 163km).
Tank did joke about how I could just pack up and head home now, as I'd got the 100 miles I'd wanted. I wasn't very receptive to the humour, though, telling him coldly that I had come to run 48hrs, not 100 miles. I understood he meant no harm, but that sort of talk could easily dissuade someone experiencing a low point or with less sense of purpose from continuing, and I don't need that kind of negativity when already exhausted. It was 4:20am when I finally got my head down, Tank once again shutting off the propane tank to kill the lantern and heater before heading to the car for one last nap himself. I set an alarm for 1 hour, which I hoped would give me 3 hours left of on-course time. I'd been averaging around 23mins per lap with Dion, so I knew my odds of making 100 laps - the goal I'd set for myself the day before - were pretty poor. Nonetheless, I'd get my head down for a bit, then get up and give it my best go.
Hopefully without getting rained on again
Up at 5:20am, I put on my stormtrooper tights and another fresh pair of shoes - the widest ones I owned. I ate another muffin as I threw on all the same warm gear I'd worn through the night, as the temperature hadn't changed much and I knew I'd be cold from having been inactive. Stepping out into the still-dark morning, I had to head for the aid station tent to absorb some warmth (and another hard boiled egg) before setting off properly almost on the stroke of 6am.
Not even remotely light out yet
I actually felt a bit guilty when I found out that Ron had decided he'd had enough, and was packing up with 104 laps completed for his 72hr-minus-20-ish-hours-off - that meant if I'd just be content with my 100miles-plus-one-lap, all of my friends could just pack up and go home...but I wanted to see what I could accomplish in 48hrs, and that was definitely more than the 93 loops I'd racked up so far.
You get a dot in each corner for the first 4 laps, then an X for the fifth, then move on to the next square
The snooze had helped my back reset a bit, and the wider shoes were definitely more comfortable on my long-suffering feet. The hill unfortunately had not shrunk while I napped, but admittedly that did help me warm up as I climbed it.
The sky was a deep navy to the north
It wasn't until 7am that daylight began to filter through the increasing cloudcover: the top image in this post shows that there were still some stars in the morning, but they rapidly disappeared as some weather began to blow in.
I really hoped it wouldn't rain
I couldn't believe how long the darkness persisted, really - each lap I'd hope that I could ditch my headlamp and waist light at the end, but it would still be so dark in the forest that I'd end up keeping them.
It was still this gloomy out at 7:15am!
It was fully 4 laps - bringing me to 97 completed (170km) - before I felt confident enough that the dawn had penetrated the Endor loop enough for me to see without my lamps.
It didn't help that it was sprinkling rain on and off
Almost into the last hour - about 7:45am - I stopped to change things up: I doffed the headlamp, toque, insulated jacket, waist light, and fleece skirt and threw on my original hat plus the stormtrooper sweater I'd been saving, then stuffed a cookie in my face and headed out.
I've assumed my final form!
The clouds broke apart on lap 98, giving us a lovely sunrise over the fields.
Looking across the plateau from the long downhill
Angry-looking clouds beyond the other field
I spent the latter two-thirds of lap 98 tapping the puck lights that Gary had laid out on the course with my pole to turn them off, as I finally put it together that they were no longer needed. It definitely took me a bit of extra time, but I didn't figure I needed to rush: I didn't think I'd made more than one additional lap, and I had nearly an hour to complete the two. As I came off the Endor loop, I saw Gary and Tim walking the course with a duffel bag, picking up the lights and course markings. They actually asked me if I'd be ok without them: I told them I was pretty sure I could find my way, as I'd done the loop a couple of times.
Seeing this picture, though, makes me understand why they'd ask - I'm not sure I've ever looked more fatigued
I had about 50mins left when I reached the start/finish - telling Clay I had one more in me, then I'd be done as I passed - and the sun was actually making an attempt at shining.
So, I decided I would, too
As I headed down the long downhill, I wondered: what would happen if I tried to open up my stride a little bit? So, I gave it a whack...and realized that it was possible, but exhausting. Still, I didn't have much left to go, so I kept pushing while the sun rose above the treeline.
I love this photo, right down to the square of reflected sunshine on my chest from my phone screen
Friends, I am here to tell you that after more than 47 hours on course and having averaged about 25min per lap since rising from my last nap, I managed to lay down a twenty minute loop for my 99th! I yelled to Tanker "I'm not leaving a half hour on the table - one hundred is HAPPENING!" and then just stalked the heck out of there.
I had a mission to complete
I was a little less quick on this lap, as I had to stop for a minute in the Endor loop: I desperately needed to pee again, and none of the muscles required to hold it were in any shape to respond. So, I watered a carefully chosen tree (there are a lot of sticky, sappy ones out there!), then continued to hoof it along.
Including one last ascent of that heckin' hill
As I reached the very gentle downhill past the Chowhouse and to the final corner, I broke into a run one last time.
You can see how ugly that was in this video shot by Clay
(And Tim is hilarious - I had less than 10mins left!)
All the poise and grace of a three-legged water buffalo
Clay waited at the finish to give me a high five, while Dree rang a cowbell and Tim cheered, and Tank came to give me a hug and a little friend with whom to celebrate.
The start/finish was already mostly packed up
I'm not necessarily happy with how much time I spent off course - between my naps and my spells of sitting while drinking coffee or tea or making and eating bacon and eggs, I was not moving for fully 12 hours out of the 48 - but I am pleased that I was able to push in the last couple of laps to make my goal. As I told Clay afterward, I guess stormtroopers don't always miss their target!
Final scoreboard
So now, having completed the trilogy at Three Days in the Park and done two 100mi or longer races within a 10 week span, I think I'll set my sights on volunteering for 2024.
Because the folks who make races happen are the real troopers!
Thanks to Clay for another great event; to Gary for his incredible hard work and creativity with the lighting; to Rich and Dion for coming to share laps and listen to me whinge; to Dree for sharing laps, bringing tea, and being a stellar volunteer; to Tim for coming out to keep the rest of the volunteers company and provide good humour; and most of all to Tank for your endless patience with the cranky toddler I become when I run, and your relentless support and hard work so that I can wander in the woods and eat candy.
Hard things are always easier to do when you're surrounded by love
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