Mountain Masochist Race Report - 2007

Jeanne Craig (Bedford, VA)

Immediately after running my first ultra at Promise Land 2006, I decided that in 2007 I would enter the entire Lynchburg Ultra Series.  I knew I was strong enough for PL50K... I thought I was likely strong enough for Holiday Lake, but I had no idea if I was good enough to complete Masochist in under 12 hours.  I knew I would have to work for it.  Holiday Lake and Promise Land both came & went, and I did fine at each, bettering my PL time by an hour.  So I set my sights on Masochist.  It was my only goal of the year. 

 I told Dr. Horton at the pre-race dinner that I had trained harder for this than I'd ever trained for anything in my life and I *thought* I could do it.  He was so encouraging that I started to believe I could.

 My friend Carter Wiecking was entered as well.  Promise Land 2006 was the first ultra for both of us, and now we would do our first 50-miler together.  Carter was SO well trained for this race and she's a much stronger climber, but we decided to run together if we could. 

Race Day... finally I'm getting used to this singing the National Anthem thing.  At least, my heart doesn't pound anymore.  Carter and I lined up and next thing I knew, we were off and running!  We were running faster than I would have liked, but it didn't feel tiring and I figured I ought to do what I could on the roads before I got to anything hilly.  I am so weak on climbs.  That was what worried me most about this race... the fact that it has elevation gain of nearly 9,000 feet.  I need those downhills to make up for my weak climbing.

 Once we got on the trail, I tried to hang with Carter, but I just couldn't.  I knew if I did, it would be a long, miserable day for me.  So I concentrated on keeping an even effort.  At every aid station, I was between 20-25 minutes under the cutoff time, so my strategy seemed to be working.

 I enjoyed the signs with Scripture passages, I enjoyed talking with some of the other runners.  I ran/walked with Darrell Wargo for a while.  I talked to a man named Bruce, who everybody (myself included) thought was my optometrist, Dr. Frank Villa (also a sponsor of these races).  With his sunglasses on, he sure did look like him. 

 By mid-race, I was feeling really tired.  I saw my husband and told him, "I just ran a marathon and I don't think I can do another one!"  But an aid station volunteer there told me that I was on pace for 11:30 (my time was 5:45) and that I was doing well.  That lifted my spirits, so I headed up Buck Mountain.  I rather enjoyed this segment of the race, which surprised me.  I spent a lot of time singing the psalms in my head.  All the psalms I could think of.  (Psalm 63:  "My soul is thirsting" kept creeping into my head for some reason!)  I could picture my grandfather saying, "Atta girl" for not throwing in the towel at the base of Buck Mountain.

 When I got to the Loop, I saw Carter sitting on the ground with medical personnel working on her feet.  She had gotten a blister which had popped & torn.  She was in excruciating pain.  They taped her up and she entered the Loop with me.  Just a minute or two into it, she realized she could not run another 20 miles in that kind of pain.  I knew it had to be really bad to make Carter drop out.  She gave me a hug, told me there would be another day for her, and to keep going... that I could do it!  I nearly cried but realized I had no energy to spare for tears, so I shook it off and headed on. 

At the end of the Loop, I caught up to Mical Honigfort, another friend of mine.  We were 19 minutes under the cutoff, and ran the next few miles together.  However, at the next station we were only 15 minutes ahead... then only 8 minutes ahead... I was starting to get REALLY worried.  I thought if I missed the final aid station's cutoff and was pulled, that I would absolutely fall on the ground and die from disappointment.  I resolved to do better in the section before AS 16.  Mical was climbing better than I was, so she went on ahead.  When I got to AS 16, I had made up time and was now 12 minutes under.  Once I realized I had plenty of time for the last 3.8 miles (close to an hour) and that I would make it no matter what, I was overcome with emotion.  I hugged Mike Zealand, who was the personal trainer who, 8 years ago at Courtside Athletic Club, set me on the road to fitness.  He was there on Day 1, when I couldn't run for 5 minutes at 4.8 mph on a treadmill without gasping for air.  And now here I was, running Mountain Masochist.  Who would have believed then that I'd be here 8 years later??

 Like I said earlier, my strength is my quads.  I can run downhill.  I was surprised to find they were not terribly tired and I ran most of that last section easily.  I walked a few times, just because I knew I wasn't under the gun anymore, and I wanted to enjoy some scenery.  I had spent so much of the race worrying about the cutoff times that I wanted to enjoy God's beautiful world a little bit.  I thanked him for giving me strength to be there.

 At the end, I saw Carter, Eddie, Mical, Anita & Jay Finkle waiting for me.  Anita was the one who introduced me to trail running 2 years ago and I love her for it!!  I heard Dr. Horton call out my name and I crossed that finish line in 11:44, sixteen minutes under the deadline.  I think this was the sweetest finish ever, mainly because it was the one I had to work the hardest to get.  We all hugged and talked and waited to see Tracey Minnix finish at 11:55, when we all started hugging all over again.  It was a great day.  And then... I finally got that LUS jacket that I had been dreaming about all year.  I am going to wear it with pride, let me tell you that!!!

 Stay tuned for the YouTube video...  my husband got some cool video footage.  He crewed for Carter & me and was just great all day long.  Every time I saw him, it boosted my spirits and my confidence. 

Lastly, thanks to Dr. Horton and all the volunteers for putting on a WONDERFUL race.  I will never forget this one!!!