2014 Chimera Race Report

I hit bluejay campground with Janey on Thursday before the race. It was basically empty, clouded in a thick fog and light drizzle. Pretty much what you would expect if you were going somewhere to conquer a mythical beast. It was my first time taking my little girl tent camping and we had a blast. We hiked a couple miles of trails, explored the campground and just generally got comfortable in the setting. For her first night in a tent Janey did great. It was a super enjoyable and relaxing day.

On Friday I bumped into the RD, Steve, in the am and we chatted for a while about the race, course layout, markings, etc. Always good to hear first hand about the course from the RD. Slowly some other folks started to roll into the campground and the energy started to build. I was feeling great. I pushed the stroller back in forth through the campground to keep the legs loose and to mentally dial in this one little stretch of road we would run 5 times throughout the race. By dark Rachael showed up and took over Janey duty. They slept in the back of the car and I got to hit the sack for a solo sleep in the tent. I slept surprisingly well until my alarm went of at 4:30am.

I've show a tendency to go out harder than I should in most every race I've ever done. When that distance was 5k it was manageable. At the marathon mark it started to hurt a little. When I went out too hard in my first 50 miler it led to my biggest suffer-fest to date. It wasn't fun. My strategy for this race was to start conservatively. Before the race I wrote:

The plan is to start slow. I had a tough learning experience earlier in the year when I went out too hard at Sean O'brein 50 miler and faded hard after mile 25. I need to get stronger as the day goes on if I have any chance at feeling good throughout this thing. I hope to run nice and easy, hike a lot, and focus on my nutrition for the first 40 miles. After that point the big climbs start and we'll be headed towards dark. My focus on the second half of the race will be to maintain consistent movement and a positive attitude. 

The first loop out of Blue Jay went great and I stuck to the plan much better than I would have anticipated. I ran with some friends, Vanessa at the start, who is an ultra machine and took 2nd at Kodiak. Then Balmore and I put in a few miles together on the descent and a few more at the start of the climb back to Blue Jay. It was all good. I was letting people pass, making new friends, and running well within my capabilities. At the turnaround I got to see my crew who was running the Aid Station there. The climb back to the start was "smaller" than I thought it would be and I hit the aid station at mile 24 right on schedule and feeling great.

Place at Mile 24 - 26th Overall

Onto the second section of the course, another out and back from Blue Jay, and I was still feeling good. I ran the downhill again very conservatively and was enjoying some solitude when I heard somebody charging from behind. It was 1st OA female, Nikki Kimball, and she was pretty ticked. Somebody had intentionally marked the turn we just ran past to go the wrong way and she and a couple other guys had ran an hour out of the way. Luckily for me it had been changed by somebody who knew the course before I got there.

About this time I caught up to a couple guys who were setting a nice pace, not too mention playing some good tunes on speaker so I joined the train and ran to the Candy Store aid station with them. A bit before we hit the station I started to go into a pretty low spot. It was warm out and I hadn't eaten as much as I should have on the way down. I forced a gel and then got a nice surprise when my crew was at the aid station. 

I hustled and left before a few folks. Leaving the station I was feeling better and started to get back into the groove on the climb. I started to pass a few more people. Halfway up I caught up to my new friend Katrin (who would finish 1st Female!) and we chatted and ran to the next aid station together. We had a great conversation about how blessed we were to be able to be doing what we were doing and how we wouldn't want to be doing anything else at that moment. And how could people not want to be doing what we were doing?! It was an inspiring conversation and I hit Blue Jay feeling like a million bucks.

Place at Mile 47 - 13th Overall

Again, I hustled at the aid station and managed to get out before a couple folks. Now the second half of the race was upon us and this is where the BIG climbs were supposed to start. The wind started to kick up as I hit the main divide trail and the fog began to creep in. This was starting to become an adventure and I was still feeling great.  I topped out and started the descent to Holy Jim. 5 miles of rocky technical single track that I somehow managed to cruise. I wanted to get off it before dark! At the bottom I made another pass and then coming into the next aid station I caught 2 more. Things we going good but I was still focused on running my race and managing my energy. I had no idea what place I was in but figured I was fighting for a shot in the top 10 or so. 

I started the Holy Jim climb and could see the two headlamps from the last aid station just in front of me so I decided to try and pass. I pushed hard up the 18 switchbacks passing 2 guys along the way. I was pushing a bit too hard and didn't eat like I should have. Just before the top of the climb I started to get pretty dizzy and my energy hit a low point. I was stumbling a bit when I heard somebody coming up quickly from behind. It was the runner who I just passed a few minutes before. When I asked if he wanted to pass he said "no, just wanted to catch up. I saw some glowing green eyes back there!" Shit, the Chimera was on to us! I forced down a fruit bar and stumbled into the next aid station feeling pretty out of it. It was cold and windy for the first time in the race and I was fading. Then at the aid station I bumped into my buddy John who was running the radio's there. He also ran the comms for Kodiak! This little bit of motivation, along with a cup of chicken noodle soup and some ginger ale and I was back. John tells me I'm in 9th and my spirits soar. I can't believe I'm actually doing this!

Place at Mile 59 - 9th Overall

Now comes the hardest section of the course. Multiple trips up over Santiago Peak before a huge descent down to Corona. I was in new territory. I had never ran more than 50 miles and now here I am 60 miles into the beast and feeling great. I started to push and continued to focus on maintaining a consistent energy output. Gels were starting have trouble going down and each successful feeding would result in a mini-celebration inside. "OK, great job. You ate something...that's at least 30 minutes of effort. Go for it!"For the next little while I would be good. Power hiking up the hills running the downs. I was catching people at a slow rate on the run but noticed I was getting in and out of the aid stations at a faster rate. On the run I was really only having issues with my stomach. My legs felt great and my head was positive. It was so cool to be running on that ridge at night. The lights from the cities below stretched as far as you could see and the mountains were blanketed in a layer of fog. It was incredible. And incredibly windy!

I surprised myself a bit when I hit the summit of Santiago for a second time and was actually feeling very good. I knew I had a long downhill in front of me and was looking forward to running it. I started to really run for the first time all day. Now I started to think about the race a bit. "Shit, I  might actually be in this thing?!" At this point I know Fabrice, and Jesse are way out in front of everybody. After that, I'm not so sure. I start to dig in and don't even stop at the next aid station where I make another pass and start to try to put some ground on the people behind me. I keep looking ahead expecting to see lights coming towards me but they don't come. Next thing I know I'm rolling into the aid station and there is somebody else there but I don't really have time to still comprehend where I am in the race as my crew gets me in and out of the aid station in a matter of minutes. 

Place at Mile 83 - 3rd Overall

I leave the aid station with my good buddy, Z German, Harald Zundel, which is a huge boost of confidence. Harald has ran this race before finishing in 22 1/2 hours and is an all around ultra badass. He chat's about all his various exploits at races like Barkleys and the north face TDS where he finished 2nd American. We chatted about his Navy Seal Training which sounds crazy intense and I generally just kept my head down and followed his lead. During the long climb out of Corona I started to have an energy dip. I was starting to mumble to Harald about needing to eat and how much longer is it to the next aid station? 40 minutes he tells me! Only to run around the next corner and smack right into the aid station! I got a good laugh out of that. He knew exactly what he was doing and that little mental game gave me a huge boost of motivation. At the aid station its soup and ginger ale and some chatting with the folks there.They are pretty pumped telling me I'm in 3rd and this as well gives me an additional surge of energy! 

The final miles back along the main divide trail were tough. I had no lights left and was running on Harald's shoulder. Chatting was less now as the downhills started to really hurt the quads and I was having to really concentrate on the rocky trail ahead making sure not to toe a rock or misstep into a hole. My entire focus went into each step. I was doing it!

We hit the turn into the campground with 1 mile left and it was not until this point that I started to actually realize that I was going to complete this thing. AND holy crap, I'm in 3rd! Surprisingly, I still feel pretty good. I'm ready to be done but almost don't want this last mile to end. I'm enjoying fighting back the tears as we round the last little corner and head downhill toward the finish. Knowing that I put everything I had into preparing for and running this race and having everything go so right. This might be the biggest success of my entire life so far and not only that but I freaking loved every second of it. So many people to thank. So much inspiration from so many different people. Family and friends that helped me along the way and so much positive support to do something you love. I wish everybody could feel that. It is wonderful.

I crossed the line at 4:24am. Total time, 22hrs 23min 53sec, good for 3rd Place Overall! 

Thanks to the race organization for putting on a top notch event. I had nothing but positive experiences with everybody I encountered on the course. The aid stations were extremely well stocked and staffed. The course markings were perfect in my opinion, there when they needed to be and nonexistent the rest of the time. This thing is a true adventure and an amazing challenge that I will never forget! Cheers to everybody that conquered the beast or nearly died trying!

A lot goes on during the course of a race this long. In order for me to have the day I did and finish in 3rd everything had to go right for me and unfortunately some things had to go wrong for some others. There was some course sabotage along the way which knocked out a couple people in front of me. I feel so fortunate to have had such a great experience but also know that finishing well was merely icing on the cake. We all were out there to push our own limits. Sometimes that will go well...other times not so much. This day though, I was able to conquer the beast that is Chimera 100!