Pine Creek Challenge 100 Mile Run

A Companion’s Perspective….by Stephanie Carr

September 6 & 7, 2014

4:30 AM…up

5:05 …leave motel for Asaph and start area

……dark, low key

Pine Creek Trail via
 "Grand Canyon of the East"

……some upbeat music playing to set the mood

……National Anthem plays…a lady comments as she runs out of the porta potty she couldn’t take a dump during the National Anthem so she leaves the starting line a little late.

6:00 …Steven starts running…Asaph to Wellsboro Junction, to Asaph, to Wellsboro Junction, to Asaph

……spectators quietly disperse to being the long wait

6:05  …Steph back to motel for some sleep

7:45 …Steph up…breakfast, shower, load back pack

……Stop at gas station on way to Asaph for some coffee…ask cashier about the candle lights in the windows at night…what’s the meaning…he doesn’t know…only replies “people shore do like theyair candles around heeyah”

9:15…back to Asaph to meet Steven after about 21 miles of elapsed running

……parked next to some gorgeous corn fields near USGS

……sunny, warm to kinda hot

……good crowd



Downtown Wellsboro, PA 

9:30…with bike waiting for Steven 9:40…waiting

9:45…still waiting…expected at 9:50

9:50…talk with aid station worker checking off runners

……Steven already through before 9:30…S#@T!

9:51…haul ass down the path to catch Steven

10:00…catch up to him bouncing along at a perky pace down the path …consistent cadence as always

till 1:05 PM…talk, enjoy scenery, see common mergansers, meandering creek (a river in Alabama), great blue herons, an eagle? flying over, gorgeous blooming foliage along the creek, something white and Goldenrod, Amish folks biking in groups on the trail, covered wagon led by Amish guides and their
Clydesdales

Pine Creek Trail near 1st Turnaround

1:05 PM…Blackwell aid station…the sound of cow bells…he drank Ensure…downed the whole bottle…NOT good!  Steven got very quiet…..grimace on his face……felt nauseous……decided he ate too fast…took some ginger…emergency poop @ 1:25.  Steph had Kleenex.  Amish couple on bikes approaching…getting closer…closer…folks pass by…who cares??!!! Steven is “undercover” hidden in the bushes.

2:05…Cedar Run aid station…welcomed by more cow bells…he ate watermelon…pottied…feeling better.  I yelled to Steven “I’ll catch up!”…got a strawberry ice cream cone and a Mt. Dew at the little general store…wait…can I ride a bike holding an ice cream cone?   YES!

3:20… Slate Run aid station…cow bells…looking strong once again.

3:30…started raining…light mist to heavier drizzle.  Path is near road with little tree cover so getting wet…Steph gets out poncho…not as fun!

My Crew Hero!

??? PM…arrive at Cammal aid station to discover the 100 mile turn around point is still 3 miles up ahead…continue in misty rain…poncho on, off, on, off…Steph’s shoes, socks, pants wet…Steven begins heading out from aid station without me, the GU, and the water bottles…thought he forgot about me…was afraid he was getting so tired that he might be forgetful and confused…he said he knew I’d catch up!

??? PM…100 mile turn around…made Steven pose for a photo…could tell he didn’t want to stop….looking a little tired…Steph relieved to be heading back toward HOME!

6:15…approaching Slate Run aid station once again….what is that up ahead…a dog??? A BEAR!  A mama bear and her three cubs…walked straight across the trail 100 feet in front of us, up in to the woods, tree branches snapping as they climbed the bank.

8:00…Cedar Run aid station….DARK!...cow bells…See folks in small inn eating dinner by candle light…us…cold, wet, eating pb&j for dinner.

9:00…Blackwell…very dark…Steven says “I’m tired”…he has said this every hour since 3:00 PM…but his cadence NEVER varies…keeps on shuffling.   Boy scouts here have lost interest and are not very helpful…I make my own pb&j…number four for the night!

Course Map

                ***9 miles to next aid station…the realization that we are not going to be done for a long time…CRAP!  I’m sleepy, I’m cold…can’t tell Steven…he is quietly shuffling…the only focal point is the spot of light on the ground in front of me illuminated by my bike light…minute after minute, hour after hour…staring at the crushed limestone and dirt…and the little toad that refused to move from my path.  We are both pretty quiet…probably deep in our own thoughts…or not.  The cloud cover begins to thin…the moon shines through…the temperature drops…I can see fog rolling in on top of the mountains above us…12 minutes of running, 3 minutes of walking, again, again , again…quiet except for the owl we hear off in the distance.

??? PM…No longer following the time of day with location…it’s just dark and darker.  Sometime after 10:30 I realize the end will eventually come and he can probably beat his 2:00 AM goal…by a lot!   Thank you Steven!!!!!

I begin asking him times, doing calculations in my head to keep busy…alert…minutes to complete the last mile...  multiply by how many miles left?

Can see the wooden posts in the dark…mile markers…the RD was off a bit on the mileage between aid stations so figure it’s MM-5=finish (mile marker minus five equal finish).

Both looking for MM in the dark…#27…that mean 22 miles to go …#24…that means 19 to go…in the teens!!!!  He can do this!

Tiadaghton aid station (never could decide how to pronounce it)…awesome people!...warm beef broth…camp fire…more cow bells…oh the beckoning of the cow bells…encouragement and enthusiasm…about a half marathon to go…he will do this!

Steven repeats his 12 minute run/3 minute walk cycle…again…again…again…again…………

Looking for wooden posts……..MM #11……a 10K to go...…..piece o’cake (yeah right!)

…MM #8……….a 5K to go…almost home……

Finisher's Mug

…a flashing beacon on the gate at Asaph…make a left and head to the finish line.

I told Steven I’m heading up to the finish line for the photo op!


A little light growing larger with each step…four guys with you guessed it…COW BELLS!

“Go runner, go runner, go runner” they called…the finish line…a high five…19 hours 22 minutes and 31 seconds….September 7^th….HE DID IT!


(Finished 6th out of 61 starters and 39 finishers)