Croom Zoom 100 Mile Ultramarathon

• Four race distances - 25k, 50k, 100k, and 100.6 miles.
• Runners:  total ~225; 15 100 mile starters.
• Course type - single track trail with half-mile asphalt and sugar sand road.
• Race location - Withlacoochee State Forest, Brooksville, FL.
• 100 mile race - short 2.2. mile initial loop, 10 x 9.84 mile loops, 10,000' + elevation change. 
• Two aid stations; separated by 5 miles.

Pre-race (Friday, 5 January 2018):

• Race packet pickup - Withlacoochee State Forest, Tucker Hill (start/finish line), 4:30 - 7:00 pm.
• Excitement grows for tomorrow's challenging journey.  

Race Packet Pickup

Race Start Area - Tucker Hill

Starting Area Aid Station

Old Man

Running Gear

Race (Saturday & Sunday, 6 & 7 January):

• Temperature - 27 degrees (average low 49)....I hate cold weather!
• 0% chance of rain.
• No crew nor pacer, seems to be a habit.  
• Clothing and gear - shorts, three long sleeve shirts, two pairs of gloves with hand warmers, hat, headlamp, and handheld hydration bottle.
• 5:15 am - drop off both drop containers at starting line.
• Quickly return to vehicle to stay warm.
• 5:45 am - Return to starting line.
• Greet and hug from friend Nati (life saver from Keys 100), meet Nati's friend and father (father supports Nati's races.....wonderful), Nati is running 50k and recovering from the flu.

Pre-Race:  Nati's Friend, Chicken Legs, and Nati

• Race start (6 am, dark and cold):  50k, 100k, 100 milers.....go!  
• First half-mile ran on asphalt; turned to sugar sand road.
• Ran first mile with Nati and friend; "good luck Nati".....continued on; 8min:22sec/mile pace; need to slow down.
• ~25 runners in front of me.
• Hands and fingers extremely cold.  Fingers hurt!  Coldest hands/fingers ever!  Cold biting fingers like a honey badger.  Concentrating on getting hands warm!  
• Half-mile of tree roots going up Tucker Hill.
• Stop, go over large fallen tree across trail.
• 1st aid station - as planned, didn't stop.  Notice no food on tables, slightly concerned.....when will volunteers put out food?  100% of my calories are from aid stations.  Need steady supply of calories starting soon. 
• 7:00 am - 25k race starts.

Short Burned Course Section

• Start first full 9.84 mile loop.  
• Nice and easy flowing trail.  Hands still cold!  See a few runners without gloves!
• Gently glowing morning twilight through the woods.  Can't feel my fingers.  
• 2nd aid station (mile 7+, ~7:08 am) - as planned, didn't stop; ~9min:30sec/mile pace.  Notice drink but no food.  Hmm.  Not good.
• Turn headlamp off.  
• Peaceful morning sunrise is beautiful and soothing but thinking about my cold hands.  Mother Nature can be nurturing but also sadistic. 
• Ran with 50k runner, Bryce Johnson, from Florida for 30 minutes.
• Trip, fall, slid forward in grass.  Smoothest fall ever; not a resulting scratch. 
• 3rd aid station, complete first main loop (mile 12+, ~8 am) - didn't stop.  Noticed limited food (relieved), grabbed and ate a few animal crackers.  
• No walking.....continue running.  First half of 9.84 mile loop is non-technical.  Good news.  Will make running at night easier while tired.  Second half is mostly non-technical but includes more elevation change in addition to a tree root section going up Tucker Hill; this course half will be slower.  

Tree Root Section Going Up 
Tucker Hill

• Touch my leg and notice gloves are soaking wet.  My water bottle has been leaking!  Changed gloves at next aid station.
• Attempt to maintain ~9min:30sec/mile pace for first 20 miles while running.
• Start loop 3, mile 20, 9:17 am....hands finally begin to warm.  Now I can enjoy the race and natural surroundings.  
• Began noticing beautiful sandy single track trail, sunlight shining through the oak hammocks and Spanish moss, aroma of the woods including decaying pine needles.....so calming and nice.  Gratefully getting warmer. 

Palm Tree Along Trail

• Remove first layer of clothing.  Later, second layer. 
• Aid station routine - quickly stop and grab food, walk a couple of minutes while eating, start running again.  Repeat.
• Aid station - freshly baked blueberry bread.....awesome!
• Mile 27 - initiate run/walk strategy (i.e., run 12 minutes, walk 3 minutes); repeat until end of race. 
• While walking, pee and check urine color for possible dehydration.  Looks good.
• Start loop 4, mile 30, 11:05 am.  Common communications:  "runner, what's your bib number?", "2297".
• Start loop 5, mile 40, 1:00 pm, averaging ~11 min/mile pace including aid station stops and walking.  Greeted by Nati following her successful race finish.  She had communicated with Stephanie and said the family sends their regards.  Nati encourages me to continue strong.  I hold back emotions.  

Enthusiastically Greeted by 
Nati at Aid Station

• Slight headache.  Never have had headache during previous races.
• Numerous Yellow Warblers fluttering in the thick grass and brush along the trail. 
• Scenic small pond surrounded by tall grass with duck houses along the edge.  No ducks.   
• Asked aid station volunteer for my placement...."second place".  First placer runner ~45 minutes in front of me.  Continue with my race plan and strategy.  First place runner might slow, make a mistake, and/or drop from race.  Numerous miles still to cover with ultra race uncertainty around each trail bend.
• Start loop 6, mile 50, 2:54 pm, averaging low 11 min/mile pace including aid station stops and walking, 57 degree afternoon high temperature (average 71 degrees), headache continues.  Decided to take one Tylenol.  Never have taken medication during any previous race and seldom post race.  Within the hour, headache dissipated.  Medication also rejuvenated my tired legs and feet.  Wonder drug used with caution.  
• Concentrate.....running form, efficiency and conduct self test (think about placement of feet, hips, back, shoulders, arms, hands, and head). 

Enjoyable Single Track Trail

• Placement - first; not sure what happened to the previous first place runner and not sure who and where second place runner is located on course.  Continue forward while adhering to race plan but aggressively push from time-to-time. 
• Start loop 7, mile 60, 4:50 pm, last average running pace in the 10s.  Pace is beginning to slow as anticipated.
• Afternoon shadows growing longer.
• Trip, fall, and slightly irritated; luckily last fall.  
• Yellow Warblers same general location.
• Mile 65, body feels really good, possible sub 20 hour finish time.  
• Mostly only 100 miler runners left on course.  Few runners are running while I pass.  Consistent runner greeting while passing....."passing on your left, good job".      
• Trail becomes fainter.  Evening sunset and ensuing twilight is welcoming, peaceful and calming.  Love running solo in the woods at night.....therapeutically tranquil.  Contented smile. 
• Dreadfully temperature starts slowly dropping.  Start adding clothing layers at aid station stops.  Additional time ticking away as a result of addressing the cold. 
• Rabbit stealthily hopping by; silently disappears in brush.     
• Start loop 8, mile 70, 7:00 pm, additional clothing layers.  Time.....tick, tick, tick.  Through my legs, mile's 70-80 is when ultra races start getting tough.  Earlier miles are just a warm up.
• As expected, increasingly getting more tired.  Encourage myself to continue as fast as possible while occasionally talking out loud.  Voice is reassuring and supportive.  
• While walking, look through an opening in the tree canopy and notice the brightly shining stars.  Beautiful.  No clouds.  
• Notice breath condensation in the cold air.  
• Headlamp starts blinking; batteries are low on power.  Replace headlamp.  Time.....tick, tick, tick.
• Start loop 9, mile 80, 9:29 pm, hot chicken noodle soup....yes!  
• Dew beginning to form on the course.  Water droplets glisten like diamonds.
• Begin getting really tired.  Continue.  Discomfort is only temporary. Thinking about the finish line, getting warm, hotel hot shower, and sleep.
• Loud creepy scratching noise to my left.  Raccoon nonchalantly climbing pine tree.  Looks at me as if asking "what are you doing here?"  
• Poop in the woods away from the trail; more comfortable while running.  Time.....tick, tick, tick.
• Cold continues to move in and bite.  Added final upper body 5th clothing layer, thick bike gloves with hand warmers.  Time.....tick, tick, tick.
• 11:07 pm - large bright moon begins peaking over the flat Florida horizon.  
• Start loop 10, mile 90, 11:47 pm, start final loop.  Asked volunteer for assistance with stuffing additional hand warmers in my gloves while I quickly ate.  Time.....tick, tick, tick.
• Excited but more tired.  Continue thinking about getting warm after the race.  Time calculations.....realize sub 20 hour finish is unlikely.  Continue to push forward since I didn't know where the second place runner is located.  
• Mile 91, 12:00 am Sunday, Garmin 920 watch battery dies.  Retrieve Garmin Fenix 2 watch from hydration pack, attempt to place on my wrist while running and wearing thick bike gloves.  Couldn't accomplish without stopping.  Hand dexterity is slower.  Time.....tick, tick, tick.  
• Frost starts forming on course.  Pull buff over head, ears, and chin in an attempt to get warmer.  My hearing is muffled other than my breathing.  The woods are now silent.
• Jaw starts quivering from cold.  Noticed if I breathed in through my nose and out my mouth, the quivering would stop.  
• Mile 95, last aid station before the race finish.  So tired I lean against the table to briefly rest but never sit-down.  Avoid the chair, especially by the campfire!  Quiet volunteers encourage me to continue and mention the second place runner is at least two hours behind me.  My race to lose. 
• Last tree root section at Tucker Hill.  Concentrate.  Don't make a mistake and carefully watch my footing along the roughened trail.  Attempt not to trip and injure myself.  Cautiously continue forward while looking behind me to verify no runner was approaching.
• Stop, go over large fallen tree for the last time.  Time.....tick, tick, tick.   
• Happily see finish line in the dark distance.  Volunteers see my headlamp and start cheering me on.  
• Finish:  20 hours: 7 minutes: 6 seconds (2:07 am, Sunday).  First place.  

Post-race (Sunday, 7 January):

• Stop, lean over, and briefly rest.  
• Enthusiastic volunteers greet me while asking what I needed.  "Blanket please".  Cloth and thermal blankets were warm and comforting.  Presented finisher's belt buckle and first place trophy.
• Cold, tired, but not sleepy.  Left calf muscle tight.
• Slowly shuffled to campfire and sat down.  As requested, volunteers brought me a warm delicious hamburger and hot chocolate.  Body started to warm and feel better while eating and resting.  Enjoyed speaking with crew member who was sitting by the campfire waiting on their runner to arrive at aid station.
• After about 30 minutes, requested assistance from the volunteers to carry my drop container, buckle, and trophy for me as I slowly walked to my vehicle about 150 yards away.  
• Vehicle was covered in frost, thanked volunteer for their great support and assistance, and started vehicle.  Wrapped myself in comforter and turned on vehicle's heated seat.  After 15 mins, began getting warm and drove to the other aid station to retrieve my other drop container.  

Finisher's Belt Buckle & First
Place Trophy

Post-Race - Attempting to 
Get Warm in Vehicle

• Arrived at aid station; luckily located next to the road.  Rolled down window and asked volunteer to retrieve my drop container since I was cold and my legs were extremely tired and tight.  Volunteer happily obliged and congratulated me on my finish.  

Aid Station Drop Container w/Frost

• After driving 10 miles, arrived at hotel.

Post Race Feet

Post Race Feet

• No feet blisters or hot spots; no toenails will be lost.
• Hot shower felt heavenly.  
• Dozing eyes.  Got in bed at 3:45 am Sunday; woke at 6:30 am.

Heading Home

• Ate breakfast; left for home at 8:30 am.
• After stopping twice at road rest areas and taking 45 minute naps on my cot, was rested to safely continue driving.  
• As requested, Stephanie had walking cane for me when I arrived home at 7 pm.
• Another enjoyable ultra running journey and experience minus the cold weather.

The Numbers:

• Finish time - 20 hours: 7 minutes: 6 seconds 
• Average pace - 12 mins/mile
• First place out of 15 starters
• 100 mile finishers - 9 (40% did not finish)
• 11th 100 mile race
• http://www.coolrunning.com/results/18/fl/Jan6_CroomZ_set10.shtml

http://www.croomzoom.com/index.html