Tips for the first 100 Miler

I am not an expert, but I have learned a few things about running 100 miles. Here are my tips:

1. Training? Run a lot. Then run more. You can't discount the value of a very big base of training and racing miles. Include back to back long runs and at least one overnight run. You also need to work on a quick walk pace. Most of us can't run 100 miles straight. Walking quickly uses different muscles. You need to prepare for that.

2. The chair? Avoid it. You don't need to rest. Sitting for 15 minutes becomes 15 minutes you lost on the course. While you sit your muscles cool down and stiffen up, making it that much harder to get going again. Mentally, you don't need that. Use the chair to adjust your shoes or similar and get up ASAP.

3. The aid station? Avoid it too. You need fuel and should grab some, but don't get sucked in. It can be so easy to waste 5 minutes enjoying the company of the volunteers or other runners. At RdV, 5 minutes each loop turned into 100 wasted minutes!

4. Clothes? Don't over think them. You don't need to change your clothes. Pick ones you have tested in training and layer when you get cold. You'll get warm again, so you'll strip them back off. There is no need to do more than that. Worried about smelling bad? You earned that smell. Don't waste time on it.

5. Sleep? You don't need it. Work on your caffeine intake late in the day and through the night. A nap is wasted time. Push through it and you'll wake up again. Even if you are crawling at a 30 minute pace, you are moving forward. When you sleep, only the clock moves forward.

6. Don't get sucked into the conversations and pace of others. You need to run your own race. Say hello, even run with others, but be sure they are not running at a pace different from what you would run if you were alone.

7. Eat. Often. Eat on the move. You are taking in calories and resting at the same time, but making progress toward the finish.

8. Hydrate. Often. Drink on the move.

9.  Pick the right shoes and only change them if your feet are killing you. If they are working, leave them on. Same for your socks. Lube up your feet before the race and repeat as necessary, but if your feet feel good, leave them alone. There is no reason to change your shoes mid-race. I was having ankle pain at RdV, so I changed after 80 miles. I thought lighter shoes may help my ankles. It helped for a while, but the pain returned. I would have been fine wearing the same shoes the full 100 miles.

10. Pick pacers that will push you. Have your crew get your food ready so you don't have to stop at the aid station. If it is a looped course, tell them in advance what you want the next time you come through. If you need to talk to your crew, do it while moving. If you don't have a crew, be prepared with small baggies of food you can grab on the go. If you have to stop at the aid station, don't delay. Get out of there ASAP. See #3.

11. Go out slow and then slow down. I saw a lot of people go out too fast and then succumb to the death march through the night. They were beating me during the day and I crossed the line hours before them. Slow and steady finishes strong. If you have not ran 100 miles before, you need to be cautious of exerting too much energy in the beginning and not having anything left for the night portion. Be careful of your pace in the heat as well. 

12. Visualize what you are working towards - not how bad you hurt. Everyone hurts. The suck factor gets pretty high. Don't dwell on it. Think about how amazing you are and how far you have come! Such a small percentage of people will ever know what it feels like to cross the finish line of a 100 mile ultra marathon. Do you want to be in that club? How bad do you want it? Push the pain aside and go get it!

The number one key to success is continual forward progress. Keep moving until you are finished. Stop only when you have to. Avoid the chair. Avoid distraction. Smile, enjoy the journey, and soak it all in!

The Coveted Buckle is Mine!

My journey to 100 miles started over a year ago. My family and I were driving to LA to visit family. As we often do, we were listening to The Marathon Show. Joe Taricani was interviewing this runner named Ed. Ed had just finished Badwater (we had to Google it) and other crazy things. We were dumbfounded. People actually run 100 miles? On their feet? No way!

We loved the stories and ease with which Ed spoke of his adventures. Colby had found a new hero. We all did. At the time, Brady was a marathon virgin and I had completed 2.

Brady and I were fortunate to run with Ed the next month at The Marathon Show Marathon II. We became fast friends with Ed and his family. Ed's determination, selflessness, and will to finish are an inspiration to Team Wentlandt. The rest, as they say, is history.

After the heartbreak I experienced at Nanny Goat, I worked all summer to prepare for the Run de Vous 100. Seven marathons in 7 days, marathon/ultra combo weekends, and just plain mentally and physically gearing up for this endeavor. I pushed through the blisters, the sore muscles, and the fear to toe the line on August 18. I was ready.

Tony and I - ready to buckle!

Run de Vous took place on a 2.01 mile loop in San Martin, California. The course is paved and easy to run. My strategy going in was to go slow from mile 1 and not stop, no matter what.

Mile 1 - 10
2 hours, 5 minutes

The race got started and I felt great. I found that my legs felt fresh and ready to go. It was a little hard at first to stay at a slower pace. I didn't have a GPS or a way to gauge my pace, so I made myself run slower than my body found comfortable. I wanted to make sure I wasn't pushing at all. I knew I was going to be out there for a really long time, so why rush? I made sure to grab a bite of something each time I passed through the aid station. I also filled up my water bottle and was making sure to  hydrate. The weather was very cool and even rained on us.

Miles 11 - 20
4 hours, 22 minutes

I enjoyed the company of the other runners as much as possible. We laughed, shared strategies, and encouragement. These miles just cruised by. I was excited to see friends Terri and Louie arrive at mile 18. Brady and the kids and decided to stay in the hotel as long as possible to avoid the kids struggling in the heat. Having Terri and Louie there provided me a sense of comfort.

Miles 21 - 30
6 hours, 59 minutes

These were some of the hardest of the entire race. It just seemed to take forever to get to 30 miles. The sun came out in a fierce and unyielding way. I got really hungry, but Terri was there to rescue me with a turkey sandwich. I dealt with the heat by pouring my water over my head and back. It helped a lot. I decided I was going to reward myself at mile 34 with a foot care stop. That kept me going. With something to look forward to that was not far off, I focused on it each loop.

Miles 31 - 40
9 hours, 30 minutes

At mile 30 I saw a beautiful thing! My family had arrived. I was so excited to see my car coming down the road. It was a huge pick up for my spirits. I wasn't struggling without them, but knowing they were there was huge. Brady even brought me a hamburger and a Diet Coke from McDonald's. It was the best! Brady unloaded the car, set up their tent, and got to work being my crew chief. He told me to stop going to the aid station. He had my food and water ready for me each time I came through. It was amazingly efficient. He would give me a small cup of food and I would eat and walk the short .25 mile hill out of the aid station. When I was finished, I would run the rest of the loop. He mixed up the food with fruit, cookies, nuts, candy and anything specific I asked for. He also had my water filled and ready so I didn't have to wait for that either.

At mile 34 I sat down for the first time. I had spent many miles on the dirt/gravel path next to the asphalt. My feet were really dirty. I washed them, covered them in Aquaphor, changed socks, and got back on the path. It was great to see I didn't have a hot spot or any feet issues. I felt great. I stayed on the asphalt after the sock change. I didn't want to push my luck.

In these miles I started having some difficulty getting my breath. It was a struggle to run comfortably. I was really hot and tired. I spent one entire loop walking and focusing on my breathing. I also prayed. I thanked God for helping me to be strong and injury free. I prayed that he would continue to bless this journey. After this recovery/reflection loop, I felt a lot better and was thankful I had taken the time to do it.

Miles 41 - 50
12 hours, 11 minutes

These miles were a blur of running, Brady helping me, and my kids' smiles. I was in a great place. The sun had relented some and it was cooling down. I couldn't wait for mile 50 and the arrival of my pacers. I focused on that often. I spent several miles with Ed in this part of the race. He was pushing a cart with all his supplies on it. He was walking a lot at a great pace and I wanted to practice that pace for later when running became more difficult. I shared with Ed that I wasn't hurting yet. He said, "that means you are ready and trained for this!" It meant a lot to hear that. Before I knew it, I was half way finished!

Miles 51 - 60
14 hours, 38 minutes

At mile 50 Mimi came out and ran with me. It was so cute because she had been asking me all day when she could run with me. She had on her cute little running skirt and new shoes. I loved that my daughter was sharing miles with me. Unfortunately, she had also just eaten 2 pieces of pizza. Running and a full tummy didn't work out so well. We ended up needing to slow down and drag her through the loop. She was a happy camper at mile 52 when she got to sit down. Mile 50 was also the first time I met Janine, one of the pacers that so graciously came out to help me. After many miles of running alone or off and on with other runners, it was great to have someone that stayed with me and was there to talk to me. Getting to know her really helped those miles fly by.

Mimi was wiped out after pacing me for 2 miles.

That is how it went for the next 10 miles. I had 5 pacers (plus Brady), and each one took turns on a 2 mile loop. I had a new, fresh, smiling face for each of these loops. It was so fun to get to know them and tick the miles off. We flew through them and were at mile 60 before I knew it.

Miles 61 - 70
17 hours, 7 minutes

I don't remember a lot about this portion of the race. It was dark and I witnessed a lot of people starting the death march. It seemed a lot of people were sleeping or sitting at the aid station. I tried to ignore them and keep moving. I refused to even think about stopping. Brady kept helping the girls crew for me. They had everything I needed each time I passed through.

My personal aid station

Miles 71 - 80
19 hours, 51 minutes

Some time in this portion of the race I noticed my stomach starting to revolt and get upset. I started to regret the huge amount of fruit I had eaten throughout the day. I was in significant pain, but kept moving. I took another foot care stop and Eva was amazing and helped me lube my feet back up. You gotta love a pacer that was a stranger in the morning that is rubbing your sore and dirty feet by midnight.

Miles 81 - 90
23 hours, 10 minutes

As soon as I passed 80 miles there was a monkey off my back. That Nanny Goat regret was gone. With the exception of my upset stomach, I felt very strong. I knew that I would be able to finish this. I had hours to finish and less than 20 miles to go.

I was dry heaving every couple of miles and visiting the portapotty more often than was comfortable, but I was moving. I was moving well. The girls kept me laughing and focusing on everything but the lurching going on in my guts.

As I look back on it now, I am amazed at how mentally strong I was. I never even considered sleeping or stopping for a rest. I never considered sitting in the chair that mockingly called out to me (I swear it was) every time I passed it. I knew that the only thing that would end the pain was to finish. Thoughts of the finish and the buckle kept me going.


Miles 91 - 100.5
25 hours, 39 minutes, 49 seconds

The last ten miles were amazing. I still hurt, but with each step I grew happier and more confident. I knew I had killed it. I knew I wasn't going to just survive this, I was going to conquer it. Brady and Michele would con me into running when I didn't want to and for longer than I agreed to. Somehow my feet and legs always responded. Sometimes my stomach did too, with a violent heaving session on the course. My chest hurt from the heaving and difficulties I had with breathing. I never wavered the desire to finish. We were women (and a man) on a mission. A mission for a buckle.

Eva, Mimi, Chryl, Brady, and Michele. Sharon was on the course with me. This is the most amazing pace team EVER!

At mile 98 Ed had just finished. He asked if he could run my last lap with me. I was so honored that he wanted to do that. We crossed 99 and then 100 (the course is actually 100.5 total miles) and he reminded me of how far I had come.

Team Wentlandt and The Jester - Mile 99

 Mimi was skipping and enjoying herself. Colby was miserable from a lack of sleep and running 20 miles with Ed the night before. In true Jester style, he gave Colby a piggy back ride. Mile 99.75 I decided we were going to run it in. I ran the last quarter of a mile into the finish line. The cowbell, the clapping, and the smiles of so many friends and ultra heroes were the blur I came into. My cheeks hurt from smiling and the tears flowed. I did it. I did it well. I didn't just survive to drag my sorry ass across the finish. I finished strong and can't wait to do it again.

Ed and the Jester Buckle

Rajeev, the most amazing Race Director, congratulating me on my finish

100.5 miles
528,000 feet
5 pacers, plus a crew chief and 2 junior crew members
3 visits to the chair for foot care
No sleep
1 Jester buckle - featuring my inspiration, Ed "The Jester" Ettinghausen
25 hours, 39 minutes, 49 seconds
A dream I worked for and achieved

The Summer Ultra Journey 2012

One may think that the hardest part of running a marathon and an ultra marathon 12 hours apart is the pounding it takes on your body, the pain involved, or the fatigue factor.

What we found is the logistics involved in such an adventure are really the hard part.

Our journey began long before this race at Badwater. After hundreds of miles on that epic journey, Colby and I drove to Oregon City, Oregon to pick up my daughter, Amelia (Mimi). We drove a total of 1,900 miles visiting the Jelly Belly factory and family.

We were home for 18 hours before I packed the car again and drove 175 miles to Yuma, Arizona. Brady was there for work and I was tired of being apart. Our week in Yuma included hours in the pool and a couple of very hot training runs.

After our visit to Yuma we enjoyed the comfort of home for a whopping 22 hours before we were back in the car to begin the first day of our Fullerton Trail Marathon/ET Ultra/Vegas date weekend.

Friday, August 3 we drove to my friend's house in to babysit her 7 month old daughter and 2 year old son. I love these kids, but I have to admit I forgot how much work toddlers and infants (especially both at once) can be. When we went to sleep that night I already felt like we had been running.

A 4:40 wake up got the real journey started. Brady and I ran a CAR Marathon on the Juanita Cooke trail. We enjoyed the company of CAR regulars and were thankful for an overcast cool morning.

Brady did not enjoy the race after mile 20. He told me, “I am actively bonking.” I pushed him through it with the promise of real food after we were finished. When we were finished we thanked Charlie, the RD, gathered our medals, and headed to a spaghetti lunch.

After arriving I was sure the Spaghetti Factory did not want us eating in their establishment in our present trail marathon condition. So we took a baby wipe ‘shower’, changed into clean clothes, and enjoyed spaghetti with reckless abandon.

Immediately after lunch, we were back in the car for the journey to Vegas. I was wearing the very fashionable combination of linen capri pants and Zensah calf sleeves :)

The trip took longer than normal. We were tired, had hydrated a little too much for a 4-hour road trip, and had to switch drivers a few times to rest our eyes.

We arrived at 6:00 pm. I asked our friends Deb and Rob if we could use their room to change and get ready for the ET ultra. They were nice enough to oblige. We took a quick real shower and were back in running gear.

We made our way over to the packet pick up. It was fun to walk into a room full of old and new running friends. It always feels like a reunion of sorts.

RD Joyce had been very nice to give us a designated Maniac/Fanatic bus, membership has it's privileges.

After a solid hour driving our bus pulled to the side of the road. A large unidentified ?flying? object had struck the windshield of one of the buses in our convoy. Glass was everywhere and the driver had been cut. Joyce came on to see if we had empty seats and before too long we were back on the road.

We arrived at the start line to a somewhat chaotic beginning. We were first told we could hang out and then were told that the race would start on time and to get off the bus. We had just enough time to fill our water bottles, find  glow bracelets, and use the port-o-potty.

Start time: 12:00 am, Sunday, August 5th. As soon as we started running, I felt the full weight of a sandwich I ate on the bus. My guts ached and lurched. I saw a guy throwing up and I thought I may join him. I hurt, but surprisingly, it wasn’t my feet or legs. They felt amazing. It was my stomach.

Brady suggested we run a strong 3 miles and then do a run walk the rest of the night. We knew there was a hill until mile 13, so saving gas in the tank was important. Sounded good to me, but as I thought about it, I was just hoping my dinner was going to stay down.

At mile 2ish we ran into Kimberly Miller. Although I met Kimberly at several races, we hadn’t had the opportunity to talk much. Kimberly’s amazing husband Michael finished Badwater this year, so we shared stories from that experience and many others. Before I knew it 4 miles and more had gone by. I felt better, but the pain, heartburn, and overall yucky feeling would come and go most of the night.

Brady, Kimberly, and I trudged along up the hill. Stronger some miles than others, but we were happy with our time. My goal was to complete the race better than I did last year, and we were right on pace. We shared many funny stories throughout the night. One particular quote that sticks out is from Kimberly. She said, “you are not a real ultra runner until you have pooped your pants.” We repeated the line several times and found it funny every time. It is always fun to think about what you find entertaining in the middle of a race in the middle of the night in the middle of the desert.

 We finished the first 20 miles in 4 hours, 40 minutes. I was happy with that time, considering the hill was behind us and we had already ran 46 miles so far for the weekend. We passed the finish line (always sucks to have to do that) and headed out for the last 11.7 miles.
It didn’t take long for us to run out of gas on the out and back. Nothing specific went wrong, but I guess it was another round of “actively bonking”. We ran a little and walked a lot. We said hi to may faster runners going by. We laughed. We enjoyed the sunrise. I came out of the port-o-potty to find Brady laying in the road. New definition of road kill?

After 32 hours (or so it seemed) we hit the ultra turn around. There is no mile marker out there I am not sure what time we arrived at the ultra turn around, but it was a huge milestone to get to head directly back to the finish. We continued our shenanigans and slowly ticked off the miles.

Brady was the pusher and we were the complainers. He kept telling us to hurry up and would run a little ahead of us to get us to run. I bitched at him and told him I hated him on many occasions. He tuned me out (a skill he is very good at). I was happy that I was able to run when he pushed me. After 50+ miles and no sleep, I was still able to move without too much pain or other issues. Although I pretended he was making me mad, I was thankful to see that my body was able to react and run every time I wanted. We came into the finish, passing several people on the way.

We crossed the finish line, holding hands. My best friend and mate on my left and a running role model and friend on my right. I was a lucky girl. 57.9 miles on foot, no sleep, hundreds of miles in the car, 2 medals, 1 huge accomplishment.

After changing our clothes and greeting other finishers, we attempted to board the last bus headed for Vegas. We were told that there wasn’t any room. After Joyce walked around a bit she informed us that there wasn’t going to be another bus arriving for 2+ hours. I was not happy. The bus accident had occurred at about 11:00 the previous night, so how was it NOW that we were stranded? Why weren't accommodations made for us earlier?

I am not sure if Joyce sensed my outrage or if she felt bad for the situation, but she got busy asking people hanging around if we could get rides back to Vegas. Eventually all of us were provided seats in cars of strangers and made our way out of Rachel (no man’s land) Nevada and back to Las Vegas.

The weekend did many things for me.

1. I learned that I could run a marathon, drive for hours, and then run again.
2. I learned that I could run all night without any issues.
3. I learned that my body is adjusted to marathons that  my recovery is minimal.
4. I learned that until (or if) I poop my pants in a race, I am not really an ultra runner. That’s ok. I think I can be happy being a ‘fake’ ultra runner.

ET is a unique race. The steady incline of 13 miles and the overnight experience makes for a great endurance adventure. Both years I have ran it, I found that the bus drivers have not been included in the 21st century concept of a GPS or Google Maps. The logistics of getting to Vegas and the 5 hours you spend on the bus or in a stranger’s car is not something I feel I need to repeat.

A Team Wentlandt Thank YOU

Thursday, August 9th changed us forever.

It started normal enough. I was in Temecula, partying with Mimi at the Disney Store. Brady was at work and Colby stayed at home.

At 4:00 Brady was on his way home when he noticed smoke in what looked like our area. As he got closer, he found out Chihuahua Valley Road was closed. A lightning strike had started 2 fires. He was able to push his way through the barricade, explaining that Colby was at home alone.

I was not far behind him, car full of groceries and a sleeping princess. I got within 5 miles of the house when I was turned back to Temecula. The police officer told me it would be 4 or 5 hours before I would be allowed home.

I called my friends, Jen and Terry Leonard that were staying in Temecula. I figured they wouldn't mind me invading their evening. Terry convinced Costco to hold my groceries for me. Jen helped me load the cart and drag it all back in the store. They also offered up their hotel room for us to hang in and supported me while I worried. Later, when it became obvious that we weren't going home, Terry arranged for us to have a room for the night.

The 4 or 5 hours turned into 4 days. Brady was ordered to evacuate and we were scared, but together. As I posted updates on FB, friends, family, and neighbors came out from everywhere to offer support. We have many thank yous to send out.

- To the firemen and women that worked and risked their lives to save our valley, THANK YOU!

 - To all our friends that sent your well wishes, your prayers, and your support. THANK YOU!

- To all our friends that offered to let us stay with you, we love you for the offer. THANK YOU!

- To everyone that sent encouragement, dug for information when I couldn't, and shared your evacuation stories to reassure me it would be ok... THANK YOU!

- To Ed and Martha Ettinghausen, we appreciate your hospitality so much. We love you guys. Andrea, thank you for giving us your room. THANK YOU!

- To Jen and Terry Leonard, it means the world to us that you got us a room, played with our kids, and were there in so many ways this weekend. We love you for it. THANK YOU!

- To our neighbor Gary, thank you for taking care of Colby, sending us updates, and being awesome! THANK YOU!

- To the employees at Costco, you saved me hundreds of dollars and priceless sanity. THANK YOU!

- To the hotel desk clerk that turned her head while we smuggled our dog past her. You'll probably never know how much that meant to me. THANK YOU!

We are humbled and honored that so many people love us. We hope you never experience anything like we did, but if you do, you can count on Team Wentlandt to return the favor!