It surprised me too

When I entered into this training season, my "A" race was the Pinhoti 100 in Alabama. Not long after signing up for Pinhoti, another opportunity presented itself, the Great Mississippi Levee Run.  This run predates any organized races that popped up later on the same route.  The GMLR is a fatass run, meaning that it is not an organized race.  There is no support along the route except for what you provide, no roads are closed, no cheering crowds, just a loose group run from point "A" to point "B".  In this case, point "A" was the levee next to the USS Kidd in Baton Rouge, and point "B" was Audubon Park in New Orleans, or the southern end of the levee.

Because of the nature of this run, being 127 miles along the levee, non stop, and unsupported, it was an invitation only event, giving the organizers the ability to limit the run to people who had a good chance of finishing.  There are no guarantees with this distance, regardless of how well you are trained, but it never hurts to stack the odds in your favor.

So, with 20 or so people originally interested, 10 folks ended up starting the run (4 men & 6 women).  Here's the group photo with a bonus runner who joined us for the first 40 miles.   

It was a beautiful day to start what was dubbed "Bad Decision 2017".

We started at 1:00 p.m. on the Friday after Thanksgiving and headed south.  Well, in a southerly direction.  Here is the path the levee takes between BR and NO, hence the longer distance than driving between the cities.

And to me, it felt like it was going straight the whole time.  Perspective.

Early on, a group of us decided to try to stay together, especially to get us through the night time hours, for safety reasons.  Also, that way our crews could stay together which would make it safer for them and give them some much welcomed company.  While we were getting to know each other on the levee, our crews had plenty of quality time to get to know each other as well.

So, we ran.  We ran through the first afternoon and through the night mostly together.  Once the sun rose on Saturday, our little group broke up a bit, although we weren't ever far apart.  We ran past a casino, refineries, beautiful antebellum homes, a former leper colony, and some less desirable areas.  We had the company of stray dogs, and occasionally someone riding dirt bikes or walking on top of the levee for exercise.  We also had to dodge the structures being built for the annual bonfires along the levee (click the picture for the story - it is a great tradition), and we got lots of strange looks from the men working on them.

Having to go off to the side of the levee was cool for the first few of these, but after 70-80 miles (?) that I had run, the constant stopping was tough.

A new experience for me in this run was running into a second night.  For 100 milers, I am used to running though one night and finishing the next morning.  If you haven't done it, it seems impossible to stay awake that long, but your body and brain adapt and it is really not as big of a deal as you would think.  But, the second night was interesting.  Right about nightfall, I was treated to a surprise visit from Wally & Nikki.  Their huge smiles and positive energy were so welcome!  I only regret that I didn't get the full benefit of the costumes:

When you are doing something slightly ridiculous, you can count on fellow ultrarunners to support you wholeheartedly.  Rhea getting a hug on top of the levee by a very enthusiastic T-Rex.  

I also got a visit from Candy (Lynette's wife and my friend) and Kelly (long time running buddy).  Kelly dropped Candy off with us so she would be able to drive us home afterwards, saving two very sleep deprived people from having to make any decisions.  It was amazing to see these beautiful faces, even if just for a minute.  After this, Kelly went back home and Candy joined the crew.

I crossed the 100 mile mark of the run in the afternoon/early evening hours of the second day.  When Lynette and Candy told me this (more on those amazing women later), it was really a cool feeling.  Once you have done a few 100 milers, it is hard to top that distance unless you sign up for Badwater (no desire) or a 200 miler (jury is still out on that).  So, once it soaked in that I was now in new territory, I got a great boost of energy and was able to really RUN - for about 5 miles.  Then little things that were hurting before became amplified.  I don't think they hurt any more, but I think the fatigue of seeing a second sunset on a run was making me less capable of dealing with the discomfort.  

This is when I called in reinforcements.  See, while it sounds like I was participating in this great feat of endurance, there was also a second storyline taking place that was equally impressive and challenging.  Quick background:  when my friend, Lynette, and I were having coffee one day, I mentioned this run and how I would have to arrange a crew and without hesitation, Lynette said "I'll crew you".  Knowing she would have to take valuable time away from her family, she did not hesitate to offer her help and immediately, I knew that Lynette would be the perfect crew person.  Lynette is a fantastic mom to two incredible young adults, and I knew that is what I would need out there.

There were a whole lot of views like this.

So, when I was running,  Lynette was leapfrogging me to meet with me every 5 - 10 miles to refill water bottles, provide nutrition, tape blistered feet, etc.  The only reason I was able to do this thing is because Lynette selflessly came out and spent the whole weekend tending to my needs.  She got about as much sleep as I did, and little did she know that she would be called into action at mile 105ish.

Luckily, Lynette plans for everything (seriously, you should have seen the things she packed :-) ), because she also planned for just in case I would need company to finish the run.  Well, let's be honest, once we crossed over mile 105 or so, things started to flare up and we were relegated to a power hike, which turned into a power stroll, then into a "oh just get me to that damn park" walk.  

So, Lynette, who came into this thinking she might walk/run a few miles with me, ended up walking almost a marathon that night.  By this time, Jason and I were keeping the same pace ("ouch,ouch,ouch"), so we were the three amigos hobbling along the levee.  

Lynette, Jason and I. Notice who looks fresh and full of energy?  Yeah, not me or Jason.

With Lynette's mad power walking skills, we got to the end of the levee and onto the roads of New Orleans to make our way to Audubon Park to find a sign to take our picture in front of as proof of finish. 

Excuse the language but I left my filter somewhere near mile 86:
https://www.facebook.com/edie.couvillon/videos/vb.1643973338/10213221591368046/?type=3

The best part of this race?  We found a sign, took our picture, one showing the time on our phone as proof and then we got into Candy's car and she brought two sleepy people safely home.  In the end, 6 of the 10 who started, finished.  5 women and 1 man. (Girlpower!)

Too tired to be excited about what I had done.  Notice the flip flops?  I wore those for the last mile and a half.  My feet were not going to tolerate one more minute inside shoes.

It has been almost two weeks now, and it has taken almost this long to absorb this experience.  I am left with so many take aways. First, friendship.  True, whatever you need, willing to sacrifice my comfort, friendship.  This is what Lynette and Candy did for me.  Lynette was always positive and determined, and never once allowed me to feel sorry for myself.  Candy was a godsend, coming to rescue two delirious girls and getting us home safely.  Also, new friendship - from the long night time hours on the first night spent with Mandy and Jason ("a random porta potty on top of the levee WITH a handwashing station?  Clearly this is a trap!"), and the time spent visiting with Letha, Jerry, Jenny, Casey, Jim along the way.

Without a doubt, this was my favorite ultra experience ever (including the hallucinations).  Being a Louisiana native, running along that incredible river and watching the constant commerce taking place was amazing.  There were so many times that I was overwhelmed with a love for my state and a gratefulness for what I was allowed to participate in.  Just wow.  We ran (mostly) from near our old state capital all the way to New Orleans on the levee.  I don't think any ultra experience can ever top it.

The reason this was possible.  From the incredible man who has done this multiple times, and organized this great event, to my crew who went above and beyond anything I could have asked for.  (L to R: Jerry Sullivan, Candy Domengeaux,  Me, Lynette Domengeaux) 

Yes, it is on a belt, and yes I am wearing it.  :-) 

My 48th year on this planet is starting out pretty darn good.

Happy Running, Y'all!

Edie

What's next? The lure of 100 mile races.

What's next?  It's a tough question when you have run a bunch of half and whole marathons and 24 ultra marathons, including eight 50 milers and four 100 milers.  What's next?  The Grand Canyon?  Check.  (one of the top three most amazing experiences of my life, by the way) Running a 200 miler? .... Nah.  At least for right now, that is not on my bucket list.  Running a harder 100 miler?  BINGO!

After my last 100 - Rocky Raccoon in 2015 - I thought I was done with that distance.  I didn't make a firm declaration - I know better, but I thought getting the 500 mile jacket at Rocky would be the end of that era.  Not so much.

There is something about the 100 mile distance that draws you back.  Besides the thousands of miles run in training, hundreds of squats and push ups, hours holding the plank position....it's the journey on race day that can not be ignored.  The great unknown.  To me and people like me, it is downright irresistible.

The starting line of a 100 miler is unlike any other start line I have experienced.  At least for me, the nervous energy and doubts that fill my mind at shorter distances do not exist there.  In their place is a calm, peaceful feeling.  There is an understanding that what you are about to attempt defies rational thought.  Some people might think you are cool or superhuman for attempting a 100 miler, but most just think you are crazy or self-destructive. At the starting line, you understand that both schools of thought hold a grain of truth.

Many romanticize the idea of running 100 miles and getting a belt buckle.  The reality is far from that ideal.  The question is not if but when it will start to hurt.  The test is how well you can manage that pain and continue to push towards the finish line.  The lesson is who you are when you are laid bare and all of your truth is exposed for the world to see.

There is nothing like the feeling of seeing the finish line for a 100 miler.  All of the doubts, all of the pain, all of the weakness...it all disappears in that one moment.

2016 has been a nice break.  Fairly lazy except for covering 31 miles in the Grand Canyon,  and now I am rested and refocused.

Looking forward to signing up for the AT100 miler as soon as registration opens, and spending all of the summer of 2017 running hills at Clark Creek and loops of Chicot.  Top notch pacers are secured, and race crew is in place.  Now it is up to me to make it to the finish line so that I can wear that sweet belt buckle to my 47th birthday party.

Happy Running, Y'all!

Edie

The view from the other side of the table

Last weekend, I was fortunate enough to work an aid station at the Cajun Coyote trail run for the third year in a row - every year that it has been in existence.  This race is growing every year as word spreads about how much fun it is, and how beautiful the trails at Chicot State Park are.  The runners get to see things like this:

and this:

We received rave reviews all day about how beautiful the park is. It is nice to hear, since we can sometimes take it for granted.  I have said this many times, but I really do believe that Chicot has all of the best parts of Louisiana within its grounds.

So, we drive in Friday evening, and get there in time for the pre-race meal at the Pavilion in the park.  This is a great way for runners to get to visit with each other and laugh about what they are taking on the next day.  In this case, it would be either 1 loop - 20ish miles, 3 loops (100k) - 62ish miles, or 5 loops - 100ish miles.  The number of 100 milers doubled from last year because of the high percentage of runners in 2011 who finished in sub-24.  That is a big goal of 100 mile runners - "100 miles in 1 day".  

Chris Scott, RD and head nut, giving a quick pep talk

Christina the night before her first ultra marathon!
It is a surreal feeling sitting there trying to
wrap your brain around what you are trying to do.

Then, it was off to set up our trusty tent again.  This time, both Josh and Shelby were with me.  I love bringing them to events like this, and I knew they would enjoy themselves.  Trail runners are among some of the funniest, most laid-back folks on the planet and my kids have great time every time they are around them.

We turned in early knowing we would have a long 30 hours or so ahead of us.  The 100 milers and 100k'ers started their races on Saturday morning at 6:25, and had 30 hours to finish.  We would have to be at the aid station for most of that time, taking turns grabbing a quick nap in our cars.  Even for the volunteers this is an endurance event.

Race morning, we began setting up the aid station about 5:45.  Ours was at the mile 4 mark on the trail, and it would be the first one the runners came to, so I wanted to be ready.  Early on, we kept the food choices simple with cookies, chips, pb&j sandwiches, candy and fruit.  For drinks we had Coke, Mt Dew, Heed (Electrolyte drink), water and ginger ale.  (The ginger ale would become very popular late in the race when the runner's stomachs started to go sour - as were the ginger snaps.)

Shelby, Karin and Chris.  Karin was one of my all-day and all-nighters.
We were both a little punchy by the end.

When the first batch of 100 milers and 100k'ers came through it was a little hectic.  It was still early in the race and they were still bunched up.  After a while though, things settled down some. The excitement was too much for Shelby.

Josh was up to the task, though. 

Once the initial rush is over, a pattern forms: 10 - 30 minutes of sitting around visiting followed by a few minutes of action when a runner comes through, followed by 10 - 30 minutes.....you get the point.  The 20 milers started their race at 9:00, so we got a little rush of visitors when they made it to our aid station, but we only got to see them once that day.  After they went through, the field was pretty spread out for the rest of the race.  

Throughout the day, there was the added excitement of the race within the race that was going on.  While most runners out there were going for 20, 62, or 100 miles, one man was going for 200 miles!!  Yep, you read that right - 200 miles.  AD Marshall left Friday morning (on foot) from Baton Rouge, and RAN to Chicot State Park arriving at 4:15 a.m.  Just enough time to eat, shower, dress and line up at the start.

Here he is as he arrived at the park.  1/2 way to his 200 mile goal.

AD's sister, Sarah, was there crewing for him, so every time he was approaching our aid station, Sarah would drive up and start getting things ready for him.  What an amazing friendship they have for her to be so dedicated to helping him achieve this crazy goal!

It was great to see him come through our spot.  At first he was looking pretty stiff and bringing up the rear of the pack.  100 miles on the road will take its toll on you.

But, even when he was hurting he was moving forward as quickly as possible.  Many of the runners that came through would ask about his progress.  It was inspiring to everyone to know that he was out there.

I already told you how awesome trail runners are, and Mosi Smith epitomizes this awesomeness.  Mosi is a member of the Marine Corps ultra running team.  He ran the 100 miler here last year, and finished in 2nd place with a time of 18:49.  This year, Mosi finished in 18:34 with a first place finish AND a new course record!!  

Every time Mosi would come through the aid station, he was positive, smiling, and incredibly polite.  What a great example.  THIS is what I want my kids to see.  There are no cheats in ultra running.  You may have the most expensive shoes and gear, but in the end it is your drive and determination that get you to the finish line. And at Coyote events, this is what you find at that finish line:

I have no explanation for this.  It just is.

So, as night began to fall, the aid station fare changed a bit, adding ramen noodle soup and potato soup.  It was warmer than we would have liked during the day, and the salty items were welcomed by the runners.  For anyone who has run the Chicot trail in the daylight, you can understand the challenges it presents in the night time.  Roots, critters, etc.

AD coming through our aid station

Before long, many of the 100k'ers were crossing the finish line - with our very own Christina Gravish finishing her first ever 100k in 12:08, for 3rd place female, and 4th overall finisher.  The temperature dropped a bit, and the gaps between the runners were longer as the runners slowed down a bit, so the aid station folks found ways to pass the time.

As the night drew on, the 100k'ers wrapped up their journey, and now only 100 milers were coming through our spot.  Your body clock can be your worst enemy at this point in a 100 miler.  Fatigue and desire for sleep outweighs the weight of your legs.  Sometimes it is just best to lay on the ground and take a short nap - which some folks did.  It is amazing how much 10 minutes of sleep can refresh you and renew your chances of finishing the race.  Once the sun comes out again, though, your body clock becomes your friend again and you get a little boost to keep running.

Its late in these races that you get to witness the drama of a 100 miler.  From folks who may have pushed their bodies too hard in the heat and who can no longer keep food down, leading to a DNF, to those who are hurting and you begin to doubt their ability to continue, just to see them spring out of the chair 10 minutes later and charge down the trail.  For those of you who enjoy studying human behavior, it doesn't get any better than this.

Once the sun rose again, the field had shrunk to just a few tough souls still out there pushing toward the finish line. By now, our aid station was in constant contact with all of the other aid stations keeping track of where each runner was at all times.  There are time cut offs in these races.  If you don't make it to a certain point by a set time, it is a good bet you will not make the overall cut off for the race.  This is when the RD exercises his power to pull you off of the course.  For your own good as well as for the volunteers who have been out there 24+ hours.

Finally, it came down to AD and two other girls out on the trail.  For most of the race AD had been DFL (dead &*%&^  last), but he was gaining ground on the girls, and from the report I got from the start/finish, I knew he started his last lap (180 miles into his run) like his shorts were on fire.  He was determined to make it to the finish under the cutoff and it was looking like he would!  

Next thing you know, here comes AD - he threw his empty water bottles to the side and grabbed the filled bottles his sister had waiting for him and took off down the trail - his pacer was even having a hard time keeping up!! 

Then, here come the two girls we were waiting on.  They were obviously hurting, but they were still moving forward at a decent pace, so there was hope they would make it to the end in time.  Now that all of the runners had come through our stop, we packed everything up and headed to the start/finish to watch the runners come through.  There was no way, regardless of how tired Shelby, Josh and I were, that we were going to miss watching AD finish his 200 mile journey.  That was some epic sh&t, and not something my kids may ever have a chance to witness again.  All day they followed AD's progress, and they were as excited as I was to see him finish!

The finish lines at these events are as drama filled as anything I have ever seen!  I got to witness two beautiful ladies finish their first 100 miler:

Lucia Alzaga

Rhae Loney

I know first hand that the amount of suffering during the run is directly related to the amount of elation/relief/feeling of accomplishment felt as you cross the finish line.  GREAT JOB LADIES!! There were many happy tears - many from me - for each of the runners that finished that morning.  Then, it was time to wait for AD.  But, we didn't have to wait long.  AD flew through that last 20 miles.  It was his fastest lap of the race!  Here he is coming in to the finish:

There are no words.  Truly amazing!

AD with Chris Scott, RD, after receiving his
buckle and propeller hat.  (Along with 2 celebratory
beverages!)

So, we wrapped things up and headed home.  Shelby and Josh were buzzing about AD's finish.  How amazing is it that they were able to witness such an awesome achievement on all of the runner's parts, and that they were able to be an integral part of their success by working the aid station. Even if they never choose to attempt something like this themselves, hopefully they will pull on these memories to remind them that anything is possible when you put in the work and set your mind on a goal.

Happy Running Y'all!

Edie

Why do you earn a belt buckle for a 100 miler?

I never thought about it, but this is pretty interesting.  Click the image on the history of earning a buckle for a 100 mile finish.