Are you Nate's wife? - 2015 Western States 100

Hey everyone! And welcome to the "Are you Nate's wife?" guest blog (within a blog) Grand Slam series: Volume 1 - Western States 100!

I decided a few weeks ago that I might try my hand in the blog world with a couple guest posts of what it's really like to be a Crew Wife in this crazy Grand Slam endeavor. 

First let me introduce myself: My name is Katy; aka "Mommy" or "Babe". In the trail-running community you can usually find me behind the packet pickup table for most of the Rock Creek and Wild Trails races or pounding out my miles at Enterprise South Nature Park a couple times a week. The most common question that I get asked is "Are you Nate's wife?" and I always happily answer... "Yes, I am!!" 

I was as surprised as anyone when Nathan's name got drawn for the Western States 100 Mile Endurance Run in December as he had assured me that there was less than a 4% chance that he was going to get drawn, especially his first year. Riiiight. And before I even had a chance to wrap my head around this one race, that was located on the opposite side of the country, came the talks about the Grand Slam and how this might be his only chance to complete it. I was probably the least excited because I was responsible for thinking about all the "practical" parts of the races: Where will all the money come from? How will the girls handle all the long car rides and crewing hours? How will I juggle everything and keep my sanity? But after some long discussions with Nathan (that may or may not have included him promising to sell his Jeep that has been sitting in our garage for 2+ years... Seriously though? Does anyone want to buy a Jeep??) and lots of praying I felt comfortable in telling Nathan to go on and go for it! I mean, this is a once in a lifetime chance! (At least it better be! ha)

Our week in Lake Tahoe seemed to fly by, as most times do when they are filled with wonderful family/friends and super fun activities to do, and all of a sudden it was the night before the race. We had hoped to be in bed earlier and fall quickly to sleep, but as anyone with children can understand, what you want is not always what they want. The girls were up at different times throughout the night and none of us got a good nights sleep. 3:00am came too quickly and by 4:00am we were off to the race start. My stomach was in knots as we watched all the runners getting ready and lining up, but Nathan was cool as a cucumber, just excited for the race and the day. 3..2..1.. and they were off - and so were we! After the gunshot we watched for a minute and then headed to the car to make our way to our first Crew station (Robinson Flats 29.7miles).

Crew #2 consisted of myself, Mom, Patty, Heidi & Harlow. The drive there was windy but thankfully on paved roads and we made it there without much trouble. All of our Crew stations for the day were shuttle-to aids and for this first one we got to ride on a School Bus and Heidi was so excited! We got up to Robinson Flat and found a place in the shade to set up and wait. I was very impressed with this aid station and the way that they had a path marked off for the runners and they wouldn't allow any Crew in the path. It kept the way clear for the runner's to easily find their Crew and get in and out quick and easy. As we waited for Nathan we watched as the first runner's came in and what their Crew's were doing; I mean, what better way to pick up some pointers?  They were filling arm warmers and bandanas full of ice and sending them on their way. We didn't have any of the bandanas (called Jimbo bandanas we later learned) but had a pair of thin arm warmers in the box and got those out and ready. When Nathan came through he didn't look terrible, but he didn't look great. He told us that he was behind on his eating and feeling a little tired. Those are some of his key words that usually indicate that he is in a low of some sort. Chris Luberecki was there and he helped convince Nathan to take a couple extra minutes to eat and drink while he was with us. I felt good about the time that he spent with us and after we filled up his arm warmers and hat with ice, put on his cool neck wrap, and gave him some food to go - he was off again!

As soon as he left we packed up our things, hopped back on the bus, and made our way down to our next Crew station: Michigan Bluff mile 55.7. The shuttle that took us to this aid was a mini school bus and we were thankful to not have to walk down the huge hill to get to the bottom. When we got to Michigan Bluff it was around 12:15p and there weren't a ton of people there yet. We set up shop in some of the only shade that we could find which was nestled nicely in between some other crews who were nice enough to share. There was a little restaurant up there that was selling some delicious hamburgers, hot dogs, and popsicles so we got some lunch and then Patty and I were able to catch a quick 30 min cat nap.

Let me take a second and brag about how awesome Mrs. Patty Hamilton is... She handled all the crazy adventures of the day with grace and ease. She was amazing with helping to keep the girls entertained, she never once complained about anything, she did whatever was asked of her and more, and was just so easy going. I am so grateful for her and her sweet soul. If you don't know her, you are definitely missing out! Now, back to the race. This aid station area was an absolute zoo. The more crews that came the more people just starting piling up in front of the ones that were already there, eventually taking up almost the entire road. We didn't expect Nathan until around 4:00p based off of his last updates on ultralive.net (big shout out to Joshua Cole for keeping us updated with texts as our phone service was spotty at best) so as it neared that time we had to move from our original spot to try to find a spot close to the road but still in the shade. My mom had suggested that I go down to the road that runs beside the aid station and wait for Nathan to come in. So I did and I waited. And waited. And waited. I knew that something was wrong. So I prayed. I knew that he should have been here by now. So I kept praying. When he finally came in he was death marching. He looked like crap and I could tell he was suffering. He told me he had thrown up a bunch and wasn't feeling good. He made a quick pass through the aid station and then came to where we had our stuff set up. A super helpful and sweet couple offered him their chair when we didn't have one and I changed out his socks and shoes. He kept saying he was so tired and just needed to rest but he decided after a few minutes that he didn't want any of the food that we had in our boxes and wanted to make another pass in the aid station. So I walked down with him and when we got down there he spoke with some of the volunteers and they put him into the care of the medical staff. They ushered him into one of their lounge chairs and allowed me to join him. He promptly vomited again as soon as he sat down and they were great about getting him some possible food and drink options to help in any way they could. After about 20 minutes they told him that he needed to keep moving and hopefully that would make him feel better. So we left the aid station and headed back towards our Crew area. By the time he had walked the couple hundred yards to where we were set up he was white as a ghost. Mom & Patty were great and took the girls for a walk so that I could focus on Nathan. Thankfully Jobie showed up and reminded Nathan that a few extra minutes here could save him big time down the road. So Nathan gave in and decided he wanted to lay down. We spread a blanket on the ground in the shade and let him lay down. As soon as he was on the ground he threw up everything all over again - so I ran to the medical box and grabbed a 5mg baby Zofran and just enough water for him to get it down. He took the Zofran and told Jobie & me to wake him up in 10 minutes. Yeah, sure. During this same time Patty had taken the shuttle back up to the car to call Nathan's Dad and have him come to this aid station. So I decided that I would let Nathan sleep until his Dad got there. And... now I get to brag about Jobie! Jobie stayed there with me pretty much the entire time before and while Nathan was sleeping. He kept me talking about just whatever and it kept my mind occupied so I didn't become so stressed with worrying about Nathan. He continually assured me that this was just what Nathan needed to get back on track. I trust him and am thankful that he took the little bit of extra time out of his day to just shoot the bull with me and help to keep me calm. He is also the same super awesome friend who delivered the mouthwash to Nathan at the Rucky Chucky aid station. His family is beautiful and we still owe him and his sweet wife Sherrie a dinner in Chattanooga!!
Even though this was probably the worst part of the entire race I never really thought that Nathan would pull - I know his determination and how bad he wants these races! I knew that his time for this race didn't matter as long as it was under the 30 hour cutoff. But that doesn't make my worry for his health lessen any. After about 30-35 minutes Nathan woke from a dead sleep with a terrible cramp in his left thigh. After that he said he felt better (but still looked like crap) and wanted to get moving. The sweet couple from earlier gave him a lemon lime popsicle and I walked with him as far as the aid station check out and with a quick peck on the cheek and a lot of faith I sent him on his way.

As he took off down the trail the bus was coming down the hill so I decided to hang around for a second to see if Patty was on the bus. Lo and behold, Patty & Daniel got off the bus and I told Daniel that he had just missed him. He asked if he could catch him and I told him that "No, he was already checked out of the aid and if you followed him he would get disqualified." So Daniel turned and booked it up the 1/2 mile hill back to the truck to meet Nathan's Dad; which was not an easy feat I assure you. We gathered all of our things from Michigan Bluff and headed on to the Foresthill High Aid station (mile 62).

Both Crews reconvened at Foresthill and it wasn't too long of a wait for Nathan and Daniel (who had met Nathan at Bath Rd.) to come into the aid station. I have to admit, he looked better. I mean, at least he was jogging into this aid station. A quick run through the aid station and a short stop by the Crew to grab his headlamp and some food (not that he ate any of it) and he and Daniel were off!!

After they left Foresthill we had another break before seeing them again at Rucky Chucky (Mile 78) so Patty & I took my Mom and the girls to the hotel and grabbed some McD's before heading back out. The girls had had about as much as they could take. We had spend nearly 7 hours at Michigan Bluff and they handled it like champs, but to ask them to stay out all night would've been more than their little selves could handle. I am again so grateful for my Mother and the awesome Gramma she is to our girls. It made Crewing life so much easier knowing I didn't have to worry about them anymore.  Seriously, what a blessing! So Patty & I made it to the parking lot to catch the shuttle to the Rucky Chucky Aid Station. She and I joked that each shuttle got smaller and smaller because the shuttle we took to the bottom was basically just a rafting van. I sat on the window side of the seat and soon realized that I had made a huge mistake. I could see off the side of the mountain and felt for sure that we were going to drop a tire and careen down the side. I did a ton of praying during this ride. But we made it to the bottom safely and found our way over to the aid. We sat on the ground and got comfy for the wait. Monica was still there and we were happy to see her. She was volunteering at Rucky Chucky and had stayed past her shift so that she could see us and another local, Michael Sherzer, through. We chatted off and on and soon Jobie joined Patty & I at the aid. (With his special bottle of mouthwash!!) We talked and kept each other awake - joking with Jobie for trying to catch a ride across the river in a raft so he didn't have to get all wet and again I was very thankful for everyone's company! When Nathan and Daniel came into the aid they were quick. Since Daniel had enacted his "No sitting and No leaning" law they were in and out pretty fast. We watched them cross the river, said our goodbyes to everyone else, and headed back up to the car. (Which was an equally scary bus ride in case you were wondering!)

Crew #1 had the next two Crew aid stations so after a little back and forth Patty and I made our way to the Finish and decided to try to get a little rest in the car while we waited. I set my alarm to go off every 30 minutes and would wake up and check ultralive.net to see what kind of progress he was making. So I basically got no sleep, ha. Finally my father-in-law called me and said they were on their way to the school. A few minutes after they got there we met up with them and Dennis (Nathan's Dad), Kristin (sister-in-law), Patty & I started walking up the hill and towards Robie Point. After we topped the hill Dennis & Kristin decided to turn back and head down so they could get pictures of Nathan coming in. Patty and I waited for the boys at the top and we didn't have to wait long! When I saw them coming down that road I was so happy I don't think there is even a word for it! We ran with them down the hill and Daniel & Patty dropped off right before we entered the stadium. I was so deliriously happy for Nathan that I couldn't stop laughing as we made our way onto the track. He grabbed my hand and we made our way around and into the chute. I tried to let go at the beginning of the chute so that I could get pictures of him crossing the line and so that he could cross the line by himself since he (and God) had worked so so hard to get there. But he told me no and wouldn't let go of my hand - so we made those last few special steps together. Even now it is hard for me to put into word's how incredibly proud of him that I am! These are the stories that I will use to encourage our girls as they grow and encounter situations where the easy decision is to just quit. I don't think there were many dry eyes as he crossed that line and every happy tear was well deserved!

Now on to round two!

Many Blessings,
Nate's Kate 

2015 Western States 100 (Grand Slam Race #1 of 4)

WSER Entry:  The 2014 Pinhoti 100 was my first successful 100 mile finish and was the qualifying race that I used to enter the lottery for the Western States 100 Mile Endurance Run.  I had told my wife and myself that I was going to put my name into the lottery for the 2015 Western with the expectation that it would take three or four years, at least, before I had enough tickets to get drawn.  I mean, I only had about a 4% chance at getting my name drawn.  This would let me get a few more years of "longer" ultras under my belt before going out west to the big show...  Well, the Big Guy upstairs must have had other intentions for me.  Low and behold, my name got drawn on December 7, 2014...  I was a little taken aback as I was not expecting to get in on the first try...

The first time I read about Western States was while reading an article about The Grand Slam of Ultrarunning.  The "Slam" is a recognition of those who complete four of the oldest 100-mile trail runs in the U.S. in the same year.  This includes Western States 100 Mile Endurance Run, Vermont 100 Mile Endurance Run, Leadville Trail 100 Mile Run, and Wasatch Front 100 Mile Endurance Run.  Oh, and all four of the races are ran over an eleven week period from June through September!  This challenge enthralled me and really sparked my interest in all four of the races.  I remember thinking that if I ever got the opportunity to run Western that I would almost have to try the Slam.  I mean, it's getting so much harder to get into Western States now that a guaranteed spot year after year is harder and harder to come by.  So, who knows when another opportunity would come around.  Entry and travel to any one of these races is fairly expensive let alone all four and this was not an adventure I wanted to attempt on my own.  I wanted to spend it with Katy and our two daughters.  So, after much prayer and discussion we found peace with signing up for the remaining Grand Slam races.  We didn't know exactly how it would all shake out but we trusted God to guide us and provide for our adventures.

Pre-Race:  We flew into Sacramento on the Monday before Saturday's race and made our way up to Squaw Valley by mid-day to find our vacation home for the week.  We were really blessed to find that we had a family connection to a house right in Squaw for the week.  The place was less than two miles from the starting line and offered plenty of space for my family/crew.  Funny how God provided us the perfect place to stay and free of charge!

It was a blessing and a curse to be in such a beautiful place for the week leading up to Western.  I knew that I needed to take it pretty easy during the week but couldn't resist going and doing as much as I could without running myself ragged.

Monday was pretty much filled with flying, driving, settling into the house, hitting up a quick hike at the base of Squaw, and... of course scoping out the local playgrounds.  Heidi and Harlow can spot those from a mile away!

Tuesday morning Daniel and I woke up early to get in a run to the top of the Escarpment at Squaw.  Since I had not run a single step of the Western course I figured I could at least scope out the first 4-miles of the course and see what the first big climb was like...  The views from the top were amazing!  Following Tuesday morning's run most of my family/crew and I went and checked out Tahoe City and enjoyed the town, Lake Tahoe and some local stores.  My Dad and Mary (step-mother) decided to drive around to all but one or two of the Western aid stations to make sure they were prepared for Saturday...  I really am fortunate to have a crew who is so dedicated to helping get me to the finish.  Not that many people would sacrifice a whole day of their vacation to drive around doing reconnaissance work for someone else's race.  #Thankful

Wednesday morning before anyone else was awake I really, really wanted to go for a run, but decided to just go for a walk around the base of squaw to try and save my legs some for Saturday.  I was treated to some breathtaking views as the sun awoke and burned through the early morning fog.

Because we didn't get enough of Lake Tahoe the day before we headed back over that afternoon to enjoy some kayaking and paddle boarding.

Thursday we enjoyed some time at Squaw enjoying the festivities at the Squaw lodge, getting some of my crew signed up for Friday's Montrail 6k Uphill Challenge and finished getting some last minute crewing items situated.  We had some pretty awesome crewing tools... be jealous!  A big thanks to my buddy Chris for taking us to a fun farmers market street fair in Truckee Thursday.

Jobie Williams (Left) & Joshua Holmes (Right) #$lamWater

Friday was upon us before we knew it and it was jam packed with pre-race activities.  At the pre-race check in we were treated to some pretty sweet Mountain Hardware bags which were promptly filled with all kinds of goodies as runners proceeded through the check-in line... definitely not a bad swag pull.  About mid-morning Daniel, Patty and Kristin (my big sister) got lined up for the 6k Uphill Challenge.  In years past the 6k Uphill race ran up the same climb that we do on race day to the top of Squaw.  However, this year they changed the course to take runners around the base of Squaw and up the Shirley Canyon Trail to the top of the mountain.  A good lung buster for everyone racing!  Friday afternoon was filled with seeing friends and trail running legends.  I was thrilled to know about 6-7 people at the race.  Some were running and some were crewing but all were there to support everyone attempting the race.  With all of the pre-race stuff completed, drop bags delivered and cars packed the only thing left to do was tidy up the house and get some sleep.

Race Day:  Boom!  Race morning and I was ready to run!  With so much crew support my family/crew was splitting into two cars and were going to split the crewing duties throughout the race.

N8's Crew #1: Dennis (Dad), Kristin (Sister), Andrew (Brother In-Law), Daniel (Friend), & Jodi (Trail Dog)

N8's Crew #2: Katy (Wife), Mary (Step-Mother), Patty (Friend), Heidi & Harlow (Greatest Gifts from God aka Daughters)

So, once we got to the starting line Crew #1 left to make the long drive around the mountain to Duncan Canyon (23.8 miles) and Crew #2 hung around the start to see me off.  The buzz around the starting line was phenomenal.  I grabbed a few hugs and kisses from Katy and the girls and said a few prayers for runners, crews and volunteers and lined up for an awesome day!  I've lined up with 300+ runners for other races but never felt as much energy that was flowing the crowd at this race...  3... 2... 1... We were off!


Even with starting at 5AM there was no reason to start the race with a headlamp.  The first 4-miles climbed to the highest point of the entire race at ~8,700 feet.  The trail along this climb was jeep gravel roads for the majority of the climb with the last 1/2-mile on a more narrow single-track climb over the top of Emigrant Pass.  This part was pretty fun because everyone was treated to an awesome sunrise and some beautiful views.   

Sunrise During the Climb Up Squaw

There were quite a bit of people along this climb cheering runners on and getting everyone primed for a huge day.  After passing over the Emigrant Pass I was on uncharted territory.  I had watched a few movies on the course and read quite a few race reports and thought I had a good understanding of the course.  However, I was not ready for the amount of technical running I would have for the next 20 miles.  The trail was littered with just enough baseball-to-softball sized rocks to make it very easy to roll an ankle or throw you out of rhythm.  The trail was definitely a good mix of these rocky sections with more runnable segments but it required a lot of attention to keep from rolling an ankle or eating a face full of trail.  I'm sure I exacerbated the problem by pulling my phone out every 5 minutes to take some pictures.  I was blown away by the beauty of the trail and the mountains as we made our way along the Red Star Ridge toward the first crew aid station at Duncan Canyon (23.8 miles).  This first 24-mile section averaged roughly 7,000+ feet in altitude and had been mentioned in plenty of the race reports as a section that could easily take more out of a runner than they may expect if they were not careful.  So, I tried to stay relaxed and maintain an easy effort to not get into a bad spot early on.

All Smiles Early On

Beautiful Trees & Views All Day

I ended up running a lot of this section by myself or with someone for just a few minutes as they were making their way around me.  The trail wound in and out of trees as it guided us along the ridge line and provided plenty of distractions to take your mind off of the effort being used to carry us on the journey.  There were two non-crew aid stations through this section of the race, the first at Lyon Ridge (10.5 miles) and the second at Red Star Ridge (16.0 miles).  These aid stations were top notch just like everything I had ever read about the volunteer support at Western.  The aid stations were a "zone" and once runners came into an aid station they had 1-2 people "assigned" just to them.  They made sure you had anything and everything you needed.  Water, mixed drink, food, medical, ice, etc...  It really was great to have such amazing support at each and every aid station.  Before I knew it I was closing in on the first crew-accessible aid station at Duncan Canyon (23.8 miles).  I was pretty stoked because I love the boost I get when I see my crew.  Daniel, Kristin and Andrew were standing there ready to go as soon as I arrived.  They got my bottles filled, packed me back up with energy blocks and a banana, and had the crewing down like a finely tuned pit crew.  They had me filled and ready to go so quick I wasn't ready for such great service.  I thanked everyone and jumped back on the trail to start toward the second crew-accessible aid station at Robinson Flat (29.7 miles).  I knew that I would get to see Katy and the girls at the next aid and I wanted to get there as soon as I could.  If anyone really gets me pumped up during a run it's Katy and my girls.

About a 1/2 mile outside of the Duncan Canyon aid station I realized in my rush to get out of there I had forgotten my cold neck wrap... oh well it was still pretty early and probably wouldn't be too hot by the time I got to Robinson Flat, I mean, it's only 6 miles.  I soon realized I was going to eat those words.  Within the next mile I really started to heat up and I had fell a little behind on food and drink. There were a few small creek crossings so I did my best to get my head, chest and limbs as wet as possible to try and cool off a little.  I had taken some ice in my hat at the previous aid and that was providing a little bit of cooling to my skull and I was definitely thankful to have that.  I think the lower amount of humidity and lack of sweating was playing a little role in me not drinking as much water as I may normally do in that type of heat.  I knew that this was a risk to running out west in low humidity conditions and tried to stay on top of drinking but by the time I could tell I was heating up more than I should it was a little late and now I was going to be working to get out of that hole.  I decided to slow my pace and take my time getting to Robinson Flat.  In any ultra it's easy to get caught up in the hype of "I'm falling behind" or "I can just push through this low."  If you're in a calorie deficit or dehydration situation it never really plays out in your favor to "just push through!"  9.9 out of 10 times your only bet is to slow down, get in some calories and/or hydration and turn a new leaf before picking back up the pace.  So, I slowed and really worked on getting in some hydration and food but was having a little harder time than normal catching back up; maybe because of the heat or maybe because of something else, but either way I stayed in a pretty good low all the way into Robinson Flat.  It was a good 4 miles of "ugh" feeling and I just figured it would get better once I got to the next aid and could get cooled off better and find something to sit better in my stomach.

As I rolled into Robinson Flat I went straight past the aid station fair and found Katy, the girls and the rest of Crew #2.  They knew right off that I wasn't feeling 100%.  I told them I had overheated on the last 6 miles and needed to cool off and get some calories down.  They pointed me to some volunteers who where soaking people down with cold water and I quickly got dowsed with water all over my body.  When I walked back over to my crew they had some food ready and suggested that I take a few extra minutes to try and eat some more and drink to make sure that I was ready for the next push.  They said that while they were waiting they were watching the other crews and noticed a few people (mainly Top 10 runners) running with arm warmers stuffed with ice to keep their forearms and pressure points around their wrists cool.  I had never tried it but was willing to go for anything that would keep me cooler.  So as they packed my arm warmers full of ice, filled my hat and shirt with ice, I grabbed some food and drink for the road, and... grabbed my cool neck wrap.  Spending that extra 10-minutes here really paid dividends.  Within a mile I was feeling good again and settled back into a comfortable running pace.  The trail opened up a little through the next section and no longer required as much concentration due to the baseball-to-softball sized ankle breakers.  Still feeling great I rolled through the Miller's Defeat aid station at mile 34.4 knowing that I would see my Crew #1 at mile 38 at Dusty Corners.  The miles were rolling off easily and I was thanking God for my crew every step of the way.  The cool arm warmers and food break had turned my low around and I was feeling great.  Into Dusty Corners I grabbed a couple of items, got a fresh cold neck wrap, ice, and a good soaking from the volunteers and set out for the canyons section of the course.

When I left Dusty Corners I knew that I would be getting into the canyons section of the course where the heat could be brutal and had wreaked havoc on runners in the past.  I may have underestimated this section somewhat in my new found running high.  I got quickly caught up in the glorious views and focused on where I was and this experience when I got to the bottom of the first canyon and aid station Last Chance (43.3 miles).

New Bridge at River Crossing at Base of Devil's Thumb

I realized I was starting to heat up again and had fallen behind again on calories and drink... It's pretty bad that I could make the same mistake twice in the same race and within a 2-3 hour span.  Anyhow, I grabbed a sponge soaking, fresh ice and some water for my bottles as I made my way out of the aid station and started the climb up Devils Thumb.  I had read a few things about this climb and even looked at the climb on the elevation profile... It didn't look that hard... really!  It didn't take long to realize that this was going to be a brutal climb.  I focused on keeping my gaze about 5 feet in front of me and kept the bill of my hat pulled down low to keep my eyes from wandering up to see how steep the climb was and how much more climb remained.  I figured I could keep grinding through to the top and drink and eat at the top at the Devil's Thumb aid station (47.8 miles).  Not the best idea... When I got to the top I had overheated quite a bit and was now getting into another good low point.  I took a few minutes at the aid to try and get cooled off and tried to get some food down.  Food wasn't really sitting well now and liquids were questionable.  I ended up taking a popsicle and decided to keep moving.  I had a pretty long downhill section to the bottom of another canyon and the next aid station at El Dorado Creek (52.9 miles).  The trail down into the canyon was pretty runnable with some sections of switchbacks and minor rocky sections to slow runners but overall was a nice wide single track winding down into the canyon.

Descent Into the Canyons

I started having muscle cramps on this descent and could really feel my energy draining.  I kept moving and worked on eating whatever I could manage even if it was small.  It wasn't much but I was still moving so I just kept grinding and eventually found my way to the 52.9 mile aid station at El Dorado Creek.  Looking around the aid station fair I figured something would look appealing but everything made my stomach lurch just thinking about eating that.  So, I just grabbed a few handfuls of things hoping that I could get something down on my hike out of the canyon and up to the next crew-accessible aid station at Michigan Bluff (55.7 miles).  Katy and the girls were at this aid and I knew they would lift my spirits and hopefully help me turn this low into a high again.  This next climb out of the canyons wasn't as difficult as Devil's Thumb but was no easy task, especially with it getting into the afternoon by this time and some really stagnate hot air hanging in the canyons.  My rev-limiter was pegged out for a lot of this climb and my calorie and drink intake was next to nothing for the majority of the way out of the canyon.  It really sucked because I knew I was heading down a bad path but couldn't persuade myself to stop and take the time to get myself right at that time.  I just kept focusing on getting to the aid to see my crew and then work on getting out of this funk.  I finally made it to the top of the climb and down toward the aid station.  I had made it less than 50 feet from the top of the climb when I lost everything I had in my stomach.  I started throwing up and within a few minutes I had emptied any amount of food and drink that was in my body.  I continued dry heaving for a few minutes before it finally subsided.  Crap!  I knew it was my own fault for continuing to push when I wasn't feeling good but it was too late now.  Like most endurance athletes I've dealt with nutritioning and nausea quite a bit over the years.  However, I've been on a pretty good streak for the past 18-months and was on a good run of not puking my guts out during races.  Well, that was not the case today!

Death Marching Into Michigan Bluff After a Puking Rally

With the retching subsided for the moment I made my way down to the aid station where Katy spotted me on the way in. They had been waiting for a few hours by this time and she knew that something must have been wrong.  There were masses of people here at Michigan Bluff and crews were lining the road.  Katy and the crew had a spot just up a few hundred feet from the main aid station.  I felt like crap and really wanted nothing more than to grab a seat and try to find something that I could stomach.  A nice couple let me sit in one of their chairs and I started trying do decipher all the different food options... M&M's... no... chips... no... gels... Heck No... etc... Everything I had for options sounded terrible.  So, I started trying some of the different options from the aid station...  Nothing was going down.  So, in trying to make use of my down time Katy jumped on changing my socks and shoes and even reapplied my foot cream!  Yeah, I'm that lucky!  After 15-20 minutes of not really eating anything in front of me we decided to walk down to the aid station and let me get a look at the options to see if anything looked more appealing.  Once at the aid station tent I spotted some cots behind the station at the medical area and decided to lay down there to get into the shade and work on some food.  I tried some rice & water, chips and Coke.  After getting down a little food and drink I figured I was on the mend... then I felt it coming back up again.  Katy has always said my vomiting is REALLY loud and sounds like I'm dying.  I have to admit, it usually feels like I'm dying and today was no different.  I had been battling negative thoughts since about mile 24-25 when I had my first low that lasted a bit longer than usual and started to come around until I hit the next low once into the canyons.  Now, with almost an hour wasted at this one aid station alone and everything I had just tried to eat and drink gone again, I was really down about my ability to make it another 45 miles to the finish.  The medical personnel said that I should just keep going and that I would probably feel better just by getting going again... I understand their reasoning about keeping runners moving and appreciated their help but I knew that I was completely drained and I was concerned about trying to run the next 6-7 miles to the Foresthill aid station (62 miles).  So I headed back to my crew's spot and after the short walk there I felt like I was going to pass out.  My blood sugar had dropped, my head was spinning and I had zero energy.  Katy and Mary quickly got me into a chair for fear I was about to pass out.  Probably the worst part of the entire ordeal was having to be so sick in front of my two little girls.  At two and four years of age they couldn't really comprehend what was wrong with daddy.  They knew I was sick and wanted to help but didn't know what to do.  Heidi, my four year old, had came over to me and told me, "Daddy, you don't have to keep running, you can just stay here with us and you'll feel better."  She has such a loving soul and I was now at my lowest point ever.  I hated myself for not being able to just stay there with them and show them that I was okay and hated myself for thoughts of quitting the race because I couldn't do it.  I was overcome with emotions and wanted nothing more than to lay down and rest for a minute.  Jobie, a good friend of mine and a few others were there and had agreed that trying to rest for a minute may do the trick.  I asked Katy if there was anywhere I could lay down and she quickly threw out a small blanket for me.  I asked her to let me rest for 10-minutes and then laid down flat on my face and stomach.  Just as soon as I laid down I felt more sickness and propped up just enough to keep my sick off of the blanket.  I cleared out any food or drink that I had been able to get down from the aid and finished off with some dry heaving to wipe me out.  My gut was in knots, every muscle in my legs were cramping and my head was spinning.  Katy had found a baby Zophran in her medical kit and brought it to me with a small sip of water to see if that would ease my vomiting.  As I took the medicine my mind was swimming of thoughts of failure, inadequacy and memories of my first attempt at a 100-miler at the 2014 Thunder Rock Race.  I was overwhelmed and just needed to rest...

I barely remember closing my eyes but was soon awoken by a severe cramp in my left thigh.  I sat straight up and could tell that I had been out for more than just the few seconds it felt like it had been.  Katy and Jobie were sitting to my right and jumped to see what I needed.  I massaged my thigh and realized that I actually felt pretty good.  I still hadn't eaten anything but my stomach was settled, my head was cleared and my legs were good enough to hold me.  The Lord had sent me some relief through children's medicine and great advice (Jobie) for a short cat nap when I was completely wiped out.  Katy said I had been out for 35-40 minutes and that my Dad was on his way from the other crew aid station.  I hated that my dad had made all of the effort to get over here to see me but I told her I had to go and had to go now!  God had sent me some strength and was providing me the energy to move so I was not going to sit around and waste His gift.  With some quick hugs and supplies I started to make my way out of Michigan Bluff.  Roughly two hours spent at Michigan Bluff were more than I had ever bargained for and I was ready to leave that place.  On my way out God sent me one more gift in the form of an ice cold popsicle.  The couple who had been kind enough to lend us a chair offered this icy cold elixir of life!  I thanked them again for the chair and the popsicle and started on my way toward Foresthill.  The trail was similar to the previous canyon sections, it was fairly runnable and non-technical and the descent and ascent of this canyon was much more tame than the previous two.  I wasn't flying but was able to maintain a steady shuffle and was just glad to be moving again.  At the top of the next canyon runners jump onto Bath Road where they can meet crew members who are allowed to run the next 1.5 miles into the Foresthill aid station with their runners.  It was nice to see my buddy Daniel Hamilton here.  He was jazzed up and ready to run so I'm sure it was a little disappointing for him that I was forced to hike most uphills and my flats and downs were pretty tame.  However, he was a good boost of energy to keep my spirits up.  We made our way into Foresthill and we found some stuff at the aid station to carry over to my full crew.  Both crews 1 & 2 were here and were getting me taken care of.

Photo Credit: Jobie Williams - Crew Hard at Work Trying to Revive a Depleted Runner (Foresthill Aid Station)

Food was still not really working for my stomach and after having sat for a few minutes I knew I needed to get going again or risk getting stuck in that chair.  We grabbed supplies, headlamps and cheers on our way out of Foresthill.

Daniel in Pacer-Mode

Daniel did a great job of taking my mind off of any pain and overall lack of energy.  My legs were still giving me fits as I had now been going for 10+ miles on pretty much just Coke and water.  Daniel joked with me that plenty of runners would finish the last little bit of a race on nothing but Coke and water.  I agreed but knew that in most situations it was only meant to sustain someone for 5-10 miles max, not 45 miles!  Regardless, we continued on the next 16-miles rolling down into the American River Canyon as the dark started to set in on us.  We jostled back and forth with some runners and pacers around us mainly at aid stations.  Daniel quickly realized that it was not a good idea for me to grab a seat at an aid station to try and eat and drink anything.  Something inside my stomach was not handling those breaks very well.  At two of the aid stations on our way toward Rucky Chucky (78 miles) I made the mistake of sitting down to rest and try and eat for a minute and quickly found myself in a heap retching all over the place.  So... with that Daniel made an executive decision that I was not allowed to sit or lean on any aid station tables until the finish...  Easier said than done.  The trail through this section was fairly easy.  There were rollers, smooth dirt sections and only a few minor technical sections on some of the descents.  My original plan was to feel good back at Foresthill (62 miles) because I had read that a lot of the last 38 miles were runnable.  Well, I was able to run some through here and even tried to run any uphills but it never failed that during any decent grade uphill I was forced to a hike.  I was looking forward to the river crossing at Rucky Chucky because I knew the river would feel good on my cramping legs and I would get to see my crew here again.  Using this as a goal we continued to work as hard as my body could handle.  My energy levels rose and fell pretty evenly riding those sugar spikes from the Coke and water.  Daniel suggested mixing in a little Perpetuem back into my water to start trying to get some more liquid calories and maybe a little protein.  This worked for a bit and I think it provided a little nutrition but after those couple of mini-puking rallies I just couldn't really stomach any mixed drink anymore.  Back to Coke, water and prayers.  As we made our way toward the river the trail seemed to open up more and more to a good sized dirt road that carried us down and down closer to the river.  We could hear the water roaring below and we were getting ready for a refreshing dip in the water.  We found a familiar Chattanoogan at Rucky Chucky, Monica Manning was volunteering at this aid station and had stuck around past her shift to see us through as well as another friend and local runner Michael Sherzer.

Scope Lifesaver!!  P.S. I Owe Jobie $3.99 + Tax

Katy and Patty were here as well and Jobie, who was waiting for his runner, came with an awesome gift - A bottle of Scope mouthwash!  At Foresthill someone had asked if I needed anything and I said I needed a toothbrush or something because I had the worst taste in my mouth from mix drinks, energy blocks and vomit...  Little did I know that Jobie would drive to the only convenience store around and purchase me a $4 bottle of mouthwash... Now that's a great friend right there... #runnerfriends

So, with a quick swish, gargle and spit of the Scope I was ready for a quick good luck kiss from Katy and off to finish this last 20 miles.  Daniel made sure I was full again on Coke and water and we made our way across the river.  It was early Sunday morning now and we were ready to finish this thing.  At the other side of the river crossing we started a long hike up to the top of Green Gate.  This was about a 2 mile hike up a pretty steep grade gravel road.  The legs felt pretty good from the cold river and seemed to have a little more pep for this hike.  It was great to see my dad, sister and brother in-law at the top of this climb.  I got two fresh Coke flasks and said that we would see them once more at Highway 49 (93.5 miles) before the finish.  Originally, I had wanted to run a few of these shorter sections with Andrew (brother-in-law) or Kristin (sister) but Daniel and I had good rhythm going and I was leery to try something new.  Especially since they had never paced for me before and I was still unsure about completely blowing up and not wanting them to have to deal with me.  I found that if I could continue "running" whether it was up, down, or flat I was very aware and focused on my footing and such.  However, when forced to hike my low energy levels caught up with me and I started to grow weary.  I tried smacking myself but couldn't muster up enough to jar my senses so I asked Daniel what any good pacer will do for their runner.  "Hey man, do you think you could smack me... like, smack the crap out of me."  I wasn't sure if he thought I was kidding but I confirmed that it was okay and I needed it.  So, every now and then I would ask for another and promptly get a quick smack across the face to jar my senses... I did notice once or twice he was ready to smack me pretty quick and maybe he enjoyed knocking some sense into me a little too much!

There were a few aid stations along the next 13-14 miles from the river over to Highway 49 (93.5 miles) but I scarcely remember much from any of these except for shots of anything caffeinated and toping off water and Coke flasks.  One other little trick that I got from one of the aid station volunteers was to carry some hard candy and suck on that if nothing else would stay down.  It would trick the mind into thinking you were eating some and would provide a few calories.  I appreciated the advice because if nothing else the peppermint provided some good flavor in my mouth which was a train-wreak of terrible flavors from the previous 20+ hours.  As we closed in on Highway 49 we could hear cars and crews ahead and were really moving at a good clip now.  We had been steadily picking people off now for the past 13-14 miles and my leg cramps had become almost nonexistent.  We refueled for the last time with our crew and told them we would see them at the finish.  We continued on towards No Hands Bridge (96.8 miles) and were able to pretty much maintain a runnable pace all the way down to No Hands Bridge.  This bridge is pretty amazing and it felt great to know that we were less than 4-miles from the finish by this point.  The only thing that sucked was that I knew we had one last big climb up to the top of Robie Point (98.9 miles).  We didn't talk much through here.  We just kept our heads down and ran when we could run and hiked when we had to walk.  The climb to Robie was steep at times and we didn't even waste time at this aid because we knew how close we were to the finish.  Runners get onto the pavement for the last time just past Robie Point but continue to climb for a 1/2 mile or so before beginning the final mile down into Auburn's Placer High School.

I couldn't believe that I was almost to the finish.  To think that about 12 hours earlier I was basically finished and ready to call it quits at Michigan Bluff (55.7 miles).  I had big intentions for Western and had grand thoughts of crushing this run and just really having a great all around day.  The day before I had sent thoughts and prayers out to all my friends, family and every other runner to have fun and enjoy the opportunity God had given each of us to experience this awesome adventure.  I had read and posted one of my favorite verses.

Last 1/2-Mile Toward Placer High School

Isaiah 40:31 ... but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.  They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

I got caught up in the moment and tried to run my race and tried to do it on my own.  When I finally hit the bottom at Michigan Bluff and was ready to throw in the towel I snapped to my senses and called on the Lord to give me strength.  Within the hour He had sent answers to my prayers... Katy, Jobie and complete strangers who convinced me to lay down and rest.  When I woke from my rest I had renewed strength!  He provided the perfect pacer in Daniel.  There was joking when I needed laughter, there was sternness when I needed tough love and there was plenty of encouragement when I was falling into negativity.  God carried me for 45 miles on Coke and water!  Seriously, there's no other explanation for being able to continue on for 45 miles and 12+ hours of running and hiking without His promise to "run and not grow weary, walk and not be faint."  The Lord provided the jolt I needed to not be faint through the hand of Daniel (I still appreciate those slaps in the face buddy).  I am truly blessed to have such wonderful support from my family, friends and so many loved ones.  I found out after the race that so many people had heard or watched on the internet that I had fallen way behind at Michigan Bluff and sent good thoughts, prayers and messages my way.  I am forever grateful and thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Katy and Patty met Daniel and me about a 1/2 mile from the high school and ran in with us.  Daniel and Patty rolled off to let Katy and I run in together.  I was so thankful to see her smiling face and was thrilled to be finishing the last of this race with my beautiful wife.  I am very humbled by my Western States experience and forever grateful for the experience and finish!  This was one of the most beautiful courses I have ever run and I am so thankful for the challenge I faced.  I want to thank God first and foremost for all the answered and unanswered prayers.  I trust that everything I learned at this race will carry significant weight in my heart for future races.  I am so thankful for my crew's support and encouragement; Katy, Heidi, Harlow, Dad, Mary, Daniel, Patty, Kristin, and Andrew!  Without your help I never would have made it to the finish.  Thank you so much to my friends on the course who helped me throughout the day; Jobie, Monica, Ryan, Michael, Robin, strangers who gave me a chair and a popsicle... you were heaven sent wether you knew it or not.  There were so many supporters back home that sent me good vibes and prayers that I did not deserve; Mom, Deming, Aunts and Uncles, Cousins, Josh, and so many more friends.  Your prayers were there when mine were not.  I may not have run the race I had in mind but I am so happy to have represented Rock/Creek and am very proud to call all of the Rock/Creek family my friends.

Monica Manning, Stayed Up All Night to Watch me Finish #runnerfriends

Daniel & Patty Hamilton Great Crew/Pacer Friends #runnerfriends

My Beautiful Family Before the Day's Adventure

25:02:51, 101 Overall

Race #1 of 4 in the Grand Slam of Ultrarunning complete and I am proud to say that I believe I ran the race God had intended for me and I hope to make Him proud in the remaining 3 races this summer.

#GrandSlamGameFace

Gear:  Patagonia Air Flow Shirt, Patagonia Strider Pro 5” Shorts, Smartwool PhD Compression Calf Sleeves and Socks, Suunto Ambit 2 (HR) Watch, Salomon S-Lab Ultra Set, Salomon Sense 3 Ultra & Ultra Soft Ground Shoes, Hammer Nutrition Perpetuem & Endurolytes Extreme

Nutrition Plan:

Every Hour - ~16oz of Hammer Perpetuem, 1 Whole Banana, ½ Pack of Energy Blocks (GU or Stinger), 2 Hammer Electrolyte Extreme Tabs, ~5oz of Water

After 40+ miles – Added Chicken Noodle Puree, Beef Jerky, Pickles, and Coke as Needed

Until the next race,

Nathan Holland
2015 Rock/Creek Race Team