The Background
After the inspiring experience of running the USA Fit Marathon with Jamie, I was psyched for the Jackalope Jam. I did not finish a 100-mile race in 2022, and this would be a chance to try again.
Running with Luke and Jamie had gotten me in better shape than I had been in years. I dieted and made it to the low 160s. Even more important, I felt mentally dialed in.
The Race
I signed up for the 72 hour race, which began on Thursday. Klein ISD gave us Wednesday through Sunday off, so it was perfect timing. The best possible result would be to run 100 miles, and I hoped I would finish before Sunday.
Like last year, it was cold and windy as the race began. It wasn't rainy, so it wasn't quite as bad as 2022.
As always, Jackalope Jam is a 1.5 mile out-and-back around the Cone of Death.
Heading out at 10-minute miles, I clocked off the opening 15 miles. Though I still felt good, I then took a 5 or 6 mile walk break, remembering my 100-mile goal. Then, I put in some good miles running to make it marathon by 5:44.
By 50k, I saw I could get in under 7 hours so I ran to make it there in 6:59. I felt good about that, since sub-7 hours had been my result for many full 50k races.
I had been running late when arriving to the race, and so took a break after 34.5 miles to set up my tent before nightfall.
Heading back out, I made it to mile 51. Then, I got mentally weak in the cold, windy night and decided to sleep. After showering, I shivered in my tent. I could have woken up before sunrise, but I didn't want to face the night again.
With the birds tweeting, it was hard to get out of the sleeping bag in the cold. I knew if I willed myself to get moving, I'd warm up, which was true.
I ran a few miles, then began hiking 16 or 17-minute miles. By 100k, I had calculated the time and saw that I could get to 100 miles in under 40 hours. I had a chance of making it by 36 hours, which would would be meaningful to me since that was the old cutoff for Cactus Rose and the current cutoff for the Badger. But anything under 40 hours would be great, since I was still fighting the urge to stop and finish up on day 3.
Luckily, day 2 was warmer and not very windy. I actually I wished I had brought my bucket hat for the sun.
Pushing on, I hit a low at mile 75. My energy was low so I ate some extra food (I had mostly eaten chips this race). I sat down in a chair for like 3 minutes. Moving again, I called my friend Cesar to pass a bit of time and as always he helped me.
I had been drinking coke a lot, but it in the closing miles I watched my calories closely and switched back to Gatorade. Wanting to avoid a crash, I even choked down a couple of gels, which I hate to do!
I chatted with a lot of great folks along the way. Jackalope runners always inspire me. A lot of the runners are slower like me but they are doing amazing things - 200 plus miles. I cheered for a fellow Emmanuel who finished his first 100k.
By nightfall on the second day, I had about half marathon to go to 100 miles. I had feared to face the cold night again, but with low wind the weather, though cold, was not a factor. In the last 13 miles, I threw in some running, at times to shake me up when I felt low or just to get closer to the finish.
My pace had slowed when hiking to 18 or 19 minutes a mile, and the 36 hour goal was not to be. But I moved steadily and finished in 37:30.
Start
The Cone of Death
Mile 80
Finish
Reflections
This race went about as well as I could hope for. I could have done better by pushing through the night on day 1 or taking a much shorter break. But I made it to 100 miles. I had stopped before at 100k at Jackalope in 2019 and 2022. I had done the virtual 100-miler for Jackalope in 2021, but that was over 60 hours and not at the race course.
Further, as I was running this like a 100 mile race with a really long cutoff, my goal was to make it to 100 in the best possible time. As such, not stretching it over 3 days, like I had done on some of my virtual 100-milers, was an improvement. Sub-40 hours feels great to me.
I did not feel despair in the race, as I had at Rocky Raccoon, Cactus Rose (both times), and the Badger. Maybe my mental outlook is getting better. Maybe it was the inspiration of running with Luke and Jamie. Maybe it was just managing the race better. Probably a combination of all 3. But this is good, because I now know I can run 100 miles without it being absolute torture. While it was very hard, apart from the low point at mile 75, I felt okay most of the race.
I could not be happier about this race!
