The Hills are Alive at the Vermont 100K
By Lisa Glick
On July 15 and 16, 2017 I accomplished two long time goals- visiting Vermont and running a one hundred kilometer race.
As a former music teacher and lover of musicals, Vermont had been on my list of places to visit because of the Sound of Music and the Von Trapp family. In the early 1940s, the Von Trapp family, upon whose lives the musical is based, toured the United States as the Trapp Family Singers before eventually settling in Stowe, Vermont on an enchanted farm with sweeping mountain vistas reminiscent of their beloved Austria.
As an ultra runner with multiple 50K’s and three fifty milers completed, a 100K was the only logical next goal.
Another compelling motivator was the anniversary of my brother Joel’s passing after his 3rd Hardrock 100-miler.
Hardrock was occurring in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado at the same time as the Vermont race. I felt motivate and connected to know I was running here in the east at the same time the Hardrockers were toughing it out out west.
Training Local
Living and training here in our beautiful Hudson Valley is a gift. Between January and July 2017 I had logged almost 2000 miles, with a good base coming off Rock the Ridge 50 miler, a fundraiser for the Mohonk Preserve in New Paltz, NY. I trained multiple times a week at Mohonk and Minnewaska State Park. A few times a month I hiked in the Catskill Mountains. Leading up to Vermont I incorporated lots of long, slow, pulls up and down hill.
Overlook Mountain in the town of Woodstock, NY and Lenape Lane at Mohonk Preserve were the sites of hill repeats once a week. Not my favorite thing to do but necessary to be able to survive both the 9000 feet of elevation gain at the Vermont 100K and a similar amount of elevation loss. The downhills can be harder than the uphills in a race this long. Below is the elevation profile for the 100-mile course. The 100K comes in at mile 30 on this chart.
On July 15 and 16, 2017 I accomplished two long time goals- visiting Vermont and running a one hundred kilometer race.
As a former music teacher and lover of musicals, Vermont had been on my list of places to visit because of the Sound of Music and the Von Trapp family. In the early 1940s, the Von Trapp family, upon whose lives the musical is based, toured the United States as the Trapp Family Singers before eventually settling in Stowe, Vermont on an enchanted farm with sweeping mountain vistas reminiscent of their beloved Austria.
As an ultra runner with multiple 50K’s and three fifty milers completed, a 100K was the only logical next goal.
Another compelling motivator was the anniversary of my brother Joel’s passing after his 3rd Hardrock 100-miler.
Hardrock was occurring in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado at the same time as the Vermont race. I felt motivate and connected to know I was running here in the east at the same time the Hardrockers were toughing it out out west.
Training Local
Living and training here in our beautiful Hudson Valley is a gift. Between January and July 2017 I had logged almost 2000 miles, with a good base coming off Rock the Ridge 50 miler, a fundraiser for the Mohonk Preserve in New Paltz, NY. I trained multiple times a week at Mohonk and Minnewaska State Park. A few times a month I hiked in the Catskill Mountains. Leading up to Vermont I incorporated lots of long, slow, pulls up and down hill.
Overlook Mountain in the town of Woodstock, NY and Lenape Lane at Mohonk Preserve were the sites of hill repeats once a week. Not my favorite thing to do but necessary to be able to survive both the 9000 feet of elevation gain at the Vermont 100K and a similar amount of elevation loss. The downhills can be harder than the uphills in a race this long. Below is the elevation profile for the 100-mile course. The 100K comes in at mile 30 on this chart.
Nutrition- Ketogenic Food Plan
For the last several years I have adopted the ketogenic food plan, meaning I do not eat any sugar or grains, very few carbs, moderate protein, and good fats. Yes, good fats and low carbs. Good fats consist of real butter, coconut oil, olive oil, whole foods without added chemicals. By restricting carbs, the body can be trained to use its own fat as fuel. This way of eating has many advantages; one is an ability to go long periods of time without eating and still have energy. Other advantages are the reduction of inflammation in the body, an increase in lean muscle mass, and clarity of thought. I fortified myself with bacon jerky, sausage, salami, caffeine pills, and broth. No gels, no Gatorade, no cookies for me.
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The Turtle Chasing Cut-OffsI have always been a slow runner. Talking, dancing, even signing- those I can do fast, but I have never been able to run fast. Most of the time I am OK with this. When I am doing an event and pushing to make cutoffs, this can be stressful and not so much fun. Fighting off this stress is where the brain becomes my most important muscle. Thoughts are incredibly powerful.
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At the start of the 100K, I felt good; I was moving well and making the milage cutoffs. At about mile 30, as I got a little tired, I was having to push hard to make the cut-offs. My partner, Jim Porter, did a fantastic job of keeping me moving forward. In my head, I started having negative thoughts.
“I’ll never finish under the allowed cut-off. I’m way too slow to succeed at an event with so much elevation change. Why am I doing this?"
At Ten Bear, the 31.7-mile aid station, we saw our buddy Chris Agbay who we met in Silverton, Colorado three years ago. Seeing him gave me a much-needed morale booster. He took excellent care of us!
Jim was steadfast in keeping up the positive and constant encouragement. “You’re doing great." "That’s it just keep up a brisk walk." "Great running on that downhill.” He was firm but kind.
We came around a bend on a carriage road in the middle of a farm around mile 40 about 6 PM and saw a rainbow
"It's a sign." I decided. From there on I was determined. I would do my absolute best to finish officially in 20 hours. I started telling myself that I could do this and I began to believe it. I thought about people that were disabled and could hardly walk. I thought about my nursing home friends in their wheel chairs. I knew I had my "miles in the bank". I had a light bulb moment that I could make a choice. The choice was to believe that I could succeed.
Climb every mountain,
Ford every stream,
Follow every rainbow,
Til you find your dream.
Running through the night with head lamps was my favorite part of the whole race. It was another first. The stars and the moon were looking down on us as we ran, and the world seemed at peace. Many of the 100 milers were passing us, and we all encouraged each other. The velvety darkness, , companionship, and comradery combined into a magical and beautiful run.
These are a few of my favorite things.
I sang at every aid station to make sure I wasn't dehydrated and to entertain the volunteers. Like at Margaritaville I San the Jimmy Buffet song and at Polly's I sang Polly Wolly Doodle. Singing also helped to to make sure I was lucid. I figured I if I could remember lyrics I was good.
The hills are alive with the sound of music.
At Bill's aid station, mile 50, we got special attention from the amazing Marty Sullivan, Stone Cat race director and G.A.C. running club member. As Marty pushed us back out into the night, one of the other runners passing us said: ”Hey, only a short half marathon to go.” That man gave me a huge gift of inspiration. I felt like I had hit the restart button and got a second wind.
My legs were on autopilot for the last 10 miles. I laughed out loud at a hill at mile 58. As we got closer to the finish there were mile marker signs saying three miles to go, then two, then one.
Jim got emotional at the one mile left to go. He said, “You are going to do this!” I said, “I love you but it’s not over till we cross that finish line, honey we gotta keep moving!” We moved very well the last few miles. I was trying to go as fast as I could without falling because of tired legs.
A flillibitjibbit! A whisp-o-will! A clown!
Lights appeared, and then the sound of people cheering. We crossed the finish line in 19 hours and 32 minutes- just 28 minutes under the cut-off. I made it!! I jumped up and down a few times; then I burst into tears. I thought of my brother finishing Hardrock and then having a stroke. I thought about my late mom. I thought about how wonderful Jim was for helping me. I thought about fortunate I was to be well enough to run for 19+ hours.I am so grateful to have completed this journey.
100 kilometers, I traveled 62 miles on foot.
(Fa!) far, a long, long way to run.
“I’ll never finish under the allowed cut-off. I’m way too slow to succeed at an event with so much elevation change. Why am I doing this?"
At Ten Bear, the 31.7-mile aid station, we saw our buddy Chris Agbay who we met in Silverton, Colorado three years ago. Seeing him gave me a much-needed morale booster. He took excellent care of us!
Jim was steadfast in keeping up the positive and constant encouragement. “You’re doing great." "That’s it just keep up a brisk walk." "Great running on that downhill.” He was firm but kind.
We came around a bend on a carriage road in the middle of a farm around mile 40 about 6 PM and saw a rainbow
"It's a sign." I decided. From there on I was determined. I would do my absolute best to finish officially in 20 hours. I started telling myself that I could do this and I began to believe it. I thought about people that were disabled and could hardly walk. I thought about my nursing home friends in their wheel chairs. I knew I had my "miles in the bank". I had a light bulb moment that I could make a choice. The choice was to believe that I could succeed.
Climb every mountain,
Ford every stream,
Follow every rainbow,
Til you find your dream.
Running through the night with head lamps was my favorite part of the whole race. It was another first. The stars and the moon were looking down on us as we ran, and the world seemed at peace. Many of the 100 milers were passing us, and we all encouraged each other. The velvety darkness, , companionship, and comradery combined into a magical and beautiful run.
These are a few of my favorite things.
I sang at every aid station to make sure I wasn't dehydrated and to entertain the volunteers. Like at Margaritaville I San the Jimmy Buffet song and at Polly's I sang Polly Wolly Doodle. Singing also helped to to make sure I was lucid. I figured I if I could remember lyrics I was good.
The hills are alive with the sound of music.
At Bill's aid station, mile 50, we got special attention from the amazing Marty Sullivan, Stone Cat race director and G.A.C. running club member. As Marty pushed us back out into the night, one of the other runners passing us said: ”Hey, only a short half marathon to go.” That man gave me a huge gift of inspiration. I felt like I had hit the restart button and got a second wind.
My legs were on autopilot for the last 10 miles. I laughed out loud at a hill at mile 58. As we got closer to the finish there were mile marker signs saying three miles to go, then two, then one.
Jim got emotional at the one mile left to go. He said, “You are going to do this!” I said, “I love you but it’s not over till we cross that finish line, honey we gotta keep moving!” We moved very well the last few miles. I was trying to go as fast as I could without falling because of tired legs.
A flillibitjibbit! A whisp-o-will! A clown!
Lights appeared, and then the sound of people cheering. We crossed the finish line in 19 hours and 32 minutes- just 28 minutes under the cut-off. I made it!! I jumped up and down a few times; then I burst into tears. I thought of my brother finishing Hardrock and then having a stroke. I thought about my late mom. I thought about how wonderful Jim was for helping me. I thought about fortunate I was to be well enough to run for 19+ hours.I am so grateful to have completed this journey.
100 kilometers, I traveled 62 miles on foot.
(Fa!) far, a long, long way to run.
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