Run Rabbit Run 100 Race Report

As a slight departure from my normal posts, this blog post will be more of a race report from my first 100 mile trail race which I just ran in Steamboat Springs, CO September 16-17. It was hands down one of the hardest things that I've ever done which I think is why many runners keep coming back to the 100 mile distance, i.e. ultra runners are gluttons for punishment and seem to believe that if it's not hard, it's not worth doing. Let's be honest - 100 miles is a ridiculously long distance to run so why would you do it? My hometown of Northampton, MA is roughly 100 miles from Boston, MA and I never dreamed of running that distance. New York City to Philadelphia, by the way, isn't even 100 miles (it's 95 miles). Yet I ran 102 miles yesterday through the Rocky Mountains which included more than 20,000 feet of elevation gain. The race is called Run Rabbit Run 100 and this was the 10th annual running of the event. See map and elevation profile below for more information.

I'm so happy to be in the finishing chute after more than 27 hours of running! 

Map and elevation profile of the Run Rabbit Run 100 race.

Run Rabbit Run 100 has two divisions - the tortoises and the hares. As a fairly fast runner, I self selected into the hare division which meant that I would be running with approximately 100 other speedy ultra-marathoners. It also meant that race time would be 12 noon (tortoises started at 8am and had a 4 hour head start on us hares) and we weren't allowed pacers. Pacers are essentially your friends who run with you for sections of the race to keep your spirits up and on pace. There was also a team category so I ended up teaming up with Jenny Pierce from Livingston, MT as we were the two Livingston runners in the race (Ginny and I are residents of Livingston, TX). It was an honor to be teamed up with Jenny who shared her sage advice from having competed at many ultra marathons over the years, including numerous wins at distances between 50 and 100 miles. See photo below of Team Livingston right before the gun went off.   

Team Livingston is super excited for this race to start!

The race starts by climbing 3,500 feet over the first five miles going from the base of the Steamboat ski resort to the top of Mt Werner. It's a massive climb that separates the field quickly and has us up in the mountains above 10,000 feet in no time. Shortly after getting up into the high mountains, we were greeted by a hail storm which was the first of several storms that we would encounter during the race. One of the challenges of such a long race is having the right gear especially in a place like Colorado where the weather which can change very quickly. So I carried a rain jacket, beanie and gloves in my running pack and I was also able to access additional gear at a couple aid stations along the course. Many runners also have a crew who supports them along the way by providing them with gear, nutrition and emotional support. I didn't have a crew for this race but I've been advised by nearly every runner at RRR to seriously consider assembling a crew if I ever do another 100. 

After a huge descent down a technical single track trail which had us below 8,000 feet at Fish Creek Falls, we turned around and headed back up the same trail to climb up to Buffalo Pass which is the highest point on the course (10,800'). Heading out of the Summit Lake aid station, I fell in with a great group of runners that I was able to run with for many miles. It was great to have the camaraderie and miles seem to go by so much quicker with other runners to talk with. I had a pretty nasty spill during this stretch when I tripped and face planted into a mud puddle. Fortunately, I emerged with only a few cuts and scrapes and a slightly bruised ego.      

One of the things that I was nervous about before the race was the prospect of running through the night as I had never done that before. Equipped with a strong headlight and some extra layers on, I was able to power through the night without too much trouble. I drank a number of coffees at the aid stations as well as eating savory snacks like quesadillas, grilled cheeses and hot broth. We also were hit with an unexpected steady rainstorm in the middle of the night which lasted for a couple hours and kept us on our toes. I did have a brief moment once the sun came up where I was super tired and almost fell asleep while I was running up the mountain. My GPS watch also died during this stretch which was unfortunate as I still had about twenty more miles to go before the finish line.   

At the second to last aid station, I met Scott Jurek who has always been one of my favorite ultra runners and is a true legend in the sport. He was working the aid station with his wife and two kids which was a great thing to witness. He just came back from a bike tour in Japan and is planning another tour in New Zealand in the near future. See photo below of me with Scott. 

Hanging out with Scott Jurek at the Long Lake aid station.

After more than 27 hours of running, I crossed the finish line and was so happy to be done running. I never really had any doubt that I wouldn't finish the race as I didn't have any serious injuries, digestive trouble or fitness issues. My quads were definitely killing so downhill miles were pretty difficult during the latter part of the race but I was otherwise feeling pretty good. I finished as the 40th runner overall so I didn't set any speed records but was mostly just happy to finish and have a great day of running in the Rocky Mountains. I celebrated with Ginny at the finish line with burgers and beer followed by a sound night of sleep. Full results of the race can be found here. 

Posing with my bib number and Under 30 Hours belt buckle from RRR 100.




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