Hellgate 100K Race Report

Hellgate!! A very special race, no matter who you ask. And it truly is.

Every year I like to sign up for something that I'm not sure if I can finish. Getting a PR isn't especially motivating to me, especially when I'm out in the thick of a race and I'm tired. Honestly, I can hardly remember what time I finished things in before, so I'm sure no one else remembers. But I do remember finishing so cutoffs are motivating. The first time I ran this race, the race itself was certainly something I wasn't sure I could finish. Much to my (and Dr. Horton's) amazement, I did finish in 2015. So this year, I ran Masochist 50 miler in November and signed up for this race a month later. I'd done each race separately but I didn't know if I could finish them both back-to-back, especially since I didn't have a whole lot of breathing room ahead of cutoffs at either race. This was my personal challenge for 2017.

Masochist actually went really well. I had trained hard for it. After the race though, I had no idea what to do for the five weeks until Hellgate. I ran 10 miles the weekend after Masochist and it was tough! My legs were so tired. I ran into Todd Thomas out on a run and he encouraged me to do less than I thought I needed to and to trust my fitness. The following weekend I went on a 22 mile run with friends. It was supposed to be my confidence-boosting run, but it was the exact opposite. I underestimated the run in every way. It was more climbing than I thought, my legs were more tired than I thought, it took far longer than I thought...I got to the end and was seriously questioning my ability to complete Hellgate. I focused on the fact that I felt better at mile 22 than at mile 13 and hoped I wouldn't get much more tired. And I decided that would be my last long run before the race. For the next couple weeks, I still did gym workouts, and I ran a few shorter runs (up to 10 miles), but I didn't go out on any more long runs.

I checked the weather a lot before the race, and it was actually looking great. This is from Dr. Horton's email a few days before the race:

Just over 50 hours, it's not long now. The weather forecast for Fincastle is a high of 45 and a low of 24 with 0% of precipitation. Yay yay yay yay. 

The day before the race, the chance of precipitation was up to 10%, still no big deal. Then Friday morning I wake up to find everyone talking about 3" of snow, and as the day goes on, the numbers get higher. It started snowing at my house at 11am. This was not part of my plan for the race. I was pretty nervous because I knew I didn't have a big time cushion at this race, and if any of the steep climbs were icy or the trails had deep snow, I doubted I would be able to finish. I went out and bought Yaktrax that morning hoping I wouldn't actually need them (I didn't).

I had told many people I didn't have any race goals other than to finish. That was true. When I ran the race in 2015, I had given myself about 50-50 odds and I did finish. Comparing the two, in my favor this time were:

• no broken toe (I broke my toe 3 weeks before the last Hellgate which was definitely unpleasant for running)
• no 80 degree temps (and therefore no heat exhaustion, I hoped)
• pacers for the end (who wouldn't let me have the same level of breakdown in the forever section)

Things that would make this year harder:

• snow
• running a 50 mile race 5 weeks prior and having no idea how to train/maintain between long races like that

I figured they probably averaged out and gave myself 50-50 odds again. And I figured if I could finish in the same time, this year would trump last time because Masochist. If I didn't finish, that was okay too. Part of the ultrarunning thing for me is testing my limits. I know there are races that are out of my league. I figured it was entirely possibly that back-to-back Masochist and Hellgate was out of my league, and I was completely okay with that. Of course I wanted to finish! But if I gave it my all and it was just more than I was capable of, that was okay too.

My kids had a Christmas program at church that evening. I only got to watch the rehearsal, but then Rhonda and Elizabeth picked me up and we headed to the camp, just in time to catch the pre-race briefing. I was really grateful we were able to arrive then because the snow meant the Blue Ridge Parkway would be closed, and that meant a few changes to aid stations and different driving directions for my crew. After the meeting, we arranged all our supplies (we probably could have staffed an extra aid station for all of the runners with everything we stuffed into Rhonda's car!),  finalized wardrobe choices, discussed changes in plans with the aid station closures, and got directions and maps squared away.

There was still almost an hour and a half before we'd caravan to the race. I spent that time nervously discussing the race with everyone. It's so nice to be a part of this community and see all the familiar faces-runners, crews, and aid station volunteers. Before long, we piled up and drove to the start. Honestly, it seemed like a long way in the car! I tried not to think too hard about that.

At the start, we had another 30 minutes or so to check in and then fidget nervously with our running gear while we sat in warm cars, postponing the inevitable adjustment to the cold. It was in the 30s at the start, warmer than I expected, yet still quite chilly and the temps were dropping.
We all gathered around the gate a few minutes before the start to sing the national anthem, then we were off to a chorus of cheers.

Rhonda, me, and Elizabeth...as seen by someone coming down with Hellgate eyes

Start to AS1 (FSR 35) 

Although it was cold, it wasn't TOO cold, and it didn't take long to get moving. I think I had run for all of 60 seconds when I started seeing snowflakes. For this race, like so many others, I had spent lots of time looking at course descriptions and elevation profiles and time goals...but when I actually got out on the course, I really wanted to spend the day focused on the positive. I had no idea whether I would finish the race, but I wanted to enjoy whatever time I had out on the course. I decided to focus on something specific that I was grateful for in each section. Here at the beginning, I was grateful that the roads were (so far) in good shape, that our crews should be able to drive safely to the next destination, and that I had a crew to support me on this whole crazy endeavor. I stayed with the pack and got to the aid station in about the same amount of time as I did in 2015. I managed to hop across the creek without wading in the creek, and that felt like I had won a huge prize-dry feet for the next 20 or so miles! Another thing to be grateful for. I grabbed a quick cup of water at the aid station and headed up the hill.

AS1 (FSR 35) to AS2 (Petites Gap)

This section is pretty much one giant uphill. I focused on run/walking, running for twice as long as I walked, and made steady progress up the hill. It wasn't really snowing here, and it was neat to see all the lights. (Some reports talk about all the lights going down the mountain...but I was more looking at them going UP the mountain. Somebody's gotta stay in the back to give those front runners the great views.) It really was a pretty night to be out, and I was grateful that my legs were still feeling good. In this section I thought about several good friends who are my age and are facing serious health conditions, and I thought about how grateful I am to be able to even attempt something like this, and to be out in the woods on such a gorgeous night.

AS2 (Petites Gap) to AS 3 (Camping Gap)

I saw my crew for the first time at Petites Gap. The other crews weren't allowed to leave until all the runners had come through, so I also got to see a few other friends who were crewing other runners. This was a pretty great aid station and I felt better than I expected when I got to it, and I was still on the same pace as 2015, much to my surprise. Elizabeth and Rhonda helped me refill everything and grab some food, and off I went.

I had some stomach issues in this section that started to really slow me down. Definitely not fun but I was grateful to be having stomach issues while it was still dark and therefore much easier to find privacy without hiking way off the trail. I started slipping behind my 2015 time, but I tried not to look at my watch too much because I knew I had had a major breakdown at the end last time and I wasn't planning on doing that today.

The climb up to Camping Gap was very long and hard. This is where I started to feel the fatigue in my legs and could clearly tell I wasn't recovered from Masochist. I kept on trucking with the run/walk, although the intervals got shorter, and tried to stay positive. I figured I needed to push hard for the first third, to Overstreet Falls (the new location for AS4). Although the aid station was now anywhere from 1 to 2 miles closer (depending on who you asked), only 10 minutes was taken off the cutoff so I figured it was more generous than a regular year. I figured the first cutoff would be the harder to make so I'd keep pushing hard to there, and then I knew there were a lot more runnable sections after Floyd's Field. In the meantime, I thought about how grateful I am to be a part of this running community, to have friends who come out in the middle of the night in the cold and snow to support runners, to know there would be familiar faces at nearly every aid station, and to share this experience with so many friends.

AS3 (Camping Gap) to AS 4 (Overstreet Falls)

This can be a really long section. In 2015, I don't remember seeing a single other runner in this entire section. I wasn't sure if I wanted to bust out music here or not-I wanted to pass the time, but it kinda freaks me out to listen to music in the dark. I want to be able to hear my surroundings. As it worked out, I didn't have to choose. I ran most of the grassy road section with a girl who was finishing the Beast series. It was such a gift to have some conversation to pass the miles. This section went by a LOT faster than I remember from before, even though it was still long. And I actually loved the new location of the aid station. It would have been awesome to see my crew but I was glad to have some hot food at the bottom of that hill. It snowed throughout this section and it was coming down pretty hard by the time I got to the aid station. There were a few patches where it got really foggy and I was scared I was getting Hellgate eyes, but it turns out it was really just fog. Whew.

During this section I was grateful for not being alone, and I thought about how grateful I am for my family-for my husband being so supportive of this crazy running hobby, and for my kids and the extra time I get to spend with them because we homeschool. I also thought about our good friends who live right across the street and how grateful I am that we get to live so close to some of our favorite people.

AS4 (Overstreet Falls) to AS5 (Jennings Creek)

My stomach was still giving me some issues as I left here, so it took me an extra long time to reach the top of the hill. The snow was coming down hard and while it's a cool experience to run by headlamp in a snowstorm, it's also a bit disorienting. I was really excited to crest the hill because last time, the middle section of the race was awesome for me. I remember a lot of running (as opposed to the hiking I'd been doing for most of the first six hours) and was looking forward to that.

Between the stomach issues and the tired legs, I'd been afraid to check how I was doing against 2015 me. I finally decided to take a peek on the little climb after crossing the parkway, because I knew there was plenty of running soon. I figured I was about 25 minutes behind and was preparing the pep talk I'd give myself. But I looked, and I was actually only about 12 minutes behind. That was fabulous news!! I could be 12 minutes behind, still have the same breakdown, and squeak in just under the 18 hours. Woohoo! (My 2015 time was 17:44.)

As daylight broke, the snow was just gorgeous in the forest. It really was. It's especially gorgeous going downhill. This was a magical, beautiful section where I was able to run and feel good, and enjoy the daylight. Sunrise hits and my body just magically forgets about the first 30 miles; it's like something resets and I just find myself at the beginning of my Saturday morning run. This was an amazing section. I was grateful for the snow, grateful that the trails weren't slick, grateful for the cold and how much better my muscles felt, and grateful for the exhilarating feeling of running through these beautiful snow-covered mountains. I will cherish the memories of running through this section.

This section went by quickly. The trail is very runnable, especially as it gets lighter, and it's one of my favorite sections of the race. Coming into Jennings Creek I knew there would be breakfast, and my crew, and several friends at the aid station. The Christmas lights didn't disappoint. As I came in, I checked my watch and I had actually gained time on 2015 me. I was only 7 or 8 minutes behind, and knowing that I had spent more time than that dealing with stomach issues, I was actually moving slightly better than before! I was so thrilled to be here as early as I was, seeing my running people, that I was actually a bit teary coming through the aid station. This was turning out to be a very good day indeed.

AS5 (Jennings Creek) to AS 6 (Little Cove)

Elizabeth, Rhonda, and the aid station gang loaded me up with plenty of food and fluids, and I switched out some gear here. I dropped off my headlamp and picked up my watch charger (because I wanted my watch to say 66 miles by the end!), and picked up a dry jacket, hat, and set of gloves. Everything had gotten wet with the snow and I was feeling pretty cold. After that I set off up the hill, still climbing with several other runners at this point. We chatted about this race, other races, running in general, balancing these long races with family time, lots of things. I so enjoyed the company of the other runners here. I had notecards in my pack with details about each section, how long the climbs were, how much was runnable-but I found it much more enjoyable to ask other runners what they remembered of the course. It passed the time and miles quickly.

I could definitely feel myself being more tired here. The climbs were getting a bit more laborious and I knew I wasn't moving as well here as I had in 2015. But I was still feeling better than I had expected and more optimistic about my odds of finishing-here, I would have upped them to about 60-40. During this section I was thinking more about how grateful I was to my crew, and that I wouldn't have to run alone much longer because I could pick up my pacer. I was also grateful for the snow-the trail sections here were gorgeous. Also, I was grateful that my stomach issues had mostly settled down and everything I had eaten had stayed down thus far. Eating was something I didn't do well at Masochist and I was trying hard to force down as many calories as I could, and I was so glad that my stomach was getting on board with this plan.

In this section there are several nice runnable sections, and then a very long climb up to the aid station. This was the first time I started to wonder if the aid station actually existed. The mileage was off (what's new right?) and even compared to my notes with supposedly Garmin miles, the aid station was 0.6 miles past where I was expecting. That doesn't sound far but trust me, when you are climbing up a loooooong gravel road it feels like a long way. Especially because I was alone for this climb. A few hunters' trucks loaded up with dogs whizzed by me on this road. They were probably surprised to see so many pedestrians out there. Eventually, finally, the aid station came into view. This aid station had bacon (rock on!) and ibuprofen (sore top of foot...something that had never bugged me on any run or race before) and friendly volunteers. I was very happy to see them!

AS 6 (Little Cove) to AS 7 (Bearwallow Gap)

Heading out of Little Cove, I made the short climb up and then started to run down, down, down again. This is such a pretty section too, and there are parts where the trees are really short and right up against the trail and I love those, because I feel like I'm running super fast, almost flying through the woods. I kept waiting for the Devil Trail, the part known for being so rocky and awful-but it was nowhere near as bad as I remember. In fact, there were long patches that looked like they had been freshly smoothed out with nice fine gravel. There were definitely some rocks but nothing terrible.

In this section I was thinking about how grateful I am to live where I do. I grew up in the flatlands of the midwest, so to be able to run in these beautiful mountains is an incredible gift! We moved to Lynchburg before I had ever heard of trail running, but when I fell in love with the sport it didn't take long to realize that I lived in one of the best cities ever to be a trail runner, and we really have a fabulous community here, especially because of Dr. Horton and all he has invested in the sport and the races he directs.

As we got closer to the aid station I started to get really excited. I was so happy to get dry shoes (mine were quite squishy wet by now) and see my friends, and especially to pick up Elizabeth as my pacer. We crossed the road and I was so excited! I knew we were close, we just had that short section that twists around before you get to the parking lot. And we had almost 50 minutes until the cutoff!! Even though I felt like I was doing so much worse, I had only taken a couple minutes longer to cover the whole section than I did before, and I still had plenty of time. It was in this section that I really started to focus on 20 minute miles-make sure no mile ever took longer than 20 minutes, even if it was really hard-and calculate how close I was to having 20 minutes for every mile left in the race. I figured when I got to that point, I knew for sure I could finish.

AS 7 (Bearwallow Gap) to AS 8 (Bobblets Gap)

At the aid station, I changed out all my wet gear-socks, shoes, jacket, gloves-for dry. I got plenty of food and tailwind and Elizabeth was ready to go. Yea! No more miles by myself. We headed out and I'm sure she was relieved at the pace I was taking. She was coming off a foot injury and was worried about slowing me down (HA!) but by now I was at the point where "running" was probably what she could do with a decent hiking pace. She was great company and I so enjoyed the conversation. It made this section go by much faster and I was glad to have her encouraging me and keeping me focused on moving ahead.

This section has a lot of short & steep climbs, and a lot of runnable trail. The climbs were definitely getting tough by this point in the day and I took comfort in knowing that if I fell backwards and rolled down the hill, at least I had someone to help get me back up to the trail.

During this section I was obviously grateful to Elizabeth pacing me, but I was also so grateful for the snow. Honestly, I never thought I'd say this but I think it made it easier. There was just enough snow to smash down the leaves (no more knee deep leaf piles to run through) and to fill in lots of those annoying little gaps between the rocks, but not so much for it to be an ice trough by the time we back-of-the-packers get through. Yes, there were definitely some slippery spots-but overall I think the snow made it easier. And this section too was just gorgeous in the snow. So much prettier than just brown everywhere!

AS 8 (Bobblets Gap) to AS 9 (Day Creek)

Bobblets Gap aid station

Because of the snow, this was no longer a crew aid station. It was a lot harder to tell we were getting close because it wasn't so loud with just the aid station volunteers and people so spread out. I was getting tired and every time we started to make a left turn I was hopeful we would be there! Finally we arrived and it was worth the wait. So many friends here encouraging me, and telling me I was doing great and had lots of time ahead of cutoffs (yea!!). They had lots of hot food and I spent several minutes here enjoying the buffet. It's moments like this that are why I don't run 5Ks. I like walking and eating and there isn't nearly enough of either in a 5K.

It was a bit sad to leave the aid station but off we went. It was so exciting to know there was only one more aid station until the finish! At this point I was pretty confident I could finish, and a few thoughts started rolling around in my mind wondering if I could beat 2015 me. I was only behind by about 14 minutes, and I knew that 2015 me was about to have a breakdown in the forever section and I might be able to pass her.

Once I had finished eating, we took off down the road. It was more level than I remember, although that could partly be because it was pretty snow-covered at this point. Several inches of snow had stuck and I'm so glad the aid station crew was able to get there safely! We ran down for awhile and I kept saying that I remembered more of a gravel road here...eventually we did come around a gate and there was the "real" gravel road. Before I knew it we got to the turn for the forever section.

I'd been anticipating this moment all day, because it was exactly here that I fell apart last time. But today I felt good! I was still smiling. I was enjoying being out there. I felt pretty good about my odds of finishing without any sprinting at the end. And I had friends with me! Elizabeth encouraged me to run more, and to eat, and even though this section still took a long time and I was tired, it was SO much better than last time. By the end I was ahead of the old me! Haha 2015 me, eat my dust!

As this section went on, I was just so grateful for feeling good! Of course I was tired (SO tired), but I wasn't dead yet! I was still running (some), my stomach was settled, and I was coherent enough to carry on a conversation and enjoy the beautiful scenery. Strangely the snow actually made me more relaxed, because if I didn't finish on a crazy snowy day, I wouldn't have even felt bad about it. As it turns out I was going to finish, and on a tough day, and I was going to do even better than when I had trained just to this race. What an amazing feeling!

Pretty soon my friend Tim came running up the trail. What a fun surprise! I asked how far to the aid station and thought he said "6 miles" which I just didn't have left in me. We clarified, he actually said "point 6 miles" which was WAY better news. And he said there was only one piddly little climb left, even better! Elizabeth, Tim and I ran down to the aid station where we found even more friends! This aid station was fantastic, equally because of the awesome people and the fact that it was the last aid station. A little more hot food, and I gave Rhonda my second bottle to make my pack lighter, and off we went!

I'm not dead yet! I can even still run!

AS 9 (Day Creek) to Finish

Tim hiked with me and Elizabeth all the way to the top of the hill. This was such a great time! I didn't bother trying to run at all, I just enjoyed hanging out with my friends and knowing that I was in great shape to finish well before old me. Tim has been injured and not running with us as much lately so it was nice to have him join me and Elizabeth for a few miles.

Eventually we saw the historical marker, and I was so excited because I knew that meant that the gate (and top of the hill) was just around the corner. Sure enough, a few minutes later, we were at the top. Woohoo! It really is all downhill from here! Tim headed back to the aid station and Elizabeth continued on with me to the finish. I was so glad her foot was feeling better and she was able to run the entire 20 miles with me!

I ran most of the way down the hill, just taking a few breaks to catch my breath. Of course "running" probably wasn't very fast at this point, but I was enjoying myself and just trying to take in the last section of the race, and wrap up the whole day in my mind. So very much to be thankful for. I had been training hard for months to get ready for Masochist and Hellgate and was looking forward to taking a break from hard training to spend more Saturdays with my family. I wanted to relish this last part of the race, the part where I was confident I would finish and was amazed at how much better I was doing than what I expected. I tried to soak in the views of the snow-covered mountains, the cold scent of the forest, the feel of the trail under my feet, and the sounds of steps in the snow. These moments are why I run. At the same time, the exhilaration of these moments wouldn't be possible without the struggle of the previous miles.

Gorgeous trails!

As we came close to the finish, I took my last walking break just outside the camp and then came in. Elizabeth pushed into a whole new level here, yelling at me not to walk and to push and that I only had three minutes to beat my time (she lied). Then there it was, the finishers' chute! Dr. Horton came out of the building and hollered, "Is that Kim Weatherford? What are you doing here?!" and then I got a huge hug from him at the finish. So many friends were there-it was a little overwhelming! And lo and behold, I actually beat my old time by five minutes!!

I went inside to get my jacket for finishing, and I told Dr. Horton, "Last time I finished this, you told me I was tougher than you thought I was. This time, finishing this race in the snow and after Masochist, this time it showed me that I'm tougher than I thought I was."

I loved this race. I loved the snow-and I never thought I would say that about any race. It was so amazingly, magically beautiful out there. I loved the time to pray, to talk to other runners, to enjoy the woods and the mountains, to allow other people to help me, and to to think. I loved feeling my body being pressed to its limits and conquering climb after climb, pushing through fatigue and exhaustion. I loved the beauty of the struggle of the race against the background of the peaceful snow. I loved it all.

I'm so incredibly grateful for everyone who was out there. I'm afraid to name names for fear of forgetting someone, but especially Dr. Horton for putting on the race and giving me a chance to run it, for Elizabeth and Rhonda crewing me all night and day, for Elizabeth pacing me, for the aid station volunteers who served me and encouraged me, for the other runners and crews who were there to celebrate with me at the finish-so many people had a part in this day. It is a gift to be a part of this running community and to be able to run. I'm already looking forward to the next race.