RI 6hr Ultramarathon and Relay (2014 Edition)

Okay, where do I start?  This was the last in what I'd call the "5 race series of distance races," and I wanted it to go well, especially since I DNF'd at Chatfield Hollow.  Did OK at Surftown, well at Pisgah, awesome at Nipmuck, good (up to a point) at Chatfield, and this would be the last long race until Spring (I think).  Bob and his team puts on a great race, and I was lucky enough to be assigned #13, just like last year.  Thanks Bob!  I can't believe you remembered.

The race takes place on a 2.7 mile, distance-certified paved trail in Warwick City Park, and the weather, although questionable at the beginning of the week, was 100% perfect for the race.  Overcast, not a breath of wind, and 45-55 degrees.  Just right.

I got up, got ready in the dark as usual, and was at the park with 40 minutes to spare.  Got checked in, talked to Bob, friend and photographer Scott Mason, and an old friend of mine who'd brought his three boys, a friend and his son for the 6-man relay.  They were all fast and I figured they'd do really well.  I set up my own aid station next to the main Better Pace aid station, and I checked out the spread at the tables and asked "Hey, any Wavy Lay's?"  One of the volunteers replies "Yes!  Are you the guy who requested them???"  I was a bit taken aback but said yes, and they promised to open them when I was ready for some.  Pretty damn cool.

Beer awards from the Bucket Brewery...WTAC relay team next year?

Start/Finish, 10 minutes to go time...surprisingly quiet!

Some of the new runners asked about setting up their gear, and I gave them some pointers.  When it was time, we lined up behind the start/finish, got our pre-race speech from Bob, and waited for the air-horn.  I decided "Screw it, I never line up in the front, so I lined up in the front row with my friend Mike's 12-year old son (who ran 6:15 pace for his loop!), as well as some really fast people.  Why the Hell not.  The air horn went off and I took off quickly, and settled into a faster-than-average pace.

I felt good and strong.  I'd decided to bank time again by going out fast, and was maintaining a really solid pace for the first 5 laps.  Friend Monica B. was there cheering on several people, myself included (Thanks again!!!), and I ended up running about 10+ miles of my race with a girl from Boston named Alex, who was steady and solid the entire race (came in 7th overall???).  We chatted and stayed together for quite a while, until I started to feel some fatigue in my knees around 15 miles, and then tightness in my hamstrings and calves.  Alex went on, and I couldn't maintain her pace (she even lapped me about 27 miles in). Rockstar!

I wasn't leaping for joy, but I looked focused!  Photo by Monica!

Every lap I was getting cheered on by pretty much everybody, and by name!  It was like a big tailgate party at the start/finish line, and lots of cowbell and noise!  The relay crews (there were 19???) were talking a lot of smack at each other, and the atmosphere was tons of fun.  As the day went on, I lingered a bit longer at the aid station each time, and it got harder to kneel down and get liquids and gels out of my cooler, which I totally cleaned out.  A couple of times late in the race I wasn't sure if I'd get up.  Other than my legs, though, I felt great and stayed in good spirits.  I also ran for quite some time with a runner named Nathanael, who was also from Boston and coming off Hartford and NYC marathons, and finished well, in spite of similar leg issues.

My run/jog/walk the last couple of laps got me there, but doing the math I knew my "A" goal was out of the question.  I passed marathon distance to score the coveted (at least by me) pint glass, and banged out two more laps to pass 50K.  Funny, I did 12 laps, same as last year, and the GPS gave me 31.44 miles, versus 32.6 last year.  Not an exact science with the space watches, obviously...the exact measured distance for 12 laps is 32.41 miles, so that's what I'm going with.

My official place/time?  24th place at 32.41 miles, in 5:39...

I was stoked to cross the line, and didn't have enough time to attempt another go-around, but got to see Pat Moulton come across and smash the course record (cool dude, chatted with me during the race and high-fived me at the finish line), and see Maddy Hribar win her third straight 6-Hour...great to see!

I was able to hobble over to my gear and get it to my truck, thank the crew of volunteers, Bob and Jackie, and congratulate some new friends on their races, collect some swag and get on the road.

Awesome shirt, pint glass, winter hat and my lucky #13!

I'll be back for more in 2015.  I really like the format, course, and overall atmosphere.  The race is run very well, and I couldn't ask for more!

So there's my recap.  Do I think I could have done better?  Sure, I always do.  Could it have been more fun?  No way, I had a blast.  Met some really cool people, saw lots of friends, and cheered on and was cheered on all day.  Great time out there.