Since the sun went down the lights slowly appeared out of the darkness. Sometimes they came in pairs and sometimes singly ; occasionally in a small group – each trailing the other. They bobbed and bounced some slowly some a bit faster. If you could have risen up in the air and looked down you would see them wending their way around the mountain. The line, broken with many large gaps, stretched over 30 miles of mountain trail.
This “line” started at 6 AM where 180 people toed the starting line to test their mettle by attempting to traverse 100 miles of trail wilderness near Bend Oregon and ending at the Jr. High School in Sisters, Oregon. I was at an aid station where the runners would pass by at mile 16 and again at mile 66. (They went out on a 50 mile loop and came back to us – often called a lollipop loop). The first time they came through they were all smiles and did not stay at our aide station long. The next aide station was 4.2 miles away. By 11:30 AM the sweeps arrived at our aid station. The sweeps follow the last runner. Their job is to pick up any course markings – these races try to clean up after themselves – and to radio ahead if they find a runner who needs attention. They will stay with the runner. The safety of the runners is paramount. Each aide station also records the bib number and time of when a runner arrived. The time is less important. You really want the relative order and an approximate time. What is very important is Did this runner get to your aide station? Did they drop (quit the race at your aide station?)? Did they continue on. Each aide station does a reconciliation when the sweeps arrive. We want to know did everyone who should have arrived at your aide station arrive? Is someone missing? For example, lets say George left aide station 3 but aide station 4 never saw him and the sweeps arrive at aide station 4. Now we need to find George. Often we use a HAM radio to call aide station 5 to see if they saw George. If so then you missed him. If not we must account for him.
The first runner got to us the 2nd time (after running 66 miles) at about 6:30 PM. The sun was almost down. We were in the shadow of Mt. Bachelor and so it got dark quickly. The temperature dropped quickly. It was a sunny day so no clouds to hold the heat in. We were at about 6,000 feet. The next runner was about 30 minutes later. We had turned on the lights in our popup canopy – like those you see at art fairs). The generator was heating the skillet to cook bacon, casa dies, and pancakes. Unlike an aid station at a marathon we offered a wide selection of food and beverages. We also were cup less meaning you were expected to bring your own cup. This practice cuts down on the paper waste and the potential for garbage to be strewn about.
We had chicken broth, oranges, bananas, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, pickles, pickle juice, chips, oreos, chocolate chip cookies, bacon, water, electrolyte drink, coke (the drink not the drug) , ginger ale, and much more. We would also give you a baggie to hold food that you wanted to take with you. This aide station did not have normal toilet facilities. So we could supply TP and point you towards a wooded area. (most Ultras have a porta potty but this one would have been very hard to reach. It took me almost an hour to drive to it over dirt roads and a distance of 18 miles)
When a runner comes in we write down the bib number and an approx time. If multiple people arrive at once we write down their bibs and one time for the group. The time is just to give an idea of about when you saw them. It has nothing to do with race statistics. This is different than a marathon. Yes, there are a couple of people who are vying to win, but the vast majority are there to see can they finish! They are racing against themselves not others. Hence they will offer support to other runners. With a race this long it is quite common to allow a pacer to run with the runner. They usually allow this after the 50 mile point. You can have multiple pacers but only one at a time. (eg George has a pacer from mile 50 to mile 65 where there is a chance to meet up with his crew. There he could get a new pacer and let the old one rest.) Pacers are to help you keep up your pace but also to be your buddy and help you evaluate and plan. Once you have run 66 miles and it is 11 PM at night you are thinking less clearly. Having a buddy helps. Also the pacer can fill your water bottles at the aid station etc. You have to find your own pacer. The race does not supply pacers.
At about 11 PM a runner came in with his pacer. The runner looked beat. He was shivering. Yes, it was about 50 degrees out but he said he was not cold. We got him a sleeping bag to drape over him, put him in front of the propane fire. Got him hot broth. Over the next hour his pacer bought him what amounted to about a half gallon of water. He drank all of it. He was shaking because he was dehydrated. I have had that happen. I decided no race was worth the potential to my health and I dropped. (50 mile race) After an hour and a half he felt much better and they took off.
The stream of lights came in in small groups until about 4 AM when the sweeps arrived. I got in my car and fell asleep for 4 hours before driving home. (I needed the sleep and I did not want to try and go down that rocky road in the dark. I had driven up there Friday night and got there at 11 PM and slept in my car. I got up 7 AM Saturday and went to bed 4:30 AM Sunday. I was not going to fall asleep at the wheel)
Chance Musings 