by Andy Styer
Although I have done many hard races, this was my first 100-mile completion. People who know me well would always ask, “When are you going to do a 100-mile run?” I would always answer in some sort of vague non-answer, or I’d just change the topic. To me, it wasn’t a big deal, and I always felt when the circumstances were right, then I would run one. I had a robust spring schedule planned and was going to roll into my favorite race, Laurel Highlands 70M, and then take a summer break of non-racing.
Well, on Jan 4th this year, I received the unexpected news that my father passed. Besides turning my world upside down, I also was forced to scrap my spring racing schedule to tend to the more important things in life. It didn’t mean I stopped running; no, I actually ran more, but I just couldn’t spare weekends away at this time of the year. I did, however, complete Laurel Highlands in June.
So, how did Vermont 100 even come on my radar? Well, for one, it’s part of my quest to knock out some of the older classic and iconic races. To date I have Laurel Highlands, JFK 50, Strolling Jim 40M, and HAT 50K, to name some. You could say it was a bucket list race. Also, the email came into my inbox on the day my dad passed. How could I not?
Onto the race. The course itself is shrouded in secrecy since it crosses a lot of private land, which then connects to a dirt road section and a few short paved sections. It boasts 16-17,000′ of vertical gain, and there are some big climbs, but there are just relentless, smaller rolling hills. The terrain isn’t terribly technical, but there is quite a bit of mud. This is more of a road shoe course than a trail shoe, although a good cushioned crossover shoe would probably work best. Another cool thing about this race was it’s also the only race that has a concurrent horse race!
The race started at 4am, and my goal was to be as consistent as possible but not too fast. I was hoping for a sub-24-hour race. There are a lot of aid stations and water stops for this race, so I used a waist belt with 2 water bottles. The temps were on the cooler, humid side with a high of 75 degrees. It was overcast most of the day, and there were rain showers for about 4 hours.
I was well on target for a 24-hour finish through about mile 80, and then I slowed quite a bit. My stomach didn’t want much food, and I also had a spell of nausea, which added to the overall discomfort of running for 100 miles. I finished the race in 25 hrs 44 minutes, off my goal but happy as could be!
I did not use a pacer, but I had my ace crew chief and fiancé, Kim, to ensure I stayed on task. She doesn’t put up with my BS and also is great at reframing a negative mind. On this one, though, I had the confidence in myself to finish. These races are part physical and part mental. You have to want that buckle, and I did.
Lastly, Vermont 100 is a fabulous race and has been around since 1989. The course is beautiful as it winds through the Vermont countryside. It supports Vermont Adaptive, which helps people with disabilities to get outdoors to do the things that we love, but with specialized equipment to do so. In fact, when I was running, there was a blind runner with guides to help her finish. Although this race is a little more expensive than the average 100 miler, this alone makes it worth it!
What are the other iconic races I am eyeballing? Western States 100, Old Dominion 100, and Wasatch Front 100 to name a few.
Thanks for reading!
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