Tag: Worlds End

World’s End 100K: Successfully Run Like There’s No Tomorrow

by pagodapacers

by Cody Harris

For me, World’s End 100k was not a race I really had on my bucket list.  Heck, when I signed up for it, I did not even think of it as my “A” race for this year.  World’s End was simply a means to qualify for the Western States lottery.  However, after training for a few weeks and reviewing the terrain and challenge of the course, World’s End 100k became my “A” race, and boy am I proud that I completed it!

My training started in the bleak days of January, and it was the first time I gave myself 6 months to train for a race. I spent a lot of time running hills and rocky trails at Mount Penn, trying to mimic what I would see at World’s End. It was a huge dedication of time, but it also gave me a sense of confidence as I stepped to the start line, and I felt I had built the ability to not only run the race, but also run it well. 

The race starts in the dark, and for the first few minutes everyone runs along an asphalt road in a sea of bobbing headlamps. My wife was at the start line, and I could hear her yelling for me as we turned away from the start area and headed up the road.

I was told about the slow conga line everyone gets trapped in heading into the first climb. I did my best to find a position where I could keep a steady pace as we all worked our way up the hill. While we were climbing, a runner behind me kicked a rock loose and I could hear it crack as it hit boulder after boulder on its tumble down the mountain side. At this point it hit me that none of my runs on Berks County’s rockiest trails could prepare me for what World’s End had in store. 

After a second rocky climb, we made our way up the Loyalsock Trail and arrived at the first aid station. From here the trail leveled out slightly, and I had to remind myself to take it easy, conserve my energy, and keep my heart rate down. If I couldn’t do that in the flatter section between High Rock and Sones Pond, there would be no way to do it later in the race. I ran through a tight tunnel of trees as I approached Sones Pond. I could hear people, but couldn’t see anyone until I popped out of the woods, and there was a whole crowd waiting, which was slightly disorienting.  Brittni met me at Sones Pond with my first food drop: super salty mashed potatoes and gummy bears. 

Leaving Sones Pond, I made a wrong turn on the Link Trail and was directed back by two fellow runners. I was able to return the favor when they missed a switchback a few miles later. 

From there, we did another big climb to get to Devil’s Garden, and then started our descent into the World’s End aid station where I refueled on more gummy bears and potato chips. The trail headed back up to Canyon Vista, and while the distance between the World’s End aid station and Canyon Vista is short, only 3 miles, it involved one of the steepest climbs of the race. I took extra snacks with me from Canyon Vista because I knew it would be a very long stretch until I saw my crew again. 

The miles ticked by with a creek crossing and some short climbs and descents that were too steep to be called rolling hills, but were still dwarfed by what was to come. After the Coal Mine aid station, I came to an overlook and saw the deep gully that stood between me and High Knob, the next aid station. The view was spectacular, but I had been warned that the next 8 miles were some of the most difficult and hottest of the race, and I wanted to make it to High Knob with plenty of energy left for the second half of the race. 

The High Knob aid station was packed with crews, with everyone cheering on the runners as we came through. It was especially exciting to see fellow Pagoda Pacers and get updates on my friends who were also running that day. The vista at High Knob is breathtaking, but as I looked at the horizon all I could think about was that I was currently standing on top of a mountain and the next few miles would take me all the way to the valley below. I started on the very long descent out of High Knob, which really taxed my quads. The next ascent was the hardest of the entire race. It is not the steepest, but it is unrelenting, long, and punishing. Eventually I came to Dry Run aid station, where I refilled my water and saw my crew, but forgot to pick up other food. I didn’t think this would be an issue; I could pick up some food at the next aid station. However, I had forgotten the next aid station was water only which was both a physical and mental setback at that point in the race. My stomach was also starting to turn against me, and even though I was out of snacks, I was worried about my ability to eat more food once I saw my crew again. 

I finally came into Brunnerdale aid station, where I picked up Steve, who would pace me for the rest of the race. My spirits perked up again; I now had a running buddy, a pack full of salty potatoes and sugar, and I knew there were only 2 more significant climbs left! Steve kept me accountable, helping me to move at a faster pace on the descents and runnable sections than I would have if I were alone. 

We hit the last aid station, Fern Rock, and there were only 6 miles to go and about 90 minutes of day light left. I was supposed to get my headlamp but forgot to pick it up and turned out of the aid station headed towards the trail. I knew I had a few miles of flat, runnable terrain, and one last legendary downhill between me and the finish line.

On the last descent, I went full send. I jokingly told Steve he didn’t have to keep up with me, and promptly threw myself down the hill. Steve did keep up with me though, and we turned into the parking lot. As I came through the parking lot, I saw the banner “Run Like There’s No Tomorrow” ahead of me, and the finish line. My first goal was to finish the race; my second was to finish in the daylight, and I crossed the finish line in 14 hours and 51 minutes, meeting both my goals.

Looking back I could not have asked for a better day.  My race played out the way I wanted it too, and I am confident I achieved my best time for the day.  I cannot say the race was perfect, but I believe that is as close as it can be.  For once I left a race not thinking about what I need to do differently next year.  I just kept thinking about wearing the cool belt buckle I had earned.

Before I finish, I would like to thank my wife for the support she provided during the months of training, and the day of the race.  Brittni’s willingness to drive through the woods to feed me salty mash potatoes and gummy bears made all the difference.  And I also need to thank Steve Vida for taking time out of his weekend to pace me. It was such a mental boost knowing that at mile 50 I had someone joining me for the finish.

Race Report: Worlds End 100k, September 26, 2020

by pagodapacers

by Elaine Cook

I have wanted to run Worlds End for several years, after hearing Joanne Van Horn, Lori Johnson, Tom Chobot, Jess Gockley, April Zimmerman, and other rock stars talk about its beauty and ruggedness. After two years of fighting nagging injuries, I felt I’d turned the corner and signed up for the 100k in 2020. However, I continued to struggle with minor nagging tendonitis that never totally went away. I watched my calendar and training log with a growing sense of doom. THEN Covid hit and everything was cancelled or postponed. I took a hard break and started at ground zero with training. In April I was running 9 slow flat miles per week without pain, but I was sure WE would have to cancel.  

Fast forward to September, and the rescheduled race was a go!  I’d been running lots of mountainous 20 milers at Hamburg, but on an August training weekend at WE it took me 11 hours to run 50K–much too slow to stay ahead of the cutoffs. Worlds End allows 19 hours for the 100K.  I went into the race with the audacious goal of being able to run for 18+ hours, but knowing that unless everything went perfectly, I would likely get pulled at one of the later aid stations for missing a cutoff time. The late September start meant 7 hours of dark running on wild terrain for the back-of-packers: a real concern for me in keeping on pace.  

Since the 50K had been cancelled, and some runners deferred to 2021, only 109 runners started Saturday in the misty dark at 5 AM. Jogging across the starting line and through the park with Fran Mahalak, Joanne, Lori, and Laura Yoder, I wasn’t too worried about the first couple hours of dark–I knew there’d be runners around me. And there were–for half an hour or so. WE puts small reflectors on the ends of the ribbon used to mark the course, but I really wished for a lot more flags. I kept getting into gaps where I was alone, and then I’d fear I’d lost the trail and I’d slow to a walk while I searched for flags. Someone would catch me, but I was too nervous on the very rocky terrain to keep up in the dark, so I’d be right back in trouble. I kept tamping down panic until the sun came up, and I found myself running with Fran and Lea Becker, 2 veterans. Lea told me, “I’m going to finish, but I’ll be near the cutoff.  Anyone after me, even now, probably isn’t going to make it.” I took that seriously, but I lost her when my husband (Alan) was unexpectedly at Sones Pond aid station #2. I dropped off my light, got updates on the Pacers running ahead of me, picked up some food and water, and set out on a mission to catch Lea. 

The early morning was stunning! Golden light made the yellowing ferns glow along the rocky and low Loyalsock creek. Leaves were starting to turn, and there were purple asters everywhere. Rocks and waterfalls, up and down. There weren’t many runners around me at all. Up to Devil’s Garden, down to Worlds End, a small cluster of runners here and there passing me on technical stretches or falling behind me on runnable parts. I was focusing hard on those flags! I knew I didn’t have time to get lost and still keep ahead of cutoffs. At Worlds End my crew was cheering as I came off the Link Trail behind the Visitor’s Center and crossed the road.  I got a huge lift seeing Mike Whalen and Matt Brophy and knowing they were ready to run some miles with me! Alan was waiting with a chair and my gear laid out:  quick change of shoes and socks, some pickles and potato chips, water refill and a bag of gels, and I was off up the steep climb toward Canyon Vista. This section overlapped with the half marathon going on at the same time (the ultra was rescheduled to the half marathon date due to COVID).  Different colored flags were everywhere, and runners were going both directions.  It was confusing! I was grateful to finally branch off and onto ultra-only trail again. 

The view at Canyon Vista takes your breath away!  I was starting to believe I could finish, 20+ miles in and feeling great!  Still chasing Lea though.  I fully believed that if I could catch her, I would finish.  

After Canyon, the Pacer Aid Station is next at Coal Mine. I was gradually passing some other runners and listening hard for the horns and the yelling. The Pacers pampered me and got me in and out fast, with a bellyful of soup and grilled cheese and some sage words from the ax bearer, Jess Gockley. And surprising news: I was ahead of Lea! I knew I was close to Joanne, Lori, and Laura and on pace to beat cutoffs. Eight miles to High Knob at mile 35 where Mike Whalen would pace me the next 15 miles. I consider that stretch the most beautiful and most difficult. It’s also the longest gap between aid stations, but in return you get some amazing vistas and gorgeous waterfalls. When we trained here in August, this part was slick and treacherous, but on race day it was dry and I felt like I was flying. Even the wooden ladder and eroded trail at Rode Falls didn’t scare me. I got to share some miles with Laura, and before I knew it we had popped out onto the road, and I was rolling into High Knob, over 90 minutes ahead of the cutoff.

Alan had a well-trained pit crew by this time! New shoes and socks, a quick stretch and pack refill, and Mike and I were off, butt sliding down the first steep drop and then rolling along comfortably down a long, runnable descent, up an endless climb, and back down to Dry Run.  In and out, head lamps ready, another long climb and we were trying to cover miles. I was still feeling good, but getting tired and stiff and I knew I’d have trouble negotiating the rocks in the dark. Mike assured me I was on track to finish, but he kept me moving and made sure I ate and hydrated on schedule, entertaining me all the while. The woods at dusk were beautiful, but we were losing daylight.  We almost missed one turn as darkness fell, but were saved by some campers, and we made it into Brunnerdale mile 50 a little over an hour ahead of the cutoff.  

The pit crew was ready, and Alan got me in my last dry shoes and socks, fresh headlamp and flashlight, fuel and water, and Matt guided me out into the last leg of the journey in full dark.  I was stiff and sore and growing concerned that I was losing ground against the final cutoffs.  There were two big climbs after Brunnerdale; everything was rocky and difficult, and it wasn’t just dark, but also a little misty making my glasses fog up. Mike got a perky and talkative Elaine, but Matt got an exhausted, fretful, mostly silent Elaine–sorry Matt! Matt found me the flags and talked books with me–everything to keep my mind off my complaints. I know he was getting worried that I was moving too slowly. At the last aid station, Fern Rock, the volunteers told us we could make it but NO WALKING! It is entirely runnable for that last 6 miles…or would be if I hadn’t already covered 58 treacherous miles since 5 AM! 

So we ran (mostly) and ran and ran and ran, and where the HELL is that last steep drop?  FINALLY we were dropping down the last steep trail. I was bleeding time off the clock, too stiff to run the steep parts and scared I’d fall and in a terror of getting this close and missing the deadline. Matt was calm and measured every step. At last the trail flattened out, and there were Stephan Weiss and Dan Govern cheering us onto the paved path to the parking lot and the finish. 

18:49:41, 60th of 64 finishers.  As she’d predicted, Lea was the last finisher a few minutes later!  A belt buckle, a hug from Alan, a blur of congratulations, and an utter crash of nausea, exhaustion, and almost cramping muscles. I missed everything that happened for the next hour, a far cry from the celebration I imagined I would have if I somehow finished that thing! BUT I had the time of my life! Epic, hard, agonizing, breathtaking, magnificent! Every single person crewing, volunteering, running, and cheering was a part of making that day great! I loved everything about it. I could never have finished without my husband, my crew–especially Mike and Matt who gave up a fall weekend–and the advice and support of my training partners and the Pacers! I would absolutely do it again, if I am fortunate enough to get the chance. Don’t ask me to tell you about it unless you are ready for an earful!