2019 Mohican 100 weekend - pacing experience

I am now qualified as a "professional pacer".

Mohican 100 this year was different from last year. I did not sign up to run any distance at the race because I was going to pace R. who was going for his 20th buckle. Yes, one month after running Massanutten 100. It was crazy and I was already tired just thinking about it.

It has also become a tradition that I would go to Mohican on Friday to help mark the trails. We met a Mellor's (like we always do) for breakfast and marking plan. This year many people showed up to help on Thursday so they got the majority of the marking done. The only section that was left to be marked was the section from the Fire Tower aid station to the Covered Bridge aid station. Because it was only 2.6 miles, T., D. and I went out together to mark the trail. We had a good time and it's always good to spend time with these ladies. Then, we marked some more trails after lunch and went to the pre-race meeting where I saw old and new friends. The ultra running community is truly small and everyone knows each other. It was nice to talk to the "ultramarathon legends" and get inspired by them.

On Saturday, T. and I went out to run some miles. T. had to volunteer at the Gorge Overlook aid station from 11 to 3pm so she ran with me from the start to the aid station. I then continued on to finish the big loop (26 miles). I was glad that I could do the long loop because every time we came down to do the training run, we always ran the short loop and I missed seeing the dam and Lyon Falls. 

The weather was perfect until around 3pm. I finished my run around 3pm and had lunch/dinner at a restaurant nearby. Then, I went back to rest/take a nap at the place where T. and I stayed. T. was already back and we talked about our friends who were running the race. We took a nap and came back out around 9pm and join T. (the Crew Boss), M. and S. at the Fire Tower aid station waiting for R. to come through. This year R. wanted to make the race special by inviting his friends to run with him. So, we had people joining him starting from Loop 2. T. was supposed to start around midnight during Loop 3. So, I dropped her off where she was supposed to start before driving to the start line aid station to take another nap before I started pacing R. during the last loop (Mile 77 to 100). It was pouring the whole time and the trails got REALLY muddy. 

R. did not come through the Start aid station until 4ish and he was alone. He said T. had to stay with a guy who fell and broke his ankle on the course (he later called T. "Florence Nightingale"). R. told one of our friends who was camping out in the campground to tell the medics. We hoped he was okay. 

We left the aid station a little bit before 5am. R. was doing really well, which made me less concerned. All I needed to do was to make sure he kept moving forward, eating and drinking. We arrived at the Gorge Overlook aid station sooner than we had planned. We saw Coach C. at the Fire Tower aid station along with our crew. It was nice to see our friends along the way as it's R.'s home race. Everyone knew he was going after his 20th buckle and they were cheering for him. 

Since I had run the course and the race before, this time I knew what was coming after each aid station. R. was in good spirits and it was easier to pace him at Mohican 100. No major problem came up. Just a couple of stomach issues. At Mile 95, R. said his legs were "done" but somehow he kept the same speed and even faster during the last 3 miles. Once we reached the campground area, people saw us and started to clap and cheer on him. It was incredible. We saw Coach C. again (she and R. have been good friends for 20 years). She congratulated him and turned to me and said "you are ready for Vermont" LOL 

Below is the picture of us and Coach C. (and another runner and her pacer) at Mile 98.  

R. crossed the finish line with 50 minutes to spare (faster time than last year). I was in tears when I thought about how hard would this be and how much effort and pain he had to go through for 20 years to receive the 2,000-mile buckle. I am truly honored to be part of both the 20th Massanutten 100 and Mohican 100 buckles.

One thing came up in my mind while I was running - I may not ever run Mohican 100. I have come down to run the course almost every month and helped out at the race. I love the course so much that I have a weird feeling that "racing" it will take the good feeling away. However, I don't have to worry about it for now as I still have Vermont 100 coming up and that should be my focus for the next few weeks.

As for the training, I logged in good mileages this weekend with course marking, running, and pacing and that helped with my confidence that Vermont 100 is not too impossible :)

Sydney