Laurel Highlands Ultra 2016 - Race Report

The Laurel Highlands ultramarathon is a 70.5-mile trail race in Pennsylvania which encompasses the entirety of the Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail (LHHT) starting in Ohiopyle and ending to Johnstown Pennsylvania.  The race is one of 46 races domestic races which (along with 37 international) qualify participants for the lottery of the Western States Endurance Challenge held in June.  At Laurel Highlands, the individuals must finish in under 20 hours to secure their lottery spot for Western States.  After not being selected in last year's Western States lottery, I was determined to earn my 2nd ticket and double my chances.

Going into the race, I had my eyes set on a sub-16 hour finish.  It was a relatively arbitrary goal, I needed something to shoot for beyond the Western States qualifying time, which I considered somewhat pedestrian for my current fitness.  Though I was in decent shape, there were a multitude of problems in the weeks leading up to the race.  I was having lingering problems with Plantar Fasciitis in my right foot which had limited my weekly mileage through the spring.  I also had the brilliant idea of running the New Jersey section of the Appalachian Trail in full 3 weeks prior to the race (~75 miles, talked about in detail here).

As for the race, I was lucky enough to have my girlfriend, Elizabeth, and her parents crew me for the event, as well as drive to and from the race in their RV.  My friend Scott and his girlfriend Rachel were there to support me as well (Scott to pace, Rachel to crew).  Thank you everyone for your incredible support, I truly would not have been able to finish without your help.  We were off to a late start the day before the race and ended up barely making it to the race briefing to pick up my bib (ok, we missed the briefing, and the dinner.  But we did get the bib).  I was bib #123.  It may seem trivial, but I took that bib # as a good sign, it's nice to have a number that's easy to remember when coming into the aid stations when you are completely exhausted.  I slept as much as I could as Elizabeth's parents drove to the campsite we were staying at, which was about 3 miles away from the starting line.

I woke up about 45 minutes before the alarms started to ring and couldn't fall back asleep so I changed into my race-day attire and tried to set up as much as I could without waking anyone up.  At 4:30, the alarms went off and by 4:45 we were leaving the campsite.  We arrived around 5:00 AM with plenty of time before the 5:30 start to check-in and use the bathroom (I was lucky to have the bathroom in the RV, I do not know where the nearest one was).  After taking a few pictures near the waterfalls we were toeing the starting line.  I was able to find my friend Jon Wilson just before the start and we were able to chat for a few minutes about our races strategies.  My plan was to run the first few legs relatively hard and put as much distance in as I was comfortable with while the weather was still cool.  The forecast for the day was a high of 88F with a 30% chance of thunderstorms in the late afternoon.

Gorgeous view of the waterfalls minutes before the start

Looking back now, I made my two biggest mistakes of the day before the race had even begun.  The first was my plan to run with a single 20 oz. water bottle instead of my hydration pack for the first section.  Using two handheld bottles who have probably been adequate, but the decision to carry one left me dehydrated early.  The other critical mistake was that I had completely forgotten to apply Bodyglide anywhere on my body.  It was a rookie mistake that could have quite easily led to the dreaded DNF.  After a short prayer from the race director, our adventure begun.

Start to Checkpoint #1 - 19.3 Miles
After about a half-mile of road running, we entered the Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail.  When reading previous race reports I learned that around 30% of the climbing happens in the first 8 miles and many runners fall victim to overexerting themselves here, then completely breaking down in the later stages of the race.  Despite my ambitious race strategy, I was cautious not to follow that trend.  The trail is somewhat technical during the mile or two before the hills, but becomes quite nice as the elevation reveals itself.  The first climb is a true grind, about 600 ft of straight uphill without much interruption, with a downhill on the other side to match.  It was around this time I was passed by eventual women's winner and course record holder Robin Watkins (awesome job!).  We chatted for a minute or two before she absolutely crushed a decent, leaving me in awe at how effortlessly she was able to navigate the steep incline.  The second hill was more manageable (not to say it was easy) with several breaks in between the climbing sections, with about 500 ft of total gain.  Around this time I spoke with another runner Tyler who was also running this race for the first time.  Tyler and I stayed together through the last two difficult climbs before separating.  The last climb was easily the most difficult climb on the entire course, climbing up 1,200 ft onto the ridge.  It was reminiscent of Run With the Devil which takes runners up to the top of a ski slope and back down for 3, 6, or 12 hours.  Upon reaching the summit, there was a group of roughly 8 of us weaving through the trail and into the first aid station at mile 11.6.  Just before I arrived at the aid station, I heard a shout of encouragement.  My friend Amos Desjardins was taking pictures before the aid station.  For those who don't know, Amos finished 2nd at Laurel Highlands in 2014, and graciously had shared his insight of the course beforehand to help me plan my race strategy.  After a quick bathroom break and a kale smoothie I was back on the trail.  I opted to use two handheld 20 oz. bottles for the next section.

Amos spotted me just before the first aid station

The next leg was extremely runnable and I was feeling fresh even after the difficult ascents.  I was working toward catching Tyler and a few other runners I'd come into the aid station with but had left before me.  Using two handheld bottles worked well for me in this section, even though I had done zero training run with two (I always like to have one hand free if possible).  We coasted through a nice descent in a logging area and around a small pond where I was able to wet my headband.  My only qualm in this section were the several horseflies that would not leave me alone for a good 4 miles.  Eventually I came upon another runner, Beth, who I chatted with as we were beginning the final ascent to the 1st Checkpoint.  I offered some words of encouragement as I passed and made my way into the aid station

Segment Time - 3:53:00
Total Time - 3:53:00
Total Distance - 19.3 Miles

Checkpoint #1 to Checkpoint #2 - 13.0 Miles (2:51:00)
Arriving at the first checkpoint, Elizabeth and Co. were waiting in the woods with the other crews.  I had more kale smoothie and switched into my Ultimate Direction AK 2.0 hydration vest.  As I left the aid station, I saw Amos again.  He mentioned that his friend Rob was running pretty close behind me, and that he was be pacing him for the final 23 miles, just as Scott was for me.  I also spotted Beth with her crew looking a bit worn down, I offered a bit of encouragement again as I continued into the next segment.

The next section had a few rocky areas but overall was very runnable.  Around mile 21 there are two fantastic lookouts.  A mile later, the trail weaved between several large rocks, similar to the Lemon Squeezer on the Appalachian Trail near Bear Mountain.  I was moving well through this section though I could feel my pace slipping a bit.  I caught a few runners as we traveled through the gun range around mile 24.  I didn't feel unsafe, but it was unnerving to hear the gunfire so close.  After approaching mile 26 there was a small 2-person aid station.  I expected to see my crew here, but the volunteers said they were still two miles away.  I quickly refilled my bottle and grabbed some ice and was back on the trail through Seven Springs Resort.

The 2nd of two lookouts around mile 21

One of several awesome rock formations on the LHHT

This was one of my favorite sections of the trail.  We transversed through several meadows and across some of the ski areas.  I was feeling great even in the direct sunlight and picked up the pace on the downhills, dropping below 9:00/mile at a few points.  The trail wandered in and out of the woods and eventually up to a small pond where several geese were blocking the trail, hissing loudly as I passed, annoyed but otherwise uninterested in me.  I saw Amos again who relayed to me that his runner was about 10 minutes behind me and I had a mile until the crew station.  The mile passed quickly and I finally came upon the next aid station.  I downed more kale smoothie, had some PB&J and rolled out.  In hindsight, I should have switched back to the handhelds here, because the section was short enough to allow for it without my arms getting tired.  As I was leaving they mentioned that this next section was supposedly pretty easy, and I would see them again in 4 miles.

Great course marking through the Seven Springs Resort

Small pond at Seven Springs Resort around mile 27

They were half-right, I did see them again in 4 miles.  However, the next section seemed like a constant climb, and my legs began increasingly drained every mile.  The temperature had really begun to climb now as well.  This was my first low point of the day.  With about a mile to go, the trail evened out and I passed the turn-off for the 50K runners.  I was excited that none of the 50K runners had passed me (my 50K split was roughly 6:25).  With my spirit rejunvinated, I ran into the aid station around mile 32.

I was wishing I had signed up for the 50k here

Segment Time - 2:47:51
Total Time - 6:40:51
Total Distance - 32.3 Miles

Checkpoint #2 to Checkpoint #3 - 13.3 Miles (2:51:00)
As I trotted into the station, there was a giant board with each runner's place as they arrived.  I was surprised to learn I was in 25th (I was thinking somewhere closer to 40th).  With half the race done, I mentioned to my crew that the last section had been incredibly difficult and my legs were feeling weak.  I stayed at the aid station longer than I should have, and by the time I left I had lost a few places.  The 7 miles until the next aid station were a bit of a blur.  The one notable point was the beautiful newly constructed bridge around mile 36 or 37 which crosses the Pennsylvania Turnpike,  I almost dropped my phone over the fence trying to get a picture of it.

Realizing it's going to be a very long day at Checkpoint #2

Newly-constructed bridge over the Pennsylvania Turnpike

At this point the race was starting to get away from me.  After a few miles of grinding I was coming up to the 39 mile aid station.  My energy levels were low as we were now in the heat of the day, and my pace had dropped from 11:00-12:00/mile to 13:00-14:00/mile.  As I arrived at the 39 mile aid station I collapsed onto the ground while Elizabeth and Scott changed out my water bottles and gels.  I ate some more PB&J and bacon with a strawberry smoothie before setting back out on the trail.  As I left, they reminded me this would be my last solo section before Scott began pacing me at mile 46.

The next 7 miles were slow but I found a rhythm playing ultra running leapfrog with a runner who had on the North Face 50-mile shirt from DC last year.  We chatted every now and then but I don't think I ever got his name.  Eventually I pulled ahead for good as the LHHT connects with the Summit Trail and travels through a slightly overgrown section of the course.  This section was more difficult to navigate and I almost lost the trail more than once.  A few miles later, I was at the next checkpoint, feeling exhausted but excited to have made it almost 50 miles.

Looking Southbound at the mirrored divergence of the LHHT and Summit Trail

Segment Time - 3:58:09
Total Time - 10:39:00
Total Distance - 46.4 Miles

Checkpoint #3 to Checkpoint #4 - 10.9 Miles (2:51:00)
Scott was already in his running gear as I entered the aid station and again collapsed into a nearby chair my crew had set up.  Amos was there as well and mentioned that he would be pacing his runner, who was expected to be coming in shortly and they would be trying to catch us!  A nice dose of friendly competition is appreciated especially in the later stages of an event like this.  I noticed on the leader-board that I had somehow climbed into 21st place.  Apparently the heat was leading to several DNF's, even in the front of the pack.  After a quick bite to eat, Scott and I began the longest section of the run without aid since the start - 10.9 miles (or so I thought).

Excited to be picking up Scott at mile 46

We crossed the road immediately after the aid station and started a steady climb.  I mentioned to Scott that my legs were completely destroyed and I was not running any uphill sections at this point.  I felt bad for Scott because I knew it was going to be a long slow day for him.  Earlier this year, he had run his first 100 mile at the C&O Canal 100, in which I paced him the last 40 miles.  The C&O canal course is straight and flat and Scott is an extremely strong ultrarunner, so we were still able to maintain a pace in between 10-12 minute miles.  At Laurel Highlands, that was not possible for me.  I tried to bear down and grind through what seemed like a never-ending uphill, but our pace suffered as we dropped to the 18-20 minute mile range on this difficult ascent.  My greatest concern on this section was water.  I had only brought two 20 oz. bottles in my hydration pack which with all the climbing, I was going through quickly.

Despite my low point, I marveled at the beautiful trail in this section.  We ran/walked through endless fields with scattered trees that provided just enough shade to shield us from the oppressive sunlight. We were just past the hottest part of the day and the temperature would be comfortable from here on out.  As we made our way up to the peak of one of the hills, we heard cheering in the distance.  Knowing we were only 5 miles into the section at this point, I was confused and thought maybe a few fans were able to hike in to cheer.  To my grateful surprise, we spotted a pickup truck on a fire road just ahead with two enormous NFL-size jugs of water and gatorade.  Two volunteers had driven up a fire road to provide an unmarked aid station to the runners, and it couldn't have come at a more crucial time.  I collapsed in a chair while the volunteers filled my bottles and felt the relief melt over me (along with a few pieces of ice).  We thanked them about 10 times before moving onto the welcomed descent awaiting us.

Runnable trail and lots of shade

I was still not moving fluidly, and I had still not overcome my mental low.  I had become quite grouchy this section, and I'm sure it was showing as I noticed myself snapping at Scott unprovoked (sorry Scott!).  With about 3 miles left, I told him I did not want to talk anymore.  I was frustrated and annoyed that I could not seem to run for more than 100 meters at a time.  Then everything changed.  Ultrarunning is funny in that one minute you could be at the end of your rope, questioning dropping out, and the next moment you feel like you could run forever.  With about 3 miles left, I decided I had had enough walking.  My frustration was fueling my legs and I began running fast, not worrying about the 15 or so miles that remained.  We ran through technical sections, hills, and anything else the trail revealed.  We dropped our pace down to under 10 minute mile for close to three miles into the aid station, not saying more than 5 words until we arrived.

Segment Time - 2:56:00
Total Time - 13:35:00
Total Distance - 57.1 Miles

Checkpoint #4 to Finish - 13.4 Miles (2:51:00)
I was informed by Elizabeth and her dad that there had just been a torrential rainstorm as they were walking from the RV to the aid station.  It surprised me because Scott and I hadn't gotten anything more than a light drizzle in the few miles prior.  I was exhausted from the surge at the end of the previous section but ecstatic that there was only a half marathon left.  I didn't eat as much as I should have in this section but I was able to change my shirt and packed two headlamps with me.  This would be the last time I would see my crew before the finish line.

Scott and I departed the aid station without noticing what place I was in.  Within 2 minutes of leaving, the downpour started again.  I had locked back into my aggressive pace, and only slowed when the rain began to die down.  The rain was keeping the bugs away and cooling us off, but our shoes were completely drenched and I could feel my soles beginning to move out of place.  I did my best to ignore it.  I don't remember too much of the next few miles other than the trail being impossible to trek through without getting wet.  There was one point shortly after the the downpour when it got incredibly dark.  Scott and I turned on our headlamps thinking that this would be the beginning of our night-running segment, only to find the trail brighten back up a few moments later.  I can't recall exactly, but I don't think we were passed at all during this section.

There were a few cool rock formations in this section too

Around mile 61, the trail emerges onto a gravel road.  I had forgotten all about this section but knew from reading previous race reports that we would follow this road until we hit the next aid station at mile 62.  We were surprised to find several runners coming up behind us on the gravel road, with Beth and her pacer leading the charge!  Honestly, I did not connect that it was her at first, it had been 40 miles since I had last seen her.  We exchanged a few words but they were moving at a fast pace and soon passed us.  I had a low moment as we ran down the road and needed to walk the majority of the way.  However, once we started uphill, about a half mile from the aid station, I felt the energy return to my legs and was able to run again.  "Walk the flats, run the hills, that's my motto" I joked to Scott, my mood beginning to lighten again.  We were greeted at the aid station by a group of wonderful volunteers who refilled my bottles and offered us some warm food.  I took a cup of chicken soup, sat down to drink half of it, and took the other half on my way.  While at this aid station, we saw a maybe 7 or 8 other runners, many who arrived after and left before us.  Though ultrarunning generally is more of a personal challenge, it is usually helpful for me to be chasing someone, so I was grateful that there would be runners to catch.

I began the final section with a good mix of walking and running, as the last rays of sunlight were shining.  Scott urged me to try and get another mile or two in before we needed to switch on our headlamps, reminding me that our pace would certainly slow down during the night.  I don't remember exactly how far we got, but I believe we were passed mile 63 when we finally turned them on.  I have done a lot of training at night, though only a few runs in the woods, and I was glad to have Scott there during this last section.  We picked off a few runners that had jumped in front of us at the aid station over the course of the next 2 miles, but Beth was still somewhere in the distance.

As we clicked off mile 65, I thought back to the many 5 mile races Scott and I had run together as part of the Manhattan College cross-country team.  There was one particular morning where Scott and I were warming up together for an 8x400m repeat workout and we concocted the idea of trying to break the unofficial team record on local Tibbett's Trail for the furthest distance traveled out and back (the current record was 20 miles round trip).  When the next morning arrived we both showed up at the gym ready to run, only to soon discover we were both hoping the other one had decided not to participate.  We departed from the gym without water, money, identification, or anything else and ran about 13.5 miles out and 13.5 miles back as our first "marathon", securing the record (which still stands).  Looking back on that, it's no surprise we had both ventured into the sport of ultrarunning.

Scott and I running from something...not sure exactly when this was

Back to the race, we were inching closer to the last 4 miles, which I remember noting were almost entirely downhill as the trail descends from the ridge.  Though it was dark, we got into one of our best rhythms and were able to steadily run all but the longer hill sections.  Once we were in the final 3-mile desent, we were running almost not stop, and it was looking like a sub-17 hour finish would happen.  With about 2 miles to go, we finally passed Beth and her pacer for the last time, shouting encouragement as we passed but careful not to break our rhythm.  We saw a spectator as we crossed the power lines, indicating that we were getting extremely close.  After a few moderately technical descents and a VERY short final mile (Scott recorded it as 0.60 miles), we saw the lights of the finish line.  Moments later we burst out of the woods where Elizabeth and Co., along with the rest of the crowd, cheered us in.  We made it!

Segment Time - 3:14:00
Total Time - 16:49:00
Total Distance - 70.5 Miles

Recap
Overall I was thrilled with my the, and felt that, though there are still things to work on, it was one of my best ultra's to date.  I finished in 19th place, far better than I had planned, and qualified for Western States by finishing within the 20-hour time limit.  Thank you so much to Elizabeth, her parents, Scott, and Rachel for all the amazing support.  It was truly a team effort getting me across the finish line.  Laurel Highlands itself is a phenomenal race with fantastic volunteers, easy to follow markings, and all around great people.  If I do not get selected in the Western States lottery, I have a feeling I may be trying to improve my time here in 2017.

https://www.strava.com/activities/607545788

Finishers trophy in hand, in front of the crew mobile