Superior 100 Part II, A Crew's Perspective

*sorry Chris only shot I could get

A little over a month ago I received a phone call from fellow "early morning" runner Chris Gardner. He was calling to see if I would be "interested" in with what he called, "not your average favor" which was crewing for the Superior Trail 100 miler. He didn't have the complete sentence out of his mouth and I already knew my answer. I just didn't let him know that, (sorry Chris), but I let him sit on the offer for a few days while I figured out if I was the right person for the job. Many thoughts went through my head. Could I stay up? What if I was too soft and couldn't be "mean" enough in the dark hours when he needed me most? After all, I didn't have any personal experience in ultra's. I've watched many, talked to many who have done them, read hundreds of articles, blogs and stories from others, but haven't been directly connected to anybody doing one. I said yes and he was thankful for the "favor". Below is my story of the night. It was fun Chris and I'm so happy I witnessed one of the most determined, goal-oriented, talented, "ballsy" running I've ever seen.

Chris had his wonderful wife and precious fourteen month old daughter doing major crewing efforts in the morning hours as I had to put in a partial day of work. I called Erik, Chris's pacer for the night, earlier than planned and we left Duluth around 1300. We were off to an early start and were thinking it would be a huge load off of both Chris and Christy's shoulders to see us early and relieve her of her duties. We made it early and caught Chris at county road 6 (mile 42.8). As we approached the aid station Christy and Ella greeted us with smiles and we found out Chris was out to an early lead and looking good. "He looked a bit dazed", we heard. Someone else mentioned, "he was slurring his words a bit, check him out and see what you think when he gets here." Chris showed up and was smiling and looking quite well. Not much chit chat, just a quick exchange of water bottles, Gu's, and one glass of coke. A quick wave goodbye and into the woods he went high stepping over the roots and rocks. "He looks pretty good" Erik said under a soft voice. Everyone who had seen him previously mentioned he "looked much better now". What the hell, a guy has to have a few bad patches when running 100 miles. This was also the low point for one unfortunate runner limping across the road to observe a bit himself. It was fellow blogger Adam Harmer. Hampered by a bum Achilles tendon it would not be his day. Sorry Adam. A neat guy as he and his crew member stayed up all night going point to point following runners. Off to Finland.

Finland 50.5 miles

Super aid station! These gals had it all. Camper, lights, canopies, and all to food to make a tired, growly ultra runner a bit less edgy. Chris made his appearance the same he did at the previous one. Smiling and bouncy. A quick change of shirt was in order as well as the same water, Gu, coke combination. Less than three minutes later a quick kiss to the wife and child, since this would be the last he would see of them until the finish line, and he was off bounding into the woods. This was the point Erik and myself would be assisting Chris to the finish. We spent some time visiting others as we waited for the next runners to arrive. First into the aid station was a not-so-happy Wynn Davis. He took one hell of a spill, jamming his big toe in the process. It would not be his day either. This was his finish line for the day. Sorry Wynn. Next to arrive would be Joe Ziegenfuss and Duke Rembleski (sp?) looking pretty good. Joe can eat like no other at aid stations!! Off they went back to the woods and Erik and I made our way to Crosby-Manitou.

Crosby-Manitou (62.2 miles)

Super Aid station. More lights, music and a disco ball!! Sweet jesus! Good job guys.

From the gun this was where Chris wanted to be prior to nightfall. He made his goal. This was also the starting point for pacer Erik Kaitala. I can't think of anybody else I would want to have by my side running in the middle of the night. He's a great person and has a long resume of running experiences to know how to get the job done. You did great Erik, good job! After the same check-in routine and donning headlamps, and taking in some ibuprofen for a twisted ankle, Chris and Erik were off to the next aid station.

Sugarloaf (71.6 miles)

After sitting at Crosby to see where Joe and Duke were I hit the gravel and made my way to Sugarloaf. I was getting a bit nervous and thought I didn't give myself adequate time to make the drive and many times thought I missed a turn while listening to satellite radio techno-dance music, slamming red bulls and pounding mini peanut butter cups. I didn't put Erik's Honda Element in the bush and soon found my way to the lights. Wynn's parents host this aid station and this was another not to let anybody down. Great Job! I will have to ask Chris but I think this was his "low" point of the race. He was a bit off pace and I was getting worried. Amazingly when they showed up Chris had that same grin on his face and was looking as good as any other. Erik mentioned it was a "good" section but I was thinking otherwise. A quick swap of bottles, a denied request for more ibuprofen ( I gave him more at the next station), and off they went. I visited for quite some time with Wynn, Adam, Eve and many others whose names I forgot and decided to make my way to Cramer Road. (We were told that nobody was there and the aid wasn't out yet, so I figured I better make sure I have some lights ready)

Cramer Road (77.2 miles)

As I pulled into the aid station there wasn't much for light but they were there in the early stages of setting up. A huge truck unloading gear took off as soon as I showed up and all the food and extras were soon ready. I had time to chat with probably the two youngest Ham Radio personnel in the state. The guy setting up the aid station said, "you are the only Ham radio people I know under the age of 60." They mentioned they had done "coms" (communication) in the service and continue to do it as civilians. It wasn't long and Chris and Erik showed up as fresh as any other stop. Chris looked at me with a bit of smile and wanted to know how he was doing. I said, "great Chris, you look good." As if he didn't know, but he was inquiring how the guys were doing behind him. Up to this point, Chris didn't know, or want to know, any time gap he had on the next racers. He was asking. I left the previous aid station early and didn't know how long the time gap was but I heard over the radio that Joe had left Sugarloaf about fifty minutes ago. "Are you sure." No I wasn't. "Can you stay and find out before heading to the next aid station?" Sure, not a problem. That's my job. Joe's light came through the woods 43:00 later. He spent near five minutes eating soup and anything else he could jam down the esophagus. "Shit, the leads down to fifty minutes" I thought. What do I tell Chris at the next stop. The truth I guess.

Temperance (84.3 miles)

Another great aid station. The bar was set pretty high for quality aid stations. I set up my gear boxes right away, grabbed some food from the truck along with another Red Bull and set up my bag chair by the hosts fire. Wow did that feel good. It wasn't too long and the boys made there way to the stop. As I looked at my watch it still seemed like the splits were off from predictions. Chris wanted to know the time gap right away. "Joe had a good section" I said. "What is it?" I didn't want to tell him. "You are running a solid pace, keep it up". That wasn't good enough. I had to tell him. "Around 48 minutes" I said. All they had to do was run a decent section and I would see them in under ninety minutes. "Let's go! Kaitala Chris said." Chris took off and I ran up to Erik and said, "push him on this section, even if you guys are power walking, push him a bit." Well, Erik didn't have to. Hearing after the fact, Chris hit the trial, said to Erik, "I want my ten minutes back" and that is all what was said for 5.7 miles.

Sawbill (90 miles)

I waited at the last aid station for 55:00 and no Joe. He must have had a bit of a "low". As I drove into the aid station I thought I might have my directions wrong. No lights, no people. Just one tent and one pop-up camper. I was so tired as I thought, "damn campers... this isn't a camp site. They will be sorry they camped here when all the runners decide to come running through." Little did I know, that was all the aid crew sleeping. One guy knocked on my window and I went out to say hi. He said, "hey, are you crewing for  somebody?" "Yup, the guy that is going to be here in twenty-five minutes." He was a bit surprised as he was told they had more than an hour before the first runner would come through. Not the case. I was planning for a ninety minute section and I soon saw two headlamps at eighty minutes! I had just sat in my bag chair with my sleeping bag munching on graham crackers. Wow! They had a super section. "How are you feeling?" Chris looked at me stated, "Good, what's the gap?" I told them I had waited fifty five minutes and no Joe yet. "Really, you didn't see him?" "Nope, you guys are jamming." It was at this time when I realized Erik was stretching like no other trying to get a tight psoas to loosen up. "Gregg, you better get ready to run at Oberg, I don't think I can make it." We're at ninety miles and Chris has the mind to ask if I was sure I wanted to run the last section. (he knows I've been on a build up since my achilles snafu this spring) Without a doubt, I stated to Chris, "you're not running the last section by yourself, I'll see you guys at Oberg." I jogged with the guys to the trail head and told Chris to empy the water bottles and take in the Gu's. Joe was going to run out of real estate on the chase and they just needed to have a good section to hold position. Got to go get ready to run.

Oberg (95.5 miles)

I blasted to the Oberg station slamming yet another Red Bull and got Chris's gear boxes ready. A quick change into running gear, filled up my bottle, made sure my headlamp had fresh batteries and I was ready to tackle the last 7.1 miles. Chris and Erik showed up in yet another quick section just about 80 minutes. I had to relay all messages to Erik about waking up Christy, making sure he had the keys and off we went. I was talking to Erik and Chris was half way down the parking lot. "I better catch up now, because I will never catch him on the trails." We chatted a bit and I wanted to find out what he and Erik were doing as far as conversation, pacing, etc... Chris mentioned he was front running and not doing a lot of talking. That's OK with me I thought. I really just wanted to be present for Chris and not screw up his race in the last 7.1 miles. Wow, would that suck! What I would witness in the next one hour and forty eight minutes will stick with me for the rest of my life. For those that know the terrain, Chris ran up Oberg! Yup, 95 miles into a race and he ran up it. To have the spring and agility he had to the finish was amazing. We chatted a bit but mostly I gave him quiet times and added some words of encouragement from time to time. Stuff that a beat up runner needs to hear at that point. It was true and he had an amazing pace going even when he was power walking the hills. "Chris you are keeping a really good pace up the hills. You are not slowing at all." He muttered, "good, it sure doesn't feel like it." We rounded a point in the trail where you can see the Lutsen Resorts lights and it seemed like that was a huge lift. The pace picked up and there was little walking after that. He nailed the downhills and soon we were off the trail. What a wonderful feeling it must have been for him. "How does that feel I asked?" "Pretty amazing, I can't believe I did it." We hit the gravel road, a little less than a mile away and I looked at my watch. I was attempting to do some easy math and realized that a sub twenty-two hour was definitely within reach. "Do you think you can make there under ten minutes?" I asked. Nothing was said, but the footfalls quickened and soon we were running 7:00 pace. I run this pace often and I know we were running 7:00's, no B.S. A quick dash around the pool at Caribou and it was all over. "Wow, he did it", I thought. The finish time was 21:57:53. Amazing.

So, that is my report from a crew, mini-pace personnel. One of those experiences that is cemented in my mind and will share stories for years to come. Thank you for all the memories, to all crew members, aid station members, and mostly to Chris, Christy, Ella and Erik.

Superior Trial 100 Mile 2008.