The Road to Tahoe Rim Trail 100MThis is a synthesis about the Tahoe Rim Trail 100M, which took place on July 16th and 17th 2011 on the heights of the Sierra Nevada in Tahoe. A race made difficult by its nature, because it involves racing in the alpines and beautiful mountains of Lake Tahoe at over 8000 ft, running up and down hills, across streams, hiking on some snow patches and large snow fields, fighting with the strong colds winds on the night and sometimes in the heat of the day. In this summary I make some notes about what happened. For all this, I go back a few months before the day of the event for better understanding. Having completed this event has been one of the most satisfying and emotional moments I ever had in my life, due to all these factors involved previous and during the race, it can be exaggerated, but it was not, this story was real. I hope that you all enjoy reading it as much as I have.
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| Coyote two Moon 100M before the big storm |
I had registered since January for TRT, due to it's popularity, the 400 slots were filled out in just over 24 hours, by then I was already training for another "big one" the Coyote Two Moon 100M in March. The time passed by and the day of the event arrived, I didn't finished, why? because the race was called off, this was for the inclement winter weather in those days in Ventura County; pouring rain, blizzard and cold winds, mud and even snow, so that time I ended running 78 miles in total. After my frustration for not having managed to get my second belt buckle I put all my energies to get it in Tahoe, 4 months later, I knew I could get it, I had done it last year and even believed that I could improve my time of 31:34:38, so I kept my routine religiously, with the same plan and schedule that I used on the previous 100 miles races
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| Coyote Two Moon 100M. The peak of the Topa Topa mountain was the mile 19 of the course. |
What I did not expect were the series of events that would come two months before Tahoe. Saturday night April 30th while I was running in the Relay race (200M from Calistoga to Daventport) with the DSE master team, something had happened at home, I received Sunday morning a call from Laura, the house was burned down to the ground! With the accident two of our three dogs "Peluchina and Tsunami" died, we had lost almost everything, suddenly we were homeless, with no more than just the clothes on our back. It was a wake up call, at that time who thought about the "100-mile race?" we had more important things to face instead of wasting time on something that for most people do for fun, we were in a very sad situation and desolation, I thought at that time to abandon this adventure, but after a week of constant stress I decided that could be worth it to try one more time, with the help of many people including the running community we were able to get back on our feet, allowing me to continue with my running workouts.
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| After |
At that time the picture was different, I no longer had the treadmill nor the Stairmaster machine, there was not a gym at home anymore. I had spoiled myself over the last few years and suddenly I was without my toys; I found it somewhat difficult to understand. Then, I had to face my reality; where else to run? So I had to go to the hills of East Bay and Marin Headlands, to test myself whether if I was able to face the challenges involved in training in such weather conditions. The days and miles were passing by, and therefore the increasing hours I spent in those places in the middle of the night, those were tough nights! I will not deny that sometimes I had fear of being alone in the midst of the fog, the wind, the darkness, in the middle of nowhere. I would start some trainings at 10pm and end at 6am the next day; and still needed to report to work at 9 in the morning. I did not mind, my mind was well decided in Tahoe Rim Trail, I really wanted to accomplish it and earn the 100M belt buckle once again!
So May and June came and went, this was the most intense month of my training. I was visiting Lake Tahoe every weekend with the purpose to train in altitude and at the same time to spend hours with my feet on the trails. June was the peak of my calendar schedule, that is about 95 to 120 miles a week. The last weekend of the month, the most important, I helped to pace Thomas Wong in the completion of its 100-mile race in Western States. And after that no more long distances. I also had began to show symptoms of tiredness, fortunately my mileage would begin to decline, this means I started the process of tapering my distances, and with this my trips to Tahoe. Good!
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| Lake Tahoe training runs |
By then I had gathered a good support team consisting of Erika Kikuchi (Who also would run the same distance), Jerry Flanagan, Ken Fong, John Spriggs, Antonio, Elias my brother and his family. Everything seemed fine, I felt very strong and injury free. I was pretty sure that I would finish that race, I was ready to improve my time, I had it all in my hands. I was prepared! I did not know what I was going to face in this occasion. I would face a new test that I would have to go through.
I have had the tradition in past races to sort my running gear and have them ready in advance and leave them in my car, so that I won't forget anything for the day of the race. But leaving my running gear in my car is something I won't do anymore. On Wednesday morning, three days before the race my car had disappeared, it was stolen! It was in front of the temporary house we are renting, at least 3/4 parts of my running gear were there. Oh my God! -now what I'm going to do? Not easy, I needed to look for people who would let me borrow some running gear to use it in Tahoe. That day I did not show up to work, I spent most of the day between police and insurance reports, rent a car and begin the odyssey to see who could let me borrow some running gear. I had neither the time nor the money to walk into the stores to look for what I needed. I was very nervous, sending emails to see who could help, and so I ended Wednesday. On Thursday, Antonio (part of the crew) and I took off to Carson City, NV a few miles from Tahoe. I was so worried about whether I had what I needed that day that I couldn't sleep, I was also preparing the bags which would be dropped at the aid stations. I was trying to not show my nervousness but Antonio noticed it and I think he was getting nervous too.
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| Antonio on his way to tunnel Creek aid station |
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| Ken, Erika, me and Jerry |
Friday arrived and the time of the mandatory race meeting too. Jerry, Erika and Ken were already there, so we went to hear the news about the event. We were told about running on some patches covered with snow, to cross some streams and about the temperature on the night and with them many questions and answers. After that we all went to eat something before going to the hotel. Once there I tried to sleep early, I couldn't, I was very tense. I was thinking whether I had everything I needed for the race, I thought about the car, if it had important information that thieves could misuse, because in the past I was victim of identity theft twice and just thinking about the problem scared me. I also thought about the race, I had to get up at two in the morning to be ready to run at 5 am, I could never sleep, so I decided to get out off bed at 1:50 am.
When I was wearing my running outfit I told Antonio "I feel very depressed and tired, with no sleep at all, I do not know what to do" -then he said "Do you think that you are the only one tired?" -after that I answered "Yeah, but you are not running a 100M today, that's the big difference". Then we were ready to go, he will follow the instructions about what to do during the race, he would see us at Tunnel Creek aid station at all the time, as 100M runners would pass this intersection 6 times. After that we went to Spooner lake, where the runners and I would start the race. This was the starting point, the 50 miles distance and the 100 mile finish. Keep in mind that the TRT 100M is a 50M loop and 100 milers do it twice.
We arrived in good time along with other runners, I was trying to be calm for the beginning, not easy. I felt so worried, my eyes were sandy like those times when one does not sleep two nights in a row. With no sleep at all, and I awaiting to run 100 miles, plus another night on the road, not a good surviving sign. The race began as was schedule at 5 am. The first 18 miles of the trail were as we were warned; fields of snow, wind and fog, crossing several creeks and climbing some hills, also we were told to carry extra shoes and socks as they will get wet, something that I was prepared for, no problem. I visited aid stations three times and meet Antonio twice at Tunnel Creek aid station (mile 12 and 18).
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| Marlette Peak mile 8 |
After leaving Tunnel creek (mile 18) is when I started to feel the results of not sleeping at all. I began feeling sluggish, yawning most of the time and slowly decreasing my speed. Finally I reached Diamond Peak aid station (mile 30) at 12:38 pm, almost the similar time like last year but with one big difference, I was tired and I wanted to sleep!
Back then Jerry, Ken and Elias were waiting for Erika and I at the aid station, to see if we needed something. During this time Jerry asked me: "Noe, how do you feel?" -I answered "I feel good so far, no injuries, no pain at this moment, I'm just dying of sleep. I really want to sleep!!" -to which he replied "Of course you might feel like that. You were sending emails last night after 10 pm instead to be resting!". I have to admit that I felt guilty for being in that situation but I could not sleep during those hours, I was very tense and worried. During the race I kept telling myself if I had more than 2 hours of difference from the cut-off time I would catch some rest, but that never happened. It was the opposite, my time was getting closer to and I had less time to do anything, that was frightening because I could be out of the competition!
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| Right after Diamond Peak aid station mile 31. Erika climbing that crazy and steep hill! |
After passing Diamond Peak aid station we needed to climb two steep miles with over 1700 ft of inclination, this was the real "hell" of the competition, and 100 milers had to go twice (30-32 and again at 80-82 miles), it took me 1 hour and 20 minutes to climb that crazy hill. It was very heavy and sandy with no shade at all. Then, I arrived to Tunnel Creek aid station again (mile 35) there was Antonio, having fun seeing how the runners were passing by, later he said: "Some of them are dying, others can barely walk, I had never seen anything like this before, this is a massacre!". Indeed it was. At that time it was very cold and windy on the ridge. I even saw some helicopters lifting some people, they were suffering hypothermia, poor guys I don't even want to know how much the bill will cost them. So after I check my weight again at 3:07 pm and eat some food I left that place.
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| On my way to Hobart aid station, mile 38 |
Now I was on route to Hobart aid station (mile 40) where we had to walk through those endless snow patches across the road, after that Snow Valley Peak aid station (mile 43), then Spooner Summit (mile 48.1) and finally Spooner Lake again (mile 50). At this place Jerry would be waiting for me, he would accompany me from there to Diamond Peak aid station (mile 80) which meant 30 miles on the road. It was 8:10 pm, a 1 hour and 35 minutes window from the cut-off time. Let's say that every aid station has its own cut-off time, and every runner must leave the place before that time otherwise he or she can be pulled out the race.
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| Spooner lake aid station mile 50 |
As soon as we could Jerry and I left the aid station on route to Diamond Peak, 30 miles ahead, on that course is where I saw my luck, the last test of my adventure was coming and I didn't even imagine what I would face. The night was approaching and with it, the cold, the wind and the darkness.
One of my biggest fears at any ultra race is that I have not yet been able to control my body, I have nausea problems, no matter if the race is 50K or 100M, simply still I can't and this race was not the exception. We were at mile 53 when I suddenly couldn't control myself and I began to feel nauseous for no reason, Jerry and I stopped for a moment as others runners were passing by, that was embarrassing. As soon as I felt a little better we started moving again through the path. A couple miles after I saw one of my inspirational ultra runner friend, Jose San Gabriel, I really wanted to spend some miles with him running during the night, but Jerry didn't let me, he kept pushing me to move, he had no mercy for me. As the hours passed by, my energy started to decline and my desire to sleep increased. This began a constant fight with myself, my body wanted to rest and my mind was telling me to go on.
Then I said "Jerry, can I sleep at least 10 minutes there, close to the trail?", -to which he replied "No Noe, we don't have the time, it's cold down here. Listen, if I let you sleep you won't get up. Besides, there's nobody around here to help us if something happens. Let's just wait until Tunnel Creek aid station (mile 62) maybe there you could, we'll see". So I kept moving again slowly and steady, with the illusion that soon I would sleep and rest a little.
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| Antonio and I at Tunnel Creek aid station |
It was 1:08 in the morning when we arrived at Tunnel Creek aid station again (mile 62), 37 minutes window from the cut-off time. Antonio was waiting for us as usual. He knew that if I wasn't THE last runner, I was definitely one of them. So he asked me if I needed anything and he said "You don't look great, I would suggest you to stop. How many miles are left for you to finish this craziness?" -to which I answered "38 miles, do you think I could finish it?" -and he said "Well, I don't know", moving his head doubtfully. Once there I was hoping to catch some rest, as Jerry had promised me. This never happen, I was not allowed to sleep not even a minute. "We were in a hurry", he said. We needed to descend the Red house loop (the hell), a 10km loop that circles back to Tunnel Creek again. MAN this is too much, it's a tough loop!!! I was so tempted to tell Jerry to go alone and run the loop, so that I could rest a little at the aid station, get energy and continue to the trails. No! My reality was different, I had to go and run the course. It was my race, consequently I had to do it myself!
We were back from the loop at 3:30 am at the Tunnel creek aid station (now mile 68), while I was changing my wet shoes I was told by one of the volunteers "If you want to continue in the race and want to finish it, you must to be at Diamond Peak aid station (mile 80) before 7:35 am. This means 12 miles in 4 hours, so you better go, Move out!! -By which I told Jerry: "Please Jerry help me, don't leave me alone" -and he answered me "Let's go, stand by me!", we left the place uncertain of what would happen next.
Jerry and I were prepared for the type of weather condition we would meet. We knew that it would be very cold and chilly on those hills. It didn't seemed to be summer. After one or two miles of energy and excitement my pace started to fade, my body couldn't take no more. The need for rest and sleep was too much. Not even the caffeine gave me the results I wanted. I started having headaches and felt nauseous. I was completely drained. At some moments I saw Jerry, and he was in silence and walking fast. I was just asking myself what was he thinking, what was in his mind. I was hoping that at sunrise, I would gain some strength and continue as in past races, that is a "second wind". This did not happened and each time I felt worst, I had three consecutive nights without sleep. I was nauseous and weak, I didn't have control of myself, I was done!
Yes, I felt that I was done. My stomach was empty and couldn't take any solid food, my mouth and throat was dry, I was dehydrated! I knew it, my race was over, "This is insane" -I thought, "It will be impossible for me to be on time, my body is shaking and I feel weak. I still have 7 miles more to go on the trail to get to Diamond Peak and it's beginning to dawn". Then my eyes started to tear up. I felt frustrated, trashy, cranky, empty. Jerry didn't notice it and suddenly said: "Noe, I have something to say", -"Yes, what it is?", I replied. "My wife has been sending me text messages, she says that I need to go back home as soon as possible because our daughter does not stop crying. She is been asking where I am, so when we get to Diamond Peak aid station (mile 80) I will return to my house. I don't think I will be with you at the end of the race". At that time I thought that this was not the real reason, I thought that he wanted to go because he was sure that I would never finish the 100M. That he was wasting his time with me. That he went to Tahoe for nothing and was deprived of his family to help a person who was doing very little to finish i; to which it was not worth it to be there anymore, watching dramas, disappointed. And I replied "That's OK Jerry, no problem".
What I did next was to sit for a moment and bend down my head, and said: "I feel so frustrated of myself". Then I started to think about all what I had done, about my trainings, during the day and night, making promises that I would even do the impossible to finish it, about all that I had lived through these months. I thought about Elias, Antonio, Jerry, John, what I am going to explain them, that they went to Tahoe for nothing? Just because I didn't make the time to sleep and rest before the race? I felt so miserable. Suddenly Jerry interrupted my thoughts and said: "Noe, we have to go, remember that until they don't say that it's done, it is not done. We must continue on the race until the last minute, come on". Then he gave me a hand to stand up. At that moment I thought: "That's true, I told myself that I would not give up, never ever do that. Then images came into my mind, images of when my house was on fire. When the Peluchina my dog, (who at that time was safe) went into the house in flames to rescue the baby dog Tsunami. Peluchina had the courage and guts to save a life, I had to do the same, I had to save myself! then I remembered the words of Winston Churchill during the war: "We never ever give up". So I stand up from were I was and we left.
At that time I was not only dehydrated and without energy, I was beginning to hallucinate, my words were intermittent and my vision was blurry. At times I felt I was either going to fall to the ground or fall asleep while walking. I never wanted to look bad on the Jerry's eyes, I didn't want to worry him. Fortunately, we began to descend from the ridge, it was 5 downhill miles of the Tyrolean trail, so I just dragged my feet, the inertia of my body was helping me to move. Suddenly in a moment of drowsiness I felt a blow to my face, Jerry was slapping me!! WTF, what I did now?????? He just said that I was ignoring his questions and wanted to make sure that I was OK. After a few minutes, we continued running, according to my GPS, we went down to a 14 minutes per mile. My throat was dry and could take only water, in addition my stomach did not tolerate anything solid, not even salt pills. I was just waiting for the moment where I'd fall, this didn't happen and I continued. Then I started to feel numbness on the left side of my body, it didn't react so well, so I took all the strength I had to not fall apart. I wanted to prove to myself that if I did not finish this race, I would at least do my best to arrive on time at the mile 80. I would not stop right there!
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| Jerry and I arriving at Diamond Peak aid station mile 80 after 26:23 minutes on the road |
Almost at the end we saw Ken and Erika, she was also having problems, we pass them up. I heard them cheer us on, but I had neither the energy nor the mood to answer. So I just pass them by without saying even a word, dragging on my feet. Minutes after Jerry exclaimed: "Noe, we're almost there, these are the the houses of the Tyrolean Village. We made it, we still are on time!". He started jumping of joy, although I felt weak with no energy at all, I smiled, it was great to hear that. So I rushed my pace to get to Diamond Peak aid station (mile 80). We finally got where the crew would be waiting for us. It was 7:23 am. 12 minutes window from that aid station cut-off time. Jerry had made an extraordinary job, right on time!!
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| About what were you talking about it? |
There was John Spriggs (who would accompany me to run the last 20 miles of the race) ready, waiting for us. Also Elias, Marie, Jason Reed and few other people too. Then I went to check my weight again with the volunteers, and I told myself: "That's it, I'm so exhausted and I'm done. No mas!!". I was completely drained and too sick to go on. I was very sad but I was safe and that was what mattered the most. I only requested a bit of chicken broth and some Kern's juice, I know that juice has kept me up in other difficult races. Meanwhile, I heard that Jerry was talking quietly with John and the others, what they were talking about? they all looked worried. Then, John asked me: "How do you feel Noe, do you want to continue?", to which I replied: "I'm fine, I feel good". What a big lie, I was the same. Even though, I still stood up from the bench and got ready to leave, "I could try a little more", I thought. It was 7:29 am, 6 minutes apart from the 7:35 cut-off time, if I wanted to continue I had to go now! At the same time I got off from the bench and was face to face with Jerry, we hugged and I thanked him. John and I were leaving to our new adventure, then I turned back to see the crew for the last time, and what I saw completely changed my perception of what was going on. Jerry was watching me and he was in tears!!! His eyes were full of tears, he had that look of hope and compassion, "Jerry, what was on your mind, what do you want to say?" I thought in silence. I got a deep breath, I made a fist with my right hand and told him also in silence "Jerry, I will finish this race, I promise you" so I told John that I was ready and we left. Right after that I started feeling different, better. I got energy, I started to run!! I had walked the last 30 miles of the race and now I was running again. John and I were running the first yards from the aid station very decided to climb those 2 crazy steep miles. Yes, it was like that!!
What happened next was something that I didn't even understand. I had obtained energy from I don't know where, so we started to climb the mountain slowly but very determined. As soon as we reached the top of the hill I checked my GPS, I could not believed what I saw. 50 miles before, at mile 30, I did the same distance in 1 hour and 20 minutes; now, John and I had been climbed the same hill in 46 minutes!!! how can this be possible? Although I was excited and happy I wanted to save energy for the following 18 miles, so we went forward. We had good pace, so well that when we got to Tunnel creek again at 9:am (85 miles, the 6th and last visit) I had gained 55 minutes in 5 miles!! Once there Antonio told us: "I don't know what are you doing here, the last time when I saw you I thought that I would not see you again". At this time my face was different, I was enjoying running. I grabbed something to eat and immediately we left toward Hobart aid station, so once again fields of snow were waiting for us.
Shorty before arriving in Hobart aid station (mile 90) I felt nauseous again and with it the tiredness too. Fortunately John was there to help me out, he was always available for what I needed, thanks John, I felt the presence of GOD there, he had sent me two angels to help me on my race and they were doing very well, in my case this proved how important it is for a runner to have a pacer. While we were on the aid station I sat for a moment, I was falling asleep again. John noticed that and said: "Noe, we gotta go now! So we left before anything happened, it was 11:20 am, 20 minutes left from the real time, my race was not safe yet. We passed Snow Valley Peak aid station (mile 93) the highest point of the race 9,000 ft. after that run 5 miles downhill, oh yeah! this was life, I was running again at good pace. We were passing runners who were struggling on the course. When in a moment I was the last runner of the event, now I was in much better shape, running and looking good, great!
Right after the Spooner Lake Summit aid station (mile 98.1) almost at the end of the 100M course was when the emotion came to me. This was the first moment I felt safe. I was almost at the end of completing the race I had trained, fought, suffered and cried so much, it had cost me blood, sweat and tears, my sacrifice had been worth it. Then I started to thank everyone who was involved in this adventure, from Eduardo of Pamakids, Janet of DSE, Jessica of LMJS and Laura to my crew and pacers, one by one. Now I was the one who was crying but I was happy and grateful, to GOD and life, because at one point during my workouts, months ago I found myself with nothing, no home, no place to feel safe, only with the clothing that I was wearing, now it was different, I was healthy, without injuries at all and I had the affection of many people, I was finishing my race.
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| John and I arriving at the finish line |
John and I reached the finish line at 2:36 pm, 1 hour and 24 minutes window from the end of the race, this meant that it had taken to me 33 hours and 36 minutes to get there. There, the crew was waiting for us; Elias, Antonio, Pancho (a friend of mine) and Erika, (the last time that I saw her it was at mile 80 but she did not arrived on time at Tunnel Creek, mile 85, now she is promising to do a 100M again at Rio del Lago in September, good luck Erika!). Minutes later I was told that the winner of the race was a friend of mine Jorge Maravilla, felicidades Jorge!!
Shorty I arrived the 35 hours limit of the race had been ended and I had arrived on time!!!!
Immediately the race director began to give the awards to the finalists and after some runners I got my turn, finally I had gotten the Tahoe Rim Trail 100M belt buckle. I thank them, then I stopped for a few seconds and opened the box, I had earned, I had it in my hands! This piece of metal, simple and cheap but so valuable to me that I almost failed to get it. I smiled and posed for the official photo, I was happy, this adventure was over, I hugged and thank everyone.
Finally we all began to leave, the event ended after wards. Antonio and I were prepared to go home. When we were returning we both were in awe. We were talking about what happened, he was pretty sure that I would not finish that race, he was asking me what I was drinking to get "that" second wind, I only answered: "You need to have iron will, and a real desire to own this belt buckle, I really had to dig so deep to get it". Then, I started to think about all I had to do to in order to be here, as well as when I was upset and frustrated for what happened to me. At times I felt that I was the only one who was pushing the cart, that it was too much, that I was going to explode, overwhelmed. Then I had to remember to calm down, to try and think different, visualized and see that there are also so much beauty in the world. I know and understand I'm a slow runner, that I will never win a race, that I have to train intensely to finish even a 50k. An average Joe in running but I try and I do it with the heart. Now, I cannot feel anything but gratitude for every single moment I have lived and continued living, in this life.
Thanks to all.
Dedicated to Carlos Guardado Mendez, my cousin.
Noe Castanon Mendez
Pamakid, DSE & LMJS runner
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| July 17 2011 |
