Surviving the HURT

Surviving the H.U.R.T 100 mile

Hawaii Ultra Running Team
 

 

 

On January 13^th I slugged it out with the trails of the HURT one hundred mile ultra marathon. Now that I’ve had some time to rest the mind and body I think it’ll be safe to relive some of these memories without to much mental anguish .

Signing up for a 100 miler is much easier than running it. I suppose to the average person this is self explanatory but to the addicted ultra runner it’s harder than it sounds. It all started when I was asked by my room mates if I would like to join them in Hawaii while they visit there parents in January. At that moment something clicked in my head. “I think there’s a hundred mile race in Hawaii and I believe it’s in January” After digging up my last issue of ultra runner magazine my hunch was confirmed and not only was there a hundred miler but it was on the same island and within a week from when I was asked to visit. To good to be true so I asked if I could stay for the extra week so I could run the HURT and the rest is history.

I flew over new years eve and spent the first week and a half relaxing on the beach with the girls. My only pre race training was trying to avoid a sun burn. Tough life but some ones got to do it.

Then came Friday the 12^th and the race weekend was on. I barrowed the truck and headed off to the pre race meeting where I would get to meet the other ninety nine slightly unbalanced people running the HURT. I stood in line to receive my Id bracelet and my hand made goody bag then stayed to hear the last minute trail briefing.

After a hour of sleep “ who needs sleep” it was race day. Thankfully my host Hellen Weber was kind enough to get up at 4:30am to drive me to the start. Back at the pre race meeting I had run into the local B.C. legend Harvey Nelson ( this guy’s 73! ) I had arranged to pick him and another racer up on the way to the race. We made it to the start by 5:30am got checked in and waited for the start. I couldn’t wait to get started. Laying on the beach and exploring the island the last two weeks had been great but the thought of starting a new ultra adventure is unexplainable.

With the commencement of the last minute rituals we were soon off. The HURT race course consists of a 20 mile “loop” ran 5 times. it’s not really a loop it’s more like a mind numbing collection of two out and back sections and a figure eight loop designed to make you suffer and cry for mercy. The one thing we had going for us is that the weather was cooperating as I had heard the last three years it had rained. Even though I had been on the island the last two weeks I had not pre ran the course and after the first lap I was glad I didn’t as I was sure to never want to see these trails again. Did I mention that each lap has 5,000 feet of elevation gain and loss totaling 25,000 feet.

First lap down. It had taken me five and a half hours about a half our faster than my guesstimated average of six hours a lap. I wasn’t in it for any records I just wanted have a good run and finish as this race has one of the lowest finishing rates of any ultra. By the second lap my feet were starting to ache from having to run or walk that is over the hellish section of banyan roots in the middle of the course that we would have to stumble over two many times to count. So after arriving back at the start/finish aid station I popped some caffeine and started on the Ibuprofen.

During an ultra you get a chance to meet and run with a lot great people. This would be my saving grace to this race as company goes a long way when spending countless hours on the trail. Somewhere out on the second lap I would come to meet Tina Ure form California. We were running close to the same pace and found ourselves heading out on the third lap together. We would go on to spend the night hours switching off the lead position and pushing to keep the pace going.

In the middle of the night out on the third lap we came upon someone leaning on a there poles with there head down and not moving. So we stopped and asked if he was ok. He looked up and replied that he couldn‘t stay awake. I knew I had just the thing for him and handed him a caffeine pill. Tina said she could use one too so we all caffined up. Sure enough fifteen minutes later everyone was awake and moving quickly. In fact Tina was starting to run on the up hills. I just kept my mouth shut and followed along knowing any time we could without knowing it was a plus. I’d say I kept my mouth shut but after a little caffeine I just start rambling hopefully no one will remember. It was also out on the third lap where we got our first introduction to the Hawaii five minute monsoons. And of course let the slick sticky mud fest ensue. This only added to the pleasure of running over the banyan roots. We finally make it back to the start finish to end the first round of darkness refuel and head out for the forth lap.

This is the point of no return. As there is an evil option to officially finish at the 100k distance. I didn’t sign up to just run a 100k so this wasn’t even an option I was going to consider, despite the mental anguish from the thought of running the next forty miles. Tina and I would continue to switch off the lead and were desperately waiting for the sun to rise by mid morning. The sun did rise but unfortunately it wasn’t the rejuvating wake up we had hoped for but it was good to see the trail under your feet again.

We had finally made it in to finish our forth lap at around 8:40am. Tina was having bad foot problems and started making excuses for not starting the fifth lap. I checked our time and new if we just pushed on we could make it. Besides at this point she had been leading most of the time and I was just trying to keep up. It didn’t take much persuasion and we were off to start the fifth and final lap of the grueling journey. One more lap shouldn’t seem so bad but it’s still 20 miles of the most horrible sections of trial on the face of the earth. The only break we were given was that the sun had dried up most of the trail that over the past few hours had tried it’s hardest to brake your ankles. It was on this final lap that I was starting to have more major foot problems. I had started developing blisters on the inside off my feet. The blisters weren’t hurting but skin in-between my toes was getting raw and was causing severe pain. I wasn’t going to slow down now. So I continued to follow Tina and hope I could take care of it at the next aid station. We finally made it to the last aid station and I smothered my feet with Vaseline, Downed some more food and headed back out to get this thing finished. It was only a little over seven miles to the finish but that’s not really that comforting when you’ve already seen the last section four times already and know what your in for. And don’t forget that there’s 5,000 feet of elevation change per lap Plus the evil root section left. As we made our way along the trail we would make it a point to say good by to the evil roots, rock scrambles and the messed up stairs sections happy to see them for the last time.

I’m not sure how bad Tina’s feet were hurting but it wasn’t affecting her pace or maybe it was. She was blazing. My feet were feeling better and I was feeling no pain in my legs. In fact I had had no leg pains the whole race which was a little odd. I continued to let her lead as I just didn’t have the drive to keep up the current pace. It was really starting to hit me how hard this course is to finish. As we made our way down the last few miles of trail we would start passing other runners who where really starting to fade. We came across one runner that was just walking slowly down the trail. So I asked if he needed anything and he replied he was bonking bad and if we had and food or water. I was out of water but gave him the extra Gu I had in my pack. I was really hoping that some one would give him some water as Gu with out water will just sit in your stomach. He did later finish under the cut off.

We could taste it now. The finish only a little more than a mile away. I started thinking about what my reaction would be at the finish, would I brake down or would I celebrate. I would really like to say that at this point the course is forgiving but it’s not. In this last section of trail you find yourself going up more switch backs just to go back down. Then comes a section of stairs that you’ve seen nine times before. There not really stairs as they are just slick plastic boards placed along the trail in a way that forces you to trip over each and every one.

By now Tina was in an all out sprint! We were still a mile out! She was sprinting up the hills! I couldn’t believe it and was secretly hoping that she would cramp up so I wouldn’t lose her. The adrenalin was really kicking in and I wasn’t feeling any pain but was worried if I kept up this pace I’d be cramping up before the finish. We had to be running a seven minute mile pace. Thank God there were some rocky section that you had to walk so I could catch my breath. Then came the hundred yard line marked by the last few foot bridges. We were in an all out sprint! In fact as we were nearing the finish I had to yell out to two runners in front of us to run. We came flying in right behind them and if there would have been more room at the finish line we would of blasted past them. Not that we really cared about our place or beating anyone we were just thrilled to be done.

Then it was over. Thank God! We then were rushed off to get our picture taken behind the trail sign. Amazingly that last shot of adrenalin had made me completely numb. I did quickly look for the closest chair to sit down in though. Because after running for 33 hours and 54 minutes the legs get a little wobbly. I was really expecting to brake down and start crying or have a case of turrets syndrome. But nothing, I felt calm and was just happy to have finished and not be moving.

I pledge to never run the HURT again, once really is enough

Best race directors and volunteers ever, Thank you all

If you like senseless pain and mental suffering this is your race

I would compare this race to running the www.kneeknacker.com four times

For more info www.hurthawaii.blogs.com