I can hardly believe it. In one week, the 2007 Western States 100-mile run will be over. The adventure will have come to an end and I will be back home in my own bed.
I sure hope at least 3 of my pals will be the proud new owners of silver belt buckles that prove to themselves and to the world that they have run "States" in less than 24 hours. They're ready as they'll ever be. Time will tell.
What to pack? Will it be hot? Will it be cold? Will it rain or will it be dry as a bone? I'm a carnivore and I like to wash down my burnt flesh with a beer. Wader is a Vegan and will likely throw up or at least throw a fit if I start eating beef jerkey in the car. Is Taco Bell vegan friendly? What will I eat during the 16-odd hour drive from Vancouver to Lake Tahoe? The dude has sworn off beer until after the race. Do I show moral support by not drinking beer for a whole day? Do I bring my own tunes, or do I trust Wader's taste?
In the end, my role as a pacer is to be a mule and someone who won't tire of listening to whining an complaining as my friend commits hari kiri one step at a time over 100 miles. I figure the drive down to California will be 16 hours of nervous small talk followed by 2 days of trying to convince Wader to join me at the saloon for a cool one before the start of his big run.
I will get less sleep and be more stressed than Wader on race day as I assume it's up to me how to get cars from Lake Tahoe to Auburn all the while trying to guess what could go wrong with my buddy and what I will do to make it better. I will have to figure out how to get my sorry ass to Forest Hills where I will undoubtably spend 4-6 hours waiting nervously for Wader to pass through. I will then have 40 miles on the trails in the dark with Wader. 'Better brush up on my dirty jokes. (Come to think of it, when Wader paced me on a similar trek, we asked one another Trivial Pursuit questions for hours on end, so maybe I ought to pack a board game?)
I fully expect to be kicked, punched, verbally abused and puked on at least once. I may have to lance boils and blisters. I will coax and cajole as I attempt to create enthusiasm where there is none. I don't figure we'll be running all that much as we make our way down the gold rush trail together. Conversation during the long march will be one way as I fully expect my friend Wade will be a zombie.
When he does finally come around to having a beer with me, Wader will probably go to sleep in it. I figure I'll then have to drag what's left of his sorry carcass into the car and drive 16 hours alone with his tunes and my beef jerkey as Wader sleeps in the back seat and carps about his sore quads, blisters, sunburn and various and sundry other self-inflicted injuries during his brief moments of consciousness.
It will be fun in a couple of weeks, though. We will drink a few beers and talk about how much fun it was as Wader pulls out his blackened toenails, we laugh about how miserable he felt and we plan our next adventure!
Comments
Dom's out. Dom's progress
Dom's out. Dom's progress report was just updated. Dropped at Rucky Chucky for unknown reasons. :-(
Out of the 8 Canadians who started, only 3 finished! Congratulations to Neil, Randy and Jim. Heads up to Al, Dom, Wade, Ryne and Doug. I can't wait to hear the stories
Jim Jones has finished.
I am beginning to have a bad feeling for the last remaining Canuck on the course. Dom's progress hasn't been updated since Rucky Chucky. He has less than 2 hours left to finish in the alloted 30h. Waiting for news on Dom!
Neil Ambrose and Matt
Wade's out, too....bummer!
Unfortunately, it looks like
Updates
Dom Repta #338
Ryne Melcher
Matt Sessions
Randy Rankin
Jim Jones
Wade Repta
Al Harman
Doug Mitchell
Neil Ambrose
John Turner
The Drive Down - Highlights
The runners: Dom and Wade Repta and Ryne Melcher. The crew: Dom's wife Cheryl, Ryne's girlfriend Danielle, Dom's pacer Bill Dagg and Wade's pacer and crew, myself. Most of us know one another well... something to consider when planning a long journey in close quarters.
Wade, Bill and I were in one car, while Dom, Cheryl, Ryan and Danielle were in the other. Dom and Wade brought their iPods, so the tunes were good. We used FRS radios to communicate between cars on the drive down so it was easy to figure out when we'd fill up or stop for a bio break.
Here are some highlights:
* traffic is lousy on I5 from Vancouver to almost Eugene. Lots of big trucks. Lots of road work. The occasional accidident. Don't plan for a constant speed.
* the portions at restaurants are significantly larger south of the 49th parallel. Plan for indigestion and/or bring a doggie bag.
* we saw a lot of deer grazing next to the highway and a fair few dead raccoons
* we had Mexican food on our first night out. The car and the room have smelled like a cesspool ever since
* all Cheryl wanted from the trip was to stop at Target for a bit of shopping. She maxed out her credit card. She's happy
* Ryne wanted to hit the Patagonia outlet store in Reno. Done. He's happy.
* I wanted to hit the Liquor Barn for some local beers. Done. I'm happy.
* the landscape in California and Nevada is very interesting for folks from the rainforest. We've passed by several snowcapped volcanoes. (By unanimous vote, Mt. Shasta must be climbed!) There's been sagebrush and ponderosa pine from about mid-Oregon to Truckee.
* Woo hoo! We've not seen a cloud since leaving Vancouver. It's hot, hot, hot during the days and refreshingly cool at night
* we've started a pool. $5 buy-in. Guess the cumulative time of our 3 runners (Dom, Wade, Ryan). A DNF counts for 30 hours. Closest time (over or under) wins the pot of $35. So far, I'm the most optimistic and Ryan is the most pessimistic.
* last night we had a meeting to discuss drop bags and crewing. It looks like we will meet our runners at Robson Flats, Michigan Bluffs and Forresthills. From there, it will remain to be seen
* Dom, Wade and Ryan have signed a pact. No dropping out unless life and limb are at risk. (Looks good for my bet!)
* Breakfast tomorrow morning is at 3:00 am. Yikes!
* Dom and Ryan have shaved everything except their heads. They are good to go!
We're now off to register and weigh in. Very slim chance of me doing an update between now and the start.
I'm not positive of the URL, but I believe you can get real-time updates on a runner's position during the race at http://www.ws100.com
Sunshine and Sagebrush
Vancouver, BC to Truckee, CA
0000-km North Vancouver, BC (06:30) - 0 hours
Bellingham, WA (08:00) - 1.5
Seattle, WA (09:45) - 3.25
0420-km Castle Rock, WA (12:30) - 6
0520-km Portland, OR (13:15) - 6.75
0700-km Eugene, OR (16:00) - 10.5
0890-km Grant's Pass, OR (17:45) - 11.25
1000-km Yreka, CA (19:00) - 12.5
1125-km Mt. Shasta, CA ( ) - 12.5
1440-km Reno, NV ( ) - 17.5
1500-km Truckee, CA - 19
We stayed a night in Yreka, just inside California. We took Interstate 5 to Mt. Shasta then a more direct and more scenic side road to Reno. Beware construction and slow-moving logging trucks!
100M one Day
You will do well, with or without Jacko!(It should be more fun with the ol'guy!)
Bring home the buckle.
They are off!
The boys are off. Wade just picked up Ean for the long drive down south to the start of WS100. In style, Jackson was frantically starting to pack just before midnight. We figure if he has his running shoes and passport he is set ;-) Good luck guys. I'll be following them on the WS100 website and post updates on Saturday.
Canadian Runners entered (to the best of my knowledge):
Neil Ambrose - Maple Ridge, BC
Patrick Hinds - North Vancouver, BC
Al Harman - West Vancouver, BC
Jim Jones - Calgary, AB
Rob McWilliam - Gillies Bay, BC
Ryne Melcher - Calgary, AB
Doug Mitchell - Edmonton, AB
Randy Rankin - Maple Ridge
Dom Repta - Vancouver, BC
Wade Repta - Vancouver, BC
Matt Sessions - Burnaby, BC
John Turner - Burlington, ON
Hey Wade,Have fun with old
Have fun with old Jackson on the trail ;-) Looks like he is prepared... Good luck, we'll be following you online!
Western Wade
...Unless it rains...