Jackalope Jam 72hr – 2018

I had traversed this course 398 times over the last 61 hours, plus 324 times the year before. I knew it better than anyone; I knew the fastest line. I took off running.

Approaching the finish line, I could hear the volunteers and spectators cheer me on. I completed 200 miles in 61:05:56. Jeremy informed me that I completed mile 200 in 7:59.

Background & Pre Race

Jackalope Jam is a timed race that Trail Racing Over Texas has put on for several years. I ran the 24hr in 2016 completing 109 miles. It was my first 100+ miler. In 2017, TROT moved the race location to 7IL Ranch and introduced a 48hr race. I ran the 48hr race; completing 162 miles. This year, Jackalope was back at 7IL Ranch. The course is a mile loop – a half mile out to a cone then back. Rob moved it to February and introduced a 72hr race. Given my desire to run longer ultras this year, I signed up for the 72 hour. My goal was to complete 200 miles, with a stretch goal of completing 250 miles.

Jackalope Jam 72hr started on Thursday, Feb 22, at 9am. The 48hr started on Friday, Feb 23, at 9am. The 24hr, 12hr, and 6hr all started on Saturday, Feb 24, at 9am.

Due to the timing of the 72hr race, I was going to be on my own. The plan was for AJ to drop me off on Wednesday and pick me back up on Sunday morning. While the TROT aid stations are always stocked and staffed with awesome volunteers, it meant I was on my own for the race. Given the length of the race and the possible weather conditions, I knew I needed to do a lot of pre-race planning and prep.

I created a spreadsheet (as I do) with all the food, fuel, and gear I needed. I had a different tab for each type of item I needed. Due to the rain that was expected, I had a tub for each type of item, plus tubs to store and transport everything. I brought extra clothes, double the amount of socks I usually due, plus 3 pairs of shoes (each addressing a specific need). Overall, heading out to Cat Spring on Wednesday morning, I felt prepared.

When I arrived at 7IL Ranch on Wednesday morning, we had just enough time to unload the car and setup the canopy before AJ had to leave. After fighting with the wind while setting up my camp, I finally had my campsite set up. The weather sucked – it was cold, windy, wet, and raining. I spent the rest of the day huddled in my 2-person tent reading old Swamp Thing comics, watching Psych, and eating ramen noodles. The wind and cold continued all night with some spots of heavy rain.

When I woke up on Thursday morning, there was a lot of moisture and water inside my tent. I thought nothing of it, wiped up a bunch of the water with one of my towels, and got ready for my race.

The Race Starts

Thursday, Feb 22, at 9am, we kicked off. There were about 13 of us that started. I started off at a quick, but easy pace. I was doing about a 10 min/mi pace for the first 10 miles. I wanted to move fast, but not over do it. For about the first 80 miles, Jean and I keep jockeying for first place. I was on plan but feeling pretty tired. I was struggling to keep my pace up and stay focused. It was about 5am when I hit 80 miles, so I decided to take a break to nap and change. My tent had another puddle in it. Luckily, I brought extra camp towels and I cleaned it up.

The plan was to get about 90 minutes of sleep, but I woke up after 45 minutes and I felt great. I got up, changed into new clothes, and got back on the course. When I started back up, I heard that Jean took a break at the same time I did and we were tied for first. I spent the first 2 loops eating breakfast, having coffee, and brushing my teeth.

Day 2 – Here we go again

By the time the 24 hour mark came up, I finished 87 miles putting me slightly ahead of the 250 mile pace. The 48hr racers joined us. It was cool to see some new faces on the trail.

The second day, my pace was a little slower but still good. I hit the 100 mile mark to the cheers and cowbells of the volunteers. Things were going well, but I decided to change my shoes. I changed my Saucony Xodus for my Hoka Challengers. The Saucony’s I was wearing were a little stiff for the terrain and I wanted to switch to a shoe with a softer cushion.

Over the course of the day, I was in first place and gained a good lead on Jean. The day was long, but my energy levels were high. I hit 150 miles at 4:21am – 41 hours 21 minutes in. There were cowbells and hurrahs. I did one more lap before deciding to take a second break.

I had some food, cleaned myself up, and took a nap. My tent had puddles of water in it again. I mopped it up with my towel before laying down. The music was so loud at the time, it made it hard to fall asleep. I got about an hour of sleep. I got up, changed into new clothes, and got back on the course. I spent the first 2 loops eating breakfast, having coffee, and brushing my teeth. I was about 14 miles in the lead.

Day 3 – Here we go again

When the 48 hour mark hit, I was at mile 157. I had fallen behind my 250 mile pace, but I still felt good. This was also when the 6hr, 12hr, and 24hr runners began. The course suddenly became more crowded and there were a lot of folks moving way faster than me. Like before, it was nice to see more people as well as some familiar faces.

Saturday we hit with some heavy winds that was causing havoc in the pit area. I was super concerned my tent and canopy would blow over, but they held their own. Someone left a bag in my camp area, but no one knew whose it was. I didn’t mind because it was raining on and off and I had the space.

After the winds died down a bit, I saw Alberto in the camp next to mine. I asked to give me a hand moving me tent so I could figure out the puddle problem. It seems that water had collected between my tarp and my tent and was soaking through the tent floor. I flipped the tarp, repositioned the tent, and solved the problem. (A big thanks to Alberto! Without his help, I would have had to sleep in a puddle for another night.)

As the hours passed, the 6hr folks wrapped up. I was making good time, but I was definitely slower than the previous days. The chaffing was getting pretty bad. I had to change out of my compression shorts and tape my inner thighs. Like last year, the tape did not stick so I had to use super glue to keep the tape on. When I got back on the course and looked at time, I was hoping to complete 200 miles by 9pm (60 hours in) but it was going to be a stretch.

I missed completing 200 miles in 48 hours. I also knew I would not finish 250 miles in total. I still had a sizable lead and I had run more miles than I have ever run.

The Final Miles

When I completed mile 191, Jeremy, one of the volunteers, said to me, “It would go a lot faster if you ran.” I jokingly replied, “I bet your right.” As I started out on mile 192, I thought about a couple of things.

I was bored.
My feet hurt.
I had some energy left.

After a couple of minutes on the trail, I said to myself, “What the hell, let’s give running a try.” Off I went running. I realized that by running I was landing on the balls of my feet, reducing the pain in my feet. My boredom also disappeared.

I finished the lap running, much to the surprise and cheers of the volunteers. I finished the lap in about 16 minutes. I saw Jeremy and said, “You were right, that did go quick.”

He replied, “Don’t slow down now, keep going,”

“Why not,” I thought, “that felt good.” I decided to keep running. Here were my times for the next miles.

193 – 11:05
194 – 12:38
195 – 11:34
196 – 14:54 (I used the restroom and had a snack, which slowed my pace.)
197 – 11:57
198 – 13:19
199 – 12:26

As I came in from mile 199, I could feel the excitement in the air. I was just over one mile from being the first person to complete 200 miles at Jackalope Jam (probably the first to break 200 miles at a Trail Racing Over Texas race). I had been running hard for the last 7 miles, so I slowed down a bit. I had a plan – mile 200 was going to be my fastest mile at Jackalope. I rounded the cone, handed my hydration pack to AJ Juarez and asked him to take pictures when I got back. Then I heard Jeremy call out, “Better get moving! Time’s ticking!”

I took a couple of hops, then took off like the wind. The next mile was a blur. I felt light on my feet, every step was purposeful.

I had traversed this course 398 times over the last 61 hours, plus 324 times the year before. I knew it better than anyone; I knew the fastest line.

Approaching the finish, I could hear the volunteers and spectators cheer me on. I completed 200 miles in 61:05:56. Jeremy informed me that I completed mile 200 in 7:59.

Post Mile 200

When I completed mile 200, Rob was there to congratulate me and hand me my buckles. Since I had about a 80 mile lead on the next closest male, he also handed me the award for first place 72hr male division. I also thanked Jeremy for the push to run my last few miles.

After chatting with the folks there and getting some food, Marc Henn and I did another mile walking and talking. After mile 201, I decided to rest for the night. Jean was around 20 miles behind me.

I ate some more ramen noodles, took a shower, and crawled into my sleeping bag. Thanks to Alberto’s help, the inside of my tent was dry even thought it was raining pretty hard.

I slept until about 6:30/6:45am. When I woke up, I saw Jean finish 201 miles and head back out for her 202nd mile. I had to make a choice, do I go back out and run or call it.

Jean was running for the Snowdrop Foundation. The Snowdrop Foundation provides scholarships for pediatric and childhood cancer patients and survivors. I asked Jim, who works with Snowdrop and part of Jean’s crew, “What’s going on with Jean? Is there any benefit if she wins.”

“Jean is getting a name of one of the Snowdrop kids for every lap past 200 she is doing,” Jim replied.

“Should I head back out there?” I asked Jim. He said I should go back out. I decided to change and lace up. I got back out on the course and started running. I saw Jean about halfway in. She was determined.

I started thinking, “Is it worth it? Is it worth winning overall? I already achieved my goal. Jean is out here running for Snowdrop and those kids. She has a much better reason to be out here. Winning will mean more to her and the foundation than it will to you.”

I decided to call it. I was happy with the distance I completed. I waited for Jean and let her know that I was stopping. She smiled and kept going. On the laps that followed, she ran with members of Snowdrop. She also ran with large portraits of kids in the Foundation. They took photos and videos that they shared with the kids’ families. If I had stayed out there running, none of that would have happened. In the end, I am happy I decided to stop.

Photo Credit: Jeremiah Justis