Day 4 : Goshen, VT : Loop 8: 196 Miles
We were about a half-mile from the first water station. It was about 2pm and the heat was beating us down. Both Chris and I were dry on water by the time we hit the water station. The 7 miles of climbing ahead of us was going to be rough, but not in the way we anticipated. Twenty minutes in and the skies suddenly darkened, thunder cracked, and rain poured down. We were not prepared.
…
Never having attempted a 250 mile race, I had only one goal for Infinitus 250: Finish with enough time to sleep before having to drive to Boston. 14 people started the Infinitus 250; 6 finished. I completed the 250 mountainous miles in 99 hours 26 minutes and placed 3rd overall. It was a good race.
What is Infinitus 250?
Infinitus 250 is the 250 mile version of Infinitus trail race put on by the Endurance Society. It consists of a 7ish mile loop with approximately 1,300 feet of elevation gain and a 20ish mile loop with approximately 3,000 feet of elevation gain. A full loop is the 7mi loop followed by the 20mi loop. The Infinitus 250 is made of 9 full loops plus and additional 7mi loop. Runners start at 8:08 am and have 120 hours (5 days) to finish.
“The Days Before” or “How the hell am I supposed to pack for this race?”
Day -7 : Texas
“How the hell am I supposed to pack for this race?” – that thought keep running through my head. I did the Infinitus 100 last year, so I knew some of what to expect. This year was different. Not only was it over double the distance, but it was also over double the length of time. This year, I was going alone. While I knew some of the other racers, from last year, I was completely responsible for all my own gear (no shared resources) and food/fuel. To top it off, I had to fit it all in a carry-on and a checked bag weighting under 50 pounds.
Thankfully, the Endurance Society sent out an email letting us know we could stay and sleep inside the cabin. It was the second best news I received that day. I no longer had to worry about a tent, tarp, lights, … all the crap you need if you are living out of a tent. The negative, I would be sharing a space with an unknown number of other racers and crew in the noisy headquarters and check-in for the race. Then again, that can be a great bonding experience with the other people there.
“Do I really need all this stuff?” AJ heard me mutter to myself almost every night. “Yeah, I should probably bring 5 long sleeve shirts; one for each day. I did get mild hypothermia in June in Vermont 3 years ago.”
“Then again, it can’t rain and be cold all the time, ” (wasn’t that a line from The Crow). “I’ll take one of these shirts out.”
“Do I have enough food and fuel for the race? Let me check my spreadsheet calculations.” (Yes, I did build a spreadsheet to help me figure out my fuel/food needs and supply.) “Looks solid, pack the 2 mini-tubs and call it done.”
For at least a week before I left, I struggled with what I should take, what I should leave, and what I should buy when I got there. In the end, my packing list was basically:
- 5 shorts & long sleeve shirts, 7 short sleeve/sleeveless shirts
- 10 pairs of running socks
- 2 rain jackets
- 4 pair calf-sleeves
- 6 buffs, 2 running hats, 1 warm hat, 1 pair gloves
- 3 pairs of running sneakers
- 2 Towels
- Mini-tub of medical supplies and foot care
- Running hydration vest and water bottle waist pack
- Sleeping bag and pad
- 2 mini-tubs of food/fuel
- 1 Jet-Boil
- Mini-tub of electronics, cables, batteries
- Everyday clothes and a hoodie
My duffle weighed just over 50 pounds and my GR2 ruck was stuffed full. On Saturday morning, AJ dropped me off at the airport. I managed to avoid the overweight baggage fee and was on the plane to Boston. There was no turning back now.
A Time to Rest, Relax, & Plan
Day -3: Concord, NH
I decided that I would fly out early and stay in Concord, NH. Concord is about halfway between Boston and Goshen, VT. It was the last big town on the way. It had stores that carried everything I knew I would need: a Target, grocery stores, Eastern Mountain Sports, and a Dick’s Sporting Goods. Since I ended up getting into Concord earlier than planned, I used that night to get all the supplies I needed.
I really allowed myself to relax. I had an awesome vegetarian shepard’s pie from a local restaurant, played some XCOM on my ipad, and read my comics.
The next day, I woke up early and packed and organized my gear. Based on the previous year, I packed a plastic tub with supplies that I could leave outside under the tent. Basically, I split my gear into the things I would need quickly in the tub to stay outside and things that would require more time/effort in my bag that I would leave upstairs in the cabin.
I reviewed my race plan:
- Run your own race.
- Finish on Saturday with enough time to get sleep before driving to Boston.
- Run a minimum 54 miles each day.
- Be on the trails each morning by 5am
- On Day 1, get in another 7 mile loop if time/energy permits.
- On Day 2, run the extra 7 mile loop, if I didn’t on Day 1. Run the extra 20 mile loop, if time/energy permits.
- On Day 3, try to get some extra miles in if possible.
- Never go at 100%, unless it is the last loop.
- Sleep each night.
The plan was simple and not over ambitious. From last year, I knew how hard some of the climbs would be and how difficult it was to see in the dark when the fog rolled in. I gave myself lots of extra time to deal with those and whatever other conditions might arise.
Day -1: Goshen, VT
Since it was Memorial Day and I was staying about a block away from the capitol building on Main St, I wanted to get out early enough to avoid any traffic or parades. I left around 6am and arrived at the Blueberry Hill Inn before 9am. I checked in for the race and Andy showed me around the cabin and grounds. He took me upstairs to the sleeping and pit area, showed me where I could set up. He pointed out the futon in a separate room and told me I was welcome to use that. After the thought crossed my mind about quantity and variety of body fluids that would be on a futon in a separate upstairs room of a ski lodge, I decided to pass and stick to my sleep pad and bag.
I realized that there was no outside area for a drop box, so I just kept everything up in my sleeping area. In hindsight, I should have taken this time to reorganize my stuff but I felt good about the set-up. After unloading, I went over to Pittsfield to have some pancakes and kale lemonade at the “Original General Store.” This has become an annual tradition for me ever since I ran the Death Race in 2015. I also used this opportunity to chat with AJ and check the internet for pretty much the last time until after the race was over. The internet and cellular connectivity at Blueberry Hill was spotty at best and would only get worse the more people that arrived at the race.
I went back to Blueberry Inn and spent the race of the day chilling outside, talking to other racers, reading my comics, and taking it easy. I had a chance to catch up with Chris King. I met Chris last year at Infinitus when he finished 1 second ahead of me in the 100 miler. We have kept in touch, especially because we both had signed up for Infinitus 250 and both got into the Barkley Fall Classic. I know Chris is faster than me at shorter races, but in long ultras our times are very close. It would be fun to race with him again.
8:08am – Infinitus Begins
Day 1 : Goshen, VT : Loop 0: 0 Miles
There were 14 of us at the start of the Infinitus 250, plus 3 runners from the Deca-Marathon. We posed for a picture together, then “lined” up for the start of the race. Andy blew the air-horn and we were off.
Chris, Jason, and I took off at a fast pace. (Fast compared to the rest of the group.) My pace was very purposeful. From my experience, I knew what pace I could start with at an ultra. I also knew that it was a pace that could easily burn out other runners early in the race. It would allow me to get an idea of how I would place and who my competition would be. While my goal was to finish, I like having an idea of where I would place.
Within a mile, Chris and Jason were out ahead of me and no one was close behind me. I was running by myself, the way it would be for most of the next 249 miles. I finished the 7 mile loop in 3rd place. After a very quick water stop, I was off on the 20 miler. I kept going at a good pace. When I came in, I saw that Chris had taken the lead. I stopped, restocked my vest of supplies and was off again.
“I am 10% done … I am only 10%” – The kind of high and low I would experience for the next 4 days.
I finished a second full loop around 11:45 pm. My legs were sore and tired from all the climbing. I decided it was better to get some sleep then to push on. I cleaned up, changed out of my running clothes and laid down for a nap.
“A Good Start, A Bad Finish” or “Kiss Me Beneath the Milky Twilight”
Day 2: Goshen, VT : Loop 3 : 54 Miles
As planned, I woke up early on Day 2. There were others up as well. It was a mix of people between ending their run and starting their run for the day. I ate a breakfast of peanut butter sandwiches, taped up any problem spots on my feet, checked the board to see how the other runners were doing, and mentally prepared for the day. I was surprised by the number of runners that decided to finish up the 7 mile loop before taking a beak. I hit the trail by 5am, just before sunrise, and was off to a good pace.
The second day of running alone in the woods for many miles, many hours brings on a new mental and emotional state. The first day, I was all excited and nervous. My muscles, legs, and feet were all fresh. The trails offer the mystery and seduction of the unknown. The mind has a full catalog of distractions and diversions to combat emotional and mental lows.
This changes on day 2. I was tired, my legs were sore from climbing. There is not much new about the trails by the third or fourth time you run them. That mental catalog of distractions is nearly used up and will be by the middle of the day. In many ways, day 2 brings complete freedom which can and will be confusing and scary. The highs are higher, the lows lower. Day 2 is just the start of this journey. It is the day I will be reintroduced to me. Over the next miles, hours, days, I will get to know me a whole lot better than before.
Day 2 started great. I had a good pace. My nutrition and hydration were on point. I wasn’t peeing too much or too little. It was hot, but nothing that I was not used to. (One of the benefits of living and training in Central Texas. We may not have the mountains, but we have an abundance of hot days and temperatures.) As the day went on, I could feel the salt build up in my beard and eyebrows.
A funny and annoying thing started on my second main loop. A song popped into my head. This usually happens, sometimes on purpose, other times by accident. It is usually a good way to pass the time, keep a cadence, or distract from soreness or pain. There is the rare occasion when this is not welcomed.
I am not sure what demon inflicted me with “Kiss Me” by Sixpence None the Richer. I cannot remember the last time I heard that song. In fact, it seems I only know the following lines of the song:
Swing, swing, <something><something>
You’ll wear those shoes and I will wear that dress
Oh, kiss me beneath the milky twilight
<music plays>
So kiss me
Since those were the only words I could remember, my brain decided to put those on loop. Despite my best efforts to replace that with any other song I know, the abridged version of “Kiss Me” was my mental theme song for Infinitus.
I finished my second 20 mile loop at 10pm. It was later than I wanted. My plan was to complete 61 miles on day 2, which meant going out and completing the 7 mile loop. Hearing that rain was forecasted for later in the week, I decided to go back out. That may not have been the best decision. As I was completing the 20 mile loop, I began to notice some vision issues.
Unfortunately, I am one of the 1-2% of ultra runners that experience “corneal edema” during ultras. For me, this means that my vision starts to blur. It happens gradually from the outside of my vision and moves inward, eventually completely blurring my vision, making them extremely sensitive to light, and causing whiteouts when exposed to light. (You can read about my worst experience with corneal edema at Cactus Rose 100.)
As I was running the 7 mile loop, my vision became worse. By the time, I made it back to the cabin, I had no doubts I was in the early stages of corneal edema. The only thing that has worked to reverse the effects is sleep. While I had banked some extra miles, I had to face the reality that I may be done at Infinitus. When I got into the cabin, I took out my contacts and prepared for bed as quickly as I could. I set my alarm to go off a little later than planned and slept.
Is today my last day?
Day 3 : Goshen, VT : Loop 5 : 115 Miles
When I woke, my vision was better, but not back at 100%. I sent AJ a text, not knowing when or if it would send:
I might be out of the race
My eye issues happened last night
Left eye is fine, right is not
Going out for a loop soon with my glasses on to see how it goes.
I had some ramen for breakfast, took the time to care for my feet, and attached a strap to my eye glasses. I had told others about my eye issues, so I had many concerned fellow runners asking how I was doing. Andy also stopped by and asked how my eyes were and what my next steps were. I told him that I was heading out on the 20 mile loop. If my vision started to blur again, I would stop at the water stations and wait. He warned me that it may be hours before someone stops at the water stations. I replied with a smile, “Sitting at the water station for hours is much better than trying to navigate the trails blind. I’ve done that before. It is not something I need to repeat.” I hit the trails about 1 hour later than I had planned for day 3.
My eyeglasses are relatively new and I had never worked out or ran in them, so I was pleasantly surprised at how well they worked. By the first aid station, I could tell my eyes were fine so after I topped off my water, I continued on. I finished the 20 mile loop at a good pace and went back out on 7 mile loop.
Still concerned about what may happen with my eyes, I decided to keep my glasses on for the second 20 mile loop. My day was going well. Everything was going according to plan, except for being about 1 hour behind because of the late start. I put my contacts in for the second 7 mile loop and grabbed my flashlight for an additional light source to help with seeing the trail.
During day 3, it really began to hit me how different this race was. The terrain and physical landscape is so different from where I typically train and race. It almost seemed like I was on an alien planet. I must admit, when I got bored I would pretend that it was an alien planet and that the chipmunks and squirrels yelling at me were just speaking in their alien language, trying to communicate with me. Beyond the physical environment, Infinitus is unique. Never have I been in a race that has lasted this long. It was one of the most physically demanding events I have put myself through, but unlike the others I was alone for 98% of the time. In the other events, I had fellow participants all around me or I would encounter them every 20-30 minutes. Also, in many of the other difficult events, I had an “enemy” if I needed one. In GORUCK events, that could be the cadre. In the Death Race, it was the race itself. There was an outside element trying to keep me from completing. In Infinitus, it was all about me. It was up to me to keep pushing and keep a good pace. There are no time hacks. Whether I stop or keep going, it is all on me.
I finished the 7 mile loop around 11:30pm. Knowing that it was not a good idea to go back out for the 20 mile loop, I decided to call it a night.
Soaking Wet Done 3 Ways
Day 4 : Goshen, VT : Loop 7 : 169 Miles
When my alarm when off on day 4, I was excited to start the day. Less than 24 hours earlier, I thought I was out of Infinitus due to my eyes. Now, I knew I was back in it. Since I wanted to be careful about my eyes, I decided to run the first 20 mile loop in my glasses. I was on the trails just before 5am, enjoying part 2 of my breakfast – a giant protein cookie. It was a good loop. As usual, I had the chipmunks and squirrels aggressively yelling at me when I went by. I came across some moose and bear tracks in the mud, but did not spot any. In fact, I did not see much wildlife when I was out running. They were definitely out there, but I did not see anything more than the small woodland creatures and salamanders.
There was a lot of moisture in the air as I was running the 20 mile loop. So much so that by the final miles of the loop, my shorts were completely soaked and started to stick to my legs. I had been able to keep any chaffing to a minimum, I knew I had to change out of the shorts before the 7 miler.
When I got back at the cabin, I went upstairs and changed my shorts, applied a ton of BodyGlide and was on my way. It was about 11am and starting to get hot. The loop took me a little on the long side. I decided to stop in the cabin between loops to resupply my fuel/food and put my contacts in. I saw Chris having lunch and chatted a bit. The heat was beginning to get to him. My pit stop took about 20 minutes. Chris had already left by the time I hit the trail.
Day 4 : Goshen, VT : Loop 8 : 196 Miles
Within the first mile, I was already dripping in sweat. I was making good time, but the heat was rough. It was the first time during the whole race that I felt that the end was in sight. I had roughly 42 hours left on the clock and about 54 miles to go.
Within a couple of miles, I had caught up to Chris. He was taking it slow, waiting for me to catch up. We chatted and decided to run together. I set the pace. As we went on, it was getting hotter and there air was not moving. We stopped at every stream and splashed splashed cold water on our heads and arms to help cool off. I was soaked in sweat.
We were about a half-mile from the first water station. It was about 2pm and the heat was beating us down. Both Chris and I had gone dry on water by the time we hit the water station. The 7 miles of climbing ahead of us was going to be rough, but not in the way we anticipated. Twenty minutes in and the skies suddenly darkened, thunder cracked, and rain poured down. We were not prepared.
I put on my long sleeve shirt and hat from my running vest. Chris took the lead and set the pace. Looking at pictures afterwards, I saw that the mountain we were on was completely enveloped in dark clouds. It was a matter of minutes before I was completed soaked again. It was to the point of “can’t be any more wet.” We hit the peak and started to descend the mountain. The rain came so quick and heavy that the dirt, leaves, and trail debris just rose up. The trail features were hard to disquinsh. Both Chris and I tripped on the way down.
We made it to the second water station (which turned into an aid station after the 100 mile race began). Andy and Lance were at the aid station when we arrived. I grabbed a paper towel to wipe all the mud and gunk off my hands and face from my fall. Chris grabbed a weird creation of Lance’s doing – a cookie covered in peanut butter and gummy bears. The rain had lightened up quite a bit. We were on our way.
I took over the lead and set the pace. Our goal was to make in before dark. The temperature drops quickly once the sun goes down and I did not want to be out in the dark in wet clothes.
We made it back to the cabin/check-in at 8pm. When we got in, I was out of it. The physical and mental stress of the day had gotten to me. The cabin was packed and bustling with activity. I saw Eliot and Mike had arrived, 2 GORUCK friends from Austin. I had not seen Mike since he moved to Boston, so it was cool to run into him. After some hugs and a little small talk, I grabbed some of the freshly made pasta. Coming into the cabin, I knew I needed to eat and sleep before going back out. I did not want to risk it so late in the race. I had a second helping of pasta, then went to bed. It was super loud when I laid down to sleep. Luckily, I can fall asleep anytime, anywhere when I am tired. I slept for about 2 hours.
“The Last Day” or “How I Hate the Vermont Fog”
Day 5 : Goshen, VT : Loop 9 : 216 Miles
When I woke up, it felt like I was in a different place from where I fell asleep. It went from a noisy, place full of people, to a few folks whispering. I got ready, had a little food, and was on the 7 mile loop a little after midnight. This was my favorite loop to run during the entire race. The whole place was quiet and still. I allowed myself to take it all in.
Of course, I can’t write about the nighttime running without mentioning the mild hallucinations. There were two types of hallucinations I saw:
- Number and letters written on small rocks on the trail.
- After the race, I found out at least one other racer saw numbers and words written on small .
- Shapes that looked like anthropomorphic animals – animals doing human things
- My favorite was the bear having a mug of beer.
I finished the 7 mile look, did a quick check in, and was off on my last 20 mile loop. It started great, but not too far into the loop I hit fog. The thick Vermont fog that slowed me down so much last year was back. This time I had to use both my headlamp and flashlight. The fog was so thick I could hardly see a few feet in front of me. This forced me to take it very slow, even on the quick parts of the loop. By the time I made it through the fog, I had lost almost 30 minutes. I tried to pick up the pace for the rest of the loop, but I had a hard time overcoming the time deficit.
I hit the spot where the 20 mile and 7 mile loop merge a few minutes before the lead 7 mile runners. As I was going, it was cool to see them blaze past me. I checked in for the last time on the 20 mile loop. It felt good. Chris rolled in fast behind me. I was in second place, he was in third. I went upstairs to drop off everything I did not need for the last 7 miles.
Day 5 : Goshen, VT : Loop 10 : 243 Miles
By the time I checked out, Chris was already out on his final loop. I went out at a good pace. Overall, it was a slow loop with quick bits. Once I hit the grassy area near the finish, I picked up the pace and finished strong.
I finished the 250 mountainous miles of Infinitus in 99 hours 26 minutes and placed 3rd overall. Chris finished 26 minutes ahead of me. I was extremely happy with my time and placement.
Day 5: Goshen, VT : Post-race
After the race was over, I took a hot shower (the first since I left Concord, 6 days earlier). Then I cleaned up my sleeping and pit area. I made myself ramen soup, took the time to chat with new and old friends, and relaxed watching the race.
The sun started to set and I decided to go to bed. As I was getting ready, I saw Taylor come in from her 20 mile loop. She was hurting and suffering. One of the most amazing things happened, fellow runners and support crews came together to help fix up Taylor and get her ready for her final run. I volunteered whatever supplies they could use from my stash. Once I saw they had what they needed, I went to bed and slept well.
“Watching the Finishes”
Day 6: Goshen, VT : Post-race
I slept until about 2:45am. I could hear a comotion downstairs and started to listen. From what I could hear, Taylor came in from her final loop. I got up and went downstairs. Taylor had finished Infinitus. I congratulated her and gave her a hug. I also walked over and told her pacers, “Well done.” Then I was back to bed.
I woke up again around 6am. I packed up the car and said my goodbyes. I was all ready to leave when I heard that Helene was due in for her finish of the 888k. I had to stay and see it happen. It was awesome. She did it. The first woman to complete the 888k and the fourth person to ever complete it.
Then, just when I thought it was time to leave, I heard that Joe was coming in for his 250 mile finish. Joe was going to be the last 250 finisher. So I had to stay and see him finish. He came in strong and was greeted by his friends and family.
It was so cool to see the many different finishes that morning. I am really happy I stayed to see them.
The breakdown of the 250 runners time, mileage, and splits: Infinitus 250 Runner Sheet
Then I was off to Boston, but first I had to stop off at “Original General Store” for pancakes, home fries, chocolate milk, and a coffee. It also gave me the opportunity to connect to WiFi to post a quick note about the race, download podcasts for the drive back to Boston, and have a quick chat with AJ.
Final Thoughts
Day +7: Cedar Park, TX : Post-race
Physically the race was tough. It not only tested my physical endurance, but also how well I could feed/fuel myself. I was really happy how well I was able to feed and hydrate myself. I had no stomach/GI issues, no cramping, and my hydration was on point the whole time. When it was all over, I burned a lot more calories than I consumed and lost a total 10 pounds.
Going into Infinitus 250, I did not know what to expect. I knew what the trails were like; I knew what running 200 miles was like; I knew that this would be different. I knew there were many things I did not know and I was comfortable with that.
The time alone running in the woods was very meditative. I understand how and why Thoreau wrote Walden. I spent the time working out problems I knew I needed to solve. It also allowed my brain the time and space to explore things that had been on my mind for long time, but never had the time to explore. In the end, I walked away from Infinitus feeling like a better version of me.
Data Visualiztions
I built some visualizations on the race data. Check them out: Summary, Splits, Mileage Timeline.