This year I couldn't run the White River 50 miler on July 29 so I decided to try and help out instead. I volunteered and was assigned to work at the Fawn Ridge aid station (mile 31.7). Like I have done on several other weekends this year I planned to save gas (money!) by going away for the whole weekend instead of taking two trips from home on saturday and sunday. So I planned on staying at White River after the race on Saturday evening and exploring in Mt. Rainier N.P. on Sunday. All went as planned except the weather kinda cooled things off a little.
On Saturday morning I got in a 10 to 11 mile run by running from the Fawn Ridge aid station up to the Sun Top lookout (aid station). I got back just in time to help setup the aid station and before long the front-runners came breezing through the station. Mike Wolfe was in the lead by 2 or 3 minutes and went on to hold onto the lead for the win. He had a pretty impressive race, but I couldn't help but be a little more impressed with his fashion style. He was wearing a snap-button down shirt! I have virtually no fashion sense but for some reason this shirt just seemed to be cool (both figuratively and literally) for the occasion. Here is a very fuzzy photo of Mike.
Unfortunately, I got bamboozled into following one of the runners over halfway to the next aid station. This particular runner, who I won't name, came into our aid station in a slightly disoriented and panicked state and requested that someone go with her because she was worried for her safety. She went on to explain she had a rough patch in the same area when running the race the year before. She had already vomited several times and appeared to be likely to collapse anytime. So without thinking too much about the alternatives I followed her up the trail and ended up running/hiking maybe 3.5 miles with her before I finally refused her pleas that I continue and I turned around. I did not provide aid to her or support her run when on the course. When I made it back to the station I was informed that she had done something similar the previous year. I understand that she made it to the Skookum Flats aid station before she dropped or was pulled from the race. I learned my lesson. I don't plan on following a runner out of an aid station in the future unless absolutely necessary. Next time I will insist that they drop if the feel that they cannot continue without support. In my opinion, an important part of the ultra-racing is that a person understand themselves and their limits. The trick is to keep expanding your limits in terms of endurance, speed, distance and fun without putting yourself into a bad state from which you won't recover. It is an individual sport and as much a race inside your mind as it is on the trail. So for those reasons I think the runner has to take on total responsibility for themselves between aid stations, if not during the entire race.
Anyway, I had a great time seeing lots of runners I know and hanging out with some great characters. In fact I found, Ultrarunner and Race Director extraordinaire, James Varner, lounging in my chair when I returned to the aid station. He had decided to drop since things didn't seem to be going right on that day. It takes a smart ultrarunner to stop before truly hurting themselves. I have learned this the hard way considering that my current injuries are likely the result of over-training and continuing when I should have stopped in my last race. I got to see and talk to quite a few running friends and meet some of the finest runners in the NW if not the country. I had fun even though I wasn't running!
On Sunday I woke up to a slightly wet and gray morning so I chose to take it easy and do a roughly 8 to 10 mile loop hike/run in Mt. Rainier. I went up the Glacier Basin trail, climbed up the Burroughs Mtn. trail and traversed over near Sunrise before dropping back down to the White River campground on the Wonderland trail. I didn't get any real views of the mountain but I did get a little bit of solitude on some sections of a trail which is usually packed with people (touristas). I have got to get back there and run the entire Wonderland trail! Here I am sitting in a rock chair on top of Second Burroughs.
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