When my friend, and former boss, Ches called me to tell me that his company, Good Measures, was sponsoring the Mount Washington Road Race, I quickly told him that I could use this blog to find him some runners. He replied, “No, I am calling to ask you to join the team.” I asked him what he was smoking. I live in Chicago and at sea level. We do not have a single hill. [Sorry, friends who suggest Cricket Hill or the Roosevelt overpass. They are not really hills.] He then retorted that as race organizers have been pointing out for 50+ years, there is “only one hill”. I told him that I would think about it. I then asked my runner friends what they thought. Every single one said to go for it. So… I said yes.
This was several months ago. I decided to train with treadmill workouts at up to a ten percent incline at over a 5.0/mile pace. I made it to an hour which I hoped was decent training. I actually enjoyed that challenge. For the few weeks prior to the race, I did a lot of racing and traveling and pretty much no hill training (though David and I ran over Cricket Hill twice last week!) I arrived at race week rightfully petrified. I was sure that I had no business attempting to run up a mountain. I took solace in the fact that I am a fast hiker and could definitely power walk within the 3 hour time limit if I needed to. I then saw the weather forecast. The forecast was 70 degrees at the base of the mountain and 42 degrees at the top with winds of 20 – 35 mph and gusts up to 45 mph. OMG. This was beginning to sound impossible.
I arrived at Logan airport and got on the road to New Hampshire. I amused myself with a variety of things including the number of tolls on Route 95 in New Hampshire. Live Free or Die, but pay the tolls! The terrain became hillier and more beautiful. I became more nervous. I checked in to my hotel and then went over to the mountain. I realized that the big mountains I saw were not even the big one!
I got my number and my t-shirt which reads “Only One Hill – 6288 ft”. I had somehow convinced myself that this was a 3600 foot climb over 7.6 miles. Nope – it starts at 1,500 feet and ends at 6,288 feet. Over a mile up! What have I gotten myself into?!
The best thing about insane races like this is the quirky people you meet. As I was walking around and taking some pictures, I met Pete, Vinnie and Brian from New Jersey. They regaled me with stories from years past. They had done about 20 runs up the mountain between them. They gave me some valuable tips and approved of my fitness to run up the mountain based on recent half marathon times and my treadmill training. They were a breath of fresh air (as people from my home state can be for me) and I left feeling a bit better.
I then went for a walk and to meet my Good Measures teammates. A week before the race I received a message from Ches, our leader, that he had fallen off of a ladder and broken some ribs and would not be likely to be able to run. Unfortunately, he was not able to travel in for the race either. Seriously?! I was so bummed because Ches is a great guy, but also because I did not know the others well enough to curse at them up the mountain!!
As it turns out, my teammates could not have been nicer. Caroline led the charge from Good Measures. Mike and Jamie were the veterans and explained everything we should know. Theresa and I both worked for a company with Ches so we had many people in common. John, Alexandria and our driver, Andrew, were great company, as well. It was nice to know I was not going this one alone. I also had a friend from Chicago, Annabelle, running so that was also a help. She and I had been commiserating.
We met at 6:45 AM and headed over to the mountain. We were super early for the 9:00 AM start, but cars needed to go up by 8. As I was walking with the group, I heard my name. It was my friend, Cristin Newkirk, a runner I met in 2007 training for Boston. What an awesome coincidence. She was with another runner named Kristen from Chicago. We all laughed at the fact that we were such flatlanders and wished each other luck. Jamie taught us about “the secret porta-potty” off on a trail. There was a line and a bunch of old timers/MWRR experts gave us tons of tips and maybe too much information. I was scared again! Someone told me that I should try to go 2 ½ times slower than my half marathon pace – um but I can walk that fast. It was a bit confusing. But, since they were all back for more – how bad could it be? Right??
We went to the start. Dave McGillivray, the race director of the Boston Marathon, is the race director for MWRR, too. He gave a great speech and held a moment of silence for the Boston Marathon bombing victims. You could have heard a pin drop. He reminded us of our freedom to do things like this. The start call is not ready, set go, but “remember, there is only one hill” and the horn. We lined up about mid-pack. The bibs had chips and we wanted to heed the advice and start slow. There was no chip mat at the start, and Mike and I weaved for the first mile, and we lost a minute waiting to start. We started too far back – lesson learned. I learned that morning that Mile 1 was one of the hardest (good to know!) Miles 1 and 2 passed fairly quickly as Mike and I chatted. I was pretty surprised. I owe Mike a big debt of gratitude for keeping me on pace and calm!
My calves were starting to feel tight from the short steps and steep hills. I decided to walk a steep stretch in Mile 3 while Mike ran alongside. We were still together at the Mile 3 water stop and he snapped some photos. We ran together a bit and I told him to go ahead. He wanted to run the whole race and I knew that I would do walk/run based on my lack of experience and the way my legs were already feeling. I was only .8 miles to half way. I was doing about a 13 minute per mile pace which was pretty darn good considering the elevation. Mike told me that over the tree line after Mile 4 to 5 there was a dirt road where it leveled out at you could “open it up”. I started doing alternating walk 100 steps, run 100 steps, etc. There were some very steep sections where I did not make 100 steps running. I was pleasantly surprised by the fact that I never felt upset, or desperate, like I have in races when things are not going as planned. I had many people around me who were attacking the race in a similar fashion so I tried to keep pace with the people I recognized. I tried to remember my mantra, “If anyone can do this I can do it.”
I finally saw the dirt road switch back; It looked kind of steep to me. I started running for about 100 steps and then decided that Mike was a much tougher person than me! Back to 100 on/100 off! I got to the mile 5 marker. I remembered to look at the scenery. It was stunningly beautiful. It was also getting colder. I put on the gloves I had been carrying (the $.50 target specials that have run SO many races with me). I wanted to take a photo but I could not get myself to stop and take out the camera and deal with it. I felt like I needed to keep moving. I was surprised to see that my pace was still in the 13 minute range.
The wind really picked up and I was so grateful to have kept my sunglasses on. There was a lot of dust blowing. Mile 5 to 6 was very steep and I was wondering if I would have to walk the rest of the way to the top. I was breathing heavy even while walking from not being acclimated to the altitude. I knew that I would finish in under 2 hours even if I walked the rest. I tried to stay positive and run at least 50 steps with anyone who ran by me. I also switched to run 50/walk 50 and kept running when I could. I got to mile 6. It was so steep and I was getting colder while fighting the wind. There was one section where it was completely a headwind. (I was told later that this running was considered extremely tough conditions because of the wind.) I had a jacket tied around my waist but I did not have the strength to untie it and put it on. I just wanted to keep moving. It was now becoming mind over matter. I knew I would finish but not how tough would it get. I slogged my way 50 steps on/50 steps off (and all walking in one tough stretch) and I got to the 7 mile marker.
At the 7 mile marker, I decided that I wanted to run the rest of the way. I could see the observatory and hear the finish line announcements. I was almost there. I got a 2nd wind -or something! I started passing people and running fairly strong. I was almost there. I had almost done it. I ran until I saw the finishers heading around the curve to the top. There is a short stretch that is 22% incline. I didn’t want to walk but I had no choice. With about 50 yards left, I gunned it and finished in 1:45.11 on my watch (1:46.20 clock time).
I was truly elated. I just ran (well… ran and walked) up almost 5,000 feet in less than 2 hours. I was most excited that when the going got tough, I kept my head and wits about me. I thought positive thoughtsand I believed in myself. I ran up a mountain. I did that! It felt like the first time I ran a marathon. I got my awesome Polartec blanket and walked over to the summit area to get my picture taken. There was a wireless signal so I texted the husband and some friends to let them know I made it. I posted my picture on Facebook. I wanted to scream from the mountaintop, “I did it!”
I could not find my Good Measures group, so I walked down to the cars and finally got my wits about me to call Mike. He told me where to meet the group and I found them easily. Mike led the way in 1:40, followed by me, Caroline, Jamie and Theresa. Andrew read Moby Dick and took photos while he waited and was a great cheerleader and driver. We all exchanged stories, changed clothes got warm and waited for the ride down. I went up to see Annabelle and Meredith in the snack bar. They were delighted.
At noon, we piled in the car and went down the mountain (we briefly entertained running down but in the spirit of keeping our quads in one piece we decided against in). We took photos, shared stories and glowed with accomplishment. We headed down for the turkey dinner and ice cream. We found Alexandria and John and had our lunch as a group.
And then it was over. It was time to pack up to head our separate ways. I kept my medal and bib on for the drive to Boston to meet the husband and our friends. I stopped for coffee in North Conway and the woman asked me if I ran. Yes, I did. I just ran up a mountain. That just happened!
I am so grateful to Ches and Good Measures for the opportunity to participate in the MWRR. It went from a crazy thought to a total success. It’s been a long time since my first marathon (17 years this week actually) or my first 200 mile relay. This was the first new, really difficult physical challenge I have done in years. It was awesome! I totally recommend this to any runner or hiker to try. When you get to the top, you will feel like you can do anything! Get out your bucket list, add this and sign up for the lottery! And remember my mantra, “If anyone can do this, I can do this!”
The loot:
Here are some additional photos of race from the Mount Washington Auto Road Facebook page.