I recently completed my first 100 mile run at the Canal Corrider 100 Miler in Akron, OH on October 8-9, 2022. This post will serve as a reflection on this meaningful accomplishment and all that went into it. Sections include – in order – background, training, planning, equipment/clothing/food, the race day experience, recovery, and a few thoughts about why. Read as much or as little as you want. I am hopeful this will help anyone thinking about taking on this type of challenge. I am also hopeful this will serve as a lasting set of memories for my team and me. 

Background

I had run two separate 50 mile events before, and the thought of a 100 mile event had always intrigued me. I had heard the training wasn’t too much different, so I decided to do a little research. I found an article saying you’d need to train about nine hours per week between running and strengthening. That sounded doable. In the middle of July, during our beach vacation, I signed up. That left about 10 weeks of training, plus two weeks to taper. In the first half of the year I had developed a base of about 25-30 miles per week.

Training

So what did those ten weeks look like? They were hard. I ran weeks of 40+, 50+, 60+ and 70+ miles. I ran at various times of day. I ran long runs back to back twice. I ran 30+ miles twice. Some days I ran two or even three times per day. My goal was to stress my body and not let it settle into any kind of routine. I took advice from both things I read and people I know who have done this kind of thing before. One hundred miles is anything but routine. During those ten weeks, I took five days off of running (every other Sunday). 

How about a practical example? Twice I ran for about an hour starting at midnight on a Sunday night, slept for a few hours, then started a 20 mile run around 5:00 a.m. At the end of that Monday I would jump on the treadmill for another couple miles. For my longest mileage day (exactly two weeks before race day) I participated in the Akron Marathon, running miles both before and after the 26.2 mile race for an initial 35, then three miles later that day for a total of 38.

I knew I had to get stronger. I am fairly confident I did something to strengthen my body on close to 100% of the days I trained. Push-ups, back stretching, core exercises, hamstring and calf strengthening, arm circles, squats, lunges – all of these exercises with little or no weight. Oh, and lots of icing, especially as the mile totals rose. 

Planning for Race Day

Since I live locally, I knew I would have the benefit of a pool of people willing to help for shorter periods of time. This was a huge blessing and very encouraging on race day! However, it took time and a little effort to get some of the slots on my Google Sheet filled. I hosted a meeting at my home a few weeks before the race to start the process of getting everyone on the same page. I had opportunities for people to crew or pace in two hour time slots. Pacers could only go with me in the second half of the race. Crew were responsible to move gear from aid station to aid station and prepare certain items in response to requests coming in advance.

Before I go any farther, I need to mention my wife Julie. I told her in July before I signed up that it would help a lot for her to buy into this effort. I knew I couldn’t accomplish everything on my own. And…buy in she did! She encouraged me during my training and provided a ton of support with helping me think through logistics. Those of you who know Julie well will find no surprise here. Her partnership in this race truly bordered on incredible and I had to mention it!

For communication, I set up a group on the Signal messaging app. This allowed for crew to communicate on race day without the unknown of a group text. It also allowed interested parties near and far to contribute encouragement and follow along as we posted race updates at every aid station. More on this later.

Race Day – Equipment, Clothing and Food (skip this if you don’t care about the specifics)

Some bullet points regarding equipment and food:

• I covered the entire 100 miles in one pair of shoes, fairly new and cushiony. I don’t buy expensive running shoes. I usually use Asics in the $50-$70 range. I did have an extra pair of shoes packed just in case. There was no rain in the forecast.
• I started the race in a pair of running pants and a long sleeve shirt over a short sleeve UA compression shirt, plus hat and gloves. Starting line temp was under 40 degrees. As it warmed, I switched to a pair of Path Projects shorts and a light, reflective T-Shirt. At night I switched back to pants and to a long sleeve UA compression shirt and a long sleeve over that, later adding a jacket as well. I bought the compression undershorts with the Path Project short and wore those the whole time.
• For lighting I used a BioLite headlamp, which from a full charge lasted almost the whole night. I did turn it off at times while walking in order to conserve energy. Note: I have not located this headlamp. If you were on the morning crew and wanted to look in your stuff one more time, I’d appreciate it!
• I read a lot about trying different types of food while training which I tried to do. On race day I ate variations of sandwiches, hot oatmeal, bananas and some other fruit, junk food (oatmeal cream pies, Snickers, Skittles, etc), crackers, Gu packs, Protein bars, and chips. I ate at aid stations. I always had 2-3 options for food I carried on me as well.
• Regarding fluid, I carried an Ultimate Direction hydration belt which gave me both a water and a Gatorade option at all times. Carrying each bottle at about half capacity proved a bit easier as I never needed the full bottles. I tried to take an electrolyte pill every hour but missed some. I had a can of Coke and Coffee at about 25 miles and again about 50 miles. In colder temps I took in hot broth as well as chicken noodle soup and coffee, some provided on the course and some by amazing crew members. I tried to limit my use of caffeine so my body would respond better to it.
• I used about four pair of socks in the race. I moisturized my feet regularly for about two weeks prior to the race and used Bag Balm foot balm every couple hours, sometimes even when I didn’t change socks. I knew blisters could end a race and did everything I could to prevent them. No issues arose regarding my feet so I feel like the foot plan worked well.
• My crew always had some basic toiletries and medical supplies just in case.

Race Day – The Experience!!

They call this race the “Canal Corridor” in reference to the main path of the race, the Towpath Trail on the Ohio and Erie Canalway. The basic route of the course involves about 25 miles south and back north, then 25 miles north and back south. So, two out and back segments covering (approximately) 50 miles each. Thankfully, very few logistical challenges arose which improved focus on the actual event. 

From the day I signed up, I set a goal of completing the race. I would not quit due to discomfort. I thought 24 hours seemed reasonable, but who knew after all? I went into the race with a game plan to keep my pace slow in the first half. Friends warned of going out too fast and blowing up. So, I decided I would try to walk at the beginning and end of each mile. My friend and I left my house around 6:15 for a 7:00 start. The starting line is only about a ten minute drive from our house (another big advantage).

At the first aid station at 4.5 miles into the race, I was at least 80% back in the pack of 177 people who started the race. I didn’t care! I knew I needed to stick to my plan or I wouldn’t finish. 

The first couple hours went by fairly quickly and some basic aches and pains which had developed over the last couple weeks of training didn’t present any major challenges. The weather warmed by early afternoon to the mid 50’s, which felt comfortable overall. I enjoyed seeing a few surprise visitors and felt the encouragement of friends and family in the first part of the race. At about mile 10, I settled into a pattern where I was walking the last .15 of each mile and the beginning .10 of the next mile. I also walked about .10 of a mile in the middle of each mile. This helped keep my pace slow and even. It gave me time to communicate as needed and provided a pattern I ended up following from mile 10 all the way to mile 80!

The first half made for a mental challenge of trying to enjoy the day but not use too much emotional energy. Overall, I knew things were going well but tried to focus on one aid station at a time, or approximately 3-5 miles in each chunk of progress. I had run 50 miles before, so I knew the adventure would really begin for me in the second half. I also knew I would gain the advantage of having pacers for the second half, which would prove invaluable.

The course itself offered several beautiful views of the fall scenery in the daytime. The aid stations provided a lot of options and encouraging volunteers. Plenty of restroom options prevented panic or stress.

As night fell, the enjoyment and beauty didn’t stop. The early evening hours brought a lot of encouragement. I officially crossed the 50 mile mark, seeing a handful of encouraging friends. I also gained the benefit of a pacer who could help with supply and aid stop decisions and provide some company in general. Miles 50-80 included highlights of great talks, updates from that day’s Firestone cross country race (I am an asst. coach), great warm broth, one of my crew dressed in a hot dog costume, and continuing to pass runners as I stayed steady. The way to the northern turnaround (exactly mile 73.8) provided a beautiful view of a bright moon in Cuyahoga Valley National Park. At one point I had a pocket full of Skittles, a Snickers in my pocket, and a mouth full of Little Debbies Oatmeal Cream Pie. What better way to celebrate mile 75? At times we turned off our headlamps when we walked as the moon gave great light. It all sounds pretty great, right? Not so fast…

Somewhere after mile 80, the back of my legs began to tighten pretty badly. It sounds crazy to say the team and my training helped me breeze through 80 miles, but that’s pretty accurate. At one point I kind of figured I would breeze to the finish with a negative 50/50 split. Ah, but those legs. Thoughts of quitting and doubts about finishing cloaked most of the last 20 miles. Not to over-dramatize, but it hurt more to walk than it did to run. The last 20 miles mostly went by at the cadence of 1/4 mile walk, 1/4 mile run. The strategy for those miles equaled my mindset throughout the day. I had resolved not to count miles until 100. Instead we counted miles until the next stop. And quite literally we counted 1/4 mile at a time.

Here I should mention one other meaningful tactic. My pacer knew the condition of my legs had turned south. Some on the team knew the struggle had set in, but we didn’t talk about it much. All of a sudden 15-20 miles seemed like a long way, even though I had just gone 80+. And when the dark thoughts of 15 or so miles left, feeling really cold, and struggling to walk/run led me to doubt whether I wanted to finish, I simply didn’t verbalize it. Verbalizing the negativity would have accomplished what exactly? Answer: nothing good. Instead, after crossing mile 85 and having what seemed an insurmountable five miles to get to the aid station at mile 90, we counted 1/4 mile after 1/4 mile and somehow made it to mile 90.

Mile 90 brought massage gun treatment, back stretching, one final pair of socks, a new pacer, some great nourishment, and the first pain medication I had taken throughout the entire training season including the entire day. With 10 miles to go, I took my first two Tylenol. I got up, and as we departed that aid station near Ira Rd., I told my pacer about the 1/4 mile approach and the condition of my legs. Soon my body felt refreshed and I assumed the last ten miles would be a race against the coverage the Tylenol provided.

Especially after seeing my family at mile 92 (and knowing they all had to get out of bed very early after staying with me into the evening the night before), our pace picked up, my spirits refreshed, and thoughts of finishing began to form. We saw friends a couple miles later, then knew we had one more stop at mile 97 before the final uphill climb into downtown Akron. A significant uphill in the last three miles seems cruel for sure, but at that point it almost felt appropriate. Once the hill was crested near the Civic Theater, the sun began to rise and it was finally time to spend some emotional energy as the last 1-2 miles led me to the finish line and an incredible mix of relief, accomplishment, gratitude, and joy. 

My finish line memories include a significant release of emotion, praise to God for the incredible team and the ability to finish, some team and my family with me, a few more surprise visitors, and then the desire to get warm and get out of there and off my feet!

Of the 177 people who started the race, I finished 59th. Of those who started, 62 did not finish. I am proud of this accomplishment.

TEAM – If you have read most of this, you have seen the word “team” several times. I am beyond grateful to the team of people who sacrificed sleep, time, gas, and food supplies to support me in this crazy challenge. I have not listed your names, but you all know who you are. I could not have done it without each of you. You all will last in the memory of this accomplishment for a long, long time! My team for this race also included several cheering and following from out of state and even out of country. The ability to receive so much encouragement truly kept me going through the day and night. We think at least three dozen people participated either in person, through the Signal App group, or both. So fun!

Recovery

As expected, the first few days involved a lot of pain and difficulty getting around. This may or may not have included the use of a walking stick in public and around the house. Thankfully, those first days didn’t include interrupted sleep. Medication, icing, wrapping, an extra nap or two, and a lot of encouragement helped me get through stiffness, pain, and swelling the first few days. The Wednesday following the race the Akron City Cross Country Championship was held. I got several thousand steps in that evening and didn’t pay for it that night or the next day. Day by day, the tightness lessened in my legs. I write this just over three weeks after finishing and I still have some tightness in the back of my legs. I keep talking about a massage.

Swelling in my left foot/ankle and lower legs have demanded the most attention over the past few weeks. My other joints and muscles have mostly returned to normal. I have resumed strength building exercises as my body can tolerate it. I have run two miles twice but don’t have the desire to commit to regular running. I think fun, joyful, and light miles will characterize my running the rest of this year. 

Why?

Oh the complexities of answering this question! I can’t give you a concise well thought answer due to the fact that I really don’t know all the reasons myself. Let me conclude with a few bullet points regarding why. These conversations will continue and I’m open to them anytime. 

• Spirituality. I trust God with my life and in some crazy way this race reflected some of the events of this season of life. Why not do something really challenging in a really challenge time? I continue to trust God with my life’s path and the strength required to follow it. This race was no different than that, really.
• Discipline. I love to challenge myself and discipline my body. I run to stay spiritually, physically, and emotionally healthy. 
• Adventure and unknown. Sometimes you just gotta put yourself out there and risk failure!
• Comfort. Our culture obsesses over comfort and convenience. I am prone to seek these like anyone else. Ultimately, I reject these as primary values and will always seek to live and serve in ways that forsake comfort. Jesus lived and died this way and I desire to emulate Him! This training season and race effort mirror the rejection of comfort I seek in other areas of my life. I hope my experience will challenge you to attempt something outside your comfort zone as well.
• Team. I had encouragement from a great team of people. Some of the people involved in this effort I didn’t even know a year ago. How awesome is that! I live my life in community and not on an island. This guides one to a healthy level of honesty and grit. 
• Facts. Calendar year 2022 has felt like one big whirlwind with a lot of unknown. In the midst of all that and crazy amounts of change, finishing 100 miles in 24 hours and 14 minutes represents a fact which no one can dispute. I find some strange solace in that!