This past weekend I volunteered at the Lone Star 100 Trail Run, a 100 mile or 100K race run in the Franklin Mountains State Park in El Paso, TX. This is a brutal race, put on by Trail Racing Over Texas, that I attempted last year, but only making it to mile 60. You can read my race report here.
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| Franklin Mountains State Park, TX |
The course is a 33 mile loop including an out-and-back trip to the top of N. Franklin Peak at 7192’ elevation. The entire 100 mile course includes around 20,000 feet of elevation gain. (Denali in Alaska is 20,310’). That should give you an idea of the difficulty of this race, but if that isn’t enough to convince you, the course is littered with rocks. Jagged rocks, smooth slippery rocks, razor edged slivers of rock, small annoying rocks that get into your shoes. The vegetation here is pointy, sharp, prickly, barbed, saw-toothed or otherwise covered in thorns. The weather can be anything in February. Last year we had a high of 85 degrees and then the winds came. Strong gusting port-o-potty tipping over gales.
This year I volunteered to work the overnight shift at the Mundy’s Gap aid station, a remote outpost that requires a two mile hike up to 6000’. I’ve worked this station several other times during the Franklin Mountain 50K trail run. I love working here because the view is spectacular and this is where runners start their climb to the N. Franklin Peak. They do a great deal of cussing (#FUROB) when they depart and plenty of whimpering and sobbing when they return. This mountain will crush your soul if you let it and indeed, there was a lot of carnage this year.
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| How about that moon? |
I arrived at around 10PM Saturday night and had worked up a sweat because it was in the upper 50s, but when I reached the gap, the wind was howling. I was wearing two shirts and a lightweight down jacket while hiking up, but I immediately put on two more layers and my heavyweight down jacket over the lightweight one. Two stocking caps and gloves completed my barrier to the raging wind and chilly air.
The ultramarathon community is one where camaraderie is like no other. I was fortunate to have worked all night with Jesse and Mike from Houston and Fort Worth and I couldn’t have asked to be part of a better crew. While I’m an Air Force veteran, they were both Navy vets, but I didn’t hold that against them. We shared stories of our time in the service and about our past running adventures. Our aid station included a generator so we had two electric burners to cook ramen noodles and grilled cheese/quesadillas. We also had the usual fruit, PBJs and sweet and salty snacks. I brought my french press and brewed some coffee to help us endure the long cold night.
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| The crew, Jesse, Mike, Greg (L to R) |
When we began our shift, the Speedgoat, Karl Meltzer was on his last lap and making his way to the peak so we were anxiously awaiting his return. He has won more 100 mile trail races (around 40) than anyone else on Earth! Even at age 50, he was running strong and well in the lead. He was very cool when he returned and commented that he felt great and, surprisingly, didn’t have any stomach issues. He was impressed by the toughness of the Franklin Mountains course and compared it to Zane Grey 50. One fact you may not know about Speedgoat: he holds the world record for most holes of golf played in 12 hours — 230!
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| This dude was in a huge hurry. He had to catch a flight after the race. |
Our crew stayed busy most of the night with some lulls in between the rush of hungry runners. The wind whipped and lashed us at times so we had to secure the tins of food with rocks wrapped in plastic. A few times I thought the gusts would pick up the tables and send everything flying. Runners would frequently return from the peak and sit for a bit to regroup, rest and eat. The recurring complaint was the relentless wind on the ridges and peak. No natural element is worse to run in than wind. The great plant hunter and explorer of Tibet, F. Kingdon Ward said it best:
It is this wind which makes life on the plateau…so unbearable. It has a cumulative nervous effect; possibly its action is electrical, due to the constant friction of dry air. I do not know. I only know that it is slow torture; you are waging a losing fight all the time, up against something which gradually, but no less surely and ruthlessly beats you. It makes no terms; it is war à l’outrance.
Polar explorers no less learned how to deal with it and left us with this advice:
Then with practice we learned the knack of wind-walking, leaning always at an angle and bracing our feet against every projecting piece of rock and ice. In this way we could walk against a 70-miler, and could stand against 80, but when 90 and 100 miles were reached we gave up, and were content to wriggle about like snakes.
—C.F. Laseron (Alone on the Ice)
The night slowly wore on and Jesse grilled a lot of quesadillas and grilled cheese sandwiches. The cooking helped keep us warm and the smell attracted at least one visitor. Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted two glowing eyes in the distance. Mountain lions, bobcats, coyotes and other wildlife make this park their home. I shined my light in the direction of the eyes and saw a ringtail or ring-tailed cat as some call them. He quickly scampered into the brush so I wasn't able to get a picture. Although Bassariscus astutus is the size of a house cat, it’s actually related to the raccoon and has a very long tail with, you guessed it, rings around it. These carnivorous mammals are nocturnal, excellent climbers and very common in the Southwest, but you will only see them at night.
Most of our runners passed through our station without mishap, but several dropped out and Mike walked them down to the staging area. One older gentleman was very exhausted and we worried about him going down the mountain alone. Another lady near the lead stopped for some blister care. I put a piece of mole foam with a hole cut out of the center around her blister and taped it up. I don’t know if it stayed on, but she finished third female. Others didn’t fare as well and more than half of the one hundred milers DNFed. The results were better in the 100K and almost 70 percent finished.
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| The route down from Mundy's Gap |
Most of the runners were my friends, running partners or acquaintances from other races I have participated in. My buddy Marco DNFed last year and I was really rooting for him to finish the 100 miler this year. He owns the Colorado Running Ranch in Durango and coaches and trains athletes at elevation and puts on running camps. I was glad when he came through on his last lap with his pacer, Bea. He looked whipped and seemed out of it when he arrived, but I hooked him up with some coffee and Red Bull and he slowly started to come to. Finally Bea got him back on the trail and I sent him off with a crescendo of cow bell.
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| Eric from Team RWB helping us out |
Many runners from our local Team Red, White and Blue chapter participated in Lone Star this year. We have a dedicated bunch of eagles who train in the Franklins every weekend. Many have completed the race before as well as the Franklin Mountains 50K that is run every Fall. This year, I heard a lot of success stories —runners battling through pain, sleep deprivation, blisters, negative thoughts and other demons that come with running an ultramarathon.
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| Sunrise service at church |
However, some of our eagles didn’t finish because of illness or injuries, but they are tough as nails and, despite these setbacks, fought on and gave it their all. The spirit runs deep amongst our members. Here is one example: Sarah, took a nasty fall in mile six, gashed her knee very deeply, but soldiered on and still finished the first 33 mile loop! She's very resilient though, and I'm sure she'll be back on the trail in no time. She already has one 100K buckle for her finish last year.
As for our aid station crew, we survived a chilly night on the mountain, but were never more glad to watch a gorgeous sunrise. The sky went from dark to shades of pink, yellow and orange and then the bright orb appeared through a sea of clouds. The rays warmed our souls and the soft light bathed the mountains in a wash of glow. My shift was almost completed and my relief volunteer, Eric arrived a little while later. Volunteering was as rewarding as running this race. There is nothing better than spending time in the beautiful Franklins Mountains with wonderful people.
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| Sarah took a nasty one and kept going! (Photo:Sarah Acosta) |
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| Ouch! (Photo: Sarah Acosta) |
Congratulations to all of my Team RWB family for your valiant efforts: Tim Pek (2nd place 100K), Jessica Pekari (2nd Female 100 mile), Sarah, Jessie, Daniel, Juan, Wendy, Isela, Brandy, Erica, Hilda, Tim, Kenny, Annette and Rosalba. Karl Meltzer, the Speedgoat won the race in a blistering 23:38 and Marco placed 5th in 30:58. (Sorry if I missed anyone.)
See you on the trail.
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