I received an email yesterday that the Vermont 100 staff has had a dearth of volunteer pacer sign-ups this year. I was relying on a random sign-up volunteer for the race to pace me for the last 30 miles. Everyone I've talked to about doing 100 milers has stressed the importance of having a pacer for those last 30 miles when it feels like all hope is lost.
The latest email update reads,
"Got the pacer request and am looking. You are pretty far down on the list right now but We are delving into the High School kids at this point. Tag me at this email next week to see how I am doing. i will send an email with a pairing if i find someone."
So I put this out there:
If anyone feels like hanging out in Vermont Next weekend let me know. It will be a lot of fun with a lot of good people. Camping, campfires, lots of good food, good people, good stories, fun volunteering....etc. You get the point. I'll throw in a bottle of wine or case of beer, or whatever to whomever wants to help. There's still a good chance I might get an assigned pacer from the VT 100 crew, but I figured i'd throw this out there anyway.
let me know if you are interested. It would be a huge commitment and involve giving up basically your entire weekend, (and probably involve a lot of driving). Of course it would also involve jogging along for 30 miles with me (although by mile 70, it will probably be a lot more walking than jogging).
-john
oh and as far as Leadville, I do have a friend that has already graciously offered to crew me, but still looking for a pacer there as well. (although I've signed up on their "need a pacer" database as well.
OFFICIAL RACE PREVIEW COMING SOON
4 comments:
Dude,
If I wasnt a few hundred miles away, I would jump at that chance in an instant! That would be sooo cool to pace you and hang out with a bunch of ultra runners! I am definetly jealous! Good luck and am looking forward to hear how you did!
God bless,
Shepherd.
thanks for the offer. It would be fun if there were a way you could do it, but that would be an insane amount of driving for you.
I'm getting quite a bit nervous about this race. I came down with very slight touch of a cold that I've been just unable to shake. More than likely, that last 50 destroyed my immune system. I'm hoping that I am fully recovered by wednesday so that I can have 2 solid days of rest.
There's a very real possibility I will not be finishing this race. I am certainly going into with every intention of toughing it out, but 80 degree July weather and 100 miles you simply can't train for (at least not on the amount time a grad student has).
we'll see i guess....
-john
i really wish i could help pace you for this adventure. i can't wait to read about it! hope you start feeling better soon.
as i'm sure you've learned, the best attribute i have learned for when things start to get really rough is to be able look around, genuinely smile, and say "this is pretty cool" at whatever ungodly mile you are of whatever ungodly distance you are traveling.
quite right mike. None unlike long distance hiking. You could gripe about how many more miles you have left. Or...you can look around and say to yourself, "not many people get to do this, and it is pretty darn spectacular"
on the health note, I feel 95% again, that bug didn't quite get me. I fear though that I will probably get horribly sick next week after the race. I have looked at the elevation profile for the VT100 and am starting to get mightily discouraged. you are either going up or down...there are no flat sections.
with that being said though, my glass is definitely half full...and even if I make it to mile 51 and quit....that's 1 more mile than I've ever done and I will be content.
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