Wednesday, May 16, 2018

5 Years of the New Dawn 2 Dusk - May 12th-13th, 2018

5 Years of the New Dawn 2 Dusk - May 12th-13th, 2018
by Josh Irvan: Co-Race Director


When race directors plan a race, they usually sit down and spend a lot of time planning, how to structure their event. Once they are done planning they execute the plan. After the race is over, the directors reevaluate how the event went, get feedback from runners and crew and then try and improve and tweak the race for the following year. Bill and I have been going through this process now for 5 years. 

Steve Speirs & Gene Dykes lead the way.
When we first started, we wanted to put all of the things into our race that we liked from other races and this turned out pretty well. This family friendly event is our way of giving back to the running community that we both have been apart of for many years.  Runners come to us not just to set records or to compete. Runners come here because they want to be apart of something special. Once a runner has run with us once they are forever part of the “D3 Family” and are always welcome here at the Knights Track and Field complex.

On Friday night we tried something new. At the race hotel we had 5 elite ultra-runner participate in a live streamed panel discussion that was broad cast live on Facebook and the internet. The panel consisted of Tara Langdon, Maggie Guterl, Gene Dykes, David Johnston, and Dennene Huntley.  This discussion was hosted by Bill Schultz, the Co-Race Director, and expertly moderated by our timer Mike Melton. The discussion ran about an hour as runners ate dinner. The panel answered an array of questions about their own running careers, training advice and a host of other topics.

This year was another mix bag of weather. The morning started off with rain prior to the start of the race which lead to humid and cloudy conditions early on.  At 7AM the 24 hour race began.  This years race was packed with top quality talent in both the men’s and women’s field.  Joshua Finger, Tara Langdon, Steve Speirs, and Maggie Guterl set the pace early.
Joshua Finger in the zone.

At the 9 o’clock hour Earl Edwards, our USATF official, continued his race starting duties by setting the 50K runners loose upon the track.  Mike Daigeaun and Sue Irvan took the early lead followed by Eric Mundy, Yoshiko Jo and a host of others. Temperatures in the morning stayed on the cooler side, but by the time the afternoon came the heat was on. By 5pm the humidity and heat took it toll on many runner. Dehydration effected most of the 24 hour field. 

In the 50K Mike Daigeaun, (38) from Philadelphia, PA kept up his blistering pace winning outright in 3:38:45. Joshua Harriman, (46) from Annapolis, Maryland, took the male runner-up position and 3rd over all with 4:37:42. Sue Irvan and Yoshiko Jo battled back and forth for hours swapping out the lead on and off throughout the morning and early afternoon. Yoshiko Jo (53), from Swarthmore, PA and representing Japan placed 2nd overall and 1st woman in a time of 4:31:23. She also won the Delco RRC 50K Championship. Sue Irvan (43), from Downingtown, PA placed 4th overall and 2nd woman in a time of 4:40:59. Sue was the runner-up for the Delco RRC 50K Championship.

Eric Mundy (37), from Springfield, PA won the Delco RRC 50K Championship for the men in a time of 4:43:14, followed by runner-up Gregory Milbourne (50), from Swarthmore, PA in a time of 5:21:32. Greg was also an event sponsor this year. Thanks Greg for your support!

Once the 12 hour race started at 7pm many 24 hour runners started to slow and some dropped out.  Pennsylvania humidity can sneak up on a runner and really have a negative impact on performance if the runner doesn’t stay up on their hydration and salt intake. By now Steve Spiers and Padraig Mullins looked like they where teaching a European Masters Class in running in we and humid conditions trading the lead every few laps. Emily Collins and Janet Smith-McGurk kept and even pace and looked smooth and under control up to this point. 

The 12 hour field also had a whose who of runners. Tracy Falbo, Deb Horn, Maria Shield, Juli Aistars and Brian Teason to name a few. Perry Rapp, a former D3 50K winner, moved up to the 12 hour to test new territory for this year. During the evening hours the rains and thunderstorms returned causing havoc with canopies and runners alike. No where near as bad as the previous year this weather really tested the runners fortitude.  With the runners now soaking wet and the temperatures dropping hypothermia was the new foe that began laying waist to more runner performances. 

Emily Collins
After an evening of rain and runners dropping do to cold and wet weather, those who preserved through the night came out on top. In the 12 hour race Debra Horn (59), from Shaker Heights, Ohio came out on top winning overall with a distance of 65.7293 miles. Tracy Falbo (46), from Jefferson, Indiana came in 2nd overall with a distance of 62.1371 miles. It was a Maryland State battle between 2 men. Perry Rapp (53), from Lexington Park Maryland ran strong dueling Mike Senko (40), from Havre de Grace, Maryland. Perry took the men’s win with a distance of 57.001 miles and Mike took the runner-up position with a distance of 55.4263 miles. 

In the 24 hour race Padraig Mullins (36), from Cambridge, MA, and representing Ireland took the win overall after dealing with the extreme humid, and wet conditions. Mullins total distance was 132.7159 miles.  Adrian Stanciu (48), from Manitou Springs, CO finished second overall with a distance of 116.5692 miles. In the woman’s race Emily Collins (39), from Akron, Ohio held off Janet Smith-McGurk (45), from Drexel Hill, PA, for the win. Emily placed 1st woman and 3rd overall with a distance of 113.3381 miles. Janet placed 4th overall and 2nd woman with a distance of 110.5951 miles.

On a special note Gene Dykes (70), from Bala Cynwyd, PA continued his onslaught on various National Age Group Records during his 24 hour race. Gene set records in the 50K - 4:38:03, 50 mile - 8:25:24, 12 hour - 64.7 miles and 100K - 11:20: 41. Congratulations Gene!

Pennsylvania State Age Records where also set by a number of folks on the track this year. Here is the break down:

Yoshiko Jo and Mike Daigeaun, Winners of the 50K
with Co-Rd: Bill Schultz
Sue Irvan (43) Downingtown, PA (50K - 4:40:59)
Yoshiko Jo (53) Swarthmore, PA (50K - 4:31:23)
Gene Dykes (70) Bala Cynwyd, PA (50K - 4:38:03)
Al Emma (77) Exton, PA (50K - 8:41:10.3)

Gene Dykes (70) Bala Cynwyd, PA (50 Mile - 8:25:23.6)

Janet Smith-McGurk (45) Drexel Hill, PA (100K - 12:17:04
Lisa Georgis (49) New Ringgold, PA (100K - 12:43:09.3
Gene Dykes (70) Bala Cynwyd, PA (100K - 11:20:40.9)

Janet Smith-McGurk (45) Drexel Hill, PA (100 Mile - 21:43:06)

Janet Smith-McGurk (45) Drexel Hill, PA (24 Hour - 110.59 Miles)
Kristen Varley (53) Glen Mills, PA (24 Hour - 83.5123 Miles)
Gene Dykes (70) Bala Cynwyd, PA (24 Hour 69.0965 Miles)

Co-Rd: Josh Irvan with 24 hour
winner Emily Collins
After the race was over, the runners had the awards ceremony. New to this years race was Dawn 2 Dusk wine for the winners and belt buckles to anyone who went over 100 miles. This year we had 10 runners achieve that standard. With another positive ending to this years race, Bill and I feel we have helped elevate our sport of ultra-running and shown how great this sport can truly be. From runners setting records, to crews supporting their athletes, it was exciting to see everyone work together to accomplish their goals.

Thank you to all runners, crews, friends and family for coming and being apart of D3 this year. The D3 Family welcomes you all into the fold and we celebrate your achievements and continued friendship. Happy Running! 

Special thanks to the Valley Forge Military Academy Cadets who volunteered their time to help all the runners during our event.  This is Cadet Joshua Crisler 4th consecutive year volunteering his time at our event. To my calculations he has dedicated 120 hours helping in the kitchen, working the leader board and breaking down our event each year. He will be graduating May 24th and we wish him well on his future endeavors. 

Friday, May 22, 2015

2015 "3 Days at the Fair" 72 Hour: Race Report

2015 “3 Days at the Fair” 72 Hour: Race Report
Putting it all Together.

Going Beyond “The Dome”:
If I learned anything from running at “The Dome” in Alaska was always go into a race well prepared and with a plan. How can you not! Multi-day racing isn’t for just anyone. The runner and his or her crew need to be dedicated to the goals that are set forth by the runner and do what needs to be done to achieve those goals. 

If you are a smart runner you have multiple goals, so if all doesn't go as planed then you will most likely go home with at least a few of them achieved even if your “A+” goal falls short. Coming back from Alaska made me a changed person and a better runner. I saw running differently. Running 465 miles showed me that the training practices that I had learned from a year of preparation had payed off. Now I could continue to train with the knowledge that what I was doing worked well.

First let me tell you that I don’t race a lot of ultras in comparison to some runners. I choose my races carefully and ones that fit within a set schedule. This gives me balance both as a teacher, family guy and runner. It also prevents me from burning out. My body won’t hold up if I race all the time so I just don’t.

Besides I like to run local 5 milers, 1/2 marathons and full marathons as well. I use many of those races to test my fitness. After running at “The Dome” I didn’t race anything seriously until April and that was the Boston Marathon. Boston was a test of my fitness in preparation for the 72 hour race in New Jersey.  Of course I ran (not raced) a half marathon, a 50K and a 50 miler with my wife Sue this past fall, but for the most part I let my body recover and trained specifically for “The Fair.”

Preparing for New Jersey:
My approach to training is pretty simple. Lots and lots of miles. I run 7 days a week. In that week I run 12 to 16 workouts which works out to being 2 to 3 runs a day. That can be anywhere from 90 to 130 miles in a weeks time. I usually run 7 to 10 miles at lunch and treat that as a tempo run and then an easy 3 miles after work if needed on some days. 

As long as I get at least 7 to 10 miles total before I get home then I can run with my wife Sue who is a Boston marathon finisher. I will run with her as long as she wants to run and at whatever pace she wants to run at. This teaches me to run a different pace and adds quality miles. By the end of a day I could have 15 to 18 miles in the books. On weekends I usually run 18 to 22 miles on Saturday and 15 to 20 miles on Sunday. All of this milage is much easier to handle in shorter segments instead of trying to do long runs all the time. Beside it mimics what I do in mulit-day racing. 

During multi-day racing you run, and then rest and then run again, much like my training. I do much of my running on flat courses. I have a mile loop at Hickory Park, near my home, that mimics the New Jerseys course. It’s a huge help. I also do most of my running at lunch on a track. Again, specificity of training. If I race on the flats then I train mostly on flats. I do some hill work also, but I get enough of that stuff near where I live near Marsh Creek State Park, in Pennsylvania.

Most importantly, one of many things I’ve learned while being helped by my friend Bill Schultz is that there is a direct correlation between yearly mile totals and 6 Day results. So, if you can get 300 to 450 miles a month on average, then you will build up enough of a base to be able to handle the load needed to compete at a 6 Day race with “Big Miles”. This translates into something simple. 

If you run about 3,000 miles a year then you should be able to do 300 miles in a 6 day race. And if you do 4,000 miles you should be able to do about 400. Everyone is different and in some cases this doesn’t always apply, but its something to mention here. I ran 4,575 miles last and 465 at the Dome. Made me look at that kind of information a lot closer since last August. 

In addition to the running I also weight train and do a ton of core work everyday. This keeps me toned and my muscles well balanced and ready to take all types of punishment. Lastly I also teach an advanced cycle class at my local YMCA. I found it helps with endurance, but more importantly flushes my legs after the first half of my week of running and prepares them for the rest of the weeks milage. Hugely helpful. 

The Plan:

My race plan for the 72 hour race at “The Fair” was crafted by myself, Bill Schultz and Mike Dobies, Joe Fejes crew man and stats guy.  Mike looked at my 3 Day split from Alaska and helped craft a perfect sleep plan which would be about 7 hours total in the 72. Bill brought huge amount of multi-day experience and would crew for me over the 3 Days. He would also help keep me on task and crack the whip when I needed a kick in the pants.  

In addition, my friend and running buddy Lou DO’nofrio would crew on Day 3 for me giving Bill a much needed rest. My wife Sue, also would be there with our daughters on Day 3. Sue would be running a marathon in the morning and a 50K at night. Quality family support. 

There were many goals I had for the race. First, try and break 300 miles, a goal Bill and Mike thought well within my ability level. Second break the course record of 276 set by Darren Worts. And third, if I could go north of 280 miles it sets me up nicely to be able to crack 500 miles at ATY in December in Arizona. 

I looked at paces and broke the days up into milage goals like this: Day 1: 110-113 miles, Day 2: 100-105, and Day 3: 90 miles. If I followed the plan, I should get close to 300 miles or over and also win the race. 
Sleep Plan A & B

Who’s Running and Who’s Not:
These where the people I looked at in preparation for “The Fair” for a variety of reasons. These are quality runners who have been successful at a variety of distances. If I wanted to run a solid race I wanted to understand how these people have run this course and other events and learn something from them. Hugely helpful. Mike Dobies did some performance graphs for me to look at and see where these people take breaks, where they are strongest and how they pace themselves.

1. Darren Worts wasn’t running the 72 hour this year. He was entered in the Quadzilla event which is running 4 marathon in 3 days. 

2. Marylou Corino wasn’t running this year. She won with 271 miles last year. She represented Canada at World 24 Hour Championships in Torino the month before. Planing on running Vol State this summer and another 6 day later this year at ATY.

3. Serge Arbona, a member of past 24 hour U.S. National Team, who has a PR for 24 hours of 156 miles was someone I’ve run against a lot. I’ve placed second to him twice at  20in24 an 24 hour ultra in Philadelphia. He’d beat me by 25 miles or more both times. My 124 mile PR couldn’t stand up to Serge on a good day. 

4. John Fegyveresi has an impressive resume of events including a finish at the Barkley Marathon. John placed second last year and finished with 246 miles.

5. Brad Compton won the Icarus Florida UltraFest last year, a 6 day with 406.554 miles. He also place 3rd last year at “The Fair” with 231 miles. 

DAY1:Starting things off Right!
Campsite at Barn 1
We where set off at 9AM. Starting our journey around the fair grounds. It was a dry day and forecasted to be in the high 60’s low 70’s. Bill and I set up camp the night before in what was called Barn 1. We had our tents and car there set in a perfect little area to keep us dry incase of rain or intense sun.  

With Serge going out fast, I let him go. I couldn’t run with him. Not yet. Besides its only Day 1. After the first 5 hours I finally started to settle in to my rhythm. Walk the hill at the start, run the flats and down hills and walk the hill by the Gate. Repeat, Repeat, Repeat. I did that all day. 

I put the blinders on and just ran. I wasn’t concerned about what anyone else was doing. Not yet. It was to early.  I tried to enjoy to rhythms of just running. I stopped a few times to work on my left hamstring. I sat in a chair at my camp and rolled “The stick” across my sore left leg and then got up and off running again I went.

It has always been an issue since my left knee surgery in 2011. It took me years to work through my knee issues, but last August I finally figured out most of them. I strengthened knees and trained my legs not to need them anymore.  Huge!! Thats why I don’t wear knee braces anymore or not as much. That was something four or five people commented on, including Serge. I thought it was interesting that people actually noticed that.

Bill, John F. and Me.
Bill did a superb job of crewing for me and information gathering on people in the race. This helped me stay focused on running.  Bottle fills, food prep and equipment swap outs (shirts, bottles, bandanas, hats etc.) all handled perfectly.  After Bill took care of me, he would take care of his own needs. Internet posts, e-mail catch-up, food etc. 

The first challenge with Serge came at 72 miles into the race. Over the next 3 miles we ran together (9:24, 9:19, 9:19). It was a test. After that I let him go. I tried not to dwell on it for to long. I just went back to doing my pattern of running and walking.  Not to long after that Serge was walking and I ran past him.  A few laps latter I past him again.  This time he was limping and he had put his sweatpants on. 

Around his knee he had fashioned a makeshift brace out of duck tape. I told Bill as I passed by our camp site. A few more laps later I saw Serge sitting at his camp site working on his leg. It was tough to see. Knowing my own injuries watching someone else go through that is never fun.


Running at night was great. I tried to take it easy during the heat of the day and as Bill has said to me more than once “Manage the Day; and Own the Night!” Thats what I did. It was a perfect night for running; cool and dry. By the morning I was well ahead of any goals I set for myself. I wanted between 110-113 miles. I ended Day 1 with 117 miles. Only a mile shy of my first 20in24 race back in 2009. Serge had been off course for awhile now and I took over first place after 111 miles.

DAY 2: Settling In
I took my first sleep break at 131 miles into the race. It was a much needed rest. I laid down in my tent and elevated my legs onto a folding chair.  I did this trackside at “The Dome” and it helped my legs recover much faster. Any fluid build-up would drain out and keep swelling to a minimum. Once my rest cycle was complete 2:23:53 later I was up and off again. 

Tylenol was something I took every 4 to 6 hours as well. This kept the pain of the pounding to a minimum so I could just focus on running. Donuts and Root beer also made a second appearance in my race. Something I learned from John Geesler in Alaska. Root beer goes down real easy when you are looking for both hydration and calories. Glazed donuts to gave me a much needed pick up every so often.  

I ate many other things (egg sandwiches, rice and beans, mashed potatoes, fruit, cookies, grilled cheese etc.) but, the donuts and root beer always put pep in my step. Coffee to was something I drank a lot of as well. Coffee is always good from about midnight to 5:30AM. A tough time to run when the course has fewer people on it.

My second sleep break was 30 miles later at 161 and I was down for 1:48:23. Legs up, eyes shut. When I awoke a bee was in my tent and between  Bill and I we captured it and set it free to the outside world. Serge was back on the course by now. I saw him walking his dog on the course earlier in the day. He must have worked through his issues and he started picking off other runners behind me. Daniel Gallo, John Fegyversei and Johnny Hallneby. All were ahead of Serge and he was coming for all of us.

By 12:30AM, my wife Sue and my step-daughters had gotten to the camp site. The girls watched me run and Sue ran a few laps with me over night before the three of them went to sleep. Sue was doing the marathon at 9AM and needed her rest.

After another night of quality running, the end of Day 2 was almost here. I had picked up the pace a bit telling Bill that I wanted to crack 200 miles again in 48 hours. Something not achieved by a lot of people. I came across the 200 mile point in 46:48:54 a new 200 mile PR. With time left in Day 2 I wanted to achieve my next goal which was to PR for 48 hours. Mike Dobies had been talking to Bill over the internet and said I should push that number higher and not just settle for breaking the 202 miles I ran back on the course in 2013.  
Bill Schultz: Crew Chief

I ran controlled and upped the pace considerably. Once I past my old mark I felt a good sense of relief.  I ran past 205 miles. That was as far as Liz Bauer ran on this course. It was also the number I was shooting for in my first 48 hour 2 years prior. Banging out 1 more hard mile in 8:53 gave me a total of 207 miles at the end of Day 2 and a 90 mile second Day.  At 208 miles it was time for my 3rd sleep break (1:00:23) and the start of Day 3.  
 
Day 3: Completing the Mission
Day 3 weather was hot. The sun kept going in and out cloud cover. It was difficult to decide what to wear. I ended up wearing the sun hat and my white desert dirt with my sun glasses and lots of sun screen. Regulating body temperature during the day was tough. I’m not a heat runner, Dan Gallo was. He kept telling me how he loves the heat and I kept telling him how I like it cold. We joked about it during much of the race. By this time I had incorporated a 3rd walking break along part of the back stretch of the course to aid in recovery. Fortunately I can walk fast.
Bill was getting tired and needed a break.  Lou D’Onofrio arrived around 9:30AM to aid in crewing duties while Bill rested. Lou would check on me while he was doing laps of the fair ground. He would bringing me a filled water bottles along certain parts of the course, plus bring me food, coffee or whatever else was needed.
Crossing at 200 miles.

My last sleep break was around 4PM. It would be my last sleep break before the final push. The break lasted 1:57:51. Sue had helped me by rubbing my feet and legs which were sore from the hard surface of the pavement. A huge help to get some relief from the constant pounding. My feet were doing really well. No blisters and I only taped the bottoms of my feet to help keep the skin from shifting to much.

By the time my break was over, traffic was becoming a real issue on the course not with runners so much, but with cars. All of us had to watch out for cowboys coming to the rodeo. Not to mention earlier their were livestock tucks bringing in horses, cows, chickens and other animals for the farm show.  That was tough. Lots of dust kicked up by pickup trucks and the amount of people at the fair was pretty crazy. They definitely were not looking out for us.

Thunderstorms rolled in just before the 6 hour runners started. The course was flooding in parts. Not as bad as the year prior, but still enough to be annoying and break a runners focus. Cowboys and their family ran for cover in Barn 1 which was a bit overwhelming for my crew. 

I ran most of Night 3 with no shirt and just a baseball cap.  Serge was still charging hard but I had a 25 mile lead on him at that point. Every so often we would run together and talk about racing or multi-day training. It was a good time. We ran on and off again throughout the night. 
Sue and I in the rain.

At one point Serge made a comment about how it took him about 5 hours to catch me on a loop. I just figured if I kept a good solid lead then he would have to work really hard to catch me and thats how it was going down. Bill did the math. If I ran “X” then Serge would have to run “Y” for this amount of hours etc. and Serge was running out of time. The longer I stayed out here moving forward, even at a slow crawl, then he couldn’t catch me.

I told Bill that there was not way in Hell I was going down again and that I’d stay out here moving until the end. I did have to stop another time to dry feet and change shoe inserts and socks just to keep my feet happy and my skin in tact.  By 10pm I start running laps with Sue. She started the 50K run at 9pm. To say the least it was fun to be with her, but it rained on and off the rest of the night. We ran with rain jackets, umbrellas, and trash bags as protection but we were still soaking wet. 

So, I just dealt with it and ran with either my white tank top or with no shirt at all. It worked for me. It was a warm rain and it was humid out. The rain stopped around 3AM. Sue was really tired and we said our goodbyes. She went to grab a shower and get some sleep. The girls had already gone to bed many hours before after checking out the farm show. 

During this time Lou had crewed for both of us all night long going back and forth from the timing clock to our campsite making sure I stayed the course. I snagged my ipod from Lou. The rain had finally stopped and I could get rolling again in drier conditions. The humidity was getting worse. The fog in the air was thick and steamy even if it stayed on the cooler side till dawn. 

At 275 miles Serge Arbona was their again, this time we ran together talking about more running. We came through the 276 mile mark together and then picked it up. At this point I still maintained my 25 miles lead on Serge.  He had caught up and past everyone else.  It was good to run a fast mile with him now. Another 9:32 in the book for me. Mile 277 broke Daren Worts’ record. All new territory for me now. I backed it off a bit to recover and continued on. 
Serge Arbona

Lou and Bill were both helping me now. Making sure I had what I needed for the final few hours of the event.  By 280 miles I was pretty spent. It was even more humid than at night and the sun was coming up making it feel much worse.  I had the lock for the win by now. After only 7:10:25 of sleep over the past 3 days I only had a little bit farther to go in the race.  

As I past Bill one more time he said, “ Don’t let 290 slip away” or something to that effect. With that I was able to pull myself together for 1 more final push. Serge was there one last time. We ran together not speaking much just running.

285 - 9:46, 286 - 9:23, 287 - 9:42, 288 - 10:17, 289 - 9:40

“That was Fun. You’re a hard man!” Serge said; with a smile and a fist bump. It was fun. I’ve run on an off with Serge over the years and he really knows pace and runs smooth. If you sit on his heals or at his side miles can go by in no time at all.

Day 3: The last 3 miles
When I was done running with Serge I slowed to a crawl or at least it felt like that. My feet although not blistered were tired of the pavement and all I wanted to do was sit down. I hadn’t showered or shaven in 3 days and I felt like my legs were repeatably hit with sledge hammers. At 290 miles (12:17) I only had a bit of time on the clock left and then I would be finished. 300 miles was out of my reach. But, I was o.k. with that.

John Fegyversesi
At 291 miles I came through again a bit woozy. John Fegyversesi and I had talked on and off again about a variety of topics during the race and he asked me to do 2 more laps with him. One more running lap and a walking victory lap. Sounds good to me, I thought. And off we went at a crawl. John was ahead of his pace from the previous year and was going to have a PR by 2 miles. He was pleased with that. One more mile down (292 mile -14:16).

During the last mile John had to stop and stretch. He told me not to wait for him. “Are you sure”; I said. “I’m fine John replied with a smile.” We were on the back stretch of the course. No shade here. Humid and warm.  I was tired of running. But I wanted to make sure I got that last mile in before the clock ran down. I came off the dirt road and onto the last stretch. Sprinting wasn’t something I could do. I didn’t want to fall down on the up hill. 

My coordination was a mess. I made the left turn towards the finish line and started up the little hill for the last time. I could see Bill, Sue and the girls towards the finish-line. I was a bit dizzy. I just wanted to sit down.  I was going to sit on the ground near the finish or get on my hands and knees to kiss the finish line, but I didn’t think I could do it gracefully.  Once I crossed the line I lost my balance and was caught by Rick McNulty, the race director, Bill,
and Lou.  They carried me to a chair where I sat with 5 minutes left on the clock. Sue gave me water as I tried to alleviate people fears. 


“I’m fine, I’m fine, just tired; I said with a grunt. I rested there for a while as I watched John Fegyversesi walk across the finish line. I’m done I thought.  I finished the 72 hour race with 293 miles and a new course record. After I had a moment to catch my breath I put on some dry clothes that Bill had ready for me to keep me warm. Soon after, my group and I moved to the blue tables for awards ceremony and breakfast.

Awards Ceremony: Looking at the Sky

During breakfast with Sue, the girls, Bill, Lou and the rest I had similar issues I had at “The Dome” during the morning of Day 5. I was sitting eating and then my hearing started to go. I felt I was going to vomit or pass out. 

Fortunately I new the signs of this and I asked Sue to help me to the ground. I needed to get my legs in the air to get blood back to my head. I felt nauseous.  Melissa, a nurse who was near us during breakfast, helped me as well. Between Sue, Melissa and Jen McNulty helping me through this “Crashing” episode, I was back at the table eating happily again with in 10 minutes.
During the awards I received the 1 place award for the 72 Hour event. A very nice ceramic chalice. Also I earned a 200 mile buckle and the 500 Life Time Miles coin. I love this course and this event.  An amazing experience all around with some of the best people I know. 




Thank you all for making this effort a real special one. See you next year.



500 Life Time Mile Club

Tuesday, August 19, 2014

One More Step In The Right Direction

One More Step In The Right Direction by Josh Irvan

The Vision
Back in August of 2013 Joe Fejes had a vision. That vision became a reality when “6 Days in the Dome” was created. Thanks to him many runners where able to push themselves to “Big Miles” over a weeks time and see what they are truly made of.  I am one of those runners who was given the chance to test myself. Thanks for the opportunity Joe. It’s greatly appreciated!

Running on a Track
I spent the better part of a year training just for this race. My friend, Bill Schultz who has run more 6 day races than anyone else in the field, lent his wisdom and advice to me which payed off big. I only needed to listen and turn the information he told me into something I could understand and use. 

So, how do you train for a race that is 144 hours long? I now have run 1 and frankly I still am not sure how to answer that question. I did a variety of things. First, I ran mostly on flat surfaces including treadmills, tracks and flat road courses. I thought that this would help get my body adapted to running on flat surfaces. Hills seemed a bit pointless if you are staying on a track for a week. 

Second, I ran a lot on tracks changing direction every 3 miles. These track work outs varied in length from 7 to 19 miles and the pace was slow. Really slow! I practiced with the hand held bottle that I would carry in the race so I could get use to using it.  Under normal circumstances I’d rather use something that would keep me running hands free. 
Jeff Russell, John Geesler, Bill Schultz, Josh Irvan and Phil 
McCarthy out to dinner the night before at Hard Rock.

Third, I ran a lot. What I mean by this is that I had a lot of workouts. I may do 7 miles at lunch and then go and run another 10 to 12 miles with my wife Sue at night. Some days it was even triple workouts. The workouts varied in intensity, and I had huge weekly milage in comparison to past years. It worked out to doing 12 to 14 running workouts a week not including core work and strength training and my weekly cycle class. 

Fourth, I trained a lot of the time without a shirt and hat. Sounds silly, but effective. I had seen over the past few years many of the top level ultra runners like Joe, and Serge run with no shirt. I usually run with a shirt and a hat. Bill told me about the benefits of cooling the body down. Sounds simple enough, but I wanted to become use to doing those kinds of things long before I hit the track at “The Dome”.  I also trained most of the time with no ipod in order for that to become a special treat, and not something I become dependent upon. 

Last, I trained a lot of the time late at night in the dark when I’d would rather be in a warm bed asleep. I didn’t sleep a lot during this training. I was running all the time. And I felt like I did everything I could to prepare going into a race that was 4,300 miles away from Pennsylvania.

The Dome
On August 4th the race started. Athletes from all over the world converged on Anchorage. Some chased records, others chased competitors and some just wanted to see, if given the chance, how far they could go in 6 days. Anything passed 2 days would be the farthest I’ve gone not counting the poor 72 hour race I ran in New Jersey early this year. 
“The Dome” is a 413 meter long track covered by an inflatable covering. It has an air lock and in a sense is like a giant ballon that keeps the air conditioned air inside and the track dry. Good conditions for running far if you don’t want to tackle the weather which hampered my performance at my previous race. I hate running in the rain. 

The surface of the track was harder than expected. I trained a lot on my high school track which was much softer. “The Dome’s” track was like running on concrete. Not as forgiving as asphalt. It was fast though and that was what people wanted in order to push for “Big Miles”. Bathroom and shower facilities were provided and with the aid station being on the opposite end of the track gave an ideal scenario for my race plan to unfold.

My Plan
Months before the race, Bill Schultz, Mike Dobbies and I talked about various race plans I could implement. Mike (Joe Fejes stats guy) ran the numbers and Bill gave sagely advice in which I would weave into something I could use on the track. The basic concept was simple, stay in control and don’t push myself to hard to soon. I wanted to run between 78 to 88 miles a day for the 6 days. Anywhere in there would be good enough so that I could recharge for another day and be able to leave room for plenty of breaks. 
By the time Day 1 was over, to many runners went out way to fast. With a  2 hour delayed start and a badly designed race data board that  wasn’t helping runners know what place they where at, or what mile they where on threw many of them off. I was frustrated also do to the fact the only information given out at all was number of laps which didn’t help me much. 

No one wants to calculate distances hundreds of laps into a six day event. By The middle of Day 2, after much complaint by runners, the data board was fixed and runners could get all the information at a glance. The runners name, place, lap times,  and milage; it was finally all there. My Day 1 total was great 88.66 miles; right where I needed to be.

Rest 
During the race it took me awhile to formulate a sleep and rest plan. Although I have rested in other races this one was a lot longer. I found that laying on a blanket on the track by my table, with my legs elevated on a chair, helped me get back to running sooner. I laid their in my sweat pants and long sleeve shirt. I massaged my legs with “The Stick”. I would set my alarm between 45 minutes to 1 hour later and then get up. I would also  put my ipod on and tune out my surroundings with an audio book. 

Putting Mineral Ice on my legs helped also. With a little bit of food and drink I could get back to running and stay with it for longer periods of time. If I needed to take a longer break I would take a shower first and then an hour down. I tried the first night sleeping in the RV, that Bill and I rented, but found it was to far away from the track and the 4 hours I spent their wasn’t as effective as the track side rest periods.  Rick Shick, Joe Fejes crew man, commented on how I would rise from the dead like Lazarus and get back to running strong again and again. 
Marrylou Corino and Bill Schultz sharing some miles.

The only time I had real trouble was at 5AM on Day 5. I deviated from that plan and tried to take a short break on one of the high jump crash pads near the timing area. That didn’t work at all. I didn’t have my legs raised high enough so the fluid build-up didn’t drain. When I sat up I almost passed out. But thanks to Andy Noise who gave me some water, Israel Archuletta who brought me over some food and Garry Cantrell (Laz) who offered words of encouragement, I was back on my feet and running within 30 minutes.  Note to self: Never change what’s working for you during a race (rookie mistake oops!).

Running Strategy
During the race I tried to run the way I trained.  I spent about 6 months practicing running in the opposite direction on a track. Creating different patterns such as running U’s or walking curves and running straights helped immensely. Also using the markings on the track to play various mind games helped keep my focus and stave off boredom. I didn’t even train with my ipod all that much. I wanted that to be a special treat. All of these things helped me race that much better. 

If I wanted to try and catch another runner I would either run full laps or U’s and if I needed to have more recovery I would race walk various curves or straights depending on the scenario. All of this worked well for me. The layout of the track helped with this greatly depending on if I needed to get food, hit the bathroom, or stop at my table for supplies etc.

All Aboard
A train is a long line of runners working together for mutual advantage in order to capitalize off each others energy and drafting efficiency. I will say that running in trains with the other runners wasn’t exactly what I expected. The trains started to roll around Day 3 with John Geesler, Joe Fejes, Ed Compton and myself starting one of first ones. It was a bit crazy.  Some of these trains went for an hour or more at a good clip, much faster than what was normally going on at the track. 

John Geesler leads the train.
Bill Schultz told me back in the day runners would switch leaders in order to share the workload kind of like an old track indian run. Not in this case. The lead runner would run until they were fried out and then the train would die or that runner would drop off away from the train and a fresher runner would take his or her place. Many people lead a train during the event, so it evened out in the end. It was a lot of fun, but hard work as well.

Food Intake
The food at the event was good. It was set up more like a self serve buffet than an aid station, but it worked well enough to supply the necessary calories the runners needed. It was reported that the runners burned from 50,000 to 60,000 calories during the event. I had no food issues during the race. I just ate a lot. Some things that worked well for me where the fajitas, fig newtons, Oreos, pizza, chili, eggs sandwiches, Coffee, ginger ale, bananas, oranges, red and green grapes, pasta, and gator aid.
The best thing I found that would really get my engine cranking was glazed donuts and root beer. I ran out of ginger ale by Day 3 and John Geesler was nice enough to share his root beer with me. That stuff was amazing. Easy on the stomach and man did it fuel me for hours. One can goes a long way in this sport. Thanks John!

My weight stayed pretty consistent.  I was 143 pounds at the start of the race. By the end of the race I was down to 137 pounds. Hydration was solid also. I never was to a point where I needed to make up lost fluid.

The Race Begins
I’ve been running most of my life. So I’m not a rookie when it comes to racing hard or pushing myself in a workout. But during the last 3 Days of racing, I was really tested. Other than running in the trains that happened periodically I raced  and ran with some very top level runners. On the second half of Day 3 I ran hard with Phil McCarthy. We swapped stories about various races we have run and ran some fast miles together. It was challenging but fun. When we where done Phil cruised through the 200 mile mark and I crossed 190 miles. Tough running!  In the later stages of the event Phil gave me some pointers on running form and how he refined his technique over the years. Very helpful. Thanks Phil!
On Day 4, Martin Fryer helped me tape up my left foot to prevent a rubbing issue become worse. A small pad was taped to the bottom of my foot to give me enough relief in order for me to continue running well. The pad stayed in place for the next few days until the event was over. Thanks Martin! 

During that time I was racing Liz Bauer. She is such a tough competitor. Liz seldom left the track. If I went down for an hour she would eat away at my lead and then pull away. Then when I got up I had to work to gain back the ground I had lost. During one night, we went back and forth for a few hours. She would run and I would run. She would walk and then I would walk. This went on for a long time until she went down for an extended nap and then I would run long stretches to try and make up lost ground or build a lead so I could take rest also. This was very taxing mentally.  

Racing on 2 Fronts
During Days 5 and 6 lots of things happened. By this time many top level runners had pulled out do to numerous injuries. Anybody who survived past Day 2 was in it for the long haul. I tried to run a controlled race. I didn’t want to push so hard I wouldn’t have anything left for the end of the race. Other runners ran extremely hard the first 3 Days and payed for it in the end. At the end of Day 1 I was in 18th place. By the end of Day 4, I was in the top 5. 
Phil McCarthy was a head of me at that point along with Kenji Okiyama and David Johnson. After Johnson left after Day 4, it came down to Kenji, Liz, Phil and myself for the top spots. Joe Fejes was way out in front racing himself for the Stu Mittleman record. And he was on pace for that. 
When Phil made his final push against Kenji it was impressive to watch two champions fighting it out.  After that battle, Kenji stayed in second place and Phil went down for another rest. I was way behind Phil at that point and needed to make up serious ground on him in-order to regain 3rd place. With the help of Jennifer Aradi, who was kind enough to crew for me during Phil’s absence from the track, I was able to get things rolling. Jen had been crewing for both Phil and me. Thats the nice thing about ultra-running. Runners helping runners to elevate each others performances. Very Cool! Every lap Jen was there to help fill a water bottle or hand me a piece of food. It was most helpful and all I needed to do was run hard. And I did. I’m not sure the pace, but it wasn’t slow.

I found that during the race putting my cold, ice filled water bottle next to my chest, or on my neck helped keep me
Jen at the timing table.
from getting nauseous. Red grapes, oranges and cookies powered me through the next few hours. Finally after a lot of effort I passed Phil and regained 3rd place over all. 

I tried to catch Kenji to.  He had a huge lead on me. He to was feeling the strain from battling Phil a few hour earlier. When he went down I pushed hard again. I chopped his lead down from 17 miles ahead of me to 11. But in that time 2 things happened. Phil got up from his break and Kenji was working with the other Japanese runners to keep him fueled and protected. I was waging a war on two fronts. Being pushed by Phil from behind and trying to catch Kenji from the front. I felt squeezed. In the end with about 2 hours to go, Phil wasn’t pushing to try and catch me and I wasn’t making anymore ground up on Kenji. Kenji and I were holding positions. 

I took an extended walking break and walked with Kenji. We talked for a few laps about work, family, and training.  He didn’t speak much English so it was a slow go. He showed me different types of running and shuffling techniques similar to what Phil showed me a few days earlier. It was a good conversation. 

The race against Kenji was over. And we both new it. He went and talked with Phil for awhile and I ran with another Japanese runner named Suzuki. He was in the 24 hour race on Day 6. A nice guy who had spent sometime in Philadelphia as a grad student.  We talked about various Philadelphia races including “20 in 24” which we both have run. We clicked off about 5 more miles together. It was fun to run some fast and fun miles towards the end of my race.

Its Over
After my run with Suzuki, I left the track with 2 hours to go in the race. I was mentally fried. I could have gone further maybe 470 or 472, but the push wasn’t there. I met Bill back at the RV and gathered my shower stuff. Once back on the track, I walked 2 more laps to get my 465.17 miles. David Johnson was there cheering us on and I stopped to chat with him for a moment. It was good to see him again.
Japanese Team: Kenji, Kuroda and Suzuki after the race.
Final Thoughts
Now that I have had more than a week to digest “The Dome” I found that it was an amazing experience. It taught me a lot about running. Specifically my running. I learned things that I could use in my other races and I truly understand what it means to “Endure”.  Which is much different than having endurance. 

Having patience, being disciplined, working hard in training, race preparation, and making smart decisions during a race helped me greatly with this. Most importantly, I had the ability to listen to the advice from people more experienced than myself and shape that advice into something I could use during my race. Most helpful! 

I look forward to “3 Days at the Fair” 72 hour race next May. That should be really interesting now. Thanks Alaska. It’s been Memorable. 






Race Highlights

Watching Zach Bitter run a 12:08 100 mile. Wow!!

Watching Traci Falbo destroy multiple 48 Hour records. Impressive!

Being present to see Joe Fejes race to break Stu Mittleman’s record of 577 with a  580.30. Amazing!

Seeing Yolanda Holder race walking past 400 miles. Stunning!

Watching Andrew Snope run bear foot for a new record over 136.98. On that track Tough Stuff!

Running with Bill Schultz, my friend, who banged out 340 miles for an age group record. Thanks for the help, advice and
Phil and Joe on the track.
encouragement. I wouldn’t have done this if it wasn’t for you.

Running chatting with my friend Marry Lou Corino from Canada who ran 410.17 miles. It was lots of fun. See you and Dan in New Jersey in May if not November. 

Running with John Geesler, joking with and drinking his root beer. Much appreciated.

Running with Phil McCarthy, Thanks for the running tips and stories. Great to talk with you. Good Luck at 24 Hour Nationals.

Thanks Jennifer Aradi, for the crew help and beer. Your the best!

Thanks to Martin Fryer for taping my foot and for the words of encouragement. Huge help.

Running and joking with David Johnson who is a beast of a runner and great guy. “Dave I still can’t believe those people thought we were having some kind of Flea Market or sale. What where they thinking.”

Running with all the Japanese runners. What a great experience! (Kenji, Kuroda, Suzuki)

Running with Liz Bauer. What a tough competitor. Hope you enjoy all the mountains you want to climb. 23,000 plus feet was it?

Running with Ed Ettinghausen “The Jester” Good Running with you Ed. And my names Josh not Todd like you thought from Day 4 to the end of the race. But I guess things got a bit fuzzy after Day 3.

Liz walking strong.
Thanks Mike Dobbies for all the help, support and running the numbers. Most helpful to a successful 3rd place.

And all of these other folks who I talked with many time over the week: Tony Covarrubias, Mark Mccaslin, Francesca Carmichael, Gregg Ellis, Jameelah Abdul-Rahim Mujaahid, Bob Davidson and his wife, Andy Noise, Ed Compton, Joel Gat, Israel Archuletta, Roy Pirrung and his wife, and Val Nunes.


And Lastly Thanks to Garry Cantrell (Laz) who gave me words of encouragement, help and advice.