2022 Rocky Raccoon 100 Race Report
I completed the Rocky Raccoon 100 mile foot race last weekend. Wow, what an experience. My final time was 21 hours and 49 minutes. I beat my goal of 24 hours. I also came in 41st place out of 336 runners. I’m going to discuss the course details, race strategy, lap by lap breakdown, post race recovery, biggest takeaways, and my gratitude to those who were a part of this.
Course Details
The race took place in Huntsville State Park, TX from February 5th to February 6th. The course was 100 miles, composed of five 20 mile loops. This format was helpful for my crew and supporters because they would be able to see me five times and not have to move or chase me around the park. There were also four aid stations every 4-6 miles providing drinks and food.
The course is relatively flat with some gentle rolling hills that create an elevation gain of about 4,000 feet over the course of 100 miles. (My watch says 7,300 elevation gain, but I think that’s way too high). What made this course difficult was the terrain. Yes, there are some rocks as hinted in the name, but there are a lot of roots that will pull you down to the ground or try to break your ankle, especially at night.
I was expecting the course to be very muddy because it was raining for about three days straight just before the race. Much to my surprise, the trails were not so bad. The weather was sunny but unusually cold. When I started my race Saturday morning, the temperature was in the mid to upper 20s. It warmed back up to 50 degrees by the afternoon, but then dropped to the lower 30s by night time. However, training in NY prepared me for this.
Race Strategy
Anything can happen during a 100 mile race. I still went in with a plan aiming for a sub 24 hour finish. It’s written on that piece of paper above (please excuse the language). Each lap was broken down into the following splits:
Lap 1 (mile 1-20) - 8 min run and 2 min walk;
Lap 2 (mile 21-40) - 7.5 min run and 2.5 min walk;
Lap 3 (mile 41-60) - 7 min run and 3 min walk;
Lap 4 (mile 61-80) - 5 min run and 5 min walk and Rachel will pace;
Lap 5 (mile 81-100) - 3 min run and 7 min walk.
Mental strategy is also a huge component of the race. I broke the race down into laps. I broke the laps down into aid stations segments (there were four spread throughout the course). Lastly, I broke down the aid station segments into run/walk intervals. This helped me stay busy and focused since I had short achievable goals. I NEVER thought to myself, “Oh man, I still have 70 more miles to go.” That just messes with the mind.
Lap One
I started the race at 7:30 AM on Saturday morning. The main goal of this lap was to learn the trail and not to make any wrong turns. I ran into a few people going the wrong way, which was an easy mistake to make. I made note of the huge fallen pine tree that I climbed over five times, the icy boardwalk that hovered over a bog, and the heavily rooted parts of the trail.
During the first lap I stuck with my 8 min run and 2 min walk for the most part. However, I realized that I was going too fast when I saw my heart rate spike up into the anaerobic zone. I slowed down to pace myself. I had a long day ahead of me and did not want to burn out early.
In the last 5 miles of the first lap I started talking to another runner named Jake. We were going about the same pace so we just kept running and talking. We ended up finishing the race together. And yeah, he was running in sandals.
My projected time for this lap was 4 hours. I completed this lap in 3 hours and 42 minutes.
Lap Two
I started lap two around 11:20 AM. The second lap was all about finding my rhythm on the trail and maintaining my 7.5 minute run and 2.5 minute walk split. The temperature started to go up so that was the highlight of this lap. I kept running with Jake, who kept great conversation.
My projected time for this lap was 4 hours. I completed this lap in 4 hours and 9 minutes.
Lap Three
I started lap three around 3:30 PM. I think this was one of the toughest laps because I knew I would be running up to 60 miles, which is unknown territory for me. Jake and I maintained a 7 min run and 3 min walk, which was taking a toll on my body. For the first time, I felt low on energy. Jake was holding up well running in his sandals, but he was also showing signs of fatigue.
Towards the end of that lap, the day turned into night and we pulled out our headlamps. The temperature dropped and a heavy fog set in making it feel even colder. What kept me going during the second half of this lap was knowing that Rachel would be pacing me for the next lap (i.e. mile 61-80).
My projected time for this lap was 4.5 hours. I completed this lap in 4 hours and 27 minutes.
Lap Four
I started lap four around 8:00 PM. I knew this is when it would get hard. This is when the race really started for me. We were supposed to do a 5 minute run and 5 minute walk split. However, Jake and I felt pretty good so we decided to do a 6 minute run and 4 minute walk.
Rachel did a great job pacing us. Jake and I had to work hard to keep up with her. I wanted her to pace me during the fourth lap because it can be the hardest lap mentally (you are exhausted but still have one more lap to go).
Overall, I was feeling really good during this lap. I took a caffeine gel and ibuprofen, which helped me feel energized and pain free! I’m glad I saved those two for this lap and did not consume them earlier.
My projected time for this lap was 5.5 hours. I completed this lap in 4 hours and 48 minutes. Big win!
Lap Five
I started the last lap around 12:40 PM. This was it. I knew I would be in pain this whole last lap. I was ready for it. The original plan was to do a 3 minute run and 7 minute walk. We scrapped that idea because we were feeling good and ready to tackle this lap with everything we had left in us. We decided to do a 6 minute run and 4 minute walk.
Each step hurt. The top of my right foot towards my ankle started to feel some higher levels of pain. My hips and knees were fine, but they were heavy and tired. Transitioning from a walk to run was brutally painful. We could hear our moans of pain echoing through the woods every time we had to start a new run interval. Remember those roots I mentioned earlier? I tripped over them a few times, but I didn’t fall. But catching myself made my whole body tighten up with great pain. At that point falling down may have felt better.
Believe it or not, we were in great shape for being in the last lap. A lot of other runners were very supportive with encouraging cheers and compliments. We passed a lot of other people who were banged up. They were stumbling along the trail all alone in the freezing cold. Some people were limping. Other people were getting dizzy with the running. We also saw a guy wrapped in survival blankets at an aid station who was fighting hypothermia. About 41% of the runners did not finish. As runners facing the same goal of crossing that finish line, we do what we can to support each other out there, even if it’s just a simple, “Keep going strong.”
Jake and I continued to give it our all in that last lap. For the last 6 miles we changed it to a 7 minute run and 3 minute walk. By this point we were so pumped to finish with a great time. The last mile we were all smiles.
My projected time for this lap was 5.5 hours. I completed this lap in 4 hours and 41 minutes. THIS WAS FASTER THAN MY FOURTH LAP!
You can see a video of me coming in after each lap here.
Post Race Recovery
As I was finishing my last lap, I texted Rachel to pack the car so we can leave right after I crossed the finish the line. I was able to walk and run, but my feet were hurting and I knew the next 48 hours of recovery would be tough.
I finished the race at 5:20 am on Sunday. I got back to home base and assessed the damage. No blisters at all, almost no chaffing, no missing toenails, no cuts or bruises, and no gastrointestinal issues. I was very surprised! I did have some tightness in the lower back. The biggest damage done was to my anterior tibial tendon on my right foot. It was nagging me since the end of the third lap and was holding on by a thread in the last lap. A few days later it felt much better.
After my race, I could not sleep because my legs were aching and my sleep schedule was completely thrown off. I kept my legs moving so I wouldn’t stiffen up. During the day on Sunday, I had the great company of Rachel’s Texas family, who fed me some great Tex-Mex. My body was craving protein so that hit the spot. I also had some bourbon to ease the pain.
I woke up on Monday with swollen feet. This has never happened to me so I found it a little humorous. I put my feet in an ice bath, elevated them, put on compression socks, and rested them for the most part. The swelling was gone by the next day.
Biggest Takeaways
I learned so much about ultra running and my capabilities during this run. There are three big takeaways from the Rocky Raccoon 100.
Training Matters
If you have been following me over the past year, then you saw how much effort I put into my training. I ran in blistering heat, sub zero wind chills, snow, pouring rain, road, trail, beach… you name it. Cranking out 70 mile weeks helped prepare my body for the amount of impact it was going to absorb during the Rocky Raccoon. But, running in different environments and conditions prepared my mind to handle whatever was thrown at me on race day. I have decent endurance, but versatility is definitely my strength. This came in handy with these unusually low race day temperatures. Training matters. The harder you train, the easier race day will be.
No Trail Is Long With Good Company
I was planning to run this race alone, but I was so happy I ran into Jake in the last 6 miles of the first lap. We started talking and had a few hydration drinks together. One thing led to another and before we knew it, we were finishing the race together.
In addition to great conversation, Jake brought great knowledge and experience since he has done a few 100 milers before. He held the pace for the whole last lap and helped us reach the finish line with great times. I guess it’s true when they say, “Pain shared is pain lessened.”
Keep Stress Low Close to Race Day
January was incredibly busy with good things, but good things can also be stressful. My personal training schedule was booked to capacity and my sleep was taking a bit of a hit. Rachel and I also decided to move apartments. Luckily, it was in the same building, but it still was a process and it did take time. Lastly, about mid-January I got engaged. Managing these things while trying to focus on the race was not ideal. If I could do it again, I would try to find ways to reduce stress. But at the same time, this is life. Things will pop up and I will have to learn to deal with it.
A Big Thank You
These sort of achievements are not done alone. I have so many people to thank for helping me complete this race.
Rachel - She dealt with my early morning runs, my early night bed times, and my bitching and whining all throughout my training. She was there when I ran my first 5 mile run and she was there when I finished my first 50 mile run. She was worried about this 100 miler, but she still supported me all the way. She was there at the beginning of the race and she was there when I crossed the finish line. That’s about 22 hours in the cold! She even paced me during the fourth lap at night! She is my number one supporter and I could not do what I do without her.
J Crew and Supporters - A big thank you to Mr. and Mrs. Johnson for their great crewing at my races. And thank you to all those who came out to cheer with signs and positive energy. It’s always a great feeling to go to your crew aid station and see familiar faces. An extra big thank you to Mrs. Garrett for providing the housing and great Texas hospitality.
Family and friends - I had a lot of family and friends following my progress back at home. I received so many messages before, during, and after my race. Those messages put a smile on my face and helped me complete my goal.
Elizabeth - She coached me during my last month of training to help me get to the best possible condition at that starting line. I really enjoyed working with her. If she got me feeling this good in just one month, I can’t imagine how I great I would feel after a full training block. I guess we’ll see for my next ultra!
Jake - Brother, we shared some laughs, pains, and everything in between. Thanks for being great company during my first 100 miler.
You - yeah, you. If you are reading this through my newsletter or social media account, then I want to thank you for following along and helping me stay accountable. Each like, comment, or message means a lot to me. It helps me keep going. And in return, I hope I can provide some small bit of inspiration to do something that once seemed undoable.
Tejas Trails & Volunteers - And finally, a big thank you to Tejas Trails for putting on a great race and the volunteers, who stayed up throughout the night to provide us with food, drinks, comfort, and good vibes.