How does one even begin to post about 100 miles of racing on your feet? Well, first off, 100 miles is a LONG ways. But doing the race in a looped format really kept me from noticing, it was like a very large and beautiful hamster wheel!
The Moab 100 is a running race comprised of 18 5.37 mile loops plus an out and back section at the end that I called the dogleg. Runners ran clockwise every odd loop and counterclockwise every even loop. This way we got to see the other racers often. This was my first attempt to race this distance. I was well trained for the race and mentally ready for what it was to dish out on me (or really what I was to dish out on myself).
I had an entourage to help me with my day. Most the 100 racers had a table set up near check-in with all their goodies, but mine had a tablecloth! It was just missing a vase with flowers. I was glad that it was so welcoming because apparently a few racers stopped by for a bite and others used my family to help them with their day. Some were there alone, that’s tough!
My parents, Troy’s parents, PIC and her family, Beth, John, Carrie, Tyler, Nicole, Keith and Anthony were all out at various times to cheer, or pace me after 8pm.
On the start line I met up with Maggie who I ran in college with (before I became a college dropout runner). Maggie was on a 24 hour team and it was cool to see her for the first time in 10 years. With a simple countdown we were off and running. The race was small and runners thinned out quickly.
I had outlined a pace chart for my support crew but I really had no idea how long a loop was going to take. I looked at previous years and I thought maybe one hour would be a good starting goal. Everything I have read about ultras seems to state that there is no negative splitting. You simply start slow and get slower. That was my goal. Well, finishing was my real goal.
I ran along easy and tried to remember Chuckie’s advise “When you do more, you ache more”. I focused on thinking “do less, do less”. The early laps are but a distant memory but my times were around :55 including my refill stop at my table. Troy was totally on his support crew game and he handled all of my nutrition flawlessly.
The fact that I ran 100 miles without puking is testament to how awesome Troy is! I had Grape EFS in my 20oz hand bottle and at lap 7 I started adding one NUUN tab to the EFS bottle as well. I had 8 packs of Justins Nut Butter, the Maple Almond variety, and maybe a total of one package of shot blocks. Besides a handful of potato chicps, 3 circus animal cookies and 3 gummy worms, that was it. EFS fueled me the entire day.
Somewhere around 30 miles I had two really bad laps. A 100 mile race is both physical and mental. Of course as I sit here battered and bruised with toes that look like sausages you would think I would say it’s a predominantly physical test. You would be wrong. Running 100 miles is about not giving up. It’s the mental game that you must win…or draw… in order to finish.
30 miles in I just didn’t feel good. I mean, 30 miles is a really long ways to run on any given day so it makes sense. You will see this on the video but all I could think about was “I have 70 miles to go”. And every time I would think that thought, I would start to cry. Can you believe it? I was not even 1/3 of the way done and I was crying. I didn’t stop running, but I was crying. Of course I came around a corner and my dad is filming. I put my head down, quite embarrassed to be crying. I came across my mom cheering, and told her I was “weepy”, and what did she do? She started crying. I can’t imagine how she felt to be out there watching me run so far, unable to change much.
The thing with these crazy ultras is EVERYTHING changes. I can’t say it enough. You can go from your lowest low to your highest high in a matter of 10 or 20 minutes. And while my low was 10 miles long, it switched and all of the sudden I felt like a rock star.
See me tossing my water bottle to Troy. For some reason I just loved to do this.
Unfortunately for all the other racers, my case of the happies turned into Singing Sonja. I have a horrible singing voice but I literally sang for 30 miles straight. I ran lap after lap singing up a storm and waving at pretty much every runner that I crossed paths with. I got a reputation on the trail for being happy and having fun, go figure, right?
One of the highlights of my day was when Cami stopped by to say good job. We read each others blogs and we have never met! She was in town for a family vacation and her and her husband drove out to be there when I finished one of my laps. I wish I could have sat down and had tea, but, alas, I had to keep running. Thank you Cami!!
I continued to expect the happies to turn into the grumpies but really, I was lucky. Things clipped along really well. With the additional mileage it was easier to get my head around the concept of completing 100 miles. When your at 50 miles, it’s easier to think “half way”. Then 60 comes and you start to feel like it’s downhill.
I had a total embarrassing moment, and I’ll tell you about it because I’m cool like that. So, you pass everyone every lap, and a few of the boys, were, well, cute. Duh, right? So, there were certain ones you sort of looked forward to. Well, on one lap where I was feeling like a rock star I passed one of them and I actually told him that it was fun to pass him every time, because he was “cute”. Me, the totally happily married woman, telling random hot runner dude he was cute. EMBARRASSING. Like three laps later he dropped out of the race. Then I just felt bad.
I had a goal to get to 12 laps by 8pm when Michelle was allowed to start pacing me. I easily hit that with like 15 minutes to spare and the race director said it was OK for PIC to start a little early with me. He was nice and chill.
So, off we went, PIC and I, trying to find a ton of little yellow glow sticks in the dark to follow. Little did I know PIC has depth perception issues and she was scared out of her mind that she was going to fall off a cliff. She covered it up well and proved to be a tttt-rific pacer. I had her for 2 laps and the second one was one of my fastest of the day. I did however loose my concentration on that lap and I stubbed both of my toes on the slick rock repeatedly. Youch!
And that fast lap was a mistake on my part. One thing I still have to learn is holding back during that late in the game energy surge that tends to happen. It’s never over until it’s over, so you need to be constantly conserving with the ultras.
Tony was my next pacer and he was like the green glowstick hunting master. I could have just followed right behind him the whole time and he would have lead the perfect path. On that last lap with him I did just that. Tony didn’t get a very peppy Sonja. I was getting tired. 4 laps seemed like not a lot to go, but it was. Tony was also with me the first time (lap 16) that I decided to walk the up hill portion. Up until that point I had pretty much been running everything except a few super steep sections (walking both up and down).
I developed this theory. During the race I was afraid to talk about it on camera because I didn’t know if it would come off as arrogant, which I don’t mean to be in any way. My little theory/mantra was “I came here to run 100 miles, not walk 100 miles”. It just really stuck in my head that this was what I was here for…to try my best at running the miles, not walking. I was here to RUN. Not fast, but run.
The second lap with Tony I walked that huge uphill. Dang, out with the plan. But I resumed running on the downhill and we kept a nice clip into the aid station.
Now Keith stepped in to pace me for the last two laps and the dog leg. Poor Keith. He was on the receiving end of a very tired, very done, and very weepy Sonja. And he was amazing. He has this way of saying “That’s fine” and “Your doing great” that I actually believed him even though at times I was walking and crying. Things got bad these last laps. And I fretted and worried about the dog leg for 10 miles.
I don’t remember much of these laps, but it was pure survival mode. When I had the energy to run we did, which happened to be most of the time. When I didn’t we walked. With 5 miles to go I told Keith “I’m done”. He said “I’m not going to let you quit” and I said “No, I’m not done that way, I’m just done running”. Then 5 minutes later, what was I doing? Running. I came here to run, not walk. That was my mantra.
There got to a point where it was bad. The thoughts in my brain were becoming one word. “Walk”, “Ouch”, and “Chair” were the main ones. Finishing that last lap I went over and checked in with the race director. I stood there and looked him in the eye and told him I still had to go do the dogleg. He said “Get it done”. I was secretly hoping he would say “That’s our joke on you, your done”.
But no, I left the comfort of my aid station for another 40 minutes to run up a huge hill that I had been up 18 times already, to TOUCH a cone and then come back down. I cried pretty much the entire way. I moaned, I wined, I sniffled, I cried, but you know, I ran. It hurt, it was ugly, but I was there to run.
After touching that cone and heading back it dawned on me that finishing was 100% going to happen. I had no choice, I had to get back to the car somehow, and the car was at the finish line. Up until that point the concept of finishing was just something I believed in, not something I knew would happen.
Keith was so awesome. He would hold my hand when it needed holding, which it did a few times. He gave me lots of positive reinforcement, and when we were 10 minutes from being done I said “Thank you”. He said “No, Thank you for letting me be part of this”. And then I cried even more.
The finish line was full of my friends who gathered around and cow belled it up to watch me cross the imaginary line between two cones at 4:58am. Just under 22 hours of racing.
I headed straight for a chair. I had been promising myself that chair for miles. As my friends and family gathered around, tired faces but huge smiles it started to sink in that I had done this thing, this task, this adventure, and I had done it my way. With hard work, and with a smile.
Sitting here dealing with the aftermath of such an endeavor, it’s crazy how at 7am on March 27th I was strong and fit and tappered. I was ready to conquer anything that came my way both physicially and mentally. Then, 24 hours later I am bruised and busted, sore and achy. I can barely walk and I cry uncontrolably when my toe touches anything. It’s amazing to me how 24 hours can change a person.
I really learned a lot about myself during this race. I learned that it’s ok to be vulnerable. To cry at mile 30 and again at mile 95. It’s ok to let what comes up, come up. Chuckie wrote some advise before the race and one that really stuck with me was “Don’t run just to finish; run to be you”. That was really the bottom line of my day. I wanted to do this race MY WAY. My way means with lots of research and lots of sound training going into it. Then, let what happens, happen, and roll with the punches. I wanted to keep my smile, help others, and make friends. Except for the poor guy I called cute, I was successful.
This race was not about 2nd overall, or 1st woman. It was about going the distance and “running to be me”.
There were people racing who were alone with no crew. I hoped that my crew helped others and it sounds like they did. My parents, Troy’s parents, all my friends, and my awesome husband Troy went above and beyond to make my day so special.
I am a little shocked that Chuckie could have trained me so well for this having never trained someone for 100 miles. He really knows his stuff. He is the endurance master, equal parts tactical and emotional. The bomb…I’m just sayin’.
Also, Thank you Trakkers, Justins, First Endurance, Saucony, Tri-Massage, TriSlide, Core Concepts, NUUN, Mix1, Nathan, and Petzl (a headlamp review coming soon).
Now, the video! Ok! The caveats: it’s 14 minutes long…so, pop some popcorn. Also, while I put together the video quickly, iMovie has been very ornery this evening and it’s taken many tries to get it uploaded. There is a glitch at the end and your just going to have to deal. It’s relatively minor, but for now, I’m not fixing it. Also, at the end it says I was 3rd overall, I was actually 2nd (oops, we just found this out). Lastly, you are going to be so excited! I have upgraded to HD! So the picture quality should be much better than pervious videos, but it may take longer to load? Enjoy!
(If you like the video, feel free to give it a “heart” on Vimeo)
Moab 100 from sonjawieck on Vimeo.
This video is my perspective of my first 100 mile run race. It took place March 27/28th of 2010. The course was on the Upper Monitor and Merimack trails outside of Moab Utah. It entailed 18 loops of a 5.4 mile course, plus an out and back section at then end.
I got to this blog via a RT from Twitter. I enjoyed reading the excellent review of your 100 mile race. Congratulations!
seriously so inspiring.
Inspiration!!
You had me cheering and crying as I read your race recap. Congratulations on your awesome achievement! Very inspirational!
I just recently found your blog and this was a great read. Amazing, really. And I’m so impressed with your team, too. Sounds like your “hard work and a smile” doesn’t just push you, but also attracts the perfect kind of supporters
You are amaizing. Great race report and photos. Your accomplishments, hard work, and positive attitude are such an inspiration. Congrats!
Sonja, I was teary-eyed reading the race report, but the video sent me over the edge. I’m so proud of you – you did AWESOME – and that word pales to the word I can’t come up with right now that is fitting. I have an ultra on my bucket list, and will return to this post/video for inspiration. Can’t wait to meet you at the Rev3 races this summer!
Seriously! Your strength and spirit help me right now as I struggle thru a health challenge and changes in my life. I feel a little direction-less these days but like you, I have a support Team
and with inspiration, support, and my will (’cause I know it’s there, just hiding a bit) I will get thru. Congrats on your run! I sing while I run too 
Congrats on a great race and thanks so much for inspiring me!
Wow Sonja. What an amazing experience you’ve shared. I was particularly touched by your share of emotion and struggle with your thoughts. I am not surprised by your endeavor, you’ve always excelled in my mind. But I am so deeply happy for you for chasing down this dream and having the INCREDIBLE support from your family. Can I borrow them??
Congrats friend.
Hey,
I was the guy with the orange shirt on all day & that was my 5th 100 miler & you Totally Rocked the run, I told you that at about lap 9 or 10 when you passed me & all day long I tried to catch you. Well my day ended at 70 miles with stomach issues but I am glad you continued to rock the course & finish the way you did. I read your blog before the race & you are an inspiration to all of us. I just couldn’t believe a “ironwomen” came to a 100 mile run & kicked our butts. That just shows your determination & you have another fan in me, well once again congrats hopefully recovery is going good & good luck too you in your future challenges,
Peace Stephen!
Castle Rock, Co!
To say that I laughed, I cried is an understatement! I’ll just say that I am so proud to be on a team with such an amazing gal!
Congratulations on a great dream that you brought to life. (it’s the 1st time I got weepy reading a blog.)
awesome job! So wish we could have made it out to help with support crew. It’s great getting to see you chase your dreams and occasionally partake.
You do an extraordinary job of changing perception of what is remotely possible by “someone” to holy cow, it is actually possible as I know someone doing that!
amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I just got teary reading this! I’ve been following your blog for a little while (and won the Ritter Sport chocolate as a reward) and have been looking forward to hearing about the race since it happened! I’m living vicariously through you. Seriously, what an accomplishment. And second place!!! In your first ultra!! Don’t sell yourself short- that’s frickin amazing.
Great job and a terrific race report. I loved Chuckie’s comments on how you felt after the race…
CONGRATULATIONS!! You are amazing! How incredible! And on your 1st 100 miler…you rock!
Congratz again, awesome report!!
Wow, great race and great report! So motivational. Thank you and CONGRATS!
simply amazing
LOVED the race report and the video!
I love that you don’t just dream big, you dream HUGE!!! And then you kick ass making them come true! Great job, Sonja!!
Ok. Loved this post and your video! I laughed and cried like everyone else. I love, love, love your singing!! That was totally awesome! I loved how you also documented your lows. I think we all can relate to feeling those kind of lows in whatever is a long distance to us. It showed that you just keep going, you just keep pushing and come out on the other side. I also loved your ‘light bulb’ moment when you said that you can do whatever you want, you just have to decide to do it– decide how you’re going to do it. I loved that!
Anyway, it was FABULOUS to meet you. What a treat for me. Your mom, Troy and Keith were all so awesome and kind as we chatted and waited for you to come through. Thanks for the inspiration. Really, you are awesome! I can’t believe you ran 100 miles!!!!!!!! And 2nd overall! Wow! How incredible. Great things are in store for you, my friend.
XOXO
Sonja, amazing job! Sounds like I was not the only one that was crying and laughing for most of the video. Your determination and will is such an inspiration. But the love you have around you and the appreciation you show is also very special….BTW You’ve got a smile that can light up a whole town!!!
Sonja, you are an amazing person! Your determination is inspiring. Congratulations!
Oh my! Thanks for sharing your emotions and accomplishment with us. I was teary-eyed right along with you–both remembering my own emotional highs/lows during 100s and celebrating your amazing accomplishment. Rest, recover and revel in joy!
We just loved following your mom’s tweets and now your dad’s pics and your blog. Gosh tears. Not our Sonja. Great job!!!! We sure are proud. Now the video and singing?
What an amazing 100 mile journey! Go Team Sonja. You are an awesome inspiration to so many. Congratulations!
Wow, girl, seriously you are amazing and such an inspiration to me! I’ve only been recently following your blog but I LOVE it and the kind of optimistic person you are! Your Moab 100 recap and video make me want to run an ultra (maybe I’ll just start with a 50k first…haha). I live in CO, too, so maybe one day we’ll be at the same race! Keep being awesome and inspirational! Fondly,
~Erin
Very, very cool Sonja..a big congrats!
Well, add me to the crying list. I am so, so proud of you. Congrats on the amazing experience. I’m sending healing love to those toes!
Nice work, chica! Nothing quite like running to the point of exhaustion … and beyond. Hope the recovery is going well.
One word. Inspirational! Congratulations on executing a (nearly) perfect race (cute guy excluded)! I am so proud to call you a teammate!
You are amazing. I just wish I had a another glass momento for you! The way you and Tony and all your team mates support each other is as great as the things you accomplish. Congratulations. (I LOVE the singing.)
We loved getting to come and see you accomplish your goals! Of course I’m going to cry with my baby! She hurts!
Luv u tons! You are a stud woman!!
Wow! You are incredible. Reading your blog and seeing the video were the next best thing to actually being there at the race with you. You took us on a trip through all of the emotions and physical feelings that you experienced. Thank you for sharing all of them. Congratulations to Troy and all the rest of your support group. Loads of love.
AMAZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am very curious to see how long it takes to stop being sore.
Great job Sonja!
Dude, you made me cry with that video. It reminded me of how I felt finishing Ironman for the first time years ago – and now you make me want to run an ultra!
Congratulations, super woman!
Awesome. Amazing. Inspiring. I’d say more, but I’m running out of superlatives.
You just keep on doing more and more “crazy” and unbelievably awesome things, and doing them with style. 100 miles. I’m still shaking my head with how far that is and how fast you ran it!!! I’m proud to call you my friend. Thanks for taking all of us along for the ride.
“Dance like no one is watching. Sing like no one is listening. Love like you’ve never been hurt and live like it’s heaven on Earth.” – Mark TwainÂ
Congratulations. I am overwhelmed with your accomplishment. It is so crazy that you are out there running 100 miles and you are connecting and inspiring and taking care of others on the way. You know you are a one-of-a-kind gem in this world. Thanks
Congrats Son! Can’t believe you’re coherent enough to write after something like that…I think I would be in a coma. Way to go! Imagine how short an Ironman will be? Maybe someday I’ll ride my bike 100 miles…hahaha Nice goin
I echo several of our Trakkers Teammates when I tell you I am so proud to be on a team with such an amazing woman. You are an inspiration to the rest of us. I can’t wait to meet you at the Rev3 events!
S, awesome report and video. Congratulations, unbelievable feat. I felt like I was their with you. Love your smile.
S, thank you for sharing, i am new to running and its people like you that give me courage to keep on , keeping on!
rock on Sonja!
So, so amazing, Sonja! I second (and third and fourth) so much of what’s been said. Such an incredible feat! I love that you documented some of your low and it made me want to cry and go give you a hug. I wanted to cheer when you were singing. You’re definitely an inspiration.
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Incredible! I love the video. It makes it so real. You are honest, determined, and I never had a doubt you would finish and well. It’s not your style not to.
Well done, great write up!
You are absolutely amazing and inspirational! saw your video on facebook thanks too goalo You now have another fan You are #1 in my book !
Okay. I try to keep it pretty clean on the internet, but this calls for breaking from those rules.
Holy. Fucking. Shit.
I finally sat down and watched the whole video. It even made my eyes a little drippy at a few points.
Don’t ever stop being you, Sonja.
I was so inspired everytime I saw you. I don’t know how you kept your smile on your face.
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