Why I picked this race?
I became interested in the race when I did Burning River 100 in Ohio. It is part of the Midwest Grand Slam 100, which consists of the Mohican, Kettle Moraine, Burning River, Indiana Trail, and Halucination. I had thought hard to do the midwest slam this year or even last year. However, I already have plenty of races.
And I was asked why another race. It is mostly for a bragging right. So I thought long and hard and decided to do it in piecemeal.
Caroline ran the Kettle many years ago and told me they gave out tea kettles upon completion. I wanted a little tea kettle too. It might be just that year. I thought Kettle Moraine was a type of tea. And I was intrigued. Kettle Moraine is a geological feature of that area created by ice sheets during the gracier period. Kettles are the dips or lake and moraines are ridges.
I was also fastinated by the octopus-like lightning storms she mentioned during her year. I think they are common in the area. I’ve heard the vast open fields. I have never run under lightning before. All day running. It sounded like fun. I got to see lightnings during my run.
A bonus, I found out much much later that we would run on the Ice Age Trail, which is a famous trail in that area (like the AT to us in the east coast).
Those were my why. My final one was my bib number was my mom’s birthday. I wanted to finish to say I ran with such lucky number.
Lottery:
About luck, I needed some to get in. Because it was one of the older trail 100 races, there are quite a bit interest from around the country from those who wanted to run it. So this year they implemented there was a lottery system to get in.
For past few years, I have been successful in getting a bib for lottery races like Vermont and Western States.
I was banking on my luck I could get a ticket. In January, I put my name in. Lo and behold, I got picked (for both, Vermont and Kettle). They are not related, but I felt pretty lucky and thrilled.
Training:
I am not too proud of my training last six months leading up to this. I slept in too many mornings and got too much to do at night. Excuses I know. Life never gives much of a break. Weekends were usually packed with other things than running. There were runs but not the type that is gear toward doing a 100 miler. For one, I have been going to church more frequently and that they take up a big portion of the morning on a Sunday (even though the service is only about an hour). Afterward, there is usually a meal time and the hot lazy afternoon and before long it would be dinner time and bed. Even on days, I squeezed my running in, I could usually stayed out for a hour or so. I lacked the long all day running I used to do.
My most productive run for a given week is usually on Monday mornings at a local park before going to work. It is usually just 3-4 miles for an hour, but the trail gave me a good workout.
So ready or not, the race weekend arrived and we made plans of getting to Milwaukee, Wiscousin to run this Kettle.
Preps/Travels
Pace charts/aid station charts were provided by the race. I just twerked them a bit for my own needs. Aid stations were plenty. I counted like 27 of them, one at every 3-4 miles. A few were farther apart maybe 5-6 miles, but most were quite closed and it could get by with a handheld bottle. I used both my hydration vest/pack and a bottle just because I did not want to stop too frequently.
We flew from DCA to MKE two days prior the race just to be sure we got plenty of time for bib pickup and for friends and relatives we were going to see. Everything were smooth sailing. MKE is a smaller airport. Car rental is right at the airport and everything were done relatively quick. We got our car and drove about two hours first to Waupaca.
Side Trips: At Waupaca, we had lunch at Dink Dock and took a lake cruise around their many lakes on the boat called the Chief for $20. Unfortunately the storm interrupted the ride, we were given vouchers for a future ride. People, and businesses were exceptional friendly. I noticed that while running there.
The next day we went back down to Milwaukee to have lunch with a friend, and then we drove out to Nordic Trail at Legrande for the bib pick up and photo (pre race mug shot). We then stayed the evening in Whitewater, a nearby town. Whitewater is the recommended place to stay for the race. There’s no camping out. There’s a campsite at the north turn around point, but hotel is usually the perferred housing.
The race does not start until 6 am, which I like, rather than the typically 4-5 am for 100 milers. I had some time to stop by Walmart the night prior to stock up my drop bags but unfortunately I ended up not using much of what I brought because I was running too slow to stop at an aid station. We will get to that.
The race:
Parking was fine. The lot was open just for the 100 milers only. We arrived quite early like 4:45 or 5 am. Many cars were already there. We might have set the alarm for 3:30. I was as ready as I could be. I turned in my two drop bags, one for Nordic and one for HWY 12. Nordic (also the start and finish) to me is like a halfway point mile 64 and Hwy 12 is around 78 and 86.
The course is two different out-and-backs, north and then south. So most aid stations and drop bag stations we would come across them twice.
The first half (64 miles) we did the first out and back (plus a little lollipop loop). I was pretty sure I could reach at least 50 miles. My goal was at least get a 50 mile. But the final 38 miles, I had my doubt if I could make the cut offs. I told friends and family I would try to pull every trick in my bag to have it done.
We had a beautiful sunrise, first day. The day (morning) was mild around 65F plus a some humidity but I am used to it being from Washington DC area. For locals, they were saying it was exceptionally hot and mucky.
The first way out was uneventful. About 200 of us ran out. I ran at my best pace of 15-16 min-mile pace. The grass and rolling hills made it hard to pick up the pace.
I made some friends (several ones all called Tom) around my pace then I locked in to focus to have as many miles under me as possible.
I had the pace chart and mile aid station memorized. Always, going out was easier. I got the first five miles done in about an hour, which put me running at 12-13 min mile pace. The trail was not particular hard, rather, it was wide open, with gentle rolling hills. This section called the Nordic would come to bite me in the end. A camera person was there taking our pictures.
I believe I did not stop at the first two aid stations. I thanked the volunteers and then moved on.
By noon, it was warmer. Aid stations started having an ice bucket around. I took ice bath/shower. Not that I really need them but having the cold water running down my back was quite a refresher. That was the best time I had, thinking back.
My goal was to get to McMiller. That was like a third of the way in. It was also a crewed aid station and drop bag. I did not have a drop bag there but Caroline who was doing the 100k did, and I was thinking of smooching off her stuff because she packed a lot of fruit cups the night before.
When I arrived at McMiller, the place was too busy. I liked the cheering and all, but I could not stay because it was like a carnival. I pushed on to Hwy 67 and Scubbernong.
By then, I had a steady running friend, Tom Clancy. He has done the race last year and so he was showing me the place, like what a Moraine is and what a Kettle. Kettles are bogs or swamps and Moraine are hills, so Kettle Moraine means hills and valleys, 100 miles of them of heaven and hell (the slogan of the shirt I was wearing that day from Wasatch).
I ran at my own pace and so did Tom but we always ended back together at an aid station. We were aware how heat and the hilly trail were affecting us. Many around us were already expressing that they would drop once they get back at Nordic. The race allowed downgrading halfway through and still receive a 100k buckle. I was tempted as well.
I told Tom I might too drop at mile 64 on the way back. Tom had pretty much made up his mind. I tried not to hang around him too much to get suck into his pace. Tom eventually pulled ahead of me and was gone by the time I headed back to the Bluff, mile 56. Later, I found out he had 30 minutes plus on me and I eas jealous. You see, that was my target time arriving for Nordic and I was 30 minutes slower and it did come to bite me.
Evening settled in. The night was cooler. I caught up with the 50k runners. I passed some 100k runners too including Caroline. She was still on her outbound, so I knew she was a bit behind cutoff.
My aim was to get to mile 64 before midnight. My pace has slowed down a lot by then. I basically death walking the last 8 miles. I got back to Nordic at 11:57 pm. I knew I was behind pace but was still in the game. The cutoff at Nordic was 12:25 am. Volunteered helped me find my drop bag and I got a cup of soup. From my drop bag, I picked up a new head lamp since the one I had on was going dim. All in all, this took 8 minutes. I left the aid station at 12:05.
Some runner had dropped and there was a pacer ready to pace. I did not plan to have a pacer, but since one was offered, I gladly took. At the time, I thought I was the Dead Last runner (DFL). There were still a bunch of 100 milers behind me, but many chose not to go back out, a few did and would later caught up to me.
Jennifer, volunteered to pace me. I told her, likely, I might not make it and morning was the farthest I could go. The cutoffs were getting tighter, and if we get cut or I gave up at an aid station, she would have to arrange her ride back. She was fine with that. All she wanted was a night run (walk), since she was training for a 200 miler. I was just hoping to reach the turn around point by morning before the cutoff.
My pace was mostly a walking pace. And I ran when I could on the downhills. It took us two and half hour to get back to the Bluff. Jennifer did not rush the pace, and she did what she could to remind me to drink, eat, run, and helped with some of things at the aid stations. By the time I got to Bluff, the blisters on my feet were getting worse, so I decided to pop them then. A volunteer gave me a blister band-aid. I placed it over it after draining out all the fluid. This probably saved my race.
I found the reason I had blisters was the sock I was wearing had a hole and all the sand are going in from there. I didn’t have an extra sock to change to until Hwy 12, where I had my drop bag. So, only goal now was to get to Hwy 12 to change socks.
The blister popping thing took a whole lot time. I lost maybe 10 minutes. Plus, my muscle had cooled down so it was hard to start moving again.
Duffin was only about 2 miles away, but because I had sat down, it took nearly an hour to get there. I lost in total 30 minutes and this was crucial, a time that I could not make up. In the end, I missed the race cutoff by 35 minutes. Another way of giving up a race.
At the time, I placed my hope that I would be running faster once day light comes. True, I did move a bit faster at day break, but it was not enough.
After Duffin, we entered back onto the Ice Age Trail to Hwy 12. The time was around 3:30 AM now, the next aid station is 4.3 ish mile away. I knew I need to reach there by 4:30. At the time, 5 other runners had passed me. It was both thrilling to know there were runners behind me as well as disappointment, that I was moving too slow. We were all pushing to make the cutoff, so being slower, means the chance of making it was decreasing. It was then I tried pushing more effort to keep up with other runners.
Eventually, we caught up to three runners. We stucked to them. Joe (not his real name) decided to stay with us, since he did not have a pacer. He stuck with us until Rice Lake aid station.
Jennifer encouraged me to try passing two other runners in front of us. She said, we had to get to hwy 12 before 5 am. The station seeemed to be forever far away.
We did reach it around 4:57 (I think). Kuddo to her for getting me on track.
I went in and went out. Our friend Joe was doing something that took mych time and so he stayed a bit longer. I used the potty and then headed back out.
My legs were cooled off again and I found it was difficult to move again. The next two miles were mostly uphill. Joe was stronger and soon pressed ahead. Jennifer stayed with me. At first I thought she might prefer to pace Joe over me.
Then she asked me to take some gels and caffiene pills. I did and in no time, about 20 minutes later, I was surging back and caught up with Joe. Since now is any body game. I left Joe behind and continued to run forward. I believed Jennifer went behind to see what she could do to help Joe. Joe refused her help. So we continue climbing up to Rice Lake. We saw many runners returning from Rice Lake. Our time to be there was cutting very close, so at the final mile before getting there, I broke out to my full sprint hoping would make the cut. I entered the station at 6:27, just made it. Little in-the-know tip, Kettle’s aid station captain there later allowed even several other runners who missed the cutoff to continue and they did make it to the finish on time. Kettle aidstation closing time was on an even split pace. It is a dangerous game to bank on the mercy of the aid station caption though.
And so, it was now 18 miles remaining. 10 ish miles to get back to Bluff and 8 ish mile from Bluff to the finish. We had 5.5 hours to do it. On paper it was possible. But doing it was another matter. On the way out, it has taken us nearly 6.5 hours, so I know it is a tough run to cut down an hour for the way back.
We soon saw Joe came in to Rice Lake. He was about 5 minutes behind. However, he had decided to quit. I believe his bruised toenail was bothering him, plus his wife was there.
We too saw a female runner, she did make the cutoff by 1 minute, but she too called it a day. After me, I believe there was a runner who came in after 6:30, but later caught up to us at the Bluff and went on to finish on time. So in theory, it is possible to still make it back.
Now going back to the Bluff was very lonely since, I was the last runner. We tried to make it back to Duffin. On our way back we caught up to a young runner, however, the dude seemed done. Little did we know, he was the 17 year old runner who later surged back to life and also finished under 30 hours.
We had to reach Bluff by 10 am. My goal was to get there by 9:30. I knew if I get there by 9:30, I could finish. I arrived at 10:03 according to the aid station splits. I thought that would be it and I would be cut, however, the volunteers there cleared me to continue. Caroline was there to cheer me on.
After Bluff, we had Tamarack aid station at mile 95. I was still in the game is I could get there by 10:30 ish.
However, my body was shutdown after getting the Bluff. The 2.8 miles to Tamarack took over an hour. 3-4 runners then passed me. Until then, I thought I was the last runner. They all made it to the finish in time. I had nothing left. From Tamarack to the finish, we had to one hour to do 4.8 miles. I kept thinking of past event like the MMT 100, where I have seen runners made it (Caroline and Randy, etc, they all hustled to make cutoff at the final few miles and I was wondering how they could do it).
The trail was getting easier, but there were still a lot of small hills. I lost all the energy and was not able to climb hills or even run the down hills.
And so, that 4.8 miles took me 1.5 hours. I stopped checking my watch, knowing it was impossible to run to the finish in time to be under 30 hours. I was hoping maybe I could get a 100k buckle. Slowly I made it to the finish.
There were some still volunteers there. I received a great cheer as I climbed up the final hill. I was handed the 100 mile buckle. I didn’t care any more. A finish is a finish thought if it were unofficial. Later, we checked the results, I was included as a finisher. For that, I am more than glad.
So…lessons learned…
In every way, the race has gone smoothly for me. There was storms forecasted, but it did not come. We saw some lightning in the distance but never near us. My feet were in ok condition minus the blisters. The pain was mostly manageable until I got back to the hotel.
I was asked, which one was my best 100. I don’t have one. They are all different. I like the ones I could finish. I like the most recent one as well as my very first one. I think, it was more the journey than the destination itself. I did reach the finish. I was happy about that.
Motivation/motive was a big thing. I was asked, why did I pick Kettle Moraine. There is no easy answer. We beat up our body. We endure a night without sleep. We brave the storm. It is more than the buckle itself. To me it is a journey to do hard thing. Then, I did it with people who happened to be around. I was grateful for Tom to be my early companion. Though I wished he had stuck with me to the end, but everyone had their own plan. Then there was Joe, he too could have made it, but he said his toe was really hurting. I was beyond grateful for my pacer, Jennifer, she was one of the pacers I had in many 100s I did. Who would have thought, when I needed the extra push, there was readily a good pacer who would stick to the end.
She did everything correctly. We ran a negative split, which was really hard for a 100 miler. Unfortunately, it was not enough. For a long time, I could not get over that it was not enough. Then I realized, I should be so thankful, I did a negative split at the hour I needed the most. And grateful for all things. In the end, it was memories, treasured memories for rest of my life.
This for the month of June. I also ran Highland Sky the week after Kettle, I might or might not get to that race report.
In awe 
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