Devil Dog 100 is so good, I could not stay away again. See last year (report2022). I ran a 50K in 2020, then a 100k the following year, and a 100 miler last year. I came back for a repeat. This race took place in the first weekend of December. A good hard race to cap the year.
At least that was what I was thinking when I saw the registration open. I don’t dredge this race, since I did it last year. But some previous unpleasant memories from the 100k and 50k, put a bit of fear in me. And as the race day approached, I was asking myself why on earth did I sign this up again.
First, I do not enjoy running in the cold very much, at least not for straight 32 hours. Second, we usually get rained on. Again this year, rain came whole night for at least 8 hours, heavy at times. Third it is a loop course. Granted there are benefits of getting back the same place every few hours, which make having supporting easy (aid station, etc), but the repetitiveness is something only certain people enjoy. I sometimes do like turning mindlessly and rumbling through. Often, I much prefer having variety more than to do loops over and over.
There were probably a few more reason why I prefer some other race than this. Maybe it was the transportation of getting to the race, or the duration of a 100 miler. I also hated the course – nothing really wrong with it but the rocky gravel road on a portion of the course hurts my feet after long hours on it. Enough said.
If I hate it so much why did I sign up? It was a spur of the moment. I wanted to do a 100K since I haven’t able to finish it on this course. The year (2021) I DNF’d it still causes a hard feeling. They give out a special award for first 100K ever. I don’t know what the reward is but I covet it. When I get to the signup page, I saw the 100 miler, I said, for two more loops, I could finish a 100, why on earth do I want a 100K. I figured at the time those two extra loops should not take too long to do, so as always, I went for the longest distance, I did and signed up for a 100, simply as that.
Second reason was probably my ego. Last year, I finished it in 31 hours, and I felt I could have done way better. This may be the truer reason. But guess what! I finished even slower than last year coming in 31:45! I will explain it in a bit.
Last year, the Devil Dog was only my 3rd 100. I failed at MMT 100 last year, but finished Rim to River 100 (2021) and Rocky Raccoon 100 year prior (2021). Devil Dog was a redemption race for the failed MMT attempt and the DNF’d of the 100k version in 2021. I was very happy to finally finish it. It was the only hundred I did that year (2022).
Enter this year, 2023. I ran MMT 100 successfully. A big part was probably the things I learned from the Devil Dog. I also ran Blackbeard Revenge 100 in March, which was an easier race. I did DNF’d at Iron Mountain again. Plus the Burning River 100 in Ohio. Plus, I DNF’d at Grindstone 100 in the fall (though, I don’t think it was my ability that I did not finish, I chose not to run that hard to stay with a friend). So came Devil Dog, with many 100s under my belt (at least three) as preparation. I was certainly well prepared for this race. I did not carry as much mental baggages entering in as last year.
The tips I wrote to myself two years ago and last year were already ingrained in me. Aid stations – use them, drop bags, use them all. Being efficient – sure, if I don’t need to stop at an aid station, I won’t stop, if I do stop, get back out as soon as possible, and stay no more than 5 mins. One of a very good tip is not to change your shoes or socks if you don’t have to – if you do, try only do it for one foot, like one sock instead of both feet. Usually, it is only one foot that is acting up. This saves so much time! Instance 50% improvement!
I also have a crew this time as well, a very good crew. I met a guy called Wayne at MMT 100 and at Old Dominion 100. He came to help me at Grindstone too. We have developed a bond. He is even crazier than me in running as many hard races as he can. He also paced me during the evening hour until to the finish. He set up his own private table with buns and congee (rice portridge) and other stuff at the start/finish aid station (Remi). So when I came in, I have everything I need within arm reach. He had two chairs setup. Yes, they say avoid the chair. Then he paced me in the evening hour from 5 pm to the finish, about 18-19 hours for over 100k. He is a unicorn! I was so happy to have such a friend.
I did it almost like last year. I slept in one of the cabins like last year, bunking with the course #2 finisher, I didn’t know at the time, but it was just like last year, I met some super fast people the night before the race. The guy I bunked with last year also finish like in the top 5.
Anyway, I went to bed around 8, and was pretty much up by 2 am. I tried to sleep until 5 ish and then got up for good. I slept in the clothes I would be running in. The race started exactly at 6 am.
We were lucky too. Earlier in the week had been colder with temperature below freezing. But it warmed back up to 60 ish by race day. Rain though originally was to come on Friday night got moved to Saturday night. Unfortunately, this destroyed a lot of runners, including almost me too.
This being my second time around, I was not as nervous. Several people around me were. There was a woman from Toronto (Shanon), she would not introduce herself to me, but I ran into her couple times as we prepared to go. No hard feeling. She talked to the lady next to me instead to me, so I still got her life story. Canadians usually are friendly. Maybe my vibe did not go well with her, so she ignored me the whole time. This would be her first/second time running a 100, I think it was second time in the US. I would want to know so much about Toronto, but atlas. Not meant to be. I wanted to ask her why she picked this race. We started out the first loop together, but soon I was second to last runner. She seemed to be a strong runner. Not sure when or why she quit. Usually, why traveling that far, you want to finish nonmatter what.
I don’t mind people getting ahead of me. I still walked at my pace. Soon I caught up to a few, I still was walking the course. In fact, I walked the first two loops. Total about 43 miles. I was moving at a 15 min pace! I surprised myself too. This was not a power walk I was talking about two years ago. It was just my normal walk! I never realized before I could walk that fast. I don’t power-walk any more because it tired me out easily and because I never trained to power walk. My advice is only power walk if you are trained for it.
The first loop, I got it under 6 hours. Note, first loop is three miles longer. The second loop, I did it in 5.5 hours. By 5:15 I was back at Remi, with my pacer waiting for me to head out for the evening loop.
The reason I chose to walk the course was incidental. I said to myself that Wayne, my pacer, is a fast runner (faster than me). If my pace died on the third loop while I am with him, it would be embarrassing, so I better preserve my energy and save it to run with Wayne. I plan to do the last 50 miles under 12 hours or so I thought. I was actually expecting to finish around 10 AM. I thought I had a good chance even by walking it.
Little did I know, I drank a bit too strong of the Gaterade early in the second loop and it was giving me a slight stomachache at the beginning of the third loop. So I did not eat much at the aid stations.
By the third loop, it caught up to me and I began to feel tired. We made decent time by walking to halfway, but I could not run with Wayne as I had hoped. I moved along by half shuffling and half walking. I tried to eat as much as possible to make up the lack of food earlier. By 9 pm, I got to Toofy, mile 56. I was still on schedule, but the next 6 miles really took a toll. Instead of 2 hours, it took me three.
The rain came. Before leaving Toofy, I had put on the rain jacket (thanks to Wayne again to get me a head to toe rain jacket). If I had this at Burning River, I would have finished that race. I did not get wet at this time. I stayed warm and dry inside. However, from Toofy to Temi (mile 56-62) is 6 miles, I suffered. I could hardly moved for some reason, likely from lack of calories. I did not arrive at Remi until 12:15 pm. Initially, I was on target to get there by 11 o clock or earlier. I lost about 1 hour in that section of 6 mile! I noted I did over-stayed at Gunny for 15 minutes and overstayed at Toofy for also 15-20 minutes. Meaning I was moving 2 mile and hour (30 min pace). Loop 3 took me 7 hours. If Loop 4 also takes 7 hours and thast loop also taking 7 hours, I would not have enough time to finish. I would arrive at 2:15 or 2:30 pm, exactly as what ultrasignup predicting, and that being over the 32 hour cut off.
Anyway, I met fellow runner Meghan on my first loop. She was initially near last position with me. However, she said she could run 84 miles under 24 hours on a course harder than this. In the third loop after Camp Toofy (aid station), she passed me. I knew I could be in trouble when she passed me by. Long story short, after finishing, I looked her name up, and found she DNF’d at the next loop. Rain in the middle of night took a lot of people out. Rain probably caught her too just couple hours later. I was sad when I saw her name on the DNF list.
I was surprised many stronger runners than me were washed out. Meghan had four chidren. She hired babysitter so her husband could be on the course to help her through the night. It was sad she could not finish it. I might of not let her quit if I was around her. However, at the time, I was not doing well either. I believe Meghan almost made it to the fifth loop.
I got into Remi at the end of the third loop. It was past midnight. I knew I need to get back out as quickly as possible. Wayne got me a bowl of congee. I went to take care my left foot because there was a hot spot. It was too late because a blister already formed on the bottom. I popped it. Put on new socks. A volunteer helped me put on my shoes and tied the laces. God bless her. She also refilled my water bladder.
By 12:30 we were out again. 15 mins was a bit too long but I needed that break. Soon I had my energy back. I tried to make to Gunny on a 20 min pace. Gunny was about 5 miles away. I made it there under my estimate, by 2 am ish. My strength continued to sustain. I told Wayne I wish to make it to Toofy (loop4) before 5 AM and back to Remi by 7 AM to start on my last loop. Loop 4 was finished in 6.5 hours. I hit all the targets.
We got to Toofy by 4:55. I gave myself a 5 min rest. This was the longest 1.2 mile ever from the bouncing bridge to Camp Toofy. We passed by it earlier three times, but it did not feel as long as on the fourth loop for some reason. I think it was at least 3 miles long.
Sun came up as we near Camp Remi for our last loop. I told Wayne, since he had got me through the night, he could go home and rest. There was no needd for him to go back out. I could finish the race on my own now since it was now morning. I did not stay at Remi long. We had to make it to Gunny on our last loop by 9:00. This may seem a lot of time, but it was not. Those who could keep a 20 min pace, should have no problem, but at this point, I was struggling to even get a 20 min pace. I was planning I would need two hours.
I started running. We saw 5-6 guys ahead. These were the guys who would finish with me. I saw them earlier on the second loop. We were now back together. Slowly, I passed them all. We entered Gunny at 8:40. 20 minutes ahead of my estimate, but a bit behind the 20 min pace. I grabbed a drink and headed back out. My friend John and Charleen were there recording our time.
Once out of Gunny, we could take a breather. The next cut off wouldn’t be until 11:30. We had 8 miles left. Wayne recommended me not to go too hard because the trail is slick. Wayne had monitor the Western States 100 lottery drawing the day prior and let me know I got selected. He wanted me to be healthy to be able to run in Western States next June. So for Devil Dog, we had to take care of ourselves and not to race for time.
We managed to get to Camp Toofy by 11:15. Originally, I was to be there before 11. The station does not close until 11:30, so I was still good, but slightly behind pace. I know I would definitely finish. The required paced from Camp Toofy to the finish was like 22-24 min. I had almost 3 hours to do the final 6 miles. As long as I keep moving even if I was as slow as during my third loop the evening before, I should be able to finish on time.
My pacer, Wayne, set a good 25-26 mins pace. The rest (six) of us follows. He said I could move a bit slower but not too slow because then I could start cooling down and it would be hard to get me moving once cooled off. Indeed, a few times I stopped for bathroom break, I found it was incredibly hard to get back on pace. The last stretch was the hardest as in any races but particularly this race. It was more technical. There were more rocks. More of everything. There were also hills. It is about 6 miles long. My goal to Rally to its halfway called Point Charlie (unmanned water point) by 12:30 pm. We arrived around 12:40 pm. I had 1 hour and 20 mins to do the final 3 hours. In earlier loops, this section only should take about 45 minutes.
Unlike last year, when I thought my body might slow down even more here and I might not be able to finish it. This time, I was pretty sure I could finish. Out of the six guys among us, two had pressed ahead six miles out. Two remained with us until here and then put an extra effort to be ahead. Because they are slow at the technical sections, I was able to stay on their tail. Ben and another guy Jon were not that far behind me. This was Ben N. 3rd Devil Dog 100. We pretty much finished within 5 mins of one another. In theory, I could run the last three miles. However, consider, my running pace might be at most 5 mins faster than my walking pace, I only gain at most 15 mins by running. I might finish at 1:30 instead of 1:45. If it were six miles out, by runing the final 6 miles, I might have come in at 1:10-1:15. My pacer was right. He said the finish is now certain, urged me to consider the bigger picture because the trail here is dangerous after the rain, we needed to finish it in a safe manner, so I can have a chance at next year amazing race.
I did get a second wind, and my walk gait was a bit faster. I entered the finish line full of joy. My friend Caroline came out after church. She looked for me at the last half mile and found me. Same for several other families who were looking for their runners. It was very exciting at the last few minutes of the race. We all pretty much know one another. No one here was cut or unable to finish now before 2 pm. We all who were still on the trail made it in. The sweeper came in within minutes of the closing. My last loop took 6:45 hours. I could have got it under 6.5, or even 6, but a finish is a finish.
I was excited to see Caroline. She took all the final photos of me. Mike Edwards who helped me last year at the finish line did the same this year. I just found out this guy completed a 200 mile this year and he will repeat it next year. It is a race, I wanted to do myself. I salute him. He ushered me into the mess hall and got me something good. Hot tea etc. He took care of Caroline too even though she did not run. I had a good bowl of bean, cheese, and taco type lunch. My bowl was filled to the brim. I didn’t know what it is but it was good. Bob G. was there. It was so good to be praise by this famous Bob. This race was his creation, literally. He was part of the original crew who came up the concept behind it. It was quite cheerful to see all the behind the scene people. Even after 32+ hours, the place was alive! I did not suffer a bit of sleep deprivation this time around.
Same as last year, my friends were instrumental in getting me to the finish. They said it so all me, but I know if not for them, I might have quit in the middle of the night. This would have been a very different report. It was certainly good to have a pacer. Wayne stayed with me for the entire 3 loops. He even had to walk/run 1-2 miles to his car, since crew were not allow to park near the start and finish area (for safety to runners, friends and spectators). So he really had a 100k day in around 20 hours. I know if he was by himself, he might able to do 100k in 17-18 hours or less. I ubderstand it is just as hard running way slower than your pace as in running faster than your nornmal pace.
Coda/Epilogue: Caroline and Wayne already said they wanted to be with me at Western States. I kind of allude to this. I was on my second loop when my name was chosen to run in Western States. It was a live drawing happening on the west coast at the time. My phone started going off with congratulatory messages. It is a coveted race like the Boston Marathon, except for trail runners and there is a lottery system unlike the Boston Marathon. Everyone on course too were offering me words of congratulations. People I did not know were calling me out, saying that guy got into Western States. Amanda Lichy, fellow runner and friend and a volunteer at the Devil Dog was third person who congratulated me on the course. How did the word get out so quickly! I was double happy when I finished the Devil Dog. I had something to look forward to. With these two friends, I felt I definitely will do well. I lined myself up with a 2nd pacer too (Susan, who is a local trail runner in Sacramento). They have been constantly giving me tips how to run the Western States, even before I finished the Devil Dog (and to go for the Grand Slam! More about that in future posts). Everyone was enthusiastic! In a sense a race is never fully finish! There is always a next one.
In awe 