Ultra Tales
2006 Lean Horse Wrap-up
by Andrew Edwards

I had read about, might I even say dreamed about doing a hundred miler since doing my very first marathon 2 years ago. When I heard that people actually traveled that far in a race I knew I was destined to do that one day. August 26, 2006 was going to be that day, and the Lean horse 100 was set to be my first hundred miler.

I arrived in Hot Springs, SD two days early and was very glad I did. I believe experiencing such a laid back, friendly little town was just what I needed to put my mind in the right spot. No hustle and bustle here, no sirŠ. more like a sleepy hideaway retreat. Coming from a big city this was like a dream.

The day before the race Jerry Dunn, the RD, held a race briefing at the local convention center where he answered every question and made even the newest of hundred mile newbie feel welcome to ask anything. He was extremely accommodating to virtually every request made.

We then adjourned to the Flat Iron Café where there was the best pre-race meal I have ever experienced, even better than Sunmart if that¹s actually possible. Everything from pasta, lasagna, salads, half pound buffalo burgers and homemade cookies were served up all-u-can-eat buffet style in a great outdoor setting.

The next morning when we arrived at the start there was a full breakfast being served to anyone who wanted some. It was cool and slightly overcast.
I remember thinking ŒAll we need now is a slight rain to keep us cool and the day will be perfect¹. Before long the drizzle started and I was ready for a awesome day of running. About 3 minutes before the start we all were herded across a highway to the start and someone must have said start because away we went.

My coaches, Don Charles Lundell and Gillian Robinson of Zombie Runner (NFI in ZR) had said to walk at the beginning and it was a good thing. Within 10 minutes I was in the back of the pack and could actually run my own race.
The trail is huge by trail standards but with 150-175 people all bunched together it was much better to let them go.

The first 16 miles were (to me) the most boring part of the race. It was like we were running through someone¹s farmland until we could get to the real trail. Very little scenery through this part, but it helped put my mind into what we were doing. Since this is a rails-to-trails project, the surface is almost perfectly smooth crushed rock in dirt. It was difficult through here not to get excited and run too hard too soon. There are markers every mile so keeping splits helped me know to speed up or slow down.

At 16 I saw my wife for the first time. I was really surprised at how much of a boost to my spirits that was. I was really excited to see her and hated to have to leave afterwards but we had the aid stations mapped out so that I wouldn¹t have to stop moving. She would hand me 2 new filled bottles, shove more gels in my race ready shorts and move me down the trail.
So a 15 second stop and away I went.

The next 20 or so miles were some of my favorite. Some was by the highway that leads to Mount Rushmore and Crazy Horse, but much of it was in the real backwoods of South Dakota. This was some of the most amazing scenery you could ask for. I saw horses running through vast fields, Elk, a coyote on top of a rock formation, more mice running across the trail than I could begin to count. I was starting to wonder if this was a trail run or a visit to the local zoo :) Also the rock formations through this trail were something you would expect to see on postcards, with the misty fog hanging on them it was almost surreal.

I haven¹t mentioned it yet, but that slight rain that was there at the startŠ.. was STILL there. Pretty much all day we were getting rained on. I did not complain though, it made my legs feel cool and my mind stay sharp.
It truly was a day made for running.

I hit the 50 mile mark a little over 12 hours which was my goal. Doing a little math I knew that a 12 hour half meant I could pretty much walk this in from here and still make it, I felt on top of the worldŠ.. until, HEY what¹s this funny pain in my right ankle? HmmŠ must be nothing, I¹ll ignore it and maybe it¹ll go away. The rain had stopped and I was ready to go.

At the turn around I switched into my night gear, took a red bull, and headed out. I clicked away the next 3 miles or so in 12 minute mile time and was actually feeling my best of the whole race. Even better than I did at the at the startŠ. UntilŠ HEY, it¹s your ankle again, remember meŠ I still hurt. Fix me or you¹ll regret it. OK, OK at the next aid station I¹ll fix you, now can we get back to running??

So I run on to the next aid station at around mile 55 with 25 ¬ 26 hour dreams and a excitement I couldn¹t stop. I had Michelle change my shoes thinking that would fix the ankle. She had to actually PRY the shoes off because my feet had swollen to fill every crack and crevice of them. While I knew this wasn¹t a good thing, I also knew I was feeling better than I could have ever dreamed.

From here on the details get a little more fuzzy. The pain in the ankle actually intensified. It got so bad within 5 miles that I was forced to walk. I was keeping a steady 18 min pace but that was it. ANY running resulted in a searing pain that I was actually afraid of. So we¹re at mile 60 and I now know I am going to be walking until mile 100. All I had to keep was about a 22 min pace so I knew I should be fine.

This was my first all night run and was surprised at how quickly the time passed. I never really got tired but could tell my mile splits were getting slower. They went from 17-18 up to a 21 at one point. Michelle was meeting me at every single aid station going back and even though it was only for a few seconds at each one, seeing her made me really perk up. I was always counting down the time until I got to the next AS. It¹s funny how 20 seconds of seeing her gave me energy for the next 2 hours. Maybe it was the delirium setting in.

Once the sun came up my times dropped, my spirits were lifted, and the rain returned with a vengeance. This time rain brought it¹s friends cold and windy. Michelle thankfully wrapped my in a poncho at an AS and away I marched into the cold nastiness. 14 miles left to go and a little more than
6 hours to complete this journey.

The rain continued, and for the first time in my life I actually had hallucinations. I¹m not sure if it was lack of sleep, lack of nutrition, cold, or just being mentally bored (this is the same section that I thought was boring the first time I saw it). I saw everything from people that weren¹t there to wildlife running with me and cars on the trail. I knew it wasn¹t really happening so I turned it into a mobile televisionŠ.. my own personal version of the Wall.

Around mile 99 you top a hill and can see the finish line literally a mile away. This is both encouraging and a killer. I was SOOOOO pumped to see the finish line of my first hundred miler, and yet that last mile seemed to take forever. Coming in close I thought I was hallucinating again. There were huge teddy bears lining the last quarter mile or so. I was so convinced I had lost it I walked over and kicked one (poor teddy). It was realŠ.

At the finish line there was someone beating on a drum, yelling, screaming people, and more excitement than I have EVER seen at an ultra, especially considering the cold rain. The second I crossed the line and was asked Œhow does it feel not to have to run anymore¹ I dropped like a rock. Luckily the guy at the finish line was a huge football player type. I don¹t know what happened but within 2 seconds all the strength that was in my body left and I was done. Stick a fork in me done.

28:13:30. Not bad for a race where, all in all, I probably ran 35 miles and walked 65. This course helped greatly though. There are patches where you¹ll have a 3 mile uphill, but the grade is never more than 3 percent.

The awards ceremony was held in the convention center and there was an all you can eat buffet (GREAT food!!!). It was something to see all the fabulous ultra runners dressed normally again after spending all night with them out on the trails. I finally felt like I belonged. Something clicked and I really felt like I was not just amongst a group of other runners, but amongst a group of friends.

The belt buckle at Lean Horse is a Black Hills gold buckle. I knew it would be nice, but this went far beyond my expectations. It¹s large enough to get attention but not so large you can¹t wear it with everything from a suit to jeans.

I would say that Jerry Dunn has a real winner with Lean Horse. I cannot think of a single thing that was done less than first rate. Everything he advertised he delivered in spades. I can¹t thank Jerry, Waylen and his entire crew of volunteers enough for providing such fantastic running event. This event deserves to be a sellout, and I strongly believe it will be soon.

Last but by far not least I want to thank the 3 people who, otherwise I would not, COULD not have ever made this dream a reality.

First off my fantastic crew AKA my wife Michelle. She kept me moving and made the AS stops so efficient I know she is responsible for getting me to the finish line 30+ minutes earlier than if I had to rely on others to fill bottles and myself to dig through drop bags. A good crew can make all the difference!

The 2 people who got me to both the start line and made sure I had what it took to get to the finish line are Don Charles Lundell and Gillian Robinson. They listened, coached, advised and were there for me for the last several months in ways that went above and beyond anything you could expect of coaches. I have NFI in zombie runner, or in anything for that matter, but these two are fantastic people who¹s coaching helped me mentally and physically prepare for this in ways that solo I could have never done.
THANK YOU GILLIAN AND DON!!!!!

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