Ultra_Tales_Issue_13

EVENT REPORTHARDROCK 100KILIAN MAKING IT LOOK EASYPHOTOGRAPH | ASUZA HATAKEYAMAby cloud most of the climb. It felt more like a nightin the Brecon Beacons and was starting to get veryexposed. Ryan had full waterproofs on and I had myjacket and $1 rain jacket which was doing a goodjob but we were both saturated and freezing. At thetop conditions were pretty bad and visibility waszero, fortunately I knew the route and we were ableto get off the high ground although it still musthave taken 40 minutes to get below the clouds. Wewere both wet and miserable at this point and I wasstill throwing up fairly regularly.We had already agreed we would regroup and warmup at Grouse (mile 58); however, I managed to puke4 times in a row just before the aid station. WithHandies looking ahead I knew I needed to keepsome calories down if I was to get past it. EnteringGrouse was like a war zone, bodies were scatteredeverywhere. Fortunately Azusa was here (0230 inthe morning, it was cold wet and miserable andeveryone was jammed into the tents. As I collapsedinto a chair Azusa made me wear some girl tightsand donated her jacket to help me warm up whilstshe was shivered next to me. There wasn’t room forpacers although Ryan was able to warm up in thecar. The dry kit helps to warm me slightly and Azusamade sure I only slept for about 15 mins andgenerally looked after me grabbing tea coke andsoup, although we ended up stopping for about 2.5hours which included a specially made cheese42 ULTRA TALES | OCTOBER 2014toasty, guaranteed to settle the stomach. I wasdefinitely feeling a bit sorry for myself at this pointand there was a small wobble before I was told to ina loving way to suck it up and get moving. The stophad allowed my stomach to settle and as soon wewere climbing and feeling on it. Azusa had been upat the same time as me for the start of the race andhad been driving or hiking around the course allday including driving 4wd mountain roads in a 2wdcar through a thunderstorm in the pitch black withcliffs on one side and deer and other animalsspooked by the storm intent on throwingthemselves in front of the car. She eventually madeit to bed around 0600 after a long 25 hours ofcrewing. Crewing races like this are almost as toughas running the race itself and her selfless supporthelped inspire my finish.It’s also probably worth noting that shortly after Ileft Grouse (mile 65) KJ was kissing the rock. I triednot to think about that. Moving up Handies I feltmuch better and as we crested American Basin, 24hours into the race (about an hour behind my 2012time) the sun was starting to rise, the clouds hadgone. Summiting Handies I immediately overheatedin the tights and needed to get rid of them in themorning sun. Physiologically this was the end of therace for me. At this point I knew I would finishunless something drastic happened equally it wasSponsored by thehttp://