Vermont 100 (2015) Race Report: Top

It's been a while since I ran 100 miles at Vermont. I had a rough race. I had my second slowest Vermont. Funny - I didn't feel like death marching, though I probably was at times. My pace was waaaaaaaay slower earlier in the race. (Even in my slowest VT100, I still came into Camp Ten Bear in the light....it was dark, scary dark this year.)

me and the legendary john geesler

I didn't want to run Vermont. I wanted to stay at home and eat tacos and read poetry and drink tea. Unfortunately, I didn't do that, though I still did have some fun at Vermont. 

The summer turned into a blur post VT100. I didn't have time to write a race report. Now, months late, I want to write one, but many details are fuzzy. Thus, I'll do a top ten: the worst and best of Vermont 100!

Best:

1. Aid stations. They're great. Grilled cheese while running? Pancakes for breakfast aid stations? YES PLEASE.
2. Views. Super duper pretty. Just gorgeous.
3. Interesting course.
4. My pacers were amazing. Fun. Wonderful. Cheerful. Great.
5. Nothing like running for glow sticks. Kind of like a rave, and you hallucinate naturally.
6. My pacers giving me amazing baked goods.
7. Great, friendly runners.
8. The volunteers are so nice. Neighbors even random left lemonade at one spot.
9. Lovely sunrise.
10. Horses.

Worst:

1. Hills. OMG the hills. Seriously. How are there this many hills - and why do we come back?
2. The rain. We hid out at an aid station from the rain during a horrendous downpour.
3. My asthma sucked all day.
4. OMG the hills. Seriously.
5. Mud. Juicy, delicious mud.
6. The hills.
7. Lack of sleep.
8. The hills.
9. Worrying about weight gain/loss (yep, I did both).
10. The hills.

I made a few realizations....too many 100s destroys Cherie. I'll be focusing more on 50 milers for a while...I feel way too burnt out. I'll stick with one 100 a year....and yes, Vermont 100 miler will be it!