Gator Run I
55 Miles
1/4/07
We made it.
It got pea-soup oppressive overnight from Wednesday to Thursday. I mean icky.
It was 69 degrees as we tacked up and foggy and miserable at the 7:30 a.m. start. The first loop was 17.5 miles and we started out after the pack of front-runners headed out. Here in the southeast, they really race and we weren’t interested in getting caught up in that.
Hawk led, Ned followed and another NE person, Kevin, stuck with us. The first 7 or so miles had everyone panting, and it was actually cooler to trot than to walk because at least we created a bit of breeze for ourselves.
Then we hit the water trail. No kidding. About five miles of trail that was underwater, much of it more than a foot deep. If you have a horse with an issue with water or being sponged, this would cure it. Ned was drinking and drinking as he much prefers trail water to that crystal clear stuff you find in a bucket. Late in the day he drank from something that I swear resembled the LaBrea Tar Pit.
Finally the water trail dried out and in we came (2 hours). It took us about 10 minutes to pulse the boys down, with Hawk taking longer than Ned. This was the pattern for each hold. Some friends who were originally from the NE and have moved down here, Louise and Jim, came to crew for us. They looked heavenly to us as we came in from each loop of trail.
Ned was all As, including his back, so I kept on with the treeless after the 40 minute hold, carefully obeying my mantra – “right hip forward, sit up” for the duration of each loop. Hawk got asked to come back for a re-trot (he’s 19 for crying out loud, and took one or two funky steps, tho no one could figure which leg). He looked great the second time and off we went.
The second loop was another long one, 18 miles, and neither of us was thrilled with that. Kevin had out-pulsed us and we figured we were last or close to it. Neither of us cared. Not a whole lot of water and the boys trotted along until one would ask for a walk break, and we’d indulge them. We discovered that each of the horses prefer to lead and would pout and sulk and drag if trotting behind the other. Silly children.
I was roasting. I got off to pee (big surprise) and had a devil of a time getting my tights up again. Mary had skipped her helmet this loop (they’re not required in the SE) and I was jealous. Felt the beginnings of a heat exhaustion headache and drank my entire bottle of water and bottle of Gatorade before seeing the blessed 4.7 miles to go sign. It was followed almost immediately by a huge puddle and we allowed the boys to drink and sponged them until their skin was cool. It took a while. We were surprised to find we’d done the loop in just a bit over 2 hours as it felt really slow.
Ned still all As, and ate great. Hawk had a recheck for a lousy CRI (cardiac recovery index) he tends to hold heat, and when they did a pulse, then a 125 foot out and back trot, the a pulse recheck after one minute, he jumped from 15 to 18. I thought Ned was bad in the heat, but Hawk has him beat. Ned hadn’t chowed down at the previous hold like quite the eating machine he is but he made up for lost time.
Hit the trail for a 10 mile loop. Ned’s fun meter had returned, and he was out-trotting Hawk, and I was naked-headed (shhh) and feeling much, much better, and Mary was yelling to us from behind that Hawk needed a walk break. We ran into Kathy Downs, she on her last loop (a lot of common trail with the 3rd) with whom I rode a few miles during my first hundred, and we chatted for a bit. Such a nice and down-to-earth and unpretentious lady, despite the fact that she’s been the AERC 100 mile champion a bunch and has represented the US overseas a number of times.
Back in for the last hold (1.5 hours on trail). Ned still all As. Hawk finally has no call back from the vet, though we all giggled that Otis, the vet, skipped the CRI since he vetted Hawk through six days in a row and 210 miles in Florida a couple of years ago. Jim is concerned that we’re going to bump up against dark. Its 4-something. We assure him we won’t but to quiet him, I attach one of my seven (yes, seven) 100 mile flashlights to the saddle.
Finally. The last nine miles. Ned is beginning to think this is a hundred and I reassure him silently that it is not. Much of this trail repeats the previous and he had his go-boots on. I’m feeling queasy and just want it over with at this point. Mary pronounces me “testy”. True enough. I start confessing that I’m not sure we’re up for two days in a row. She’s clearly disappointed, as Hawk and Ned pace well together, and Ned really does look good.
I’m just not that driven, folks. I can never remember how many miles Ned has, I keep thinking about all this sand (and I don’t have any to train in) and how he is going to look at me when I bring out a saddle in the a.m. And I hate the heat. And we have no crew for tomorrow. Ick.
Ned trots like a banshee. Hawk pouts. Mary pouts. I try to ride straight in the saddle. Its been since late August and the Canadian 100 since I’ve ridden this long. I get off to pee, the saddle turns when I try to get on the first time, so I crank the left side rear billet. (Bad idea, I later discover).
We hit the one mile to go, and blessedly, the finish line, where the in-timer, a lovely vision of a woman (a legend in in-timing in the SE), Nancy Gooch, waits for us to come over the line. I happen to be first, Mary turtles, which means she wins the turtle award SHE donated (she collects brand new stuffed turtles from The Salvation Army and donates them to all the rides).
Jim and Louise are surprised to see us so soon (1.25 hours) and it is not dark. I confess that I am relieved we got in before dusk as apparently that is when the wild pigs (!) start coming out and rooting. Still takes quite a bit of water to bring the boys pulse down to 64. I discover that I’ve roughed up the hair on Ned’s left loin (grrrrrr) and he’s a little back sore. He gets all As and trots out like a million bucks as I repeat over and over to him “Good boy! You’re DONE! You’re DONE!” I confess to Otis the vet that I’ve rubbed his loin a bit and he concedes that he is just a little tender. Damn.
That seals the deal for me and Ned for tomorrow. So here I sit, typing, at 8:20, watching Ned and Hawk eat and slobber and rest and relax. Ned has been ice-booted (the legs feel good and tight, hallelujah) and SoreNoMored within an inch of his life (is it outrageous to go thru an entire bottle of gel lotion on one big lug of a horse?) and given apples and kisses and attaboys.
Rough ride for a lot of horses today. 43 started, 33 finished, and that’s a pretty high attrition rate for what is considered an easy course. We saw quite a few gimpy trot-outs when we were in camp. Steve Rojek (a NE rider who winters in FL) got BC, and one NE rider finished but then puked gleefully when he was done. The heat really was bad.
There is nothing better than a hot shower after a successful ride, and it’s second only to sitting quietly in the dark mesmerized and awed and humbled by an amazing horse.
My plan is to crew for Mary tomorrow, start packing things up, fuss over Ned and take him for walks and check and re-check his back and legs, then put on the TREED saddle and take him in Saturday’s 50. Hopefully Mary and Hawk will still be in it and we can give them a little added pep as they head down the trail.
This trip has been an adventure. I knew it would be, and it’s been good for my soul and my self-confidence to take the big rig and somehow get by without any major trouble. I’m satisfied with what we’ve done and immensely grateful I was able to do it.
Will keep the gang posted as I’m able to log onto the net! It’s been nice to keep in touch.