#TBT Dana mud n guts Miller and his initial thoughts after his 20th Wasatch 100 mile endurance run finish. Photos reflect the contrast from one of his first when he set a course record that stood for 8 years and his current 20th finish. Congratulations Dana!! This years Wasatch was incredibly fun but also such an emotionally satisfying experience. Three surgeries in the past 2 years (each potentially running career ending) made me wonder if I would ever get to Wasatchs starting line again…let alone make it to the finish. As you know, my training was very limited. First, there was the time and attention restrictions of my college administration position. Secondly, I couldnt really do a lot because the pain in my left foot (due to rebuilding the left big toe joint that was bone-on-bone and full of arthritis) was constant. By July, I had worked up to 3 runs per week at altitude and got my mileage up to 50-60 per week. Workouts included a weekly time trial of 2500 climbing over 4 miles, a 3-4 hour gentle run/walk and a 20+ mile 5-7 hour run/walk. I wasnt able to run non-stop except on gentle downhills and am still not sure why. I dont know if it was general lack of conditioning or some sort of self-protection device my body devised. With this being my 20th, my family and friends were so supportive and eager to help however possible. I lined up Cory and Jenn Swanson as pacers to accompany me from Lambs Canyon (mile 52) to the end. Cory paced me in 1991 when I did the double Wasatch and, in fact, was with me at mile 148 when I fell and was knocked unconscious. Cory is Gary Swansons son. Gary has been the crew vehicle driver for at least 16 of the previous 19 Wasatchs and is my lifelong best friend. Cory and Jenn are also so fun to be around…real cut ups who we have spent a lot of time with on river trips and other adventures. Their involvement insured that spirits would be light but also that they would tough enough to push me to follow my pre-race plans. The instructions I gave them were pretty simple: I dont need someone to push me…I can do that myself Get me in and out of the major aid stations in 10 minutes or less so that my left foot doesnt begin to throb Encourage me to eat 200-300 calories per hour, even late in the race Ask me if I feel like running on the downhills I wasnt very nervous the night before the race and, in fact, slept from 10pm until 2:30am, which is good for me. Let me say a little about the Ultraspire Zygos pack. It was so comfortable but also had the carrying capacity I needed. Because it was so important that I finish, I wanted to make sure I had a big enough portable safety net with me to handle the inevitable problems that would arise. Thus, I loaded the Zygos with: Lace-up ankle brace (in case R ankle gave out) Thigh compression sleeve (to project L hamstring repair) Body glide and Vaseline Lightweight jacket 2 different weight insoles for L shoe (to provide change for toe joint repair) 4-5 GU 4 Honey Stinger fruit chew packets Baggie of cashews, M&Ms, banana chips, jelly beans and Werthers Endurolytes, Zantac and Aleeve 20 oz bottle in chest pocket 70 oz bladder Z-poles Headlamp and back-up handheld mini-LED light cell phone I dont know how much the pack weighed but it was pretty heavy. However, once I put it on, I hardly noticed it! In fact, at the finish line when I did my celebratory 20 push-ups, I forgot I had it on so did the push-ups with the pack on! Anyway, at the race start, I positioned myself so that I could get out fairly quickly and not get stuck behind a bunch of slower runners. Right from the start, I focused on finding a flat, rock-free place for my left foot to land with each stride. Also, I couldnt take any chances with turning my right ankle or slipping on the downhill and pulling my left hamstring. Needless to say, I was sooooo careful every step of the entire 100 miles. I only remember catching my left toe one time on a root and turned my right ankle once. The race itself was fairly uneventful as I felt remarkably good the entire 100 miles. I did find myself using so much of the knowledge Ive gained over 30+ years of competing. Simple things like recognizing that my stomach couldnt tolerate many sweets, re-lacing my left shoe several times to relieve pressure on the top of my arch, and stopping to put Body Glide on my heels and toes plus slipping on a 2nd pair of very thin socks to reduce friction. Over the years, Ive become very good at reading my bodys food and fluid needs. This slower pace also allowed me to eat a wider variety of foods. In fact, at mile 80 I ate 2 link sausages wrapped in a pancake! I needed the salt and fat, which immediately settled my stomach even though I immediately did the steepest 800 climb of the race. (photo attached) The weather was nearly ideal the first day…probably only reaching 80 degrees. The second day was significantly warmer plus being out there that long makes you more susceptible to the heat and the accumulated effects of fatigue and dehydration. I was able to eat until mile 95 and kept consuming fluids until mile 99. Cory and Jenn were delightful pacers, both very upbeat yet not annoying. Cory paced me from Lamb Canyon to Brighton (mile 75), then Jenn took over until the finish. The 4 times I met my crew were great…so much fun, lots of laughter and encouraging. I followed my routine of giving them a list of what I thought Id need at each aid station but they knew that Id probably want something else entirely. Konnie has become a master crew chief and helps get everything laid out so that she can respond to whatever crazy request I throw at them. At Lambs Canyon, for example, I craved protein so asked for some meat, which they produced in seconds! I also left the aid station with 16 oz of high calorie, high fat chocolate milk in the left front chest pocket! My oldest daughter, Josie, joined Jenn and I at mile 92. My youngest daughter, McKaylie, joined the three of us at mile 97. By then, I was mostly speed walking. Jenn asked: Do those legs have any running left in them? I found myself wanting to finish strong, to finish feeling like Id given it my full effort, and I wanted to show my three pacers that I was mentally strong, So, I started running 40-50 steps, then walking 20, and pushed the pace pretty hard. We even ran the entire last 1/2 mile uphill to the finish. The few minutes we gained wasnt the issue…it was more that I wanted to put in an honest effort and finish my 20th strong and test myself even at the end. The finish was incredibly sweet and rewarding. I wanted that 20th finish so badly! Having so many of my family and friends there to see my dream fulfilled was humbling. The support I receive at Wasatch always fills me with wonder as I am confronted with the fact that so many people love me and care about me. Today, 4 days after finishing, its all starting to sink in. 20 finishes symbolize how blessed Ive been to have a long 100-mile trail race career. Since the first one in 1985, life has thrown a lot challenges my way, many of them so unforeseeable and challenging. That first finish, a victory in course record time and the last finish, my slowest, are book ends marking 30 remarkable years of a very rich and rewarding life full of family and friends. I feel so blessed. Dana New for 2015: Dana was wearing an Ultraspire Zygos in his 20th Wasatch finish! vimeo/101097778
Posted on: Thu, 18 Sep 2014 11:00:01 +0000
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