Cascade Crest 100 Mile 2014 Race Report

Thanks 

It's how I focused my report from last year, and it will continue this year. What follows are some specific words of appreciation to those I have been fortunate to share the trails with during, and leading up to, Cascade Crest. 

*It should be noted if you're looking for a conventional race report, you won't find that here. You are free to ask me for the run-down if you meet me :)  Pictures below.

Why?

I have repeatedly questioned 'Why', in regards to running these 100 milers. One answer, I consistently return too, is the community that surrounds this sport. 

Matthew A. - A great friend over the years. One of the many things I have learned from him, is to place less emphasis on what someone does for work, and more on who they are as a person. A husband, a father, and a non-evangelical vegan with the occasional passion for cheese quesadillas, his finish at Cascade Crest 100 Mile, was his first.

Kevin S. - A heck of a running partner, and heck of a friend. Thanks for allowing me to eat some of your pizza at Kachess. It tasted wonderful. More importantly, thanks for the training runs. Always a pleasure to share miles with on the trail, his finish at Cascade Crest 100 Mile, was his first.

Jesse L. - One heck of a pacer. He convinced me that pain was temporary, and that if I just kept moving, I would finish. He gave me his toilet paper when I ran out. He scoured the woods for a walking stick for when I could barely take the pain of my foot. He let me sleep for 30 minutes at the mile 80 aid station (it was Hooters themed, though, so I think it was somewhat self-serving on his part). He laughed, pumped Dre and Snoop from his iPhone, and encouraged me as we miraculously ran the last ten miles together into the finish. Thanks for putting up with me.

Luke D. - A father, a husband, a multilingual communications specialist, a eventual future pacer of Dave, and an insane athlete. Thanks for your friendship, above all else. He crewed multiple runners, paced Paul to an amazing finish, and worked an aid station. You'll be hard pressed to find someone who is more dependable in life.

Greg H. -  As far as I'm concerned, a class act in every way. He paced Kevin to his first 100 mile finish. He is a father, a husband, a bike commuter, a leader, and a writer. He is probably much more than that too. Thanks for your support, and smiling face at Lake Kachess. Please continue to run 50K's extremely fast, just not the ones I sign up for.

Paul T. - Have you ever met people, where when they speak, everything comes out as being positive and upbeat? That's Paul, to me. He could be describing the most depressing scenario, and you would be on the edge of your seat, waiting for everything to turn out happily ever after. Paul finished his first 100 mile, and annihilated the second half of the run. Check out Luke's blogpost for more info. Thanks for hanging out to see me at the finish, and I'm glad your man-parts are no longer twisted.

Richard K. -  He crushed it. I should note, I'm a firm believer that our bodies are just that, bodies. They are not machines. However, Richard is a machine. A consistent flow of 'Why can't I do that?', 'Let's try this', 'You can overcome that', 'Never quit', 'What did you learn?'. He is a brother, a dear friend, and a certified BAMF. I look forward to our next adventure together. 

Ian G. -  A father, a husband, and living proof that not every BMW owner is a narcissistic prima donna. His family, and more importantly his two daughters, come first. When he speaks of them, his face lights up, and the joy is apparent in his eyes. One day those daughters will grow up and have boyfriends, at which point I fully believe Ian will then become a maniacal father who lives on his stoop with a shotgun. If I can grow up to be like Ian, without the maniacal aspect of parenting, and sans the unnecessary car, I'll be quite happy. He paced Matthew to his first 100 mile finish.

Amie B. - Thanks for the miles and laughs we shared early on. More importantly, congrats on the women's win. I now know that it's possible to chew the EXACT SAME PIECE OF GUM, during a 100 mile footrace. 

Sara and Andy - Thanks for showing up pre-race, partaking in the breakfast, and helping to calm pre-race nerves. You're quite the couple, and I appreciate your friendship.

Volunteers, Aid Station Workers, and EVERYONE I missed - Thanks for bringing your smiling faces and upbeat attitudes to the day. I greatly appreciate your time and efforts.

***

Essentially, this was my race. This community, and the journey that lead up to it, are what really will stick with me. The whole '100 miles in the mountain' thing? It just gave me something to do with my time.

Photo Credit Takao Suzuki

Photo Credit Takao Suzuki

Photo Credit Takao Suzuki