West Virginia Mountain Trail Runners

Despite participating in a couple  hundred mile races as a crew member,  I never developed the hankering to attempt the distance. It all looked too painful and time consuming. That all changed after being witness to Dan Lehmann’s performance at the  inaugural 2008 Grindstone 100 mile race. His performance was inspiring and I walked away from Camp Shenandoah on a clear and crisp autumn morning with desire to see what I’m was made of. After running off at the mouth about how I was going to run Grindstone I someone how convinced my friend Bobby G to throw his hat into the ring. With two entry fees in the mail it was time to shut my big mouth and pony up.

Dan Lehmann at the 2008 Grinstone 100

There is no question that the only reason I finished this race was solely due to to the generosity of friends and family. Where to begin? Family I guess.

By now everyone knows about the contentious relationship I have with my younger cousin Bill Young. From early childhood he has always been very jealous of me and more recently has been known to taunt me at races and one time I think he may have thrown a rock at me while my back was turned.  Despite our ongoing family feud (we are really related by blood), Bill and his lovely wife Lydia (who I dearly love and admire) generously agreed to travel all the way down to Virginia to pace Bobby G while Lydia provided much needed emotional support over the last 33 miles of Grindstone. Sometimes love comes in peculiar packages.

Bill Young. Not such a bad guy after all.

Wild horses could have kept Dan Lehmann away from his race. As a seasoned 100 mile veteran Dan would help crew and pace #2 seed and WVMTR Runner Adam Casseday. More than that, Dan was an emotional beacon in a cloud of despair. Just seeing his face at the aid stations lifted my spirits and propelled me forward. At my lowest moment when all hope had departed and I wanted to quit it was the fear of disappointing Dan that reminded me that quitting was not an option. Sometimes I think Dan wanted this for me more than I did.  He fully expected to meet me at the finish line. And for that unspoken expectation, I am grateful.

David Mercer is a Nurse Practitioner who specializes in wound care. He is a friend and when asked if he would be our crew chief there was no doubt about his commitment. “Sure, I’ll be there”. Having a wound care nurse as your crew chief is BIG MONEY! Armed with a GPS and his wound care supplies, David headed out into the darkness and never missed a step in providing aid and support at every turn.

Bill Gentry. I first met Bill Gentry in April of 2005 at the Promise Land 50K and in that instant I felt as if I had known him all my life. Bill Gentry is a husband, father, ultra distance runner, fellow WVWC grad and dear friend. At 10:30 am on Saturday October 3rd, 2009 Bill Gentry stood ready in the parking lot of The Wild Oak Trail. It was Bill’s charge to see me to the finish and with the skill of surgeon and experience of Bear Bryant, he executed the game plan to perfection.

I won’t kid you. Grindstone is a beast. From it’s first climb to the top of Elliott’s Knob at 4,500 feet to the seven mile climb up Little Bald Mountain at 3 am. A 6 pm start means that you spend the first 12 hours running in the dark. It’s dark, it’s long, it’s high, it’s low, it’s beautiful. What more could you expect from a Horton protege? From check in to check out and every moment in between the RD’s preparation and professionalism were evident. You would not be disappointed with this race direction. The only disappointment you could experience in this event is the disappointment in yourself if you don’t finish.

Mile 67 : Bobby G and I have found one another and share a renewed commitment to finish. Mile 70: The girls of Hankey Mountain provide me with some essential oils and lift my spirit. Mile 72: Gentry stands guard over his charge while I reset the clock. Mile 78: The cheering sections arrives and we beg for more cowbell. Mile 8o: The grind to the top of Chimney Hollow begins and Gentry taps out a tempo to the summit. He chuckles at our success. Mile 86: Lydia Young serves us mashed potatoes sprinkled with salt. My soul is alive. Lisa arrives and sees me at my best.  Mile 90: Bill, Bill, Gentry and Bobby G are a team descending Elliott’s knob on a crisp clear October evening. Mile 95: Lydia Young has prepared Mac-n-Cheese and it melted in my mouth like Kobe Beef. Our spirits are high. Mile 99: The moon crests over the eastern horizon and we are the four horseman. Bill Young tells us to drop the landing gear because he can see the runway. Mile 99.5: We assemble on the dam and check our emotions. Mile 101, Dan, Lisa, Kadra, Adam, the Gillanders Family, David, Sara, Clark, Horton and many many others await our arrival. I don’t remember much after that. It was a dizzying evening of excitement coupled with exhaustion.

The Four Horseman

Dawn of the next day brought crisp clear skies and the occasional faint echo of cheers for those who had spent a second night on the trail. With our belt buckles cinched tight, Dan launched into preparing a breakfast fit for the King of West Virginia. The sun slowly burned off the low lying morning fog and we feasted in celebration of our accomplishments.

A WV Breakfast

It’s been almost a month and I still bask in the afterglow of the Grindstone weekend. I can’t thank enough my dear family and friends for all the help and support they provided in helping us accomplish our goal. I hope to repay the favor.

Bill and Dan at the Finish of 2009 Grindstone 100. Mission accomplished. Expectations met.