Delaware 100

September 20-21, 2008

Newark, Delaware

By Dave Bursler

Carl Camp did not come up with the idea for the Delaware 100 after hitting his head on the toilet seat nor was the result the fluxcapacitor, however, for those of us who live in the fantasy world of ultrarunning his idea was just as exciting.   The no frills run would allow us the opportunity to test our limits while running freely without the hype, the cost or the stress associated with other endurance runs.   In December of 2005 Carl was able to capture the imagination of seven hearty souls who towed the start line of the inaugural Delaware 100.   Despite the lack of mountains in our state the day was full of challenges as Mother Nature decided to lay a heaping helping full of winter upon us.  The very first event or “non-event” as we like to call it was basically a clandestine operation.  It was held completely on the trails of Middle Run Resource Area without the knowledge of either State or County officials.  Was it the right thing to do?  No, absolutely not but with little time to obtain the proper permits we were willing to risk which in turn made it that much more of an adventure.  It was cold day and night and we froze and we suffered but not one person complained. In the end Carl’s idea came to fruition and Delaware could lay claim to have hosted its first one-hundred mile event. 

A decision was made to cancel the event in 2006 to allow more time for improvements to be made.  As the year came to a close Carl remained silent as to the status of the 2007 run but in the late spring he announced that it would be on again.  This time, however, the race would be held in September on a course that would consist of both trails and roads.  The change of date would more than likely provide a better chance of moderate temperatures and the course change would allow us to comply with the park regulations.  Though Carl’s plan has always been to keep the field small (<20 people) he made an attempt to attract others by gaining a link on the site most viewed by the ultrarunning community.  His effort did not go unnoticed as runners from places such as New York, New Jersey, Ohio, Texas and California were amongst the twelve that started the second edition of the Delaware 100.  The new course was more challenging because the variation of terrain led to the need to reverse the thought process and running style.

The runners would exit the trail feeling the effects of the uneven surface and hilly terrain only to have to run fifty more miles on the road.  Decisions would have to be made. Would it be the same shoes, the same gait, or even the same feelings deep inside that motivated each to run?  There would be interesting answers to these questions and the mere fact that these questions had to be asked made this particular course quite unique to any that exist.  In September of 2007 the Delaware 100 had hit a new milestone when both Margie Schlundt and Mary Vish crossed the finish line together in 28:30 become the first female finishers. 

The Delaware 100 is in its infancy stages and as such the event may or may not happen each year.  Carl was certainly leaning towards calling it quits in 2008 but after an early spring phone call from an excited Steve Wilkinson he felt the need to go for it one more year. There may be a time very soon when Carl calls it a day and someone else will have to take the reigns but it was not to be in 2008.   My path, however, would certainly be different.  I’m a firm believer that in order to allow special things in our lives to grow or evolve there comes a time when we must walk away.  It is at that point when we realize how strong of a foundation that we’ve built.  Our relationship with that person or activity will both grow stronger and stand on its own or it will fall on its own. Moving away would also be best for me as it was time to help, teach, learn and grow on my own as well.  Though it sounds easy it was very difficult for me to come to this conclusion because I just can’t walk away when I love someone or something.   However I made my decision in early August at mile 12.5 of the Viaduct Trail 100 and it was a decision that I would firmly stand by.  I had a challenging summer that started by crewing at Badwater followed immediately by the Philadelphia 20 in 24, the Viaduct Trail 100 three weeks later and then Cascade Crest two weeks after that.  All that being said my decision was very easy for me to make but I was soundly challenged by influential people in my life including my own mother.  When I told my mom of my decision she did not hide her disappointment.   I was stunned by her response but after some thought I realized how acclimated people have become to my outside activities and how commonplace they seem.  I don’t speak often of my pain or the emotional effect of this extreme sport so those close to me are used to the blank stare and the easy answers that I provide to their questions.  My mom challenged me, a few friends challenged me but I stood pat by my decision and when later asked to pace a friend things became even easier.

The 2008 version of the Delaware 100 was slated to begin directly in front of Carl’s home on September 20th at 5:30 a.m.  This year’s event had attracted eleven competitors from six states from as far away as Illinois.  The day would be perfect as the weather would cooperate with sunny skies and temps in the mid to lower seventies.  This outstanding group of runners demonstrated the demeanor typical of the ultrarunning community.  They were enthusiastic, encouraging, positive, tough and most importantly courteous and thankful of Carl’s efforts. 

I wasn’t certain as to what my role would be during the daylight hours until the night before the race.  It was at that time when Carl asked me to lead the mid-pack runners out on their first loop.  I must admit that I was somewhat concerned about my ability to do this and also pace later that night but my role was clearly identified and something that I felt obligated to accept.  My purpose for being a part of the race was to support others so I was willing to sacrifice in order to fulfill that role.  Though I was not physically prepared to run a lot of miles that day I refocused the nervous energy that constantly flows deep within my body toward my mind so that I could concentrate on performing my duty successfully.

The scheduled 5:30 start was delayed by fifteen minutes to allow time for all of the runners to group in front of Carl’s garage for a photo.  Once the cameras finished flashing the runners took off without cue.  The eleven runners included seven virgins and four veterans.  Despite the wide variety of talent the field did not immediately spread.  In fact, to my amazement, my friend Rick Palmer even started conservatively as he and fellow Pa native Randy Dietz took the role of front runners.   The rest of the runners huddled tightly together as they made their way out to the trail section via eight miles of road. 

The course itself had its challenges but it certainly was not comparable to anything that other well established races provide.  The road route included gently rolling hills over the eight miles leading to the trail.   After entering the trail the runners were directed to travel one mile on a short trail spur prior to being greeted by Carl at the first and only aid station on the course.  A short stop here and they would embark on the first of four 10.25 mile loops through the Middle Run Natural Resource Area.  The trail is essentially very easy with good footing and little elevation gain or descent.  That being it was still imperative that each of the runners stay alert for that stray rock or rock that inevitably pops up out of nowhere.  I noticed later in the day that more than one runner had taken a nasty fall and had to learn this lesson the hard way.  While there is no threat from wild-life in our great state we do have the threat of human beings.  It wasn’t the people themselves that posed the threat but instead it was their means of transportation.  The runners were joined on the trail by many mountain bikers who frequent this same area on a regular basis.  The single track trails were narrow at times so again staying alert would be critical to the safety of the runner and cyclist.  There was also a road crossing about four miles into the loop where there is a high volume of vehicular traffic.  The runners were made aware of both of these circumstances ahead of time and were trusted to care for themselves.   Once across the road the runners entered the Judge Morris loop where they encounter more of the same terrain for almost four miles prior to returning back to the trailhead and the aid station. 

After completing four trail loops the runners are then directed back to Carl’s house on the same roads on which they were led out.  The roads were of no concern on the way out but upon return after completing four trail loops the lack of a challenge could in itself pose a challenge.  When the runners arrived back at Carl’s house they were greeted by his gracious wife, Mary, who not only offered aid but also encouragement.  There would now be time to sit, relax and refocus prior to facing the multiple out and back road course. Once ready to go the runners were guided on the same roads from where they had just returned.  This time, however, they were directed to turn around at the 5.5 mile mark and head back.  The roads on which they traveled were generally rolling and easy but as the day progressed the half mile climb up and down Linden Hill Road would take would take its toll on even the strongest runners. 

Though I may have been stretching myself a bit it was important to have the presence of someone familiar with the course to guide the runners around the first time.  The presence of a confident individual would alleviate unnecessary stress that could escape in the form of negative energy.  As I led the group I offered advice when asked but mostly I observed and listened.  I stressed that fact that though there was support on the course they should be prepared for any situation and know how to react without depending upon others. If they weren’t already then certainly over the next twenty plus hours they would become in tune with their bodies like never before.   

When we reached the trailhead from the road we made our way up toward the aid station where the field would certainly begin to spread. Some of the runners were quickly in an out while others lingered.  At eight miles the race had not yet begun but the runners did seem to settle into their strides.  Rick Palmer and Randy Dietz ran together through mile fifteen before Rick decided to pull away on his own.  Randy joined the middle of the pack while Jessi Kennedy and David Kennedy pulled to the front.  I continued to guide a group of runners through the trail section with the goal of leading them safely around the first time.  An assist was provided by Rob Rector’s dad and a friend of his through the first several miles of the trail.   

The group of runners that entered the Judge Morris trail under my guidance included Rob Rector, Randy Dietz, Steve Wilkinson, and Mike Brown.  The pack ran together feeding off the energy of one another while slowly traversing the single track trail.  Once through Judge Morris they back tracked across Poly Drummond Hill road and into Middle Run Natural Resource Area which led them to the aid station that Carl manned along with a group of enthusiastic fans. 

My first order of business now complete I took a break at the aid area before making the return trip back to the house to retrieve my car.  One of the young ladies at the park offered me a ride back but I didn’t want to distract her attention from the runner she was there to support so I declined.  I was tired but I knew a few shortcuts that would allow me to cut a couple of miles off of the trip to get me back quicker.  I was definitely concerned that I may have over extended myself by agreeing to lead the runners out but I was confident in my ability to conquer the challenge.  I had given my word to Jessi that I would pace for her so I was motivated to think positively.

I had planned on taking a nap when I got home but instead I did a few push-ups and sit-ups as a way to stretch out my tight muscles.  After about an hour and a half of this I grabbed a bite to eat, caught a few football scores, read my email and then made my way back to the park.  Once there I was surprised to find that the standings had shifted dramatically with Jessi now in the lead.  Rick suffered back spasms around the 50K point and decided to take a break when reaching the aid station.  The downtime taken by Rick allowed both Jessi and David Kennedy to pass with Jessi taking over the lead.  Jessi’s pace was such that my plan to run only at night had now been changed to a strong possibility of running through the day as well.  She was due to arrive back at the park at 3:30 so with eight miles of road afterwards I figured I had almost three hours to prepare.  When she returned back to the park she immediately requested some directions as to how to make it back to Carl’s house.  Carl provided verbal guidance but the look on her face told me that she did not comprehend.  Once I realized her level of concern I volunteered to guide her on the eight mile trip back.  Rob’s dad graciously offered to meet me at Carl’s and drive me back to the park once Jessi and I arrived so that I could retrieve my car.  All set we headed out back on the trail which led to the road and began our trek back to Carl’s. 

Prior to this day Jessi and I had never met one another so my first order of business was to ask her how she would like me to pace. Did she prefer that I talk, be quiet or a mix of both?  My first impression was that she was shy and gained her strength from inside so she needed little motivation.   As a pacer my approach is to talk in attempt to put the runner at ease while expressing constant encouragement.  My voice, my actions and my delivery could certainly play a role in the outcome of the runner’s race so it is always critical for me to understand how the runner is motivated so that I can act appropriately.  In real life, under no stress, every limb of my body shakes due to stored nervous energy that is constantly generated by my own thoughts.  I have the ability to channel this energy in a positive direction to the benefit of either myself if I’m racing or to another if I’m pacing.  A little guidance as to what makes the other person tick is all I need to make it work.   

Topics of discussion would also be important but as I gain the runner’s trust I can easily identify interests.  My personality is quite different as competitor as opposed to situations in real life.  Occasionally I can be bit timid so my words sometimes do not exactly flow smoothly.  I realized quickly that Jessi was feeding from within and not necessarily focused on initiating conversation so I would have to be the aggressor.  Unfortunately I found myself talking mostly about my own experiences as a runner which in turn made me feel uncomfortable or as though I was a bragger.  In reality I understood that it truly didn’t matter what I talked about for my real role was to be her guardian angel and guide her safely to the finish.   I began to look at her as though she were my daughter and treated as such as together we traveled the road back to Carl’s house.  This pattern would continue through the rest of the day and into the night time hours until her early morning finish.

She was quietly confident and outwardly strong but as she ran I began to observe that she was running with a severe limp.  I was there to care for her so my immediate reaction was to ask her how she felt but not harp on it or make it sound like a big deal.  Severe injuries are easy to detect but only the person who feels the pain can identify an injury versus plain old overuse pain.  I asked her to explain the pain to me so that at the same time she would hear her own words allowing her an opportunity to sort it out.  While she genuinely seemed concerned she was also confident that a shoe change would resolve the issue and alleviate the pain.  Satisfied that she would be okay we continued to make our way back to the house.   

I went with Rob’s dad back to the park and left Jessi to work on her foot.  Before leaving I assured her that she was doing well and I suggested that she take as much time as needed to fix her foot while refocusing for the roads.   Since the park closed at dusk I had no choice but to leave her to attempt the first loop alone so that I could retrieve my car.  I was certain that she would be okay but I promised her that I would run back out to meet her when I got back.  I too needed some time to refocus because I had not planned on running more than 25-30 miles and I had already surpassed that total and in fact I would run more than 70 miles by day’s end. 

By the time I got back to the park a few more runners had finished the trail and were now on the road.  David Kennedy and Rob Rector were continuing on towards a hopeful 100 mile finish while both Rick Palmer and Mike Brown had called it a day after completing 50.  Well actually Mike continued on back to Carl’s house to finish with a total of 58 miles. When I got back to the park I updated Carl on the status of Jessi’s condition.  Though it was still early I honestly believed that unless her foot became a factor she would be the first to finish this year’s race.  After chatting for a few minutes I made my way back to Carl’s house to begin my real duty as a pacer. Prior to heading out I met up with Rick and his girlfriend Lori who had dropped by the house to express their thanks to Carl’s wife Mary.  I chatted a bit with Rick to make sure he was okay and then as promised made my way out to meet Jessi somewhere on the course. 

An exciting moment occurred just after I crossed Limestone Road when off to my right on the other side of the highway I saw a deer dart out of the woods.  While this area is well developed there are just enough woods to support a large deer population so an occasional sighting is not uncommon.  My heart raced as I watched the deer make an attempt to find his way back into the woods.  As he ran along the sidewalk he made attempts at jumping over or through the wooden fence that separated the single family homes from the main street.  I felt a sense of sadness and worry that the deer might dart out in the traffic causing not only his demise but potential injuries to the occupants of the vehicle that hit him.  My heart sank at those thoughts but finally he found an opening in the fence and scurried back off into the woods.  

It was to my surprise when I soon saw Jessi headed up Linden Hill road with only two miles to go before finishing up her first road lap.  As we met I acknowledged her performance and then together we ran back to Carl’s house. On the way back she assured me that her foot was fine and proved it by running up the hill even though her legs had over sixty miles on them at this point.  Her quiet demeanor led me to believe that she was a very strong willed person who would not allow small obstacles to impede her progress.  My opinion was only strengthened as she continued to run the up hills on laps 2 and 3 and honestly never stopped running until a third of the way through the final lap. 

I was strong mentally but on the third lap the pains that I had been feeling in my leg, foot and groin area caused me to lose my concentration. The only important thing at this point was to stay by Jessi’s side and allow her to feel protected.  I fought off the pain by focusing on movement.  Though the conversation ceased we maintained our pace and I was able to disguise my suffering without Jessi’s knowledge.  I’m an inward person who normally expresses his emotions on the inside anyways so whether I’m smiling or crying my facial expression remains the same. In real life that is probably not the best quality to have but in competition or in this situation it certainly comes in handy.   I told Jessi that sometimes silence is best and in fact through any pains that we may have been experiencing we ran together in sync. 

During our time on the course we had many opportunities to encourage the other runners as they passed.  Everyone was still very upbeat and enthusiastic despite the miles they had traveled and the darkness which now fell upon them.  I was impressed by the attitudes and the inner strength that each runner seemed to possess.  I had no doubt that every runner now left on the course would finish this race and in fact all but one did. 

By the start of the last lap Jessi had the race in control and would easily finish first so the only things left to decide would be her level of comfort and what her cumulative time would be.  Neither her facial expressions nor tone of voice led me to believe that she was even the slightest bit tired but for the first time she began to power walk.  Once at the top of the first hill I encouraged her to run down in an attempt to keep her moving so that her muscles would stay loose and her mind wouldn’t stray.  However after 3 miles or so the amount of time running significantly decreased and eventually she would succumb to the pain and begin to power walk the final miles into the finish.  I was easily able to understand what was going on by her body motions so instead of forcing her to run I picked up the conversation and talked about the sky, the stars or whatever came to mind to help divert her attention from any pain.

I never once mentioned her position in the race until we were less than a mile from the finish line.  I felt that it was important for her to focus on her race and not allow energy to be stolen in the form of worry about her position.  Finishing her fist 100 mile race was most important and anything more would be icing on the cake.  Now with her nearest competitor more than three hours behind and a finish secure it was safe to bring it up.  She didn’t seem to be very excited about winning but instead seemed focused on getting the race over with.  

We met David Kennedy about a half mile from the finish as he was making his way out for his final lap.  Jessi and David connected momentarily, David congratulating Jessi and Jessi encouraging David, before they both moved in different directions.  Jessi and I then walked together to the final turn where she put it in gear for one last short run to Carl’s garage to finish in 21:32 and become the first female to win the event.  It’s often been said that pacers and runners become friends forever. While I do not share that belief I do know that the time I share with those I pace is something that will last in my heart forever.

A summer of running that included Badwater, 20 in 24, Viaduct Trail, Cascade Crest and culminated in the Delaware 100 will remain a lasting memory.  When I’m ninety years old I will be sitting in a bar, chatting with the young bucks about my days running 100 miles.  I’m sure they’ll just think I’m a delusional, old whippersnapper but I’ll be smiling on the inside knowing that what I speak is the truth.