Well everyone,

After some introspection, considerable speculation, and more than a few beers I have decided to put the details of my fine and excellent 100 mile adventure down on paper (or in this case on my computer screen). I must of course begin by offering my most maximum thanks to the people responsible for making this event a reality. Joe, Joyce, Sammy, Henry, Mike, Jim, Linda, Mariela, Mark; the volunteers whose names I'm not familiar with, and anyone whose name I have omitted in my post race stupor. Your passion, energy, and concern for the participants in Rocky simply leaves me without the proper words to express my gratitude! You are all in a league of your own. I want to be like you when I grow up!

The days leading up to the race were a blur of activity. I was searching out last minute gear, mixing nutrition, working,strategizing, packing, and on and on. I managed to avoid all the sickness going although I had a Last minute scare. By the time I got to the park on Friday I was tense and semi-exhausted. My stomach was out of sorts and I was thinking God please don't let me come down with something after all this time working on this dream. Then I ate a big plate of Slaming Sam's cooking and it all just went away! I got my stuff put away and crawled in my castle for some serious shuteye.

Next morning I got dressed and headed to the start, where I tried to make sure I had everything where it needed to be (flashlight,brains). I said a quick prayer for myself and everyone else and called in all my angels! The start time was really close and I thought "why don't I pull a Larry Childs! (sorry Larry)" So while I was taking care of natures call, Joe had the temerity to start the race without me! I came rushing out and everybody said "They went thataway" so off I went in pursuit. Soon I could see the lights ahead and I settled in to a good pace. I picked off a few people but I kept thinking it's going to be a looooong day so be patient. Things were pretty much uneventual through the 1st loop. I was well back of Robert and Diana and the rest of the gang. I didn't feel real great or real bad and for me that's pretty normal early on. Got in 12 minutes behind my hoped for schedule, but I had started late and had to make some adjustments during the aid stations, so I was pleased. ( I had a very top goal of sub-24 and I knew it was a bridge too far, but I was committed to staying in pursuit until I was convinced I had no chance of making it.)

The 2nd loop began fairly well. I was still running solid and when I hit the dam road stations I downed a sobe version of a red bull and starting picking up the pace. Over the next 6 miles I caught up to a group of runners I had been cat and mousing with and was feeling good! At this point I must tell you there is a couple of theories I have developed during the race, one of which is we have been invaded by aliens. This was confirmed to my satifaction when the leader passed us. We were at mile 33 and he was at mile 53! The thing was, he looking like he was getting ready to go on a date or something. No sweat, hair in place, not breathing hard, He just blew by us and was gone! Not from my neighborhood! So on we went and soon I was in for the 2nd loop! Still in the hunt for 24 and feeling okay. A fresh shirt, mix some calories, and I'm off. But wait, I've forgotten something. (This was a recurring theme all day and night long, and something I need to work on!)

Now I'm heading out for the 3rd loop, and this little uphill is definately getting bigger. In fact, every hill is bigger, every root is growing, but I'm pressing on. By the time I hit 50 I'm feeling it! The sobe aren't working as well anymore, either. It's to see Mike and Jim at farside, and they are full of encouragement. Sure wish this was 70! Still, I'm halfway home! Grab the light coming back through Dam Road and head in. Developing various leg/joint issues, nothing serious just general pains associated with running all day long. Darkness arrives a little before 174 and I concentrate on holding on to my pace. Despite my best efforts I'm outside my sub-24 window when I finish the 3rd loop (around 7:45 I think).

I took some time in the lodge aid station before heading out for loop #4. My pacer for this loop was Morgan Lusby. At this point I must mention the super job Mariela Botella did arranging pacers for the runners. It made such a huge difference going into the night knowing I would have someone keeping me upright and pointed in the right direction. Morgan did a great job for me! I felt like I had known him for a long time as he kept up the conversation and stories which forced me to stay lucid. He also gently pushed me to keep running everywhere I could. My energy level was far reduced from earlier loops, but we pushed on. I'll be interested to know how the splits came out during this stage of the race, because we actually began passing people. By the time we hit 174 I was starting to have issues with my feet. We rolled on in, and I had my feet dressed. I thought for sure I had blisters on the balls of my feet but it turned out they were only hot spots. However, by the time I reached the finish line, I might as well have been walking across hot coals for the last 20 miles. At least I can cross that off my list of things to try!!

I thanked Morgan profusely and Holly (my pacer for loop #5) and I took off. Okay, shuffled off! As it turned out, Holly was the ideal pacer for me at this stage. She didn't have a great deal of experience in the rigors of nighttime trail running but she did have an abundance of what was needed at that point: PATIENCE!! She watched me basically start coming apart at the seams and kept me going. I swear as we headed up the first out and back there was a point where I thought we would never get there! The entire section seemed to be uphill! Eventually, though we reached the aid station. I was downing some soup when the volunteers started talking about their 100 mile experiences. One guy said, "Yeah, when I did my first hundred, I thought I'll just run as far and hard as I can. I can always walk in, he said, but that's just not true. You get to the point where you can't walk, either." Oh, thank you, buddy! Needless to say I got out of there in a hurry! The trip to dam road went better, but now I had the one problem I thought I would never have. I was literally falling asleep! At one point I thought I would lay down on the trail and sleep for a few minutes, but I managed to hang in till the aid station. I sat in a chair with a blanket around me and slept for 10 or 15 minutes and it was like magic when I woke up! I had energy again. I rounded some stuff up and we took off. Holly had to be thinking Please God, don't ever let me be stupid enough to do one of these things. I might wind up like this guy! Anyway, we get into the out and back to farside and hit the hills. They just seem to go on forever. At this point I MUST explain the other theory I mentioned earlier. I am now quite sure that somehow Joe Prusaitus has managed to place pneumatic jacks underneath the trails in the hilly parts and at night he actually raises theses sections to increase the difficulty of the course! I'm not sure how he does this, but I'm certain that it IS going on. Perhaps he's in cahoots with the aliens! Joe, you are a cruel, cruel man!

Somehow, we hit the turnaround and Mike and Jim boost us up and off we go. I run into Robert Heynan halfway back to dam road. Every loop we passed in almost exactly the same place. Sometimes I was in front and sometimes he was in front but it was at almost the exact spot ever time. I also see Ava, Donna, Jeff, and Robert Melendez. Hang in there, compadres! So we turn for home and there's a pinpoint of light at the tunnel! Around the dam and through the woods where the giant roots are, we struggle on. Now 174 is in sight for the last time. I keep checking my feet and am always amazed that they are NOT on fire! In the distance I can smell the barn now. We make the turn at the Interpretive Center and the world is beginning to look very rosy! I start to tell Holly about this article I read in Ultra Running by Mary Ann Clute about how she and her friend Sharon Carroll had tried Rocky five times and ever time between 80 and 94 miles something happened to defeat them. I'm trying to tell Holly this and I start getting choked up because I realize I'm going to make it on my first try. The last part of the article went like this: "We cross the road, then cross the road again, and know that we are near. Her tears are already falling. We pass a runner and invite him to run in with us. He kindly offers to cry with us. We feel like we sprint to the finish. Victory at last! I think I hear the coyote laugh as the alligator drags the monkey off our backs and into the swamp." And now I'm crossing those roads and I can see the Lodge. We're running fast and Holly is looking at me like she's amazed I can run at all. I'm amazed I can run at all !!

Then we're at the finish and it's hugs all around! I feel like I've climbed Mt. Everest! Life is good!! There must be a smile a mile wide on my face. Joe and Joyce and the finish line people are just great. I realize this is one of life's really special moments where all the partipicants and volunteers are somehow joined together now. All the runners were able to reach deep into ourselves amd discover strenghts we never knew before, even if some weren't successful this time, and the volunteers were our support family! Thank you all. Thank you God. A special thanks to my pacers; my compadres Morgan and Holly! I'm in your debt. Double thank you's one more time to ALL the volunteers. Oh, by the way. that runner in the Mary Ann Clute story, that was Mark Lindsay, who spent the weekend riding his bike around the course checking on everyone. Thanks Mark! See you all next year!

Steve Williams