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13 August 2010

Volunteering at the STORMY Ultras - Aug 10

Something I had on my race calendar for the past few years has been the STORMY 100-mile run. Not to run the race, but to run the Edith Lake aid station. The past few years, I was doing it alone...all night! But this year, my lovely first wife Martha joined me to help out and keep me company. It was a wonderful change sharing it with her, and more than a bit easier to stay awake as a result!

Our adventures up there included: 
  • saturating rain
  • mosquitoes
  • a runner who was too fast for us to be completely set up in time (we had water set up, but he stealthily sped through when we were back at the car getting more stuff)
  • lost runners
  • falling trees
  • mosquitoes
  • eating more green olives than the racers did
  • Bruce's Famous Turkey-Avocado Wraps (tm)
  • an exciting mid-race break to Howe Sound Brewing for lunch and some Three Beavers and King Hefe
  • bears. I know they were out there. Watching us. Waiting. Sniffing. Really.
  • me being able to take off in the morning and run a couple of relay legs as part of a team of race volunteers (hey, we placed 11/26, not bad for a throw-together team! Thanks Jess, Bill, Kim and Mischell)
  • driving home Sunday afternoon, having a quick 2-hr nap, then heading out for my Mom's 70th birthday party.
  • the fun and satisfaction of helping our friend and RD Wendy Montgomery, as well as all the racers out. 
I wrote up a much more detailed account which can be seen over at the LaSportiva mountainrunning blog site - please head there to read more!

Yummy.....

p.s. green olives are awesome. I had these for the first time at an aid station at about mile 60 at the Massanutten 100, and thought I'd found nirvana. You know you want some. Next year we'll bring the gin as well if you still need convincing.

4 comments:

Sue said...

That food looks awesome I can taste those wings now. Sounds like a great race, one I hope to run one of these years. Now where's that Hardrock race report I'm dying to read all about it. Are you crazy enough to do the 6633next spring? I wish I was :)

Jason Eads said...

Bruce,
I really appreciate your and your wife being out there. The other aid stations "gave you a run for your money", but I have to say, the green olives put you over the top!

My sincere thanks to you and Martha for helping ensure my successful completion of the STORMY 100.

Best,

Jason Eads

Bruce Grant said...

Sue - you should try and make it out for the race sometime, I'd be happy to serve you up some West Coast hospitality around and during the event! Hardrock report....yeah, yeah, I'm getting to it :-) I better write something before my Italy race totally takes over my brain....

Jason - thanks for the comments, Martha and I both quite appreciated hearing them. It was really fun helping you guys out. You had a great race there, I don't think you needed much from us when you came through anyways! Congrats on a great finish.

Jason Eads said...

Certainly mean it sincererly.

"Needs" are a tricky thing in 100's, aren't they? TRUST ME, I *NEEDED* olives on loop 2! LOL!

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