Booneville Backroads Ultra 100 miles

Ready to start with Will, Scott, Brian and Marty.

Some highlights of my first 100 miler, Booneville Backroads Ultra.  Running a hundred has been a goal of mine for as long as I can remember, but there was always something that seemed to get in the way (kids, work, injuries, etc.).  It was so exciting to finally have it happening.  It’s hard to pick out only a couple highlights since the run took place over 23 hours and there were 14 aid stations along the way.  After the fun and excitement of the night before with my crew (Scott Reichardt, Brian Boyce, Marty Ertz, and Will Tucker) I woke up at 3:00 am and got up to get ready at 4:00 am.  I probably slept a solid 3 hours.  We got to the drop off at about 5:30 and took some pictures, picked up my race chip and I got on the “Wrong” bus.  Appropriately named, but it took us about a half mile across the highway to the start/finish.  We got race instructions and we were on our way a little after 6:00 am.  I love the start of any run!

"Really Mike, 9:00 pace?"

Mile 10 aid station (AS), I came in at about a 9 minute pace and was quickly scolded by my crew (not to single Scott out) since my plan was to run a 10 minute pace during this stretch.  I got in and out pretty fast and had 13 miles to the next stop.  These first 23 miles were so fun as there were a lot of runners to meet and talk to.  I also ran past my cousin’s house at mile 19 and she was out there to cheer me on with my family. They made an awesome sign for me, I was the only runner with a personalized sign on the course!  I also lost my cue sheet with

Mike Soltys Fan Club!

directions into the mile 23 AS so I had to stay near people for about 3 miles.  With that, I learned a valuable lesson.  There were no markings of any kind on the course so without the cue sheets you are lost.  Mile 23 was the next AS and I was still running strong.  I ran through the first covered bridge of Madison County.  I started passing a bunch of 100K runners over the next 10 miles and finally ran into a 100 mile runner at mile 32ish, at the second covered bridge of Madison County.  He talked about his stomach issues, I tried to pep him up and convince him things will turn around.  While talking, I followed his directions and we took the wrong turn for the second bridge and had to back track a quarter mile or so.  The runner told me I was the third place 100 miler since I passed him, I never got his name and never heard if he finished or not.  Third place was a silent motivator, as I did not mention it to my crew for another 15 miles.



Coming into 42 strong

Mile 42 AS, I had just completed a long lonely, hot stretch. I came through the third covered bridge of Madison County running strong and confident, or so my crew and family tells me!  I had run out of water a mile before and was running out of gas fast. I was mentally moving into a dark place for the first time.  My crew got me a cold wet towel to cool off with, some ibuprofen, pringles, ensure and other food and got me out of there.  I had three miles of highway until I met up with them at the fourth covered bridge of Madison County.  I was dreading this run as it was all exposed, lots of traffic, and I was exhausted.  Something happened and I snapped out of it.  I cranked out three miles at about a 9 minte pace.  It changed the entire mood of the run.  At mile 45 I could see the excitement in my crew and family seeing me snap out of my bad place.  It inspired me.  When I reached mile 50 I recall looking at my watch seeing 9 hours, 30 minutes for a split.  I was pretty pleased at being under 10 hours for 50 miles.  I avoided setting a PR for that distance and that was good!  We met up at mile 53 and celebrated being over half way.  I also made the decision not to change shoes, socks or anything else since I was having success with what I was doing.

Me and my Crew at 62

I came into the start/finish for the 62 mile AS at 12 hours, 12 minutes.  I felt really good about that!  I finished faster than two thirds of the 100K runners and still had 38 miles to go.  I had a chance to eat more pringles, a banana and drink more ensure, change a shirt for the first time, and I picked up pacers, Scott and Will.  It was an exciting part of the run since I had run 62 miles alone and now overtook my title of having the longest run in the group, which I gave up to Scott at the Free State 100K and month earlier.  The next 15 miles were fun.  The anticipation for the finish was starting to mount.  I was running strong, but found myself walking a bit more.  We had miles where we walked and still averaged a 13 minute pace.  Crazy fast for walking!  At mile 72 we put on our reflective gear and grabbed headlamps.  The AS volunteer started telling me about the badass belt buckle I was going to win since I was still in third place. Note here, not just a belt buckle, a BADASS belt buckle.

At mile 77, I was going to exchange pacers and run with Marty.  I changed things up on my crew and said I wanted two pacers all the way.  It was dark and I wanted to make sure we did not miss a turn from the cue cards and have to back track.  It was a good thing I did since I learned Marty is blind as a bat at night!  Brian, Marty and I had a great run.  I was getting quizzed with 80’s movie trivia, and it is amazing what your brain can and cannot remember about 80’s trivia after running 85 miles.  I stopped once to check out what I thought was a rock in my shoe and I dismissed it as nothing.  At mile 88, we stopped and met up with everyone.  I changed my left sock since I again thought there was a blister on the bottom of my foot.  We could not see it so we pressed on.  Somewhere around here I switched pacers again and, I was going with Brian and Will.  At mile 92, I remember walking down the road with Brian on my left and Will on my right.  I kept bumping into Will.  Then I would go back to walking straight for a little while.  We laughed about it.  Looking back on it, this was my first experience with sleep running.  I was falling asleep, would run into Will, wake up and go again until I fell asleep and the cycle would repeat.  It had also started to rain on us a few miles before this.

Getting ready to finish the last loop

Just before the mile 94 AS I told Brian and Will I was getting very tired, disoriented and something was not right.  I was moving into a very, very dark place.  We developed a plan for Brian to get me to the AS, and Will would find Scott and talk about what was going on.  All this was designed to keep my situation from my wife, it failed and we managed to freak her out!  I got to the AS and sat down.  I remember fighting with my crew about wanting to sleep for a few minutes, or 15?  I got very chilled and was shivering uncontrollably.  I could see my breath.  They tossed blankets on me to warm me up.  They made me drink an ensure, salt tab and I requested a red bull.  The RD came over and told me I was 6 miles away from a 3^rd place finish and a BADASS belt buckle.  Somewhere, with all that going on I got up and decided to get going.  I was not going to risk losing everything I had worked for over the past seven months by sitting at mile 94.  By the time I got out of the AS and back on the road, something happened and I popped out of my bad place.  I got “wings” and am now actively pursuing a Red Bull sponsorship!  I traveled the last 6 miles with Scott, Will, and my son, Matt.  It was awesome to finish up with these three.  Scott and Will had been running with me most Saturdays for months and Matt ran with me for the last 7 miles of my longest training run while he was home from spring break.  Most of the last 6 miles it rained hard.  The first 2 miles of this loop were going back on the road we took going into the AS.  Somewhere, coming into this section we passed the 4^th place runner coming into the AS.  I remember him looking strong and it helped push me along.  I was not going to lose third place in the last mile of this run.  We got through the first 4 miles faster than the rest of my crew and family thought we would and they could see the 

Crossing the finish line!

improvement of my situation. It was a big boost for everyone.    Actually, we were so much faster that Marty and Brian were not ready to join us and run the last mile of the run together.  We met them at the finish and it was just as cool!  With about a mile to go my Garmin turned 100 miles.  It was a huge celebration and we learned that my watch mileage counter has three digits.  Does yours?  Running into the finish line was one of the best feelings ever!  I finished in 22:41:45.  Below the 24 hour goal I had talked about for months!  100.9 miles showing on the Garmin.  I finished nearly an hour before the fourth place runner.  I was the third place 100 mile runner, and won a Masters Division Ultra-marathon State Championship.  Because of the rain and darkness, we did not get many pictures.  We said thanks to the RD and volunteer folks around there, got some dry clothes, and headed out for some sleep, or a drive home.

I learned so much about my spirit and mindset during this run.  You can push through anything if your mind wants to.  Here are some frequently asked questions from my run.  I had three mantras I repeated during the run: Pain doesn’t hurt, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me, and live life as a get to, not a have to.  I did not listen to music, headphones, etc.  What did I eat and drink?  Over the course of the run, I drank ensure (9 bottles), water, Gatorade, and soda, about 4 and a half gallons liquid total.  I ate a handful of skittles and pretzels, a banana, 4 Gu gels and a container of Pringles.  I took Ibuprofen 2 times and over the miles took roughly 25 salt tablets.  It took about 48 hours for my appetite to really come back.  Did I lose weight?  I lost 10 pounds in 24 hours….ask me how!  (Looking for a nutrisystem sponsorship)  The only recovery issues I have had is a quarter size blister on the ball of my left foot (Note I said ball of my left foot) and I suspect extensor tendonitis in my right leg/foot.  I twisted it on our run Saturday the week before and it flared up for the last 60 miles of the Ultra.  No big deal, swelling is down and I am walking on it now.  When are you running again?  At this point it’s day by day, a little cycling tonight then running soon (Monday, next Monday).  Are you going to run another 100 miler?  Probably, Julie said she knew I was going to want to run another at mile 97.  I have to give special thanks to my crew, Scott Reichardt, Brian Boyce, Marty Ertz, and Will Tucker as well as my wife Julie, and kids Matt, Kelli and Megan for giving me everything they had for two entire days and losing an entire night of sleep.  If you see any of them, give them kudos, I would have struggled to finish without them.