I spent last Saturday at the Western States 100. While I didn’t run the race, I spent nearly a full 24 hours out there myself.
Up at 6am to help set up the “Cal 1” aid station by filling up my truck with water jugs and driving down a sketchy 2-mile dirt road and then run the aid station. We saw the lead runners coming through starting at 2:30pm.
At 5:30pm, I drove out of the ravine to meet a Hong Kong runner named Patrick – first to greet him at Foresthill (mile 62) at 8pm where my friend Kelly paced from down to the river at Rucky Chuck. Then meeting Patrick and Kelly at mile 78 to pace Patrick from the River to the finish at mile 100.3.
Patrick typified Relentless Forward Progress.
By mile 55, he was dealing with his quads blowing up and a callous that formed on the underside of his foot.
By Foresthill, he knew he was behind pace for the magical sub-24 hour finish. Yet he ran with Kelly at a healthy pace, reaching me at the River before midnight, giving him an outside chance.
During my 22 miles with him, he pushed on the downhills, following my lead running when I ran. Hiking hard on the uphills to keep a good pace going. Quick stops through aid stations and forcing down calories in the form of energy gels, sugary sports drinks and vegetable broth.
At one point past mile 90, he was pulling away from me on an uphill climb as I lagged behind and nodded off while hiking. Thankfully a concoction of half coffee—half Coca-Cola woke me up at the next aid station.
Watching Patrick run the trail starting at 5am Saturday morning, through the day, through the Canyons, through the heat, through the night, into the morning and crossing the finish line just past 6:30am on Sunday.
It was a textbook example of Patience. Persistence. Perseverance.
I was proud to be part of his journey and privileged to witness this lesson from the trail just two weeks away from my next ultra.
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