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My Western States Story
Photo Credit: Stephanie Deveau |
Photo Credit: Chris Jones |
- iRunFar Pre-race Interview
- iRunFar Post-race Interview
- Finish-line Interview
- Ultra Sports Live Post-race Interview
- Runners-recap-Western-States-100-Mile-Endurance-Run
Photo credit: Stephanie Deveau |
training a lot, I was traveling for work and we rarely saw each other. We did a
few key training runs together (40 miles back to back on the Rogue river and
the Memorial Day Western States training camp) so I knew she was in shape and almost
as importantly, I was in good enough shape to keep up.
Pre-race hiking in Tahoe Donner |
relax. I had to work and wasn’t able to leave until Thursday.
Each day I’d get a text or email from Steph asking me to bring something she forgot, such as her hydration bladder and vest (yes she forgot this at home), a specific pair of socks that were in the laundry, some extra flasks, etc. By Thursday I had a big bag of forgotten gear to take with me as I drove down with Ken & Denise.
on Friday night ready for an early morning.
The countdown is on! |
Race Morning- Double D’s! |
Next
thing I knew they were off and running (walking?) up the climb to the Escarpment. I didn’t see Steph during those first few seconds but I was confident that should
would be smart and race as well as she knows how to race.
Pre-race |
Starting Line |
crew and my family and dropped cars so we could carpool from there. We then
drove up to Robinson Flat for the first crewing station.
Keeping her promise up to the Escarpment Photo Credit: Tanner Johnson |
Nearing the top Photo Credit: Luis Escobar |
High Country Photo Credit: Ultra Sports Live |
Photo Credit: Ultra Sports Live |
Coming into Robinson Flat Photo Credit: Nick Cifuentes |
Photo Credit: Allen Lucas |
Steph came in to Robinson Flat only a few minutes behind
Emily and was looking very fresh. She was in and out of the aid station quickly
and was in good spirits. We reminded her to stay calm and that we’d see her in
a few hours. She was gone and then we were off to Michigan Bluff.
Cruising the downhills Photo Credit: Glenn Tachiyama |
wouldn’t be there until 2:30p. With my energy and nervous excitement this was
not going to be a good stretch and I learned that I am not a good crew person.
I killed the fully charged battery in my phone while checking updates on
iRunFar’s twitter and Ultralive. Max as still leading and Steph had taken the
lead about 7min ahead of Emily. Then Steph was further ahead, but we didn’t
know how much ahead. It was so exciting but updates were slow to come as they
dropped in to the canyons. Next thing you know most of our cell phones died for
checking them too often… We had to start playing the waiting game.
First River Crossing (aka Swinging Bridge) Photo Credit: Michelle Siniard |
A bit later
Max came in still in good spirits and still leading. The entire Bend crew got
even more excited! By this point I was fully pacing back and forth looking at
the clock. 45min to go, 30min, 20min, 10min… Then we heard “First Woman!” from up the trail.
The crew at work |
Maybe you know this, but Steph is a type A personality (type AAA according to her mom), so she had a very specific plan as to what we should have at each aid station for her to eat. At Michigan Bluff she was supposed to grab a flask mixture with gels, which she planned to take for the next several hours. As she eyed the flask, she stated “Those aren’t working for me”. What? Wasn’t that your plan? “Bloks, I only want bloks,” was her solution. Ok, Clif shot bloks it was. The real question was what were we going to do at Foresthill on, since Steph had planned to take about 6 gel flasks for to get her through the rest of the race.
Photo credit: Stephen Ingalls |
Cruising through some miles early on Photo Credit: Stephanie Deveau |
Next stop was Foresthill. We decided that my brother, Phil, would wait at bath road and run to the aid station with Steph to find out what she needed. Meanwhile I’d help Steph through the aid station and then start pacing. Phil reported back to the rest of the crew that Steph only wanted bloks and soda for the rest of the race. We were able to get what she wanted quickly and get her in and out of Foresthill with less
than a minute. Ok only 38 miles to go and she won’t be alone.
Getting in and out of the aid stations fast Photo Credit: Nick Ciefuntes |
This plan seemed to be working. While she walked I’d fill her pack with water and get her Sprite in her small bottle (since that was almost all her stomach was allowing). We kept a very solid pace and got to the river with no more problems.
Cruising down Cal Street Photo Credit: iRunFar/Gretchen Brugman |
conservative pace to ensure that Steph could run the rest. Our crew met us
there with news that we were now 24min in the lead. More Clif shot bloks, sprite, and water and we were on our way. Only
22 miles to go. I think Steph finally realized that she could win this thing.
The plan was just to maintain from there on out. Others would have to drastically
speed up to catch, we would just keep a smooth steady pace. We kept rolling
from there on with the only mistake being that I forgot to fill my own water at the Auburn Lakes Trail aid station. Darn it! I had to go the next 5 miles without water.
River Crossing Photo Credit: iRunFar/Bryon Powell |
couldn’t have come soon enough. With the Ashland party going on it was so much fun I
almost forgot to fill up my water again.
out. We kept rolling and Steph’s knee was responding to the plan. No pain and
we were still putting in solid mile splits. We hit the climb to Hwy 49 and
relaxed into it. We were still passing some of the men’s field and Steph was
energized with the realization she could win it. We pushed through the climb
and next thing you know we are at 49. Only 7 miles to go and she was still
moving well. We grabbed more sprite, water & blocks and kept moving.
(friends from Bend) at the aid station. Only one more massive climb and it
would all be over. What was amazing is that we jogged most of that climb. Steph
still had legs as we trotted up it only walking the steepest sections. The
climb went by faster than expected and we hit pavement only to be reminded that
the climb wasn’t done.
track. They said it was 25+ min to the
next woman. Steph was finally comfortable, waving and really savoring the
moment. She was gong to win Western States in her first 100 miler!
Photo Credit: Allen Lucas
We entered the track and there was so much energy. It was
powerful to experience as a pacer, so I couldn’t imagine how Steph felt as the one that ran the whole thing. |
Photo Credit: Allen Lucas |
fastest women’s time ever. Only Ellie Greenwood and Ann Trason being faster. What
an amazing accomplishment! I expect to see that belt buckle worn often and the
Cougar to be the centerpiece of living room.
Photo Credit: Stephanie Deveau |
Photo credit: Stephen Ingalls |
Finish line interview with John Trent Photo credit: Stephen Ingalls |
Photo Credit: Stephanie Deveau |
Thanks so much to my amazing crew: Chris & Elisa Cheng, Phil Violett, and Zach Violett who stayed up all night taking care of me! I couldn’t have done it without you guys!! Elisa gets bonus points because she braided my hair the day before too 🙂
Also big thanks to my coach, Ian Torrence, who helped me get to the starting line fit, healthy, and confident!
Coach Ian and I |
Rob and I showing off our belt buckles |
Double for The North Face |
Thanks to my great friends! |
And to Footzone and the running community of Bend- you guys are amazing! I have never felt so loved!!
Celebrating at Footzone |
1 town, 4 belt buckles |
Great race, great report. Congrats!!
Thank You!!!
Stephanie~
Congratulations!
Your incredible achievement at the prestigious WS 100
remains epic! Though it was your first 100-mile run it is
clear your talent is untapped.
It was awesome to see it unfold.
Head humbly bowed from our Sacred Rocky
Mountain peaks.
Namaste…
`The Mad Swede
aka ~Jeff Kildahl, CWC | ESC | SNS | BMS | METS | ND | PhD
Boulder, Colorado
Thanks Jeff! I'm still smiling 🙂
You two make a great team, in writing and running ~ loved the report! Mad props to you again, Stephanie. I'm tickled every time I think of you accomplishing this tremendous challenge. Enjoy your R&R!
~Robin
Complimenti per la bella gara.
Fantastico il racconto
In bocca al lupo per le tue prossime gare
Ciao Alberto Bussino Lazzerini
Hi Stephanie,
I work for the company that produces Mutual of Omaha’s aha moment campaign; check out http://www.mutualofomaha.com/aha to see what an aha moment is and the incredible stories we’ve filmed over the last several years. As I came across your website, I couldn’t help but think that you might have an aha moment to share.
For the 5th year, we’re taking our 34-foot Airstream mobile film studio on the road again for the 2014 Aha Moment Tour, visiting 20 cities across America to capture inspirational, life-changing aha moments from folks all over the country. We are headed to Bend, OR on August 14th and 15th and would love to invite you to share an aha moment, and how your life has changed since. It can be about your work, your family or other life experiences. You would just have to step into the Airstream studio for a few minutes and tell your story on film to our tour producer. Your video will then be posted to http://www.mutualofomaha.com/aha, where you will be able to share it with your friends and family via email, Facebook and Twitter!
On August 14th and 15th from 10am to 6pm, we will be parked at Downtown Bend, Mirror Pond Parking Lot, behind The Tower Theatre, at NW Riverside Blvd. and NW Broadway St., Bend, OR 97701. Here is a map link to the location: http://goo.gl/maps/6yGJT
We’d love to have you. Let me know as soon as possible and I can reserve your time slot.
Many thanks!
Rachel Clark
tour@ahamoment.com
See the 2014 Aha Moment Tour page: ahamoment.com/tour
View aha moment videos: youtube.com/myahamoment
Follow the tour:
twitter.com/myahamoment
facebook.com/myahamoment
instagram.com/myahamoment
—
ahamoment.com