Wonderland By the Numbers

Things didn't go as planned. Things didn't even go according to my modified plans. Basically, things were whack! But considering that I missed out on a substantial block of training due to work, had to maneuver around wildfire smoke and heatwave during training, and was malnourished, I think I did OK for a 62 year old woman who was never really a runner before the age of 40 and whose first ultra was run at the age of 58. 

Some of you may have read about the h pylori gut bacteria that put a crimp in my training for the Wonderland run. The good news is that the antibiotics seem to have subdued the bug. The bad news is that the antibiotics upset my stomach and for the first two days of the Wonderland trip I felt like crap while I was still taking the meds. 

My modified plan was to ride the support van to the campgrounds and do out and back runs. What I didn't know is that the ride to the camp included long stops for re-supplying, meaning that once settled in camp there wasn't time for much more than a quick jaunt. 

So while I am sorely disappointed that I was only able to complete about a third of the course, I am still proud of the fact that I far surpassed my fundraising goal which is truly what the whole thing was about anyway. So huge thanks to all who donated to support Breast Cancer Prevention Partners.

Here's the low down.

Day One - drove to Ashford WA with my friends Janet and Theresa, camped at Big Creek campground for our first group dinner. 

Day Two - drove to Longmire to the start of the Wonderland trail. Bid farewell to the runners heading out. Hopped in the support van to head to the Mowich Lake Campground, stopping for groceries along the way. Set up camp in the rain then headed up for a wet hike/run to Eunice Lake. One of the other runners had bailed about 6 miles in because she was sick but she managed to hitch a ride to the camp. Three other runners rolled into camp with the sweep, in the dark at about 8pm, exhausted and soaked from the rain. I was thankful I had opted out of that day of 34 miles and almost 10k elevation gain. 

Day Three - packed up camp and again watched the runners take off for the next leg of the run. Drove to White River camp and headed out for a gorgeous 6 mile run/hike with glacier and mountain views. 

Pretty much feeling like a failure or a fraud around the dinner table that night as the other runners told their tales from the main trail. Any athlete can tell you how hard it is to be in that position, sick and sidelined, and how deep in your head you can get. While I was enjoying the company and the views that I did get, I was seriously bummed to be missing out on the big challenge. But I took my last dose of antibiotics in the morning and was able to eat a little more that night so I prepped my pack as though I were going to run the next day.

Day Four - Woke up at 3am still unsure of my gut but put my head down, packed my tent and gear, put on my pack and at 4am headed out with my headlamp to tackle the 20 miles to Box Canyon. Saw the sunrise on Mt. Rainier with the alpine-glow pinkness lighting up the sky. My gut was not happy, but I was. I had to make 6 forays into the bush to dig cat holes to alleviate my touchy tummy but it was worth it. Every turn in the trail had me exclaiming out loud at the astounding beauty and grandeur of the place. Photos don't do it justice. It took me a long time to do 22 miles and I was pretty tired of climbing by the end of it but I'm SO so glad I got out there.

The Aspire crew was at Box Canyon with an aid station so I was able to avoid the final 12 miles of the route, a brutal stretch of climbing, during the heat of the day.

The crew from Aspire Adventure Running was top notch, catering to my every need, making sure I could amend the program to fit how I was feeling and it was great to have my support crew to hike with and to boost my moral on those down days. 

So here are some numbers to wrap your head around:

Training Miles Run - 473
Training Elevation Gain 69,663 feet
Training Calories Burned 47,750

Wonderland Miles run - 33.02
Total elevation gain - 6986
Calories burned 4000

Maybe I'll head back next year and make another attempt of the 93 miles. Or maybe I'll tackle something more reasonable. Time will tell. Oh, almost forgot to mention, I ended up with poison oak or ivy! Fortunately it was a mild case but what a way to cap off the wonderful Wonderland journey. You just have to laugh.