Hey, I was up for 40 hours at this point! Brian did a great job crewing and he knows it.
I slept in the sun room on the night after the race. John Stewart said, "You must sleep soundly after a 24-hour run." I said, "You feel like you have been in a car wreck."
I WON'T FORGET: VERMONT 100, 1990
Pinky: A volunteer at an aid station in the middle of nowhere handing out her homemade brownies.
A Young Man: the volunteer I saw so many times at various aid stations. He must have been up for two days straight – Did I mention that he only had one leg?
Young Girls: on the horse farm, the start and finish points of the race, who live and breathe horses.
Bob: who was told by a doctor not to run until his eye surgery healed – so he walked 88 miles. You are awesome.
Bev: who had a couple of nasty falls and still finished under 30 hours. Her grandchildren will be proud.
Ross: the 60-something dentist from Oklahoma who blew by me at 93 miles. I forgot to tell you that I admire you.
Dale: from San Diego. On your advice to a rookie on how to run 100 – “start off fast” – Are you sure?
Brian: my handler; who, for 30 hours supplied me with socks, pizza, sunglasses, etc. and an immense diary of notes.
Linda: whom I met at her first 50 in Maine. She’s already a Western States 100 veteran. It was so nice to see your smiling face again.
Medical Volunteers: How many times did you have to say “What was your weight when you checked in?” I forgot to thank you.
Jack: my new running friend. We had some 60 miles of conversation. It’s good to know you.
The Gentleman Who Rode Arabelle: I hope I have your zest for life when I am your age.
California Group and Groupies: I knew from looking at them that they weren’t from New England. They had a lot of fun. I’ve never seen the wave done anywhere besides at ballgames! Please come back again.
The Young Woman Who Came in Second, and Her New Husband/Handler: I say “new” because they were on their honeymoon – honest!
Laura: The State of Vermont’s Ambassador. A salute to you, your caring volunteers, and your beautiful state. It was a wonderful race. Thank you so much for the most exciting weekend of my summer.
The Trail: covered bridges, fresh air, blue sky, green Green Mountains, trickling brooks, dirt roads, horses running free, warm sun, the Northern Lights.
Those green marker lights, Ten Bear Camp, my flashlight dying at 10:30 PM in the middle of the woods, the taste of Coca-Cola (but not for a while).
They say that the course is so well marked (and it is) that Stevie Wonder couldn’t get lost. But I did – twice!
The last leg is 3.2 miles? No way, Laura!
By Bob Bacon
Bob Bacon, 45, from Marshfield, Massachusetts, finished the 1990 Vermont 100-mile Endurance Ride and Run; it was his first (completed) 100.
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