“I lift up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.” – Psalms 121:1-2 (Verse of the day on September 11)
There are many questions people ask when they hear about running in the mountains for more than 24 hours: “When do you sleep?”, “What do you eat?”, “Where do you go to the bathroom?”. These are easy compared to “Why do you run these races?”. I will try to share my thoughts here as well as give all of you who supported and tracked me a rather in-depth glimpse into an amazing adventure over six days.
Tor Des Geants (TDG) – The Hardest Race in The World
Tor Des Geants is a course that traverses the beautiful Aosta valley in northern Italy. The race website suggests the course is 330 km (206 miles) with 24,000 m (79,000’) of climbing and claims to be the hardest race in the world. It probably deserves this title given the distance and vertical numbers are likely much higher and varies in materials provided by the race, as well as variances on different gps devices and route trackers. All suggest the course is instead probably around 350 k (220 miles) with 30,800 m (100,000’) of climbing and must be completed within 150 hours.
“Those who have a ‘why’ to live, can bear with almost any ‘how’.” ― Viktor E. Frankl
I first heard about this race years ago, but to me, The Hardrock 100 was the pinnacle of Ultrarunning, and I wasn’t sure there was anything more exciting or difficult that running in the San Juan mountains of Colorado. While Hardrock will always hold a special place in my heart, TDG is in a different league. The highest elevation of TDG, just under 11,000’, doesn’t get as high as Hardrock at 14,000’, and the monstrous climbs and descents are more numerous, consistently longer, and often back-to-back. The biggest elevation change at Hardrock occurs leaving or descending into Ouray which is just over 5000’ in 6-7 miles. On the second day of TDG, I faced two consecutive climbs that included 4,200’ change in elevation in 3 ½ miles followed by 5,300’ climb in 7 miles.
Exhausted and elated after the race I posted, “growth occurs when we face challenges”. It was an idea that kept entering my mind over the previous six days. This would be my first race well over 100 miles and first event as a 50-year-old. I reflected on this milestone and the fact that I spent more than the first three decades of my life focused on comfort and anything but physical activity. Fortunately, I’ve been blessed these last 17 years to discover that by challenging myself physically, I grow in many areas, but I still have a great deal to learn.
DAY 1: The Start On Sunday, September 11 at 10:00am (1st Wave)
“Every Man Dies, Not Every Man Really Lives” –William Wallace
I was excited to embrace the journey that lay before me at TDG. While I felt good about my training, I knew that in life or a race this long, it is often how we react and respond to that which is unexpected that can make the difference of success or failure. While I knew I’d face difficult times, my main goal was to finish. I planned to keep running or just move forward until I couldn’t. The first thing I did when I woke up was read the scripture of the day at the top of this blog and felt comforted by God’s presence which I knew would be with me throughout my adventure.
Compared to ultras in the US, there is less chatter between runners at the start of the European races I’ve experienced. However, the crowds at UTMB and TDG, especially at the start, resemble what you would see at a big city marathon in the US. The energy from these large crowds is amazing and it’s hard not to go out too fast with all of the support. That was the case on the first mile of road, but with nearly 600 runners getting funneled onto a single-track trail that went straight up prevented us from going too fast for too long.
It was an amazing first day and the views were spectacular. I wanted to focus on running rather than stopping to take pictures, but when I saw Mount Blanc, I couldn’t resist taking a quick selfie to let my virtual crew know I was having fun. The virtual crew idea was a new concept and involved a group text with my wife and five friends who would offer support through words of encouragement and bible verses since I’d be out there for days on my own.
“This is the day the Lord has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it.” –Psalm 118:24
After the first climb we descended into La Thule toward the first aid station. I was excited when I saw a big tent, heard music, and smelled delicious food cooking while people cheered us on with drinks in hand. Unfortunately, this wasn’t the aid station which I arrived at a short distance later. Here I saw approximately 80% of the same food I would see the next 200+ miles. The menu for the race primarily consisted of dried apricots, chocolate, oranges, bread, cheese, salami, Coke, water, tea, and coffee. Later on, I would see pasta and a few other items, but the food selection became boring after the first 50 miles.
As we continued our nonstop climbs and descents, I was impressed and greatly encouraged by those who hiked hours to get up to beautiful locations in the mountains and cheered us on. Others who were out on a Sunday hike with family and friends also encouraged us in Italian or French. In addition to the familiar cheers I had heard before such as “Alle’” or “Bravo”, I was hearing “Dai” (sounds like “die”) which I knew meant “go” in Italian. I had to smile as I thought I might not think “dai” was encouraging once I became exhausted. As the first sunset and light disappeared, so did many of the spectators.
I arrived at the first life base just before 11pm. Nearly 13 hours to run 31 miles was reasonable given the course and how far I still had to go. There are six life bases which are fully stocked aid stations that also have cots to sleep on, medical support, masseuses, food, and showers.
Getting to this first major checkpoint was invigorating and my body told me it was too early for sleep. My plan was to sleep when I was tired and I still think this was the best approach. The Valgrisenche life base highlighted the downsides of not having a crew and being inexperienced at this distance. I had overpacked my drop bag to the point it would barely close and probably weighed well over 40 lbs. I tried to fit everything, including changes of clothes, battery packs, food for days, and certain replacement gear but ultimately, I did have to leave many items out. It wished I had a crew to bring those extra items or to help me lug this giant duffle bag up and down a hill rather than do it on my own. In addition, I wasted too much time unpacking to get to all my supplies and then jamming it all back in. Overall, I spent nearly an hour which was not very efficient.
“Everyone has a plan ’till they get punched in the mouth.” –Mike Tyson
I left the life base feeling good and maybe too confident. The climb out of Valgrisenche in the dark was nothing new, but as I climbed over 3,400’ to reach the top of Col Fenetre, my energy was on the decline and a nap would soon be needed.
The brutal descent that followed stripped the idea of sleep from my head and replaced it with fear and excitement. The steep switchbacks were relentless as we descended almost 4000’ in 2 ½ miles. It was unreal and the safety cables near some of the sketchy and exposed parts did little to provide comfort. I was most concerned that one of the nearly 1,100 runners might accidently kick a rock which could serve as a deadly projectile to those below. By the time I arrived at Rhenes-Notre-Dame aid station, I was exhausted and knew I should try to catch some sleep given the next two consecutive climbs would be the highest on the entire course.
As I entered the building, I saw another runner I met from California the day before named Ken and asked her if there was anywhere to sleep. She told me there was a guy who just left and had been sleeping on the cardboard boxes under one of the tables. It sounded like it would work, so I took off my pack which acted as a pillow, put in my earbuds, and set my alarm for 45 minutes. I thought 5am was perfect timing to get a good nap and head back out as the sun rose.
As I came to consciousness, I immediately looked at my phone to ensure that I didn’t miss my alarm. Strangely enough, I slept for less than 12 minutes and felt like that was all I needed. After replenishing my calories and fluids, I headed to the restroom before heading out into the early hours and shook my head. There on the other side of the building was a small room with cots for sleeping. This would serve as one of many learning experiences throughout the race. I was annoyed with myself for not asking someone from the race where I could sleep, but the room was full and waiting for a cot might not have been the best use of time.
DAY 2
“The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today.” –Franklin D. Roosevelt
It was a beautiful start to day 2 and I was preparing myself for the two monstrous climbs ahead. As I began to climb, the idea that I had more than 150 miles of what I just endured was overwhelming. I never thought I couldn’t finish but realized that it was going to take a lot longer than expected.
The first climb was steep and difficult but the descent was more runnable than the descent the night before. This was followed by highest climb of the entire race to the top of Col Loson. The sun was probably the most challenging part as the heat started getting to me on the exposed area above tree line. Then I saw a sight that made me smile, on a giant flat boulder less than a quarter mile from the top: Dominic, a German runner, laid there with his head on his pack. He looked as though he was on a beach, taking a break, looking up at the sky, and smoking a regular cigarette. Shortly after, I made it to the summit where I met up with Katie and Michael from Texas who had passed me somewhere along the course despite their later start in wave 2 (12pm). We had met the night before at dinner and our paths would cross many more times in the miles and days ahead.
“But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded.” –2 Chronicles 15:7
At the summit I could see Rifugio Vittorio Sella down below. The initial descent was slow on some technical trails, but once it smoothed out, I began opening my stride and felt like I was flying down, passing others, and excited to feel like a runner once again.
At some point I expected to see the rifugio right below me but as I got lower it was nowhere in sight. I am not sure I have ever been so off on my calculation. While I was familiar with “false summits”, where you think you’re at the top of a mountain but still have more climbing to do, I have never experienced a visual oasis going down. The drop of almost 2,300’ clearly messed with my mind and rather than be excited to finally arrive at this aid station, I found myself to be frustrated.
My attitude changed when I heard a woman encouraging us in English and realized it was Stephanie Case. She is an amazing athlete who I met at the start of Hardrock where she finished 2nd, not to mention winning the Tor Des Glacier last year. While I was ready to eat and go, she wisely told me to take off my pack and sit, reminding me that taking a moment to take care of myself was critical as I still had a long way to go.
It was 7:30pm on Monday when I arrived at the second life base, Cogne. I was determined to get some sleep, refuel my body, and not waste too much time. I picked up my drop bag and got all my gear set up before laying down so I would not have to think about anything when I woke up. I plugged my devices into chargers, refilled my pack, and finally found an open cot to crash on. I was tired and despite noise canceling headphones, an eye mask, and cot, I was up after about 20 minutes without my alarm that was set for 2 hours. I am unsure if it was my body waking me or all the commotion from others, but it didn’t really matter. I was up and while I knew this wasn’t ideal, the adrenaline started flowing, and I knew it was time to go.
However, I first had to use the facilities, but unfortunately the restrooms at Conge were similar to those at the start and many of the other life bases. These restrooms had “squat toilets”, essentially a hole in the floor which is rather cruel for runners who are having a hard enough time standing.
The route out of Cogne wasn’t as well marked as almost everywhere else on the entire course, but I remained on track despite some questionable turns. I left the life base with new waterproof gloves that were in a plastic bag that I shoved inside my jacket. However, they must’ve fallen out on my way to the next aid station, Goilles, just over 3 miles away. Less than a quarter mile after passing the Goilles aid station, I realized I must have dropped them and panicked, knowing I had around 30 miles until I could get new ones. It was getting colder with a chance of rain and so I went back to the aid station to tell them what happened. I had no luck there, but they told me to check at the finish, which is where I found them on Saturday.
The 20-minute nap in Cogne wasn’t enough and I was sleep walking up 4,300’ over Col Fenetre. The climbs were draining me, but fear was the main thing that kept me awake, knowing how dangerous this course could be if you made a mistake. Fortunately, I came back to life yet again on the short descent to Rifugio Dodena to experience another mental rebirth.
“The best bridge between despair and hope is a good night’s sleep.” ― Matthew Walker, Why We Sleep
It seemed like a party as I entered this rifugio but all I wanted was a place to sleep. A volunteer had me follow her upstairs and I was so excited that I might be able to get some good rest. She took me to a room packed with bunk beds and filled with runners. I found an empty top bunk and quickly got settled in bed at 4am with a pillow, blanket, and my alarm set for 2 hours. The silence and comfort of what felt like a Heavenly Bed at Westin Hotels soon allowed me to drift off. I was up after about 45 minutes and despite attempting to go back to sleep, my mind started racing and it was time to go. I ate and took off, knowing the sun would soon be rising after one of my best naps in three days.
From Col Fenetre to the next life base, Donnas, we dropped over 8,200’. I love descents but most of this was not runnable. Rather than using the post-nap and sunrise energy to pick up the pace, a great deal was used descending ancient stone stairs that sometimes dropped nearly two feet. I eventually met up with a French runner who spoke no English, yet I’m confident we both communicated to each other that this section sucked!
The crowds were definitely smaller at the third life base. I called my wife and buddy Bob to let them know I was well and feeling good after nearly 100 miles. Michael and I arrived at the same time, and this is where I learned that Katie had dropped with an Achilles injury. She and Michael’s brother, Robert, try and help me out whenever our paths crossed for the rest of the race. One of the biggest things they did here was take a bunch of my nasty gear I had used up until then. This freed up a lot of space in my drop bag and I couldn’t have been more grateful. Overall my time here was well spent, focusing on inhaling as many calories as I could and resetting expectations. The first two days had really kicked my butt and I knew I only had to focus on finishing and trying to keep a positive attitude.
DAY 3
“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” –Matthew 28:19
I left Donnas at an elevation of 1100’ with Rene, a farmer from Germany, for the long climb that would eventually bring us over Col du Marmontana with an elevation of 7,700’ with a couple of aid stations on the way. The first of these was Perloz, where we met up with Michael and left together for some of the more interesting conversations of the race. Rene asked why Michael and I would preface our comments with “not to be political”. We explained the hostile environment in the US and he seemed surprised by this. We had some great discussions, some controversial topics, but all while being respectful. At some point Michael asked what verse ROM 5:3-5 was that I had written on my calf. Rene said he didn’t think it was a bible verse as it was not something he was familiar with.
It was about the 5th or 6th time I was able to share the verse. They asked other questions which allowed me to explain how running brought me to accept Christ as my Savior. I offered my short story, but they laughed at the fact we had days and so I went on to share my full faith testimony. It was one of many moments like this while surrounded by God’s amazing scenery that these opportunities on this journey reminded me to be grateful to the Lord. I never know if what I share has any impact but that is not my job.
After stopping briefly at Rifugio Coda, we arrived at Rifugio della Barma around 11pm. Michael had gone on ahead and Rene had been having issues with his Achilles and decided to drop. I felt bad as we had shared a great deal, but said goodbye as he went to sleep on some chairs and I decided to wait for a bed given this place was much busier.
While I was initially told the wait for a bed would be 10-20 minutes. I was getting annoyed after waiting more than 30 minutes, as I wanted to be moving or sleeping. It seemed like some of the Italian runners were getting a bed before me which made it worse. As I waited and continued to consume calories, an Italian across from me asked where I was from. We struck up a conversation in my limited Italian and I shared that my father was from the Abruzzo region of Italy. He asked how long I had been waiting and, like me, was surprised. He got up, spoke to the person who had told me I’d have to wait, and within a couple of minutes I was heading to a bed, grateful for his help and excited to finally sleep.
“So, I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air.
But I disciple my body and keep it under control” –1 COR 9:26-27 (ESV)
I was only given 1 hour to sleep and unfortunately the volunteers were carefully monitoring times. I was woken up exactly 60 minutes from when I went into the room. While I am sure I could have slept longer, I arose feeling alive and ready to go. I decided to have some more pasta before departing and saw there was a bar with an espresso machine and chocolate cake in a different room. I had read somewhere to bring Euros, as some of these rifugios had things you could buy, so I bought a slice of cake and two espressos. Between the calories, the sleep, and this delicious treat, I left there feeling amazing and super charged!
Maybe I felt a little too good. I put my music in for the first time and unfortunately missed a turn shortly after leaving. This became apparent to me when I saw a runner heading towards me who was on the Tor Des Glaciers 450Km course. I looked around in the dark and my headlamp caught reflective trail markings below, so I descended around 100’. Once again I saw runners coming at me in the distance. I yelled “does anyone speak English?”, and fortunately I heard the familiar voice of Laura from Boulder, CO. She told me they were headed to the rifugio I had just left…UGH! Rather than head back, I bushwacked back the way I came and found my way back to the course. I was still feeling great and didn’t want to lose this feeling or do anything stupid to make up the 20-30 minutes I likely cost myself.
DAY 4
“The good Lord gave you a body that can stand most anything. It’s your mind you have to convince.”
–Vincent Lombardi
I continued to feel great and filled with adrenaline through the next couple of check points and finally made it to Niel, which is around 115 miles, at 8:30am on Wednesday. I was feeling good after using a lot of energy on the descent but asked if they had a bed given my last two experiences. They were full, and I wasn’t about to wait around again despite having slept less than 3 hours in the last 68 hours. I ate and purchased two cappuccinos before deciding to leave around the same time as Michael and Niko.
Less than a mile after leaving Neil, I started to slow and quickly fade once again on the ascent. Rather than struggle, I laid a poncho on the grass to take a nap on the side of the mountain. The next life base was less than 10 miles, but it was perfect sleeping weather with cool temperatures. However, I woke up in around 10 minutes to a light rain on my face and decided it was time to move on.
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.” –James 1:2-3
Within 2 miles of Gressoneny, the fourth life base, I noticed my Garmin wasn’t working. I was freaking out more than I should have, and I’m embarrassed at how insignificant this was in hindsight. At first, I was worried about not having the file to download to the running app, Strava. Then worry turned to panic when I wondered how I would know how far it was to the next aid stations or when I last ate which I had been monitoring regularly. I even went on YouTube to learn how to reset my watch without success.
The watch was dead, and I walked into the life base in an awful mood. I ran into another runner from Finland, Niko, who I had shared a handfull of miles with between Donnas and here. Niko shared that he wasn’t feeling well and had gone to the medical area. They told him if his blood oxygen levels didn’t improve in 3 hours, he would be pulled from the race. I didn’t think that was likely, and my watch drama was instantly put in perspective.
I regrouped and tried to stick to my pre-race plan I had at the start for this life base: take a shower, eat, sleep, and do a complete clothing change. I was really shocked when I walked in the shower and realized they were co-ed, but after 72 hours and over 125 miles, I couldn’t care less about who else was in the room. The soap and warm water was absolutely incredible; a shower never felt as good as that one.
Few words could describe how amazing that shower, clean clothes, and a full stomach felt at that point. I found a cot in one of the quietest life bases so far and set my alarm for 2 hours. Once again, I was up after about 60 minutes. As I got my gear together and was ready to depart, I saw Niko leaving the medical area. He looked devastated, as he was told he couldn’t go on. I gave him a hug and we were both filled with emotion. I knew Niko for less than 24 hours but there are no words to express the deep bonds that are formed in a short time with other runners after enduring what this brutal course had put us through to that point.
keep moving over the climbs.
“No one tells an epic story about an easy path they traveled” –Cameron Hanes
This experience at Gressoney put things in perspective for me, and Niko encouraged me to get out there and get it done. I left in high spirits after getting clean and refocused on what lay ahead. I decided I would try something different on the next few climbs, where I continued to struggle. Rather than music, I put on Cameron Hanes audiobook, ENDURE which I had previously listened to on a long training run this summer. It was powerful and extremely motivating. I wasn’t sure if listening to a book would help, but since it is about giving it your all, never settling, and pushing your limits, it was exactly what I needed.
I turned off the book on the descents where I like to be in my own head and focus. As I began another long descent in the dark, I felt like it was a new start and that it would be smooth sailing for a while. That was not meant to be, as I soon felt water spray all over me and was confused at first. I quickly realized the nipple on my water bottle had popped off as I bounced down these dark, steep switchbacks. It seemed useless, but I tried to look for it, and a few runners passed me before one yelled that he might have found what I was looking for. I was so grateful and thanked Ivan from Croatia who I had the pleasure to run with a couple of times over the next 24 hours.
Trust me, I don’t just look crazy
The 4000’ drop into Champoluc beat up my legs pretty good but I wanted to refuel and get going up the next climb as quickly as possible. The rain started shortly after leaving. As soon as it started pouring, I saw a bench inside a covered bus stop and decided to use the opportunity to get some rest while hoping the rain would pass. I set my phone for 30 minutes, but the temperature began to drop and I was up in 10 minutes. The rain continued as I started off but began to subside as I climbed up to Rifugio Grand Torumalin.
This rifugio wasn’t crowded, and when I asked for a place to sleep, a volunteer immediately led me to room with only two other runners. Despite the lack of runners, she gave me 90 minutes and also made sure I didn’t overstay my time. The bed right next to a window put me into a coma. It was hard to get going after this nap but I started to wake up when I got back to where the food was. They had snacks for sale and in addition to a cappuccino, I was so excited to purchase two Twix, a sprite, and pringles! Just like that, I got back to that amazing feeling that seemed to get better the longer the race continued.
DAY 5
“But those who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.” –Isaiah 40:31
The volunteers at Valtourenche, the fifth life base, were super helpful, as there were fewer runners for them to support when I arrived shortly after 4am on Thursday. Given it was right before sunrise and that I had slept for around 5 hours total, I decided to make another attempt at getting rest before heading out into a new day. However, it turned into another 20-minute nap despite my best attempt to sleep longer.
One big lesson I learned here, which could’ve ruined my entire race, was when I gave one of the volunteers my drop bags and said “finito”. He was confused, which made me confused, and he tried to clarify my comment in Italian. Fortunately, a woman who acted as our translator told me that he thought I meant I was “finished” with the race and was unsure whether to send my drop bag to the next life base or back to the finish if I could not continue on. Needless to say, I am grateful for her help and was also grateful to find my drop bag at the last life base the following day.
“The mind powers the body, and once the mind says we want to do it, then the body will follow.” ― Cameron R. Hanes, Endure
It was a new day that started with another long climb where I finished ENDURE. It was just as amazing the second time and helped keep me moving. I went through Rifugio Barmasses where I purchased and enjoyed my first orange soda (Fanta) in probably over 20 years, as I was sick of Coke. This was followed by some of the best salami of the entire race at the next aid station, Vareten. I’m sure I ate more than a pound of it as well as 3 oranges. All of these calories were keeping me in high spirits, and it felt like I was moving better afterwards than I had my first few days.
After climbing over 4,000’, I reached Fenetre de Tzan, which offered another beautiful view. I prayed before a cross at the summit before beginning my steep decent of 2400’ in 2 miles to Rifugio Lo Magia. I began behind some Italian runners who told me to pass in Italian. At first, I thanked them but told them I was good following them. However, they began to encourage me to pass with “go on American” in broken English that sounded like my father. It was another turning point as I found my legs and recklessly bounced down, having a blast, and was so grateful for another opportunity to have some fun, not knowing what the mountains might offer ahead.
As I ate and drank in the rifugio, some of the Italian runners I passed fist bumped me for my effort. I felt like a little kid with a smile and was excited to think I was having fun after 97 hours. The best sleep I had during the race were at these rifugios and even though I wasn’t very tired, I thought I’d ask for a bed since the place was rather empty. I hit the jackpot when the volunteer led me to an empty room with a couple of beds and an open window. It was around 1pm so I only planned for an hour, but I was up before my alarm feeling great and well rested.
It is insane to think my legs continued to perform and respond after over 160 miles and 100 hours. At the next aid station, I decided to try some music on shuffle before leaving Rifugio Cuney. Something clicked again as I left, feeling like I was bouncing over the technical trails that lay in front of me before I looked up. I was in awe of the most amazing rainbow in my entire life and stopped in my tracks. I had to capture this moment and thank God. I was feeling so blessed for everything that got me to this point safely, for seeing this rainbow, for my family, and so much more. Immersed in the beautiful landscape, I didn’t lose sight of the fact that this was my first race as a 50-year-old and despite my rebellious early years, I knew yet again that the Lord is and has always been with me in my struggles and blessings.
“I don’t stop when I’m tired, I stop when I’m done.” –David Goggins
I continued smiling and taking it all in when Going The Distance from Rocky came on. It was too much, and I had to capture it on video for myself. The video is attached and I reference a video from David Goggin’s video that some may find offensive (WARNING EXPLICIT LANGUAGE [CLICK HERE]) My wife tells me I don’t always make sense with my faith and admiration for someone like David. If you do watch the clip, I hope you enjoy it and are not offended.
It was insane that the best afternoon of the race was on day 5! I descended almost 4,700’ in 6 miles to arrive in Oyace around 10pm. I initially only planned to grab some food at this aid station before heading to the final life base, Olomont, in less than 8 miles. By the time I arrived, I was more tired than I expected and decided to sleep here before my final to the finish which I was thinking could happen early on Friday. I managed to sleep barely 30 minutes before getting up and heading out.
Medical Emergency: In this race and in life, a valley often follows a summit!
The climb out of Oyace was fairly straightforward and involved climbing 4 miles up about 3,700’ and similiar numbers for the descent into the next life base. As I approached the top of the climb, I felt a unique sensation that I have experienced before: the beginning of an anaphylactic reaction. I’ve been hospitalized three times and have had to use my EpiPen several other times since my first reaction in 2016. My doctors and I believe my reactions are likely caused by tree pollen. As long as I take a Zyrtec in the morning and Claritin each night, my EIA (Exercised Induced Anaphylaxis) has been well controlled. However, after days of running, I was an idiot and missed multiple doses.
I felt my entire nasal passage begin to fill with mucus and found a rock to sit on, take off my pack and access the situation. I had no cell service but took out my Garmin Inreach satellite communicator and EpiPen with Benadryl tablets taped to the side. I immediately took two 25mg Benadryl tablets and knew if I needed my EpiPen or hit the SOS button my Garmin, my race would be over.
While my health was the top priority, I was trying to keep calm and objectively assess the situation before pulling a rip cord that would essentially be a DNF (Did Not Finish). After about 40-50 minutes, my symptoms weren’t getting worse and decided to slowly make my way down to Olloment to assess my situation as well as receive medical assistance if needed. I was heading down an easy descent but being sleep deprived with 50mg of Benadryl on board made it anything but easy. I made my way down by essentially going from tree to tree to keep myself vertical while trying to ensure my symptoms weren’t getting worse. The winner ran this section in just over 2 hours, most of the guys I had run with took anywhere from 3-4 hours, but I took over 6 hours, feeling exhausted. I decided to sleep for as long as I could after grabbing my drop bag at the life base and getting some Zyrtec on board as well. I also called my wife Alison (who is a nurse) to let her and my virtual crew know what happened and that I might be in this life base for a while, as I planned to sleep as long as I needed.
DAY 6
“Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.” —Winston Churchill
I have no idea how or why, but I was up in an hour and spent around 2 hours at this life base. Most of that time I was eating new foods that were amazing and just what I needed. In addition to the normal menu, I ate veal, potatoes, and soup that was amazing.
With a full belly for my next climb, I left around 8am. Despite the previous night, I was fairly confident I could get this done on Friday as part of Plan B. Plan A of finishing in under 100 hours was completely unrealistic from the start and Plan C, the most important, was to finish! My huge “breakfast” fueled me all the way up to Col Champillon, followed by a long runnable descent down over 9 miles to the next aid station, Bosses.
I passed a couple of Slovak runners who I had seen earlier, and they laughed at the crazy American who was running as if the finish was at the bottom. They caught up with me at Merdeux where I inhaled more calories and was getting very excited with less than 50K (31 miles) ahead of me. As I headed up last climb of the race to Col Malatra, I caught up with 3 Italian runners who offered to let me pass. I thought better of it on an ascent and tried to use their momentum to figuratively pull me up the mountain with them. The four of us stuck together until Rifugio Frassanti, less than a mile underneath the last peak. With just over 12 miles left, I spent my time there ensuring I had enough fuel to spend as little time as possible at the last two aid stations.
The last 100’ to the top of Col Malatra was steep and I smiled for the photographer capturing this special moment on the last major climb. The initial descent wasn’t too bad, but I left the following aid station thinking that I was getting close to the finish. I was soon sorely disappointed and got frustrated. It felt so much longer than I expected with no gps watch to tell me how far I had gone. My legs finally began to feel the effect of reckless descents the last couple of days, not to mention well over 200 miles with less than 8 hours sleep in 6 days. Knowing that the finish was getting closer was all the motivation I needed and eventually got to the last 3 miles I had previously run when I arrived in Courmayeur almost 2 weeks earlier.
As I got close to the finish, I caught up with an Italian runner who was finishing his 4th TDG and he encouraged me to go ahead and experience the finish on my own. It was a kind, humble act that I have observed at so many ultras and throughout TDG that I was not surprised, but it meant a great deal and I thanked him.
I pulled out my phone to record this special moment after 131 hours. At Hardrock you kiss a rock at the finish, but at TDG you sign a giant poster with all the other finishers. I was completely empty and yet filled at the same time, a feeling that would last for weeks. I immediately called Alison to let her know and asked her to text the group, as all I wanted was to eat and sleep.
Before heading back to the apartment, I asked one of the race coordinators to take a picture of me at the finish. He asked if I was there alone and offered to drive me to pick up my drop bag and then to my apartment. It was another act of kindness and one that was appreciated after an amazing week.
On Saturday I planned to watch the last finishers come in but arrived late and heard my name called from a table on a patio close by. Vladimir and Michal from Slovakia invited me to join them for a beer we had joked about having on the descent into Merdeux. That beer turned into many and led to an afternoon laughing at stories from the race, discussing world events, and reminiscing with many friends as a few others joined us. All of us gathered on Sunday for the awards ceremony before preparing to head home.
“No man has the right to be an amateur in the matter of physical training. It is a shame for a man to grow old without seeing the beauty and strength of which the body is capable of.” –Socrates
It’s taken me a while to try and get my thoughts around how this race changed me, why I signed up, and why I’m hoping to do it again. My thoughts following the race haven’t changed, and I believe that we grow when we face challenges, whether they are unexpected or self-imposed.
So, as I tried to answer why I ran Tor Des Geants, I look back with a smile, answering this with difficulty. The tough question now isn’t why I did it but how has it changed me. I am still grappling with everything feeling different. The following are some thoughts, lessons, or maybe reminders:
Perseverance: – I must keep moving forward in race and in life, even if things seem to be difficult or falling apart. Things will get difficult but we must endure and continue on, as God has better plans for us even if we can’t recognize it at the moment.
Presence: – The Lord is with us during our highs and lows. I need to make more of an effort to be aware of His beauty all around me and not just in the mountains or on Sundays. Having the time to disconnect from the world for over 131 hours allowed me to connect with Him in ways that often feel impossible with work, family, and other daily responsibilities.
Perspective: – While focusing on the trail and where I am going is critical, I must also remember to stop and look up more often or I’ll miss the rainbows and much more. Taking a step back or disengaging from a challenging situation can give the perspective needed to see the big picture and what is truly important in the moment or provide clarity in the midst of chaos or confusion.
THANKFUL
“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” – 1 THESSALONIANS 5:16-18
I have already written way too much but must thank my wife Alison and my children for all their support. Leaving for over two weeks for personal and not professional reasons is something I am grateful to have their love and support to do.
I would have loved to have friends join me on the course but was encouraged and blessed with the most amazing virtual crew in Bob, John, Giuseppe, Logan and Caitlin. I must also thank Coach Koop whose advice and encouragement was an instrumental part of my success in the Aosta valley.
It still humbles me to know how many of you tracked me for days during this adventure. While I know this post is more like a novelette than a race report, I felt it was important to share this experience in detail with you all.
I am not sure what is up next in 2023. For anyone looking for less about my personal journey and thoughts but are looking for suggestions or tips as to what worked for me, stay tuned for part II. My next post will mainly be for those of you considering TDG and will include, among other things, how I made my protein rice Krispy treats that were a life saver.
Blessing,
Nick
….even when in Italy!
Footprints on the Course 
Amazing race report and an even more amazing effort! I am planning on running Tor in 24. Would you ever have time for a conference call to discuss? Zippertheory@gmail.com (my name is Brent). Any advice / guidance would be most appreciated.
Thank you for the kind words and I am definitely still open to catching up and sharing my 2022 and 2023 experience and tips!
Loved this whole report. Romans 5: 3-5 is my favorite scripture so it was awesome seeing it make such an impact here. Likely going to steal the writing it on your leg idea! Thanks for sharing. I’ll be back to re-read later!
Thank you for the kind words & I borrowed the idea from a friend. It has become a great way to share His word with other runners.