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About
six months ago when I registered for the Vermont 100 Mile Endurance
Run I did not realize that my life would be changed forever. Since then,
everything has revolved around this one race. Well ... this past weekend,
July 20, 2002, I ran the race and have not felt that incredible sense
of achievement for a very long time. |
To say that I ran this race alone, in the final analysis would be wrong. Without the uncompromising support of “Team VCTC” this journey would not have been possible. Dennis, Peter, Charles, Alex and Dawn made up this incredible team and they stood by me when it mattered most, and in those last 20 odd miles, that is just what I needed. It was their presence and support that carried me across the finish line in 23H 18M 33S: an accomplishment not only for me, but for them too.
| Well this wild and crazy dream started last year when my good friend (and a great runner) Admas, told me about this race. At that point I had only run one Ultra and that was a 50K in Long Island. I knew that if I wanted to run a 100-mile race I would have to put in more runs than what I was doing at that time. So this year, I started off with a 9 hour indoor run in January, a 50 mile run in February and the first Washington D.C. Marathon in March along with other races. My preparation had started in true unrest. I pushed my self as much as I could, and as much as time would allow me to with longer weekend runs and fewer rest days. Around mid-June I even experimented with two workouts a day and one night runs with Dennis. In spite of all this, I honestly do not believe I put in as many long runs as I should have. |
time to chuck the fanny pack |
Well, time flies, and July 18 was round the corner. Dennis. Peter and myself had planned to camp on “Smoke Rise Farm”, so as to be near the start. The farm is a horse farm and along with our race, there was to be a horse race too. Dennis being the perfectionist he is, had called for a “meeting” before-hand, and we had made all the plans.
We left on Thursday at 10.00 am and got to Smoke Rise Farm at around 3.30 pm. We unpacked, pitched our tents on a beautiful hillock with a spectacular view and settled into our home for the next few days. We visited the Town of Woodstock in the evening and had a great dinner. We then went over the plan of action for the race. We called it a day around 9.00 pm but were not destined to get much sleep as it rained quite a bit during the night. The next day Dennis and Pete headed out for an early morning run while I slept a bit more. At 9.30 am on the 19th, we went for the race package pickup, and the medical check that I had to go through. I weighed in at an even 150 pounds. In the race packet, we had all the various maps and aid station details. There was also an Elevation Table, which had the elevation in Feet and Distance for the course. When Dennis saw this, he promptly mentioned that the graph looked like his heart rate when he does bike races in Central Park! After that, we went around the park and did some more planning for the race. As there was going to be a 100-mile and 50 mile horse race along with ours, there were a lot of horses all over the place. We had our race orientation at 4.00 pm and dinner was served at 6.00 pm. Around the time we got back to our tent it started to rain again and so we were forced to stay indoors.
one of the weigh-ins |
After a fitful night of sleep, we finally got up at 2.45 am and got ready for the race, which was to start at 4.00 am. On our way to the start, we finally met Charles and Alex and it was just such a great feeling to have them there. I think that set the trend for the rest of the day as every detail fell in place. It is a true testament to the efforts of the “Team”. We were on a mission – To get this crazy, totally insane guy through 100 miles in under 24 hours. |
The race had 35 aid stations and the “handlers” as they were called, and they would meet me at five of these. However I seem to remember having seen them more often then that. But that might be just my imagination. They were also allowed to pace me from mile 68.2 to the finish. The biggest problem we were anticipating was of them getting to the various aid stations. As it turns out Alex solved this problem. She was the official driver and navigator of “Team VCTC”. The first aid station they met me was mile 18 and they handed me fresh water, Gatorade and a few goodies. From there on I met them at mile 30.8, 44.2, 54.9 and 68.2. They were there every time with every thing I needed. Charles would not even wait for me to get to the car. As soon as he saw me coming he would run to me get my empty bottles and give me new ones. Alex was clicking away photos, Pete was at all places at all times doing every thing that needed to be done and Dennis the leader of our group would give me a quick massage, put some sun screen lotion on my neck and legs, ask me about the race and what I needed at the next aid station and then send me on my way. At certain points I realized that I was leaving these aid stations before runners who had actually entered the aid stations before me! That was the level of efficiency I experienced.
I reached mile 68.2, I was pleasantly surprised to see Dawn, our newest member and a good friend. I spent about 5 to 7 minutes here to reload my supplies and get my headlamp back as I would be soon entering into my night run. The run so far had been great. I was way ahead of the cut-off time and was placed in the top 50 at this stage. The run had been tough, at time almost excruciatingly painful but the scenery and the various runners I ran with during the race more than made up for this. I made few friends on the way some of them pushing me when I was feeling low and me returning the favor when I saw some one struggle. However the greatest thrill was when I ran into the aid stations and I saw my friends waiting for me all ready to reload me with whatever I needed full of encouragement and momentarily the pain and agony was gone and I was re-energized for the next leg of the race.
| From mile 68.2 to mile 83.4 Pete paced me and I am so glad he was there. I was cold, my stomach was kicking up a storm and all in all I was a mess. Pete got me out of this phase like a true friend. With all the talking he was doing I could not concentrate much on my pain or suffering any more! By the time we reached mile 83.4 I was shaking and runners were beginning to overtake me at a regular interval. I was also feeling very cold so Dennis gave me his poly-pro top, I had a bit of soup and we were off. By this time I was doing a lot of walking, especially on the down hills. At that point I realized that there was nothing left in me and that I would have to summon up all my mental resources to finish this race under 24 hours. I had come too far to give up now. At mile 90 Charles joined Dennis and myself. Pete also insisted he wanted to come. So we all got started for the final 10 miles. |
Dennis and Firdaus look over the map one last time before the start |
At mile 96.1, which was the last aid station, Dawn joined in as well, leaving Alex and Charles to meet us at the finish. These were the slowest and most painful 4 miles of my life and it took us an amazing 1 hour 11 minutes to finish them. On any given day I would probably do the same distance in around 25 minutes. Also for the first time, I seriously started to doubt my ability to finish under 24 hours. Dennis later told me that seeing me at that point, he truly did not believe I would finish, but I am sure that after my mom, he is the one most proud of my accomplishments. When I finally saw that finish line about 20 yards away I was swept with a flood of emotions and feelings I have still not been able to name. I crossed the finish line said a silent prayer and fell into the arms of my fellow Team mates who were all over me. There were photographs taken and there were greetings exchanged and every one I think thanked the almighty that it was over.
Well and just like that it was over. The next day I got my special belt buckle,
which in Ultra running is THE thing to get. I met up with all the runners
limping and in pain just like me. We had a great brunch and left around 1.00
pm. Alex and Charles had left within a few hours of the race as Alex was flying
to Germany on the same day! I have got to get this girl to join the club one
way or another.
our happy finisher! |
You would think that was enough excitement for the weekend but it did not end there. As soon as we got into the car I was out cold. Dennis stopped at a gas station to get coffee and Pete made a pit stop too. Problem was that Dennis got back and I was fast asleep. He did not realize that Pete had still to get back. So we drove about 25 to 30 miles before I got up and asked Dennis as to why Pete was missing! So we turned around and went back to get him. It is amazing because this had happened to Pete before at Rockefeller. Well I guess we were all tired. Dennis was driving all the way back after 3 to 4 days of no or very little sleep.
Now all that is left is the pain and of course bragging rights! I seem to have popped something pretty bad around my right shin and ankle. It is swollen like a balloon. The legs are very stiff and the pain is almost unbearable. Even walking at home is a monumental task. But every time of think of my “Team” the pain goes away momentarily and that belt buckle looks mighty fine.
|
Firdaus Dotiwala, July, 2002
Can you identify the correct before and after photos?
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The entire club offers it's sincerest congratulations to Firdaus! This is a first in it's over 25 year history!
Firdaus ran an incredible race, averaging approximately 12 min/mi for the
first 70 miles! In a baking hot sun andup and down innumerable hills, he
continued, despite pain behind both knees.
The race was an incredible experience, and I was in awe of the runners who
plugged along in the heat of the day and the cold nighttime temperatures.
It was only Firdaus' strong will that got him through the last 30 miles. At
times, he was in such pain, and was so fatigued that I heard him talking to
himself to keep pushing. In his first 100 miler, he ran in under 24 hrs, and
won the coveted belt buckle of the Vermont 100 mile endurance race.
Firdaus was definitely an inspiration to me, and I thought I had seen everything
in terms of courage, until I saw him struggle through the last 4 miles of
the race, especially the down hill portions.
Firdaus is my hero.
Dennis
PS - Of course, he had an excellent support crew, who were at every aid
station. Our team included myself, Pete, Alex, Charles, and Dawn.
Firdaus mentioned
a couple of times how much
other runners loved his shirt. They all knew that Firdaus had a lot of
people with him. Those people were VCTC.
We all tried to take Firdaus' mind off of the pain as much as possible.
In fact, we talked about a wide range of subjects. We especially
discussed how much we both appreciated being a part of VCTC; and how our
lives have been changed for the better by it.
Firdaus will be the first person to deflect as much of the credit as
possible. But, he is truly an amazing person and an amazing friend.
I also know that Firdaus will agree that he could have had no better
support team leader than you. Your knowledge of training, running,
nutrition, and the outdoors made all of our jobs so much easier. And for
an older guy, you were able to hang with us young bucks pretty well. :-)
Pete
I just read the emails about the
100 miler and I am so happy to see that not only did one of our members not
only reached his personal goal of finishing in under 24 Hr. but VCTC has been
reborn in the process. The teamwork it took to help one person does not begin
and end with his 24 HR ordeal or the days weeks and months leading up to it,
I think it is a result of 25 years our Running Family and our dedication to
one another that has me feeling good about being a part of this group.
Gary
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