Monday, June 27, 2011

Western States - a Bearish Ending

I was in Northern California last weekend for Western States 100.  Nature handed us a beautiful day as we headed out from Squaw Valley at 5am on our 100 mile journey.  

Everything was going to plan – start conservatively, have a solid middle and then hold on for the end.  Except the end threw way more at me than I planned.

I had passed Tracy Garneau for the lead around mile 90 at Browns Bar Aid Station.  We exchanged pleasantries, and then my pacer, Prudence L’Heureux, and I, set off for the Hwy 49 Crossing (93.5) where we would see our crew for the last time, then onto No Hands Bridge (mile 96.8).  I had been battling stomach issues since the trail from Forest Hill down to the river, so although I was still moving forward, and close to hitting the sub 18-hour time frame, I wasn’t feeling especially spiffy.  But I didn’t think I needed to feel spiffy, as I knew I was extending my lead over Tracy, and we had less than 5 miles to go.  So when I heard what sounded like a big guy charging the downhill around 95 miles, I shifted aside and waved him through.  Well the him was a her, and it was Ellie Greenwood.  “That” I thought to myself “is impressive.”  I tried to respond for all of 10 feet, but knew I just didn’t have it in me to challenge her pace on the downhill.  But, I thought that there was a chance that she was going to blow up, and I still had the ability to run, and was able to run the hills.  Knowing we had our last big climb ahead of us up to Robie Point, I didn’t think I was out of the game. And once I hit the pavement of the last mile, I knew I could fly.

“Stop!”  Prudence my pacer had stopped in the middle of the trail as we were about ½ mile from Robie Point (98.9 miles).  “Bear.”  I wasn’t that concerned – just yell and clap and a bear is supposed to run away.   The bear was going up a tree overhanging the trail, and Prudence was sure she saw a cub with it.   Mom and cub, now that is a little more concerning.  We paused for a few seconds, then decided to make some noise to scare if off.  We clapped our hands and waved our arms and yelled as we moved forward.  The bear dropped to the trail and started towards us hissing.  The thought flashed in my mind “I didn’t know bear’s hissed.”  We yelled some expletives as we ran back down the trail.  We stopped after a couple hundred feet, sure that the bear wasn’t fully charging us, and gathered ourselves.  What the hell do we do?   There was no way to “go around the bear” as the trail is cut into a hillside, with thick brush and rock on both sides.  We considered running back down to No Hands to get some help, but I ruled that out.  We could see the aid station lights at Robie Point, so we started yelling for them.  No response.  We yelled louder, flashed our lights.  I couldn’t believe that another runner had not come up the trail yet.  Finally we saw a headlamp moving down the trail from Robie Point.  Wanting to make sure the person knew what to expect, I yelled “be careful, it’s a bear with a cub”.  The headlamp turned around and went back up. 

After what seemed like an eternity, but was probably only 10 or so minutes, Tracy and her pacer showed up.  According to the splits, they were 7 minutes back at Hwy 49 crossing, and add another few miles to that, we were probably 10 or so minutes ahead.  Our conversation went something like this:  “Why are you stopped?”  “Bear and cub, and she’s angry.”  “Oh bear, we have those in Canada, let’s go.”  So as Tracy and her pacer lead the way, the bear once again drops out of the tree and starts for us.  We all run back down the trail. “Oh shit, you were right, she is angry”   “Yeah, that’s why we’ve been standing here for TEN MINUTES!!” 

As we all contemplate the situation, we see another set of lights coming up the trail.  Another runner, male, and a pacer.  “Why are you stopped?”  “Angry bear with cub.”  “FUCK THE BEAR, I WANT TO FINISH!!”  “We don’t want to see you get mauled.” He flashes his lights up the trail and sees the bear in the tree.  “Shit, we should all just stick together, walk slowly, stay as a group.”  Thinking there is safety in numbers, we all start up the trail, sweet-talking the bear “Please let us by, we just want to fin…”, Bear drops out of the tree and it’s all elbows and high knees.  I am ashamed to say that my only instinct was to make sure that I am not the last person.  There is no camaraderie when you’ve got a bear chasing you uphill.  At least we had gotten past the fulcrum and were able to go up the trail instead of down.  After about a hundred yards, we realized the bear let up, we all slow down.   Shaking our heads and still affected with temporary Tourette’s, we make our way to the aid station.

The volunteers at Robie Point were sparse with their words.  We said “There was an angry bear on the trail.”  “Yes.” “Did you hear us yelling at you?”  “Yes.”  That was it.  Granted there is probably nothing in the volunteer manual on “angry bear containment,” but I found it interesting at mile 99, I had more words than they did. 

With a little over a mile to go, I am emotionally done with the race.  Prudence and I start jogging in, both still dumbfounded about the bear experience and all the time lost.  With about a half-mile to go, we hear fast moving feet and see lights coming from behind.  Then I hear the voice of my friend, Nikki Kimball.   My first reaction is “Nikki is feeling better and having a great race.”  Then I realize it’s me she’s racing.  “Nikki, did you see the bear on the trail?”  “No bear, just a rattle snake”  “Your not going to make me race you in, are you?”  With that, she did not respond, only accelerated.  Honestly, had the tables been turned and it was me catching up to the second place person, I would race too.  So, it was game on.  Half a mile to go and we are approaching 10k race pace.  We hit the track with me in front, and I hear my sister yell “she’s catching you!”  So I shift gears once again to put a little more cushion in between us.  As we cross the finish line, all I can think is “Really?”  Did this last 5 miles really just happen?   (video of the sprint finish)

16 comments:

  1. Oh. My. Bad bear. Great story. And congratulations.

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  2. WOW! What a story! Congratulations on your amazing Comrades/WS100 Double...that is so impressive

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  3. There is no camaraderie when you’ve got a bear chasing you uphill.

    That's the quote of the year right there. :)
    What a story. What a race!

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  4. I was talking to Jack Meyer after the race and he said that there were reports of a Mama and her two cubs lurking from Robie to the Overlook area. Had to be her - less a cub? I'm still confident we did the right thing by waiting for her to leave. I never would have run by had I been by myself!!

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  5. Kami- great run and fantastic finish. I watched you and Nikki come flying on to the track. As for the bear, I guess that is all just part of what makes ultrarunning so damn fun. You never know what you'll encounter. Way to be smart and congrats on a great run!

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  6. Wow what a story. Great finish! Glad you made it through the bear. What an experience you'll never forget!

    It's funny, we have a saying when in bear country make sure who ever you're with you're faster than they are - LOL

    Thanks for sharing your story.

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  7. Hi Prudence! I have no doubt that we made the right decision. I think if you and I tried to go past, it might not have had a happy ending. My guess is that if there were 2 cubs, maybe one is on the other side of the trail or also in the tree, which is why the mom bear was so agitated. I think the critical mass of the six of us going past was enough to throw her off for a few seconds. Thanks for being such an awesome pacer. Pacing is such a tough job, and I'm sure I don't make it easy:-) - -Kami

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  8. WOW! That is intense! Great video of you two sprinting to the finish. Great job getting it done!

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  9. Wow, Kami, what an experience. It's amazing how the times and placings never tell the whole story. Glad you shared how it really played out.

    Congratulations on a stellar effort, especially so soon after Comrades.

    Cheers, Ron

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  10. Thanks for sharing the story Kami.I'm really glad you made a smart decision in such a competitive situation and both you and Prudence are not hurt.That has to be so hard. What a great race you had and coming off on Comrades, incredible.

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  11. What a story! Glad the bear didn't cost you second place . . .

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  12. Great story and great racing. Way to handle the unexpected and still pull out another gear at 100 miles! Congrats!

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  13. Great write up! Scary encounter, but you had me and my boss laughing out loud at some of your descriptions.

    Excellent race - congratulations ~

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  14. This is a story that will be told for generations...and be rationale for ALWAYS having a pacer! Way to dig deep and sprint post-trauma...you are my hero!!!

    SD

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  15. You probably had more in the tank for your sprint because of the 10 minute break. Its crazy to think I paced through there 11 hours later and didn't see anything, I notice a lot more wetness, but that must have been from your pacer.
    The only bear I saw all weekend was at the Start Finish Deck where a bear ran through. Fun times! Great job!

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  16. Wow Kami, are you sure you weren't still being chased by that bear?! What a finish! Fantastic story, and a fantastic race. I really enjoyed your interview on Ultrarunner Podcast by the way.

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