C&O Canal 100
April 26, 2025
All the sounds…
Maryland, my 24th state with a hundred
27:26:27, Age group winner, and there actually were people in my age group
Number 80, I’m finally 80% done
Flat is my jam and this one was so flat. The course was along the Potomac river on a towpath called the C and O or Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Trail. We ran on a smooth dirt and gravel path with the river on one side and a ditch on the other. Sometimes the ditch was filled with water and sometimes not so we got to see animal eyes at night. During the day there was a sunny section with lots of algae and fallen trees and the turtles came out to sun themselves. The course consisted of three loops (40 miles, 30 miles, and 30 miles) or out n backs, with a hill that took you back to the start finish. The hill was a nice break from all the flat. However at the top of the hill there were bugs, crazy bugs. I thought it was mostly gnats, but there must have also been mosquitos because I am finding lots of itchy bites, those darn bugs. Because of the bugs I didn’t stay long at the top of the hill, got stuff and got out of there quick.
I felt good almost all race. Ran well at the start and played leap frog with several runners. We would run and take quick walk breaks and because of the timing we would pass each other only to be passed back. It was entertaining and I always announced, Leap frog, you’re it, not it as I passed, they giggled. I talked with some runners but mostly listened to another book by Kristen Hannah. I have really been enjoying her historical fiction from a female perspective. The books keep me thinking and engaged mentally. We had rain for the first several hours and it was also 65 degrees out. Of course I brought all my rain coats and ponchos, only to not use any of them as it was so warm. I ran in a tank top and shorts. I got soaked and it was fine because it was so warm, at one point it was so warm that I put ice around my neck in the ice cot. The wind kicked up in the afternoon and the breeze helped to cool us down. After sun down I started to dry out as the wind was stronger. All night long I kept expecting the wind to die down. It didn’t.
Sounds at Night
The night was fine as it was a little cooler so I changed into a long sleeve. But what was really strange were all the sounds. Lots of trains were nearby so I would have to stop my book as they were loud. Even more loud were these whistling noises. I was trying to figure out what was making this extremely loud whistling noise. It didn’t sound like a bird or crickets as it was super loud. Later I asked a local and found out it was the frogs sending out a mating call. One guy even said they wanted to mate with me, haha. Fortunately I was moving well enough that I only saw two live frogs and a couple of dead ones on the trail.
Sounds along the trail
There was a section of the trail, a few miles long where the trees were making all sorts of creaking sounds. On the last loop there was a large tree that fell over the trail. We kind of had to walk through the branches and step over the trunk to get through it. It wasn’t there before and the wind was blowing hard so hearing the creaking made me turn off the book again as I didn’t want another tree to fall on me.
Sounds of Runners
Early in the race I of course farted as I passed some other runners. Sounds just happen, burping, farting, snot rocketing, spitting, it’s just part of the glamour of ultra running. Because of so many out and backs there was a gal who heard the fart and messed with me each time we crossed paths and was even at the finish line teasing me. I always think a fart is better than a shart and a burp is better than puking, it’s just part of the experience. My daughter thinks this is disgusting. I just giggle.
Lately I have had terrible hand cramps after I finish a hundred, very painful. So I experimented this race and took more electrolytes and salt. It seemed to work as no hand cramps, or when they started to come on I took a salt capsule and they went away. Geesh. All this time and still figuring things out. Very grateful I can still do these things and traveling with friends is fun. Run happy, run strong, just run.