Pigtails 100
May 24, 2025
28:46, 9k elevation gain
No blisters or chafing
My first bachelors partay
This was the third time I attempted Pigtails Challenge. My first time was back in 2012 and it was my second 100 miler. In 2014 I came back and completed the 150 miler. I ran the 50K in 2023, ugh, after a 50K the day before. Then I thought I never wanted to see that fence again.
The Pigtails Challenge is run at Lake Youngs reservoir. It is a 9.4 mile loop around a lake that you only see once, barely and you run along side a 7-8 ft tall fence the entire way around. There are some hills and so you get 900 ft gain each loop, ten loops plus an out back section add up to 100 miles and 9000 ft gain. And if you know me I prefer flat hundreds so I was surprised I even signed up for this.
The weather was great, a warm afternoon and only down to 50 degrees overnight. For some reason I felt good even after a 90 mile week in Seoul, South Korea. I was worried I might get sleepy because of the time change and having only retuning three days before the race. So I brought a lot of caffeinated drinks and hoped for the best.
I felt a little wonky on the first loop then settled in for a great run. Happy all day and night until the last two miles. I listened to two books, Only the Beautiful and The Tell. Music carried me to the finish. During the race I got to see lots of friends and of course the Sentinilla’s and volunteers helped out a lot.
Thanks to Van for icing me up during the day and thanks to Kevin for his gastronomical entertainment as always, good to chat with you when you weren’t puking. Thanks to Dee for breakfast and ice in the middle of the loop, your cooler was magical. All the volunteers were great. Thank you.
The real event of this race was participating in Chris B.’s bachelor party. He thought it might be fun to run a hundred miler right before the wedding so he could eat all the cake. Amy, his bride came and ran a couple loops with him. Even the officiant, Stef ran some loops. So it was quite the party, heckling him at the aid station seemed to be the thing to do.
This race really surprised me as I didn’t expect to do well. There were over 40 people who signed up and a lot of carnage because of allergies and other issues. 10-12 people dropped down to the 100k and 50k and I don’t think everyone who signed up showed up so there must have been quite a few DNS. Only 7 people completed the 100 miler this year and little old me was first for the women. I received a cute stuffed pig for my effort and a sweet blue buckle for my collection. The best part about this race is that my husband was there at the finish. Getting to go home and sleep in my own bed, simply wonderful. No swollen puffy cankles from having to fly home. And now off to the wedding to see Chris and Amy get hitched. Sweet!
Out n back, 1:12, loops, 2:06, 2:09, 2:09, 2:17, 2:28, 2:35, 2:33, 3:04, 3:10, 3:16