Via Dolorosa Marathon Race Report

I had the great privilege of participating in the inaugural Via Dolorosa trail marathon a few weeks ago up in chilly eastern Wisconsin. In what I would consider a rather unusual pairing of disparate things, it blended a challenging trail race in tough conditions along the Ice Age trail with a focus on Catholic faith and spirituality. It's a one-of-a-kind event to be sure, and to say that it was right up my alley would be an understatement.

The race began and ended at the spectacular Holy Hill Basilica and Shrine in Hubertus, about 90 minutes west of Milwaukee. There were a few things that made this race unique; to begin with, the setting itself was without compare. The Shrine itself was beautiful. The surrounding forests were dense but peaceful, filled with barren trees awaiting the first warm breaths of spring. Race organizers offered the following description of the event to set the stage for participants:

"The Via Dolorosa Marathon takes runners on their own 'Way of Suffering' on a very difficult up and down course with somewhat challenging footing at times. Throughout the course, there will be 14 Prayer Stations depicting the Way of the Cross for runners to contemplate the suffering of Jesus." 

The day would begin with Mass at 6am. I was a little hesitant as I entered the beautifully adorned St. Therese chapel in my trail running getup, but any fears I had of being improperly dressed were quickly dispelled by a room full of runners clad in camelbaks, Buffs, Hokas, and compression gear. It was quite a sight! And one that I probably won't see again anytime soon.

The race itself is a series of out-and-backs on the roads and trails in the foothills surrounding the basilica. The majority of the race is on the Ice Age trail, but there are roughly 4 miles or so of road running thrown in there as well. As one might imagine, the weather was still quite cold (at least, for a Texan). There were a few patches if ice on the trail - one of which caused me a quite painful fall at one of the aid stations - which slowly melted and turned to mud as the day drew on. It wasn't too bad, and in general I found the trail conditions to be quite good overall.

The aid stations were fairly well stocked with simple snacks (candies, potato chips) and some light drinks and sodas. Hammer was an event sponsor, so if you don't like their products, plan accordingly. The prayer stations were very small and understated - I ran by several of them without noticing them, and not because I was moving particularly fast. But they were there. Volunteers were enthusiastic and helpful, albeit bundled up beneath layers of blankets and parkas to brace against the bitter north winds. Their resilience is a credit to eastern Wisconsoners. (Wisconsonites?)

I did underestimate the amount of climbing and descending, particularly in the second half of the race. The last 12 miles or so served up a steady diet of rolling hills that took a toll on me. I started out a little harder than I should have, leading me to struggle for the last 5-6 miles as I ran out of fuel and water. I chalk this up as poor preparation on my part more than anything to do with the course itself; although, I have to admit that the chilly temps and high winds eventually wore me out.

Nonetheless, it was an amazing experience. Given the time of year that it is run (Palm Sunday weekend) there is no question that weather will always be a concern. It will be cold, and would not be surprised to have to deal with snow and ice at some point. But given what this race serves up it would be worth it. I mean, how could the race bill itself as a meditation on Christ's 'Way of Suffering' without a little suffering?

Wall at the base of the basilica. Pilgrims climb to the historic Shrine atop the hill using stairs directly behind and above this wall.

Sign that greets pilgrims at the base of the hill.

Front of the Shrine. The adjacent balconies offered endless views of the countryside. One could almost see Milwaukee, 90 miles to the east, from this vantage point.

Finishing time 5:07:45. Was a long day, but well worth it.

Spring Race Roundup

Spring is in the air, and with the changing season has come a slate of 3 races that, I hope, will give me a solid foundation to build on as the year goes by. It's been an interesting mix of roads and trails, varying distances and terrain; but all in all, it's been a very interesting (and satisfying) beginning to 2018.

I'll give a quick summary of 2 of those events.

Cowtown 50k

My first race of the year was a return to the roads around Fort Worth for the Cowtown 50k. This marked the 40th year of this fantastic event and in all areas it exceeded my expectations. The organization was first-rate, the crowds were plentiful and supportive and the weather was ideal.

The plan for this race was to try to maintain relatively even splits and finish in around 4 hours, which (for the most part) I was able to do. The race follows the same course as the Cowtown Marathon, traversing many of the picturesque neighborhoods and major landmarks of the city. It's a great course - though much hillier than I expected - and I was pleased to remain steady for most of it. I felt that, this being a road race, I needed to try to run the whole thing; a strategy that has a number of pitfalls for someone with my mediocre skill level. 31 miles is a long way to run.

The "ultra" marathon course (in my opinion, the organizers are a little over the top in hammering home the "ultra" moniker for a 50k road race) diverts from the marathon course at around mile 25, and a 5-mile out and back stretch along the Trinity River follows. 5 miles may not seem like much, but after what preceded it, this stretch of trail seemed to go on forever. There was an oasis at the turnaround (~mile 28) that was set up as an actual trail ultra aid station - which was very cool and a welcome break from my mental fatigue. Temperatures were rising and my pace slowed considerably at the finish but I managed to grind out a 4:20 finish.

Grasslands 50     

A couple weeks after Cowtown, I ventured north of the Metroplex to Decatur for my 3rd shot at the Grasslands 50. Once again, we were blessed with fantastic weather, excellent race support and organization, and good trail conditions.

Like Cowtown, my intent was to remain relatively consistent and steady. My goal was to finish in around 9 hours. With another race coming up the following week, I needed to leave a little in the tank and not completely blow myself up. I succeeded in the first count, but not so much in the second.

The morning got off to a fantastic start. I was thrilled to have my family up at this race volunteering in various capacities, and seeing them at the start line and at various points throughout the day kept my spirits high. The cool morning air was brisk and refreshing. It was a joy to run in the dark of the early morning hours and to see the natural world come alive. I spent most of the morning running alone, paying close attention to the course markers and just staying relaxed. I was making great time; in fact, when I made it to mile 25 in 4 hours, I was concerned that I was pushing too hard.

I intentionally slowed my pace over the back half of the race, taking several walk breaks and enjoying some conversation at the aid stations. This probably went against the whole ethos of a "race", but I had plenty of time banked and did not intend to push any harder. When it was all said and done, I jogged in to the finish area in 8:57, right where I had hoped to be at the start.

Unfortunately I was pretty wiped out at the finish, and it took a few days to feel somewhat recovered. I was pleased that nothing was injured or broken, and now had a week to rest and get ready for the next one.

The 3rd race deserves a post all its own.....

Looking Back on 2017, and Looking Ahead

2017 was certainly a year to remember. As the year draws to a close and a new year appears on the horizon, I've been reflecting on the highs and lows of the last 365 days. The year began with tremendous optimism and excitement over the prospects of my first trip to Western States and what would become my attempt at the Grand Slam of Ultrarunning. My training was balanced and thorough, my coach was fantastic, and I began the journey physically, mentally, and spiritually whole. I don't think I could have been in a better place.

And yet, despite these efforts, things didn't come together. Not entirely, anyway. I started all 4 races but only finished 2 of them. This could be seen as a great disappointment - and I am, in a sense, disappointed - but if we gauge success by transformation and self-improvement, then it's hard to imagine any endeavor achieving so great a personal success as my attempt at the Grand Slam. Between the friendships that were formed and strengthened over the miles, hours, and days spent on rugged trails in isolated places to the immense joy I experienced in the beauty of creation, I cannot harbor any sense of regret at the attempt.

Capping off 2017 with a successful run at Brazos Bend served to dispel any latent hangovers that may have been lingering about my very long summer. While I am certainly pleased with that result,  what will stay with me about that race was, again, the fellowship out on the trails that day. The outcome was secondary.

Who knows what 2018 will bring? The new year brings a clean slate with multitudes of stories yet to be written. There are mountains to be climbed, sunrises to be experienced, songs to be sung, and the joys of God's creation to be celebrated. For my part, it is gong to continue to be the joy I feel as a part of the running community and the friendships therein that inspire me. It's the exhilaration of movement, of being alive in the moment, of moving beyond what I or anyone else believed possible - pushing through dark places and persisting with the knowledge that life, like ultrarunning, is never easy.

But from what I have seen so far, the journey is definitely worth it.