100 Thoughts During a 100 Mile Race.

1. Ahh, early morning. So peaceful…look at all of the headlamps dancing in the dark.

2. Roots, roots and more roots. Make sure not to trip and fall.

3. Some of these runners make trail running look so easy. Gliding across rocks and roots without a care in the world. Hashtag goals.

4. Nice and easy, start slow. You have all day.

5. Understatement of the year.

6. Let some of these ‘fast’ people pass you. I bet you’ll be passing some of them later.

7. Ahh, a little daylight! What a beautiful trail. I couldn’t see it before but now it’s so pretty.

8. Hydrate hydrate hydrate.

9. Oh, look at this dirt road, a little easier to run on than that rooty rocky part. Let’s pick up the pace a bit. Feels awesome.

10. Don’t get too confident now. Reign it in a bit.

11. Oh. Huge uphill climb. I’ve done so much hill training I just want to run up every hill.

12. But everyone is walking. Hmm. Should I walk up the hills too?

13. Save energy? Yes, good plan.

14. Aid station goodies. Let me grab this oreo. Sugar rush. Looks good at the moment.

15. Hydrate hydrate hydrate.

16. Relentless forward progress. Oh so inspirational.

17. Man, good thing I really like running.

18. I kind of love looped courses. A little redundant but I love seeing peeps while I go.

19. Good job, old dude, you are rocking it. You are also going way faster than me. Hashtag goals.

20. Boy, this stretch is long and there are no aid stations out here. At least there’s a lot to look at.

21. I sure do love bridges on trails. I just want to sprint every single bridge.

22. I have to use the ladies room.

23. Pull over and just go for it.

24. I feel about 5 pounds lighter. Okay, keep trucking.

25. I feel like me and this girl are drafting each other. I just passed her and now she’s passing me.

26. I wonder if she’s ever run a hundred miler before.

27. Most of my friends have never done this.

28. Most of my friends probably think I’m insane.

29. That’s okay because I am sometimes.

30. Finally back to another aid station! They are playing disco music. Can I stay and dance? Have a glass of wine and sit down? Probably not such a good idea.

31. Okay, don’t linger at the aid station. Let’s get up and go.

32. Wow, I still have a GPS signal out in these woods. Incredible.

33. Oh, I just got a text. Busy right now sorry running a 100 miler. Kthxbye.

34. Back to the runnable dirt road again. Sprint sprint sprint.

35. Yeah, so sprinting on a trail is more like my easy pace on the road. HA. Such an athlete.

36. The sound of birds chirping…so glorious.

37. They say there are alligators out on this trail. I kind of want to see one.

38. Or a coyote or some wildlife or something.

39. Is that a snake??? No, just a stick.

40. Better yet a root. Don’t trip. Don’t fall. No injuries.

41. Hey crew! Dallas Dirt Runners are rocking this aid station. Ricky Bobby theme. Shake and bake, baby.

42. Check out that sign. It says if you’re not first, you’re last.

43. I’ll definitely be last then. I’m okay with that as long as I finish.

44. A porta potty! Finally a place to take a whizz in peace.

45. Porta potties are ridiculously disgusting.

46. Alright, let’s go.

47. Legs are getting a bit heavy. Let’s do some power walking up this hill.

48. Mmm. Caffeine would be good right about now. Time for a GU.

49. Gu is really a gross product. I mean, it goes down easy I guess.

50. I feel like I have texture issues with GU.

51. Whoops, almost tripped over that root. I said almost. But I’m a gangsta.

52. I’ve got this.

53. Just got a text from someone saying ‘Go Chelsea, Go!’ I don’t recognize the number. So thanks, absolute stranger.

54. I don’t think anyone should ever do something like this for instagram likes. Way too much work. Just run a marathon. You’ll get just as many likes for that. Maybe more.

55. Some of these people are running with friends who are also running the hundred miler. Nice! Killing it.

56. I need more crazy friends.

57. Uh oh, that girl just DNF’d. Did not freaking finish.

58. Eff that, ain’t gonna be me. I’m a gangsta.

59. It’s getting dark. Time to bust out the headlamp.

60. Headlamp is a bit dim. And my batteries are at the next aid station. 7 miles to batteries! Awesome.

61. Nice girl is lending me her batteries. Thanks, nice girl.

62. Ultrarunners. They are nice.

63. I need more crazy friends!

64. I am crazy. A little too crazy for my own good.

65. 7 pm. some of my friends are probably getting ready for a fun wild night out.

66. And I am in the forest, running alone. Gotta love that.

67. I’m kind of bored. Definitely ready for my pacer.

68. Almost time to pick up my pacer.

69. Loop 4, here we go. The Dallas Dirt Runners selected my pacer for me because I don’t have enough crazy friends. Hi, Kevin.

70. We’ve met, once. Running with basically strangers, so fun.

71. He’s kind of cute too. I’m just saying.

72. Running with cute boys is fun. I enjoy it.

73. Sweet, another bridge. Let’s sprint again.

74. Another uphill. Time to walk.

75. My feet are numb.

76. Glad I changed into these shoes but I don’t think much is going to help at this point.

77. They are cooking hot food now at the aid stations. Ramen noodle soup? No, I can’t do it. Mashed potatoes?

78. HELL YES. YUM.

79. I love me some carbs. How do some women not eat carbs? Beyond me.

80. Carbs are heavenly runners food.

81. Wow, I have never run this far ever in life. Pretty incredible.

82. GPS signal is still going strong! But the phone is about to die.

83. Thanks, wonderful pacer boy for lending me your portable phone charger. You are my guardian angel.

84. Back to the aid station. Hydrate. Eat. Repeat.

85. Ugh, kind of tired of eating.

86. Hey, there’s a park bench. Could I just lie down and forget that I’m doing this for a little while?

87. Why am I doing this again?

88. Getting emotional. So many emotions. Tears. Not sure why I’m even crying.

89. There are people that probably don’t think you can do this. Do it to prove them wrong.

90. I’m really good at proving bitches wrong. Yes, do it for them and for you.

91. Alright, stop crying. Man up, or woman up.

92. You’ve so got this.

93. Ahh, daylight again.

94. Am I really still awake?

95. I cannot feel my legs.

96. It’s kind of awesome.

97. Keep moving or you are not going to finish.

98. All of the expletives and bad words.

99. I am SO FINISHING THIS.

100. Done and done!! That buckle! I’ve never seen a more beautiful piece of hardware in my life.

What are some thoughts during a run/ultrarun/race?