Dream Team

A few weeks ago I put out the call for Help, and that call was answered…

On Saturday October 25th, I will be running my first 100 mile race. And I’ll be doing so with the help of 7 wonderful people who will be pacing me (in shifts) for the last 70 miles of the race. So basically, from early Saturday afternoon until early Sunday morning, I will have a team of runners whose sole purpose is to make sure I get to that finish line. I feel so very fortunate to have so many great friends who have absolutely nothing better to do than run back and forth with me through the woods.

So, without further ado, I’d like to introduce my “Dream Team” of pacers for the Ghost Trail 100m and a little  info about what makes each of them so special...

Michael Wade (me)
Age: 45, Miles: 0 – 100
Strengths: Ability to run slow for a really long time
Weaknesses: Patience & Puking
Experience: 20 Marathons, 6-50k’s, 4-50m’s, NH 4k Club, Hut Traverse
Most looking forward to: The part when I feel great
Least looking forward to: The part when feeling great makes me run too fast

Phil Gaffey
Age: 43, Miles: 30 - 37.5
Strengths: Attitude & Funny Facebook posts
Weaknesses: Bacon & Powdered Donuts
Experience: Master of the Mine Falls Trail Series 5k
Most looking forward to: Hours of jokes and insight on all things sports
Least looking forward to: Phil beating me with his prosthetic when I go too fast

Jen Jordan
Age: 47, Miles: 37.5 – 45
Strengths: RTB Captain, so she’s used to dealing with whining
Weaknesses: Volunteering for Stuff
Experience: Has run hundreds of Half Marathons
Most looking forward to: Scaring the crap out of her in the Route 101 tunnel
Least looking forward to: Her husband beating the crap out of me up after I do

Tom Cassetty
Age: 36, Miles: 45 – 52.5
Strengths: Coaches kids, so he’s used to dealing with crying
Weaknesses: Volunteering for Stuff
Experience: 2012 NE GP Iron Runner, Beat me once
Most looking forward to: Seeing how well Tom runs on the trails, in the dark
Least looking forward to: Calling Jen to come pick him up after he trips and falls into the swamp

Jesse Veinotte
Age: 33, Miles: 52.5 – 67.5
Strengths: Only person on team to have actually run this race
Weaknesses: Choice in profession (also an Architect)
Experience: 9th - Bear Brook 28m, 2nd - Wapack 50m, 1st - Wapack 21m
Most looking forward to: Soaking up all his Ghost Train wisdom
Least looking forward to: Trying to actually keep up with him

Kurt Berna
Age: 43, Miles: 67.5 – 75
Strengths: Silent Support & Van Repair
Weaknesses: Lost causes – Kurt paced me previously at Stonecat 50m
Experience: 2x Pisgah 50k, 1x Vegan Power 50k
Most looking forward to: Finally paying him back for all his “ultra” help over the years
Least looking forward to: Realizing that “paying him back” might actually include running again

Terry Berna
Age: 45, Miles: 75 – 90
Strengths: Boundless positive energy
Weaknesses: Curbs on paved roads
Experience: 2x Pisgah 50k, 1x Pineland 50m
Most looking forward to: Goosebumps when she tells me have just 10 miles to go
Least looking forward to: The chance that I may say something mean when I get tired

Danny Ferreira
Age: 32, Miles: 90 – 100
Strengths: “Ultra-Runner Boy” Nickname & Marrying up
Weaknesses: Destination Marathons, Man-pris & Baggo
Experience: 1x Pisgah 50k, 1x Pineland 50m, 1x Leadville 100m
Most looking forward to: Helping Danny exorcise his late race DNF demon at Vermont
Least looking forward to: The very real possibility of Danny having to carry me across the finish

Alternates:

Ryan Knapp
Age: 31
Strengths: Coaching
Weaknesses: Ankles
Experience: 2-50k’s, 1-50m, 1-Rim-to-Rim-to-Rim

 

Kevin Tilton
Age: 32
Strengths: Too many to list
Weaknesses: Unrequited love for the MWRR
Experience: Won the 2014 VT 50m

 

Steve Wolfe
Age: 50
Strengths: Too few to list
Weaknesses: Age & Irritability
Experience: Once biked the VT 50m