2 NEW World Records -100k (Trail) and 50 mile (Trail) for the Blind and Visually Impaired
September 28, 2019 (Denver, Colorado) - Blind runner Jason Romero (T13/B3) set two new World Records at the Bear Chase Trail Race for trail running at the 100 kilometer (62 mile) - 11 hours 32 minutes 43 seconds - and 50 mile (84 kilometer) distances - 8 hours 54 minutes 42 seconds.
So how did this thing unfold, because that run was definitely not what I expected. 8 days before this race, I had ran an easy 50 miles with a friend who is training for a 100 miler. I also had trained hard for my A-race of the year, the Leadville 100 (which was 1 month prior). I was not sure I was going to run this race until the day before the race (September 27). When I went to register for the race, I discovered that registration had closed. I e-mailed and called the race director to see if I could sign up race morning. In the afternoon, I had confirmed that I would be able to sign up for the race on race morning.
My late entry meant that I would have to run without a guide. I had run the course before and thought I could handle it during daylight hours without a guide. In the last 12-months my eyesight has noticeably deteriorated more, and I have preferred to have a guide during the day when running trails in order to stay on course, to help when I run into technical sections, and to call out obstacles in shaded areas. I knew it would be dark for the first 20-30 minutes of the race. I decided I would just wear a headlamp and follow people the best I could. If that didn't work, my plan was to just stop and wait for the sun to come up, then run as hard as I could to catch up.
I took a Lyft 20+ miles to the race start, and was met by the assistant RD, Karen Craig. She helped me get signed up, find a port-o-let and get my drop bag laid out. The course is a 12.5 mile loop on gentle trail - rolling hills, a couple climbs, some jeep roads and some single track. The 100k runners do 5 loops on the course, and loop 4 is an even 50 miles. It was chilly and I was shivering. With 2 minutes to go before the start, I started making my way to the start line. I soon encountered a couple friends Ali Smith and her husband, Dan Smith. Ali was going to run the 10k and her husband Dan was doing the 50k. Dan had a medical procedure and the doctors told him he would probably never run again - so much for pessimistic doctors. Ali took me to the start line and put me in the corral. I turned on my headlamp and looked for reflectors on runners shoes that I could follow. I found many reflectors on shoes, and my plan was to find a person with a similar pace and follow them until the sun came up.
The gun went off and we were running. I heard one runner tell me "Hey Jason!" I asked who it was....it was Sean. He was running the 100k and we had met at a run club previously. Then I heard, "Jason!" I recognized the voice, it was a very good friend who had guided me many times. I was relieved and asked her if I could follow her for a bit until it got lighter. She told me she was running the 50k, which had a later start. My heart sunk, and I realized I was just going to have to make things work, despite not seeing much.
I stayed near the back of the pack with the slower runners. We started onto single track fairly quickly and I was tripping on embedded rocks, and rolling ankles due to stepping on loose stones. After about 30 minutes, the sun was up "enough" for me to not have to rely on watching a person's feet to see where to go. I met a lady named Emily who had won the women's race a few years prior, and she told me how she does a 50 mile run at least once a month, and after the day's run she was going to a "rave party" to do some dancing! These were totally my kind of people.
The sun was fully up by this time, and it was time to run.
I see through a 15-degree tunnel, and can discern some details on the trail for about 5 feet. So when I run, I am constantly looking at the ground to try to stay on the trail and react to roots, rocks, people, water crossings, etc. Many times I get hit by branches as they are out of my field of sight. I also easily go off trail where there are forks. It is routine for me to miss a fork in a trail. This race was no different - I went off trail several times and had compassionate runners yelling at me to let me know I had missed a turn. There were other times that I had to wait for runners to catch up so I could figure out whether the trail went left or right at a T-junction. They were able to see ribbon marking in the distance, that my eyes were not able to discern.
On loop one, I ran with people and passed some. On loop two, I was moving up in the field and found a great friend who I got a hug from and it boosted my energy & spirits. On loop 3, people were wearing down and I felt like I was getting stronger. My neighbors Katy and Sammy were at the main aid station and gave me big hugs - just what I needed to get going and push hard on the next loop. I began to feel the signs of struggle. I had taken a HotShot to prevent cramping. And, by this time, I had pretty much given up on solid food for calories as it was getting hot. I was downing Mountain Dew as much as possible, and drinking all the water I could tolerate. In my head, I was planning to run the first 50 miles without walking breaks. Spartathlon was running this weekend (a 153 mile race in Greece), and you need to steadily run the first 50 miles straight in order to not get timed out. I had ran those first 50 miles in Greece 3x, and I knew I had the mental willpower to do it. I was unsure of my body's fitness, but I figured I could will it to happen. I finished loop 4 in 8 hours 54 minutes and 42 seconds, a new world record for the 50 mile trail event for the blind and visually impaired. Then, it was on to loop 5. My friend Gonzo, who had just completed the Tahoe 200 and had a phenomenal running season this year was helping me as I finished and started loops. He was crewing his wife who was doing a 50k. I saw Wilma on the course and we got a hug in. I had also seen Dan Smith on the course and we embraced. He told me, "one foot in front of the other."
When I started loop 5 it was pretty lonely. My spirits were lifted when fellow adaptive athlete - Emily Harvey - gave a shout on the course. Once every couple miles I would find somebody, and run hard to try to overtake them. With 2 miles to go, I encountered a runner. He had to be in the 100k or 50 mile race, I thought. The 100k and 50 mile runners started at the same time, although I could not see bibs to tell which race runners were in. I got within 10 yards of this runner, then he would dart off. Then I would catch him again, as he would walk to catch his breath. Then he would dart off. I was slow and steady, grinding the entire time. The sun was beginning to set and I knew I couldn't risk a trip at this time of day. I lifted my feet regularly to avoid catching a toe. Many times, it was unnecessary as there was not a tripping hazard. I had fallen many times during the day, and I just didn't want another face plant or to have the wind knocked out of me. The runner ended up being the 2nd place 100k finisher, and he bested me by a little over a minute.
I ran up the last hill and through the finisher's chute, hearing my mom yelling, "Way to go Jay!" I had a lot of energy. Then I heard, "This is Jason Romero, 3rd place in the 100k race!" I was really surprised that I had earned a place on the podium. As I crossed the finish line, I asked the RD what the finishing time was - he told me "11 hours 32 minutes 43 seconds." I responded, "that's a new World Record for the blind and visually impaired." He said, "really" and smiled from ear to ear.
I was not expecting to run like I did, and at 49 I wonder many times if I am on the downhill side of my running career.
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| BLING! |
I placed 3rd overall in a 100k race. It was on trail. I did not have a guide. And, I was able to set 2 world records in the process. And, I decided to run this race the day before. I have a deep faith, and believe that there is a higher power at work in my life, and He is the one who made all of this happen.
#ONWARD
Jason is an expert at teaching people to transform Dreams into Reality. He has amassed a lifetime of expertise in the field as a General Manager for General Electric leading large teams, where he ran a $400 million dollar business, he was a former leader of Global Operations for a Fortune 100 company, an attorney and CEO of a non-profit that helps children with Autism. In addition to his professional experience, he is a US Paralympian, holds 15 world records in ultra-running and mountain biking, is an author, a highly sought after motivational and business speaker and is the 1st and only blind person to run across America - 3,063 miles where he averaged 51.5 miles/day for 59.5 days. For speaking and media inquiries visit www.jasonromero.net
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