New 50-mile KEYS100 record holder, Cole Bataille, broke the 7-year old record on May 19. Here is his race report:

 New 50-mile KEYS100 record holder, Cole Bataille, broke the 7-year old record on May 19.  Here is his race report:

To begin my 2018 race report, I must take a quick glance back at my 2017 race. 

In 2017, I came into the race feeling ready and fit. I went out far too hard and crashed, struggled my way to a 8:30:07 finish. Breaking it down I went out in 1:12:16 for the first 10 miles, followed by 1:29:54 from mile 10 - 20, 1:53:42 from mile 20 - 30, 1:54:48 from mile 30 - 40 and nearly 2 hours for the final 10 miles.

In 2018, I was determined to run smarter. I felt great all day and ran 6:50:38. By comparison I ran 1:17:34 for the first 10 miles, followed by 1:20:47 from mile 10 - 20, 1:19:35 from miles 20 - 30, 1:25:15 from miles 30 -40 and under 1.5 hours for the final 10. 

The day was overcast, but the humidity was thick! It rained right up to the 9:45am start but cleared up just in time. As I strolled out to the start, I saw Mike Melton and said "It's a beautiful day for a run." Knowing the rain could come back at any moment, I was enjoying the current conditions and keeping a positive attitude. Once the race started, I began running at an easy effort level. I met my wife and amazing one person wrecking crew at mile 3 to grab a second bottle to carry over the 7 mile bridge. As planned, I ran the first 30 minutes of the race before implementing my walk/run. From the 30 minute mark, I began a strategy of running for 9.5 minutes and walking for 30 seconds. During my 30 second walk breaks, I made sure to eat or take GU. With 4 miles to go on the 7 mile bridge, I was running out of fluid and began having to conserve. As I came off the 7 mile bridge, I filled a bottle with tailwind had a peanut butter and jelly quarter and ran down to my wife at the crew location. I got a fresh bottle of Replay hydration to carry with my tailwind, sucked down a go-go squeeze apple sauce and took off. From there, I ditched the run walk for a bit and just ran from crew point to crew point. Early in the race, we'd skip almost every other crew location that way I could run 2 or 3 mile stretches without stopping. I kept an eye on the competitors behind me, as they kept close when I would stop to crew. They pushed me along and kept the pressure up for most of the day. All things were going well, I was feeling great through mile 20. Just after mile 20, the rain came. It was a monsoon, my shoes worried me and I had no idea what the rain would do to me. I had shoes in the car if I needed a change, I was wearing compression socks, there was not going to be time to change those! I loved the rain, it cooled me off and my shoes dried well after it let up. Around mile 37, the sun came out in full force. The heat rose quickly and I began to use my ice bandana for only the second time in the race. The WOLFPACK caught me around mile 40 and went flying by. The WOLFPACK is a group of runners from Lakeland, Florida who I know and train with often. As Sydney Devore (winner of the 2018 Pittsburg Marathon in 2:32) went flying by, she said "This is why we are here Cole." Those word pushed me for a few more miles. I met my amazing wife again at mile 45 where she told me that our 7 year old daughter (who was staying at grandma's) had just pulled her tooth all by herself and that I needed to run for her. With the win basically wrapped up, the only thing left was my attempt at the course record. I had mentally put that goal away at mile 43. Now knowing the goal was still within reach but unable to figure the pace I needed to keep, it just kept moving forward. The mile 3.5 crew stop was the final stop for us, I poured some cold water on my head, dropped the ice bandana, took 2 full bottles and got going. I told my wife to go to the 2 mile crew stop but waived her off as I came into it saying that we didn't have time. As I ran the final 2 miles, I knew I had something in my legs but I didn't know what would happen if I tried to find it. Taking a huge risk, I walked for 30 seconds when I hit the 1 mile mark. The final mile of the race was fun. I was running a pace of approx. 8:10 per mile until I saw a man wearing a Florida State Seminoles shirt, I am a University of Florida Alum and huge fan so I said "Go Gators!" When I realized I was in good enough spirits for that comment, I decided I could also run. So I took off knowing I only needed 8 minute pace for half of a mile to break to course record, I had no problem kicking into that gear. As I came into sight of the finish, I knew I had accomplished all I had set out for on the day, I was elated. My wife and the full WOLFPACK cheered me in. 

After the race, I felt great. The beautiful soft sand on Higgs Beach, conversations with others, seeing Phil and Tuan finish shortly after, a picture with Bob Becker and of course a veggie burger made for an excellent evening! 


Kathleen Wheeler's race report after setting her 100-mile PR:
Keys 100 finish: 24:52, PR. How does one PR at 100 miles distance after a lifetime of running? Wish I could put my finger on it, but I believe it was because everything came together perfectly.

I used the Sandra James Garrett racing method. OK a modified SG method. I’m not rigid enough to do that 9/1 or 12/2 stuff (whatever). But I did what we did together in training. I did make sure I walked. As a matter of fact, I had decided that if I was not comfortable running, I would walk the entire distance, but throw in enough runs to keep the legs fresh.

Nutrition: For the first time in recent memory: I ate well. I had solid food constantly: like an IV drip, but with small dime size bags of food, non-stop until at least 90 miles. Some secret ingredients (but more on that issue if it works again). I think the crew used mostly watered down tailwind, but I relied completely on them to determine that.

So….OK, We all know it was the stellar crew. That’s a given and a requirement. I’ve had (Scott & Sandra) crew before. They are always up to the task, like a well-oiled machine. I just needed to step up my game and do what needed to be done. I needed to work with them rather than against them.

It helped to have so many memories on the course. Where I had previously suffered, I prepared to be strong. Wherever I previously had a good experience I treasured the memory.

Thanks to Bob Becker, and all the volunteers and fans that make the Keys 100 a primo event.


Graham deGottal's post-race comments:
Hi Bob, just wanted to drop you a quick note to say thank you for putting on such a wonderful race in the keys last weekend... Can't say enough about it, we had an absolutely fantastic time!!

After 30+ marathons the Keys race was by far the most fun I've ever had in a race and without a doubt will be adding it as a must run event every year from now on.  

My wife even had a blast having never crewed before she didn't know what to expect thinking she would just need to give me a drink every now and again:)... When we left for the race she said `don't forget to pack my beach chair', and even downloaded stuff to her ipad to look at thinking she would have nothing to do.....  Needless to say the beach chair and ipad never came out instead she ended up having a blast crewing me, and chatting to all the other folks along the way... 

Marvellous time, well done and again thank you for putting on such a super race, and great to finally get to meet you.  
Cheers,
Graham


Shannon Sejeck's post-race comment after completing his first 50 miler: 
"Finish line of my first 50 miler... in 9:15:47. If you want a great first experience at 50K, 50 mile, or 100 mile distances the Keys 100 is the place to do it! Bob Becker and all the volunteers did a tremendous job supporting all runners. I will definitely be back to attempt the Keys 100 in 2019!"