This post continues my series of open letters to all of the people that made the 2017 Tahoe 200 Endurance Run possible.
Dear Todd, Tim, Roseanne, John, Eric, Marinka, Sally, Liz, Steve, Sean and Every Race Single Volunteer –
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
I saw Todd, the “Head Medical Dude,” before the race start. I felt like I already knew him from the YouTube videos I watched from previous years. I introduced myself, jokingly saying – “It’s good to meet you and I hope I never see you.”
Todd said – “Oh… you’ll see me. But let’s hope it’s only to check in on you.”
He was right. I saw him EVERYWHERE – Tell’s Creek (mile 24), Sierra-at-Tahoe (mile 62.9), Heavenly (mile 103) and Tahoe City (mile 175). Incredible. Every time, he was positive and chill.
Sally helped me fill up my nutrition at Tell’s Creek then Wright’s Lake, making sure I had food and water.
Tim got me patched up at Sierra-at-Tahoe after the 19-hour first day on the course. He was my first real encounter with medical help, taping up a blister forming under my foot. “This is my ultra – those that can’t do, help.” The dude was just so positive and just seemed to love being there. Todd taped up my heel before I headed out for Day 2.
And I was told my feet were in great shape compared to others’…
Down at Housewife Hill, a guy with a red suit (can’t remember his name…), helped my mother-in-law to get me a super duper yummy breakfast of eggs and bacon to refuel before the long climb up Armstrong.
About seven hours later at the Armstrong, I came meandering in and John asked – “How are you feeling?”
“Yeah, I’m good.”
Then he looked at me again – straight into my eyes and said – “Are you sure?”
He was right. I wasn’t necessarily bad, but I was pretty worn out after the climb up and over Armstrong. Then he said – “Roseanne is the medical person here – she’ll take care of you.”
Roseanne immediately came over and just sat for a moment to see how I was. She gave me a roller for my quads. Perfect timing after that climb. John got me a hamburger and Roseanne hung around just to make sure I took enough time to reset. Meanwhile, she tended to another runner that was shivering in the middle of the day because he hadn’t been eating. John and another volunteer (I can’t remember her name), helped me fill my nutrition bottles to get me on my way to Heavenly.
At Heavenly, another person whose name I can’t remember, found me an camping pad and a blanket so I could sleep a few hours. When I woke up to get going on Day 3, he was there to find me some first aid tape for more blisters. I remember someone asking at Heavenly – “Where’s Todd?” The answer way – “He’s asleep down in his Subaru.” Aha! The man IS human! 🙂
Rob, a Coast Guard veteran, checked me out at Spooner Summit (mile 123) on the morning of Day 3, taking care of a blister on the underside of my foot. I overheard here that the food tent volunteers had just run an overnight shift and were planning to be there until 9pm that night. Wow.
Knocking out a pedicure at mile 140, courtesy of Eric, while Marinka helped me figure out the next section of the course including the dreaded Powerline climb. (Photo Credit: Lena Sambucci 🙂
When Sean and I arrived to Tunnel Creek, Marinka and Eric felt like my personal race concierges. Eric was doubling as medical and chef, cooking up the world’s best grilled ham and cheese. Marinka checked me in and made sure Sean and I had everything we needed after a rough 17-mile stretch. (Turns out they’re both from Davis! Marinka remembered me from The Ridge 60k from back in August.)
When I arrived to Brockway Summit (a.k.a. Brockway BnB), Liz, Sean and Steve (I *think* Sean and Steve are the right names…) made sure from the first second that I got what I needed. Liz booked me an air mattress and asked when I wanted to sleep until so she could personally wake me up. Sean refilled all of my nutrition for the next morning, and Steve brought over a wash bucket and sponge ready to wash my feet. Seriously. The dude was about to wash my feet for me.
Me: “Dude – I can do that myself. You don’t have to wash my feet.”
Him: “No big deal. I’ve been doing it all day.”
Wow.
Many thanks to the Donner Running Party who sponsored the Brockway aid station.
At Tahoe City, I gobbled up a breakfast of pancakes, eggs and bacon that beat any New Jersey diner breakfast I’ve ever had. Todd tended to a nasty toenail blister. He just looked completely tired, and still had a smile on his face. Every time he worked on me, he’d say – “Let’s get you to the next aid station and to the finish line.”
Just before the final push from Stephen Jones to the finish, the crew at the aid station were all business to make sure everyone kept the going to the finish. I don’t remember names. I do remember the Cup of Soup, the refilling of my water bladder, a cup of ice cold Coca-Cola and ice for my water bottles.
There are so many more nameless volunteers that helped along the way. Thank you to each and every one of you!
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
Gratefully yours,
-Scott Sambucci