Thanks everyone for all the great support and congratulatory messages! Almost 2 weeks later, and I’m still on a high from the race weekend.  It was a huge amount of fun and incredibly satisfying to finally get the job done, and with better results than expected.  For those who aren’t active on Facebook, I’m going to post here a somewhat random set of facts about the race. Hope this helps to give some insight for those who weren’t able to come out and join us.  So here we go….

First, the official results: 24:03:15. 40th place overall (out of 270+ starters), and 3rd place in my age group. Pretty strong for a national championship race! Out of the 270+ starters, only 145 finished (about 55%). Temperatures reaching into the low 90s were certainly a big factor. Would have been great to go under 24 hours. I would have, but because of a detour due to a flood-damaged trail, the course was 1.3 miles longer than planned (102.1 miles total). As if 100 miles wasn't enough! I can tell you, I definitely was not enjoying the extra 2.1 miles.

I used 3 different pairs of shoes during the race. Asics GEL-Cumulus 12's (my favorite road training shoes) from miles 0-23 and then from 85 to the finish. Brooks Cascadia 6's from miles 23-39 and from 53-64. And Salomon SpeedCross 2's (now my favorite trail shoes) from miles 39-53 and 64-85. I used two different types of socks -- Feetures thin-cushioned wool, and Injinji Performance. For all you runners and walkers out there -- if you are at all prone to blisters you should try Injinji. These are the socks that look like gloves for your feet. Very effective for reducing blisters on toes.

I had 4 pacers running with me during the 2nd half of the race. Their job was to keep me focused, positive, and always moving forward. In order of appearance, they were Brian Roeth (a good friend from Cincy), John King (one of the guys in my Sat morning running group), Sara Mattingly Hill (who found a way to volunteer all day at multiple BR aid stations and then still run with me late at night), and Greg Murray (a 2009 BR100 finisher -- he had the tough job of getting me through the last 20 miles). Without all 4 of them, I am completely certain I would not have finished.

We also had an extended entourage of supporters following us through the day and night: my siblings Jim, Amy, and Laura and their families, Tami's siblings Larry Keilin and Scott Keilin and their families, Tami's parents, my mom, Brent Keilin and Dawn Febo Keilin, Sara Mattingly Hill (also a pacer), Alan Gilbert and Sue Gilbert, Benjamin Light and other TGP staff, Eileen Heldmann, Logan Margolis. I hope I hit everyone. Aid stations volunteers and others told me many times I had the biggest crowd of supporters of any of the runners -- that was huge for me, really kept my motivation up and my attitude positive!

I have to give special thanks to my crew. Without them too, there is no way I could have finished this. Ryan Friedman, Bradley Friedman, and Cameron, my 3 sons, were always there with assistance and encouragement at every aid station, and helped with supplies. My friends Brian (also a pacer) and Alesia Michael Roeth and Stuart Koogler (a constant positive voice in my ear) came up from Cincinnati to do likewise. Most importantly, special love and thanks to my crew chief, Tami Keilin Friedman. As a crew chief does, she coordinated all the logistics and supplies, making sure everything was within reach exactly when I needed it and transporting the rest of the crew. But even more significant, she gave me the support and encouragement to do the actual hard work of training for the many months leading up to the race.

Many people have been curious about what and how much competitors eat and drink in races like this. Based on data gathered during my training, I likely burned about 12,000-13,000 calories during the event, or about 500-550 calories per hour. Here's a run-down on what I consumed to partially offset that burn rate, and to stay in a minimum hydration safety zone:

Ice water -- about 520 oz or 4 gallons (15.3 litres, for you non-Americans :-))

Coke -- about 20 oz

Ginger Ale -- about 20 oz

Gatorade (lemon-lime) -- 10 oz

Turkey and cheese sandwiches -- 3.5

Grilled cheese sandwiches -- 1/2 (tasted really good, but couldn't eat much at that point)

Watermelon -- hard to estimate, probably about 2 pounds

Hard-boiled eggs (whites only) -- 5 or 6

Pretzels (small) -- several dozen

Ramen noodles with broth -- 3 cups

Clif Shot Bloks (Black Cherry w/caffeine) -- about 16 servings of 3 bloks each (too many -- led to some stomach issues late in the race. Good lesson for next time -- this should not be a primary fuel source. Need a portable alternative).

Succeed S-Caps (electrolyte pills) -- 15

My crew may recall some other things, but I think that's the bulk of it.

Just posted a nice video of the last minute of the race, captured by my son Bradley. This is really special because the guy running just ahead of me is one of my training partners, Rich Henderson. I chased Rich all day and finally caught him and we decided to cross the line together. I think we look miserable, but the last mile and particularly this bit at the end was an amazing feeling! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v =eS97cjTkQmg

One last fact for now -- both fun and serious. The average age of BR100 finishers this year was 40.8. And 25% were over the age of 50. There is a very important lesson here -- there is no age limit on dreams and strong performances. You can do it too, no matter where you are in life!