Midstate Massive 100Mi | Race Recap
The Goal
After Jigger Johnson 100 last year, I got my first real taste of what dedicated, structured training could unlock. It paid off and immediately sparked a bigger question:
What happens if I target a more runnable course? Can I go beyond just finishing and actually perform? Can I PR the 100-mile distance?
The Preparation
The “safe move” would’ve been to repeat the same formula. But this year was different I earned my ultra running coaching certification, and instead of following someone else’s structure, I wanted to dissect myself, experiment, and build my own.
I loaded up early with road marathons, time trials, and even a Trial of Miles challenge I deemed the Trifecta.
The mission: Get good at running first. Specificity would come later.
I chose Eastern States 100 as the PR attempt… until life (and lessons) redirected me to Midstate Massive.
I built a new training model: adaptive weekly blocks based on data, terrain profiles, and goal-specific workouts. It was messy, experimental, and exciting something I plan to refine into a real system.
Practicing mental cues ahead of race day to build automaticity.
One of my biggest lessons? Saying no to races I wasn’t ready for. That was maturity. Killing the ego to protect the mission.
Planning the Effort
I planned to run solo. Minimal logistics. Quiet execution. Over the year I learned that training alone protected me mentally. It gave me space to stay locked in on my goals and my structure. I didn’t cut myself off from others entirely, though. Running with people can still be soul-enriching… I just needed this one to come from a quieter place.
But a few weeks before race day, my friend Amy offered to crew and pace. After some thought, I realized: if the goal is performance, then accepting help isn’t weakness, it’s strategy. Amy believes in me fiercely. That mattered more than anything as you’ll learn later.
I essentially broke the race up into 4 quarters. With mental cues for each section.
Practicing these cues in training built automaticity. During an ultra, when fatigue and pain cloud your thinking, you don’t have the bandwidth to problem-solve. Well-rehearsed cues kick in automatically, helping you refocus, fix your form, and stay composed.
Mental Cues
| Phase | Miles / Aid Station | Cue |
|---|---|---|
| Establish Rhythm | Start → AS4 (Wachusett Mtn) | Smooth start, fuel early. |
| Sustain Flow | AS4 → AS7 (Long Pond 50M) | Reset at drop bag, settle in. |
| Adapt & Manage | AS7 → AS12 (Leggett & Platt) | Night hours. Caffeine. Stay controlled. |
| Endure & Execute | AS12 → Finish | Minimal stops. Forward motion. Empty the tank. |
The Gear
| Category | Gear Used | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Shoes | Norda 005 (primary) / Norda 001A (backup) | 005s felt sloppy and loose on the technical and runnable terrain. I switched to 001A at mile 30 and never looked back. |
| Fuel | Näak Boost / Näak Ultra Packets, SiS Beta Fuel, SiS Nootropic Gel, Moon Cheese, Dukes Sausages | 250–350 cal/hr goal. SiS Nootropic was the final push tool. |
| Essentials | Pacing spreadsheet, drop-bag, caffeine window planned for night, mental cue system | This was as much a systems race as a physical race. |
| Crew/Pacer | Amy DeMarco | Tactical, calm, encouraging. The greatest pacer ever, thank you my friend |
The Race
Nine hours of sleep. Calm morning. Fall colors exploding across New England.
The course is a tour of the Northeast
New Hampshire: 30 miles of rugged, rocky climbs and classic mountain running
Massachusetts: A mix of leafy rocky rooty singletrack and rolling backcountry roads
Rhode Island border: Tri-State Trail climb → Wallum Lake finish
The first 30 miles felt slow. I was controlled, almost too patient. Amy confirmed at each crew spot I was ahead of schedule.
Around mile 48, everything flipped. Full stomach and my first-ever ultra puke… Violent. Reset. Energy surged back.
At mile 51, I picked up Amy. Emily, Josh, my wife, and my daughters were all there… encouraging, steady, exactly what I needed. I slammed a Red Bull and some watermelon juice, tightened up my pack, and Amy and I headed back out.
Night running was electric.
We blasted Bruce Springsteen’s “Dancing in the Dark,” hunting headlamps. I surged, recovered, repeated. Amy, always encouraging, would periodically read me splits from the pacing chart, we were taking time back on every segment.
We were running strong enough that other runners started cheering for us.
Then sunrise. Tyler Childers playing. Cold air. Orange leaves. The world was quiet.
At the second-to-last aid station Amy stopped, stomach issues. She told me to go. I resisted.
Then she said it:
“ You can go sub-24 if you leave me. You need to go now. ”
I kept pushing back, but she wouldn’t let up.
I finally said, “ I’LL TRY ”
She snapped back, “ YOU WILL.”
That was the spark! She believed in me so hard, I had no choice but to believe in me too.
So I went.
Final 10K. 1 hour left. Legs wrecked. No room for doubt.
I slammed a SiS Nootropic gel and went to war:
I hammered the gravel
No mercy on climbs
Descended like my life depended on it.
When the finish came into view, I emptied everything.
⏱ 23:49:16 — PR, Sub-24 🔥
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Finish Time | 23:49:16 |
| Distance | 101.53 miles |
| Elevation Gain | 14,104 ft (GPX raw) |
| Avg Pace | 14:05 min/mile (overall) |
| Avg Heart Rate | 133 bpm |
| Place | 7th |
Key Performance Notes
First 30 miles felt slow → they were not. Controlled start paid off.
GI crash at mile 48 → puke → full reset. No downward spiral.
Night pacing with Amy was surgical → pulled time back every segment.
Final 10K was 100% belief and execution → pace surged despite fatigue.
Lower elevation than my previous mountain ultras → this course rewarded pacing discipline over pure climbing strength.
As I crossed the finish line, my wife said, “I knew you would.” → It’s a powerful thing to have people who believe in you.
In the end…
This year wasn’t linear. It was experimental, messy, and honest. I trained differently. I thought differently. I learned when to push and when to pull back. I had people who believed in me when I didn’t.
And I proved to myself:
“ When purpose meets preparation and belief outlasts doubt, that’s where you find out who you are.”
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