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Brockway B&B delivers sleep, sliders, and spirit

September 29, 2015 by Julia Millon 1 Comment

Running 200 miles is definitely out on the edge of acceptable athletic feats, right on the cusp of dropping into the abyss of insanity. Even for ultrarunners, the idea can be daunting—the hard-core competitors who had the guts to start the second ever Tahoe 200 Mile Endurance Run are running with one foot hanging off that edge. To most, they are a pile of weirdos taking unnecessary risks, but everyone lucky enough to witness the performances of incredible resolve and grit saw a group of athletes worthy of the utmost respect. This spirit fueled the hard work at the DPMR Brockway Summit aid station; a magical oasis where, after running 155.5 (POINT 5!) miles, someone will make you a sandwich while another cleans your feet. Open for a few days, the aid station, often referred to as Brockway Bed & Breakfast, saw awesome and dedicated volunteers—the aid station was up and running for more hours than the entire duration of most ultra events.

Over this long haul, aid station captain and culinary virtuoso Mike Tebbutt cooked up pesto-gouda sliders, breakfast burritos, and bacon bowls for hungry runners, who probably needed a snack after running three quarters of the way around Lake Tahoe. The ice chest kept all of the necessary refreshments chilled: orange juice, coke, ginger ale, chocolate milk, beer, and scotch. Others took stock of blisters, fatigued muscles, and wounds from trail attacks, and fixed them with care, hypodermic needles, and fancy tape.

Mike
Mike Tebbutt mans two stoves in style

DPMR members Liz and Mike Tebbutt, Julia Millon, and Jon Arlien all helped to finalize the Aid Station set-up, starting at midnight on Sunday, Sept. 13, toning down from last year’s ambitiously early start. Mike, along with friends Joe and Kat had already set up giant structures for the sleep station and the kitchen, which Joe and Kat hauled back from their equally festive use at Burning Man.  The set-up this year also included a few “found” full-sized couches for lounging. In the early morning, Nathan Caceres joined the crew as runners approached. The aid stations only non-DPMR volunteer, Nathan stayed through Monday helping all of the runners with unwavering enthusiasm.

Lights were strung, the generator was checked, and the camp stove was fired up around 6 a.m. in anticipation of the first two runners who had been leap frogging. Jim Trout and Paul Romero were actually racing for 200 miles. Jim was in and out 30 minutes ahead of Paul, which would prove to be their final order.

Jim
Jim Trout recounts some trail misadventures to Jon Arlien and Mike Tebbutt, while his wife and one-woman crew, Maryam Trout, packs his vest

First place woman, Suzanna Bon, blazed through third overall. Moving fast and in good spirits, she had some gourmet sliders, and rushed back out, knowing that DPMR board member Betsy Nye was on her heels, and a force to be reckoned with.

Betsy was the first DMPR through the aid station, and a cheery crew of family and friends welcomed her, and immediately started working to send her right back out again. Running in with her pacer and husband, Paul Sweeney, she had a commanding second-place lead over the rest of the female field, and was in 8th place overall. DPMR Lesley Dellamonica took over pacing into Tahoe City, 20.2 miles down the trail. In great spirits, Betsy joked and laughed with her crew as she powered down sliders and beer (Mike had previously hosted a taste test to decide which beer she would enjoy best) to gear up for the final quarter of the run.

betsy
Chaz Sheya helps Betsy Nye back into her pack while Paul Sweeney and Pete Broomhall offer moral support

Pete, Erin, and Siri Broomhall, Chaz Sheya, Stephanie Blum, and Michael Martinelli all helped with the increasing load of tasks throughout Sunday as runners became more frequent.  Some took advantage of the sleep tent, located a few hundred yards outside of the aid station party, and recharged before running down to Tahoe City. The runners were also treated to an upgrade in restroom services with a port-o-john, a luxurious improvement over last year’s honey-bucket-in-tiny-tent deal. The crowds coming in to Brockway also needed more help with blisters and cramping muscles, and stuck around, enticed by the catering and refreshments.

Runner Rick Arikado eats a slider on the couch
Runner Rick Arikado eats a slider on the couch

All of the volunteers who had been at the inaugural event in 2014 agreed that across the board runners appeared to be in better shape, and the aid station saw far less carnage than last year. There were still the occasional four blisters stacked on top one another, but those are treated easily, especially when most of the runners were in great mental shape. One runner turned down a beer offer until getting one such masterpiece lanced—he quickly changed his mind jumping straight to requesting a shot of whiskey. All bases were covered.

Not limited to human care, Nathan and Liz even completed the non-traditional aid station task of rushing a lost dog with a mouth full of porcupine needles to the nearest emergency veterinarian. Ultra events are always unpredictable.

Michael
Michael Martinelli and CHP, both in uniform

The ever-popular blue bunny came out Sunday keeping the sliders fresh and the spirits high. In the middle of Sunday night, a giant duck (Karyn Stanley) joined the zoo to take over cooking and dancing so other volunteers could pass out for a few hours. Joel Tebutt joined in the fun the following morning, and volunteered after pacing and crewing DPMRs in the race starting on Friday.

karynandmike
Karyn and Mike, running things

DPMR member JP Prince, who’s Tahoe 200 race had ended on Sunday after a personal record distance of 103.1 miles, embodied the spirit of the DMPR and trail running community by showing up to help Mike, Liz and Karyn with the aid station breakdown. JP brought with him an entourage-Jenelle Potvin, Michael Martinelli, Lesley Dellamonica, and a non-DPMR, Doug. All of these volunteers went above and beyond to assist DPMR competitors as well as the aid station over the days of the race.

Another DPMR member Diana Schlaf, unfortunately had to end her race at the our AS. However, she was perfectly content with her Tahoe 155.5 mile experience and in good spirits, also a personal best distance as she had previously never raced more than a 50k previously.

The volunteers closed down after the cut-off at 2:00 p.m. on Monday, tired and a little weird themselves, but basking in the spiritual riches bought with the time and missed sleep. Staffing the Brockway AS, DPMRs were privy to a secret slice of each runner’s race, personal journeys requiring guts, motivation, and vision, immediately evident in harrowed eyes, blistered feet, and dirt-crusted limbs. Three quarters through the distance, every competitor was an honest mirror of the adversity they had overcome. Looking through the keyhole of the aid station, the event seemed to take on a life of its own—while the final distance measured 205.5 miles, the spirit of endurance passing though Brockway seemed infinite.

Filed Under: Aid Stations, General, Races Tagged With: aid station race report, T200, Tahoe 200

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  1. Ken Dam says

    May 30, 2018 at 5:39 am

    Sorry for your loss! I’ve been through your aid station in ’15 and loved it! Thx Donner Party! Julia will be missed…Ken Dam

    Reply

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Keep an eye on Facebook for updates and cancellation due to weather.  Photo credit: Steve Woo These runs will depart from the Trout Creek Pocket Park, northwest corner of Bridge and Jiboom St (at the[...]
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6:00 pm Evening Speed-work with Martin @ TBD
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Join us for for Thursday evening speedwork for runner’s of all levels. Run starts at 6pm.  Workout will be about an hour and can be adjusted to your level. Location TBD. Keep an eye on[...]
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6:00 pm DPMR Weekly Social Run & Hangout... @ Trout Creek Pocket Park
DPMR Weekly Social Run & Hangout... @ Trout Creek Pocket Park
Oct 10 @ 6:00 pm – 7:15 pm
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Keep an eye on Facebook for updates and cancellation due to weather.  Photo credit: Steve Woo These runs will depart from the Trout Creek Pocket Park, northwest corner of Bridge and Jiboom St (at the[...]
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Join @healdsburgrunningcompany for a run (and plen Join @healdsburgrunningcompany for a run (and plenty of fun)!

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⏰ : Saturday September 16th, 8am
🏃‍♀️ 🏃‍♂️ : Judah Loop and continue on the PCT.
Run the Judah loop for ~6 miles, continue to Anderson peak for ~13miles (or further on the PCT if you want to go longer)
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Who's psyched for the Pt Mariah Trail Marathon TOM Who's psyched for the Pt Mariah Trail Marathon TOMORROW?!! DPMR is so excited to bring you this second edition of the race that promises to be bigger and better than last year! RD Chris Cloyd and team have been working so hard all week with final prep. The course is in great shape with some beautiful fun flowy singletrack. He said he'd love a few more volunteers so checkout the signup genius on our volunteer page, but otherwise wants everyone to please come hang out, cheer, and join the party! 
Unique to this race is the 5 segment course that utilizes a central aid station and can be done as a 2 person or 5 person relay, in addition to challenging yourself to run the whole thing solo!
Registration is still OPEN in person until 6pm tonight with bib pick-up at @tahoemountainsports with reg remaining open online til 1159pm. Race day bib pickup available in the morning 6-730am. No Race Day Reg. 

Thanks to our amazing sponsors this year, every participant will be eligible for a prize giveaway and get a pair of @darntoughvermont socks and @drinklmnt hydration.

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Hey DPMRers!  We’ve got something special in th Hey DPMRers!  We’ve got something special in the works.  We’ve been collaborating with Alibi Ale Works to release a co-branded beer (YES!).   Join us for a social run next Tuesday, where we'll have the pleasure of running alongside Alibi's head brewer, Matt Garcia! We'll hit the trails together, and afterward, we'll gather at Alibi to brainstorm the perfect brew that represents our club.  And since the DPMR Pt. Mariah Trail Marathon is just around the corner, we're adding some extra fun to the mix. We'll also be assembling course markings during the event. It's going to be an unforgettable night! Hope to see you there!
🏃‍♀️🏃‍♂️ Calling All Running Ent 🏃‍♀️🏃‍♂️ Calling All Running Enthusiasts! Join Us in Supporting the DPMR Pt. Mariah Trail Marathon! 🏃‍♀️🏃‍♂️
The Pt. Mariah Trail Marathon is just around the corner, and we need YOUR help to make it a roaring success! 🌟 This incredible event brings together the running community and showcases the determination and passion of athletes from all walks of life. Now, we are seeking volunteers to be an essential part of this memorable experience!
📅 Event Date: August 5th
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🤝 We firmly believe that it takes a village to organize events like these, and YOU can be a crucial part of this vibrant community effort! No prior experience is required—just bring your enthusiastic spirit, and we'll guide you every step of the way.
📍 Positions Available:
1️⃣ Course Marking: Help ensure that the runners stay on track and have a smooth route to follow.
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And remember, volunteering for a full shift earns you Volunt(HERO) credit towards the drawing for a YEAR OF FREE RACING (up to $1000) from DPMR!
Sign up here for a volunteer shift today! Link in bio.
Thanks to everyone who came out and volunteered at Thanks to everyone who came out and volunteered at the Diamond Peak aid station this weekend at the Tahoe Rim Trail Endurance Runs.  Everyone out on the course really appreciated all of the support!!! Stay tuned, we will be posting the Volunt(hero) leaderboard soon!  In the meantime, we're seeking more incredible volunteers to join our team at the upcoming Pt. Mariah trail marathon, and we promise it'll be an experience you won't forget! 😄
Sign up today! No experience needed. Link in bio.
The heat is on! Our Volunt(hero) program is going The heat is on! Our Volunt(hero) program is going strong with more than 60 volunteers out helping runners get through our various aid stations this year. What is the Volunt(hero) program? The top 10 DPMR volunteers with the most hours logged in 2023 will be entered into a drawing for a chance to win free race entries for a year, up to $1000. We will be posting our leaderboard soon but only a few hours separate those at the top.  Adding a shift can catapult you in to one of the coveted top 10 spots to be included in the raffle.  So come and join us THIS WEEKEND out at TRT! There are still openings overnight, morning clean up Sunday, and sweeps for TRT (Double points for morning clean up).
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Meet DPMR Board President, Diane Frederic! Diane h Meet DPMR Board President, Diane Frederic! Diane has been a DPMR member since the inaugural year (2014).  She has been a board member for 5 years with the last 3 at the helm. Diane loves a good joke and believes life is a whole lot better if you don’t take things too seriously.  She also believes that trail time is best shared with dogs and friends. And friends with dogs.  Diane is a recovering graphic designer but will come out of retirement for a good race logo opportunity (thank the cosmic forces for that!). Diane will be out on the course for the TRT100 next weekend - so if you see her out there, give her a big hello and high-five! Good luck Diane! #unafraid #dpmr #girlboss #100miler #paincave #yougotthis
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Are you ready to unleash your creative beast? Then don't hesitate! Slide into our DMs faster than a trail runner chasing a PR. Don't miss out on this opportunity to create something truly legendary.
The Tahoe Rim Trail Endurance Runs are almost here The Tahoe Rim Trail Endurance Runs are almost here!!  Please consider volunteering with us.  We have many shifts available from Friday, July 14th through Sunday, July 16th! 
All volunteers that work at least one 6 hour shift will be entered in to our lottery for a race entry in to the 2024 TRTER race. You get one entry for each 6 hour shift you work. Overnight shifts get a bonus with two entries! Winners of the lottery can choose the distance but 100 milers still must have a qualifying race.
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Sign up here for a volunteer shift today! 🙏🏻
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