BIGFOOT 200 ENDURANCE RUN

The woods are lovely, dark and deep,   

But I have promises to keep,   

And miles to go before I sleep,   

And miles to go before I sleep.

My quad tattoo

Where to begin.........









In a daze still, typing this I  feel like I am still in a dream that was the Bigfoot 200 Endurance Run.

Why Luke? why? A question that has become all too familiar. I do these races because they call to me. There is something inside of me that is programmed to test myself in these extreme races. I am drawn to these things like a moth to a flame. The battle that goes on with my body and between my ears keeps me coming back for more. We as humans were made to struggle, fight and overcome. When you are put into one of these races the very fabric of our DNA is awakened and a piece of us that has been lost in modern society comes to life. I have heard other ultra runners say "I feel most alive during these races." Reason being is that our bodies and minds were designed to be tested to the max. We are walking around in an ancient design that we forgot how to use properly. When you are stripped down to the basics of life like water, food and exhaustion there is an aha moment. You see, we aren't made for 9-5's, iPhones, TV and cars.  We were made to move, eat, drink and overcome some type of adversity. An ultra marathon strips you down to the creature you were made to be. When people ask why... I often wish I could let them know how it feels through words, but I can't really. You gotta get out there on the trails via the miles and the mountains to unlock it for yourself. I am grateful that I found this ancient outlet. It has lead me to the highest mountains and to the realest people in the world. It has taught me so much about myself, and the perspective and patience to grin at "first world problems." We have it so easy and so instant. It's refreshing and invigorating after finishing an ultra marathon.  I feel more and more grateful for life as the miles stack up and the adventure unfolds.  I do it for my family. I want to show them that we can do anything if we have our hearts and minds behind it. My boys Drake and Tyce light up about these races. They often use words like 100 mile run and mountain climbs and I love that their perspective of adventure is already blooming. They have seen first hand that very difficult feats can be accomplished through hard work and a never give up mindset. I know when it is dark and I have miles and miles to go before I sleep I think of them and there is no possible way to quit. 
My beautiful wife Brittany, the most unselfish, loving person I somehow managed to trick into marrying me. She is the light that never fades. Real and true, she is the spark to my fire that keeps raging. I know it's starting to get a bit sappy, but you'll keep reading.  143 to you for putting up with these unfathomable races and training. 
Huge thanks to my mom and dad Jan and Henry for being so supportive all my life. You guys are part to blame for my adventurous and stubborn ways :) Love ya. 


TWOHUNDO

200, boy oh boy where do I begin? Between the puking, chaffing, ITBand and sleep deprivation I am fortunate to not have a DNF (did not finish.) by my name. 
 "Son of a bitch!" Mile 68 ish I feel some wild friction between my thighs.....Take a side step on the trail to check out my groin area......Holes....Yeah frickin' holes I created in my spandex because of my quads/thighs rubbing together. I had rubbed a hole clean through my spandex and a thread was seriously cutting me open.
This is going to be interesting!!! I had Desitin on me and packed in my drop bags so I kept applying and it brought some relief early on. Problem was I packed an extra set of spandex, but I had no idea which mile they would be waiting for me at.  Enter Harvey Doty, the raddest pacer on the trail!!!
He was such a great pacer that I nearly forgot about how chaffed I was getting..well almost forgot.
My chaffing would turn into a trail legend and punch line.
Enough about that for now let's go back to the start. 

0.0 Marble Mountain Sno- Park---Heart rates spiked as we gathered, chatted and waited for the race to begin. Everyone so fresh and ready for the journey ahead. 

Mile 6 ish with my boy Thomas Mullins

12.2 Blue Lake Aid----Did I sign up for a 50k!? I kept looking ahead to many racers starting out very quickly. I noticed that I was keeping up with these quick starters and I had to slow myself down and quit worrying about place etc. I knew we had 4 days to go and I needed to simmer my speed down. 

First 12.2 went amazing!!! Fresh, fun and ready to rock. I felt one tiny hot spot which I would typically overlook and keep going, but I removed my shoe and found a tic tac sized hot spot that Todd Nardi (Medical lead)  made quick work of. I filled my bottles and a 40 ounce bladder, grabbed a handful of chips and a nutella wrap and headed on. I was feeling awesome until I wasn't and like that around mile 19 when I went into Puke mode. Holy crap, I thought "How am I sick this early on??" After a quick puke and a number 2 pit stop I felt quite a bit better, but that feeling went to hell as soon as I discovered my pee was brown. Not only brown, but it got to the point that I just wasn't peeing anymore. I retraced my nutrition steps and decided I was taking in too much water and not enough electrolytes. I chilled on the water for a bit and sipped on Tailwind only for about an hour with maybe a tiny sip of water to wash it down. My fingers were swollen which was another sign I messed up my fluid intake. 

Let's call it mile 27...I started to feel better. I peed again, it didn't look like coke and my fingers weren't as swollen. I ran out of fluid around this point and luckily came to a natural spring running out of the mountain below Mount St. Helens.  The water was brisk and it gave me new life!!! Not long after this I saw 6 mountain goats which put a good smile on my face. Just a few more miles.

30.3 Windy Ridge------ After my little puke session and fluid malfunction I knew this race was going to be tough. I would be completely full of crap if I didn't tell you that I wanted to quit several times from 19-30.3. I felt weak and fatigued...and that makes cowards of us all. Not today though...not today I still had too much fight left in me to throw in the towel. Random, but unique I carpooled with A.J. Juarez. I now found myself with him stride for stride like we were made to endure this race together. Spoiler alert we finished together with an Epic sprint at the finish.  Who would have guessed that at mile 30!?  

Me left...A.J. Right and Dan smiling too.

39.9 Johnson Ridge ------First night. I was very hot during the day and it got chilly quick. Fog was made by my breath and my headlamp. This was a quick 9 ish miles and we made it to an awesome little aid station that had the best mashed potatoes I've ever had. The aid station boss lady made me a hybrid mashed potato bowl mixed with chicken noodle soup. AMAZING!!! This was the first time I ever sat down and ate a hot meal during an ultra. I would reach these aid stations starving even though I had sufficient calories on the trail. This would be the pattern for the entire course. 

46.5 Coldwater Lake Sleep Station----- I really started feeling better around here. In my mind I rounded this aid station up to 50....lol not sure why, but I didn't like how 46.5 sounded. What was an amped up 

not actual race, but possible hallucination :)

re-energized me turned into zombie me. This was the longest section for me. We climbed and climbed and climbed over 5k vertical in this section and we traversed exposed ridge after exposed ridge. I started getting sleepy towards the end of this climb in the night. We went through what seemed like miles of thick green vegetation that was so thick you had to keep a hand out or risk getting smacked in the face. You know the Lord of the Rings mountain scenes? I felt like we were on this never ending journey.......and  I was right. I teamed up with Willie Roberson here. We both had a rough go through with the hot section and settled into a similar pace. We would be synced up all the way into Norway pass and into Elk Pass.

Norway pass kicked some ass

65.2 Norway Pass ------What day is it? oh yeah...Day 2 Still no sleep. I felt pretty darn sharp mentally and was holding up strong physically. This section went by pretty quick and I was pumped because my pacer Harvey Doty was there waiting for me at 76.3.  As soon as I arrived I knew I needed sleep. Problem was...it was hot! It was middle of the day and the sleep tents they had setup were smoking hot. I ate a burger and gobbled down some other random snacks and laid down in the sauna of a tent. 

I told Harvey to get me up in two hours, but I barely slept 1 and woke up hot and dripping with sweat. 

I geared up and Harvey and I hit the trail!!! 

76.3 Elk Pas------ Harvey gave me some new life and I bugged him to tell me stories about his kids and family and really whatever he would tell me a story about. I started to complain about my chaffing issue. We made jokes about how bad it was and I kept applying Desitin in hopes that it would just magically disappear....no such magic ever came.  It was here were the scrotum jokes started to play out lol. Hey it's not like it was going away anytime soon, we might as well laugh about it right!?

We met up with Brian Martin here. Brian my man!!! You are one amazing person!!! Stick with this and bring home a finish next year.
As I write this it sounds like he signed up for the Moab 200 this October. He will get redemption! We loved running with you and your crew. Night was coming again...Night 2. 

91.3 Rd 9327---- The Wheels started falling off shortly after this aid station. I ate well and started on this section knowing I needed a nap, but I didn't want to sleep at the loud aid station. I told Harvey I needed to find a spot just off the trail to crash. He found us a nice spot and like a switch I was out. Bundled up with my Marmot rain jacket I woke up to the sound of rain drops. I woke up like I was late for work and it was cold too....Instant shivers ran through me and my teeth were chattering. We gotta go!!! Off we went and the rain started blasting down. Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr. I was cursing the heat and praying for the cold and now that I had it I wanted to trade it back. Finally we reached 100 miles....We saw dozen of toads on the trail and massive slugs, I felt like a slug. We were at the top of the climb of this section and it was 2.5 miles down to Spencer Butte. I was sleepy again going into Sunday and I was also soaking wet and my chaffing issue was getting really bad.

102.5  Spencer Butte-----I had lost A.J. on Norway pass miles and miles ago, but I caught him here and oh man was I lucky to catch him!!! I was so chaffed at this point I was asking anyone and everyone I saw if I could borrow some shorts or spandex with no luck. Just as I rolled in and A.J. was rolling out of this aid station I asked him if he had any shorts or spandex.... By some amazing stroke of luck in his drop bag he had a pair of running tights-----This was like hitting the lottery. I have never been more thankful for a new set of trousers. Thanks A.J. I owe you big time!!!!! 

 Harvey was a champ!!! Full of jokes and smiles he took care of me and other racers as we rested here at Spencer's Butte. Rain was still wild and daylight was approaching and I NEEDED SLEEP. Harvey wrapped me up with blankets and I was out. Another hour of rest and I was wide awake and ready to fly!!! This section started out with 2 flat miles on asphalt and it felt amazingly good just to mix up the terrain/feeling because this course is STEEP. I ran this at 9 minute mile pace and took a right turn to catch the trail. I ran down this section fast and free. It was still raining, but I was keeping a nice pace so I was warm. This took us into a section of waterfalls and thick rain forest covered in moss. I stopped and admired the waterfalls and rock formations. Seriously amazing views and it felt like I was in Jurassic Park or something waiting for a raptor to pop out of the bushes. This was one of the quickest sections on the course and before I knew it mile 112.1 was here.

112.1 Lewis River------ I caught A.J. again. He was wrapped up in blankets and relaxing after a long night in the rain. He took a quick nap and so did Angela who he was running with since mile 50 ish. 

They both slept as I took care of my feet and ate 3 grilled cheese sandwiches, hash browns and soup. I also grazed on some of those Lime flavored tortilla chips and some sorta dip :) A man named Dan came in and his knee was badly hurt. He had twisted it somehow and he decided it was too much of an injury to keep going as he couldn't apply weight to it. He was enjoying a beer and I gave him my best. He offered me a sip of beer and I took him up on it. Quite possibly the best beer ever. I kicked back and tried to sleep, but between cheers and cowbell as runners came in I couldn't sleep.  I geared up and waited for A.J. and Angela so we could all head out together. It was from here that all 3 of us would stick together until the finish.
This next section was nnnnnnnnnasty in terms of vertical climb this would take us up 5,472ft of gain and it was relentless. We made jokes like Candice puts vertical gain even when you're supposed to be descending. I linked up with A.J again and Angela. These two were amazing, but this section was never ending. By the end of this section we had a group of about 7 people if I remember correctly. Dan Saul, A.J. Angela, Beth, David Potter, Joe and myself. Doug caught us on this section in his Luna sandals!Speaking about Luna sandals.....Shout out to Michelle Evans for wearing them the entire race. WOW, JUST WOW!!! Back to this sinister section.. 
We climbed and climbed and climbed and this was a savage section! 

131 Council Bluff---- 
FIRE!!!!!!!!!!!!

We finally made it after night fall. We were greeted with a massive fire and we were also greeted by zombies aka Runners that looked like zombies. Brian was having hydration issues we think too much water and not enough electrolytes, but hard to say. He was in a rough spot and he and his crew decided it was time to call it. We exchanged hugs and promised to meet up on another 200. He already signed up for the Moab 200 and I know he will finish there. I will most likely be out to volunteer for the race or pace and help crew folks.  Anyway...back to mile 131! Its cold now and we all need calories...all the calories. I gobbled down salami fresh off the frying pan and the guy mixed it into mashed potatoes which was amazing. I dozed off for maybe 10 minutes, but didn't want to sleep until the next aid station. I woke myself up, checked my feet and I needed some blister management. This last section with such steep inclines in damp shoes gave me some heal blisters which I have never gotten... BIG one on both sides  of the outer heal. Leukotape saved the day again! MASSIVE thanks to the volunteers and medical staff. My feet would have been ruined without you guys. I stocked back up and hit the trail, but A.J. had taken off without telling anyone lol. We all took off in search of A.J. to give him shit and we found him a few miles on the trail. We were told this was a simple section lol, but we were mislead a bit. We think the girl at the aid station had just seen the dirt road sections of this stretch, but there were some wicked steep single track spots that took time and they weren't simple by any means. We finally made it to a turn off and we thought the aid station would be right there....Several miles later we made it. As soon as I got to the aid station I latched onto the biggest breakfast burrito I've seen in a while. I ate that and then had a waffle with peanut butter and syrup. I washed it down with some broth. We all headed to the sleep station to catch a few hours of sleep and this would be my last sleep. I was lucky enough to score a sleeping bag which I guess was rare and I was the last one to the tents so SCORE!!!!!!!!!! I crashed in seconds I think I slept from 4:30am- 5:45am. Wake up call was at 6am... This gave me a chance to wake up and shake off the fog. Time to put on soggy shoes again, but hey at least I had dry socks here :) Sun was just breaking through and we had a breakfast on Sunday. I put down another breakfast burrito and some kind of egg and bacon wrap. I washed this down with a hot cup of coffee and this got me revved up.  We took off from Chain of lakes towards Klickitat. 

140.8 Chain of Lakes Sleep Station ----
This was a 3,900ft gain and 3,900ft loss section which loss all that elevation for the first 3/4 of the section. There were multiple river crossings here and currents were strong. Ropes were anchored across so you had a great grip to cross. This was the section that my IT Band locked out. I am a downhill bomber and I did just that for the entire 3,900ft of elevation loss. My leg didn't bug me at all until I started the climb up to Klickitat which was weird, but it was a timing thing. I struggled to hike the rest of the 3,900ft of climb and I really struggled on the last descent into the aid station :(   

PAIN @ mile 158.1

158.1 Klickitat ----- I hobble in not feeling very confident here. I have never struggled with IT Band issues and this was new territory for me. I know I have a high pain tolerance, but the unknown of this bugged me. Enter WOODEN roller. I was on a cot and they got to work on my leg. Tender is a good word to use lol. I entered the pain cave and held on tight. This wicked wooden roller gave me some relief and that leg wasn't quite so locked up. This aid station was a burger and ginger ale. I took some kind of quesadilla thing too. Dan McIntyre took my socks and had them by the fire. Thanks DAN!!!!! I was about 30 minutes ahead of the crew of 7 and I wish I would have taken that downhill section slower, but lesson learned. I took off just in front of David Infante, but he caught me quick and so did Dan Saul, A.J. Angela,Beth, David Potter, and Joe.
This was the craziest section of the course IMO. The trail felt ancient and rough and overgrown. Downed trees plagued this section and it gave you the feeling that you were bushwhacking. We ran into Doug here and we all needed a quick nap on the trail. I think this was a 20 minute break..I may have slept 10 minutes and woke up in a panic. 
This section was wild and we climbed and climbed and went both under and over trees. 
Doug was hallucinating bad at this point now that the sun had gone down again and we were nearly 4 days into this adventure.  I was barely moving with my leg. My chaffing was so bad I was waddling at this point. It was Doug, me and boy... We were a mess. We were both tripping and seriously falling down on the trail. I was nodding off asleep, but was kept awake by the fact that cliffs were the price to pay if I didn't get my shit together. Doug was seeing the aid station, but it wasn't there. He was seeing people that weren't there. He waited back with me as A.J and the crew marched on out of sight and into the darkness. Doug and I talked each other through this last section and finally poppped out into Twin Sisters. 

177.5 Twin Sisters Sleep Station----- 
As I waddled in I kept wondering how I was going to string together another 29 miles. 
I don't quit, but I felt weak and questioned my grit here. Dan McIntyre DUDE!!!!!! He was amazing!!! He had to drop out at mile 112, but he stuck around for his friend David and he also helped everyone and anyone he could to make sure they finished. My under carriage was destroyed. My thighs were so raw the sting brought a tear to my eye often. No cream or lube was bringing this thing back to life. Dan------I need help man! I am chaffed to death. He had just finished helping someone patch and tape their chaffed area so he promised me he could fix me up. Gauze and  more Leukotape later I was a new man. My thighs could move without the feeling I had burned them off. Wow, Let's do this!!! My only fear was that the tape would fall off and I would be back to waddling around like a penguin. Solid work on the patch work and it stayed strong for the rest of the 29 miles to the finish.   

193.5 Owen’s Creek Aid -----
From 177.5 to 193.5 I feel like it was a dream or nightmare however you want to look at it. I was in a daze of being half asleep, but still awake...some sort of different dimension. I didn't hallucinate until this section. I was seeing faces in the trees. I was seeing Objects on the trail looking down that shouldn't be there like chess board type patterns and unique shapes that you would never see on a remote trail like the one we were on.  I was seeing skulls, but then realized my gaiters had skulls on them so maybe that was the root of some of the confusion. I saw these contorted creepy creatures in the trees too and it was broad daylight. I knew that my brain was making this stuff up, but I was actually seeing it and half of me wanted to believe it. Good thing it was daytime which helped to lesson the affects of these hallucinations. We tapped into a trail that hasn't seen much use and it was very overgrown and dense. I remember saying this is dense over and over. Time doesn't feel the same after being up 4 days with only 4 hours of sleep. Sometimes it feels slow and sometimes it's like fast forward. This was one of those fast forward parts until we made our way around this circular trail that just kept going round and round and round. It never ended and when it did there was a mini bar setup with tequila shots. I felt terrible at this point and passed on the shots..I regret not taking one now, but I wanted to finish this and I wasn't even sure I saw what I saw. I started seeing pacers hiking up towards me in search of their runners and before I knew it I made it to mile 193.5

206.5 White Pass High School 
The final push!!!! I caught A.J. and Angela and Dan at mile 193.5  We were ready to be done, but we still had a ways to go. 5 miles left on the dirt and about 8 miles left to go on asphalt. The trail of 5 miles went pretty quick, but the asphalt was a suffer fest especially since I was falling asleep and hallucinating. We were on a highway and cars kept passing and honking like they knew we were finishing a 200 mile race. They cheered and one man even stopped and gave A.J. and I an ice cold can of Coca cola and hot damn that was a miracle. Still not sure if that was a hallucination or not...  A.J. and I were spent. We were talking about running it in and finishing strong. What felt like 2 days during this long asphalt stretch we finally made it to the high school where the race finish  line was. We agreed to run strong around the track and it was a 3/4 lap on a 400m track to the finish. WE GOT THIS!!!! We made it to the last 100m and I said let's  hit it!!! WE WERE FLYING 

Final stretch, all the pain went away and we were floating

I am Grateful as can be for this race. Thank you Candice and thanks to your crew and staff.. They are amazing!!!! Best race atmosphere in the world. Cheers to the class of 2017 Bigfoot 200 graduates and here's to many more adventures Ultras and 200's. #200isthenew100


Feet after Bigfoot 200 be like :