Interview by Nick Stenger

Photos by Mike McMonagal

Rich Lockwood sits in front of his screen wearing scrubs. It is a quiet and dimly lit nook in the basement of the hospital where he works. Less than 60 hours before, he ran through the finish line of the Run Rabbit Run 100 Mile in 1st place. It was his second victory at Run Rabbit Run over three years. Rich bested his time by 37 minutes from 18:01 to 17:24. Now, he is back at work as an X-ray Technologist, feeling some post-race fatigue but still buzzing with energy from his impressive effort. We catch up with Rich over Zoom to congratulate him and hear about his exceptional race.

Nick: What were your expectations going into the race?

Rich: I ran Run Rabbit in 2022 and won but we ran through pouring rain, two hail storms. It was nasty. I fell at mile 16 and smashed my quads. I got pretty deep quad bruising that I thought was going to go away, but never did. While I was stoked on the race because I won, it was super gritty and painful, just like a battle. 

Last year, I focused on CCC at UTMB week, and this year, I wanted to do something back in the States. I needed a Hardrock qualifier and Western States qualifier, and in the back of my mind, since the first time I ran (Run Rabbit), I knew I could do better out there. 

It ended up being a polar opposite experience. It was sunny the entire time; the course was in great condition, and the competition was more stout this time around. I felt totally in control of my effort. I was able to run my own race and make a move when it was the perfect time to do it. It was a more joyful happy experience. I remember smiling a lot. 

Nick: Were you optimistic heading into the race?

I was definitely optimistic. I knew I could run faster, but you never know it in 100 milers. There are so many variables. 

I don't think first place or podium was on my goal sheet. Last time I ran 18:01. My goals were to go sub 18 on the course and not fall and hurt myself. (laughing)

In my subconscious, I kind of knew if I nail those two goals, probably, everything could line into place.

I tried not to put too much pressure on myself. I felt pressure leading up to it, but once I was out there… I guess I had been racing in Europe, where things are so hyped up and there is so much pressure. Run Rabbit still feels like a grassroots family race.

Nick: What was your training, like leading up to the race this year versus two years ago?

Rich: In some ways, my preparation maybe looked better on paper the first time I ran it. I had a great build up to my racing season, where this time I battled through really bad plantar fasciitis in the 2023 season. 

After CCC, which was the first weekend of September 2023, I took three months off from running. I did not run a step. I just did some mountain biking. I did some hiking. And so I got back to running in January. I basically had a ski season slash getting back into running and then raced the Madeira Island 110k in April. It was a short buildup to a pretty gnarly race. Then, I felt I was almost racing into fitness- crossing my fingers that it would keep building forward and that I would not have any setbacks. And luckily, I didn't. So, while the work I was doing was the same, the way it was layered was slightly different. 

Nick: Tell us about how the race went early on and any challenges that came up.

Rich: At mile 16, you do an out and back down to this waterfall trail. At this point, Tyler Green and I were running together. Tyler came out of that aid station and into the climb and motored up passed me. I wasn’t feeling great with the altitude at that point. I was feeling a little bit dizzy. It was pretty hot -maybe three in the afternoon-peak heat, and I knew it was a 5 mile climb coming up out of there. Adam (Loomis) then passed me as well. It was too early to chase them. I power-hiked and jogged the climb. 

I linked back up with them at the 50k mark. I felt better at that point. We are up even higher, but it felt like my body was being recalibrated. My legs were feeling great. Adam, Tyler and I were all running together in the front. Adam and I then pushed and gapped Tyler a little bit right before an aid station. 

I had pretty full bottles, so I said I am gonna go for it even though I should have known, because I ran this course before. You are heading into a 10 mile descent before hitting another aid station. 

Adam peeled off to stop and grab water and I think he caught up with me 5 minutes later. It was a bonehead move and that I think setoff, at mile 50, I peed, and it was basically dark brown. Signs of Rhabdo (rhabdomylosis) or maybe severe dehydration, I think. I’ve never had it happen to me, but I have heard stories from other runners. I didn’t have any other symptoms. I told my crew, Billy Grimes, an awesome dude who lives in Silverton. He told me to chug as much water as possible. 

Even though I was slamming a lot more water at that point, I had built myself into enough of a deficit, where every time I peed, it was still dark dark brown. Luckily, I did not have other symptoms, but it was scary to see it like that. 

Nick: How did you work through this, which sounds pretty scary?

At that point, you do a little loop out of town, then head back and make a huge climb back up to the continental divide trail. From mile 70 to the end, you are kind of on your own. There is no crew accessibility. It was midnight. I just crossed my fingers and hoped that this would not spiral out of control. It’s 30 degrees up there, 2 am, and I am on my own. Luckily it panned out for me (laughing in relief).

I think I needed to keep thinking about it to keep myself drinking. Especially because it was cold. I don’t know about you guys, but every time it is cold out and I am running, I find it hard to drink. So I had to really stay on top of it. Every time I got to an aid station, I would down my bottles if I had anything left and filled both. Just to keep it at bay, so it wouldn’t get worse. 

Nick: How did it play out from there?

Rich: I was running with Adam still. We were right at the base of a pretty runnable climb. He was a little bit behind me. I heard him shuffle step, kick the gravel a bit and spit. I thought, I think he is puking. 

So, I hit the jets and I thought, I am going to try to gap him right now. I ran the whole climb to the next aid, grabbed some stuff real quickly, and headed out. 

Most of the race I felt very in control, but then it got gritty. It was deep yoga breathing. I was trying to run every step I could possibly run and hike as fast as I could. At every aid station, I heard the gap was increasing.

What were your high points in the race?

I think the high point was when I did make that move. I said, Okay, now is when I go for it and when I got up to the next aid, I was able to ask, when did they come through last? And they say, now they are ten minutes behind you. The person you were just running with 8 or 9 miles ago is now 10 minutes behind you. It is that feeling of, it worked.

Adam and I also had this great moment, running this 10 mile descent back into town through the Aspens at sunset. We were running down these mountain bike switchbacks.  It was so beautiful. 

Nick: What was it like to reach the finish line in first place?

Rich: It’s the love of the finish line. You have been on your own through the entire night and you are finally back down with people. The energy was really high.  

Like any 100 miler, so overjoyed, it is a big emotional release to be done with the effort. Laughing and elated that the whole year of training and racing- it all panned out.