Mike Tyson once famously quoted, “everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face”. The Keys 100 will punch you in the face and do so repeatedly throughout the race. You will not run your perfectly planned race at the Keys; I can pretty much guarantee it. This race is not about who has the best plan, but who can continually get up from the mat after getting knocked down, maintain a positive attitude, and simply focus on the immediate goals at hand. Wise words from Dave Krupski.
The Keys 100 is a very tough race, having run it twice before in 2022 and 2024 where I finished in 29:38 and 29:54.
Both of those races were in exceptionally hot conditions, so quite rightly, I was nervous about my third attempt at this race!
Trying to bring calmness to my nerves was my rock. With Matthew by my side, who was solo crewing me, I knew that he would be my guardian angel out there, and of course ice butler ‘par excellence’!
1 Month until race day
Heat Acclimation started one month before the race day. This is a vital ingredient in preparing for any hot race, especially this one! Daily home saunas, running in hot countries at midday in my job as long haul cabin crew and finally 8 sessions back in the Heat Chamber at Chichester University. This training is a vital one of the ‘Keys to Success’.
4 days of 60 minutes on the treadmill followed by another 4 days of 90 minute sessions (The rectal thermometer monitoring my core temperature is not one of the highlights of heat training but an unpleasant necessity) all whilst being monitored by the experts at the Sports Performance and Rehabilitation Unit at the University. The goal was to increase my core temperature to between 38.5ºC and 39ºC and maintain it.
On session 5, my core temperature rose to nearly 40ºC which was at the lower end of what is safe and I felt terrible. It was a great reminder of what to be aware of when running in such extreme temperatures but with the safety of being a professionally monitored lab specimen. These are very fine margins and it’s critical for both myself and Matthew to recognise and manage spikes. A 12 minute sit down and reset and everything was back to ‘Ops Normal’.
1 week until race day
With two Keys 100s under my belt and three Badwater 135s, I had overseas event planning down to a fine art. Where to stay, what type of car we needed to rent, what gear to take plus all the other logistics of running and crewing a 100 mile race in the Florida Keys. We had some extra days off so flew out to Miami a week early to acclimatise to the temperature, humidity and time zone. This was a very good move.
I did a couple of training runs including one across the iconic 7 mile bridge which I had not run before in daylight or crossed it ‘fresh’ on a training run.
Race day forecast was looking favourable. No rain, 30% cloud cover and highs of 90ºF / 32ºF – Finally some ’normal’ summer South Florida weather then.
When I ran in 2022 we experienced a Saharan heat plume over Southern Florida and not a cloud in sight throughout the race, resulting in a high DNF rate of 48.1%, only to be outdone by the 2024 South Florida heat wave. This had a heat index of 115ºF / 46ºC and produced the highest DNF rate in the race’s history of 53%.
Race day
It was still dark when I arrived 15 minutes early for my 05:25 start in wave 3. My body was still enjoying the effects of last night’s blissful air-conditioning! Outside, 83ºC seemed like a beautiful temperature. Above me, I could just make out the scattered cloud cover in the morning twilight. There was a new start line this year at the Community Park in Key Largo, a block behind the old starting area in the Divers Direct Parking Lot. It was buzzing with runners and their crews. I finished off a very tasty Croissant, had some nervous chatting and small talk, then Matthew and I hugged, high fived and I took my place on the start line of the iconic Keys 100 for the 3rd time. Yikes!
All my training was now officially over as I switched into race mode.
There was a fantastic DJ counting down my start… “This is your time, this is your day, this is your start. The 5:25 start…. 5,4,3,2,1 .. and you are out of here. See you in Higgs Beach”!!!
And with that, we were off! 100 miles on US Highway 1 South lay ahead. Heat and humidity, hot tarmac, 40 bridges wrapped in stunning scenery to conquer. Deep breath. Let’s go.
1-10 Miles
The first miles were steady and consistent. It was warm but I wasn’t too hot. As I had run this race twice before and driven the first half of the race this trip several times, the course was so familiar and I loved that.
I started off in my speedy Nike Alphaflys and my aim was to wear them for as long as possible. I also had a structured nutrition strategy for the race, a first for me, which I wanted to stick to for as long as my tummy allowed!
First crew stop was 2.5 miles along the course at Shell World and Matthew was there for the first of many switch outs of the handhelds with new cold bottles. From my time in the Heat Chamber and several sweat tests, I am officially a salty sweater. My aim was to have at least 1 litre of water per hour and one Precision Hydration 1000 electrolyte tablet per 1/2 L handheld bottle, increasing to a PH1500 at the hottest time of the day.
Getting Hydration wrong in these temperatures is dangerous. Too little and you get Dehydrated. Too much, without electrolytes and you can become Hyponatraemic. Also not good.
The Keys 100 route counts down from Mile Marker 100 located in Key Largo to Mile Marker 0 Key West, and so all the approved crew meet up locations are based on descending Mile Markers which is quite satisfying watching the miles count down. The route for both runners and crew alike refers to either “Ocean side” or “Bay side” to determine which side of US Highway 1 South I should be on, also which side Matthew is allowed to crew me from.
A few more slick crew stops and soon I reached the first timing check point at MM90.1, AKA 9.9 miles in, the Coral Shores High School. I had started at quite a fast pace, 8 minute 45s and was feeling good. I think I declared to Matthew that I wasn’t even hot!!
10-20 miles
Keeping a comprehensive race log is so important in spotting trends, overall pace, sector pace, hydration and nutrition consumed so at MM87.5 Founders Park, Matthew told me to slow down! I was still running at 8 minute 45 second pace which was too fast. It was still 82ºF and it felt a really comfortable temperature. I had a GU Liquid Energy (orange with caffeine) which is the only gel I can really tolerate as the consistency is of a liquid rather than that thick horrible gooey type versions that I just don’t get on with.
My plan was to mainly have liquid calories for most of the race but we also had in reserve, watermelon, ginger cookies, chocolate brownies and salted potato chips (Ruffles and Kettle chips being my personal favourites!). However, being kind to my stomach by not asking it to digest lots of real food, was also part of the strategy, therefore allowing my circulation to concentrate on cooling me instead of dealing with digestion.
A couple of miles later, the sun had been up for nearly 2 hours, it was MM85 and I had now started to sweat! The Keys 100 is the Super Bowl of sweaty runs!
It was 0740 and I had a full wipe down and some cold watermelon and I was gone! I started the race using handhelds but at the next crew stop, MM81.4, outside the Green Turtle Inn on the service road behind Highway US1, I donned my Salomon race pack as it was going to be about 5 miles until the next crew stop and I didn’t want to be running out of water. It was also here I saw my running friend, Walker Higgins from Louisiana whom I knew from running both Badwater and Spartathlon and it was lovely to see him on the course crewing his friend Dan McHugh, who ended up finishing 2nd male and 4th overall.
It was here I put into action a new cooling technique, stolen from my amazing and inspirational friend Pamela Chapman-Markle, by putting a Zip Lock bag full of ice down my bra! Heaven! Another plus to this technique was that if I was running out of water, I would drink the melted ice water from the bag! Genius! And it works brilliantly.
20-30 miles
This next section encompassed several long scenic bridges, including the Lignumvitae Channel Bridge, Channel 2 and Channel 5 Bridges. There was a beautiful breeze blowing from the left, ocean side, and I was feeling great. The cloud cover was dispersing, now 89°C and it was getting hotter and hotter but I was loving this race. It was here I passed fellow Badwater veteran, Ian Thomas, who was taking a longer cooling break than me. Ian went on to set an incredible course record for his age.
MM68.1 was the Kwik Stop Store in Layton. This crew stop can get very busy, so crews can only park here when their runner is imminently arriving. Matthew knew this from previous experience and race rules notes so made himself scarce by parking 1/2 mile up the road in a lay-by until he tracked me on “find my wife” aka “find my phone” so he was able to arrive at Layton in good time to get me what I needed after a quick pit stop. As I run with my phone here, it’s very accurate for Matthew to track me using this App, as the Keys has 100% network coverage.
Here, a 60 second changeover of Ice Bandana, Ice in the Bra Zip Lock, Ice in the hat, lip balm, both water handhelds changed, wipe down, chocolate brownie and I was gone.
We also have a system of calling each other on the top of the hour, every hour in addition to the official crew stops. It’s a great way of checking in with each other and I look forward to these calls. My pace was still 9 minute 24 seconds a mile, probably still too fast for a 100 mile race but in these toasty conditions, I was feeling very good.
30-40 miles
A few more Keys passed… Long Key, Conch Key and Duck Key. More scenic views of turquoise waters and dozens of pleasure craft out fishing. Here was another long stretch without Matthew’s support. Instead of the race pack I opted for 2 x handhelds as I felt the race pack was too hot to wear. Reluctantly I had a chocolate brownie, followed by a wipe down, more ice in my bra and I was off. The temperature was now 89ºC / 32ºF.
40-50 miles
One of the hottest parts of the course is known affectionally as “Hells Tunnel” and there is an intimidating sign saying “Welcome to Hells Tunnel!” Sick joke!
It is a loose chalky trail with high sided mangrove swamps on either side. It is also windless straight path that appears to have no end and heat gets trapped in there and cooks all who enter! It is oppressively hot and uncomfortable until you are spat out at the far end nearly 5 miles later!
It has taken down, (DNF’d) a lot of good runners in the past including some friends sadly.
The two previous years that I have run this race, I have really struggled in Hells Tunnel, and probably walked most of it, however, meet Laura 2.0, who has had an incredible year and a big spike in my performance (without boasting too much!) by getting a new marathon PB at the Boston Marathon of 3:24:29 which was marathon number 199. I ran the South Downs Way 50 by Centurion Running 38 minutes faster than the previous 4 times in 8 hours 39 mins. Plus getting a 50K PB at the Lea Valley 50k by Camino Running in 4:43:15. And not forgetting my wins at both the White Horse 100 miles and the Inaugural Winter Downs 100 miles!
This year, although temperatures were slightly cooler, I ran most of Hell’s Tunnel and came out alive, victorious, happy and hotter than when I went in.
This race was just going better than expected. Before the race I had dreamt of getting a finish time in just under 24 hours and we had worked out a plan how to get it.
Firstly, get to 50 miles in 11 and a half hours. An overall pace of 13 minutes 50 second / mile would get me inside of 24 hours. My current overall pace was 10 minutes 24 seconds. In 2022 and 2024 I got to 50 miles in around 13 hours.
I had made it to half way. The Marathon Garden Club, the 50 mile check point in 8 hours 45 minutes!
This for me was bonkers and awesome.
4 hours fasters than my previous two races and it was only 2pm. The sun had nearly set by this mileage on the previous races.
Matthew and I were in total shock.
How the **** was this happening and I was still feeling so good!
I took the opportunity to use the best and cleanest toilet on the course complete with Aircon!
I decided not to get changed or change my shoes, I tried to be as fast as possible and was off in less than 5 minutes. I had a couple of ginger biscuits and the usual cooling. It was 32ºC/90ºF and was very toasty.
50-60 miles
It was only a few miles until the last check point before the infamous 7 mile bridge. This is the longest “unaided” part of the race without your crew.
I ran through the town of Marathon and its small airport, Bay Side, full of private jets followed by the standard shops and restaurants such as Wendy’s, McDonald’s, Publix, CVS plus some really cool sounding restaurants which I so wanted to pop into for a Mai Tai and some fresh seafood!
Maybe later, I had work to do!
MM46.9 / 53.1 miles in. I saw the flashing blue lights of the Monroe County Sherriff’s patrol car and was escorted across the highway by another member of the Police Department to the foot of the Seven Mile Bridge. I was really hot now. Support crews had parked at the Isla Bella Marketplace, Ocean side, and had a steep bank to climb up to tend to their runner’s for the last time before the crossing.
Matthew was there with our cooler and my race pack plus big golf umbrella for UV shade.
Walker was there with his team waiting for their runner and he came over for a quick chat and also grabbed the golf umbrella and held it over my head while Matthew got me sorted out which was kind. It was 90ºF / 32ºC and there was no shade.
I had ice in my bra, ice in my race pack, an ice bandana round my neck, two 500ml flasks of icy cold water in my race pack and a handheld bottle of cold water too plus a chocolate brownie and ginger biscuit in a little pot as fuel.
The previous two times I had run this race I had done the Seven Mile Bridge at Sunset and finished in the dark however this year it was going to be a two thirty in the afternoon crossing of this incredible and long engineering marvel, it felt like the hottest time of the day and I was about to receive a lesson from mother nature!
60-70 miles
The bridge had been coned off ‘Ocean side’ with what seemed like thousands of traffic cones placed every few metres to keep us safe and separated from the never ending and close opposite traffic.
I ran most of the bridge with a few sneaky walking breaks and 7 miles later to my relief, reached Veterans Park at the other end in just over 1 hour and 15 minutes. I was cooked, flambéed and fried.
It was savagely hot in the 90s and humid as hell. Matthew came over to meet me. I felt quite dreadful. My fingers were tingling, hands were cramping, I felt faint and I couldn’t cool down. There was no shade from the sun that was burning down on me and the black tarmac was throwing the heat back up at me. I needed to take 5 and sit down. I just sat on our cool box with my head in my hands. I had overheated. I recognised this exact feeling from my time in the Heat Chamber at Chichester University and knew I just needed a bit of time to get my heart rate down and back under my control.
My overall pace had slowed to 11 minutes 6 seconds a mile but this was still way ahead of my goal pace.
One of the lovely course Marshalls came over to see if I was ok and told me I was the Marshall’s favourite runner. They probably said that to everyone but it made me feel really happy! What a lovely thing to say!
After a 10 minute reset, I picked myself up and chose to keep the race pack on as there were now two more long sections to come, 4.7 miles and 4.2 miles, both with limited crew access.
The 4.7 mile stretch of the Bahia Honda State Park. This is another iconic Keys bridge. Running parallel to the new US1 South route, this once incredible feat of engineering, formerly a railway, is now a rusted, twisted and disused structure. With more boiling hot tarmac to run on and no shade, I was starting to feel nauseous. Cooked and nauseous.
I had a sit down in the comfy folding chair away from the burning UVs and in the shade. Matthew tried to get me eat some McDonald’s chips; I tried but just couldn’t swallow them so spat them out. No chance any more solid food was going in.
It was now another 4.2 miles to MM31 where I entered Big Pine Key which is famous for deer. I didn’t see any this year but Matthew spotted one, they come out more at night and it was still daylight at 1825.
I had 50k to go and had been going 13 hours!!! This was uncharted territory I was in now and I was dreaming getting my sub 24 hours or better! However, I did feel very sick so Matthew diluted a Gu Liquid Energy in my water bottle for me to try and drink and get any calories in that way.
70-80 miles
Looking forward to sunset would be an understatement. This was due at around 2000, but alarmingly as the sun went down the humidity went up! There was no relief. I was just boiling hot and this race wasn’t going to let me cool down anytime soon.
The clouds had completely disappeared. It was still nearly 90ºF and 85% humidity.
I was still moving well with my average pace around 11 minute 25 seconds a mile for 70+ miles.
There are lots of Keys which comprise the lower Keys, which meant lots more bridges, thankfully much shorter ones, and a beautiful sunset on the Bay Side as I ran from Summerland Key to Cudjoe Key.
With just a marathon to go at MM26.2, Matthew wrote on our race log that “the energiser bunny was back!” I apparently was sprightly and running well. The temperature on the car now said 91ºF / 33ºC.
MM24.9 was a timing check point at the Circle K gas station. I was now feeling really sick. Still no food was going in. I was craving ginger ale and sprite and wanting it poured into a plastic cup over ice! And it was served as requested. Heaven! Matthew said I had that determined look.
Between us we had been discussing what time I could finish this race in and Matthew said if I did 18 minute miles for the rest of the race I would finish in sub 24 hours which was the original goal. However, I was still running sub 12 minute miles so I was in dreamland!
My all time 100 mile PB was in 21 hours 47 minutes which I achieved at the Daytona 100 just up the Florida coast in 2023. I now had thoughts that I could better that but by how much? I just needed to keep focused and stay strong.
80-90 miles
The Keys 100 was about to punch me again, until the finish line.
With 15 miles to go, with 85 miles on my legs, I was feeling really sick and at Baby’s Coffee crew stop I started throwing up. It was now time to change out of my Nike Alphafly 3s which had been amazing shoes for speed and put my Hoka Bondi 9s on – my comfy slippers for grinding this out. I think I threw up on my Alphaflys!
It was funny as when I approached where our crew vehicle was parked, Mathew warned me not to run over the grass as other runners had been sick in that area too! It seemed like lots of people were suffering. As I left Baby’s Coffee I was sick a few more times on the side of the road. Matthew said that a crew member from another team shouted to him “Sir, Sir, your runner is being really ill”. Matthew thanked him for his concerns and just said “Don’t worry, she’s OK. that’s my wife!!”.
In the last few miles of the race I had several runners who were running the relay version of the Keys 100 asking me if I was a solo runner as they overtook me. I replied yes and they all said “Wow, respect, you are amazing”.
I did actually feel amazing. I was feeling emotional now. Really emotional. It had been an incredible journey. I was now in the pain cave and was suffering but what is an ultra marathon without suffering.
It’s part of the journey and to have got this far in this time in reasonably good shape was beyond expectations.
I knew my eating was over and I was almost ‘nil by mouth’. I was now running with my heart. I was flip flopping between 5th and 6th female and in 10th and 11th place overall. 290 people had started this race.
Many had DNFd.
There were 6 girls currently in the top 11 which was just incredible.
Girl Power; Loan Vo was just ahead of me and we leap frogged each other a few times.
Matthew had tactically bonded with her husband who was crewing her as they were at all the same crew stops and Matthew kept trying to motivate me to overtake her and take her down but I got to the point where I didn’t care about 1 finishing position anymore. I had given this race my all and the heat and humidity had let me know that the last miles were not going to be pleasant. And they weren’t.
With just a half a marathon to go I was now adopting a run / walk strategy with several bouts of sickness thrown in for good measure! The humidity was in the high 80%s and I was super hot. I hadn’t changed my clothes all race and was still in the same saturated gear that I had started in. I had, after advice from several Queens of the Keys, Caryn Lubetsky and Pamela Chapman-Markle, worn compression shorts rather than the baggy shorts. These used to chafe a lot. Compression shorts are definitely the way forward. I had no chafing and that was a small victory.
90-100 miles
At MM8.1, the Naval Air station I apparently was “not amused and very knackered” on the team race report! This was a quite accurate statement. I had a quick sit down and a bit of a cool down and I was off. Less than 10 miles to go! It was just past midnight, but only 18 & 1/2 hours into the race and 91.9 miles run! I had no interest in my finishing position now. I just wanted to get this race done.
A few more miles passed until I hit a path on the oceanside of US Highway 1 which took me under the highway and to bayside where another one of Monroe County Police was stationed to shepherd us across safely. As I crossed to bayside, I focused on the Shell Gas station where Matthew was waiting for me. I was feeling like crap but I was focused. I took some water and I was gone. I had been going 19 hours 45 minutes. I had 5 miles to go, sub 20 hours was gone but sub 21 hours was still achievable. In fact it was really achievable and I was hungry for it.
The last few miles were along US1 then it was left onto Roosevelt which hugged the Key West Coastline. Matthew parked up at the last crew point just by Key West Airport and jogged up to meet me. We shared some time together reflecting, encouraging and supporting in the very early hours of the morning. Matthew is my Number 1 fan and I am his and we were both in total awe of my massively improved performance at the Keys.
Matthew left me at MM2.1 and drove on to the finish line to greet me. Running in with me to victory and filming my euphoric Higgs Beach arrival complete with Union Jack. There was a fantastic welcome, even at 0220, I got a great reception as I crossed that finish line. I had done it. I was presented with my cherished medal and buckle by ultra running friend Taz and applauded by the wonderful race staff and inspirational RD Bob Becker.
What a feeling.
What a race.
What a journey ❤️
6th female. 12th overall. 20:54:14
9 hours faster than 2022 and 2024.
100 mile PB (by 1 hour and 7 minutes from Daytona 100 2023!)
How did I manage to run this race 9 hours faster than before?
You can’t do this race without a team and I have the very best. So Matthew, I thank you.
I put it down to training smarter.
The weather. Whilst it was still hot, in fact very hot, with temperatures in the 90s, the two previous times we had had temperatures around 10ºF hotter.
The Nike Alphaflys. I wore these for 85 miles, the longest I have ever worn them and they definitely make me run faster.
And my new magic berries – CurraNZ. When in the heat chamber I was introduced to Fleur Cushman, the founder and CEO of CurraNZ and they very kindly sent me some to try. These New Zealand blackcurrant supplements are proven to be a legal performance enhancer with numerous properties including at the most basic level, improving running performance.
I absolutely love this race.
Will I be back for a 4th time?
I’m planning on it already!
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