2016 Hom 100 Recap

For the 4th year in a row, I've been fortunate enough to have the awesome support of friends, family and neighbors who come out and help me put on this crazy charity run to benefit ALS. Most people think that running the 100 miles is the hardest but in actuality, the planning and coordination is what really what makes my blood pressure spike! From permits to porta-potties, food, supplies, trash bags and ice - the list is endless and can really stress a guy out. Like I said however, I have an amazing wife and friends who make sure everything was ship-shape throughout the day all the way to the finish.

As you might imagine, running a 2-mile loop endlessly is far from exciting and doesn't provide much in a change of scenary but I'll do my best to recount the day and those memorable nuggets from this year's Hom 100.

Start (9 am) to Noon

Truthfully, if I had my way I'd start this event at like 4 am so I could enjoy the cool morning air and really knock out some miles. Unfortunately, this is the real world and most reasonably sane families (including my own), don't even contemplate getting up until 8. It's one thing I used to stress about but the reality is whether you start at 4 am or 9 am, you're still going to be spending 24+ hours on your feet.

We had a healthy gathering at our house to begin the event. 25-30 people, most donning their Hom's Homies t-shirts, were anxious to get under way knowing that the temperatures for the day were expected to (again!) be unseasonably hot.

You had a group of stroller moms. A group of walker moms. A group of kids on bikes. There was also a group of cyclists, led by the eldest Hom daughter, who planned on riding 100 miles that day. Collectively, we took up the entire road and proudly marched out to the aid station to kick off the actual run.

I was hoping to get more miles during this segment while the weather was a bit cooler but there is always the excitement of the start, various folks showing up to run and massive amounts of pictures being taken while we're still fresh and smelling somewhat pleasant.

Approximate miles - 15

Noon to Midnight

Yep, it feels like 93 F!

If there is one universal constant in this galaxy, it's that the Hom 100 will be held on THE hottest day imaginable. I'm not sure who upstairs thinks we need 90+ temperatures, but it's honestly not funny any more. So of course around noon, the sun was out in full force, keeping everyone toasty. Kids were getting red and puffy-faced. Adults were camped out under the tents (with adult beverages I might add!)

I tried to keep moving through the heat but found I needed to take more breaks than normal to clear my head, hydrate and lower my heart rate - it was racing through the roof! It always surprises me that noon to 6 is usually the most popular time to come out and run...go figure! Everyone loves the heat (or getting a nice runner's tan) :-)

I found myself getting behind in calories throughout the day due to the heat. One of the great things about this course is that the aid station is every 2 miles. Oddly enough, one of the hardest things about this course is that the aid station is every 2 miles...it creates a stopping point both physically and mentally but it's also where everyone comes to join the run so there are pictures, laughter, kids and something always going on...everything except eating (in my case). I was easily distracted by friends and wardrobe changes so much that I wasn't eating as much as I should have.

10-mile Marcus	Mr. Hangover
The-40-mile-man-LaBelle	The Double Mint Twins :)

It wasn't until about 11 pm that my body was crying out for solid food. What kind of food?! Well, pizza! Duh! I gobbled up 5 small squares of pizza and asked my wife for more. She told me there was more at home and that she'd have it 'delivered' to the aid station in a few laps. Of course, within 15 minutes I was starving again and looking for anything that sounded good...how about a solid PB&J sandwich? Sure. With LOTS of jelly!

This went on for about an hour until I was comfortably 'full' of pizza and sandwiches. I managed to sit down a few times to eat but quickly realized that while it felt great to take a load off, it was much harder to get going after your muscles have had time to relax. I made a mental note to stay on my feet as much as I could the rest of the night to minimize the chances I would remain permanently parked in one of the chairs.

The night-crew

Somewhere around 50 miles I also changed my shoes and socks. While I love my Saucony Peregrine shoes, the cushion under my ankle bone had irritated it all day and caused both pain and swelling. A fresh pair of socks and my Hoka's felt like I was on Cloud 9.

Approximate miles - 60

Midnight to 6 am

Magnum PI came out for some laps

All went well into the midnight hours. Spectators thinned. Kids had gone to bed. Only a couple runners remained to keep me company. My wife stayed on at the aid station until about 1 am before calling it quits herself...such a trooper.

2 am would be the only time when someone wasn't running with me. However, I'm fortunate to have a great neighbor who doesn't mind staying up all night or riding his bike in circles with me. We continued on through the night for a couple hours - chatting, eating potato chips and solving the mysteries of the universe (ok, we just contemplated them...not sure we solved much)

It wasn't until about 4 am that an early crew of runners showed up at the tent to take over and keep me company. I'm sure I was overly emotional from being up for 24 hours and very tired, but I couldn't help think of how lucky I was to have friends who would give up their Sunday morning to come out to keep me company and share a sunrise together. We chatted, laughed and made small talk but it was clear that the lack of caffeine was an issue for me as I started to fade in and out of consciousness while walking through the night.

Laps with Jon

About 5 am, I stopped at the tent and sat down, wrapped a blanket around me and took a 2-minute cat nap to try and refresh my body and mind just enough to get me to sunrise. While not completely refreshing, it was enough to help me push through another 45 minutes to meet the rising sun (I think the couple shots of Mountain Dew also helped).

Once that sun came up, it was amazing how invigorated I felt. Still on my feet and still 'running', I was now bound and determined to try and get done by 10 am - putting me at about 25 hours for the run.

Approximate miles - 82

6 am to Finish

Once again, hunger struck in a bad way about 7 am. Much of the aid station food had been decimated and picked over at this point - not to mention that all my personal race food...gels, bars, chews...had been thinned out, leaving only the gross unappetizing flavors (like peanut butter).

Leave it to my wife to have impeccable timing however - she brought down english muffins with Nutella and sausage/egg biscuits to the tent just in time for me to INHALE several of them as we kept moving along the trail. SO good!

Fresh runners, kids and other friends started showing up again with the new day - always encouraging and invigorating. Now I could have walked much of the remaining miles - my 'running' pace wasn't much faster than a brisk walk but my ankle was still in bad shape and I couldn't tell if I had blisters on my heels or very bad heat rash (turns out it was both). As they say, 'If it hurts to run and it hurts to walk, then you might as well run'...so I kept going.

There wasn't anything very magical about those last 4 hours. The sun had come back out and I applied a new layer of sunscreen on top of the nasty, sticky and stinky layer of sunscreen from the day before. You know it's bad when you can smell yourself! Ick.

Finish line attendants

Despite my stench, more and more kids, friends and neighbors had made their way onto the course to keep me company - all very supportive, talkative and attentive to my needs. Lap after lap I was counting the miles down until the time I could sit down and put my feet into a bucket of ice water...

At last we came to the final lap - which is always a lap plus a little extra (because each lap is just short of 2 miles). A ton of folks joined me for the last lap (or at least half of it - they hurried back to take pictures and video). There is nothing more glorious that heading around the last corner, hearing the final 100-mile beep from my GPS watch and knowing that in 0.25 miles, I'll be able to bask in the glory of another 100-mile finish and another successful charity event for my friend Tony.

Final Thoughts

When we started this in 2012, Tony never believed we'd raise more that a couple hundred bucks. I'm sure he's still looking down and shaking his head at me. Our event this year has raised over $10,000 bringing our 4-year total to just over $105,000 (so far).

The littlest Homie

I'm so very fortunate to be surrounded by loving and caring individuals and families who may not have known Tony like I did, but support me and my passions just the same. You are all amazing people and I'm lucky to know you all.

Thank you to my 'village' who has become exceeding efficient at setting up, breaking down, keeping kids entertained, donating food and providing post-race fluids :-)

Thank you to everyone who came out to run and/or donated.

Thank you to Cadence Running for the aid station nutrition.

A HUGE thanks to Dean and Missy for supplying participants (and me!) with the medals and pint glasses.

The hugest thanks of all to my wife. Co-race-director, (temporary) aid station captain (#WheresDean), bringer-of-food and noise-maker extraordinaire. Love you babe.

Remember, the Scottsdale Walk to Defeat ALS is October 29, 2016. Stay tuned for more ways you can participate in the walk and our fundraising in memory of Tony. If you're still interested in donating, please go to web.alsa.org/homshomies.

Ready, Set, Run!

In case you ever wanted to be a race director, I should tell you right now that it's not for the feint of heart. Coordinating all the aspects of a charity run are definitely challenging when you're already working a 40+ hour week...but the rewards are well worth the time and energy. I told Tony that I would continue doing this in his honor so long as my legs could handle it. So here we go!

HOA Approval	Porta-potty	Aid Station	Medals/Swag	Food/Drinks	City Permit

We have a great run in store again this year. The weather looks promising (i.e., NOT 115!) and everything is falling into place. I'm especially excited this year to have a couple partners returning to help sponsor key elements of the run.

Our friends at Cadence Running Company have generously donated all the necessary race-day nutrition to keep your electrolytes balanced and your thirst quenched! If that wasn't enough, they're offering anyone who stops into the store a 15% discount when mentioning the Hom 100 (exclusions apply). Make sure and stop by the store and thank them for their support!

Dean (far left), Missy (far left of girl trio)

Next, we have Dean and Missy Varton who have generously donated their time and money to provide us with special Hom 100 participant medals and commemorative pint glasses. This is the first year we've been able to have extra-special mementos for everyone and I'm honored by their generosity and passion for our work with the ALS Association of Arizona. Thanks Dean and Missy!

I can't wait to see you out there and to share some miles with you...it's guaranteed to be a great time and I'm sure I'll tell you a few of my favorite 'Tony' stories as the miles get longer :)

Don't forget to donate too!

The Hom 100 That Almost Wasn't

Did you know that in the city of Gilbert, if you have a gathering of more than 75 people that utilizes Gilbert property, facilities and/or utilities you're required to file for a Special Events permit?

Yea. Me neither.

After 2 years of holding the event in the same location around our neighborhood, I didn't anticipate anything different when it came to organizing and planning for maaaaybe 150 people to join the run/walk over the course of 30 hours. Turns out, the City of Gilbert got wind of the Hom 100 and required me to submit an application for a Special Event.

2 weeks ago. Talk about stress.

Fortunately for me, the fellow I worked with was a really nice guy and more than willing to help me make accommodations given (1) we're a charity event, (2) we aren't selling anything and (3) we don't require city utilities. We already had approval from the HOA board and just needed to vet the application with the various city departments to ensure the impact of the event were minimal.

The permit was approved last night about 8 pm. <wiping brow> Pheeew!

Now that's out of the way, we can focus on what matters most. Putting on a great run/bike/walk and raising a ton of money for the ALS Association of Arizona. If you'd like to support me on this 100-mile run, you can pledge an amount per mile at this link.

If you're in the area, come down to the Freeman Farms community at Greenfield and Ocotillo and join us for a few miles. The trail is walking, running and cycling-friendly and wraps around our neighborhood in a single 2-mile loop. There will be an aid station with water, sports drink, fruit, chips, sandwiches and other calorie-dense foods :)

More details can be found at www.hom100.com

If you're unable to join us or just want to contribute from afar, you can always donate directly to our ALS team - Hom's Homies.

Thanks for all your support! See you in a couple days!

A Higher Bar

What an amazing year.

Not only have we raised more money than we did last year but this horrible disease called ALS is finally getting its day in the sun thanks to a bucket and some ice. Simple in design, the Ice Bucket Challenge has single-handedly changed the face of funding for the national ALS organization as well as the local chapters. It has brought awareness, compassion and a spotlight to neuro-muscular diseases around the globe.

I was fortunate enough to join the Arizona Chapter Board of Directors about 8 months ago. Like everyone else, I share a passion for eventually putting the organization out of work. It is exciting to be so close to the details of the organization and part of a team who are so passionate and caring. When you experience the devastation of and humiliation this disease causes, it is hard not to be moved.

Here are a few statistics for the Arizona chapter:

1. The Phoenix Walk goal was $400,000. Actual amount raised (as of October 11) was $464,000
2. Attendance at the 2014 walk exceeded 4,000 people.

Over $115 million nation wide?! Needless to say, donor awareness and the Ice bucket Challenge helped encourage thousands of new donors to open their wallets and get involved.

How much did Hom's Homies raise you ask?

$40,886 amazing dollars.

As great as that feels, it only makes me want to raise more. I hope you're willing to help, 'cause I'm going to need a lot of help. A lot of cray-cray.

Thank you to everyone who donated in 2014. To our sponsors, friends and families who continue to make Tony an indelible part of our memories.

The Hom 100 Race Report (2014)

Planning an event like this is never easy. Yet, when it came time to put together the Hom 100 this year, I found that I have a bunch of friends, family and neighbors who make raising money and organizing a charity run pretty simple. They gave up their time, patience and strength to help remember a man who by his very nature was one of the most giving and caring people we've ever known.

Despite all the news broadcasts, online articles and blogs that seem to perpetuate the craziness and valiant effort of running 100 miles, my goal has never once strayed from it's primary purpose - honoring Tony and doing my part to ensure other families, children and patients dealing with ALS never have to accept the inevitable diagnosis of the disease.

With that in mind, here is my account of the 2014 Hom 100.

8 am to Noon

While I have a general sense of people that are going to show up for the start, it is hard for my Type A personality to not freak out when the clock strikes 8 and people are still showing up. Last year, I had my undies in a bunch about starting on time...this year, I let it slide knowing that in the end 5-10 minutes didn't really matter.

A good 20-30 people had congregated in the street for our event and after a few general words to the crowd, we made our way out onto the trail. Drivers were giving us strange looks wondering what sort of protest we were staging or what type of gang wears white t-shirts emblazon with "Hom's Homies". Somewhat oblivious to the rising temperatures, many of the kids starting getting red faces before deciding that taking a break at the aid station for juice boxes was a wise choice.

Approximate mileage = 24 miles

Noon to 6 pm

It was shortly after noon that I hit my first low spot. With temperatures already in the high 90's, I was doing my best to not only stay hydrated but consume calories that would replenish my electrolytes. Outside of some gels, I had already reached the stage where nothing sounded good to eat.

By now, most of the kids had peeled off the course and were either sitting under trees, playing in the sun or laying in the shade with puffy red cheeks. A couple kids got heat sickness and were not doing so well (as-in, projectile vomiting). Then again, there were a couple of adults who were doing a good job hydrating, but were not taking in any salt. I wouldn't call it carnage, but it was close.

The end of each loop saw basically the same ritual now that the temperatures had reached the hottest part of the day (officially, the high in Gilbert that day was 105). Dunk head in icy cooler, fill water bottle with ice and water, spray shirt with ice water. Repeat. For 6 hours. I had been drinking 32 oz of water every 20 minutes since 10 am and peed for the first time at about 5 pm as the shadows got longer and the temperature dropped to 95.

Throughout the hottest part of the day, running friends continued to show up and put in some laps with me. They were great to keep my spirits up by telling stories, laughing at events from the previous year and also talking about Tony. I had resolved not to push at all during these hot hours - even if that meant walking multiple laps, taking extended breaks under the tent or splashing cold water on my head to bring my core temperature down...I knew this was not the afternoon to be a hero.

Approximate mileage = 45 miles

Brad, Nate, me & Lindy	The ladies from the AZ ALS Association
Mark, me and Farris	Perfect for a hot day!
Shauna, me and Julie Anne	Becky, me and Amber

6 pm to Midnight

As the shadows got longer and the sun started to fade away, I could feel life and energy begin to come back into my tired bones and feet. I don't remember much from this stretch of time. I may have changed my clothes. I distinctly remember fumbling around to change my socks only to realize that each pair I had packed in my drop box were both for the same foot (I wear the toe-socks). Things weren't looking good in the fashion department but I made due and continued on my way as the darkness closed in. Most folks breathed a collective sigh of relief as the temperatures continued to drop.

The other thing I remember is peeing a lot after about 9 pm. I was still drinking water like it was 105 out so on each loop as we neared the drain on the canal (e.g., large amount of rushing water), I would have to take a break and relieve myself. After 12 hours of running in the sun, this is one of THE most important things you can experience...it's not glamorous, but it means your kidneys aren't going to try and kill you. It reminded me of a funny sign I saw at a race once...

Never in my life thought I would get a saxophone serenade during my run but it happened (thanks Andrew!). Kinda weird, but certainly fun enough to keep the mood light. The newly-dubbed aid station-slash-beer-garden was apparently the place to be and folks were having a good time watching this crazy group of runners make their rounds through the night. It was great having the cheers and clapping each time we came up over the hill into the tent. It's the small things like this that really helped propel me and the other guys on through the midnight hour.

The 'saxy' serenade...

The 100k selfie

In general, I was feeling pretty good - with the exception of my knees. The pavement sections of the course were punishing my knees. I resolved not to sit down if I didn't have to because the process of stretching my legs and running again was even worse. I was also doing my best not to look at my watch for fear it would start ticking backwards or something but nevertheless, the miles were moving forward just as slowly as I was. My family and most of the neighbors has disappeared by midnight leaving only Jim and Dean to man the aid station.

Approximate mileage = 70 miles

Midnight to 6 am

I'm not a very chatty person after 9 pm - not to mention after I've been on my feet for 16+ hours. I'm thankful for cooler temperatures and for many of the guys - Brad, Steve, Wade and Dean - who each put in multiple laps to help keep me company as we crossed over into the next day. There wasn't much conversation, but I was fine with that. My focus was just keeping moving and getting through the night.

I'm pretty sure the most exciting things to happen during this time were:

1. I consumed half a bag of Wavy Lays chips
2. I stripped down right on the trail to remove my compression shorts (that were chaffing)
3. I changed into my 3rd pair of shoes trying to relieve my knee pain

I know how to party.

Cruising through the early morning hours, I was still able to do simple math and had calculated my finish at approximately 10 am. Seeing the sun rise was not only exhilarating but exciting because it meant I had about 4 more hours to run...what's 4 more hours after 20+ already?!

Approximate mileage = 85 miles

6 am to Finish

I came around the corner of the neighborhood and saw a FOX10 news van sitting in the road and a dude just hanging out. My friend (and Tony's cousin) Celena had just joined me on the run and waved me down. We stopped and learned that FOX10 wanted to do a live segment for the 7 am news. I was trying to wrap my head around all the questions they might ask and the responses I might give but to be truthful, I didn't have the energy to concentrate that long.

We were able to get a couple more loops in before taking a break to get mic'ed up and settled for the interview. I was a little frustrated because I sat there at the tent for about 20 minutes waiting for the broadcast...time I could have spent running (to be done earlier). Oh well.

The broadcast went off without too much fanfare. I sounded mostly coherent despite my fatigue. Being at mile 90, I was excited to get moving again - that short break and the prospect of being done really got me fired up. That and the ibuprofen...I moved with a purpose.

My serious camera face

About 8 am most of the neighbors and friends started coming back to the tent to join in the final laps. Kids got back on their bikes. The walkers came out with their dogs. No one skipped a beat. The group of runners had grown again now that the sun was up and nearing the end.


The dirty little secret of the Hom 100 is that the loop around the neighborhood isn't exactly 2 miles...it's about 1.6-1.8 depending on what satellites you've picked up with your GPS. This means that final lap is always a little longer than normal. Our group picked a simple route along the canal and added another 0.75 miles before heading back toward the finish.

Just like the scene from Rocky when he goes charging up the stairs during his run, I made may way over the last half mile and was amazingly full of energy and excitement. I picked up the pace as I made my way across the street and into the waiting crowd of friends, family and fellow runners. They either stood there shaking their heads, shook my hand or took a step back because I smelled absolutely horrible. I was done.

Finishing for Tony
(c) Steve McCarthy

A shade over 25 hours. For Tony.

Closing Thoughts

It takes a small village to support this cra-cra run. There are too many names to list - but to everyone who stayed up all night with me, those folks that drove over an hour to come down to Gilbert and anyone else who donated food, ice, drinks and their time to take care of the runners, kids and the logistics necessary to make this a success...I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

To our sponsors - Cadence Running, Thurston Photography, i-Run shop, Aravaipa Running, Tec-Works, Solemates Ultrarunning, Mulqueen Sewing Stores and Mezzaluna Fitness - you are all rock-stars!

Thank you for continuing to honor Tony and his legacy. Let's do it again next year.

2014 Hom 100

I'm happy to announce that the Hom 100 will take place on May 17, 2014.

It's still very surreal that only 7 months ago, Tony was still with us enjoying a milkshake from McDonald's as he recovered from a cold. Had I known that was the last time I would ever talk to him, I might have said something more profound and encouraging.

We'll be raising money for the ALS Association of Arizona again. This wonderful group of people did everything in their power to provide supplies, equipment and emotional support to Tony and his family during this difficult time.

So how can you help? Glad you asked.

You can do any or all of these things:

1. Donate to our ALS Walk team - Hom's Homies
2. Sign up to Walk with our ALS team on October 11, 2014
3. Donate to the Hom 100 ($0.xx per mile)
4. Come walk, bike or run with me on May 17 for the Hom 100.

Thanks to Cadence Running Company for once again help sponsor the Hom 100 and bringing awareness to ALS.

{hope} {honor} {remember}

On the eve of the 2013 Walk to Defeat ALS, I'm reflecting on the time and energy we've spent over the last year to raise money and awareness to ALS on behalf of Tony. When we formed the team, we joked that raising $2,000 would be a fantastic goal...yet, as time passed and the donations rolled, in it became clear this goal was not going to stand. We easily surpassed $5,000...$10,000 and then $15,000. Tony would just shake his head in amazement. The love, dedication and empathy pouring in from family, friends and strangers always seemed to lift his spirits despite the changes in his condition.

It never occurred to me that Tony wouldn't be here for the walk.

Yet here we are a little over a month from his passing and I'm staring at all the pictures of him, his family and the kids he leaves behind.
It breaks my heart.

I think about him daily.

I wear my ALS bracelet as a reminder of the head-to-head poker hands we played together.
I wear it as a reminder of all the times he would offload skunky wine to me.
I wear it and chuckle at the pigeons that would 'taunt' him on a daily basis.

I hope those of you reading this will add a comment below that captures a memory of Tony and what he means to you. Keep him in your thoughts as friends, family and strangers gather this Saturday to help remember, honor and hope for those stricken with this terrible disease.