VP-4 Sailor Competes in 100km Race, Finishes 7th Overall

Story by Petty Officer 2nd Class Juan Sua
Patrol Squadron 4
After running 48 miles, he hit the proverbial wall. His body had reached the point of exhaustion, but he still had 14 miles left to run. He had spent the past 28 weeks training for this event and was not about to throw in the towel.
“I had to fight through the pain and make it to the end of the race,” said Naval Aircrewman (Operator) 3rd Class Doug Harris, assigned to the Skinny Dragons of Patrol Squadron (VP) 4. “My mind and body were worn out from the physical and mental stressors from such a demanding race.”
Harris, a Castle Rock, Colorado native and veteran of two marathons had embarked on his toughest challenge to date, a 100 km (62 mi) race in the Lake Young’s watershed, in Renton, Washington, known as the Pigtails Challenge on May 25, 2019. In a traditional ultra-marathon, participants Trek along an extended loop over the distance of the course, but the Pigtails Challenge was different. The race consisted of eight nine-mile loops with a 900ft vertical elevation gain per loop, allowing racers to receive refreshments and aid. The downside of the repeating loop was the ease in which participants could bow out of the grueling race.
“The loop really messes with your psyche,” said Harris. “At each lap, there was always the option of quitting and just remaining at the aid station with the comforts of home.”
Harris had trained too hard to quit and said he limited each aid station visit between two to five minutes. Fortunately, Doug Harris had the support of his father, Woody Harris, who traveled from Denver, Colorado to support and encourage his son throughout the race. 
“It was great to watch Doug accomplish one of his life goals and I was impressed both with what he did getting ready for the race and running it,” said Woody Harris. “Throughout the race, I saw him every hour and half or so and helped him with hydration and food at our aid station. I would also update him on the forecast, hand him dry socks, and swap out and recharge his electronics for music.” 
The weather that spring day was typical for the Pacific Northwest with a high of 55 degrees Fahrenheit and a mist that lingered all day.  Harris said that towards the end of the race, he had developed mild hypothermia due in part to the long exposure from the day’s precipitation.
After 10 hours of racing and working to get past ‘the wall’, Doug Harris was finally on his final lap and a half. Though he was incredibly exhausted, he decided to pace himself with a fellow runner to finish the race strong. 
“We were running at essentially the same pace which helped to focus my mind on anything but the hurt I was inflicting on my body,” said Doug Harris. “When I entered the last lap, I was so excited that the race was almost over that the pain seemed to subside as I approached the finish line.”
After 12 hours and 21 minutes, Doug Harris completed the 100km race finishing 7th out of a field of 45 contestants.  
“It was great to be able to achieve my goal of completing the 100km race and very inspiring to compete among a field of elder, yet dominating runners,” said Harris. “I found out after the race that the pacer I ran behind was over 20 years my senior and finished 4th overall.”
Two friends and fellow naval aircrewmen from VP- 4, Noah Daly and Tyler Noble, arrived in time to watch Doug finish the race alongside Woody.
“Seeing Doug finish the 100km race made me think anything is possible,” said Naval Aircrewman (Operator) 3rd Class Noah Daly. “The preparation and dedication he showed demonstrated a high level of commitment to a seemingly impossible goal.”
After the race, Doug Harris took time to let his body recover, but has already begun brewing up ideas for his next endurance challenge, a distance race across the desert.