I have had far better, and I have had far, far worse runs. Sunday's 50k resonates within me still, an honest effort, a joyous day, a true representation of the highs and lows of an ultra run.
First, I ignored the race director's briefing (sorry Rob, but really, I know the route...) and was busy trying to catch up with friends who awaited the later 25k start...and someone points over my shoulder and says "you're starting..." Oh, I turn and amble out.
Up into the orange loop I am feeling vigorous and happy and I settle in behind Shelly Smithberger, Gianluca and others for a long stretch...also meet and run with Harold, the older German guy from Columbus. We must have paced ourselves right from the start because we all finish within minutes of each other 7+ hours later.
Into aid station one and Maria has decked out her Alice in Wonderland theme so well, and her volunteers are all dressed to the "tea." Most catching to my eye were super sexy Debi Glinsek as Alice in a perfect dress costume, and dapper Bob Cassill as the Mad Hatter in an identically perfect hat and suit. I kept it quick and dashed out of there.
On through the Orange I am now headed to the bridge...up, down, switchback, switchback and I know I will be close when I descend the STEEEEP switchback turn that always makes me curse when I have to come up it, just out of the covered bridge. It is a relatively new addition on the Orange course and it is one particular corner that in my mind should either be made into steps or drawn further sideways down the hill to make it less treacherous. I am there before too long and it is just as bad trying to go down it without faceplanting in the dirt.
Into the bridge! Hey Lucas! Quick fix again and I am out onto the purple loop. I cruise along mostly alone here and am soon up the root climb, out onto the road and up the dam hill, passing by Avery Ball's old place. Did they destroy the trailer there or am I imagining it on the wrong piece of land there? Over the hill and turn right into the lodge loop. Feeling good. Near the lodge I catch and hang with Mike Patton's Dad Thomas up to the lodge.
By the time I get to the lodge I am pretty ravenous from previous quick stops but I mostly grab a bunch of food and eat it walking out of there. I am finishing up my chips as I turn up the tiny road section at the bottom of the stairs and FOUR deer come bounding out the woods with hooves that clatter across the asphalt no more than 15-20 feet in front of me. I turn to an unfamiliar runner behind me and exclaim that this would be worth the price of admission alone!
Having stuffed myself at the lodge I now go into a low spot that slows me down for about a mile or so, I suspect because blood was going to my stomach to digest and I just feel the blahs, but soon I pull out of it and run on faster. Back onto the return purple and I come to Lyon's falls...I LOVE Lyon's Falls...I HATE descending down those slick steps trying not to die in the fall. It is not exactly a great skill of mine going down there. I chuck my water bottle halfway down the slope to free up hands for climbing down (will have to clean the nipple in the water below now...) and I make it unscathed somehow.
Now, on to the bridge again...it doesn't come as quickly as the first time, but it is soon in sight and I give out whoops and hollers going in to see Lucas again. Quick stop and they tell me they want to see me back in 30 minutes. I quip that the only way that is happening is if I go hide in the woods over there for 20 minutes and then walk back out. BESIDES and more importantly, there is a KISS waiting for me at the Fire Tower aid station, two miles up the hill! My daughter is volunteering (playing with the softball girls) up there and I can't wait to get there and see her!
I push uphill and soon Wild Bill catches me from behind, pushing himself even harder up the hill. He and Tara pass by, but we do spend about a mile talking and running together, but I don't try to keep with them. I go in, get my kiss (!!) and forgo my plan to climb the Fire Tower today. No need. Sorry Art, Sorry Regis Sr...I DID mean to do it in your honor, and have done it on training runs, but today wasn't my day for it.
Out of FT AS and I am running with Bruce M from NEO Trail and we share at least a mile or more before he moves on...I am starting to go through another lower period and I just do what I can. Shelly S comes back up to me and I stay with her for at least a mile or more, but let her go before getting back to the CB (WAY more than 30 minutes elapsed LOL.) I am so ready for this section to end and get on with the last segment, and I don't remember all of this Red loop because I am always going the other way, but it drags on.....and on....and on....WHERE'S THAT CONFOUNDED BRIDGE??? I come to it, and once again raise a big whoop and holler going in.
My feet are sore so I pull a trick Ray K taught me and take my shoes off and massage them hard. It sure helps but I can only do it so long because bending my leg like that makes my hamstring start to cramp up....DAMN!!! so funny. I get some energy (food), some water and head out making my big goal for the last 4.25 miles to not be caught and passed by anyone else. I stubbornly refuse to walk many times when my body asks me to, and soon I am passing more people...and by the end of the segment I have caught and passed 6 people and been caught by no one. My major victory of the day was that 4.25 mile segment and not giving up on myself.
Final Time - 7:35:50 (thanks Jim Cheney!)
I get my first buckle (feels so weird and unearned for a 50k, again, sorry Rob, but it is my truth) and I enjoy some awesome Muscle Milk Lite drinks (two, one vanilla and one chocolate) and I really think they are the primary reason I had very little soreness compared to other runs. I had more soreness from the Easter Egg 20 miler a few weeks back.
And now that is the more full account of my day. One last item, I met some really nice new friends this day (or got to know some more just a little better) including Gianluca, Shelly S, Vannessa R, Sharon S, Harold ?, and others. Some of those are from Columbus and I hope will become running friends for training runs soon!