I've started this blog off the advice of two running buddies who may be the only people I can talk into reading this. I decided it was a good idea considering now as, nearly a year later, I am trying to remember what I did last summer in preparation for my next 50M in the next 2 weeks.
The good news for me is that I didn't do anything to remember. I did the worst thing someone could do for a race; I didn't train. I've got plenty of excuses for that summer; vacations (2 weeks), sickness (2 weeks), injury (3weeks)... but that is an old song that will get played over and again by every runner at some point. Going into the race, I had completed only two consecutive weeks of running, 14 and 30 miles, respectively. Besides physical, I also failed to prepare for all the many particulars of trying to cover a week's worth of miles in one go.
I started the race already having been up the whole day; I never got to sleep before hand like I planned. I was graciously driven there by my girlfriend, Helen, and our friend, Kara. The TATUR group has an excellent packet pickup policy which allows for race day pick up. This allows for skipping any hotel planning since you can arrive right before the race and be ready to go. The race is ran on a 10.3 mile loop equivalent to the River Trail in LR. The loop includes a steep uphill a Turkey Mountain with a long descent down back to the bike path to return to the start. The race implements alternating directions, so the course profile changes whether you are going clockwise or counter-clockwise. The good news is that an "over-the-top" aid station is at the crest of this hill (approx half way) stocked with all the goodies you could hope for as well as drop bag service. There is also water drops halfway between the Turkey Mountain aid station and the start line (which has all the supplies as well). I finished the 50K (3 laps) in roughly six hours relatively uneventful. As planned, Kara joined me for the fourth lap while Helen continued to supply me with honey burritos after each loop. The fourth lap is where it went downhill. Sleep deprivation and physical fatigue began to take its toll as well as the incredible wear on my feet. I had changed shoes between one of the laps and at this point had succeeded in filling both pairs of shoes I brought with sweat. This would come back to haunt me.
Starting about mile 36, my legs and feet dictated that I begin mainly walking and I don't remember attempting to run much more after this point. Kara also tells me that I began to be a little belligerent amounting to me making comments to those who were passing me in opposite direction. She seemed to get a laugh out of it. Luckily I can't remember a word I said. Lap five was completed all by walking and I was accompanied by Helen this time. By this point, obvious blisters had formed a were becoming increasingly painful; made worse by the heavy rain that began only a mile into the lap and continued through the finish. The blisters formed and subsequently burst sending me into a panic. I couldn't at the time imagine what was happening in my sneakers but it was not as bad as I thought. After all, skin regenerates! I finished the last lap, taking as much time for the last two laps as I took for the first three. I was medaled with what is my favorite medal thus far, I climbed into the back of the car and was then whisked instantly away back home...
That night we drove to Fayetteville for a group dinner and I was on crutches that night and the next day. I got into what I now know to be normal post-race soreness by Tuesday. I took two solid weeks off to heal a concerning looking bruise on my left foot which I have assumed to be a fracture.
In retrospect, I have no regrets about this race. To this point, it was the craziest thing I had ever done and heck, I survived. If nothing else, I found a quality I seem to have an abundance of, stubbornness. This is stubbornness to pain and to suffering but also to the inability to deal with the idea of not finishing something I've started. I think it will take me places.
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