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What a long 36 hours this
has been.
Up early yesterday to finish packing. Finally on the road around
10:30, getting to Ellerbe NC around 4:00. Had to hunt around for
the race start, as did everyone else.
We all finally decided the big church
on top of the big hill looked like a likely spot. A short time
later the RD arrived and began setting up.
Checked in and got my number and the race shirt, a black coolmax
with the race logo on the front (a wolf howling at the moon) and
Dedicated Long Distance Endurance Athlete on the back.
Change clothes, chat with a few folks, and soon it's 6:00
pm, time to start.
Speaking of the start, it was 93 degrees and sunny. Not a good
sign when you're sweating just sitting in the shade.
The course is a hilly figure 8, with the start/finish/aid being
at the cross of the loops. It's actually a big 6.2 mile loop
followed by a 4 mile out 'n back. So you pass your car twice per
loop. I was drinking Succeed ULTRA and had premixed a gallon.
Also had a jug of water. Brought 4 pairs of shoes just to give
the feet a break from pavement pounding, and to break in shoes
for VT100.
7.3 miles of the course is pavement. The remaining is on a
gravel road, about 3 miles into the big loop, which is as tough
as pavement. Rural country roads with very little traffic.
Flashlights were required at night, and I also wore a red
flasher in my rear pocket of my shorts.
Within the first couple of miles, sweat was pouring. I finished
the 20oz bottle on the first big loop and refilled at my car
before the out 'n back. Again, drained it on that section and
refilled. Repeat 4 more times :) So the ritual was fill the
bottle every time I passed the car, change shoes at the end of
the full loop if I wanted, and take a Succeed electrolyte pill
every 10 miles (my drink had elecs in it, too).
I had my new toy, an mp3 player, but wanted to get as far as
possible without it. Finally gave in at the marathon and got it.
What a difference it made! I play awful head games, and having
Led Zep and Rush, on demand, to shut me up is great! Definitely
a good purchase.
In the first loop, a front came through and brought clouds and a
breeze. That certainly helped, but I think the dnf rate was
still pretty high. The clouds cleared after sunset, and we had a
beautiful sky to look at. Saw a couple of meteors, and some
constellation that was an arrow pointing me up the road :)
So, having done Starr 50k last weekend, the goal was simply to
finish in under the 12 hour cutoff. After 20 miles or so, I was
feeling good and I let myself just run as hard as I wanted. I
figured I'd either do well, and get some fine training, or walk
the last 10 miles and learn a valuable lesson :) As it happened,
I did have to walk a bit more of the final loop, but not too
much :) Finished in 10:32 at 4:32
am this morning. Not fast, but perfectly fine considering the
heat and the hills
Aid was fairly limited. Chips,
pretzels, cookies and cheese-its.
There was pizza at 10:00 pm, but that was it. I would have sold
my mother for a pb&j sandwich. Survived the entire way on my
drink, plus hammer gel and some cheese-its.
I did have one slice of pizza, but I could follow it's digestive
path for the rest of the night.
After finishing, I tried to sleep in my car. But I reeked so
badly I kept myself awake! So I drove to a boat ramp I'd run by
10 times and got in the river, rinsing most of the grunge off
and putting on some non-stinky clothes. Then back to the race
start where I slept fitfully for an hour or so. Upon awaking, I
chatted with the RD's a bit and then headed off. Stopped for
breakfast soon. Not an hour later, though, I had to pull over
for an hour nap. Managed to make it the rest of the trip ok. Got
home and collapsed in bed, the ac down, for 3 hours.
Now I thinks it's time to go back to bed |-)
Spyder
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