Colorado Marathon

Short version, I ran the Colorado Marathon today, shooting for a PR.  It's a 1200' net descent down the Poudre Canyon northwest of Fort Collins, CO.  Was on pace for PR through mile 22, but my quads were fried by then and I had to give it up.  Finished in 3:54:25, a full 11 minutes off my PR.  I took a gamble and rolled the dice and I lost.  Se la vi, nothing ventured, nothing gained.  I tried, gave it my best, and it wasn't meant to be.  But I still had a lot of fun!  It was my 22nd marathon/ultra in my 17th state, and I'm grateful to be able to continue to do it. 

Longer Version,  This marathon was supposed to be another in a string of races that I'm trying to do in a 365 day period. But, over the previous 8 weeks, I've discovered my speed again through planned speedwork, and my paces were back to my PR marathon paces of 15 months ago, so I thought it was worth a shot. 

The race is the most expensive race I've done ($125). Headed 8 hours out to Colorado and enjoyed seeing some of the sights around Fort Collins the day before the Marathon (primarily, the Anheiser Busch Brewery, the New Belgium Brewery, and the Odell Brewery, hey had to carb load a little).  Slept well the night before, and got up at 300 am, to catch a bus at 430 am. They bus you up the mountain into the Poudre Canyon to 6200 feet on coach buses, then you run back down the mountain into Fort Collins.  The first 15 miles were in the Canyon along the river, then 6 miles out in the open/flats, then 5 miles on a bike path into town.  The first part of the marathon is in the mountains and absolutely gorgeous.  Towering cliffs, trees, and the Poudre River, with no spectators, with a mostly closed road. A little slice of nirvana.  It was the most scenic and peaceful portion of a race I've ever done.

Before the race, I downloaded all of the results from the last few years in my age group and did a little spreadsheet analysis, determining that most runners positive split this course.  I planned on a 1:47/1:55 split, based on my fitness, which was an 8:10 pace for the first half, dropping down to an 8:45 pace for the second half. My PR pace is 8:28, or 3:43 from January 2011.  Gravity in the canyon really allows you to run faster than you think, it's a steep downhill, but it also can trash your quads pretty easily.  I thought I was ready.  I ran hill repeats for my long runs here at home.  I did the Stair Master several sessions for several weeks prior.  I felt like I could really do this.

Race start temp was about 39 at 615 am, with a light wind.  As we hammered down the mountain, it warmed into the lower 50s with a nice breeze about 15 mph.  I was on pace for a PR through the 15 miles in the canyon holding onto my planned pace, even though my quads were starting to hurt.  The road was also severely cambered, which really hurt at times. As I hit the flats, I gradually slipped my pace as expected, but my legs were already in trouble.  By mile 22, I couldn't hold it anymore and I couldn't get my quads to consistently fire.  I was still at PR average pace (8:30'sh), but my quads were burning with every step.  The mountain had won and I couldn't run for long stretches without a lot of pain.  I decided to let my PR go, I just couldn't hold it for 4 more miles, and once I made that decision, I dropped my pace considerably to save my legs as much as I could and just tried to pass time.  I walked quite a bit (gasp).   No use in pushing it now, and just had to shuffle to finish line.  It didn't really matter what my time was at this point, I just wanted the finish to get credit for another state.

Here are my splits...

Mile	Lap Pace	Run Pace	Avg HR
1	0:08:16		164
2	0:08:06	0:08:11	155
3	0:08:08	0:08:10	159
4	0:08:24	0:08:13	157
5	0:08:14	0:08:14	156
6	0:08:05	0:08:12	155
7	0:08:10	0:08:12	154
8	0:08:08	0:08:11	151
9	0:08:03	0:08:10	151
10	0:08:07	0:08:10	152
11	0:08:04	0:08:10	152
12	0:08:24	0:08:11	154
13	0:08:09	0:08:11	153
14	0:08:09	0:08:10	152
15	0:08:18	0:08:11	153
16	0:08:45	0:08:13	150
17	0:08:58	0:08:16	149
18	0:08:42	0:08:17	152
19	0:09:27	0:08:21	148
20	0:09:37	0:08:25	144
21	0:09:36	0:08:28	145
22*	0:10:09	0:08:33	145
23	0:09:49	0:08:36	145
24	0:10:50	0:08:42	140
25	0:10:35	0:08:46	140
26	0:10:30	0:08:50	141

* Decided to let the PR go and just finish.

Post Race Analysis: Like I said, I took shot, rolled the dice, but lost.  It was a gamble, but one I definitely wanted to take.  Running at elevation really didn't seem to affect me too much, as the significant 1200' negative descent seemed to counteract that.  I never really spiked my heart rate, or felt out of breath or in oxygen debt.   My downfall was that my legs were just not prepared enough for the lengthy and steep downhill. I overestimated my ability.   Perhaps if I had started a little slower, it might have worked. Or not, who knows.  But, my spreadsheet analysis suggested, for my fitness, based on previous results in my age group, an 8 minute positive split seemed reasonable and I was in PR shape based on paces over the previous 8 weeks.  I'm not disappointed though!  It was a beautiful day for a run.  I completed another marathon, in another state, and added another in my ongoing year long streak.  I'm not injured, just have very sore legs, no blisters, no chafing, and overall, I'm pleased.  Not a PR, but I certainly made another memory that will last a lifetime with a good running friend.

Moving forward. I have a few more races over the next few weeks to complete my year long streak in the middle of June.  No PR attempts coming up, but just running for the pure joy of it.  And then maybe another PR attempt this fall or winter.

Speedwork Works

Backstory: Over the previous year (exactly one year ago, or just a little longer), my running focus changed, from going fast, to going far.  After 3 years of running and focusing on improvement, a year ago, I wanted to try something different for awhile. A year ago, I got down to 46:20 for the 10k, 1:39 for the half, and 3:43 for the marathon.  No land speed records there, but those numbers felt good for this middle aged guy in his 40s.  In changing running strategies, instead of pursuing speed, I wanted to pursue distance (ultra marathons) and a string of multiple marathon events for awhile.

That training culuminated in a couple of 50ks and an 8-hour race last summer, then a 24 hour race last fall, then a string of marathons in the late fall and early winter, and back to back marathons in January.  In training for all of that, I think I successfully flopped my conditioning from fast to far.  I lost the speed and gained stamina.  For me, I found I couldn't really do both, speed AND distance.  It was a paradigm shift on how to train for each one.  Yes, there are similarities, but there are vast differences too. My strategy worked. And I admit, I had a lot of fun doing it.

Fast forward to the previous 6 weeks.  I'm nearing the end of the ultra/marathon streak, and my focus is changing back to speed and quality, and not quantity. I started doing speedwork again, something I really haven't done for the previous year.  I'm talking tempo runs, and intervals of 600m, 800m, 1600m.  And I admit, the intervals intimidate me.  It's a hard workout.  But, I've found that when I'm done, I feel really good and proud of being able to do it.  And, running fast sure is fun!

Here's a chart breaking down my running pace over the last 6 weeks. Basically, I'm back to where I was a year ago, speed wise. I haven't done any shorter distance races to back that up yet, but the paces the last week are nearly identical to where I was a year ago. I've come full circle, I hope. 



Anyhow, just wanted to share my story and to say that speedwork works!  The tempos and intervals have re-energized my running and I'm running fast (for me) again. So for those of you who are wondering how to get faster, try some speedwork.  Do some Googling on the subject.  Try an interval or two.  Speedwork is hard, but is also very rewarding!  Speedwork also brings with it an increased risk for injury, but if done right, speedwork will definitely improve your running!

Wilderness Park Trail Marathon

Ran on a single track trail, in the heat. Finish temp in the mid to upper 80s with high humidity. Thought I was having a heart attack when it was over, but it was just heat exhaustion. No medal.  Boo. 4:35:53

Little Rock Marathon

Huge Ginormous Medal.  Awesome day for running.  A little cold at the start, but then it got very warm the last few miles.  4:09:32.  Long drive there and back though, but worth it!

First Light Marathon

Second day of a double marathon.  Nice no frills race.  Faded badly in the end though because of the humidity.  Still a nice day though!  Wooden medal. 4:22:46

Mississippi Blues Marathon

First day of a double marathon.  Hilly course, but really fun!  Awesome medal.  4:15:05

Run for the Ranch Marathon

What: Run for the Ranch Marathon
Where: Springfield, MO
When: 12/18/11 1pm
Time: 3:49:48

This was a very strong race for me.  I didn't intend to race it, and even at the starting line at 1 pm, I thought I'd just run this a nice strong training run around 4:30.  But everyone else around me was racing, and it was hard to hold back.  The weather was perfect (temps in the 50s, mostly cloudy), the course was great, and I decided to take a chance and push it a bit.  Sometimes you just have to throw caution to the wind.  I did not taper for the race, running back to back 18 milers last weekend. And, I almost didn't even start the race because my left hamstring and right foot have been giving me trouble (possible neuroma developing in my foot again).  Aleve seems to have helped both quite a bit though.  The first couple of miles of the race were rough, I was having a lot of pain in my shins, and it didn't look good.  But once I warmed up, everything felt good, so I decided to put the hammer down a bit. The course was 8 laps on the Missouri State University campus, with very gentle ups and downs.  I only had 3 gels and 1 salt caplet, but drank Powerade on the course.  My left hamstring twinged around mile 20, but then relaxed, and my right foot never hurt at all (although it hurts very badly now several hours after).  I initially decided to shoot for sub4 after abandoning the 4:30 goal, and at the halfway point at mile 13.1, I decided that I would shoot for 3:50 with a negative split.  I have to admit, this was a fun run!  And a very strong race for me, only 6 minutes off my PR set back in January of this year. First half 1:55:35, second half 1:54:13 with a finish of 3:49:48.  About as even as I could get.    After a long slow year of doing ultras and multi-hour events, it felt really good to start getting a little of my speed that I had previously built up back in my legs.  Funny story, about 15 miles in, I grabbed my salt caplet out of my pocket, and bumped my car key fob.  My car was parked directly on the course, and I was only about 20 feet away when I did it.  I promptly set the car alarm off.  Oops.  The medal was a 4" custom medal with a mustang on it, with nearly all of the race proceeds going to the Good Samaritan Boys Ranch.   All in all, it was a great day.  Even the 5 1/2 hour car ride home wasn't that bad as I listened to Christmas music, some great 50s and 60s oldies, and just relived the day enjoying the runner's high.

Chickamauga Battlefield Marathon

My 2nd marathon in 6 days, I went into this race feeling tired.  I ran the Marshall University Marathon last Sunday, then spent the week doing a lot of mountain trail running in the Appalachian Mountains, and then ran an 11k race yesterday in downtown Atlanta.  My body was feeling good mostly, but I was just tired.  I honestly went into this race with no goal, other than to finish.  My right foot has been bothering me just a bit, my Morton's Neuroma flared up this week, likely a result of the trail running that I've done.

The race itself is held on Chickamauga Battlefield at Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia.  This would be another state for me, my 16th marathon and my 13th state.  I'm not a big history buff (was actually my worst subject in school), so all of the Civil War info was lost on me.  Hundreds of monuments dot the battlefield, which is nestled in the hills of northern Georgia.  But, overall, the course was gorgeous!  Fall foliage in full bloom, while running on mostly tree covered roads.  The weather was also nearly perfect, clear skies, light winds, and a start temperature around 32.  The run was fabulous!!

After meeting a couple of online running friends, and a slightly late start allowing everyone to get to the starting line, a loud cannon was shot and we were off.  My friend was pacing the 4:30 group, and I half intended to run with her and take it easy, but I ended up well ahead of her.  The first mile was a little slow with all the congestion, but then I warmed up and picked it up a bit.  Today would be the day of the wandering nagging pain.  It started in my left shin.  I didn't really warm up for the race, so started off cold.  After a quick walk to shake it out, the pain then moved to my left knee.  I was worried that it was an ITBS flare, but by about mile 3, the pain shifted to my right arch, feeling like a case of Plantar Fasciitis beginning to develop.  After a couple of miles, the pain moved to the callus of my right big toe.  Felt like I was stepping on a nail for awhile.  Then around mile 11, I felt a sugar crash coming on, thankfully I was near an aid station and was able to grab some Gatorade, and bananas and apples.  Then the ball of my right foot felt like it was getting a blister.  Ugh.  See, moving pain, but it never lingered in the same spot. Finally, by about mile 18, the nagging moving pain seemed to end.

The miles ticked off fairly easily.  The course itself was a continuous barrage of rolly polly hills.  Nothing severe or extreme, but constant.  In fact, it was a relief, a nice mix of up, down, and flat.  Hitting a downhill stretch always felt great. I hit sub 9 minute miles at 20 and 21.  Again, I didn't really know what to expect, and was just going with what felt good at the moment.  Aid stations were wonderful, with water, Powerade of different flavors, Gu, bananas and apple slices.  Finish time was 4:07:12, a time I'm very pleased with.  Yes, well off my PR of 3:43, but I wasn't racing this, just running it easy to get state credit.  Considering that I just ran a 4:10 marathon six days ago, all the trail running this past week, the 11k race yesterday, and the nagging pains, I think it's fantastic!  Especially when my only goal was a finish.

The post race spread was really nice.  I got a couple of pieces of pizza, some delicious chicken tortilla soup, some cookies, and couple glasses of Coke.  I found my friend who paced the 4:30 group and chatted with her for a bit.  I looked for my other friend Richard, but couldn't find him, hoping he had a good race, his first one.

Overall, I'm pleased.  A few hours later, (after a trip to the pool and hot tub), my legs feel great.  Not really sore, or very stiff at all.  The ball of my right foot is bruised, not blistered, but it will be fine.  No other blisters or chafing otherwise.  It was a great opportunity to do something I love, run an amazingly beautiful course, and complete another state.  Life is good.

Taken after the finish.  I was a little salty, but didn't have any trouble with cramping at all.

The medal is very nice.  They do a custom medal each year commemorating one of the monuments on the battlefield.  This year's medal displayed the Free Calvary of Pennsylvania, which opened and closed the Battle of Chickamauga.

 

The elevation profile.  Again, nothing extreme, but a nice mix to keep it interesting.  

National Veterans Day Run

Today, I ran the National Veterans Days 11k Run in Piedmont Park in downtown Atlanta.  Atlanta was one of 9 cities that participated. 11k is an odd distance, but since date was 11-11-11, it fit.  Overall, I didn't race this, simply because I ran a marathon 5 days ago, I have done a lot of trail running this week, and I have another marathon tomorrow.  It was a very cold morning, temps were around 30 for the start, but otherwise a beautiful morning for a race, especially as the full moon was setting over downtown Atlanta while the sun rose in the east.

I have to admit, the organization for this race was very chaotic.  Signup for the race was easy, but then, the race wanted to mail packets, but I was going to be out of town when they mailed it.  Then, this morning, the race was supposed to start at 7:11 am.  Around 615, there still were no official race peeps around, they finally showed up around 630 am.  But, there were so many people that had to pick up the packets, the race was delayed by about 20 minutes.  This was supposed to be a race celebrating veterans and their service to this country.  Nothing was mentioned about veterans at the beginning, there was no flag, and no national anthem.  Overall, very dissapointed in the race organization here in Atlanta.

The race itself was uneventful.  Three loops through Piedmont Park.  The run was beautiful, with fall color in full swing, and got to see all the various sights in the park.  Really nice run, again, not a race for me, but just a nice run.  The shirt and medal were really nice, and overall, for $22, I'd say I got my money's worth, despite the poor organization.  And, it was a nice way for me to personally my family and friends who have served this country.

Marshall University Marathon

I ran the Marshall University Marathon today in Huntington, West Virginia.  I've always had a special place in my heart for Marshall, mainly because of the plane crash that killed many members of their football team back in 1970, the year I was born.  I remember hearing about this as a kid, and then, seeing the movie a few years ago made it seem more real.  When I had the chance to run this race, I thought it would be a nice fit.

I'm coming off a pretty tough cycle, having run a 24 hour event 7 weeks ago, the Wineglass Marathon 5 weeks ago, walking a 50k at Pumpkin Holler Hunnerd 3 weeks ago, and now this race.  So I had no intentions of racing this event, just completing it for 50 states credit.  It's a small marathon, roughly 600 runners, but the perks were amazing.  By registering early, I received a Brooks Podium running jacket in signature Marshall colors (green, perhaps my favorite color).  The race logo and date were silk screened on the back of the jacket, and their team mascot.

The weather for the race was nearly perfect.  Light winds, clear skies, starting temps in the upper 30s.  Overall, a beautiful morning for a run.  I met some other online running friends before the race, and then we were off.  The running couldn't have been better.  I decided to run the first 18 miles to get a really decent long run in (without stopping), then ran a 5:1 ratio (run 5 minutes, walk a minute) the last 8.2 miles, mainly to give my legs some recovery time since I have 1 more marathon in 6 days (Chickamauga Battlefield marathon).  Overall, I think it was a great strategy, by mile 22, my legs were borderline beginning to cramp anyhow.  I trudged on and slowed down just a little.  The course was 2 loops, down in the river valley, and it was essentially flat (or the hills were so gradual that they were noticeable).  About mile 25.5, we were handed a carnation to place near their memorial fountain for the plane crash victims.  It was a green carnation, which is one of my favorite flowers.  The scent of the flower was wonderful, and it was a touching moment to memorialize the men that lost their lives in 1970.  The race finish was in the football stadium, and we were given a football to carry across the finish line.  Really cool!  Finish time was 4:10 and a few seconds.  Overall, a wonderful time considering I wasn't pushing the pace at all, and ran/walked the last 8 miles.  After the race, were were allowed access to their rec center to take a shower, which was a really nice perk.  Feels so good to take a hot shower immediately after a race.  They did run out of water by the time I finished (a LOT of spectators were drinking it all, doh), but they got some more in a few minutes.  And, they were cooking hamburgers and hotdogs, so I grabbed a couple burgers hot off the grill.

After a 6 hour drive (I'm on a vacation, so traveled to my next destination), my legs feel great.  I stopped about every 30 to 60 miles to stretch, walk around, and keep the legs and hips loose.  Surprisingly, I'm not that sore now.  We'll see how I feel tomorrow.

Post race finish picture.  I've decided to wear calf compression sleeves when I can for my races, I think it really helps.  Wore my signature black outfit.  Black might be my second favorite color.  It was ironic, I realized that I wore this same exact outfit (shirt, shorts, arm warmers) at my first marathon.

The medal is really cool.  It's a 3D medal, with their team mascot (a buffalo) on the front that is sculpted, and the rear of the buffalo is also sculpted on the back (not shown).  It's custom dated for today's race.  Very nice, heavy medal with a green ribbon.  Love it!!

 

This was my 15th marathon or ultra, in my 12th state.  Gee, I only have 38 to go!  It's definitely a fun hobby, and a great way to do some traveling to places that I probably wouldn't go otherwise.  And yes, even though marathons sometimes suck about mile 22 or 23, by mile 25, all is well with the world again when I can hear/smell/see the finish line.  Life is good!

Cortisol... My Enemy

I've talked about this before, but think it may need a revisit.  And that's cortisol.  It's a stress hormone.  And too much of it is a bad thing.  And I'm fairly certain I've got too much of it, although I've not had my levels measured.  How do I know this?  You know those mood stress test cards, that measure the temperature of your skin and judge whether you're calm, or stressed?  I have one, and it's ALWAYS black. Yes, always.  And no, it's not broken.  Anyone else can use it, and it turns, green, blue, red.  Mine is ALWAYS black.  So that's how I live my life.  Rotating shiftwork, the running, and generally being worried about life does that to me.  Also, even though I'm of a normal weight (about 165 lately), I'm still fat.  My fat percentage is around 18%, and I have a spare tire, a muffin top.  Even though I run a lot, it still doesn't go away.  In fact, too much running likely increases my cortisol.  No wonder I can't lose that spare tire.  I eat relatively well, although relative is, well, relative.  I also probably drink too much caffeine, and while I might need that because of my shiftwork, well, it's hard to give up.  How can I reduce cortisol and become less stressed?  Well, that would require me to be, basically someone else.  I'm afraid it's my black cloud, for life.

Another Interesting Article

Pumpkin Holler Hunnerd 50k

Ok, I've got a running problem, yes, I fully admit it.  Just 2 short weeks after the Wineglass Marathon, I ran the Pumpkin Holler Hunnerd 50k, in Tahlequah, Oklahoma.  Well, I didn't run it, I walked it, to help pace a running friend in her first 100 mile race attempt.  And, perhaps that wasn't such a bad thing, my right hamstring has still been complaining a bit, so the walking (instead of running) probably helped that a lot.

The drive to Oklahoma was about an 8 hour drive for us, but it would give us both a new state.  The race itself was quite an experience, I was helping to crew her first 2 laps, then run the third lap with her.  A lot of waiting, with occasional bouts of business, that's what crewing a 100 mile race is all about.  I actually didn't start pacing until about 1 am in the morning.  At that point, my friend was already 69 miles into the event, and relatively tired.

It was a beautiful night for a run.  The moon was nearly full, the skies were clear, the winds were light, and temperatures were in the 50s.  Overall, just wonderful.  We walked most of the 31.8 miles, with occasional shuffling along the way.  My friend had asked that try to talk about anything and everything that I could think of, so I did.  In fact, I didn't stop talking until the last hour or so, simply because I had run out of things to say.  10:17:00 was my finishing time, and personal worst for a 50k, but I didn't care.  Since I had registered, I got a shirt, a medal, and credit for another state, and more importantly, I got to help a friend complete her first 100 mile race.  Priceless.

WineGlass Marathon

Just 2 short weeks after my 24 hour endurance run in Cleveland, Ohio, I ran the Wineglass Marathon in Corning, NY.  This was originally my goal race for this year, but the 24 hour run usurped that.  Since I was already registered, and would be in the area for a Bed and Breakfast weekend, I decided to run the race anyhow.

After the North Coast event, my right hamstring has been very tight, likely a result of the bad cramping that I experienced during the race.  I've been trying to rehab it with stretches, but it really hasn't been getting better.  Leading up to this race, even the couple of days beforehand, I was considering not running it.  The fact that it would be raining with temperatures in the lower 40s and a 10 mph wind also made me doubt whether it was smart to run or not.

Race morning arrived, and indeed, it was a steady downpour, and very cold.  Waiting at the starting line, feeling miserable and questioning my leg, I decided that I'd feel more upset with myself if I didn't run it.  Once I started running, it actually wasn't that bad.  I was soaked, water was running off the bill of my cap, but overall, I was warm enough.  And yes, the right hamstring was twitchy, but overall, it wasn't that bad.  In fact, the race was pretty fun!

The miles ticked off fast enough, and the course was beautiful!  The trees were just starting to turn, and it was  a really nice run.  By about mile 18 though, the rain had stopped, but both of my legs felt like they wanted to cramp at any moment, yet I kept running.  Perhaps all the wine I drank in the 3 days leading up to the race had something to do with that, ha.  My finish time was pretty good, considering my recent 84 mile run just two weeks, ago, 4:05:18.  And it felt good to be done.  Another state, 10 total.

Volunteering - We Wouldn't Have Races Without Them

I had the chance to volunteer at the Omaha Marathon today.  Since I just had a big race last weekend, I felt a week or solid recovery was much more important than running my hometown race.  Since I was free, I thought volunteering would be a great idea.  After all, we wouldn't have races without the volunteers.  I wanted to be a course monitor so I could cheer on fellow runners.  I was posted at mile 18.5 (roughly), where the course made a sharp right turn.  I saw every marathoner out there today, from the lead men and women, to the those at the very end who were walking.  It was an amazing experience.  I highly suggest any runner out there to make sure and volunteer when you can, to give back.  We all love to race, and I think many of us (myself included) take the volunteers for granted sometimes.  Truly, as I mentioned, we couldn't do the races without them. Loved seeing how hard everyone was working, regardless of their pace.  They were all working hard for their individual effort level.  Bravo to all the marathoners out there this morning, I was both sad and glad.  Glad to be able to help to give back, but sad that I wasn't out there running with them.  It was a beautiful morning for a run.

North Coast 24 Hour Endurance Run

1 day, 24 hours, 86400 seconds, 92 1/2 laps, 12 Facebook updates, and 83.41 miles.  Those are just a bunch of numbers that don’t really mean anything, other than a set of memories that will last a lifetime.  On September 17th to September 18th, 9am to 9am, I ran and walked the North Coast 24 Hour Endurance Run in Cleveland, Ohio. It was also the USA Track and Field National Championship for a 24 hour event.  I completed 83.41 miles, and placed 15 out of 29 in my age group and 72 out of 186 overall. Solidly middle of the pack, which is right where I expected to be.  My original goal going into the race was 78.6 miles, or 3 marathons, and I more than exceeded that so I’m happy.  The course was a 0.9 mile asphalt loop at Edgewater Park on the shoreline of Lake Erie.  The winner completed 153.37 miles by comparison.

I will say, this was an amazing experience.  About 10 months ago, I never dreamed that anything like this would be possible. I changed my training and focused on ultra marathons this year, training for distance and not speed.  It was an interesting transition, something that seemed to agree with me.  The longer I ran, the more I seemed to enjoy it.  Training went well.  In December 2010, I laid out a plan that would consist of many months of progressive building with scaled cutbacks, and overall, it worked.  I ran my first 50k training run, then a 50k race, then an 8 hour race, hit 70, 80, and 110 miles per week.  It was more than enough to get me through this event.  And overall, I remained injury free through late spring and summer also, so it ended up being a very productive cycle.

I don’t intend to give a mile by mile account of what happened during the race.  Some of it I don’t even remember at all, and there are other things that I’d just as soon forget.  And of course, there are some things that just don’t need to be said. I ran for 4 minutes, then walked for a minute. I did that for the the first 14 to 16 hours.  And then it was more walking than running, and finally down to just walking, and eventually just hobbling.  And I likely started out too fast, but that's OK.  In order to learn, you have to make mistakes along the way. 

The event started the night before with a great face to face meeting with some of the other runners from Runners World, most of whom I’ve chatted online with for a couple of years.  We had a picnic at the same park that we would be running, and I think it helped to set the stage for what would be an awesome day.

The weather during the daytime during the race was really nice. A nice breeze to keep us cool, and cloudy skies until mid afternoon so it didn’t get too warm.  Yes, it did start to get warmer when the sun came out by 1 or 2 pm and temperatures were near 70 degrees, but overall, it was a beautiful, gorgeous day.   It rained both the day before and the day after the race so we got very lucky.  And I’ll never forget all of the laughs we shared.  I laughed so much during the race while talking with the other runners, and laughed at some of the things I saw.  Yes, it’s a race and it’s serious business, but you have to have fun too!  There was always something to keep my mind busy. 

I can’t speak highly enough of the other Runners World runners whom I shared this journey with.  Bob, Eddie, Dave, Chuck, Lori, Jenn, Sue, Susan, Angela, Terri, David, Chris, and Katrina.  You all are the best, and I’m grateful to each one of you for helping to get me through this.  I feel we truly helped each other get through this event and I’m proud to call you all friends.  Also our crew for this race was outstanding.  Laura, Dena, Pam, Tracie, Jenny, Rich, Joelie, Bridgett, and Jerry.  This would have been so much harder without you there for your support and gentle prodding to get back out there and to keep eating and keep going.

That’s not to say that this was all sunshine and roses because it wasn’t.  I did have a bad headache for a few miles at the beginning.  It was a borderline migraine.  I never get headaches, and this was something I couldn’t shake.  It eventually went away thankfully after I started drinking some pop for the caffeine.  My right hamstring did cramp and seize pretty bad later during the race, and by about 60 miles in, I did visit the medical aid station to have them massage it out after it got dark because it hurt so bad, and the cool temperatures made it even tighter.  And later in the event, as the miles continued to build, so did the blisters. I’m especially prone to blisters on the bottoms of my feet.  They didn’t disappoint, and I ended up in the medical aid station again to get the half dollar sized blisters popped and taped very late in the night.  They hurt very bad and made it painful for every step after that, but it comes with the territory I guess.  In retrospect, I should have visited the medical aid station much, much sooner, and perhaps they could have helped prevent them from becoming as bad as they got.  It also got brutally cold during the middle of the night, with a relentless wind of 15 to 20 mph, which created wind chills near 40 degrees.  It was so cold about 6 am that I retreated to the sheltered men’s restroom for an hour and a half break/nap on a hard bench for fear of succumbing to hypothermia.  There was also a timing malfunction during the race, and for several hours, the display board was not working and a lap or two was occasionally missing.  I think it was eventually worked out, but I know it caused a lot of undue stress for just about everyone.  I did not chafe too badly thankfully, only some mild chaffing in the nether regions, but nothing serious, although I did discover that Body Glide doesn’t really function at a certain point, I guess it’s only effective for so long.

I learned during the race that I could eat just about anything that was offered.  I trained with this strategy, so normal food worked well for me.  Since this was a 0.9 mile loop course, the aid station was readily available. Every lap, I grabbed something.  I ate regular food and never once ate an energy gel.  I ate cookies, crackers, pretzels, potato chips, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, turkey sandwiches, bean and cheese burrito wraps, grilled cheese, watermelon, bananas, oranges, candy, brownies, cake, doughnuts, MnMs, pizza, egg sandwiches, potato soup, vegetable soup, noodles, chicken broth, rice, mashed potatoes. Our makeshift camp also had huge tables of food, much more than we ever needed. Our Runners World camp was definitely the best stocked site out there.  You name it, I probably ate it.  I also drank water, Gatorade, Heed, and Coke and Pepsi, and sipped on Perpetuem.  And never once was I especially nauseous. I was surprised. Given that strange concoction, surely a handful of Tums would have been necessary, but I was fine.  Even through all that, bodily functions seemed normal throughout the 24 hours as well.   I also took 1 S Cap (salt) each hour to maintain electrolytes.

I did not listen to music during the race.  I did have my Ipod available, but found that I didn’t need it or even want it.  Looking back, I honestly could not tell you what went through my mind over 24 hours, other than it’s a lot of time to think.  What did I think about? Well, nothing in particular.  I found it was hard to focus on one thing for very long, as there was always something new to distract me.  But time passed.  Yes, it passed slowly occasionally, but it still passed. 

I never once changed my shirt and running shorts during the event, although I did discover early on in the race that my compression shorts underneath my running shorts were on backwards.  Ooops.  It wasn't causing any problems, so I decided to not fix something that wasn’t broken.  Honestly, I'm not sure I ever needed a change of clothes, so I didn't, although I did have about 4 extra outfits just in case.  I did add calf compression sleeves after about 31 miles, and added arm sleeves once the sun went down, and eventually added a running jacket, and finally a running vest on top of that to stay warm along with a running hat to keep my head warm.  I changed socks and shoes twice.

During the run, I did stop a few times for a quick break, mainly to sit for a minute or two, and occasionally to do some Facebook updates.  During a normal run, I would never do this, but I really wanted to give all my family and friends back home an inside glimpse of what I was experiencing in real time.  It was also a selfish means of motivation as their online praise and support was one of the things I looked forward to reading on each break and it was one of the things that kept me going.  I think it perhaps sums up my true experience of the race as well and shows a nice progression of not only the running milestones through the 24 hours, but also the range of emotions, from highest of highs, and lowest of lows.  I did also doze for about an hour, just before sunrise, while violently shivering trying to stay warm.

Facebook comments:

730 am:  Slept very well last night. Ready to run, for a really long time. Will post updates on breaks.

130 pm:  4:30, 25.2 miles done. Feeling great.

255 pm:  5:55, 31.5 miles. Getting hot, slowing down until sunset. Doing ok, but feeling the effects.

525 pm:  8:25. New distance PR of 42.2 miles. Feel about as good as you'd expect after running that far. Allergies are pissing me off. Don't have time to respond to everyone but thanks for the support!! I'm going to need it over the next 16 hours. Time is passing slow.

755 pm:  10:55. 52.6 miles. Two marathons done. Right leg is cramping bad but everything else is good. Watched a beautiful sunset over Lake Erie. Forward.

910 pm:  12:10, 57.2 miles. I have come so far, yet I still have a mountain to climb. All my bodily functions are still functioning so I'm good. Beautiful view of downtown Cleveland from here. Getting cool. Forward!!

1037 pm:  13:37 into this mofo race and I just hit 100k. Thats 62.2 miles. Pace has slowed considerably. Right hamstring has really seized up. Still eating well though, not really nauseous at all yet. Still peeing good too. Going to be a very long night. Hot potato soup hits the spot though.

1208 am:  15:08. Tired. 66.4 miles. Moving slow. But moving.

120 am:  16:20, 70 miles done. I'm sure you're all asleep by now. Taking a break for a bit. Just a few more laps.

339 am:  18:39, 75.65 miles. Both balls of my feet are blistered and taped. Down to a walk for the duration. For a sport I love so much, I loathe it right now.

615 am:  21:15, 79.27 miles. That's three marathons. If I don't run another lap, I'm happy. I'm very cold. And in the pain cave.

900 am:  24:00. Official distance still being calculated. Should be about 83.5'sh.  I'm done.

At about 730 am, with an hour and a half to go in the race, most of our running group, who had since stopped and were essentially done with the event (3 runners in our group were still going, one shooting for 100 miles), all collectively decided to walk one last victory lap.  I honestly didn’t think I could do it.  We were all hurting very badly and could barely move because our bodies had stiffened up beyond belief.  But the sun was rising, and it gave me hope.  Those first few steps were some of the hardest steps I’ve taken.  And that one victory lap turned into 3 1/2 more, before the whistle was blown ending the race.  I found I was actually running through the pain in that last lap and was sad it was over.

And then it was done.  After the race, my body was trashed beyond belief. I could barely walk.  Every step resulted in sharp pain shooting through my legs and feet.  After trying to help to tear down our makeshift camp, I headed back to the motel.  After a hot shower (was too cold for an ice bath), I lied down and slept for about 4 hours.  I didn’t move because it simply hurt too much.  But I eventually was able to get back up off the bed though and put one foot in front of the other and was able to hobble enough to at least get around.  That evening after the race, a few of the runners got together for one last meal to relive some of the triumphs and tragedies.  It was a fitting end to a great weekend.

What an incredible journey, yet a wonderful adventure!  But, it's still, “just a run”.  It's just  a hobby.  Did it change me?  Yes, in some way, but really, deep down, I’m still the same person I was before.  I did however prove to myself yet again that I’m tougher than I’ve given myself credit for.  I’m stronger than I ever thought possible. I’m living my mantra, “Better than I was, but not as good as I’ll be, and never give up.”  Yes, at my lowest point during the run, I never wanted to run again.  I loathed it.  But after the event was over, after I’ve had time to reflect, I still love running.  Will I do something like this again?  I honestly don’t know. Perhaps. But sometimes, you just have to take a leap of faith.  Instead of asking myself, “Why?”,  I tend to say, “Why Not.”

Here are a few photos....

About 1/2 hour before the start on Saturday morning, feeling slightly nervous but ready to go!

Sometime on Saturday morning, maybe 15 or 20 miles in (not sure).  Feeling great, confident, and happy. (Thanks Jenny for the picture, one of about 10 she took that day).

The final lap, about 850 am Sunday morning.  I was in a lot of pain at this point, but also extremely happy that I was almost done.  On this last lap, I actually was able to run again, even though it hurt like hell.  (Thanks Dena for the picture!)

After the finish, about 915 am, ready to get some sleep.  I was a mixed bag of emotions.  I was glad it was over, I was exhausted, I was in the pain cave, yet relieved that I had endured.  I was also sad that a 10 month journey was over, and was thinking, as everyone else was talking, when would I get to do this again?

Post Race Recovery:

The day after the race, I traveled home.  I was slightly nervous about having to walk so far through the airport considering how slow I was moving.  By Monday morning, things were a little better and the trip home was uneventful.  It was a great feeling to do something so crazy as complete a 24 hour event, but it was an even greater feeling to come home.  By Tuesday, my legs really feel a lot better now, and the blisters are healing. And I'm just about ready to run in another day or two.