When i first signed up for the run, i knew i wasn't in any kind of condition to do well for 50 miles, what i did not realize was just how ill prepared i actually was. Friday afternoon, Amie and I packed up her car and headed north.
Saturday morning rolled around after a particularly poor night of sleep (I'd call it a series of very short naps before i'd call it sleep). Amie and i finally gave up on feigning sleep and headed towards Carlton high school for preparations and the start. We had some oatmeal and prepped our nutrition for the day.
I'd be trying out a water bottle filled with roughly 2500 calories of diluted peanut and almond butter (about 12 oz of nut butter and 12 oz of water). It seemed to mix all right, and tasted ok, though a bit thick, at least walking over to the start.
The run began in a pretty standard fashion. way too many people crowded together loping down the street. We soon turned onto a bike path and after about 0.5 miles were onto trail. The typical single file procession started.
I did what i could to exercise some patience and sit back early. While crossing a muddy section, my shoe got stuck in the mud and pulled off. After fishing it out of the mud and putting it back on, i rejoined the procession. I grabbed a cup of water at the first aid station and carried on.
Things were moving pretty well at the time, Amie began pulling away and before long had disappeared off into the distance only to be seen briefly several hours later on her way back from the turn around. I continued to move slowly forward, hoping to conserve some energy and ambition for the return trip.
The aid stations were all fairly close, i believe the longest distance between aid stations was just under 4 miles. This would turn out to be key on my return trip. After the 2nd aid station, i realized i hadn't taken in any calories, and that i would need to before long. I took a pull of my nut butter concoction. mmmm, this might not work as well in reality as it seemed it would on paper: it was a bit thick and well, like peanut/almond butter. fortunately i had a small flask of water with which i was able to rinse my mouth a bit. Maybe i just need to dilute it more. I took a couple more pulls before the 3rd aid station, and added more water at the 3rd aid station.
The mixture was still too thick. Not to worry i'd pour a bit out and dilute it some more in 3 miles. This turned out to be too thick still, so i dumped the entire contents, and resorted to getting calories at the aid stations. I grabbed some pickles, slim jims, and a handful of potatoes and carried on my way.
there was some pretty fun single track sections, and some long drawn out paved sections (both road and bike path). I decided to enjoy what i could and continue moving as consistently as i could throughout the day. A couple aid stations before the turn around, i began to lose interest and motivation. by mile 18 I was contemplating dropping and getting a ride back to the high school. what point is there to this endeavor: continue slogging along for 10 hours +/- and wind up back where i started. My legs were fading.
At the turn around, i grabbed some berries, watermelon, cantaloupe, nuts, a couple gels, and refilled my water bottle and started the short climb up and back towards the start. There was a huge mental shift at that moment, i decided i was going to do what i could and move as consistently as i could, jogging whenever i could and otherwise doing what i could to stay moving.
The day was warming up by now, and i was feeling the heat. There were 4 or 5 creek crossings, each of which i stopped at and completely submerged myself for several minutes to cool down. It worked, i was definitely moving better right after each of the immersions, and felt things slow as i dried off and the evaporative cooling slowed.
with about 20 miles left, i started on the coke, taking 1 - 2 cups at each aid station with potatoes and any other calories i could swallow. i filled my water bottle with coke and would use that to keep the calories flowing between aid stations. I continued this for the next 3 hours. In total, i consumed nearly 1 gallon of coke that day, probably more than i've consumed in the last decade, maybe 2.
About 4 miles from the finish, there is an intersection in the course, with a 1 mile loop to the right, and the finish line to the left. As i approached this section, i was contemplating going right at the intersection and cutting out 1 mile. really what is the point of dragging this out? i'm clearly not prepared for 50 miles.
than again, what is the point of cutting out that 1 mile? is 49 miles really that much easier than 50? the entire thing is pretty contrived, and that's what i signed up for, so right i went, around the 1 mile loop before heading towards the finish line.
another 1/2 to 3/4 of a mile along the river and through the final aid station and then back onto some fun technical single track, though i didn't have much in me to enjoy it. i was happy to be closing in on the end, and content with a decent day out.
I was not physically ready for the day. Mentally it took me sometime to sort through things, and once i finally did, i was able to press things where i would normally have sat back and walked. In the days since the run, i've made a couple attempts to get back out and run a bit.
i definitely have some fatigue left in my legs and a good bit of tightness. today (wendesday), after 4 miles, things finally started to loosen up, and i felt as though i could move fairly well (at least on the descents and flats). I feel a bit of the spark coming back.
It yet remains to be seen where that spark goes. for now, i'm going to continue to enjoy being outside and following my inner child.
RETROSPECTIVE: upon reflecting on the days events and thinking back, i wondered how prepared i was on paper, so decided to review things since early may. Here is what i found: i ran a 50 miler on may 3rd, and since then, haven't run more than 40 miles in a single week, until the week of voyageur. definitely not a recipe for success. On average, i have run 30 miles a week since may, though my consistency has been lacking.
| Week Ending | Activities | Total Distance | Total Time | Elevation Gain | Avg Speed |
| 04/28/2014 | 5 | 67.03 | 12:44:19 | 7,196 | 5.3 |
| 05/05/2014 | 8 | 35.22 | 5:36:15 | 3,098 | 6.3 |
| 05/12/2014 | 2 | 11.65 | 2:03:23 | 1,218 | 5.7 |
| 05/19/2014 | 4 | 23.91 | 4:54:06 | 4,272 | 4.9 |
| 05/26/2014 | 6 | 39.69 | 6:33:40 | 2,721 | 6.1 |
| 06/02/2014 | 5 | 32.28 | 6:00:34 | 4,597 | 5.4 |
| 06/09/2014 | 2 | 9.39 | 1:39:06 | 703 | 5.7 |
| 06/16/2014 | 2 | 11.62 | 1:44:30 | 815 | 6.7 |
| 06/23/2014 | 2 | 16.77 | 8:06:12 | 6,628 | 2.1 |
| 06/30/2014 | 3 | 33 | 9:30:00 | -- | 3.7 |
| 07/07/2014 | 3 | 36.37 | 8:19:33 | 8,002 | 4.4 |
| 07/14/2014 | 2 | 7.75 | 1:20:50 | 1,448 | 5.8 |
| 07/21/2014 | 3 | 64.64 | 12:10:13 | 4,465 | 5.3 |
| Summary | 47 | 389.32 | 80:42:41 | 13,915 |
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