I love this race! That isn't to say I loved every minute of the event (I didn't), but overall the JFK is a great experience. The JFK 50-miler reminds me of a George Sheehan quote; "Running provides happiness, which is different from pleasure. Happiness has to do with struggling and enduring and accomplishing?" The JFK certainly involves those elements! So, what do I love about the event? Well, first of all running as a member of the Reston Runners makes it very special. It's great to have the support of the many crewmembers and the inspiration from other runners. It's also pretty cool to be a part of the largest (by far) team of runners, with our matching singlets. I lost track of how many times I was asked, "Just how many Jims are there in the Reston Runners?" We can't thank Anna enough for all her hard work and dedication in making this a bigger and better event every year. I also love the personal challenge of the JFK. Trying to run a smart race, remembering all the good advice from veterans about conserving energy, yet attempting to keep up a good pace and achieve personal goals all make for an exciting adventure.
My running strategy this year
On the AT: I used pretty much the same strategy on the AT as last year, running the flats and down hills and walking up the steep inclines. Jim Nagle and I started together and ran the majority of the AT trading off setting the pace and staying in close proximity. I think we ran the AT a little more aggressively this year, partially due to the start. At 7 am we were still walking to the starting line having a casual conversation when the gun went off. I guess until that point we were taking the concept of a relaxed start a bit too far. Since we didn't want to be at the very back of the pack getting on the trail, we ran across the starting line and pushed the pace to get past lots of runners in the first few miles. Not really the way we had planned on starting the day
C&O Towpath: I decided to try a slightly different strategy on the canal towpath this year. I thought I would start by running between aid stations and walking out for 2 minutes instead of a timed run-walk strategy. I did this to save time (lots of folks pass when you walk) and also so I wouldn't have the mental drill of keeping track of time. I used this strategy for 3 iterations (I think) then reverted to running 15 minutes and walking for 2. In hindsight, I should have tried to keep the between-station strategy longer. I hope to try that next year. A lesson I learned here is to remember to look at the signs at the start of the station, which state how far it is to the next aid station.
I got a little bored at times on the trail this year, the disadvantage of not pacing with a friend. Talking to other runners along the way helped, as did seeing my loving and supportive wife (Karen) and Reston Runner crew folks in the aid stations. This always provides a much-needed mental boost and helps break the JFK into manageable pieces. Even though I love the running surface of the C&O towpath, for a good portion of the towpath I was looking forward to getting off the path, because that means only about eight miles to go!
On the Road: I had forgotten how steep the hill is when you come off the towpath and get started on the road towards Williamsport. I didn't hesitate walking up that big hill! I told myself to stick with the planned strategy of walking up the hills, running the flats and downs. It's strange how after covering 42 miles every little bump in the road starts looking like a "hill"! I realized somewhere along the road that I was using the slight inclines as an excuse to walk. I was almost hoping for a hill at times. I tried to get over this (sometimes successfully) by telling myself not to be a wimp on those minor up hills. I was doing OK on the road until the 47-mile point. As I was "cruising" along the road, a SERIOUS cramp struck in the back of my upper leg. It was knot that felt about the size of a baseball and I couldn't even walk. I was scared and mad because for the past few hours I had been telling myself that if I maintained a steady pace I could finish under 9 hours. Now, it seemed with a mere 3 miles to go I might blow my chances. As I hobbled to the side of the road to be out of the way of other runners I looked back and saw a very motivating sight! There was Loretta running strong! She gave me a few kind words of sympathy for my cramp as she pressed on down the road. Great race Loretta!
I knew I needed to keep moving to have any chance at 9 hours, so I massaged out the cramp as much as possible and drank the rest of the water I had with me. I ran a bit more then got a cramp in the other leg. Now I was even more concerned about how this JFK adventure would end. I knew that an aid station wasn't more that a mile ahead and thought if I could get there I could get some Poweraide, figuring that I must be somewhat dehydrated and low on electrolytes. So, once again I massaged my cramp, walked a little then started running. The drive to finish under 9 hours kept me going. I ran on to the next aid station (2 miles to go) and drank 3 cups of Poweraide. I was able to run the rest of the way to the finish, running sub 10 minutes for the last mile. I was very happy to be finished and thrilled to achieve my personal goal! I think the adventure of the cramps in the final miles made me appreciate the accomplishment even more.
The JFK finish area was full of excitement, what a motivating place! Sharing the moment with other Reston Runners and crew, watching others push to the finish and seeing the much-deserved pride and satisfaction on the finisher's faces. I just love this event!
A few words about food:
Figuring out what to eat and when is always a challenge for me in the JFK. Before the start I had a bagel, a can of Boost, a banana and some water. During the AT portion I ate a bagel and a Gu gel packet. Along the C&O towpath I ate a few M&Ms, a couple of bananas, and a GU packet every 40 minutes to an hour. I drank mostly water but also drank a few cups of coke and a few cups of Poweraide. In hindsight, I should have consumed a bit more Poweraide or taken some electrolyte tablets. Those cramps were no fun at all! It seems I also learn something new each time about what NOT to eat along the way. Two years ago I had a bad experience with a peanut butter and jelly sandwich! This year I learned my lesson from a harmless little Jolly Rancher. I was moving along the C&O and running low on energy, somewhere in the 24-mile range. I wanted to wait until the next aid station to eat anything so I thought it might be a good idea to have a piece of candy to trick my brain. I guess the trick was on me! I made it into the aid station but my stomach started flipping like crazy. Several race support folks had the unpleasant surprise of seeing me deal with my sour ultra-stomach. Sorry folks! One friendly stranger was very concerned about me and kept asking if I was OK and how he could help! While I appreciated his genuine concern that was one time I would have preferred to be alone. It's so great of those many volunteers to spend their days helping us along the way. I felt much better after dealing with this situation! I saw Karen, Stuart, Kevin and other RR crew a few minutes later. I briefly shared the gory details of my experience, ate a banana and moved on. I stuck with Gu and water the rest of the race.