The following is not a shining example of how one turns in a stellar performance in running a 50 miler. However, please read on if you are a potential first timer, and want to get a sense of how another first timer managed to stumble across the finish line. If you have run an ultra before, please feel free to laugh and ridicule at my expense.
I had a simple goal this November 23rd - to complete a distance on foot of 50 miles within the allotted time of 14 hours. Ideally, I would be running during the majority of the event, but I wasn't married to the idea. However, given my preconceptions of what it would take to grit out my first 50 miler, I began early on to doubt my sensibility and sanity about such an undertaking. The support of friends and family was invaluable, ranging from "What? 50 miles...are you crazy?" (marathoning friend), to "What? 50 miles...you ARE crazy - have you signed your will?" (wife).
Nevertheless, always ready to tackle interesting challenges, I witlessly added a few more to the roster in anticipation of the race:
Poor training - Injuries this year tempered my motivation, which in turn, meant little distance training prior to the event ( a 12, 18, 21.5, and the MMC)
Injury - Post MMC running enthusiasm resulted in an IT band injury at race time
Early start - the logistics of getting to the start at such an early hour, without use of my own car
No sleep - Although the presence of my wife and children on race day could not have brought more joy, getting to bed early, when at a hotel, is just not on a child's agenda.
Running attitude - I am a social runner - I much prefer to let the miles roll by under the spell of conversation. Any long runs without that crutch can be extremely painful - both mentally and physically, since distractions from the situation at hand are few. 50 miles without constant distraction translates into constant agony.
Despite these pressing concerns, I found myself in a Clarion hotel in Hagerstown, MD, the night before the race, listening to the wind proclaim that it had a nice cold, blustery start waiting for me in Boonsboro. I recall thinking that I had never run even a mile in such apparently cold and windy weather. Oddly, I knew I was not only going to start the race, I was going to finish it. Which I did - and enjoyed it. How I did it: -Like going to the dentist, I thought as little as possible about the race until the event was upon me. -Avoided thinking in terms of 50 miles, much less running 50 miles. At mile 1, I thought to myself, "Good, only 49 more to go." I did not think in those terms again until mile 38. Some helpful pre-race suggestions that were offered: Think of it like a full day trek on the trail, from dawn till dusk. DON"T think of it as 2 marathons, back to back -Looked forward to the Appalachian trail. Since I enjoy trail running, I thought running it in "the dark" would be an interesting added dimension (or dementia?) . I was not disappointed -Started at 5am. No crowds (200 or so?). This decreased pre-race jitters (minimal bathroom line!) and increased my enjoyment of the trail run portion, as it ensured that I was off Weverton Cliffs even before the front-runners. Added bonuses were not having to worry about a cut off time, and occasionally being mistaken for a front-runner. -Ran from aid station to aid station. "4 or 5 miles to go". In a regular race I normally occupy my mind with calculating splits, avg speed, etc. Avoided looking at the whole picture (ie., 33 miles down, 17 miles to go) None of that. -No marathon thinking. What a different experience to run while ignoring the clock. I had a watch, but used it sparingly. Lost some time in at the crew stops, but it made a difference in my attitude when I headed out of them. I avoided thinking of 26.2 when I hit the C&O. I did not feel spent until mile 39. -Enjoyed the harmony. Plenty of great stories from experienced runners - one who has run this race every year since he was twelve (Kim Byron) , another who had run over 180 ultras. Words of encouragement were offered or given when passing or being passed. A lot of repeat runners which gave it a clubby feel. I even hitched a ride in with Buzz Sawyer, the guy who started this race 40 years ago.
There were other factors direct and indirect, which made this a memorable event: -Highs and lows were spread apart. Some periods of running later in the race (30's) where almost euphoric. Some periods of running (and walking) were downright ugly. Contrast it to my marathon experiences - mile 19.7, feel good - mile 19.71 feel like hell - mile 19.72, feel good. Up and down, up and down, till 26.2 -Reston Runners enthusiasm. Tough to think in terms of letting this group down! The effort put in by all, and led by Anna B., turns a large event into an intimate one. -Crew Stops. My own crew (Tom Goddard and Phil Schmidt) did a spectacular job. Just as impressive, were the aid stations. Well run. Friendly. Amazing for standing out in the cold so they could attend to others. -Scenery. Yes, the weather was a little cold and windy, but that did not stop the beautiful scenery from revealing itself - from ridge top running at sunrise, to rounding the bend at Harpers Ferry, to the late afternoon sun off the serene Potomac. -The last 12 miles. Hellish. Tops and bottoms of feet, knees - hurt. Stomach didn't feel that great either. Nonetheless, I knew I could walk it if I had to, and still make it under the wire (thank goodness for that 5am start). But after 38 miles or so of "pretty enjoyable", "hellish" seemed like a small price to pay. * The final analysis:
Turned in a time 12 hours IT band pain was a factor, but can safely report pain eliminated after only 30 miles! Arriving at the finish line while it was still light outside was a great feeling - would definitely do 5am start again as a result (though would expect to do less than 12 hours next time). And yes, I would (will) do it again....