In April, I joined Reston Runners but did not actually go on my first club run until the first weekend of July. It was quite an interesting scene and would set the whole stage for my Fall 2005 marathon season and beyond! This particular run was at the Lake Audobon pool - and there was a trail option as well....
I walked up to the crowd of people and introduced myself to the person who seemed to be the club leader. I guess it was just instinct... I told her my name and that I was thinking about running the JFK 50 miler in the fall. I was thinking that it would just be an 'expansion pack' to the fall marathon season. I got my pre-run Gatorade and water and then the announcements began.
It went something like this: (Introductions of New Runners)
Anna: ...this is Jon and he will be running the JFK 50 miler this fall!
Jon: (interrupts) WHOA! WAIT A MINUTE! I am just THINKING about it!
Anna: too late!
Club Crowd: Serious laughter erupts!
Case closed! "I guess I better do a trail run if I am doing the JFK." Anna paired me up with another trail runner to avoid getting lost - I would later learn that he is one of the Reston Furbutts. Trail runs seem like a good idea for long miles, it is much easier on the knees. We did the Lake Fairfax loop and I loved it!
Most of the rest of the summer provided trail options and I took them almost every time. Despite the flooded trails given to us by TD Dennis and the extreme heat in August, the Lake Fairfax/Difficult Run/Great Falls areas have become my favorite club running courses in general. There was one problem, I thought I was doing too many of my long runs on the trails, the Marine Corps marathon is all roads. I also participated in some of the Summer interval training sessions at South Lakes High School.
In September, I learned the value of NOT doing an 8K race the week after an 18 miler... on roads.
In October, I experienced the Reagan to Reston 'airport' run. That was cool because it wasn't out and back. I predicted a 3:30 MCM based on that... I did the Appalachian trail run the week before MCM. That was a good 'need to know' experience as I had no idea just how rocky the trail would be! Later that month, I learned that Metro does not open doors to fresh legs. Also, it is not a good idea to do an 'all-out' sprint 2 days prior to a marathon in order to wake them up. Perhaps tempo pace would have been better! MCM time was a PW 3:52.
Early November provided comic relief back on the trails with the dogs! I did the shorter "Leesburg to Reston" version of the Clark's Gap run. I slowed it down (compared to the airport run) and did it on the parallel gravel trails to the W&OD bike path. Avoiding the cyclists makes for a safer workout and SLIGHTLY longer than the mile markers which is always a psychological boost! I also felt a little closer to my newfound love in running: trails!
The weekend before JFK was the time to practice walking up the hills. I was told early on that I WILL do some walking in the JFK - one way or the other! I joined up with some of the Reston "Jim Team" 2 miles into the Sunday run and we practiced walking up the gravel trail hills paralleling the W&OD going towards Sunrise Valley elementary. Tapering was done MUCH more sensibly with no sprinting 2 days before the big event.
JFK time was approaching and I was NERVOUS as heck! Not the same kind of nervous you might get before an interval training timed mile but nervous nonetheless! The MCM letdown was haunting me so I just told myself I was going to take it slowly (for once in my life!) The gun went off precisely at 7! I even had to jog to get to the start line - good warm-up! Next time, I will try to be closer to the door during the briefing!
The Appalachian trail was interesting. Plenty of walking was done on the uphill sections. I fell twice on the section between Gathland gap and Weaverton. One fall skinned my right knee. There is something haunting about that section as I didn't fall prior to Gathland - even when running recklessly down the hill to the cheering crowds. I hear that the second half of the trail section is close to Blair witch country! Refreshments were taken at both the Weaverton crew station and official aid station at the tracks. Bring on the soup!
Then began the C&O canal section.... I was starting to feel tired in the late teens! Wow, a wall already! Two people passed me and noticed the '1st Ultra' writing on the back of my singlet. They asked me if I had Succeed pills and if I was eating enough. I said 'yes' and they encouraged me to take a pill at that point. They also noticed that I was sweating a lot of salt which meant that I really WASN'T eating enough (salt at least.) I drank some Gatorade, took a Succeed pill and took a gel pack with resolutions to do more at the aid stations. I think this encounter may have saved my race. At that point, I decided to take walk breaks every milepost for 1 and sometimes up to 3 minutes. The low was worked through!
I tripped on the Antietam aqueduct at mile 27, skinned my OTHER knee and right hand. Fortunately, the next aid station was right there. I got a change of socks and blister patch-up from my crew. This may have also saved my race! In the 30's, I was starting to feel better so I dared to try 2 miles without a walk break. Ooops! Ouch! Better not try that again (at least not on the C&O.) I began calculating in my mind whether or not I would make my informal 10 hour goal. The formal goal was to merely finish!
I thought the 38 special was a cool way to 'theme' an aid station. I found myself putting salt in already salty soup! I never thought of salt in such a positive light before! I was quite worn out but not absolutely miserable as I was during the 20+ mile point of the marathon the month before.
Putting on the orange vest at the end of the C&O signaled a very positive change. At that point, I was able to pick up the pace to sometimes under 9 minute miles! I walked most of the two major hills though, remember the wise words of Jim Ashworth the weekend before. I recall one point where a local was yelling "You don't need to go so fast! Slow down! You will finish..." I took brief stops at the 2 aid stations in this section just to drink water/Gatorade.
With the finish line in sight, I began a relative sprint and raised my hand as if I had won the race. Finishing a 50 miler is a victory for anyone. I then recalled John F. Kennedy's famous line in support of Cold War Berlin and paraphrased: "Ich Bin Ein Ultrarunner!" I finished in 9 hours and 42 minutes! I didn't think that I would do it that fast when back at the 38 special aid station! This was my payback for all of my marathons with very slow finishes.
I could go on and on about post-race events and thoughts so I will do that in bulleted form while ATTEMPTING to be brief:
1. I would like to thank my crew (Kathleen and Libby) for being there for me, especially at mile 27!
2. Injuries were all minor: Bruised both knees, right hand and right elbow. Later learned that the up and down action of the things in my pocket made the sides of my legs bleed a little. A blackened blister on my left toe. The right toe was spared as it was taped up from the MCM. However, the right big toenail was slightly blackened.
3. Loved the BARF (Breakfast After Running Far) the next morning. Which JFK runners have actually showed up at the club 10 mile that day in past years"??
4. Shocked some people at BARF by saying that I would run this next year even while still in such a state of soreness.
5. Plan on running the Bull Run 50 miler in April and I am THINKING about running the Laurel Highlands 70 in June. There goes that THINKING thing again!
6. I think I will stay away from the 100s for a while but this ultrarunning concept in general seems nice!
7. Yes, "Ich Bin Ein Ultrarunner" but I realize I am still a tenderfoot at this! Tenderfoot? That sounds like bear terminology.... I see long trail runs in my future after a full recovery from JFK!
Thanks Anna, Jim and Reston Runners!