Oh the Agony of da Heat & da Knees!

Catchy title eh? It should more appropriately be called, “A Tale of Two Cities” but I think that was already claimed by Dickens & it was set in London & Paris before the French Revolution. I could have called it, “Three Strikes You’re Out,” (appropriate since it’s baseball season), or I could just lay it all out there in Stephanie style and tell you how I see it.

This is of course, my experience with running Grandma’s Marathon 2016, which just so happened to be it’s 40th anniversary. Anniversaries are lovely things, but that is fodder for another blog. Note the featured image. It was 64 degrees and overcast the day I arrived in Duluth, Minnesota. I was thankful that I had seen fit to bring my long compression pants as rain was in the forecast for race day (they weren’t needed after all).

The Expo: It intrigues me to experience different cities/marathons and their expos. Having just experienced Hospital Hill in KC, for the umpteenth time, it was quite the contrast (as much as the cool temps from the upper 90s in KC)! It was held in the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center or DECC. One had to go through most of the vendors to get to the packet pick up area. That was fine, as I got to sample some wonderful coffee-“Arco” brand that I made sure to purchase at a local grocery store and bring home. The “problem” as I saw it was that it was way too congested. I thought Twin Cities was asses & elbows, but this was much worse! I like to shop at expos and tend to spend too much money, but I couldn’t seem to think of a thing that I needed at this one! I picked up  my bib/packet without much fanfare, got my freebies, and left.

On to locate the Motel. Duluth is beautiful by the way, and if you have a chance to visit, I would highly recommend it! I should mention at this juncture, that the whole premise of running this marathon was camaraderie with some of my fellow running group rock stars. I would have liked to have gotten a New York qualifying time, but I wasn’t training for it in particular. I was mostly “along for the ride.” Having said that, the “group” which arrived in various fashion-planes, trains, & cars (ok, maybe not trains), were planning on having dinner together at a pizzeria just across the state line in Wisconsin.

Nutrition & Fueling: I have learned through the years, that I cannot eat past 4pm before race day & expect good outcomes. Since the group was meeting at 5:30pm, that meant that eating would most likely commence a little after 6pm & not end before 6:30pm or 7pm. Not a good plan for me. I was in bed by 8pm.

Race Day: 0300 alarm, out the door by 0530 and just in time for shuttle bus to the start at Two Harbors by 0545. It was 33 miles to the start from the motel. The course ran along Lake Superior, ending in Duluth. My group had boasted that this was a “flat” course, with one hill toward the end. I beg to differ. To me, it was like 24 miles of Rockhill Road in Kansas City. There were a few downhills, but not many. I was just pleased as a peacock that it was not raining and that the temp was 70ish to start. Still a far cry from the 90’s in KC.

My people showed up group by group, depending on where they stayed. It was a great sight to see the orange finally arrive! A quick photo and we all headed to our respective corrals (if you could call it that). Supposedly, 9600 people were registered to run the full marathon. I had no plan, other than to hover from the 3:45 to the 3:55 pacers.

I should have hit the porta-potty the final time before the start, but I didn’t, lying to myself that the urge would pass. It didn’t. Thankfully, there were the familiar blue vertical rectangles along the route before even hitting a mile. I had to stop, knowing I would be thinking about it the entire time and not doing my best.

That taken care of, I tried to make up time by sprinting-never a good idea at the start of a race, especially on what appeared to be mostly uphill! I caught a glimpse of one of the running group girls, caught up to her & we chatted for a bit. There was a random runner (female) with some odd coin type skirt thingy over her shorts that kept “jingling.” I can’t tell you how much I wanted to rip that thing off of her! How freaking annoying! By mile 4-5, I took in my first GU and my first Saltstick cap by mile 6. I was feeling actually pretty good and on my normal pace.

It was great to have volunteers handing out cups of ice, because the temps were starting to increase. By the halfway point, I was at around a 2:04 and was starting to feel a bit fatigued. Fatigue and heat I can handle, but what was about to come, I could not.

I started to feel a little niggle in my right knee around mile 16. “Crap,” I thought. “Maybe it will just go away.” I was hitting every water station and walking through them. It wasn’t cramps, but the old IT band from many months ago, laughing at me. Another girl from the group showed up at one point and we ran some together until she needed the porta-potty. She caught up to me and passed me as I needed to hit the johnny room again (so much for nutrition planning)!

Nothing smells quite as horrific as a porta-potty on a hot day in June, especially when one is having digestive problems and feeling some queasy. At that point, I decided that I just did not care about time anymore and I just wanted to finish. I could handle this-two 10ks & I had it whooped! By mile 19, the wheels fell completely off as BOTH knees were crapping out and I decided at that point that I was just going to have fun and get through the final 7.2 miles any way that I could. So I started taking pictures.

It was after all, a beautiful course. I made sure to get in some photo ops with the locals, Elvis seemed to be popular :I think it’s around mile 22 that Scenic Hwy 61 crosses over into Duluth. All I know is that I was going to capture this monumental moment. Every time I saw the “First Aid/Dropout” signs, it was oh so tempting!!! Ok-only 4.2 miles to go! My knees were screaming. I tore my sweat rags and tied them around both knees. I was hot, nauseated, and hurting. So thankful for the people along the way who graciously sprayed us!

A fellow runner, who ironically was having IT band problems as well, offered to take my pic in the sprayer. Runners are so awesome! It wasn’t long after this when a couple more from my group passed me & were aiming for a PR. I tried to stay with them but the knees said, “no way!” I then employed the 1 min run/30 sec walk routine. This worked for awhile. Finally mile 23. There was a guy with a beer bong, and boy was it tempting! Anything to numb the pain!

“Only” a 5k to go! As any marathoner knows, the last 5k is mostly mental-especially on a good running day. I just kept thinking, “Okay, I can walk 10 min miles and be done with this beast in a little over 30 minutes.” I didn’t even notice the hazard signs that had gone up.

Photo credit: Runner’s Edge

“Full steam ahead!” I only wished. The same girl from early on caught up with me again and another whom I thought had long passed me. We had about 1.5 miles to go and I thought I could finish with them, but the last little downhill on the brick road was too much for the knees and I had to walk once again. My time between miles 25 & 26 was 15 minutes. I told myself I would at least run (hobble?) the last .2. I just wanted to be done and get that damn medal!

I did finish in 4:50:45-my third worst finishing time ever in my 9th marathon! The first was KC Marathon in 2011 at 5:17:56, followed by Route 66, 2013 in Oklahoma at 5:04:37. All three times (three strikes) were a result of IT band flares. I have no one to blame but myself.

Two tales (in pics) of beginnings and endings:

Beginning & End

Pre-Race & Post-Race

What Went Wrong & What I Learned: Every run-race or otherwise, should be a learning experience. Yes, it was hot & humid and is estimated that over 2000 people dropped out. No, the course was not what I expected. I never look at a course prior to a race. But I had just done Hospital Hill for goodness sakes! As I reviewed my Garmin, I had a  pretty good race up until mile 13-16. Heat has never really been an issue for me. As a rule, I like hills. My problem was laziness. What???

Let me explain. Since I qualified for Boston for 2017 last fall at Twin Cities, I kind of let things slide. Especially after I got sick in March and had to forfeit the 100 miler I signed up for. I have taken a LOT of rest days, and not pushed myself like I know I should have. As I said before, I really did not have a goal time per say for this race, but somewhere between 4 and 4.5 hours would have been desirable. I am 10 pounds heavier than this time last year. True, a lot is muscle, but I have more around my middle than I like. For the past three years, I have been consistent with core work to strengthen my back, and hips. I have not done one lick of core work this year mostly because I find it totally BORING! I have weak hips, back, & glutes. I have work to do.

Hopefully I will have a better report after the Marine Corps Marathon this fall. On the flip side, this was one of the funnest marathons I have ever participated in because I was there with my local running family. They are the best and I am so glad that our paths have crossed. They are some of the MOST hard working, dedicated people I have ever met & who NEVER give up! They truly made this a memorable weekend.

Running Friends are the Best!

Toasting to the Future

“Run when you can, walk if you have to, crawl if you must; just never give up.”

–Dean Karnazes

Hope to see you out on the roads or trails!

Stephanie

Next up: Stars & Stripes 5k on the 4th of July and taking on Psycho Summer 10 miler 7/23!

 

 

 

My Thoughts on Prairie Spirit Trail 50 Miler

Wowza-what a couple of weeks it has been! Boston is less than a week away and YEAH…a 50 miler I decided that I needed to run three weeks before Boston.  These are my thoughts on the whole shebang.

My thoughts on:

Training:  Well, I was trying to be fairly consistent with training throughout the winter months and beyond.  It was sometimes difficult at best to get the long runs in with my crazy work schedule and the unpredictable winter weather.  I obsessed about it continuously.  I was able to get in a 31 miler followed by a 28 miler on the road (trails) prior to a 40 miler on the “dreadmill” ten days out from the actual event.  You haven’t lived until you spend eight hours on a treadmill with a 3 minute break each hour for stretching & nutrition.  Well, I made it through and was happy, yet nervous that it would be my last long  “training” run. I did a 10 miler & a 5 miler the week leading up to race. I had enough confidence in my training that I was not the least bit worried about not being able to finish.

Pre-Race: Oh -race eve!  I had been adding additional carbs to my daily diet for at least 10 days prior to race day. Every smart runner knows that one needs the glycogen stores to power them through on a long runs. I was digging eating up extra cookies and bread and whatever else I could get my hands on!  I was really craving pancakes the day prior, so that was the “brunch” meal of the day.  IHOP knows how to do pancakes right!  I think I had a cheese/turkey wrap that night, but I can’t say for sure.  Packet pickup was a breeze and I had some of the lingering questions answered about what I was unclear of about the race itself. I also met a 25 time 100 mile finisher named John who is the young age of 70. He was signed up for the 100 miler (his 26th). It was a pleasure talking with him and hearing of all of his adventures. Packet pickup was smooth & easy. The t-shirts ran REALLY small. I wear a small but it looks as if it were made for a 10 yr old. The color is awesome- but it is a tight fit. I didn’t pay for the pre-race meal, so I went on home to prepare.

Me & John

Race Day: We were told we were to have our “drop bags” turned in between 0630-0700.  For you non-runners, that is the bag you may have “dropped” off at one of the “manned” aid stations.  The bag may have various things in it that you may need as a runner such as a change of socks, shoes, body lube, chapstick, change of clothing, jacket, snacks, etc.  Since I was “only” running the 50 miler, and I had a someone crewing for me (a person who meets you at aid stations to assist you in any way you may need), I only needed one “drop bag” which I had “dropped off” at the turn around (27 mile) point.  It contained a change of shoes & socks, a lighter jacket, aquaphor, chapstick, aspercreme, trail mix and some fruit snacks.  I really didn’t know what I would need at 27 miles.  Talk about a small world, I recognized someone I had worked with at Hallmark Cards distribution over 12 years ago. He had gotten back into running and was active with the “Trail Nerds.”  He was volunteering at the halfway point for the 100 milers.  It was interesting catching back up with him.  The race director gave his “talk” around 0730 and we lined up to start at 0750.  At 0800 the air horn blew, and we were off.  There was a bit of a chill in the air, but overall, it was perfect running weather.

Start of 50 Miler

 Digressing the Bowels: The first four miles was an out and back from the start line, back to the start line, then due south to hit the trail from Ottawa, KS to Garnett, KS and back.  Every distance runner knows that it is ALWAYS best to get the bathroom habits taken care of before the race starts.  How this happens is unique to every runner.  For me, I am usually too stressed to relax enough for mother nature to take it’s course. This race day was no different.  This can be a problem for a marathon road race when one is trying for a certain time & has to stand in line for a porta potty during the race.  I felt it coming on at the four mile out & back, but I was too stubborn to stop back at the “Celebration Hall” (where we gathered prior) to use the facilities.  I thought to myself, “no big deal, I will hit the johnny room at the first manned aid station.”  Little did I realize that it was another 7.8 miles out.  There was an “unmanned” water station prior to that, but no porta potty.  About halfway into it, I knew I was in trouble.  It was either do as nature does, or make like a baby and crap my pants.  The latter was not an option at ANY cost.  So then I began the lookout.  I searched for the most thick pine tree populated area & made a run for it-brushing through weeds and overgrown grasses.  I found a delightful spot behind the most BEAUTIFUL thick pine tree I had ever seen.  Oh glory day!  Drop pants, squat, and POOP!  Yes, I did that…POOPED in the woods!  Ahh-back to nature.  What a relief. Luckily I had my sweat rags (cut off t-shirt sleeves) as emergency toilet paper. But being the super savvy ecological protector that I am, I had to wad it up (wrapped in a clean cloth) and carry it to the manned aid station to dispose of it.  Such is life.  Desperation beckoned, and I answered! I don’t know if a bear craps in the woods, but I sure do! Don’t judge me-it is a natural bodily function!

Pacing & Strangers: On 3/15/2014, I had the privilege of run/walking a 5k with Olympian Jeff Galloway in Lawrence, KS. He was there to offer his insights into the run/walk method for marathon training.  I was able to run along side him and pick his brain for his insight/rationale behind the run/walk method.  It was a great experience and one of the BEST things I ever incorporated into my long runs. I went away with a “Boston Marathon: How to Qualify” book and a run/walk timer.  I have used the timer religiously on all of my longish runs, which for me is anything over 15 miles.  This race day was no different and I used it at the start even though I felt a bit weird having everyone pass me.  Either they were seasoned ultra runners, or just plain newbies who had not done a lot of research on how to finish an ultra.  At any rate, a lot of them were just plain walking around miles 18-20.  It was then that a strange thing then began to happen.  Other runners began to run beside me and benefitted from the timer which was set at a 4/1 minute run/walk.  At one point, we had a group of 6 of us.  It was a great time of conversation and camaraderie. I had a great time with these 2- Allen & Audrey who were both from Texas & after a while did not seem like strangers at all.

We’re In This Together

 Aid Stations: There were 4 “unmanned” (water) aid stations out & back and 5 “manned” ones. The “manned” ones had lots of refreshment to offer and were well equipped.  There were toilet facilities at each manned station as well. Those stations were also great places for your crew person to meet up with their runner. We had to “check in” at each manned station so they could keep tabs on everyone.  If you dropped out, it had to be at a “manned” station so you could be accounted for.

 Mindset/Endurance:   I NEVER go into any race with the thought that I “can’t” do it.  I truly believe that a couple of marathons I struggled through in the past have helped me to know that I can finish no matter how much I hurt and want to quit. That’s why it is SO important as runners to keep challenging ourselves and never give up. You can draw off of those experiences when the going gets tough.

The Halfway/Turnaround Point: Garnett, KS marked the “turnaround” at 27.3 miles.  It was inside an old train depot. It was here that I had my “drop bag” with a change of shoes/socks and a lighter jacket.  They also offered sandwiches & tacos. Don’t know why anyone would want to eat tacos on an ultra but hey…whatever floats your boat! It was a nice reprieve to be able to stretch, breathe, talk with others and refocus for the rest of the journey.  I stayed there around 15-20 minutes…23 miles to go.

The Way Back:  I was solo for a bit but Allen showed up as he had for much of the run, literally “out of nowhere.” Another runner joined us at the first unmanned station and then we lost Allen at the last “manned” station.  We ran together for five or so miles and then he sprinted ahead of me.  Mile 47.05 was the last unmanned aid station. It was here that I stretched A LOT and encouraged other runners that we only had a 5k left.  Amazing how three little miles can seem like 13 on weary legs! I was alone on the rest of this journey.

On Finishing: Isn’t it amazing how the sight of the finish line gives you that extra jolt of energy?  I was finally there and crossed the finish line at 10:39:28—48/103 total 50 mile finishers, 10/36 total females, and 3/8 age group. I was pleased with that considering I had predicted my time to be 10:30:00, and given the fact I was at the turnaround for 15-20 minutes.  It wasn’t about a finishing time, but an accomplishment.  It was about the journey and self-discovery. It was about helping others along the way. It was about knowing that no matter what obstacles, hardships, or pain comes at me in life -I can overcome them with the right mindset…even if that means overcoming them alone.

Just a Few Steps to the Finish Line

In Conclusion: This was the 3rd year for this particular race in the Epic Ultra series.  Overall, I was pleased with my first ultra as it was relatively flat, well organized & controlled.  The only real “gripe” I have is that there needs to be at least one more unmanned water station between the manned Princeton and Richmond stations.  That is a span of 6.5 miles which may not be such a big deal on the way out, but definitely is on the way back.  Since it is on a trail, no one likes to litter (which is prohibited) or have to carry trash on their person.  There was not ONE trash can along the way-only at the manned aid stations. I was also shocked that there were not bike patrols out there making sure everyone was okay. Would I do this one again?  Probably not, as I like new things. I would recommend this for first timers though. Photos are free, manned aid stations have a lot to offer, and pre-race instructions were clear.  I would not recommend purchasing the after race meal though. For the $, one can get much better fare elsewhere.

What’s next?  Pretty sure a hundred miler is in October.  People think I’m crazy…well non-runners that is!  Maybe I am, but I wasn’t born to be average or status quo.  Plus-I DO NOT like the sound that sheep make…baa, baa!

Until We Meet Again,

Stephanie

Some succeed because they are destined to, but most succeed because they are determined to.”

–unknown

I Am a Specific Kind of Crazy!