Looking back '18
I rolled into the '18 with one thought
nagging me. Did I want to do the Whitewater Center's 50 miler? Adam
had planted the seed to do it in the fall of '17 for the WWC race but
the question still lingered should I run their 50 mile race; could I
run 50 miles. The furthest that I had run was a 50k and while 50
miles is only 18 miles further. It is still 18 miles further and 18
miles further than I had ever run.
In some ways my entire year was
tailored around getting myself to this one race.
I started the year with the S2F 13 mile
trail run at the WWC. I finished 8 overall on a soggy and in some
places snow covered course. From there, I hit the Hot Chocolate 15
and placed 7th overall. I liked this race. I love
Chocolate so this race was right up my ally. Next up I knocked off
two 10 milers. The Charlotte 10 miler was fun, and I surprised myself
with a 61:14 time. A couple of weeks later I won the Gateway Trail 10
miles in 65:42.
Two weeks later, I ran the New South
Trail Marathon at the WWC. I caught Nathan and another guy on the
back half of the first loop, and I ran as if my hair was on fire in
hopes that no one would catch me. I won the race in 3 hours and 50
minutes.
4 weeks later, I pulled on my On racing
flats to run the Christina Latini 8k race. Again, I surprised myself
with a 30:01 time to win the race.
At this point, I quietly focused my
energies toward running the 50 miler. I keep my long trail runs at 22
to 24 miles, and I committed to doing them every weekend.
A long the way, I signed up for the
entire season of Thursday night River Jam 10ks. Andrew and I had a
back and forth battle all year.
My Memorial Day 8 mile went well. I
had hopes of breaking 60 minutes but ended up with a 61:02.
Knowing that I needed to run longer
races in prep for the 50 miler, I went against norm and signed up for
50ks in the summer time.
The last of June I ran the Easter
Divide 50k. I finished 10 overall in 4 hours and 33 minutes. While I
looked at the course map and read the description of the course, it
didn't prepare me for what I encountered. I walked, climbed, and
scaled sections of the course. This is the one race I would like to
do again because I feel like I could run it faster now that I know
course.
Roughly, two weeks later I headed for
the Big Butt 50k in Lancaster on the 4th of July. I cannot
think of anything more crazy than attempting a 50k in July in South
Carolina. It was hot. My right hamstring cramped up with about ¾ of
mile left in the race. It brought me to a walk. I don't know what I
was thinking about sticking to an entirely water diet for the race,
but it was a lesson learned. I never ran a long run after it without
mix Nunn tablets in to my water, and I never had incident of cramping
not even in the 50 miler.
Probably my most humbling run was the
Stevest 50k. Well, I thought it was a 50k but we did 3 loops of 14
miles so let's just say it was closer to 42 miles than 31 miles. I
ran okay for the first 2 laps, but they wiped me out. I knew that I
needed energy, and I was eating tons of food. It took an hour before
I felt like run walking again. I finished the course because I
wouldn't let myself in think of quitting. It was another powerful
lesson in prep for my 50 miler. I credit Martin for his willingness to help
me get my race day diet on track.
I have always been of the mind set that
I could not eat much more than Gels during race, but after working
with Martin, I found that I could actually stomach more than I
thought.
In August, I ran the WWC's Tread
Nightly and Tread Brightly races. In truth, I was more interested in the
Tread Nightly because I wanted to experience some night time miles on the trails
in prep for the 50 miler. I finished 5th on in the Nightly
½ marathon and then 3rd in the Brightly ½ marathon 12
hours later. I ran well enough that I finished 2nd in the
Treadminister category which scores runners across all of the events.
I started September with the WWC's
Labor Day 15k. I finished 3rd overall in 71:53.
A week an half later I finished up my
final River Jam 10k by running 45:24 which matched my fastest time from May.
A week later, I ran the Wild Vine ½
marathon. Ugh, was this race hot. The start time was 9:30, and I was
hot by 3 miles. I suffered the rest of the way to finish in 1:52
Three weeks later, I quietly setup my
chair and cooler for the WWC's 50 miler. I was excited and scared at
the same time. I had run the course numerous times, so I knew what to
expect. However, I had never ran the full distance. This was the day
that I would put all of my training to the test.
The race started at 5 AM, and we
immediately jumped right on to the trails. No warm up for those of us
that need it. I found myself in 2nd place as the lead guy
pulled away in to the night. I wasn't even sure that I should be in
2nd place. I wanted some one else to lead us out.
About 3 miles in to the event and in
front of 5 or 6 guys, I rounded a turn, planted my right foot, and
promptly went down. Without thinking I jumped right up. I wouldn't
realize until some 8 hours later that I blood had run down from my
knee.
Justin and I run together and back and
forth during the first lap. On the 2nd lap, I caught him
going out on the Thread Trail.
I got by him at one of the water stops,
and this was last that I had anyone around me. I saw
Chris finishing up the 50k when our two trails came together.
Otherwise, except for catching a few runners I was solo. I guess it
isn't surprising how much we get spread out over an 18 mile course.
On the last lap, I broke the lap in to
chunks. First, there was the lower Thread Trail. Then, I moved to
North Main and South Main. I completed Goat and Toilet Bowl. Last but
not least, I was did East Main. Here, I broke it down in to even smaller
sections. Each mile that passed, I felt more confident that I would
finish, but I wasn't totally certain until I came out of the last
trail section.
I crossed the finish line, and Jenn
handed me my 50 miler belt buckle. I felt an enormous sense of
satisfaction. I finished 2nd overall and ran just over 9
hours and 50+ minutes. I had erased all of the linger questions in the
back of my mind about doing it.
A week later, I strapped on my racing
shoes to finish 2nd in the Trick or Trail race in
Gastonia. Two weeks later, I finish 10 overall in the WWC's Shot in
the Dark 10k. Last year I ran this race and couldn't wait to finish it.
I wasn't sure if ever wanted to run another night race. This year I
was several minutes faster on a soggy, muddy trail and thoroughly enjoyed it.
I like to end the year by running at
least one Turkey Trot race and Christmas race.
This year I jumped in the Lake Norman
10k, and I finished 2nd to Beck. Beck has come a long ways
from a few years ago. I remember running with him and his dad. He has
gotten bigger, stronger, and much faster. I am impress by how much he
has improved. I know if he keeps running that he is going to get even
better.
Two days, later, I headed over to
Derby, NC for the Magnum Track Club's Derby 50k. Mark and his crew
always put on some great races, and I always enjoy every opportunity
that I get to run with them.
However, this was day was a tough one.
The temperatures was in the low 30s, the wind was blowing, and the
rain was coming down. I was soaked by ½ mile. At one point, my hands
were so cold that I could not move my fingers, and the wind chilled
my quads to the point that they ached. I am not sure if it was a
blessing or a curse but after ¾ mile, I took off on my own. I ran the next 30+ miles solo. Numerous runners bailed before the
start, and more bailed during the race. In truth, I wanted to bail
myself but I don't know if it was pride, determination, or just plain
stupidity but I would not allow myself to stop. I wanted that Derby
hat to complete my set. 3 hours and 55 minutes I completed my journey
for the win.
Three weeks later, I finished my '18
racing season at the WWC's Santa, We believe 5k. Charlotte had been
inundated with rain this fall, and this was day was no exception. The
course was muddy, slick, and had plenty of standing puddles. I went slip sliding my way through it to a 5 overall place.
'18 turned out to be a pretty good
year. I challenged myself with some different types of races and
different distances. In a few I struggled but most I came through
fairing pretty well.
I can only hope that '19 and the years
to come provide me with the same type of challenges and the same
sense of satisfaction.
Happy Holidays,
The Cool Down Runner
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