Glad that's over with

Dec 1st, my racing season finally ENDED! Originally, I set out to do a race per month, and ended up missing two months (April and August, grrrr hate the "A" months), but made it up to finish fifteen races. This year saw my first marathon in July.

And now, I'm an ULTRAMARATHONMAN. Dec 1st, I ran in the North Face Endurance Challenge, electing to do the 50k. The race took us over trails in the Marin Headlands, sometimes along the Dipsea trail, also along the Mi-wok trail.

7am start, the sun was just starting to rise, and it was cold. The 5am start for the 50 miler saw sub-freezing temperatures. It was evident in the frost along the trails. I started strong, and 6 miles in, considered going for the win. HAHAHAHA. But an off-course excursion put me back in the pack. After some hills, I found out that my new trail shoes that I've never trained hills with didn't stop my toes from smashing the front of the shoes. I stopped at one point to tighten my laces and it helped, but not much. The downhills on this race were incredibly technical. It didn't seem safe to attempt to run, with stairs, roots, rocks, wow.

Mile 13, I reached an aid station absolutely ravenous. After many orange slices, and about 3 sandwiches, I went off along the wrong path. I made my way back to the course, and continued. My leg muscles started to get hints of cramping. This is much too early for that!! 2:30 to cover 14 miles, I'm looking at sub 6 hour finish, which I deem to be ok. I tried to relax, and the trail evened out, and my legs felt better. That should have been an indication that I was lost again! After a four mile excursion, I found the right trail, tripped and fell. My legs instantly all cramped up, and my ribs hurt. One leg was ok, but the left one really hurt. It was 4 or 5 miles to the next aid station (this is after 6 miles from the last one with my detour). I was out of water, and could only walk. I thought about the mile 19 aid station, and the 14 miles after that to the finish, and what it'd be like to finally DNF. One girl gave me her M&Ms as she passed me.

I finally got to mile 19, ate soup, rested, rubbed my legs. Of course, I'm not going to DNF by choice, so I headed down the wrong trail again. I did it twice before I found the right one. More uphills, more downhills, one more detour, and then it's a running shuffle when I can, powerwalk when I can't. I'm now flirting with cutoff times; one being mile 27 by 3pm. With the company of a couple of runners, I make it by 2:55. 5.8 more miles to make the 4pm finish. No way, in the state I was in.

But I plod onwards, feet on fire on the downhills, slight uphills incredibly difficult. I smell the barn and can do nothing but walk.

I reach the finish line at 4:20, 9 hours 20 minutes after I started! For the 32.8 mile course, I covered 39.7 according to my GPS. I'm so incredibly glad when I receive a medal anyways, even though it isn't a pre-cutoff medal.

So it wasn't a great start to an ultra career, but at least a 50 miler doesn't seem so bad. As long as I don't end up doing 88 miles. I watched one of the 50m come in, and the woman had gotten lost for 38 miles. She had a rocking time too.

Well, this run was certainly more than just a marathon. I had a great time though, and naturally, learnt alot. It's not my first hilly run, but I was obviously cocky from a string of good autumn road races. Suddenly, the 11 hour 50 miler qualifier for WS100 doesn't seem so "cake" anymore.

A week later, and my ribs still hurt, my left quad still hurts (and my leg is bruised from tears in the muscle), the arch of my left foot makes me think my foot is broken. My runs are still "plod-like".

I hope to get back to normal soon. It's only 4 months before my first 50 miler,