I'm very nervous about my race this saturday (11/20/2010). the best advice i've gotten is:
Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blowtheir own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares willdrop off like autumn leaves. - john muir
...will update this content later
Comments
my race report will be short as I had a rough time in the race.
i'm no longer friends with the Appalachian Trail. i waited too long and didn't get to the starting line before the gun went off. i ended up being approx the last starter :(. i knew i should be in the middle of the pack. (goal of 8:50'ish). i tried hard to move through the crowds as safely as i could. I needed a bathroom break in the 1st 5miles, so by the time I was deep in the AT I was trying hard to jockey for better position. it was sooooo congested stopping to wait for the crowd of racers to negotiate a tight turn and stuff. i think the frustration caused me to take some chances I wouldn't normally take with foot placement. so....
i tripped, slid down a rocky 15% grade at about mile 13 knee twisted and hurt, side of hip felt like busa sack hit, pulled the inside thigh muscle of right leg. by mile 19 i couldn't bend my knee. i sat down and counted people jogging past me in groups of 10!! i thought i was going to DNF, but i got a lot of encouraging texts (from jason, heather (my g/f) and coach Eric) - :). i was able to run sometimes. if i came to a stop the swelling got so bad it took a mile to loosen up so i could run again. i took my time at aid stations. eric was right when he said it'd loosen if i kept moving.
i stopped at aid stations paying special attention to food/hydration, after all i was counting in miles how far behind my intended pace. even though i wasn't work as hard, i knew i'd be out on the path for hours longer than i'd planned. every stop meant minutes of walking before i could run again. running felt so good. i could put my heart rate exactly where i wanted it. i was like a caged animal limited by a twisted knee. every once in a while i clicked off a 9min mile, then walked for a minute. the faster runs loosened me up more. miles 30 then 40, i was really thinking that 50miles isn't too bad. i was ready to register for my next 50-miler while limping/jogging through this one.
when they asked me to put on the orange vest, i was little crushed. i planned to be done long before sun set, but whatev. i was having fun, great conversations with people we encouraged each other to run. i knew i was making an easy base-time to beat next time!
heather met me at mile 36 for the last time. this time she slathered icy/hot on my knee/hip. i spent a few minutes with her. when i left her i couldn't move very well. but 2-3mins later of walking/limping i started running. i mean really running. i clicked off 9.5min miles until the end. i probably passed 150 people in that final stretch. the first group i passed yelled "wow, look at that guy go, where'd he get all that energy??!" - i shouted back to them "i'm injured not tired!" and moved even faster :). I think what i said was rude, but it was true. i felt like my fitness was definitely there. my avg HR was so low, no blisters, no muscular cramps, etc.
total distance = 50.7miles
total time = 10:34 (worst mile = 25mins, best 9:17mins, avg moving pace 11:40, actual pace including stops 12:31)
<<heather worked so hard to get me stuff from drug store, meet me at access points that were closed. she worked very hard and took great care of me! without her i definitely wouldn't have finished. my friend Jason, and coach eric also gave me great advice - reminded me how strong i really am, thanks!'>>