Tri for Fun #3

Tri for Fun #3 – August 18, 2012

I have definitely had a great season of racing this year and have met or surpassed my goals.  Last month I had set a PR by over 1 minute getting a 56:38.  Even though the training has been continuing to go well, I knew it would be very tough to try to match that time.

The weather conditions were really ideal.  Cool but not cold.  No real wind.  Got a good spot in the transition area and did my warm up routine.

Jan was going to be showing up but I didn’t see her before the race began.

This race was the 25^th Anniversary of the Tri for Fun.  Mark Aiton, the race director gave a sentimental pre-race speech.  Very touching.  Turns out that on the day of the first race 25 years ago, Mark’s wife, Candy, was pregnant with their daughter.  Very pregnant in fact – like ready to drop.  But there she was helping put on the race.  After the race, she went to the hospital and their daughter was delivered that night.  That’s a trooper.

Swim:

Well, last month’s swim was such a slugfest that instead of lining up on the far left for the most direct route to the first swim buoy, and went over to the right.  Way, way, way over.  Then, I had second thoughts.  Was I already conceding getting another PR by moving way over???  Perhaps.  Well, that settles it then.  Back over to the left I went.  Hope for the best but expect the worst.  Last month I also had a problem at the Olympic distance tri with my goggles completely fogging up so badly I couldn’t see squat.  This time, licked ‘em up pretty good.

The gun goes off and before I know it, I’m rounding the first buoy.  No problems with the goggles fogging either.  On may way to the second buoy, hey – no real contact.  Yeah!  Round the second buoy and head for land.  A couple of bumps was about it. 

Exit the water and there’s Jan cheering. 

Time: 6:49.  Ehh.  Not great, but not terrible.

T1: 

Quick.  No problems with the wetsuit or anything else. 

58 seconds.

Bike:

Really, really, really focused on getting the legs up to speed right off the bat.  Set a PR last month on the bike with a 21.4 mph average.   By the turnaround, I could see I was in 9^th place.  Ehh.  Kept leap-frogging with a few other guys out there.  But I felt I was riding at a quick pace.  Turns out I was.  Ended up averaging 22.4 mph !!!  Another record.  Oh yeah. 

Time:  24:38

T2: Quick.  Just under 30 seconds.

Run:

Headed out on the heels of 2 other runners.  I wasn’t sure what place I was in at this point.  Just got into the groove right away and focused on trying to reel in one runner at a time.  Passed a few and only one passed me.  There’s one spot on the run where you make a left turn and you can see if anyone is close behind who might have a chance to reel you in.  I debated whether or not to sneak a look.  Is anyone gaining?  If so, better dig down even deeper than I already was.  If not, would I fall into complacency and slow down???  Maybe.  To look, or not to look? That is the question.  No more suspense here – I looked.  No one was there.  But I resolved to not slow down. 

So I wind my way through the rest of the rollers on the trails and cross over the parking lot to the path.  I come up to the bend to the right about 100 – 200 yards from the end where I can finally get a glimpse of the race clock.  I’m wondering at this point, “will I be able to crack 58 minutes? 57 minutes?  As the clock comes into view, it says 54 minutes !  Noooooo waaaaayyyyy.  Are you kidding me???  I didn’t really have much gas left for any real kick but just kept the 6:00 pace going to the end.  By then, it had turned over to just over 55.  55:11 to be precise.   -- Chopped 1:27 off last month’s PR.

And another 5th place overall finish. 

Also chopped 6 seconds off my run from last month.  (7:01, 7:01, 7:01, and then 6:06 for the .1 – av pace 6:57)

Really owe a lot to all the pushing on the bike from the Thursday group and all the track workouts with Stu and hill workouts with Pam, Jim, and Bryan, and Jan and Jerry on the bike !!

Well, that was the last of the Tri for Fun series for 2012.   

Definitely ended on a positive note.

California International Tri – Race Report

California International Tri – Race Report

 July 29, 2012

Took a bit to get going on this race report (more on that later), so here goes.

I had been looking forward to this Olympic-distance tri (1 mi. swim, 25 mi. bike, 6.2 mi. run) for several reasons.

First, I was pretty sure there would be a rematch between me and “Old Fart” (whom I badly spanked in a sprint to the finish last year).

Second, I was a bit disappointed with my finish time from last year (2:38) and wanted to chop that time down.

And third, it’s just always fun to do an Oly right in my own back yard.

It had been a bit windy leading up to race day, but I was hoping it would calm down, at least for the morning.  I opted for my most aero front wheel and hoped I wouldn’t get blown all around.  Turns out the heat definitely wasn’t going to be a problem – it was totally overcast in the morning.

Swim:

I was really hoping that this would not be like my swim a week earlier in the Tri for Fun which was a total slugfest – the most violent swim ever.  Got my new goggles just a few days ago.  With all the newfangled “non-fog” coatings, I wouldn’t have to bother licking the insides of the goggles.  Uh – wrong.  Fairly early on they fogged up.  And by that I mean I couldn’t see squat.  I would pick my head up and couldn’t even see if there were swimmers nearby.  Not good when you’re in the middle of a lake!  I’d try to find spots where they were less foggy.  So I think I was doing a fair amount of zig-zagging.  But the good news was that there was no bumping into other swimmers.

Goal time: 28:00 – 29:00.

Actual time:  30:19.  Are you kidding me?  That’s even a minute slower than last year!

T1:  Fast.  14 seconds faster than last year.  Still behind though.

Bike: 

As far as tri bike courses go, this is a hilly course.  Last year, av speed was only 18.7.  Got in the groove and just tried to stay focused.  So I’m on Hwy 84 headed out to the Calaveras (Sunol) exit (Yes, on the highway!) and Old Fart comes up and passes me.  SONOFABITCH.  He’s dancing on the pedals going up the hill.  I’m hating him and everything he stands for.  But – he didn’t really put much of an exclamation point on his pass and I wasn’t all that far behind as we crested the hill.  Ahhhh, a nice long gentle downhill.  Me likey.  Hey, Old Fart – pardon me as I fly by going 30+ mph.  See ya.  And that was the last I saw of him on the bike.  Nuff said.

Worked it on the rest of the rest of the bike and didn’t give much regard to saving the legs for the run since the run has been going very, very well this season.

Goal time:  sub-1:19.

Actual time:  1:16  (AV speed = 19.4).  Ok, so now I’ve made up for my slow swim and put some time in the bank.

T2:  Fast.  57 seconds.  Surprising given how long the transition area is and you have to run all the way through it to get to the bike rack and then get out again.

Run:

As far as tri run courses go, this is a bit tough – mostly trails with lots of rollers and turns.  So I knew I’d be slower than the 44:15 time I got earlier in San Jose.   I just focused on having good leg turnover.

Because several waves had started before mine, I really had no idea who was my actual competition, so I just tried to reel in one runner after another.  I ended up averaging 7:22 per/mi., which I can’t complain about given the terrain. 

The course was spectator friendly: two loops (not to be confused with “two scoops”), so I saw Jan at the halfway point and then at the finish as well.

On the one section which had an out and back, I saw Old Fart.  I knew there was no way he was going to close that gap.  Not today, baby.  With about 1 mi. to go, I do remember passing one guy in my age group, but didn’t know how many others were still ahead.  Anyway, I’ve run on these trails so many times during all the Tri for Funs that I knew every turn by heart and knew exactly how far to go.  I picked up the pace towards the end and just held on. 

Goal run time: sub-46:00.

Actual time: 45:39.

Total Goal time: break 2:38.

Actual time: 2:34 !!!

So – after I finish, I get some of the awesome food USA Productions always has.  Jan and I are just hanging out in the shade and enjoying the feast.  Then, we figure it’s time to go home.  As we’re heading out, we pass a table with several laptops on it.  I remembered that they have it set up where if you enter your race number, it’ll display your time, age group place, etc.  So I enter my number, but I conclude I must be out of sorts from the race.  A lady after me enters her info and I call Jan to come over.  I point out how it shows that lady’s race number, her finish time, and her place (2^nd).  Jan says ok.  I say, “yeah, but look what happens when I enter mine.”  It shows my number, right?  Yes.  It shows my time, right? Yes.  But it says “1^st place”.  We look at each other and say “Noooooo waaaaaayyyy !!!”  I was saying “are you kidding me?”  No joke.

So after doing this sport for literally 30 years, I actually won my age group for the first time.   What a shock.  (Turns out that guy I remembered passing had been in first place).  What a great season it’s been !!!  Sooooooo glad Jan was there to see it.

Tri For Fun – July 21, 2012

Tri For Fun – July 21, 2012

I was a bit nervous going into Saturday’s race since my right shoulder has been a bit tweaky the last two weeks and I didn’t know how well I’d be able to hold my swim form.  That’s sort of important for a sprint tri where you have to red-line the whole way.

I’ve been doing this race series since 1999 – for over 12 years now.  So that means I’ve done this sprint tri between 30 – 40 times !!!

Due to my somewhat competitive nature (who me?), I have pretty much always trained pretty intensely and with an eye towards trying to race as fast as my fitness level allows.

With that in mind, it took me several years before I could crack the 1 hour barrier at the Tri for Fun series.

Over the last several years, I’ve chipped away and to break 59:00.  A few seconds here.  A few seconds there.  Going into this season, my PR was 58:17.

I anxiously approached last month’s Tri for Fun, my first tri of the season, and the Gods were definitely in my favor.  I set a new PR – 57:57 – chopping 20 seconds off the old PR.

The weather conditions were ideal.  Warm but not hot.  And not much wind.  Got there early to get a good spot in the transition area.  Did a pre-race run warmup.  Jan arrived as I was getting ready to head to the water.  Got my kiss for luck.  I probably should’ve gotten another kiss…

Swim:  The start of the swim was fine and made it to the first buoy with no problem.  But after that first buoy this I got hit in the face on top of the left side of my goggles.  It didn’t hurt too much but it knocked the left side out of whack.  I hesitated and thought about readjusting the googles.  Then I thought since it wasn’t leaking and I only had 200 yards to go I would just gut it out.  Then, as I breathed to the left that same swimmer was kicking so furiously I gulped in a ton of water.  Then I was getting hit on my right side and someone was literally pushing down on my low back.  It was brutal.  I started to panic.  I suppose not being able to breath and then getting whacked will do that.  Got past the second buoy somehow and that’s when the panic really started to settle in.  I just couldn’t catch my breath.

At this point on was on the right side and wasn’t getting hit anymore.  I just slowed it down a bit and was able to get a bit more relaxed so I could actually breathe.  Normally I swim all the way to shore until my hands are literally brushing the bottom of the lake, but this time I was only too happy to stand up and run (yeah, right) my way out. 

I was pretty frustrated because I knew my time was slower.  In a sprint tri, there really isn’t any time to spare.  So I knew getting a PR was out and, frankly, I’d be lucky to crack 59:00 again.

Fortunately, I had a really quick T1.  I was on the bike and saw my time was like 8:00.  That really helped pick my spirits up.

Bike:  Getting the legs up to speed early is always tough.  Usually, the second half of the ride is faster than the first half.  For a chance at a PR, I’d need to be right at 20 mph from the get go.  And I was.

By the turnaround on Vineyard I could see I was in 10^th place.  Bummer.  No changes in position even after that, which I was a bit surprised about since there’s a spot on Vineyard that I normally hammer and pass people.  Not this time.  Oh well.  But the AV speed was good – and ended up at 21.4 mph.  Woo hoo!  As I was crossing the bridge back on Bernal, I saw Bryan running along on his was to watch the finish.   Hey – fancy running into you out here.

T2 was fast but not much faster than anyone else so I was still 10^th place as I headed out on the run.

Run:  Had a good leg turnover from the start.  Just kept my sights on the folks in front of me.  Picked off the first guy going up the first hill.  9^th place.  Picked off the next guy after the first downhill.  8^th.  Then passed another guy before the next hill 7^th.  Someone passed me.  Crap.  8^th.  Passed another guy.  7^th.  Then going up the last hill passed one more.  6^th.  Back across the parking lot and onto the grass area there’s two more guys up ahead.  I’ve been reeling these guys in for a while.  We’re now about 300 yards from the finish.  I’m getting close to one and he goes into his kick.  Then I hit mine.  I catch and pass the one and am getting close to the second, but he’s just a bit too far (or maybe I just didn’t want to turn myself even more inside out than I already was – which was a lot).

As we hit the last bend, I am waiting for the clock to come into view to see whether or not I’m going to be above or below 58:00.  I know my eyes were bulging out of there head from the intensity level, but the clock was saying 56 something.  What ?? !!

Despite the oxygen debt I just kept going through the line in 56:38 !!  Over 1 minute off my PR. 

And 5^th place to boot.  (Did a 7:10, 7:09, and a 6:57 mi. pace)

Once again, Jerry was there at the finish with his camera in my face as I’m ready to keel over. 

Pam showed up too. 

Pleasantly surprised and happy to be getting faster as I'm getting older.

TBF - Tri (Olympic Distance) at Rancho Seco

Sunday I participated in an Olympic-distance tri (1 mi. swim, 25 mi. bike, 6.2 mi. run) in the Sacramento area at Rancho Seco Park, next to the nuclear power plant.  (No joke; it’s next to the power plant which I think always helps keep the water temp warm).

I decided late to enter this race because I wanted to break 2:30 for an oly-tri and I only had one other on the race calendar.  So this would be a “B” race, but I still thought I’d have a chance to crack the 2:30 barrier since the training’s been coming along nicely.

Jan had ridden 67 miles with Audrey the day before, so I figured it was unlikely she’d be accompanying me, especially since I’d need to leave the house at 4:45 a.m.  I figured right.  No movement at all when the alarm went off.

Uneventful 1 ½ hour drive there, but always nice when you get to see the sun rise.

Got there early and set up my stuff.  It was already in the 60’s.  Most tris start at 7:00 a.m.  Not this series, however, as TBF starts their races at 8:00.   An hour later – in July – in Sacramento ???  Hmmmm.

The water temp was already feeling warm and comfy and I definitely did not need my wetsuit for that – just for floatation.  Oh well.

Swim:

You know, a 1-mi. swim sure seems far when you actually look at the buoys way, way, way out there.  I was in the 4^th or 5^th wave.  Away we go.  I got in the swim groove right away.  It was funny to me how many others were way off to the right since I was pretty sure I was swimming straight towards the first buoy.  (My Garmin later confirmed this.)  Anyway, after the last buoy I felt another swimmer drafting me since he kept touching my toes.  Not really a problem but occasionally annoying.  As we finish, we’re standing up to run out of the water and he thanks me for the pull.

To have a shot at sub-2:30, I really have to get somewhere in 26-28 for the swim.

Swim:  27:29.

Quick T1, and headed out on the bike.

Bike:

This is a pretty flat and fast course.  Just an out and back.   My best bike split on this course was back in 2008 when I was training for IM AZ.  Averaged 21.2 mph that day.  Anyway, I just focused on picking off one rider at a time.  Not too windy.  By the half way point, I was averaging right at 21 mph.  For some reason the pavement for several miles on the way back sucked.  Good thing I didn’t have any loose fillings in my teeth.  The ride back was just a bit tougher, but I kept trying to “work it” and not worry about how my legs would handle the run.

My prior bike splits on this course have ranged from 1:09 to 1:14.

Actual time: 1:12.  (Av speed = 20.6 mph)

Quick T2 and headed out on the run.

Run:

This run course is tough.  Dirt trails the whole way, and about 2+ miles of single track.  Constant twists and turns and rollers – and no shade at all!!!  Plus, this is Sacramento in July.  Someone turned on the light switch the moment I got on that trail.  And it was HOT – I think already in the low 80’s.  I had a nice pace going on the first couple of miles but then it was really sucky.  I thought I might have a shot at a top 5, and my legs actually felt ok, so I just kept going.  But I honestly thought I was going to crack at any moment.  People around me were running just fine and then all of a sudden were reduced to a walk.  Bamm.   After the mid-way point we get on the single track trails.  On the one hand, I liked that because it reminded me of the ridge and also helped give me something to think about – not tripping.  But that just slowed up the pace and I soooo wanted to be done.   There were moments that I was feeling light headed and really thought I was ready to crack.  But I dug down deep mentally and just kept going.  Strangely, my leg turnover was fine the whole time.

By my calculations at the start of the run, if I could break 50:00, then I would be able to go sub-2:30.   On the run, my math was getting more and more fuzzy.  After getting off the single track, I thought I still had a shot but wasn’t sure.  After the last of the rollers, I thought I might be out of range.  But I picked up the pace with a few hundred yards just in case.  Once the finish came into view, I saw that if I put the pedal to the medal, I might still get it.

Run time: 49:34  (Av pace  7:59 per/mi.)

Total time:  2:29:43  

Usually, within a minute of finishing a race, I feel fine.  Not this time.  I went looking for some shade.  There was a tent with some large ice chests, and this lady said I could sit on them.  She could tell I looked pretty bad and she got me some extra recovery drink cups.  She also filled up a plastic bag with some ice and put it on the back of my neck.  Ahhhhh  !!!!  That did the trick.  After about a minute, I was back amongst the living. 

Went to look at the result which were already posted.  I came in 6^th.  Ugh.  Boy those top 5 were speedy.  Number 5 was at least 3 minutes ahead of me.  Jeez.

Oh well.  Little post-race dip in the lake to wash off, packed everything up and just kept pounding the fluids as I drove back to P-town. 

Glad I met my summer goal of sub-2:30, but I don’t know that I’ll be signing up for any more races in July in Sacramento in the future.

Silicon Valley Olympic Tri – aka “Rematch vs. Old Fart !”

June 24, 2012

This race was notable for me for 2 reasons.  First, it is the real start of my 30^th year of competing in the sport of triathlon.  Did my first tri in Santa Cruz in the summer of 1982.  That was just a few months after I told my running partner that I couldn’t understand why she wanted to do one.  I was a running snob, having started a whopping 6-months earlier.  Anyway, the sport was just in its infancy.  The race flyer literally had to explain that after you swim, you will immediately begin your bike.  Then you will immediately begin your run.  I still have that flyer.

I can’t believe I’ve been doing it for 30 years !

Better move on before I start tearing up.

Ok, so the second item of note is that there was a rematch of Old Fart. Old Fart is a 63-year old age grouper who I’ve seen at lots of races.  He’s hard to miss cuz he looks like a hippie from Santa Cruz.  You may recall that last year I duked it out with him at the California International Tri.  We kept passing and re-passing each other on the bike, and then on the run.  But I opened up a can of whup ass in the final sprint and spanked his wrinkly old ass by 2 seconds!!!  

Anyway, they changed the race course this year due to bacteria problems at Lake Almaden.  So we would swim at the UVAS Reservoir, ride our bikes to Lake Almaden, and then do the regular run course there.  So that meant dropping off our bikes off at UVAS the day before and they set up buses to take us from Lake Almaden to UVAS on race day morning.  That morning I’m on the bus and this guy asks to sit next to me.  Turns out he’s from Pleasanton as well.  Turns out he lives in the same neighborhood as the Ritters.  Turns out he not only knows but is friends with Herb and Cathy.  (Mike Crane).  Small world.

Not much setting up to do when we get to UVAS since I did it the day before.  Chilly!  It’s been a while since I could see my breath.  Starting to regret not bringing arm warmers.  But then I say, “who are you kidding; by the time the race starts and the juices get going, you won’t even notice”.  True.  

The swim waves are starting, so I’m getting ready to get in the water.  A guy standing next to me says “Steve”.  It was another guy from Pleasanton I’ve known for years named Mike Berrigan.  He used to be with the YMCA which ran the Kids Club at Mohr. 

The swim starts and goes very smoothly.  Only a couple of bumps with the guys.  My swimming has been coming along nicely lately.  Before long, I’m passing some folks from the prior swim wave and that psychs me up.  Just after that, a few ladies pass me.  God dammit.

The end is in sight.  Pick up the pace a bit and make it to the very, very long cement ramp.  Get up it finally and into the transition area.  

Swim goal:  Figured I should be able to break 30:00 even though it’s early in the season.

Actual time: 29:36.  (8^th out of 30 in AG)

To the bike, wetsuit off.  You all know I can change clothes fast.  But packing – hmmm, never practiced that.  I guess I’m not a fast packer as it takes me a couple times to get the wetsuit into the bag they provided.  

T1 time:  1:32  (second place in AG)

The bike course reminded me so much of our rides out to The Wall.  No real steep stuff like going up to the False Summit, but lots of inclines nonetheless.  So much for “flat and fast”.  Really tried to work the downhills to make up some time.  Very pretty out there.  Lots of lake views.  The temp was nice.  Just a good day to be out riding.

And who do I see up ahead – why, it’s none other than Old Fart !  Pass him with no prob.  But about 5 minutes later he passes me on an incline.  SONOFABITCH.  Well, he’s standing up on the pedals to really work it going up the hill, so I actually knew I was going to make him my bitch in the end.  Shortly after cresting the incline, I pass Old Fart.  And the rest of the course from there was flat or even slightly downhill, just the way I like it.  I was flying pretty good and never saw him on the bike again.  Hee hee.

Bike goal:  Well I knew 20+ mph was out of range given the course and the winds.

Actual time: 1:15  19.7 Av !!  (8^th)

Quick T2, which consisted mostly of a long run to the bike rack, and then a long run to get out of there.  1:21  (6^th)

The run course is definitely flat and fast.  Thanks to Stu, the run speed has steadily been improving each week.  Just focused on reeling in runners one at a time.  Kept a good turnover. 

After the first mile is a turnaround, and I see Old Fart.  And he sees me.  We both know it’s game on.

I’m really feeling right in the groove. 

7:21

7:04

7:06

7:03

After Mile 4, there was another turnaround.  Old Fart hadn’t really closed gap.  I was still feeling steady.

7:13

7:06

Run time: 44:15  (7:07 av pace)  (6^th)  PR for my run on this course.  (Been doing this race since 2002).

Total time: 2:32  -  5^th place !!!  My best finish place ever in a major race.  

I think all the speedy guys had something else going on last weekend.  Seriously.  I beat the #6 guy by about 1 minute, which is a lot.  But #4 beat me 11 minutes.  But, hey, I won’t lie about it. 5^th place – I was on Cloud 9.  I’ll be relishing that one for a long time.

Saw Old Fart afterwards.  He didn’t seem too talkative.  Got 2^nd in his AG.  Got beat by a 60 year old who finished in 2:28 !!   I'm sure I'll be seeing Old Fart next month.  So far, Steve - 2, Old Fart - 0.

Steve’s American River 50 – Race Report

Steve’s American River 50 – Race Report

Saturday, April 7, 2012

I have never been in better running shape in my life than I was in getting ready for this endeavor.  I have learned the hard way that my body requires more training for things than what may work for other people.  For some, less is more.  For me, it’s the opposite.  So I put in the time and had the fitness level where I’d hoped it would be.  Dealt with tweaky this and tweaky that along the way.  But all systems were “go” for last Saturday.

Had the hydration and nutrition strategy dialed in too.  Critical for an event like this.  Water was easy because the water stops were typically only 4 – 5 miles apart. 

For fuel, I was going to replenish each time we saw Jan, Pam, and Audrey, which was about every 13 miles.  No prob.

Here's a picture from Friday in Sacramento after we picked up our race numbers and had dinner at the Old Spaghetti Factory.  We stayed in Auburn Friday night with Pam’s brother, Steve, and his wife and kids.  Had a great time hanging out with them.  Got in perhaps more sleep than I expected.  Got up early and we all headed to the start area back in Sacramento.  As we’re driving there, Jan remarks, “boy, this is a long way!”  Yup.

The weather was cooperative this weekend.  Supposed to be about 45 degrees at the start, and end up in the low 60’s. 

Nothing too eventful prior to the start as we said our goodbyes.

Getting ready to head over to the start line.

At 6:00, it was still very dark.  Fortunately, the moon was shining brightly.  

Before I know it, WE’RE OFF !

I had told Jim and Bryan several times that I don’t have a problem starting slow and that they are usually the ones going out faster than I’d like.  But there were soooooo many people in front of us (why couldn’t they seed themselves farther back?) that we were weaving in and out just to even go around 11:00.  We ended making it around though and did the first mile in 10:07.  Mellow.

Jim, Bryan and I pretty much stuck together despite having to weave through the crowd.

Bryan and I were a bit ahead of Jim when we came upon Jerry waiting to take some photos, which I think was around mile 1.   Shortly after, the sky was already getting brighter.

Here's a picture of Jerry.  (Since he took ALL THE PHOTOS ON THIS BLOG, and tons of other ones too, there wasn't any of him from race day.)  Best photographer - IN THE WORLD !  (http://www.ssshd.com/Spring_Street_Studios/Home.html)

Anywhoooooo - the paved trail along the American River was very pretty.  Lots of trees.  I was pleasantly surprised.  Bryan and I were moving right along at a mellow pace just like the miles and miles we trained. 

Then I noticed fairly early on some sort of “Charlie horse” in my left quad.  What ???  I’d never had a tweak in that area before.  Odd.  I wasn’t too worried though since I have learned in these endurance things, you might feel a pain here or there that goes away after a bit.

A bit later I noticed a “hot spot” on the bottom of my right foot, on the ball of the foot.  Again, something that hadn’t cropped up in training, but I didn’t freak out.  Next to the paved trail was a dirt portion.  I tried running on that to see if it would help with the hot spot.  IT DID!  So if it acted up again, I just ran on the trail part.  Ok, nice adjustment.

I was right on schedule with pace, nutrition and hydration.  They even had trash cans along the route so I could dump my used gels (GU).  Cool.

Right after the 10 mi. mark, Bryan started his run 10:00 and walk 1:00 strategy.  I just kept the same pace going so we ended up separating.  At the 14 mi. water stop was Jan, the girls and Jerry.  I took off my long sleeve shirt and put on the short sleeve one Jan had for me.  I felt great and was all smiles.  Away I went.

Changed into my short sleeve shirt now that the temp was picking up.

Got to the 13 mi. mark well under 2 hr.  Again, right on schedule and feeling good.  The weather was great.

Prior to the “marathon mark”, they had these signs posted of the story of Pheidippides, who ran from the battlefield to Athens to announce their victory – and then died.  I reached the marathon at like 3:58.  I felt great and was all smiles as I got to where Jan and the girls were.  Changed my socks and shoes.  I genuinely felt good. Away I went all smiles. 

Add caption

More Body Glide, some toe socks, and on go the trail shoes.

Not doing too bad after having finished a marathon at this point.

I was glad mentally to be on the trails.  Something new.  I think I’m stronger than most on the trails so I felt kind of like this was my turf.

But my left quad issue had not gone away.  Instead of just “being there”, now it was starting to hurt.  And that hot spot was back – only now it was getting worse.  By mile 32 or 33, I was in pain.  I had taken some Aleve but that wasn’t helping.  By about mile 35, I was forced to walk.  And even that hurt.  And it hurt BAD.  I could muster up the will to throw in some jogging on occasion.  And that hurt.  I sent Jan a text to let her know I was having foot problems and would need different socks.  Bryan passed me at mile 36.  My mental strength was weakening as well by each passing 100 yards.  I had held off the “negative thoughts” as long as I could, but I eventually gave in.  Jan texted me asking how I was doing.  “Struggling” was my reply.

I was planning to pack it in at the 41 mile water stop where Jan would be waiting.  I didn’t exactly know what “pack it in” meant, to be honest, since I didn’t know where I was planning on having Jan drive me to (especially since she was driving Pam and Audrey around).  I guess I wasn’t thinking too clearly at that point.  Go figure.  I just felt sooooo frustrated that everything had fallen apart around me.  And the trail is so narrow that I had to keep pulling over and stopping to allow the runners behind me to pass.  UGH!  Where is that &*!*$%!  41 mi. stop for crying out loud? 

So I finally got there.  OMG.  That took forever.  I was in a deep mental funk.  Discouraged.  I sat down.  I vaguely recall Jan telling me that I’d be able to make it the remaining 9 miles and me telling her, politely I’m sure, that she was wrong.  

 

Jerry and Pam must have realized Jan was not getting anywhere with me.  And the two of them started some Jedi-mind tricks (“these are not the droids you’re looking for”).  The next thing I knew, I had changed my socks and was standing up and Jerry was continuing to say “the force is strong with you”, and Pam was walking me out of the water stop and pointing out some stupid-ass sign that said “Pain is negative energy leaving your body”.  Whoever wrote that crap, I’d like to meet and, if I had enough negative energy, punch you in the face!  Really.

Pam used her Jedi-mind tricks on me and is now escorting me out of the rest stop.

So then I’m actually running, yes running.  And wasn’t feel too bad.  The left quad was hurting, but my right foot was feeling fine.  YES!  “I’m back in the saddle again.  I’M BACK!” Ran for about 2-3 miles fairly steady.  But that feeling of euphoria came to an end.  I was back to walking and was in pain.  And now my nutrition and hydration were out of whack, so my stomach was feeling queasy.  Somewhere around mile 45 Jim passed me and tried to talk me into running with him.  I said he should just go.  Those miles took forever.  Literally.  But I just kept thinking of Pam’s mantra, “Relentless Forward Progress”.  So even though I was walking really, really slowly, I was still moving forward.

At the end of the single track trail it opens up to a fire road with a steep hill. And I mean steep.  Everything had fallen apart.  Because of how slow I was walking, my two water bottles weren’t really enough to last from one water stop to the next.  Stupid me because I had given Jan two extra ones for such an occasion but I didn’t think to ask for them.  Duh.  So I text Jan and ask her to come down the hill and HELP, and bring water.

These ladies pass and ask if I’m ok.  No, I’m not ok.  I’m not anywhere remotely near being ok.  My black shirt wasn’t helping as the temps were now around 65 degrees, warming than anything we’d trained it.  Help, I’m melting !  My black shirt had so much salt residue on it that everyone was thinking I need salt capsules.  I didn’t and had been on top of that.  But I was sure sweating a lot.  I ask these ladies if they have any extra water.  Another stupid move since they’re wearing camel backs.  Anyway, they are walking at a much faster pace than I am so that’s the last I see of them.

Those ladies make it to the next water stop and must have said something because this guy comes flying down the hill and is coming right towards me.  So they must have said, “this guy needs water and you can’t miss him because he’s the one who looks like death warmed over”.  This young guy grabs my empty bottles and boom, he’s gone back up the hill.  Then just a minute later the guy is flying back down the hill and gives me my water bottles.  ICE COLD!  Oh yeah. 

To say I’m walking up the hill is using the word “walking” loosely.  I wasn’t exactly staggering though, so that’s good.  Hobbling?  Perhaps.  So I eventually make it to the Last Gasp water stop, just past the 47 mi mark.  OMG.  There is no way I can continue.  My will is gone.  The main guy there asks me what I want.  “A chair”, I say.  “Sorry, we don’t have any because we don’t want anyone to stay here”.  What???  That didn’t seem very hospitable to me.  Ever being the lawyer, I “negotiated” and got him to lower the tailgate on his truck.  (Yes, I think it was white).  He engaged me in conversation, I think to make sure I was not hallucinating.  (No, that happened back when I signed up for this thing). They got me some good drinks and banana slices.  I told him Jan was on her way down.  He said, “great, why don’t you leave right now and meet her up the hill.”  It wasn’t really so much a “question” as it was an “order”.  What kind of host is he for crying out loud.  I mean, really. 

About a half mile later, I collapsed.  Nah, just kidding, but got you, didn’t I?  That’s when I met up with Jan.  So she inter-locks arms with me and we’re walking, and I mean walking fast.  My legs are complaining but I don’t think Jan cared.  At some point this mother of a hill tapers off a bit and Jan is telling me we’re going to run.  Oh no, I can’t.  Again – with the Jedi-mind tricks and the next thing, yes, we’re jogging.  And we kept that going until the hill got super steep again.  And then again with the power walking thing.  And when that tapered again, we’re back to the running. 

I actually kept it going at that point until this sort of driveway which is about 200 yards.  I ran about half way up it and then walked to the top.  Then I ran again across this parking lot, to the street, up onto the grass and down this grass path to the Finish Line.  DONE !!!  11:38.

11:38 is the time per the chip I'm wearing on my shoe.

Jerry, Pam, Audrey, Bryan and Jim were there.  

 

This is just a minute after I finished. So I wasn't doing too bad. Lots of salt on the shirt though.

 

About a minute later Jan made it back. 

 I actually didn’t feel too bad.  Stomach was fine.  Just my legs were dead. Go figure.  Jerry took lots of group pictures and we all looked pretty good.  Just glad to have finished. 

I felt disappointment over not being able to execute on my Plan A, or even Plan B.  But after a couple of days, my negative thoughts and disappointment passed.  I reflected on what an epic experience it was, and appreciate the bond we will all share forever!  It was only through Jan’s encouragement, love and support, that I was able to step up to that starting line.  So it was only fitting that it was her encouragement, love and support that got me from mile 47 to the Finish Line!