I'm an ultra runner!

Palo Duro 50k 

October 16, 2010

Unofficial Time: 6 hours 26 minutes

9th Female Overall, 3rd AG (39 and under)

Friday night packet pick-up and spaghetti dinner was really fun.  My nervous energy was a little out of control and I had a good time getting to see everyone.  Kelly and I went to our hotel room early and after one of Kathryn's pumpkin cookies and a Red Hook Harvest Ale, I went to bed.  Woke up just about every hour but was always able to fall back to sleep.  Got about 7 hours of sleep, I was thrilled with that.  

Had coffee, a bagel, almond butter and half a banana.  Driving over with Doug, Mary, and K2 I drank about 4 ounces of coke.  Just a little carbonation to settle my stomach.  Because it was so dark it was hard to see everyone but we all found each other at the starting line and after lots of pictures and good luck hugs it was time to run.  

I settled into the back because I didn't want to get stuck running too fast on the single-track.  K2 and I were together for maybe a mile and then she stopped to regroup with Mary and Michelle.  From that moment on, it was just me.  This had been my only real concern going into this event.  Could I run 31 miles by myself?  Without Beth?  Without being surrounded by the same people everyday who entertained me going up the hills?  I was pretty confident I could run 31 miles, just not nearly as confident I could do it alone.

Can you see me?  : )  I'm so happy with these pictures because my form is so much better!

First thing:  6 mile loop (Bottom part of the 12.5 mile figure 8 loop.)

1 - 13:18  Crowded, dark, took a while for runners to stretch out.  I was fine with that though.  My number one goal was not going out too fast for the first 18 miles.  I knew it was going to be a long day, just be patient.

2 - 12:49

3 - 11:38  Thinking I'm breathing in dust.  Trying hard to look behind me so I don't miss the sunrise.

3 - 11:38 Talked to a guy who has ran the Pikes Peak Marathon 3 times and this was his 4th 50 mile race.  It was his first time at Palo Duro.  He also talked to me about Jemez Trail Run because Troy and I are thinking of doing it this May.  He didn't make the 50 mile cut-off.  He says it's a beast.  Sounds perfect!

4 - 11:34 Didn't stop at aid station. Walked to get a Saltstick, ate a Hammer Gel.

5 - 11:34  Sun is up.  This is my only regret.  I wish I would have actually stopped and looked at the sunrise.  I got a great head turn view, but that was it.

6 - 10:29 Home base aid station: refilled water bottle, pee break, took off headlamp, no food.  Saw Jay and Marty.  Marty told me I looked like crap and to Eat It!  hahahahah!

Full 12.5 mile loop, take 1

7 - 11:47 Started feeling down here.   Thought about Tyler State Park and my 24 mile training run.  My hardest miles were 7 - 10.  Those must be my hump miles. : )

8 - 12:18 

9 - 11:58 Still feeling down, amazed the times aren't bad, think I walked some.  Checked my watch at every mile because I wanted to always be around a 12 minute mile.  I knew that with walking hills, stopping at aid stations and taking bathroom breaks, my time would add up quickly and I wanted to make sure when I was running, I was on pace.  Ate a half mojo.  Lonely.  Tried to focus on the scenery.  It's beautiful but doesn't quite do it for me like the mountains.

10 - 12:06  Aid station...1 gatorade, 1 snickers bite, water refill.  Found a group of 6 runners to hang on to.  Every time I got emotional I thought, check your nutrition.  Eat, salt, drink...what's not in balance.

11 - 11:20  Still with this group, grateful for them.  Started seeing my friends that walked the 20k.  This pumped me up each time!!

12 - 11:10  

13 - 11:17  Aid Station:  multiple gatorades, water refill.  snickers bite.  Didn't want to lose the group, kept it really short.

14 - 12:05  Right ITB is KILLING me.  The leaders of our group stop and I keep up with the 2 girls for awhile but then stop to stretch my leg.  Think I need to pick up the pace to stretch it out. 

15 - 14:13 Aid Station.  Coke, gatorade, water refill.  

16 - 10:00 ?? Um...turbo boost?  Must have taken a Roctane at the aid station.   Wondering if it's worth paying $2.50 for one GU?  It is.  Those things are magical.

17 - 12:25 Aid Station: coke, gatorade, water refill, Roctane I think.  I was really trying to stretch out my legs here because my ITB is still just murder.  Saw Tommy and we ran together for about a mile.  The longest he had ever ran was 15 miles and he ended up finishing the 50k.  So amazing.  He honestly seemed dead tired when I saw him and I was beyond impressed with his mental strength. 

18 - 12:43  Mile 18.5 was the start of the second loop and the aid station.  The majority of the 20k'ers had finished and it was awesome to see them.  Byron gave me a big hug and I headed to the aid station.  Bathroom break, got a new mojo, coke, gatorade, water refill.  I'm paying close attention to make sure I've had one Saltstick an hour.  I can't for the life of me remember how many I've taken so I count how many I have left.  Here's where a TransRockies lesson came into play:  conscious, logical thinking skills when under extreme fatigue. : )  I knew I had 10 in the bag, I had given one to Tommy and I had been running for 4 hours.  I was so proud of myself for logically thinking this through.  It sounds silly but I haven't been known to do logical things in endurance events.  (I have however, been known to find a tree and cry.) ; )

Full 12.5 mile loop, take 2

19 - 12:49  Extremely emotional.  Thinking I could burst into crying, shaking tears at any moment.  I kept thinking about all of RAW and how awesome they are.  I had heard Brad yell before any one saw me, "There she is!!  Go Michelle!!"  I'm so thankful to have this running club.  

20 - 12:12  Walked some, starting thinking I must be low on nutrition and that's why my emotions are going crazy.  Eat the second half of my mojo and it tastes like crap to me.  I can't even get the whole half down.  TransRockies lesson 2:  If it's not working, don't fight it.  My normal routine of coke, mojo's and pretzels was not working for me.  I would have stomach distress after each bite of bar and drink of coke.  (Which is normally what helps my stomach!)  Every Hammer Gel and GU Roctane however tasted great and settled perfect with my stomach.  Same with Gatorade.  So, that was my new plan.  

21 - 13:11  Still so alone...ITB still killing me, especially on the downhills. Walking breaks.

22 - 13:28  More walk breaks...

23 - 16:37  Aid Station.  19 to 22 was the lowest point of the race for me.  I was overwhelmed with doing another lap and was sick of being all by myself.  I couldn't see anyone in front of me or behind me.  TransRockies lesson number 3:  I wasn't really focusing on these negatives though.  All the little voices in my head continued positive thoughts, I just knew these were the reasons I was having a low.  Again...eat woman, eat.  Definitely spent a minute or two at the aid station.

24 - 12:56  Getting back in the mental game of kicking ass.  This was my break-through mile.  I thought, 8 miles left.  No problem.  I can run 8 miles in my sleep.  This heat is no problem.  I've run in WAY worse heat.  This leg pain is no problem.  I've run with WAY worse leg pain. 

I kept picturing myself at the Ski Cooper aid station of day 3 of TransRockies.  I remember telling my imaginary friend inside the video camera, "My legs, my abs, my arms have never been sorer.  I've never been more tired.  But I've found a pace that I can keep and I'm sticking to it."  Oh, TransRockies how I love you and your lessons.  I got Alien Ant Farm's version of "Smooth Criminal" in my head and found a pace I could keep.  I pictured me and Beth running the last long stretch to Camp Hale.  It was hot, we were tired, and we pushed each other to our limits.  

25 - 13:50  Aid Station:  lots of gatorade, warm water refill.  Sat my butt down for 30 seconds on the picnic table and loved every second of it.  Came upon 3 runners and talked to them when we started running.  They were really experienced NTTR members and it was really helpful to me to have someone to talk to for a second.  Met a guy from Houston who gave me some advice about the Houston marathon course.  (There's a hill at mile 18 and 22 but the rest is flat and fast.  After your 20 mile long training runs, don't stop, run some hill repeats.  Then your run can be over.)

26 - 12:21  Feeling really confident.  My pace is great, I'm walking the hills and running everything else.  I know that I'm going to finish.  Heard one of the guys say to the girl, "Did she say this was her first ultra?  She's doing great!"  This pumped me up so much!  I couldn't let them down, I WAS doing great!

27 - 13:31 

28 - 14:05 Aid Station  ICE!!!  They had ice and it was the best thing of my entire day.  I poured freezing water on my head and face and down my shirt.  I drank almost an entire water bottle as I was standing there and then refilled it again.  Ate some boiled potatoes and gatorade and potato chips.  This is the best aid station.  This older couple was so freaking nice every time and really just made my day with their attitude.  Two deer were hanging out both times I came through.  To get to the aid station though you had to go down a steep hill and my ITB HATED me each time I did this.  Seriously, I had to side step it and make groaning noises for each step.  hahaha!

29 - 13:43 So ridiculously happy.  I'm going to do this and I think I'm going to make my goal.  I'm so proud of myself for the constant running that I've been doing.  My pace is slower but I really ran all but the hills.  It was really important to me to not walk the second half.  I believe in walking and understand its importance in Ultra's but I didn't want to actually walk any miles.  Only the hills.  I was so glad I made A, B, and C goals because knowing I could make my A goal really, really propelled me forward.  I'm also glad that I didn't make my A goal 6 hours.  I made it something that I thought I could realistically achieve if nothing really went drastically wrong.

30 - 11:50  Last Aid Station!!!  More ICE!!!  It's the little things really.  : )  When my Garmin beeped at me "lap 30" I just about had a heart attack.  Holy Shit!  I just ran 30 f-ing miles!!  Still thinking I can make my "A" Goal of beating 6 hours and 30 minutes.   I just can't walk.  I can't give in.  Find that pace and stick to it.  I do the math a billion times in my head because it gives me something to focus on and it was quite a challenge to add two miles together and subtract them from 30.  Oh brain, I'm sorry you're so tired.   I learned from the NTTR Forums, "RFM:  Relentless Forward Motion."  I thought of that always.  

Jay on the left, Byron on the right
They are so awesome!

31 - 11:02  Second fastest mile of the day!  What?!!  Eat it!  Just kept thinking, get to the road, get to the road.  Your friends will see you and that will help, just get to the road.  Every little leg cramp that happened I just told to relax, it was almost over.  Just relax and don't stop running.

Woo hoo!! I did it!

31.07 Garmin unofficial total mileage

12:27 Garmin unofficial average pace per mile

Approximate food intake because I can't really remember but I do want record of it:

1 Mojo Bar

2 Snickers bites

2 bites of boiled potato with salt

1 date bar

3 or 4 potato chips

2 Roctane's:  the blue one tasted great, the orange one not so much

1 Hammer Gel:  apple cinnamon

6 Saltstick capsules

1 or 2 gatorade swigs at each aid station

3 or 4 total Coke swigs until I realized they were hurting my stomach

drank my whole water handheld between every aid station on the last 12.5 mile loop.  

This was such an awesome experience and I can't wait to do it again!  I thought a lot about running and it's impact on my life and how grateful I am to be a part of a running club.  Having done this run alone, my confidence about doing a road marathon again in January is much higher.  More than I even realized, my pain tolerance and mental strength are much stronger because of TransRockies.

Thanks to Nick for the pictures, Jay took a lot also that I'll upload later!