I posted earlier on Facebook:
"this was my first time at cactus
rose...even though i only did the 50, it was my first 50 miler. thank you for
having this event. i learned soooo much from friends old and new and from
having to do stuff on my own. i look forward to doing the 100 next year."
The Philosophical
Rant:
Doing this 50 mile event (I don't call it a
race because I didn't race it, I accomplished it), I learned much more than I
thought I would learn. First, I learned that I have to overcome my lack of
belief in myself. For example, I fully expected to complete the mileage, but I
didn't expect to have this strange dual assessment that I both succeeded and
failed simultaneously. I felt I succeeded at getting through the 50 miles
relatively unscathed and not crawling or hallucinating towards the finish. I
didn't even cuss out there (that much). So finishing fairly strongly was my
success. My sense of failure was two-fold: 1. Why didn't I push harder to
get a better time? and 2. Why didn't I just go for the 100 Mile distance? The
whole night and morning of the race I felt relatively diminutive
amongst giants and confident ultra runners all around me, both
seasoned and unseasoned all going for the 100. It may not seem much, but to a
competitive person like me, it really bothered me that I didn't sign up for the
100…but I knew I had to stick to my plan. I did. Today, I don't regret my
decision to stay at 50 Miles.
But wait…there's
more:
I learned to trust my training and what that
level of training would allow me to accomplish. I stayed on the same effort
level as my training, and I was able to finish stronger than I thought I would.
I learned that when you run countless miles
during training and ultras, to keep drinking lots of water in between events.
Kidney stones hurt. (That's what happened to me two weeks ago or waaay before,
just didn't realize what it was).
I learned that hokas work. They absorb a lot of
punishment and give you confidence to run on rocky parts of the trail. Thank
you "pinche" Ben for introducing us to the joys of Hokas…Sami, chop
him just once!!!
I learned that short quick steps thru the tough
rocks is better than trying to carefully navigate around them. I actually
increased my speed and saved some impact on my hips and knees.
I learned that ice cold watermelon chunks are
manna from heaven. Thank you Bill Ewton.
I learned just now that clipping toenails right
after an ultra is not a great idea…toenails fall off nice and easy…and gross
out your spouse.
I learned that I have not been drinking enough
water during training. I forced myself to really drink a LOT of water and
was able to survive the heat better. (2 liters of water every 5 miles out
there).
I learned that nothing can really prepare you
for the hills out at Bandera except the hills of Bandera. However, I think I
have a great training idea that we flatlanders can use to mimic them.
I learned that the state natural area gets
really spooky at night…best to have a pacer or other runners with you in the
deep darkness.
I learned that ultra runners are cool
people. I made new trail buddies out there who were willing to share knowledge
and food.
I learned to just get out there and run.
I learned that deep tissue massage really works
wonders. Thank you Kefah Keraro.
Finally I learned that in the complexity of it
all, the training, the "racing", the planning, the dropbox loading,
the preparations and executions, that the support of my kick-ass wife Kathy
makes all this possible. I am an ultra runner because of her. Thanks, my
love for letting me play (or as she puts it with a giggle, my midlife
crisis).
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